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4th July 2006 Archive

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  • Shiny rocks could hold evidence of Martian life

    Always in the last place you look

    Researchers looking for evidence of life on Mars should be taking a closer look at a shiny coating that forms on rocks in the desert, according to scientists at London University's Imperial College (IC). The team is now calling for these shiny rocks to be added to the "Martian shopping list" on any sample-return mission to the …

    Space 4 Jul 2006, 06:02

  • UK film biz hires piracy-busting 'cinema investigator'

    Is that a camcorder in your pocket..? etc, etc

    UK film distributors have coughed up the cash to fund a "cinema investigator" to tackle the menace of ne'er-do-wells filming new releases direct from the silver screen and transferring the resulting footage to moody DVDs. According to the Beeb, the former police officer will "train cinema staff and examine incidents where …

    Music and Media 4 Jul 2006, 07:02

  • Man invents 'password-protected bullets'

    Safety cap

    A German inventor has developed an idea for "password-protected bullets". In a US patent, Hebert Meyerle outlines the concept of a modified cartridge that would only fire once a correct authentication signal is received. A transponder with matching codes needs to be worn in a ring on a shooter's firing hand before a gun using …

    Security 4 Jul 2006, 08:45

  • Yahoo!, MSN chat interop steps out

    Baby talk

    Yahoo! and Microsoft introduced new versions of their IM chat clients last month, and while flaky, show the first results of last October's interoperability agreement. Yahoo! chat users can now send messages to MSN chat users and vice versa. Or at least, it works if you're using Yahoo's Mac beta software and Microsoft's …

    Applications 4 Jul 2006, 08:49

  • LugRadio Live returns

    More geekiness than you could shake a light-sabre at

    After the success of last summer's bash, the founders of the geektastic* radio show LugRadio are holding another live event for the open source community. Again, the emphasis is on fun rather than sales pitches, as should be made clear from the fact that the entry fee is still a mere five of your English pounds. Once you're in …

    Software 4 Jul 2006, 08:56

  • Becta embarks on software review

    Microsoft Campus under the microscope

    Further education colleges are being urged to take part in a review of education software licences. British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta) said it has teamed up with management consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) to find out if colleges and schools are getting the best "value" out of using the …

    Public Sector 4 Jul 2006, 08:56

  • EU opens public consultation on RFID

    Attempt to allay 'Big Brother' fears

    Fears about new Radio Frequency Identification technology (RFID), have prompted the EU to open a public consultation process. The commission has been holding discussions with government agencies and the private sector since March based on general themes of standardising RFID frequencies and formats across Europe, but now the …

    ID 4 Jul 2006, 09:13

  • World chip sales revive in May after April's dip

    Revenues growing again

    May's worldwide chips sales rose 0.7 per cent on the previous month's total, $19.61bn, to reach $19.75bn, the US Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) said last night. May's figure was up by 9.4 per cent on the May 2005's total, $18.05bn. The monthly figures are based on three-month averages, a process the SIA claims leads …

    Reg Hardware 4 Jul 2006, 09:20

  • If Orange is German, then it's buying AOL

    Otherwise, it's T-Systems

    Widespread enthusiasm for the Orange takeover of AOL's UK business has followed a speculative report in the UK's Sunday Telegraph - but reports from inside the bidding auction are now talking of "indignant German bidders" - and claiming that, in fact, T-Mobile's parent, Deutsche Telekom, will be the buyer. One report, which …

    Telecoms 4 Jul 2006, 09:27

  • Nvidia said to be readying HDCP-native GPU updates

    GeForce 7900 GT, GTX to support copy protection system as standard

    Nvidia will soon ship versions of its GeForce 7900 GT and GTX GPUs with integrated HDCP support, it has been claimed. If true, the move will position the company's chips as a cheaper option than adding a separate chip to add-in boards with HDMI ports. Nvidia's plan was highlighted by Taiwanese card-manufacturer moles cited by …

    Reg Hardware 4 Jul 2006, 09:42

  • Industries lobby EU Commission to cut copyright fees

    But proposal 'may have a bumpy ride'

    At the same time as the EU Commission has launched a consultation paper with proposals to reform current copyright levies, the IT, telecommunications, electronics and digital industry associations have launched the Copyright Levies Reform Alliance (CLRA), campaigning for urgent reform of copyright levies. Copyright levies …

    Music and Media 4 Jul 2006, 09:53

  • Microsoft fines OK'd - reports

    Updated The men from the EU say 'yes'

    The vote is (unofficially, and off the record) in. Regulators from the European Union's 25 member countries have, according to reports, unanimously found Microsoft guilty of non-compliance with the commission's landmark 2004 anti-trust ruling. The way is now clear for Microsoft to start paying a $2.51m a day fine backdated to …

    Hardware 4 Jul 2006, 09:58

  • Apple extends MacBook line-up

    Updated Upgraded black and white models

    Apple has begun shipping a pair of new MacBook configurations through its retail chain, bumping up the specification and upping the price accordingly, it has been claimed. The two new models sit, respectively, above the current white and black 2GHz MacBooks. According to an AppleInsider report, the new white MacBook has 1GB …

    Reg Hardware 4 Jul 2006, 10:00

  • Snow this week in Brum: official

    More BBC weather merriment

    The Brummie readers among you who are currently slumped semi-conscious at your desks encompassed by a semi-circle of fans as the mercury threatens to hit an all-time July high can take heart that you will only have to endure the intolerable heat-induced suffering until Thursday: Yes indeed, following the recent tropical storm …

    Music and Media 4 Jul 2006, 10:01

  • NTL:Telewest scores with Virgin

    Finally seals the deal

    NTL:Telewest finally announced completion of its buy-up of Virgin Mobile today after getting the green light from the High Court. Virgin Mobile's shares have been delisted from the stock exchange. It'll continue serving its four million punters as a separate entity for a while, most likely until early 2007, NTL:Telewest says. …

    Networks 4 Jul 2006, 10:06

  • Next generation BI - Part two

    Comment Technical issues

    In the previous article in this series, I outlined some of the major features that you want to see in a next generation BI solution. Most of this is not complex: new visualisation capabilities, integration with search and so on are not, at least in principle, difficult, though companies providing sophisticated visualisation …

    Developer 4 Jul 2006, 10:06

  • German officials deny probe into Intel, Metro collusion claim

    We have no evidence to justify an investigation, says Cartel Office

    Germany's Federal Cartel Office (FCO) has rejected claims that it is investigating allegations Intel and local retail giant Metro agreed that the retailer's Media Markt and Saturn chains would not sell PCs based on AMD processors. The denial follows a report in the German edition of the Financial Times at the weekend claiming …

    Reg Hardware 4 Jul 2006, 10:32

  • MI5 bumps off ambitious IT plan

    Opts for Microsoft Office instead?

    The British Security Service (BSS) got itself into such a pickle with its IT modernisation that it has been forced to scrap one of its key projects. The service was supposed to get a new document and records management system in 2004, but last April the Intelligence and Security Committee reported that the project had been …

    Hardware 4 Jul 2006, 10:46

  • AMD posts dual-core tweaking tool

    Games performance issues addressed

    AMD has posted a software tool that it claims improves the video performance of games running on its dual-core Athlon 64 FX processor. The AMD Dual-Core Optimizer compensates for quirks in the CPU's time stamp system which can impact frame rates. According to the chip maker, the tool works with games that bypass Windows' …

    Reg Hardware 4 Jul 2006, 10:50

  • Oracle stays mum over database glitch

    Nominet 'very disappointed' with response

    Nominet has been forced to cancel a big update following a bug in its new Oracle software that the database provider has been unable, or unwilling, to help with. The domain registry had been due to upgrade to Oracle 10.2 this weekend. Techies were forced to put the plans on ice despite months of preparation when they uncovered …

    Hardware 4 Jul 2006, 11:13

  • Sharp, Willcom unveil Nokia Communicator competitor

    Windows Mobile-based W-Zero3 to out-brick the brick?

    Japanese mobile phone company Willcom has unveiled a Windows Mobile 5.0-based handset to compete with Nokia's Communicator series - aka 'the brick'. Manufactured by Sharp and equipped with a 416MHz Intel XScale processor, the W-Zero3 WS700SH sports a 2.8in, 640 x 480 display and a slide-down QWERTY keyboard. The screen is …

    Reg Hardware 4 Jul 2006, 11:38

  • NHS farce leads to lost data

    Exclusive Patient data may have been saved

    Primitive backup procedures at Bexley Care Trust have led to the loss of email, contact, calendar, and schedule data across two NHS trusts. Bexley provided the Exchange email systems for itself and Greenwich Primary Care Trust (PCT) until the system went kaput last week. This would not have been a problem if Bexley had …

    Business 4 Jul 2006, 11:44

  • Medion charts budget sat nav kit revamp

    GoPal PNA line-up unveiled

    Medion, the company that revolutionised the European PDA market a few years back just by bundling GPS receivers and route-planning software with its PocketPCs, today unveiled its latest line-up of dedicated sat nav gadgets. The GoPal PNA range comprises four models: the 210, 500, 510 and 515. All four ship with a street maps …

    Reg Hardware 4 Jul 2006, 12:05

  • Volkswagen unleashes 150mph self-driving car

    Lizard Alliance vehicle of death

    You have to admire Volkswagen: while the French motor industry and national rival BMW are still feebly denying they are already controlled by the Lizard Alliance - despite chilling evidence to the contrary - the Wolfsburg tentacle of the German manufacturer has decided to cut literally to the chase and scrap even the merest …

    Rise of the Machines 4 Jul 2006, 12:11

  • Crash test dummies

    UK firm put valid data into prototype systems

    Many firms are using live customer data to test applications. Almost half (44 per cent) quizzed in a UK survey admitted they used valid information to run systems through their paces, a practice that leaves them potentially liable under the Data Protection Act (DPA), which prohibits organisations from using data for purposes …

    Security 4 Jul 2006, 12:13

  • Adobe frees software to win developers

    Flexes muscles

    Adobe Systems has shaken up pricing and packaging of its Flex rich web content creation software to increase its appeal among developers considering AJAX, while updating its ubiquitous Flash player. The company has dropped the price on its Flex 2 software development kit (SDK), previously only available as part of the Flex …

    Software 4 Jul 2006, 12:48

  • Samsung's snazzy snappers to ship September

    New-look NV series unveiled

    Samsung today launched a stylish trio of flagship digital cameras the company hopes will win it a host of new fans when they ship in September. The luxurious-looking gadgets incorporate hi-res video shooting and multimedia playback. The NV series comprises three models: the NV3, NV7 OPS and NV10. The first two are 7.2 …

    Reg Hardware 4 Jul 2006, 13:13

  • A tech health check for SMBs

    Quocirca's changing channels IT innoculation

    The terms "high availability" and "disaster recovery" are most commonly associated with the requirements of large enterprises. But most small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are as reliant on their information technology (IT) and arguably more vulnerable to IT failure than their larger counterparts. This is because SMBs have …

    Business 4 Jul 2006, 14:09

  • Mac Pro to sport case redesign for Intel era?

    August debut, sources claim

    Apple's pro-oriented desktop Mac will not only sport a new name and a new Intel processor when it launches at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) next month but also a new case design. So claims website Think Secret, which reckons the Mac Pro enclosure will be broadly similar to the current machine - expect …

    Reg Hardware 4 Jul 2006, 14:13

  • IT set to dominate European patents debate

    Initial findings published, hearing next week

    The European Commission has published the initial findings from its public consultation on Europe's patent system, revealing deep divisions within the business community on how best to proceed, but also a consensus that something must be done. The findings have been published ahead of a public hearing in Brussels on 12 July …

    Music and Media 4 Jul 2006, 14:18

  • Samsung to bring 'BlackBerry beater' to Europe

    July arrival for SGH-i320

    Samsung is to ship its BlackBerry-like SGH-i320 Windows Mobile 5.0-based phone in Europe later this month, the South Korean giant promised today. The device sports a 2.2in, 240 x 320, 65,536-colour display above a QWERTY keyboard. Samsung previewed the i320 at CommunicAsia show last month, but at the time said little about …

    Mobile 4 Jul 2006, 14:49

  • Judge slaps US Navy with sonar ban

    Reprieve for Hawaiian sea mammals

    The US Navy has been temporarily banned from using sonar. A federal judge in California slapped a restraining order on the military after environmentalist lawyers successfully argued that marine mammals could be at risk. The Navy had this week planned to carry out its anti-submarine training exercise, called Rim of the Pacific …

    Biology 4 Jul 2006, 14:55

  • Korean stem cell 'fraud' gives emotional testimony

    Hwang tells court: 'I admit it'

    Hwang Woo-Suk, the disgraced Korean stem cell scientist, has admitted in court that he fabricated data. During an emotional testimony in Seoul, he said: "It was clearly my wrongdoing, I admit it." If found guilty of misusing state funds Hwang could face 10 years imprisonment. Bioethics allegations against him carry a three year …

    Biology 4 Jul 2006, 15:43

  • Eclipse comes last in quality vote

    Joins NetBeans

    The increasingly popular Eclipse open source tools framework has finished in last place, with Sun Microsystems' NetBeans, in a developers' vote on quality of features. In a comment on the potential shakiness of new "community" projects and a tribute to the lingering power of centralised management, developers have given IBM's …

    Software 4 Jul 2006, 15:55

  • MySpace, kids today and the NHS

    Letters Floating beds

    So, who is responsible for what, online? This is the question of the moment, thanks to the whole MySpace furore. Some argue that the parents should monitor their sprolings' use of the internet, others that companies need to do more to make their chat pages safer places to be. Falling into the former category was Scott Granneman …

    Letters 4 Jul 2006, 16:08

  • Police probe Paris Hilton link in LexisNexis breach

    Accused hackers deny ID theft

    US investigators have arrested five men on suspicion of involvement of hacking into the database of LexisNexis Group in a crime linked by prosecutors to a breach that led to the disclosure of the personal details of more than 310,000 people last year. Some of the quintet are further suspected of swiping photos and data from an …

    Security 4 Jul 2006, 16:13