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31st August 2006 Archive

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  • AMD defining Centrino-like ATI-based laptop platform?

    'Yokohama' = 'Yamoto' + ATI - Nvidia

    AMD and ATI are to launch a notebook platform next quarter, it has been claimed. The move appears to build on AMD's past portable-platform development efforts, in particular 'Yamoto', it's attempt to devise a set of specifications based on its CPUs not unlike Intel's Centrino. The new version is dubbed 'Yokohama', a DigiTimes …

    Reg Hardware 31 Aug 2006, 08:13

  • Sony to bring Sports Walkman MP3 player to Europe

    Workout-friendly, company claims

    Sony has said it will ship its upcoming Sports Walkman-branded MP3 player line-up in Europe in September. The tubular device, which will ship in 1GB and 2GB versions, was announced in the US earlier this month. The two European models are the NW-S203F and the NW-S205F. Both feature jogger-friendly features like a pedometer …

    Reg Hardware 31 Aug 2006, 08:41

  • Web 2.0: if you're not on the list, you're not coming in

    The limited wisdom of tiny groups

    Organizers of a Web 2.0 talkfest are promising to unlock the secrets of the social networking universe for ordinary folks and to hook 'em up with some big swinging internet dicks over canapés. Catch is, you can't just pay for a ticket and show up to this event, as you would any other Silicon Valley conference. No, as this is a …

    Music and Media 31 Aug 2006, 08:49

  • Astronomers watch supernova go bang

    Detailed, real-time data

    Scientists have, for the first time, been able to watch a star go supernova in real time, thanks to NASA's Swift satellite. The event began back in February, when the Swift satellite, designed to detect and respond to a gamma ray burst (GRB) within 20 to 70 seconds, first sounded the alarm. The burst it had spotted lasted much …

    Space 31 Aug 2006, 08:52

  • Nvidia GeForce 7100 GS slips out

    Quiet launch

    Nvidia has quietly rolled out the GeForce 7100 graphics chip family at the bottom end of its GeForce 7 series of GPUs. For now, though, there's only one member - the 7100 GS - but at least three card companies have announced boards based on the part. The 7100 GS contains four pixel shaders like the GeForce 7300 LE. Both chips …

    Reg Hardware 31 Aug 2006, 09:02

  • Google Book Search goes live

    Download classics for free

    Google is making waves in the publishing industry by offering free PDFs of out-of-copyright books. Classic literature fans will be able to download Dante's Divine Comedy, access Aesop's Fables and get hold of other popular classics and rare books that are no longer subject to copyright through Google's Book Search service. …

    Music and Media 31 Aug 2006, 09:09

  • Japanese get external internal hard drive cooler kit

    Out of the chassis

    Is your hard disk running too hot? Japan's Freedom PC has what it believes is the answer: a pair of 6cm fans mounted on a standard to which you fix your thermally troubled 3.5in HDD. You also keep the drive outside your computer's casing. To help, the fan chassis comes equipped with a pair of fold-down stands. Power for the …

    Reg Hardware 31 Aug 2006, 09:26

  • A streaming headache for IT managers

    Preserving business bandwidth

    The long summer of sport draws to a close, and corporate networks draw a breath of relief as multiple streams of video cease to take 90 per cent of available bandwidth from the business. How was it for you? Did the voices from on high make the big statement "stop all streaming media - now!" And what was your response? The …

    Small Biz 31 Aug 2006, 09:32

  • Feds arrest 15 aliens at Roswell

    Area 51 rumours confirmed

    It appears that the black helicopter brigade were right all along about Area 51, since US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operatives this week arrested 15 aliens at the facility who were, chillingly, in the process of painting military aircraft when the net closed. That's according to an official ICE report under the …

    Music and Media 31 Aug 2006, 09:46

  • Mag moots March '07 PSP redesign

    Sony handheld to become PSP Lite?

    Sony fanboys and PlayStation Portable owners are all getting hot under the collar over a claim made in the US PlayStation Magazine that the consumer electronics giant is planning to ship a redesigned PSP next year. Details are unsurprisingly sparse. The gist of the move appears to be a cosmetic revamp to make the device more …

    Reg Hardware 31 Aug 2006, 10:06

  • OCZ clocks DDR 2 DIMM to 1,120MHz

    PC2-9000 anyone?

    Memory specialist OCZ has unveiled a 1GB DDR 2 SDRAM memory module clocked to a whopping 1.12GHz. The unbuffered 2.4V DIMM is latency rated at 5-5-5-15, the company said. Part of OCZ's Titanium Alpha line, the PC2-9000 VX2 DFI Special Edition part sports a multi-coloured heatsink that's unique to each DIMM dropping off the …

    Reg Hardware 31 Aug 2006, 10:53

  • Japan's AKARI 'scopes out stellar evolution

    Infrared sky survey

    The Japanese infrared space telescope AKARI has sent back a raft of stunning new images of stellar evolution, from the earliest stages of star formation to the final death throes of stars in our own galaxy. The observatory was launched in February this year and is about halfway through building its first infrared sky map. …

    Space 31 Aug 2006, 11:04

  • Simms makes its first acquisition

    Well that's just bonza matey

    Memory distributor Simms International has bought a rival in Australia in its first acquisition since forming in 1990. The firm issued a statement about its purchase of K H Distribution Pty Ltd, an Australian memory distributor, but failed to mention how much it cost. It did say, however, that its Aussie operations, combined …

    Channel Register 31 Aug 2006, 11:05

  • Palm boss backs cellphone driving ban

    Hello? Hello?

    As any New Yorker will cheerfully tell you, California's drivers are second to none in the nation. They possess what seems to be a sixth sense when it comes to anticipation and awareness, and their vehicle handling would shame a professional rally driver. So much so that East Coast visitors can often be seen saluting this …

    Mobile 31 Aug 2006, 11:08

  • Seat revs iPod, digital radio-friendly sporty auto

    Special edition Ibiza announced

    Volkswagen subsidiary Seat has joined the fleet of car makers keen to cash in on the iPod arena and launched a special edition of its Ibiza hatchback featuring not only an integrated digital radio but also a connector for Apple's music player. The car also sports a MP3-compatible CD unit. The Ibiza 1.4 DAB Special Edition …

    Reg Hardware 31 Aug 2006, 11:24

  • Serco profits swell

    Outsourcing, terror alerts mean more growth

    Government services firm Serco announced tasty half year results today. Compared to last year, revenues were up 15 per cent to £1.236bn. Bigger margins meant profits outperformed revenue growth. Pre-tax profits climbed to £44.3m, 20.1 per cent up on the same period in 2005. The figures deliver earnings per share of £0.0669 and …

    Financial News 31 Aug 2006, 11:24

  • Browzar browser offers privacy protection

    Freeserve founder tilts at cookie monster

    Freeserve founder Ajaz Ahmed has launched an internet browser that protects against leaving details of sites surfers visit on the computers they use to access the net. Browzar, which can be either downloaded or run directly from the web, doesn't save information on visited websites or searches made when surfing the web. Cache, …

    ID 31 Aug 2006, 11:30

  • Airfix crashes and burns

    RIP the plastic Spitfire

    There's been a certain amount of teary-eyed nostalgia this morning down at Vulture Central at the news that the firm behind plastic model legend Airfix has gone into administration. According to The Evening Standard, the company was formed in 1939 by Hungarian-born Nicholas Kove. At the height of its powers during the sixties, …

    Financial News 31 Aug 2006, 11:42

  • Freetalk shuts up

    Vonage takeover accelerates VoIP consolidation

    Vonage has taken over the distribution and customer base formally belonging to VoIP outfit Freetalk. Freetalk was set up less than a year ago by DSG International Plc and has been flogging connections though its Dixons (or Currys, or Currys.digital, depending on when you look) High Street stores. With its acquisition, Vonage …

    Networks 31 Aug 2006, 11:50

  • Logitech VX Revolution 'freewheeling' cordless mouse

    Review The laptop mouse for the connoisseur?

    If you're an avid laptop user, you'll know how clumsy most notebook touchpads and thumbsticks are and that you really can't go wrong with a good mouse. Enter the VX Revolution, Logitech's latest laptop-friendly input device. But this time there's more on off than just a fancy new design: specifically, the mouse maker's new …

    Reg Hardware 31 Aug 2006, 11:58

  • Britney's half-eaten sarnie regurgitates onto eBay

    Egg salad, if you must know

    Lovers of pop memorabilia who also have a penchant for egg salad sarnies would do well to drop everything and rush down to eBay where an enterprising waiter is flogging an example of the latter as partially consumed by highly-talented and highly-pregnant popstress Britney Spears. Bidding currently stands at $207.50, and for the …

    Music and Media 31 Aug 2006, 12:05

  • eBay accused of privacy breach

    Updated ICO to investigate

    The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) is to investigate eBay after Privacy International lodged an official complaint about the company's data retention practices. Privacy International (PI) alleges that the auction site is deliberately making it difficult for people to delete their accounts, with the aim of bolstering …

    Music and Media 31 Aug 2006, 12:15

  • Ex-Brocade pair plead not guilty

    Stock options test trial is go

    Former Brocade CEO Greg Reyes and his former human resources VP Stephanie Jensen pleaded not guilty to mail and securities fraud charges in San Francisco federal court yesterday. The trial will now become a test case for the SEC's wide-reaching investigation into stock option backdating, which has swept through Silicon Valley …

    Financial News 31 Aug 2006, 12:17

  • RadioShack sacks 400 by email

    'Your position has been eliminated'

    RadioShack sacked 400 workers at its Fort Worth headquarters on Tuesday morning via an email, which stated: "The work force reduction notification is currently in progress. Unfortunately your position is one that has been eliminated." According to The Atlanta Journal-Consitution, company officials "had told employees in a …

    IT Director 31 Aug 2006, 13:02

  • Porn downloader jailed for abusing child at work

    America's Most Un-wanted

    A US man who abused a pre-pubescent girl in his workplace has been jailed for 15 years. Robert M Carey, 52, of Bowie, Maryland, also faces three years post-incarceration probation after he admitted producing and possessing numerous images of child abuse. The paedophile, who became a fugitive from justice after fleeing the US …

    Music and Media 31 Aug 2006, 13:07

  • Nokia revives N80 3G smart phone for VoIP

    Internet Edition, anyone?

    Nokia will next month ship a revised version of its N80 smart phone, the mobile phone giant said today. Dubbed the N80 Internet Edition, the upcoming 3G handset appears to be little more than a software upgrade over the current 'non-Internet' version. Like the its predecessor, the N80 Internet Edition is a quad-band GSM/ …

    Reg Hardware 31 Aug 2006, 13:49

  • Chlorophyll inspires Aussies in quest for green power

    Seeking efficient solar cells

    Researchers in Australia have developed technology that could pave the way for highly efficient solar cells. The team, from the Molecular Electronics Group at the University of Sydney, has created molecules that mimic the systems plants use for photosynthesis. Researcher Deanna D'Alessandro explains the botanical inspiration …

    Biology 31 Aug 2006, 14:20

  • Peter Jackson to remake The Dam Busters

    Da, da, da, da-da-da, da daaaaa....

    Peter Jackson has announced he will remake 1954 classic The Dam Busters, the BBC reports. Jackson admitted he "really loved" the film as a child and enthused to Screen Daily: "There's that wonderful mentality of the British during the war - that heads-down, persevering, keep-on-plugging-away mentality which is the spirit of Dam …

    Entertainment 31 Aug 2006, 14:23

  • Up with cohesion, down with coupling

    We all love cohesion and hate coupling, don't we?

    The standard advice on cohesion and coupling is that a design should strive to maximise cohesion and minimise coupling. This is a fine mantra, but, as is so often the case, without a good understanding of what is really intended, it becomes either misguidance or perceived as academic and irrelevant. A simple characterisation …

    Developer 31 Aug 2006, 14:56

  • Samsung's 4G outpaces WiMAX

    For the man on the Korean omnibus...

    On a bus fitted out specially for the occasion in Jeju this week, Samsung demonstrated a new version of 4G technology transferring data at speeds of 100Mbit/s. The bus was moving at 60kmph - which you rarely see in real life - but it was proof enough, the Korean giant boasted, as the demonstration included handover between …

    Mobile 31 Aug 2006, 15:03

  • T-Mobile hacker escapes imprisonment

    Home detention for Sidekick data hack

    A hacker who broke into the systems of T-Mobile USA and lifted the personal details of around 400 people, including a US Secret Service agent, has escaped imprisonment. Nicholas Lee Jacobsen, 23, was sentenced to one year of home detention and a fine of $10,000 in compensation to T-Mobile over the 2004 attack. Even though …

    Mobile 31 Aug 2006, 16:16

  • Fiorina.com goes live ahead of non-stop book tour

    Lookin' good, relaxed and tough

    Ever the marketing whiz, Carly Fiorina has set up a non-stop touring schedule and flash web site to promote her soon-to-be-released epic Tough Choices. Fiorina recently popped up on carlyfiorina.com, looking as good as ever. The former HP CEO bedazzles in one of her signature suits and does things to an office chair that Mark …

    Entertainment 31 Aug 2006, 18:29

  • Sun kills off much delayed UltraSPARC IIIi+ chip

    Way past its prime

    Sun Microsystems has turned to half-truths where its UltraSPARC IIIi+ processor is concerned. The company has cancelled the product, once slated for 2005, in favor of concentrating on the UltraSPARC T1 - aka Niagara - processor line. The cancellation business is news to us. Fadhi Azhari, a processor marketing manager at Sun, …

    Servers 31 Aug 2006, 21:33

  • MS preps DRM hack fix

    Papering over the cracks

    Microsoft is working on closing a loophole that creates a means to strip usage restriction from music files wrapped in its DRM technology. A program called FairUse4WM, recently posted on the internet, allows users to bypass Microsoft's Digital Rights Management (DRM) system. FairUse4WM was first posted on the doom9 forum. The …

    Music and Media 31 Aug 2006, 21:39

  • Intel to decimate workforce - report

    The AMD effect

    CNET has come out as the first organ willing to put a firm number on Intel's alleged upcoming mass layoff. The online rag reckons that up to 10,000 workers will be cleaved from Intel's payroll. Word of the layoffs should arrive next Tuesday after the stock markets close their regular trading sessions. Rumors of large layoffs at …

    Financial News 31 Aug 2006, 22:10