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20th October 2006 Archive

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  • Palm Treo 700wx smart phone rings in Middle Earth

    Telecom New Zealand takes on Windows Treo

    New Zealanders can now buy a Palm smart phone running Windows Mobile 5.0 in their own country, the handset maker has announced. Middle Earth's main telco, Telecom New Zealand, has now begun offering the EvDO-equipped Treo 700wx. The 700wx sports a 240 x 240 display, 64MB of user-accessible Flash memory, Bluetooth 1.2 and an …

    Reg Hardware 20 Oct 2006, 04:02

  • Nvidia posts graphics code tweaking tool

    Could yield to 35 per cent more frames per second

    Nvidia has updated its suite of programming tools for graphics-intensive applications running under 32- and 64-bit incarnations of Windows and Linux. The tools target OpenGL and Direct3D apps that will render 3D imagery on the company's GPUs. The suite, dubbed NVPerfKit 2.1, helps developers analyse their graphics code. …

    Reg Hardware 20 Oct 2006, 07:02

  • Intel to 'spend $300m' to push Centrino Pro

    Windows Vista tie-in part of the plan?

    Intel will spend a whopping $300m to promote its upcoming Centrino Pro enterprise-oriented notebook platform, it has been claimed by sources from Taiwan's laptop manufacturer community. Intel will piggyback the launch on Windows Vista, they added. So DigiTimes reports. As we noted yesterday Centrino Pro is believed to mark …

    PCs & Chips 20 Oct 2006, 07:02

  • MS readies 100GB HDD for XBOX 360?

    Korean convention announcement, apparently

    Microsoft has apparently said it intends to introduce a 100GB hard drive for its Xbox 360 games console. The scheme was announced yesterday at X06, an event dedicated to the console and held in South Korea. There's no sign from the Korean-language slides posted at local website GameInside.co.kr, whether this is an official …

    Reg Hardware 20 Oct 2006, 08:02

  • TomTom seeks ban for Garmin's car products

    Me too?

    Car navigation equipment maker TomTom has asked a Dutch judge to prevent the sale of Garmin's StreetPilot c300 and c500 series in Europe. TomTom alleged that Garmin copied many aspects of the TomTom GO design in its product line. TomTom demanded "immediate action" to stop Garmin from "further profiting from its 'me too products …

    Mobile 20 Oct 2006, 08:27

  • Lunar ice evaporates under glare of new studies

    Only rovers can tell us for sure

    It now seems the moon could be dry as a bone, as two new studies have failed to find any sign of the ice that some have suspected to lie in the shadows of lunar craters. The findings have prompted calls for on site exploration of the lunar surface in the form of rover missions to find out for sure whether or not there is ice on …

    Space 20 Oct 2006, 08:35

  • Copiepresse continues copyright crusade

    Google and MSN down, Yahoo! to go

    The organisation that won a Belgian ruling against Google and is negotiating with Microsoft's MSN will take action against Yahoo! as soon as it has the time, its head has said. Margaret Boribon told OUT-LAW Radio that she intends to open talks with Yahoo! Copiepresse represents Belgian newspapers and took the Google case …

    Music and Media 20 Oct 2006, 08:58

  • Archos connects PMP PVR with Wi-Fi

    Internet radio and podcast support coming too

    Archos may not make the sexiest looking personal media players but by jimminy they cram in the features. In the case of the Archos 604, it's wireless networking that's top of the list, now added in to the already feature-rich PMP the company launched back in August. The 604 has a 30GB hard drive for music, movie and photo …

    Reg Hardware 20 Oct 2006, 09:02

  • Treasury fights to keep Gateway closed

    'Defending integrity', apparently

    The government has hired legal experts in an effort to block publication of Gateway reviews of the National Identity Card programme. Legal representation will come from the Treasury's Solicitors department, which has had approval to bring in external legal experts and a Queen's Counsel to fight a decision by the information …

    Public Sector 20 Oct 2006, 09:27

  • Thomson dusts off MaLigne software

    Merges it with VoIP platform

    Thomson has polished up the SmartVision IPTV middleware it acquired from Thales last year, and put it together with VoIP technology and claims it is the world’s first integrated triple play engine. It seems all the rage to take middleware that was written for a single vendor (Imagenio from Telefonica for instance) and turn it …

    VoIP 20 Oct 2006, 09:41

  • Avoiding SOA standards-based chaos

    Can Mercury and Systinet help?

    SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) is apparently nice and easy to understand - a bit of WSDL, some XML, SOAP, and a simple UDDI directory to select your services from. So far so good – and then you find yourself in "standards based chaos", running services which don't do what they say on the tin; and even "rogue" services …

    Developer 20 Oct 2006, 09:52

  • Tzero adds new investor for UWB product roll out

    But can it compete with Pulse-Link?

    Tzero Technologies, a three year old UltraWideaBand (UWB) start up that supports the WiMedia Alliance variant of the technology, has taken another round of funding. While it hasn't specified the amount this time, Tzero has added Miven Venture Partners to its roster of investors, on what seems like the same terms as its earlier …

    Telecoms 20 Oct 2006, 09:53

  • Asus readies red, green gamer-oriented laptops?

    Guess whose graphics are on board...

    Asus is preparing to ship its Lamborghini VX1 laptop in the US in a limited "Golden Edition" even as it gears up to release a pair of gamer-oriented laptops, if a series of allegedly leaked publicity shots are to be believed. The gaming machines are dubbed the G1P and G2P, according to a forum post apparently made by the head …

    Reg Hardware 20 Oct 2006, 10:02

  • Bigger, longer, uncut: Oracle OpenWorld

    Ellison holds hands with Sir Elton John

    After two years' buying other people's companies and merging Oracle World and Oracle Apps World, it can safely be said Oracle's annual call to Mecca has outgrown itself. Next week's Oracle OpenWorld (OOW) 2006 will be a ringing testament to Oracle's enduring power and will also demonstrate just how much a growing tide pool of …

    Developer 20 Oct 2006, 10:02

  • Hot technology agendas

    Results from the all new Reg Barometer

    What are the hottest infrastructure technologies as we look forward over the next two years? This was a question the all new Reg Barometer set out to answer by asking readers to rate the short and medium term importance of 25 emerging or fast developing technology areas. The study provides some good insights into what's on …

    Tech Panel 20 Oct 2006, 10:08

  • Organised crime fails to stop skiddies

    Comment Disorganised web to blame

    About a year ago, I attended a top-level roundtable meeting of malware experts, where we discussed organised crime on the internet, and came to the conclusion that, in one sense, it might be a good thing for users. That sense was trivial, of course, compared with the problems of extortion and "protection" rackets. But it looked …

    Enterprise Security 20 Oct 2006, 10:41

  • BOFH: Armageddon

    Episode 35 MoD pays a visit in computer bunker hunt

    "We've, ah, got a bit of a problem," the head of IT says, entering Mission Control. "What's that then?" I ask, always willing to help management out - particularly if they've just come in. "It's about that Top 500 IT-Savvy companies survey we did a few weeks back." "What's that then?" "The editor of the magazine would like …

    BOFH 20 Oct 2006, 11:02

  • MS and researchers split hairs over first IE7 flaw

    Bun fight over bug report

    A dispute has broken out over reports of the first security vulnerability in IE7 since its release earlier this week. Microsoft claims the vulnerability stems from a flaw in Outlook Express, but security researchers say that since the bug can be exploited via IE7 it is really an IE7 vulnerability. The dispute kicked off on …

    Enterprise Security 20 Oct 2006, 11:05

  • Microsoft assumes temporal dominion

    Email addicts threatened by time theft

    Next week could see chaos as Microsoft assumes control of the fourth dimension, robbing UK businesses of a whole hour of work. A problem with Microsoft Exchange Server means programmes such as Outlook will turn the clocks back a week early, plunging Britain's Blackberry-weilding suits into a thundering whirlpool of temporal …

    Applications 20 Oct 2006, 11:08

  • Airbus revises A380 break-even point

    Now 420 aircraft, up from 270

    Airbus parent company EADS has announced a new break-even point for its troubled A380 programme - 420 aircraft as opposed to the previous 270, the BBC reports. Current orders for the A380 stand at 159. The A380 roll-out has now been delayed three times due to "wiring problems" and the first example will not be delivered until …

    Science 20 Oct 2006, 11:15

  • Venturing online in Ireland

    Comment A personal journey

    I'm flattered by the number of Reg readers who have spotted the change in my byline and taken the time to ask if I've moved permanently. And for the record, yes; I and my lovely wife and dear little boy have emigrated from the USA. And yes, we're very much pleased to be here. Naturally, for someone in my line of work, a …

    Data Networking 20 Oct 2006, 11:30

  • Sun in a box and IE7 out of the box

    To subscribe to The Register's weekly newsletter - seven days of IT in a single hit - click here

    Vodafone walks own path The trouble with the technology business is that no sooner is there a bandwagon then everyone is on it. So it's nice to see a company ignore what the rest of the industry is doing and walk its own path. While every mobile phone company is keen to sell us broadband services, cable telly, video messaging …

    Business 20 Oct 2006, 12:14

  • YouTube deletes 29,549 copyright-busting files

    Japanese media companies rattle katana

    Industry predictions that Google may have bought itself a whole heap of copyright trouble when it recently acquired YouTube for a modest $1.65bn, appear to be coming true as media companies worldwide move to protect their assets from illicit online dissemination. According to Reuters, the Japan Society for Rights of Authors, …

    Music and Media 20 Oct 2006, 12:21

  • Morgan Stanley in billing boo-boo

    Lose two points

    Thousands of Morgan Stanley credit card customers were shocked this week to find the bank had multipled their debt by a factor of 100. Register reader Gordon Sinclair discovered the decimal point in his numbers had been shifted two places by an IT blunder. Instead of £149.49, Morgan Stanley demanded payment on a debt of £14,349 …

    Financial News 20 Oct 2006, 12:35

  • N Korea cancels further nuke tests

    Chinese pressure apparently successful

    It appears Chinese pressure on North Korea not to carry out further nuclear tests has succeeded, the BBC reports. The Pyongyang regime reportedly detonated a small device on 9 October, much to the chagrin of just about everyone, but notably the United States. Accordingly, Chinese president Hu Jintao dispatched envoy Tang …

    Physics 20 Oct 2006, 12:50

  • Proprietary coders complain about OS study

    Leaked letter causes a stir

    Proprietary software makers have complained to the European Commission that they have not been given enough time to review a report on the economic role of Free/Libre/Open Source Software (FLOSS), and accuse the commission of being "intolerant to opposing comments" regarding the research. In a letter seen by The Register Hugo …

    Software 20 Oct 2006, 12:54

  • Spamhaus-style service aims to curb click fraud

    Clickhaus

    A UK-based service aims to emulate Spamhaus' success in helping organisations block spam by tackling web advertising fraud. As much as 70 per cent of annual online advertising spend is wasted because of click fraud, according to Clickhaus, a not-for-profit project that aims to help combat the loss of revenue caused by click …

    Music and Media 20 Oct 2006, 12:56

  • What type of person is accident-prone?

    Hard luck or hereditary?

    Also in this week's column: At what height can you survive a dive into water? Why do you sometimes lose bowel function when scared? What happens when you are executed by electrocution? What type of person is accident-prone? Asked by Charles Haywood of Cedar Rapids, Iowa "Accident-prone" means one suffers a greater number …

    Biology 20 Oct 2006, 13:16

  • From what height can you survive a dive into water?

    Don't try this at home

    Also in this week's column: What happens when you are executed by electrocution? What type of person is accident-prone? Why do you sometimes lose bowel function when scared? From what height can you survive a dive into water? Asked by Jack Crompton of Liverpool, UK The cliff divers of Acapulco amaze tourists with their …

    Biology 20 Oct 2006, 13:16

  • Why do you sometimes lose bowel function when scared?

    Letting it all go

    Also in this week's column: What happens when you are executed by electrocution? What type of person is accident-prone? At what height can you survive a dive into water? Why do you sometimes lose bowel function when scared? Asked by Peter N, of Albury, New South Wales, Australia Humans sometimes defecate at times of …

    Biology 20 Oct 2006, 13:17

  • What happens when you are executed by electrocution?

    The shocking truth

    Also in this week's column: What type of person is accident-prone? At what height can you survive a dive into water? Why do you sometimes lose bowel function when scared? What happens when you are executed by electrocution? Asked by Ron Talbot of Tyler, Texas In the late 19th century, it was widely believed that a more …

    Biology 20 Oct 2006, 13:19

  • Spam Cube signs Amazon.co.uk for British debut

    Anti-spam gadget coming before Christmas

    Amazon.co.uk is due to offer Spam Cube's automatic anti-malware home-network gadget to British buyers before this coming Christmas, the hardware maker revealed today. The 11.5 x 11.5cm unit sits between your broadband modem and scans incoming email messages for attempts to flog viagra, male member enhancement products, …

    Reg Hardware 20 Oct 2006, 14:02

  • Google Earth goes to pot

    In the rolling-your-own sense

    As regular readers know, we here at El Reg have had hours of fun playing with Google Earth. We've found marauding insects, mysterious scale reproductions of bits of the China/India border, not to mention swastikas and black helicopters too numerous to link to. But never have we used it to track down fields of homegrown. No, we' …

    Music and Media 20 Oct 2006, 14:17

  • McAfee hoping MS will live up to 'hollow' promises

    Microsoft unimpressed

    The latest in the never-ending ding-dong between Microsoft and Vista-twitchy security vendors was another snipe from McAfee yesterday, swiftly followed by the inevitable backbitching from Redmond today. McAfee quickly came out to rubbish yesterday's reiterated promises from Redmond that it would hand over code crucial to …

    Music and Media 20 Oct 2006, 14:43

  • Abit AW9D-Max 975X-based mobo

    Review Abit rises from the ashes?

    Abit was synonymous with top-performance motherboards, but of late its products have been less than impressive. Abit has set out to correct this with its latest line-up of boards, including the AW9D-Max, designed to be a top-of-the-range Core 2 Duo mobo based on Intel's 975X chipset. But does it live up to the expectation? …

    Reg Hardware 20 Oct 2006, 15:02

  • Mystery surrounds Easynet 'robbery'

    Updated Smoke + mirrors + £6m of Cisco kit...

    Easynet suffered a large and embarrassing robbery earlier this week and is doing its best to keep what happened under wraps. Late on Monday, two thieves used a swipe card to drive a van up to Easynet's Brick Lane headquarters. Once inside they began loading equipment into their van. They were watched by two security guards - …

    Telecoms 20 Oct 2006, 15:24

  • Meteor totals German cottage

    77-year-old injured in resulting fire

    German police today announced that a fire which swept through a cottage near Bonn, in the process injuring a 77-year-old man, was probably caused by a meteor. According to Reuters, the 10 October incendiary incident in Siegburg gutted the cottage and "badly burned the man's hands and face". Police spokesman Burkhard Rick said …

    Space 20 Oct 2006, 15:31

  • GPS units lose cloaked shipping containers

    Letters And duck! There's a galaxy coming

    Sun announced this week that it plans to sell shipping containers. Something of a departure, perhaps, except that these containers will be stuffed with half a million dollars worth of kit that sysadmins can stack in the company car park: This Sun data centre in a box idea is bound to work. It's exactly what sysadmins want. At …

    Letters 20 Oct 2006, 15:36

  • US court denies request to suspend Spamhaus domain

    Spam roadblock remains in place

    A US judge has denied a request to order internet registrars to suspend Spamhaus's domain, easing concerns that the spam blocking service might be interrupted. Judge Charles Kocoras turned down a motion from e360 Insight, a firm that sued Spamhaus after the anti-spam organisation blacklisted its domains over alleged spamming, …

    Spam 20 Oct 2006, 15:44

  • Is archiving the answer to compliance?

    Storage Expo Lots of managers think it might be, apparently

    Disaster recovery is more important than regulatory compliance and organisations are using archiving to answer both needs, according to a survey of business managers and IT staff. The survey found that interest in regulatory compliance is falling, not rising, according to Tony Cotterill, the boss of BridgeHead Software, which …

    Channel Register 20 Oct 2006, 15:48

  • Beer fingerprints to go UK-wide

    Yeovil, an example for us all

    The government is funding the roll out of fingerprint security at the doors of pubs and clubs in major English cities. Funding is being offered to councils that want to have their pubs keep a regional black list of known trouble makers. The fingerprint network installed in February by South Somerset District Council in Yeovil …

    ID 20 Oct 2006, 17:45

  • 'Violent net-porn killer' has conviction quashed

    Faces retrial

    The man convicted of murdering a Brighton school teacher has had his conviction quashed by appeal court judges. In February 2004 Graham Coutts, 36, of Hove, East Sussex, was handed a life sentence for the killing of Jane Longhurst. In the original trial, jurors heard how he had viewed extreme violent internet pornography, …

    Music and Media 20 Oct 2006, 17:49