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29th November 2006 Archive

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  • Supremes skeptical toward trivial patents

    It's obvious that what's obvious should be made obvious

    The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of KSR International v. Teleflex, in which the limits of combination patents and so-called obvious patents are being considered. According to several wire reports, KSR argued that its design for adjustable vehicle accelerator pedals does not violate a patent held by Teleflex …

    Music and Media 29 Nov 2006, 00:19

  • Bloggers turn to Sadville to fabricate child traumas

    And ninthly Find me a dirty uncle

    Was Daniel Sadville a knight with a moral compass wound tight or one of those pagan spiritualists out to make a huckster from anything that moved? That's what the audience wanted to know - just before they pulled out the tomatoes and the jackhammers - Julio Stantore, Large Gland Weeping My recent "How to help bloggers restore …

    Bootnotes 29 Nov 2006, 00:22

  • Fake boarding pass brouhaha settled amicably

    Feds step back

    The FBI has let Indiana University graduate student Christopher Soghoian off the hook for having posted a fake boarding pass generator on his website. Soghoian had intended to illustrate the ease with which a person on the no-fly lists could gain access to secure areas of an airport, although it is unlikely that anyone could …

    Security 29 Nov 2006, 08:01

  • DoJ to review domestic surveillance

    Comment Bush capitulates, but why?

    With January approaching, bringing foul weather and a Democratic majority to Capitol Hill, the President has abandoned one of his cute little dodges that had shut down Congressional inquiries into the NSA's mass wiretap scandal. The Department of Justice (DoJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) will now conduct a review of …

    Music and Media 29 Nov 2006, 08:03

  • EFF defeats Barney the Dinosaur

    Victory at last

    The EFF has successfully defended the owner of a web site ridiculing Barney the Dinosaur. Shysters representing the simpering mascot had demanded that webmaster Stuart Frankel cease and desist in giving the purple menace the negative publicity he so richly deserves. Lyons Partnership, Barney's corporate masters, claimed that …

    Music and Media 29 Nov 2006, 08:23

  • The case against copyright creep

    Interview Sonny Bono: A warning from history

    Earlier this week, a leak from the Treasury's much-anticipated Gowers Review of Intellectual Property suggested the former Financial Times editor will recommend the government not extend the copyright term granted to sound recordings. The record industry had lobbied for the current 50 years' protection from the date the …

    Music and Media 29 Nov 2006, 09:49

  • Apple blocks Mac OS X security holes

    Patch posted

    Apple has posted a Mac OS X Security Update that patches almost two dozen holes in the Unix-based operating system. The update incorporates fixes for AirPort, Apple Type Services, Finder, Installer, Security Framework, VPN and a raft of other, under-the-hood apps and utilities. However, the fix doesn't appear to patch the …

    Reg Hardware 29 Nov 2006, 09:56

  • IPTV/VoD: How to set up your own home/office system

    Industry comment It's dead easy, mate

    There's a secret many people in the IPTV/VoD industry don't want you to know. Setting up an IPTV network is actually incredibly easy. In fact, almost anyone can do it. But if you knew that, you'd build your own and no one would make any money by selling you proprietary products with huge mark-ups. IPTV networks are basically …

    Data Networking 29 Nov 2006, 10:26

  • AMD Quad FX debuts in Japanese four-GPU PC

    Athlon 64 FX-7x series launches today?

    AMD will today announce its Quad FX platform, formerly codenamed '4x4', it has been claimed. The technology is built out of Nvidia's nForce 680a SLI chipset and AMD's new Athlon 64 FX-70 series of dual-core processors. According to a report on Japanese-language site PCWatch, there are the FX-70s: the FX-70, FX-72 and FX-74, …

    Reg Hardware 29 Nov 2006, 10:32

  • Becta under fire for procurement framework

    MPs say schools being denied open source

    Nineteen MPs have accused a government agency of restricting the procurement of software in schools. In an Early Day Motion (EDM) led by Liberal Democrat MP John Pugh, the MPs claims that the government's adviser on the use of ICT in education, the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta), is excluding …

    Public Sector 29 Nov 2006, 10:38

  • Deadly polonium-210 only $69!

    Mission: Possible

    Polonium-210, the radioactive isotope fingered as the substance used to off exiled Russian KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko, is available to buy online for just $69 plus shipping and handling. New Mexico firm United Nuclear Scientific Equipment & Supplies offers a sample of radioactive element on its website, as part of its aim of …

    Physics 29 Nov 2006, 10:39

  • British squaddies banned from eBay

    Where will they buy body armour now?

    The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is banning all staff from accessing eBay. All the 180,000 MoD uniformed staff and the 100,000 civilian staff are banned from accessing eBay via the MoD's network. But the ban does not apply to squaddies on active service in Iraq or Afghanistan - although they might have trouble getting couriers to …

    Financial News 29 Nov 2006, 10:43

  • Is new technology worth the risk?

    Businesses say 'no way'

    Irish businesses are holding back from taking advantage of modern technologies because they are concerned about potential risks. According to new research from CA, 100 per cent of Irish IT managers surveyed said risk-related concerns were enough to stop them implementing new technologies. This figure fell to 80 per cent among …

    Small Biz 29 Nov 2006, 10:46

  • Security meltdown at Hotel Chocolat

    Website displays personal details

    Contrary to popular belief, it seems that chocolate isn't always simply a pleasurable oral substitute for sex. In fact, chocolate munchers are a rowdy bunch - a bloke in the midlands who is rather partial to a "Rocky Road Slab" is also "fantastic in bed", apparently... How do we know this? One El Reg reader alerted us to the …

    Security 29 Nov 2006, 11:00

  • Microsoft and Novell: Bambi meets Godzilla?

    Comment Or Celebrity Deathmatch?

    Microsoft and Novell have recently announced a set of agreements to build, market, and support a series of new solutions to make their products work better together. Microsoft will now recommend SUSE Linux Enterprise for customers who want Windows and Linux together. The two companies are going to create a joint research …

    Operating Systems 29 Nov 2006, 11:01

  • Police rapped over 'racist' email

    Images showed black man being decapitated

    An email showing a man being decapitated has led to disciplinary action for 100 Herfordshire police officers and staff after a "robust" investigation. The American email at the centre of the controversy reportedly showed images of a black man who, during a police chase in Atlanta, attempted to jump from a flyover onto the roof …

    IT Director 29 Nov 2006, 11:16

  • Bot spreads through anti-virus, Windows flaws

    Universities and schools worst hit

    University security experts warned administrators on Monday that a bot program has started to spread by exploiting five patched Microsoft vulnerabilities and a six-month-old flaw in Symantec's anti-virus software. The bot program, identified as W32.Spybot.ACYR by Symantec, has compromised a small number of systems at various …

    Malware 29 Nov 2006, 11:27

  • Nokia launches budget 'iPod killer' music phone

    VoIP-friendly and smart clamshells too

    Nokia yesterday launched a trio of handsets, including its latest bid to win business from Apple's iPod and other music players with its a colourful music-friendly handset. It also took aim at the mid-range 3G arena with a clamshell-format 3G smart phone. The Nokia 6290 runs Nokia's S60 user interface on top of the Symbian …

    Reg Hardware 29 Nov 2006, 11:28

  • Sage says no halt to buy-up spree

    Moves numbers in right direction

    Acquisition mad accountancy vendor Sage Group PLC reported revenues and profits up, as it unveiled its full year results today. The Newcastle-based software developer turned in revenues of £935.6m for the year ending 30 September, up 23.2 per cent on the year. Pre-tax profits were up 14.3 per cent to £221.2m. Sage is famously …

    Small Biz 29 Nov 2006, 12:00

  • Gateway sets out Xmas PC stall

    Own-brand laptops, eMachines desktops launched

    Gateway UK today unveiled its bid for the wallets of the PC-buying public this Christmas with a pair of Core Duo-based and Centrino-branded notebooks and a trio of desktop systems released under its eMachines brand. The notebooks, the MX6932b and MX6933b, contain a 1.73GHz Core Duo and a 1.66GHz Core 2 Duo processor, …

    Reg Hardware 29 Nov 2006, 12:10

  • Nokia hammers out steel-cased handset

    N-series phone for the rest of us?

    Nokia is to bring the brushed-metal look of its N series of smart phones to a broader audience next year with the Nokia 6300. The stylish new handset has a mid-range spec and an attractive price that includes a 128MB MicroSD card. Nokia claimed the 6300 has a talk-time of up to 3.5 hours and a standby time of up to 14 days …

    Reg Hardware 29 Nov 2006, 12:12

  • Shuttle XPC mini X100HA slimline PC

    Review Good things come in small packages?

    Most Shuttle XPC small form-factor systems such as the SN27P2 and the SN37PS look like a cut-down PC tower, but the XPC mini X100HA sets a new standard. It's absolutely tiny. We previewed the X100 here and now we've got our mitts on a real, live working example... The photos don't do the tiny size justice, so to put things in …

    Reg Hardware 29 Nov 2006, 12:50

  • AllofMP3 faces more government action

    Putin promises action

    It appears the Russian government has agreed to shut down popular music site AllofMP3.com in order to appease US objections to it joining the World Trade Organisation (WTO). However, the management of the site still insists it is legal. The summary of negotiations from the US Trade Representative, dated 19 November, names …

    Financial News 29 Nov 2006, 13:06

  • Telecoms twist for Microsoft services

    Listen up

    Microsoft is turning to the telecoms sector for leadership of its global services operations in the wake of veteran Rick Devenuti's departure. The company has named its communications sector vice president Maria Martinez as vice president of worldwide services, taking over from Devenuti next January. Martinez has a 20 year …

    Channel Register 29 Nov 2006, 13:07

  • Wanna buy a nice snap of a mugging victim?

    The Bolton Evening News can oblige

    Thanks very much to reader Neil for pointing us in the direction of his local rag The Bolton Evening News, which is offering readers the chance to buy a snap of this poor bloke: Nice one. As Neil says: "Gruesome, but could look very nice on the office wall." Update The "Buy this photo" option has now been removed from the …

    Music and Media 29 Nov 2006, 13:09

  • O2 punts free phone backup

    Churn squashing wheeze

    O2 has begun pushing an early iteration of its My bluebook upload service, which enables subscribers to copy data to a password-protected web-accessible account. My bluebook has been around a while but O2 has kept it relatively quiet as it implements bits that might make the effort of signing up worthwile. Next year the service …

    Mobile 29 Nov 2006, 13:15

  • Pravda labels Meryl Streep 'disaster of the week'

    Crashfest dummies

    We reckon the English-language version of Pravda needs to have a rethink regarding the snappy photo gallery navigation bit on its front page. While the top pic does indeed link to a photographic disasterfest, it's a bit strong to label The French Lieutenant's Woman as any other than a roaring Hollywood suceess. And quite what …

    Music and Media 29 Nov 2006, 13:16

  • Royal editor pleads guilty

    Goodman admits to intercepting voicemails

    The News of the World's royal editor has pleaded guilty to consipracy to intercept voicemail messages. Clive Goodman, 48, from Putney, London and co-accused Glen Mulcaire, 35, from Sutton, appeared at the Old Bailey today and both admitted the same charge - five counts of intercepting the voicemails of an MP, a supermodel, a …

    Security 29 Nov 2006, 13:30

  • RFID security for developer dummies

    Chipping away

    We've been hearing about RFID for a while (see the RFID Gazette, for example, here). The technology is genuinely useful as it solves an identification problem faster than other methods. So, a store knows what product you've brought to the checkout without having to scan the barcode, for example, and the US government wants to …

    Developer 29 Nov 2006, 14:10

  • Novell drops its Hula challenger to Microsoft

    Open source has its limits

    Novell has abandoned an open source project hyped as challenging Microsoft Outlook and Exchange by becoming the "Apache" of email and collaboration software. The company has pulled full-time engineers off project Hula following lacklustre demand. Engineers are "moving to other roles", according to the Hula mailing list. Novell …

    Developer 29 Nov 2006, 14:49

  • Tony Blair is not Hitler: official

    ASA rules on No2ID advert

    An advert showing a close-up picture of Tony Blair with a barcode on his top lip was not offensive, the Advertising Standards Authority has ruled. The advert appeared in The Guardian newspaper with the strapline: "ID cards have worked well in Europe before." Eight people complained that they thought the barcode made Blair …

    ID 29 Nov 2006, 14:52

  • Apple rival pitches magnesium music player

    Will Max-Ivy grow on you?

    Apple's move to recast the iPod Nano in a metal casing is starting to influence other product designers. Nokia announced a stainless steel phone yesterday, and today German gadget supplier Maxfield unveiled Max-Ivy, an MP3 player with a "scratchproof... flawless" jet-black magnesium shell. The Max-Ivy is due to ship next …

    Reg Hardware 29 Nov 2006, 15:04

  • Bluetooth gets DSP audio boost

    CSR soups-up headsets with extra processing power

    Digital signal processors (DSPs) are making their way into almost everything, and now it's the turn of Bluetooth headsets. Chip developer CSR has just started shipping BlueCore5-Multimedia, which includes a 64Mips DSP alongside Class II Bluetooth. Since DSPs in gear like this are mainly used for audio processing, it is …

    Mobile 29 Nov 2006, 16:15

  • BitTorrent signs up Jack Bauer

    Then cuts him up into tiny bite-sized files

    BitTorrent has added 20th Century Fox, Paramount, MTV and others to its roster of legit partners ahead of its launch as a content hub. The firm's peer to peer technology will be used to deliver hit shows like 24, South Park and Hogan Knows Best, along with stone cold classics of the cinematic art Mission: Impossible III and Saw …

    Entertainment 29 Nov 2006, 16:37

  • Zune means zilch for artists

    Column What Universal does with digital royalties

    How much can artists expect to benefit from Microsoft's Zune MP3 player? Microsoft recently agreed to pay a royalty to Universal Music, which with acts like U2 and Jay-Z is the world's most successful label, of more than $1 for each sale of each Zune sold. Universal promised it would "pay half of what it receives on the …

    Music and Media 29 Nov 2006, 16:48

  • VoIP - open season for hackers

    7 out of 10 calls vulnerable to attack

    Sensitive data sent using VoIP is vulnerable to attack because call centres are failing to secure their networks robustly enough, according to new research. Customers' private details could be easily hacked into using the wiretapping method with a staggering 7 out of 10 calls open to attack, said security company Scanit, which …

    Enterprise Security 29 Nov 2006, 17:10

  • 'Big one' coming for Oracle database users?

    Hoodies hit Microsoft, big lads do Larry

    Oracle users could be headed for a Microsoft-scale hack or a major database breach as master criminals begin to target valuable business systems. That's the verdict of a UK database security consultant who's warned those running legacy versions of Oracle in particular are at risk from attack. David Litchifield, managing …

    Enterprise Security 29 Nov 2006, 18:53

  • HP fires data center robot, hires cooling sensors

    Can't get good help

    HP once hurled robots and processor spays at customers, as its answers to cooling data centers. Today, it's only selling air conditioning sensors. HP yesterday unveiled its new sensor system, hoping to cash in on growing concerns around data center energy consumption and costs. The company has moved to a cooling model that …

    Servers 29 Nov 2006, 21:08