26th June 2007 Archive

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eBay pirates plead guilty to selling $6m software for pennies

Jail-time beckons

Two Americans pleaded guilty today to selling $6m worth of counterfeit software over eBay. In 2003 and 2004 Robert Koster of Jonesboro, Arkansas auctioned more than $5m worth of counterfeit factory management software from Rockwell Automation, for a personal profit of $23,000. Also in 2003 and 2004 Yutaka Yamamoto of Pico …

Crime 26 Jun 2007, 00:05
US porn spammers guilty as charged

Canned by CAN-SPAM

Two men who ran a spam operation to promote pornographic websites had the book thrown at them today. A federal jury in Phoenix, Arizona convicted Jeffrey Kilbride, 41, of Venice, California and James Schaffer, 41 of Paradise Valley, Arizona of eight counts, including conspiracy, fraud, money laundering, and transportation of …

Spam 26 Jun 2007, 01:12
Google calls for court to tighten Microsoft's anti-trust leash

Doesn't trust Microsoft to supervise itself

Google has escalated its legal tussle with Microsoft over search features built into the Vista operating system. It has asked a federal judge to extend a 2002 antitrust consent decree to ensure Microsoft fulfills its pledge to fully resolve the stand-off. Google made the request in a legal document filed in US District Court …

Software 26 Jun 2007, 01:33
Sun's new supercomputer and switch are bigger than yours

Market's 90-pound weakling beefs up

Sun Microsystems is sick and tired of rolling over while the likes of IBM and Cray dominate the low margin, high profile world of super computers. There's little fanfare and few celebratory headlines for the company that builds the 9th largest supercomputer — not even a complimentary fruit basket. Such clamor is reserved for …

Servers 26 Jun 2007, 05:54
MPs satisfied with FoI regime

Lambasts DCA's 'unnecessary' focus on reducing costs

Parliament's Constitutional Affairs Committee has categorically rejected the government's case for new arrangements in handling Freedom of Information requests In a report into the government's proposed changes to the charging system for FoI requests, published on 25 June 2007, the committee said the government had failed to …

Government 26 Jun 2007, 09:39
Vendors start testing 802.11n kit

Certified by September, but spec not due till 2008

The Wi-Fi Alliance has started testing kit conforming to the second draft of the 802.11n standard, expecting certified products to be on the shelves by September, despite the fact that the final version of the standard isn't expected until next year. This means that in addition to the pre-standard-and-uncertified devices …

Data Networking 26 Jun 2007, 09:44
Nvidia to beat AMD to release on-the-fly GPU switching tech?

'SLI Power' becomes 'Hybrid SLI'

Nvidia is said to be moving forward with a plan to allow notebook computers fitted with both integrated and discrete graphics chips to flip between the two GPUs, the better to balance battery life with all-out performance. We're not at all surprised. The latest claim is made in a Chinese-language report on HKEPC, but Register …

Reg Hardware 26 Jun 2007, 09:44
Vasco makes e-business accessible

Secure transactions for the disabled

I am not a security expert but I recognise that security is fundamental to the successful implementation of ICT solutions. Different security solutions are used in different environments; simple user-id and password solutions are still popular, because they are inexpensive to implement, but they are not very secure. More …

ID 26 Jun 2007, 09:47
Psion: the last computer

Special Feature Secrets of the Sony we never had

The Series 5 pocket computer from Psion was launched 10 years ago this week. It was a remarkable achievement: entirely new silicon, a new operating system, middleware stack and applications were developed from scratch in just over two years. This was the last time anyone undertook such a daunting task: it may be the last time …

Hardware 26 Jun 2007, 09:58
Analyst alleges iPhone already hitting Palm sales

New Windows Mobile alternative

Apple's iPhone is going to hit Palm hard, a US analyst has forecast. Research in Motion's consumer-friendly BlackBerry Curve will harm the PDA pioneer too, Piper Jaffray wireless hardware analyst T Michael Walkley claimed this week. There's an argument that all the iPhone hype will bring smart phones to the attention of …

Reg Hardware 26 Jun 2007, 10:09
Safari gets four new fixes

Quick fix tames vulns

Apple has released four new fixes for its Safari cross-platform internet browser - less than two weeks after its launch. The new patches mark the second update to Safari since its release, and are part of a larger Safari 3.0.2 beta release for Mac OS X and Windows. Both packs contain stability fixes in addition to the …

Applications 26 Jun 2007, 10:12
Sony clocks up PSP processor by 25%

Hidden firmware update feature

Sony has pulled off a covert PSP firmware release that secretly removes a processor speed limit from the hardware, boosting the handheld games console's clock speed from 266MHz to 333MHz, an increase of over 25 per cent. Firmware version 3.50 was initially released at the end of May, but only now has the update's impact on …

Reg Hardware 26 Jun 2007, 10:26
When acquisitions are bad news

Vae victis

Acquisitions may or may not be good deals for the purchaser, but at best they pose serious questions for the users of the acquired company. In my recent article TIBCO acquires Spotfire: why?, I discussed the possibility that TIBCO was likely to be focusing the Spotfire BI solution in a different direction from previously, which …

Developer 26 Jun 2007, 10:28
HP and Microsoft take supercomputing mass-market

Clusters for everyone

HP and Microsoft have agreed to continue cooperating on plans to take supercomputing to the mass enterprise and mid-sized markets. The multimillion dollar deal means Microsoft's Compute Cluster Server (CCS) 2003 will be available on HP servers both direct and through the channel as part of its Unified Cluster Portfolio, …

Software 26 Jun 2007, 10:32
New way in for Cisco engineers

Certifications get rejigged

Cisco has introduced an entry-level qualification for engineers wanting qualifications in installing and maintaining its routers. To qualify as a Cisco Certified Entry Network Technician (CCENT) you will need to pass a five-day course. Cisco said the changes reflected a continuing skills shortage - IDC predicts a 40 per cent …

Channel Register 26 Jun 2007, 10:35
Paris Hilton walks to freedom

Jailbird celeb finally completes jail term

Paris Hilton's three-weeks and two-days stint in the slammer has come to an end, with the blonde jailbird and hotel heiress walking free today. According to reports, Hilton, who had been banged up for drink-driving related offences, left the all-women's jail in Lynwood, California in the early hours of Tuesday. Her parents, …

Entertainment 26 Jun 2007, 10:40
ITIL 3 launch: best practices at best prices

10% off a host of ITIL books

ITIL is the most widely accepted approach to IT service management in the world. Providing a cohesive set of best practice guidance drawn from the public and private sectors across the world, it has recently undergone a major and important refresh programme. IT Service Management derives enormous benefits from a best practice …

Developer 26 Jun 2007, 10:58
Google buying phone company?

Rumours de jour

Google is close to buying phone management company GrandCentral which provides one number for life which can be routed to various actual numbers. Neither company is commenting but blog speculation puts a $50m value on the deal. GrandCentral offers one central number and voicemail for a variety of phones. You can change how …

Financial News 26 Jun 2007, 11:05
iRiver shows off VoIP phone media player

It's an MP3 player. It's an FM radio. It's an e-book reader. It's a VoIP phone. It's a navigation gagdet. It's iRiver's W10, the South Korean company's latest attempt to out-perform the iPod - and now the iPhone too, it hopes. iRiver's W10: one way up it's a VoIP handset The compact player has Wi-Fi on board, which is uses …

Reg Hardware 26 Jun 2007, 11:06
Sun wants to support everybody's boxes

As long as they're running Solaris

Sun is looking to burnish its support credentials by offering to look after other vendors’ hardware as long it is running its Solaris OS. The vendor is pitching its SunSpectrum Enterprise Service plan at customers looking for a single support contract for their Sun hardware and software. In fact, it is so all-encompassing, …

Channel Register 26 Jun 2007, 11:30
Casio Exilim EX-Z75 and EWC-10 underwater case

Review Diving with a digicam

How do you sell a seven-megapixel camera when so many rivals are doing the same? You can't rely on the usual features - big LCD, anti-blur tech, slimline metal casing, etc - because everyone else has those too. No, you need something a little different, and in Casio's case that means offering your latest compact camera with an …

Reg Hardware 26 Jun 2007, 11:33
Bush on cyber war: 'a subject I can learn a lot about'

Real gov network strike might be scarier than botnet DDoS

When the presidents of the USA and Estonia met on Monday, cyber warfare was still very much on the Estonian agenda. Estonia has recently cooled its jets somewhat on the issue of the serious DDoS attacks it suffered in recent months. Initially, the Estonian Government suggested that the Russian Government had mounted a …

Security 26 Jun 2007, 11:35
IBM turbo charges world's fastest supercomputer

Blue Gene has long division licked. Next: killer sudoku

IBM has unleashed a new iteration of its chess-playing powerhouse Blue Gene, which it also reckons is useful in academic and commercial fields like drug discovery and mineral exploration. The Blue Gene/P supercedes the Blue Gene/L with faster Power PC cores, more memory and a symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) mode to support …

Hardware 26 Jun 2007, 11:39
Dell calls to consumers with coloured Inspirons

MacBooks, Vaios challenged

Dell has revamped its Inspiron laptop line with a set of three models all available in a choice of eight "vibrant" colours and with a pick of Intel or AMD processors. Dell's Inspiron 1520 The family comprises the 1420, 1520, 1521, 1720 and 1721, with 14.1in, 1280 x 800; 15.4in, 1280 x 800; and 17in, 1440 x 900 displays, …

Reg Hardware 26 Jun 2007, 11:43
HP coughs up surprise update to desktop PC range

Breeds flock of hybrid DVD boxes

HP has quietly snuck through an update to its home desktop PC range with the computer giant now officially shipping its media centre systems with hybrid Blu-ray/HD DVD drives. The firm has added the drives to both its Intel (m8010y) and AMD (m8100e) processor-powered Pavilion media centre models. HP's decision to adopt the …

PCs & Chips 26 Jun 2007, 11:46
Avnet doubles Sun reseller fleet

Hails successful channel push

Avnet's Partner Solutions Sun Division has doubled the number of Sun resellers it serves in the UK. The growth comes after a six month programme to get more dealers on board. This included improved training and accreditation as well as "Focus Days" where resellers could meet senior Sun staff. The primary target was resellers …

Channel Register 26 Jun 2007, 11:48
IBM forks out $7m in Dollar General settlement

Neither admits, nor denies, wrongdoing

IBM has agreed to pay $7m to settle a Securities and Exchange Commision investigation into financial statements from Dollar General in 2000. The money will go into a Dollar General general shareholder fund. The payment is only part of the settlement, under which IBM says it neither admits nor denies wrong doing. The terms of …

Financial News 26 Jun 2007, 11:57
Voltage secures patents on identity-based encryption

Assumes you are who you say you are

Voltage Security has been granted five patents covering the core functionality of their "identity-based" encryption products, though they're keen to share the technology with everyone on a reasonable and non-discriminatory basis. Most public-key encryption systems require an exchange of keys before data can be encrypted, but …

Security 26 Jun 2007, 12:01
USB adaptor helps iPod Shuffle users cut the cord

Calling all owners of Apple's second-gen iPod Shuffle - here's a handy, dirt cheap alternative to the USB cable that came packed with your player: a plug-in USB adaptor. Cable-free connectivity for the iPod Shuffle The add-on's simplicity itself: a standard USB connector the ends in the Shuffle's stereo-audio-plus-power- …

Reg Hardware 26 Jun 2007, 12:19
Sharp intros four-port powerline network box

Home networking, it seems, has become too complicated. Enter Sharp, coming to the rescue with its HN-VA40S and HN-VA10S adaptors, designed to help consumers build home networks using their existing electrical power wiring. Sharp's HomePlug 1.1 powerline kit The powerline communication (PLC) adaptors allow the electrical …

Reg Hardware 26 Jun 2007, 12:42
BAE shares tank as US feds break cover

The hunt is on

UK arms colossus BAE Systems is under investigation by US authorities for alleged corruption. According to The Guardian, BAE Systems last night received formal notification that the US Department of Justice was investigating "the company's compliance with anti-corruption laws, including the company's business concerning the …

Government 26 Jun 2007, 12:45
Soggy IT pros check in from flooded Sheffield

Wellies and pizza keep servers running

We're getting reports of rampant heroism from IT support staff in flooded Sheffield. The city received about two months rainfall in a matter of hours yesterday. Three people have been killed by the floods and thousands forced to leave their homes. Water getting a little too close for comfort ISP Plusnet is based in the …

Servers 26 Jun 2007, 12:50
Court rules 3G licences weren't VAT inclusive

Mobile firms feel pain yet again

Europe's highest court has ruled that the huge amounts telcos paid for their 3G licences didn't include VAT, so there's no opportunity for the companies to reclaim £3.3bn quid from the treasury. The companies have long argued that the amount paid must have included the tax, which could then be reclaimed, and the case has been …

Mobile 26 Jun 2007, 13:11
Biggest barrier to green IT is cost

Spending green to feel green

Cost is the single biggest factor hampering companies that want to adopt a 'green' IT structure, according to new research. The study reveals that 82 per cent of the IT managers surveyed considered the environmental impact of their IT infrastructure and hardware as either "extremely" or "very" important.The survey of 100 IT …

Servers 26 Jun 2007, 13:53
Clarion trumpets UK acquisition

Snaps up The Planning Loft

Irish firm Clarion Consulting has acquired a majority stake in UK consulting firm The Planning Loft, in a deal that will increase its turnover to €7m. "The move represents a good strategic fit across both organisations in terms of complementary skillsets and service portfolio and also gives us access to a market which is …

Channel Register 26 Jun 2007, 14:03
NEC follows the path of XenSource

Finding peace with virtualisation deal

XenSource has signed an agreement with NEC which it hopes will push demand and boost sales for its virtualisation server platform, XenEnterprise. The open source startup said the partnership will include plans to embed XenEnterprise with NEC's integrated management infrastructure, Sigma System Center as well as developing …

Channel Register 26 Jun 2007, 14:13
Cell hack geek stalks pretty blonde shocker

Spookery goes mainstream as harasser hits the phones

Cellphone-hack surveillance techniques, long the preserve of government operatives, may have gone mainstream as a family in the western USA reports unusually competent cellphone stalking. The News Tribune of Tacoma, Washington, carried reports last week of a harassment campaign bearing all the hallmarks of being orchestrated …

Security 26 Jun 2007, 14:23
Virgin Trains's mysterious full-price ticket promotion

'Temporary data problem' scuppers cheap fares

Anyone wanting to book a ticket on Virgin Trains would be well advised to wait a little while as the company is currently unable to sell its discounted tickets, though its website will happily service travellers willing to fork out the full fare. Register reader Graham Finlayson was trying to buy a ticket from Edinburgh to …

Applications 26 Jun 2007, 14:38
Trend Micro boosts Vista package, extends Hotmail deal

What's good for Redmond is good for us

Security provider Trend Micro yesterday announced a brace of Microsoft-based strategies, rolling out improvements for its combo offering on Vista and proclaiming that it will handle antivirus for Hotmail/Live webmail services for a further year. Users running Trend Micro Internet Security on Vista platforms get two …

Malware 26 Jun 2007, 14:49
GSMA looks to 900MHz for more 3G

Ofcom promises to think about it

The GSM Association, trade body of the mobile phone industry, is calling for regulators around the world to allow the use of 3G technology in the 900MHz band. 3G generally operates around 2.1GHz, but the GSMA reckons that if it used 900MHz too, then an additional 300 million people would be able to experience the joys of 3G, …

Mobile 26 Jun 2007, 14:58
iPhone contract charges unveiled

Brace yourself for a $2,000 phone bill

AT&T and Apple have announced what the iPhone will cost customers over the two-year contract they'll be obliged to sign - and it's pretty-much what AT&T charges customers already. The iPhone will require activation, at a cost of $36, in addition to the $599 price tag on the device itself. Customers will then need to sign up …

Mobile 26 Jun 2007, 15:35
Microsoft shill blogs steal Reg commercial strategy c.2001

In the blogosphere, everyone can hear you squeal for cash

The Register has been appalled by Microsoft paying bloggers to write advertorial for its latest hype campaign. The reason? We thought of it first, dammit. In the past few days, John Battelle's (pictured) Federated Media blog advertising network has been bombarded by criticism after it got its name brand tech watchers Om Malik …

Software 26 Jun 2007, 15:42
Sucky software? So add a virgin

David Platt shows how developers get it wrong

Most software sucks, so statistically speaking the software you write probably sucks as well, according to the author of programming classics like Understanding COM+ (now out of print) and Introducing Microsoft .NET (now has a different title). His latest book, Why Software Sucks (buy it here), pillories applications with bad …

Developer 26 Jun 2007, 15:55
DHS forgets to mention border WiFi spy tower bungle

~~Eye of Sauron~~ poked after dodgy debrief

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials have been lambasted by Congressmen after apparently attempting to conceal technical problems and programme slippages. The DHS' Customs and Border Protection outfit (CBP) has a project called the Secure Border Initiative (SBI), with a network-enabled tech portion known as SBInet …

Data Networking 26 Jun 2007, 16:02
'The 3D Flickr' is go

French to take MS Virtual Earth into another dimension

French firm Dassault Systemes today launched a site for sharing three-dimensional models that it hopes will become "the 3D Flickr". "3D must be used by all and for all," boss Bernard Charles told Reuters. 3dvia.com indeed has the typical photo-sharing look and functionality, but the content is less jpegs of cats and the …

Applications 26 Jun 2007, 16:09
Open source 'leaving Asia behind'

Novell veep warns of collaborative culture clash

The open source community risks leaving Asian users and developers behind, thanks to cultural differences and western business's tendency to treat programmers there as code monkeys rather than software designers, a senior Novell staffer has warned. Kurt Garloff, the company's global product opportunities veep, said that while …

Developer 26 Jun 2007, 16:22
Netgear promises 3G femtocells by end of year

Still hedging bets with Wi-Fi included, too

Netgear has announced it will be using technology from Ubiquisys to embed 3G femtocells into a home gateway product by the end of the year, though the box will also have Wi-Fi; in addition to being a DSL modem and VoIP router. Femtocells promise to spread 3G connectivity into homes, allowing your 3G handset to connect to your …

Data Networking 26 Jun 2007, 16:25
RegisterFly: the name not to be spoken

ICANN San Juan 2007 Notes from the root zone

The afternoon brought meatier fare - something a correspondent can sink his teeth into, so to speak. The RegisterFly debacle has forced ICANN into a bout of soul-searching, and the potential reform of the Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA) provoked wide-ranging debate about ICANN's purpose and the rights of registrants to …

Telecoms 26 Jun 2007, 17:03
Revolutionary laptop stand promises musical chairs

Laptop docking stations have never been much more than 21st Century clocking in and out machines. But now they can be so much more, Pyramat, the maker of the Lap Blaster, claims. The Lap Blaster is a docking station with a difference: it incorporates a pair of 4W speakers, both lit up with LEDs. It'll take any laptop up to …

Reg Hardware 26 Jun 2007, 17:05
Google tops US, UK mobile charts

Though Brits aren't nearly as brainwashed

Yes, Google’s dominance extends beyond the desktop. Today, market research firm M:Metrics unveiled its latest rankings of the most popular mobile web destinations in the U.S. and Britain, and Google sits atop both lists. That said, the Mountain View outfit is significantly more popular in the States than in the UK. This past …

Mobile 26 Jun 2007, 17:50
Judge rejects Google's Microsoft anti-trust plea

Analysis Satisfaction through litigation

Google has failed in its attempts to ride the coat tails of Microsoft's landmark antitrust settlement, leaving the search giant one possible course of action: initiate its own costly and drawn-out antitrust case. The judge who arbitrated Microsoft's 2002 settlement between the Department of Justice (DoJ) and prosecuting states …

Operating Systems 26 Jun 2007, 19:00
Novell kicks off Hackweek

Sends its SUSE Linux developers on a seven-day busman's holiday

Open source developers at Novell are spending this week on a 'working holiday' that the company calls Hackweek. Almost all of Novell's 300 SUSE Linux and open source developers around the world - plus a few guests - have been given the week to work on whatever open source projects they want to support. That's 1500 developer- …

Developer 26 Jun 2007, 20:27
America wastes gazillions with always-on PCs

Switched off to the environment

Next time you leave the office, turn off your machine. According to a new report, the typical mid-sized American business wastes more than $165,000 a year in electricity costs thanks to PCs left on through the night. That’s more than $1.72bn in wasted funds across the country. Simply by turning off machines during night hours …

PCs & Chips 26 Jun 2007, 20:28
Symantec offer sticks in craw of some Chinese users

'Lacks seriousness and sincerity'

We were skeptical on Monday when Symantec said it would atone for a bug that crippled the PCs of tens of thousands Chinese users by giving them free software. "Cockroach in your salad, sir? Have some free salad," was how we put it. Sure enough, critics in China's electronics industry are pouncing on the compensation offer, …

Malware 26 Jun 2007, 20:40
HP and Microsoft embrace and extend around HPC

Robust cuddling leads to test centers

HP and Microsoft have decided to hold hands as they go after the high performance computing (HPC) market. Already the tightest of chums, the two vendors have extended an existing sales and marketing pact to the HPC arena. That means HP and Microsoft will whack you with a double-sided hammer, touting the wonders of HP's clusters …

Servers 26 Jun 2007, 22:08
Microsoft finds good facts to sell Windows Vista

Driver test

Microsoft has launched a "get the facts" style campaign, only this time to push sales of Windows Vista. The company has reportedly opened a website targeting OEMs and customers to counter reports circulating about missing driver support and a lack of third-party hardware and software working with Windows Vista. According to …

Channel Register 26 Jun 2007, 22:09
Iron Mountain buys records management firm

Finding your data's undisclosed location made simple

Accutrac Software has moved Iron Mountain to reach for its wallet. Storage protection firm Iron Mountain will purchase Boston-based Accutrac Software to enhance its existing records management software. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Iron Mountain will use the acquired technology for customers to manage, retain and …

Storage 26 Jun 2007, 22:11
Red Hat's Exchange roars like a muted lamb

Broad and thin

Have you heard of the Red Hat Exchange? Rest easy, you're not alone. Launched last month, RHX, as the kids call it, was meant to solidify Red Hat's place as the epicenter of all things tied to Linux servers. Partners such as MySQL, Pentaho, Zimbra, SugarCRM and Alfresco have allowed Red Hat to lead the sales, subscription and …

Servers 26 Jun 2007, 23:07
How to sniff out private information on Facebook

Social network makes it a snap

Facebook users who like to control who gets to see your account details, take note: political views, religious back ground and other sensitive details may be wide open to prying eyes even though you've configured your profile so its viewable only to designated friends. That's because the user setting that allows only …

ID 26 Jun 2007, 23:13