15th August 2007 Archive

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Intel's 'Penryn' to launch 11 November

Seven 45nm Xeons on the cards

Intel's anticipated 45nm chip design, 'Penryn', looks set to be formally launched on 11 November, reports citing the chip giant's own website claim. More are coming in Q1 2008. Some seven Xeon CPUs are listed: the 2.00GHz E5405, the 2.33GHz E5410, the 2.50GHz E5420, the 2.66GHz E5430, the 2.83GHz E5440, the 3.00GHz E5450 and …

Reg Hardware 15 Aug 2007, 00:02
Intel Core 2 Duo T7800 to debut 2 September

Mobile CPU line-up shuffled

Intel will launch its fastest mainstream mobile microprocessor on 2 September and tweak the prices of some of its existing Core 2 Duo and line-up. The same day will see Celeron M prices cut too as the new 550 debuts. Intel documents seen by Register Hardware show the T7800 will replace the current T7700 as the top-of-the-line …

Hardware 15 Aug 2007, 00:08
RIAA: Pay as we say, not as we do

Recording Ass. is sue-happy - not follow-through happy

While the legal arm of the Recording Industry Association of America is lightning fast to attack at the slightest inkling of copyright infringement — justified or not — it appears the arm which holds the organization's billfold isn't nearly so quick on the draw. In the case of Capitol v. Foster, where the RIAA was ordered to …

Law 15 Aug 2007, 00:12
MS cuts Xbox 360 prices Down Under

AUD100 off

Microsoft has today slashed the price of the Xbox 360 in Australia, bringing the basic Core model down to the same price as Nintendo's globally popular Wii console. It's now priced at AUD399.95, 20 per cent less than the AUD499.95 Microsoft was previously charging for it. The standard Xbox 360 has also had AUD100 knocked off …

Reg Hardware 15 Aug 2007, 00:54
Newer offers low-cost Mac Mini-alike network storage box

Mac accessory specialist Newer Technology has rolled out a low-cost network storage box with up to 750GB of on-board file archive capacity that cab double up as an external hard drive. Newer's MiniStack NAS: 750GB LAN-ready storage The MiniStack NAS matches the look of Newer's existing Mac Mini-like extrernal hard drive …

Reg Hardware 15 Aug 2007, 01:27
Intel speed-bumps mid-range desktop CPUs

Core 2 Duo and Pentium Dual-Core lines targetted

Intel will extend its Pentium Dual-Core line-up - its series of new Core-based CPUs using the old brand name, launched in June - later this month. In October, it will do the same with the Core 2 Duo desktop family. The 2.0GHz Pentium E2180, which incorporates just 1MB of L2 cache shared between the two cores and connects over …

Hardware 15 Aug 2007, 02:01
Logitech brings Bluetooth to mice

Logitech is once again embracing Bluetooth technology: the V470, launched today, is a cordless mouse that dispenses with the USB-connected receiver device the company usually connects its wireless rodents too. Logitech's V470: Bluetooth connection The V470's Bluetooth 1.2 connection works with any suitably enabled laptop …

Reg Hardware 15 Aug 2007, 06:44
Land Registry denies ID fraud risk

'The system is designed to combat fraud'

The Land Registry has attempted to dampen accusations that its online register leaves home owners open to ID fraud. It has denied claims by the NO2ID group that it has not paid sufficient attention to security in making mortgage deeds and leases available online, and that they could reveal information which could be used to …

ID 15 Aug 2007, 09:06
YouTube-Viacom trial turns comic

Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert on witness list

As if its court battle with Viacom wasn't funny enough, YouTube has now asked for testimony from Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert - the faux newsmen whose exploits on Viacom's Comedy Central cable TV channel once made for prime viewing material on the video-sharing site. According to a filing with the New York federal court …

Music and Media 15 Aug 2007, 09:18
Forensic data stolen in server theft

But phone evidence firm says 'all data restored'

Thieves have stolen a computer server that contains files of forensic evidence used by police in serious criminal investigations. FTS, a company that provides evidence on telephone use for police forces in connection with their investigations, confirmed the theft from its Kent premises. The break-in took place at FTS' …

ID 15 Aug 2007, 09:34
Google denies Oz-blurring black op

Sydney goes fuzzy ahead of APEC summit

Internet world superpower Google has denied conducting an Oz-blurring black op with its client state the US of A, which appears to have thrown out of focus swathes of Sydney ahead of the forthcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. For those of you not up to speed on APEC, the Lucky Country will from 2 …

Software 15 Aug 2007, 09:38
High-level tools offer key to HPC

Programming the multiverse

Last summer at the University of Southampton, Microsoft sponsored an engineering summer school for senior school students to demonstrate just how easy it is to harness the power of high performance computing (HPC). In a couple of days they created a supercomputer which they used to design and simulate an aircraft. "They had …

Developer 15 Aug 2007, 09:55
Red Hat integrates Exadel and JBoss

And gets itself a new Studio

Red Hat has got out its soldering iron and brought together the tools that were contributed to it by Exadel back in March with the JBoss Enterprise Application Platform to create a newly branded, Eclipse-based integrated development environment called Red Hat Developer Studio. The Exadel tools: Studio Pro, RichFaces, and …

Developer 15 Aug 2007, 10:00
Ex-CA boss Kumar checks in for 12 year sentence

From cooking the books to cooking the grits

Ex-Computer Associates boss Sanjay Kumar began his almighty bowl of porridge yesterday when he checked in at a federal prison in New Jersey. Kumar, 45, reported to the federal prison in Fairton, Reuters reports, to begin a 12 year sentence for his role in the $2.2bn accounting scandal at the software firm that cost …

Software 15 Aug 2007, 10:07
GFI says 'non' to Fujitsu bid

Hard to get

Fujitsu is feeling rejected after its bid for French IT services group GFI was bounced by investors, management, and staff. Fujitsu Services' €8.50 per share bid had demanded that a minimum of 66.67 per cent of shareholders agree to sell up. In the end, only 40.6 per cent liked the deal. GFI management control 13 per cent of …

Channel Register 15 Aug 2007, 10:15
Carphone Warehouse salesman dies in car boot

Xmas bash ends in suffocation tragedy

A Carphone Warehouse salesman's work Xmas bash revelries ended in tragedy after he suffocated in the boot of his car. Dad-of-one Charles Courtier-Dutton, 34, went to the Thames Ditton pub session in his BMW 325, despite pregnant wife Lucy's pleas for him to take a cab. He apparently decided to sleep off the effects in the car …

Mobile 15 Aug 2007, 10:23
'Hush drive' hand-launch spybot for US special ops

Slot-in modules, mini bomb bay for extra droid fun

The US special forces are now using a "hand-launched" flying robot propelled by stealthy "hush drive" in the mountains of Afghanistan, according to recent revelations. Flight International reported yesterday that a team from the secretive, bleeding-edge Advanced Development Programmes unit within aerospace colossus Lockheed …

Science 15 Aug 2007, 10:26
Sony threatens to evict naughty gamers from Home

'We know where you live'

Woe-betide any gamer looking to cause a nuisance on the forthcoming PS3 Home entertainment network, because Sony’s got its eye on you. The company has announced that it will not hesitate in banning any such gamers and their machines from the service. For anyone not in the know, the PlayStation 3 Home environment has …

Reg Hardware 15 Aug 2007, 10:35
Intel and Symantec team up on 'bare metal' security

Virtualisation tech pushes security functions onto chips

Symantec and Intel have teamed up to develop security technologies that operate underneath an operating system. Project Hood uses virtualisation technology developed by Intel to run security "appliances" directly on chips. The technology would allow security functions to operate below the level of Windows or other operating …

Security 15 Aug 2007, 11:16
Oz foetus becomes Facebook star

'Bubba Waring' joins the social networking revolution

An Australian foetus has become an internet "star" after doting parents-to-be Claire Gillis and Luke Waring decided to set up a Facebook page to keep friends up to speed on the pre-sprog's progress, Reuters reports. Gillis explained to Oz's Daily Telegraph: "We have friends and family all over the world, so we're using it for …

Bootnotes 15 Aug 2007, 11:22
Russian cops cuff neo-Nazi murder film suspect

Alleged distributor of net video nasty

Russian police today arrested a man on suspicion of the internet distribution of a neo-Nazi "promotional video" which apparently shows the murder of two men. The "grainy" three minute film features two men "posing before a Nazi swastika flag and two other men being tied up and held captive", Reuters reports. One victim is then …

Crime 15 Aug 2007, 11:24
Droid pilots beat humans at air-to-air refuelling

Robots acquire another key human pilot skill

The Pentagon killer-boffin agency DARPA (the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency) has made another move forward in its plan to replace all US military humans with robots. The latest trick the droids have learned is that of flying a plane during air-to-air refuelling. Air-to-air refuelling, in which a military aircraft …

Hardware 15 Aug 2007, 11:35
Judge doubles Qualcomm patent damages

Must now pay Broadcom $39m

A US judge has doubled the damages that mobile phone chip company Qualcomm must pay to rival Broadcom in a patent dispute to over $39m. The news is the latest in a string of setbacks for Qualcomm. Its top lawyer, general counsel Lou Lupin, has resigned, and just days ago the administration of US president George Bush refused to …

Law 15 Aug 2007, 11:56
Samsung says Yepp to all-girl rollerskating troupe

Gets rolling with latest multimedia player

Samsung is set to expand its Yepp portable multimedia player (PMP) series with a new sleek black offering. Dubbed the YP-P2, the device is rumoured to boast a whole host of functions ranging from videos and music, to FM radio, datacasts and Bluetooth. The YP-P2 is thought to measure about 10 x 5 x 0.9cm and, according to an …

Reg Hardware 15 Aug 2007, 12:48
Blu-ray trumps HD-DVD in USA

Fighting the disc war

US sales of Blu-ray movies outstripped those of its rival HD-DVD format during the first half of 2007, according to figures from industry body Home Media Research (HMR). Between 1 January and 1 July 2007, 1.6m Blu-ray units were sold in the US, while only 795,000 units were sold on the HD-DVD format during the same period. …

Reg Hardware 15 Aug 2007, 12:53
Shark 2 dumbs down Trojan creation

Just when you thought it was safe to go back onto the internet...

Malign coders have created a new version of a tool that dumbs down the process of creating Trojan horse malware. Shark 2 can be used to create Trojans capable of stealing confidential data, or backdoor programs that can be used to surreptitiously capture images from infected PCs, among other things. The tool is being …

Security 15 Aug 2007, 14:17
PETA slams 'sickening' Hamas cat-torture vid

Comedy bee lays into Gaza zoo felines

Animal rights group PETA confirmed today it would protest to Hamas-run al-Aqsa TV regarding a "shocking and sickening" clip featuring a comedy bee mistreating cats and lions at Gaza zoo, Reuters reports. The offending insect, named Nahool, indulged in a light bit of feline abuse to demonstrate to kids that knocking animals …

Bootnotes 15 Aug 2007, 15:08
Bandwidth crunch to squeeze carriers

All part of the service

Online customers already frustrated by the lack of choice in either their supplier or available content have a new issue to contend with: degrading levels of service. That's because the cable TV and phone industries are approaching a crisis in available bandwidth, thanks to growing demand for things like HDTV and online gaming …

Telecoms 15 Aug 2007, 15:09
Clarins' electromagnetic-blocking cream ad blocked

ASA cites complete lack of evidence

There's no evidence to suggest that Clarins Expertise 3P beauty cream will protect users from electromagnetic radiation, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has found. Clarins launched Expertise 3P in January to general ridicule, and the product provoked six false advertising complaints to the ASA. The ASA investigation …

Mobile 15 Aug 2007, 15:13
Tesla electric supercar may be delayed

'Not yet fully within our grasp', says ex-CEO

Tesla Motors, the widely-lauded California company behind the Roadster high-performance electric car, may have run into problems. The Roadster - possible teething troubles? The Tesla Roadster is planned to be one of the world's first true all-electric cars for consumer users, as opposed to specialist machinery such as …

Science 15 Aug 2007, 15:13
Webmail-creating Trojan targets Gmail

Captcha buster spreads

A strain of malware capable of setting up bogus Hotmail and Yahoo! accounts in order to send spam has been adapted to also target Gmail accounts. The HotLan Trojan creates automatically-generated webmail accounts, implying that spammers have discovered a means to defeat Captcha challenge-response systems. Captcha systems, …

Security 15 Aug 2007, 15:46
UK press body raps paper over online video

Breached pupils' right to privacy

The Press Complaints Commission (PCC) has issued its first ever ruling on video content published online by a newspaper. It said the Hamilton Advertiser breached school pupils' rights to privacy with a video of an unruly classroom. The newspaper published the unedited video on its website, which the PCC ruled invaded the right …

Law 15 Aug 2007, 15:49
Down with secular ringtones

Christian service offers enlightened irritants

Gold River Productions has launched a Christian Ringtones service, using the annoyance of a ringing phone to spread the word of God, in this world and beyond. Christian rock tunes, as well as hymns, are available, and a Noah's Ark section features a range of animal noises (including dinosaurs: who apparently were on the ark, …

Mobile 15 Aug 2007, 15:53
Fujitsu spins out two convertible PCs

Changing your POV...

Fujitsu has unveiled what it claims to be the world’s smallest tablet convertible PC, in addition to a new notebook PC with a bi-directional swivel display. The LifeBook U810 mini and LifeBook T2010 convertible notebook are both designed for those on-the-go, and their looks may turn some heads too. The palm-size U810 weighs …

Reg Hardware 15 Aug 2007, 16:17
Wacom Bamboo tablet

Review Nothing difficult to swallow about this

The latest in Wacom's range of graphics tablets is the stylish and compact Bamboo model, which in addition to assisting with hand-written notes and memos, is also designed to replace the more standard-issue mouse. Wacom's Bamboo: at 20 x 18.6 x 1.07cm, it doesn't take up much space This ultra-light, affordable tablet …

Reg Hardware 15 Aug 2007, 16:38
God appears in eggplant slice

Woman lobs Him onto eBay

It looks like American religious artifacts are becoming big business on eBay. Not to be outdone by Deb Serio, a Virginia high school teacher who recently nabbed over $1500 for a garage floor stain she said looked like Jesus, Pennsylvania's Felicia Teske is offering eBay buyers an eggplant slice that may bear the word "God." …

Bootnotes 15 Aug 2007, 17:48
US phish feeder jailed for seven years

ATM scam raked in $600K

A US man has been jailed for seven years following his conviction for ID theft and credit card fraud. Jacob Vincent Green-Bressler of Tucson, Arizona was sentenced by US District Judge David C. Burylast week after pleading guilty in March to aggravated identity theft and conspiracy offences. Green-Bressler operated as an …

Crime 15 Aug 2007, 17:56
Citrix breaks the bank to get XenSource

To battle VMware with Microsoft

Citrix Systems has acquired server virtualizaton start-up XenSource for the astonishing sum of $500m - a move reported yesterday by The Register. The deal gives Citrix an immediate in with the server and desktop slicing set. In addition, it lends XenSource the serious financial muscle needed to compete with market leader VMware …

Servers 15 Aug 2007, 18:00
Google-funded startup to offer free Wi-Fi in San Francisco

Could prove death knell for city-backed plan

Things are looking bleak for boosters of a plan to bring a city-backed Wi-Fi access to San Francisco. First the American Civil Liberties Union called its privacy protections crap. Then gearheads poked holes in the antiquated technology Earthlink would use to underpin the network. And finally, Earthlink, voicing new doubts about …

Telecoms 15 Aug 2007, 18:55
Xandros celebrates Microsoft union with patents

Exchanges emails

Xandros is licensing key communications protocols from new best friend Microsoft on email and collaboration - areas where they compete. The open source specialist will implement Microsoft's ActiveSync and Outlook-Exchange Transport protocols, enabling over-the-air synchronization of email and calendaring between mobile …

Applications 15 Aug 2007, 19:30
Google and Sun tag team MS Office

StarOffice joins free Google Pack

Google has given web users yet another reason not to use Microsoft Office. On Saturday, the very unofficial Google Operating System blog noticed that the Mountain View outfit was offering a completely free version of Sun Microsystem's StarOffice 8, the office productivity suite that Sun sells for $70 a pop. When contacted, …

Applications 15 Aug 2007, 20:49
AT&T's race car logo lawsuit crashes and burns

Wanted - wireless brand to go fast for a change

A federal appellate panel in the US brought AT&T's fight to display its logo on a race car to a screeching halt last week, ruling that the telecomm giant did not have standing to challenge a NASCAR decision refusing to allow the company to place the logo on the car. The dispute arose after NASCAR, the sanctioning body of US …

Wireless 15 Aug 2007, 21:19
NFL enlists Christian soldiers in anti-gambling fight

God, football and the point spread

The behind-the-scenes putsch that forced the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) through a skeptical Congress last year saw a little sunshine this week. Witness the news that the National Football League has teamed up with James Dobson's Focus on the Family and other right-wing Christians to head off efforts to …

Law 15 Aug 2007, 21:40
NetApp Q1 profit down 37%

Approves $1bn buy-back

Network Appliance posted sluggish revenue growth and lower profits for its first fiscal quarter of 2008, as the company faced a slowdown in sales from its largest customers in the US and Europe. But the company punched up the news by announcing plans to expand its stock repurchasing program and grab as much as $1bn of its …

Storage 15 Aug 2007, 23:54
FTC: Web scam artists pilfered $24.7m from American businesses

'But we'll settle things up for $1.2m'

After allegedly pilfering more than $24.7m from small businesses and non-profits across the country, a gaggle of web scam artists - sorry, alleged web scam artists - will fork over a measly $1.2m to settle a court case brought by the federal government. For several months starting in 2002, according to a suit from the Federal …

Small Biz 15 Aug 2007, 23:55
Ending a nightmare - Overstock's data center journey

Saved by Teradata

Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne refuses to believe that technology doesn't matter. The outspoken CEO watched as his computer systems crumbled in 2005, resulting in a customer service nightmare. Then, he watched data warehousing specialist Teradata barge into his computing center and save the day. Before Overstock.com's IT …

Servers 15 Aug 2007, 23:59