29th August 2007 Archive

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Legacy of Ashes - the undoing of the CIA

Book Review The anatomy of a discredited organization

At the beginning of the Nineties, this journalist went through the Central Intelligence Agency's hiring process. The process took about a year to complete, its length and rigor attributed to the great importance of its classified mission plus a purported desire to get just the right kind of people - America's best. In any case …

Government 29 Aug 2007, 07:49
China deploys virtual coppers

Prowling the net for 'illicit' activity

China has announced it will this Saturday send out two virtual coppers to patrol all Beijing-based news portals, websites and online forums as part of the Communist state's ongoing war against "illicit" net activity, Reuters reports. According to China Daily, the male and female officers "will appear either on motorcycles, in a …

Law 29 Aug 2007, 08:45
Cops cuff man for burning Burning Man man

San Francisco artist on arson rap

A San Francisco performance artist has been arrested on suspicion of torching the Burning Man earlier this week - four days before the scheduled incendiary climax of the Nevada desert love-in, AP reports. Paul Addis, 35, allegedly set fire to the 40-foot-tall figure at around 3am on Tuesday as festival-goers sat up to enjoy the …

Entertainment 29 Aug 2007, 08:48
Toshiba favours Japan for Wi-Fi MP3 player

No UK release planned, sigh

Some say envy is a wasted emotion. But when looking at a forthcoming Toshiba portable media player (PMP) that features built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, but which may never make it to UK shores, you may be forgiven a touch of the green-eyed monster. Toshiba's Wi-Fi Gigabeat: well recieved in Japan The Gigabeat T401 operates …

Reg Hardware 29 Aug 2007, 08:59
Think again, FSF tells Microsoft on GPL3

Between the lines

The Free Software Foundation (FSF) appears to be polishing up its legal sabers over possible violations of the General Public License (GPL) by Microsoft. In a statement released today the FSF told Microsoft it's prepared to use its "resources" directly or indirectly to protect Linux copyrights and to ensure continued …

Software 29 Aug 2007, 09:01
Republicans hammer Brit artist's Bush

Presidential portrait constructed from porn mag clippings

US Republicans are none too pleased with Brit artist Jonathan Yeo, who's just completed a fetching portrait of George Bush constructed from grumble mag clippings: The work was unveiled yesterday at London's Lazarides gallery, which explains the motivation behind the thought-provoking piece: "Yeo was commissioned to undertake …

Entertainment 29 Aug 2007, 09:09
Acquittal of US man who viewed abuse images overturned

Cached images were in his possession

A man who admitted using his computer to view pornographic images of child abuse cannot go free just because he did not deliberately save the images, a US court has said. The ruling overturns a previous acquittal of the man. A full nine-judge hearing of the Pennsylvania Superior Court has said that it was no defence for the man …

Law 29 Aug 2007, 09:13
Aussie serves up feral cat casserole

Bush tucker plan to protect indigenous wildlife

An Australian kids' book writer and illustrator has come up with a tasty plan to protect the Lucky Country's indigenous wildlife from the feral cat menace - eat the blighters. Brits brought the first cats to Oz in 1788, the Telegraph notes, and the felines quickly set about going native and laying into the local wildlife. …

Biology 29 Aug 2007, 09:15
Creative pitches Zen against third-gen iPod Nano

Apple announcement next week?

Creative has pre-empted Apple's anticipated announcement of a widescreen iPod Nano with a similarly spec'd tiny media player of its own. The new Zen is also Creative's first device to support AAC-encoded songs. Creative's Zen: watch out, third-gen Nano The 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.2cm Zen packs in 4, 8 or 16GB of Flash storage, ready …

Reg Hardware 29 Aug 2007, 09:19
Sky to offer broadband to non-TV punters

Rupert invites you to his Picnic

Sky's successful drive into broadband is set to shift up a gear in November when it will launch a package aimed at the UK's 10 million-plus Freeview households. Sky Broadband launched last year after the group bought Easynet, but currently only supplies existing TV customers as part of a bundle. It offers up to theoretical …

Telecoms 29 Aug 2007, 09:23
Families bond over video games: report

'Casual games' bring families together

Once thought of as an alienating and isolating influence, computer games are now becoming a favoured means of bonding among families. This is the finding of a new survey of 'casual gamers' by PopCap Games, the results of which were released on Tuesday. The survey found that 92 percent of casual gaming parents and grandparents …

Entertainment 29 Aug 2007, 09:25
UniquePhone answers sceptics with video

Really: we can unlock an iPhone

Belfast company UniquePhone has reacted to accusations that it can't really unlock Apple's iPhone by posting a four minute video showing someone apparently doing just that. The company has reported receiving legal threats from AT&T, aimed at preventing it launching an iPhone unlocking service. Sceptics have claimed this is a …

Mobile 29 Aug 2007, 09:37
Apple sells one in six US laptops

Mac resurgence?

Apple was the US' third biggest retail laptop vendor in June, market watcher NPD has revealed. The Mac maker is behind only HP and Toshiba, but ahead of Dell, Gateway and Lenovo. NPD said by way of Computerworld that Apple took 17.6 per cent of the US laptop retail market in June, up from 14.3 per cent in May and pushing it …

Reg Hardware 29 Aug 2007, 09:50
Microsoft accused of ballot stuffing in standards vote

Hot Swedish XML action

Microsoft has been accused of rigging a vote on the ratification of Office Open XML (OOXML) as an international standard at a government body in Sweden. Swedish internet pioneer Patrik Falstrom has accused Microsoft of bussing in local partners to a Swedish Standards Institute (SIS) meeting on OSI ratification of OOXML. The …

Applications 29 Aug 2007, 10:05
Daewoo to debut iPod dock DVD player at IFA

All-in-one music and video machine

Daewoo is set to unveil a portable DVD player with a built-in iPod dock at the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin on Friday. The player's other capabilities include an 8in widescreen display, memory card slot and a USB port for Flash drives. Daewoo's DPC-8099PD-I: iPod friendly slot on the right Dubbed the DPC-8099PD- …

Reg Hardware 29 Aug 2007, 10:09
Nokia Go Play event kicks off music store

Singalong with all the pretty, pretty handsets

Nokia's much-anticipated product launch is today, and the schedule confirms the expected music store as well as a couple of new handsets and the first device compatible with the newly-revamped N-Gage platform. Apple has long promoted product lunches as elaborate theatre, culminating in the iPhone launch last year and leaving …

Mobile 29 Aug 2007, 10:11
Earthlink cuts half its workforce

Workers pay for slack broadband strategy

Financially-challenged US ISP Earthlink said on Tuesday it will slash about half its workforce after failing to ride the broadband wave Stateside. The Atlanta-based firm will can 900 staff as part of a sweeping cost-cutting exercise. It also lowered its revenue predictions for the third time this year to between $1.19bn and $1. …

Financial News 29 Aug 2007, 10:13
All of world's biggest firms hit by typosquatting

All Fortune 500 companies affected

The world's 500 biggest companies have all fallen victim to typosquatting. OUT-LAW research has found that the fast-growing trend of making ad money from web domains similar to famous brands affects all the world's biggest firms. Typosquatting is the profiting, through adverts, from websites whose addresses are very close to …

Law 29 Aug 2007, 10:25
Sony bundles rootkit-like software on USB drive

Hits replay on CD debacle

A USB fingerprint authentication device from Sony contains rootkit-like technology, according to security watchers. The MicroVault USM-F fingerprint reader software bundled with the stick installs a hidden directory under Windows. "Files in this directory are also hidden from some antivirus scanners (as with the Sony BMG DRM …

Malware 29 Aug 2007, 10:29
Data warehousing update, part 1

A look at Oracle, ParAccel and Calpont

A lot has been happening on the data warehousing front lately. Earlier this summer, Oracle announced its Information Appliance initiative and, in particular, a partnership with PANTA Systems. Then, more recently, ParAccel has announced a product re-positioning, Calpont is finally talking about its entry into the market, and both …

Developer 29 Aug 2007, 10:43
First 52in LCD panels roll of S-LCD's 8G line

LCD HD plasma eight-generation

S-LCD, a joint venture between Sony and Samsung, has seen the first fruits of its latest labours. Its production line has begun punching out eighth generation LCD panels for use in 52in HDTVs. The production line, located in South Korea, is not yet at full capacity, but it's claimed that by the end of this year it will be …

Reg Hardware 29 Aug 2007, 10:52
Are you serious about security?

Consider anti-reconnaissance tools

Hurwitz & Associates has been running an IT security campaign: "AVID: Anti-Virus Is Dead" for some time. The argument is based on the principle that blacklists of signatures—small files that contain a unique string of bits, or the binary pattern, that identifies all or part of a virus—do not, and cannot, provide adequate …

Enterprise Security 29 Aug 2007, 10:54
MS, Mitsubishi tout translucent touchscreen concept

From the Archive Apple got there first?

And it sounded such a smart idea too. Microsoft and Mitsubishi are developing a 'translucent' touchscreen. The idea: touching the back of the panel controls user interface elements displayed on the front. Cute, but the question to be asked is: where do all the electronics go? Apple's 'translucent' iPod panel patent (left) …

Reg Hardware 29 Aug 2007, 10:59
Palm offers free Treo 750 Windows Mobile 6 upgrade

Vodafone 750v gets HSDPA, too

Palm has posted a free Windows Mobile 6 Pro upgrade for its Vodafone-branded Windows Mobile 5-based smartphone, the Treo 750v. The update also brings HSPDA high-speed download technology to the 3G phone. While the 750v update is available to UK and Dutch users immediately, consumers in other European countries will have to …

Mobile 29 Aug 2007, 11:24
VXers rain on YouTube's parade

Storm worm botnet herders switch tactics (again)

Authors behind the Storm worm have switched tactics yet again. In the latest twist to the ongoing saga, emails punting the malware now contain fake links to YouTube. In reality the links direct potential victims to a malware loaded website designed to turn vulnerable boxes into spam-spewing zombie clients. According to net …

Malware 29 Aug 2007, 11:30
LogicaCMG still seeing grey clouds over UK

Hires new chairman, continues looking for elusive CEO

IT services group LogicaCMG admitted today that it needed to improve "operational performance" in the UK following an 8.3 per cent year-on-year profit slide at its British arm. It said that first-half revenue from continuing operations was up 36.2 percent to £1.5bn, due in large part to a one-time gain following the sale of …

Channel Register 29 Aug 2007, 11:43
Facebook moves to cut down application annoyances

Developers, developers, developers...stop spamming

Facebook has changed its rules for developers to cut down on the myriad irritations which have afflicted it since it opened up to third party applications in May. The open door policy, while successfully castrating any potential rivals, has annoyed many social networking users who couldn't get along with MySpace precisely …

Applications 29 Aug 2007, 11:46
Nokia joins clones at the Ministry

Launches music ~~bore~~ store and portal

It's never been cool, and its critics say that it's boring and bland, with all the style of a Soviet tractor factory. But it churns out a frightening amount of stuff each year, and it makes pots and pots of money. And its logo is absolutely everywhere. But that's enough about The Ministry Of Sound. You can see why Nokia felt …

Mobile 29 Aug 2007, 11:56
iSoft bins CompuGroup in favour of IBA

Sick note for German firm

Poorly NHS software provider iSoft Group said today that it favoured a revised buyout bid from Aussie outfit IBA Health. Germany's CompuGroup had, earlier in the summer, placed an offer of 66 pence a share in cash on the table but confirmed on 20 July that it would not increase its bid for the firm. IBA then upped the ante …

Channel Register 29 Aug 2007, 12:06
US teen trades hacked iPhone for Nissan 350Z

New wheels 'a great end to a great summer'

A New Jersey teenager has cut a deal to trade a hacked iPhone for a new set of wheels and three further iPhones, Yahoo! reports. Seventeen-year-old George Hotz, of Glen Rock, made the announcement on his blog, having successfully unlocked the Jesus phone. Duly released from the shackles of AT&T, the device was then swiftly …

Mobile 29 Aug 2007, 12:10
Nokia beats out four music handsets

So many to choose from

Nokia has launched four new handsets that are likely to be music to the ears of the mobile entertainment-obsessed masses. Each handset offers an array of music and multimedia capabilities, with two handsets based on the Finnish-manufacturer's established XpressMusic brand. Nokia's 5610 (left) and 5310 (right) The 5310 …

Reg Hardware 29 Aug 2007, 12:12
Love triangle kidnap pampernaut preps wingnut defence

Nowak team cites neck-up checkup

Famous ex-NASA spacewoman and Navy pilot Lisa Nowak, accused of planning to abduct and rough up her stellar love rival Colleen Shipman, may be preparing a defence of temporary insanity. The troubled astronaut, who was said to have worn nappies during a cross-country dash to intercept Shipman at a Florida airport, is to stand …

Space 29 Aug 2007, 12:43
Goggle box content comes to iTunes UK

Square Pants and Dora to Pimp My Ride

iTunes has added TV shows to its UK offering, including content from ABC Studios, MTV, Paramount Comedy and Nickelodeon. So punters in Britain can click wheel through Desperate Housewives on their iPods. Right now there are only 16 shows for adults, and 12 for children, with one season of each: though if you particularly want …

Entertainment 29 Aug 2007, 13:49
Getting to the bottom of online collaboration

Reg Technology Panel Help us plumb the depths

According to that fount of all online knowledge Wikipedia, the first online bulletin board system was created in 1973 in Berkeley, California. Appropriately enough (for the purposes of this article anyway), it was called Community Memory, in recognition that its raison d’être was to serve those who accessed it. Over three …

Tech Panel 29 Aug 2007, 13:55
China slaps ban on reincarnation

Tibetan monks must seek permission for rebirth

China has rather brilliantly declared that, from next month, Tibetan Buddhist monks must have official permission to reincarnate, Newsweek reports. The new legislation lays down strict guidelines for making a reappearance and is, according to a statement from the State Administration for Religious Affairs, "an important move to …

Bootnotes 29 Aug 2007, 14:04
Italian boffin designs gecko-tech spiderman suit

Does whatever a spider-gecko can

An Italian boffin claims to have made a breakthrough in the red-hot field of gecko-related nanoengineering, perhaps of a magnitude that might allow working spiderman suits to be built. Nicola Pugno's paper, Towards a Spiderman suit: large invisible cables and self-cleaning releasable super-adhesive materials will be published …

Biology 29 Aug 2007, 14:28
Vodafone calls C&W for IP migration

£40m next generation deal

Vodafone has agreed to pay Cable and Wireless £40m over two years to help it migrate its backend and enterprise functions to an IP-based network. Vodafone, a key C&W customer for almost 20 years, will in turn help the former cable operator to make sure its next generation network and services fit the bill. Part of the deal …

Telecoms 29 Aug 2007, 14:50
AMD coughs up wad of cash for virtual desktop project

Finances Nivio R&D

Chip maker AMD will pump an undisclosed stack of cash into research and development funds for virtualisation solutions provider Nivio. AMD said the investment was intended to support Nivio's vision of virtual desktop access for a worldwide audience. Nivio has been beta testing its software for the past 18 months and said it …

Servers 29 Aug 2007, 16:10
Zango abandons PC Tools adware lawsuit

Adware classification rumpus

Controversial adware outfit Zango has withdrawn legal proceedings against anti-spyware firm PC Tools. The decision follows its failure to persuade a court to issue a temporary restraining order that would have prevented PC Tools from classifying Zango's software as potentially malicious. Both firms hail the outcome of the case …

Malware 29 Aug 2007, 17:26
SexSearch.com gets off on user's underage romp

Her profile said she was 18, your honor!

Age is just a number, right? It is for hookup websites, according to a judge from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. SexSearch.com is a website that encourages its users to arrange sexual encounters using its services. Members create profiles that are populated by information provided in a …

Law 29 Aug 2007, 17:44
Former Juniper attorney faces SEC's wrath

Juniper out of the bush but Berry gets the squeeze

Juniper Networks has settled with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over allegations of improper stock option backdating. But while the networking equipment maker swims out of hot water, its former legal counsel is getting a double dip in the stew pot. The SEC filed fraud charges yesterday against Bay Area …

Financial News 29 Aug 2007, 18:02
Microsoft promises less-annoying Vista OS early next year

'But you should upgrade now'

A less-annoying version of Windows Vista is still several months away. This morning, with a post to the official Windows Vista blog, Microsoft said that the first Vista Service Pack will likely arrive at the beginning of the year, after the usual far-flung beta test. As SP1 betas continue to turn up on file-sharing sites across …

Operating Systems 29 Aug 2007, 19:26
Vista's Long Goodbye strikes again

OS networking buckles under single media file

New data documenting quirky networking characteristics in Vista have surfaced courtesy of Windows architecture guru Mark Russinovich, who confirms that simply by playing media files, users can bring throughput in Microsoft's new and improved operating system to a screeching halt. The degradation is caused by a new feature …

Operating Systems 29 Aug 2007, 19:55
Windows Server 2008 'brisket' release delayed

Now literally a 2008 product

Microsoft has acknowledged today that Windows Server 2008 won't be ready to ship by the end of the year as planned. It's like the 1980s English synthpop band Naked Eyes was singing for you, Microsoft. You made me promises, promises / knowing I'd believe. The company broke news of the delay on their Windows Server blog (a …

Servers 29 Aug 2007, 20:00
Storm Worm descends on Blogger.com

'Dude what if your wife finds this'

Miscreants behind the Storm Worm have begun attacking Blogger, littering hundreds of pages with titillating messages designed to trick visitors into clicking on poisonous links. By now, anyone who doesn't live under a rock is familiar with the spam messages bearing subjects such as "Dude what if your wife finds this" and " …

Malware 29 Aug 2007, 23:19
Produce-licking YouTubers attacked by 147-year-old American grocer

Fresh Beets battle $1m lawsuit

One of America's oldest grocers has sued two college students for licking its produce on YouTube. Last week, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company - better known as A&P - slapped a $1m lawsuit on former employees Mark and Matthew D'Avella, accusing the two YouTubers of defaming the 147-year-old grocery chain in an online rap …

Law 29 Aug 2007, 23:30
Google, Yahoo! and Amazon sued over email patent

Polaris missile

The biggest names on the internet have been sued by a patent holding company which claims the firms are violating its rights by automatically routing email messages. Google, Amazon, Borders, Yahoo!, AOL and Ask.com owner IAC have been named in the suit, filed by Polaris in the famously patent owner-friendly jurisdiction of the …

Law 29 Aug 2007, 23:51