31st August 2007 Archive

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Facebookers bring HSBC to its knees

Web fanatics get free overdrafts

Facebook may not change the world, but it's changed one of the world's largest banks. HSBC had planned to collect overdraft fees for Brits leaving university this summer, but after thousands of students mounted an online protest via Facebook, the big-name bank has scrapped the plan entirely, The BBC reports. According to the …

Financial News 31 Aug 2007, 00:25
Fujitsu Siemens bangs energy efficiency drum

Out of the rough, into the green

Fujitsu Siemens Computers (FSC) is punting a leaner, greener channel strategy to its partners. FSC, which has been undergoing restructuring in the face of a tough market, confirmed last week that it had hired a new channel accounts director. Steve Torbe will take on a far broader portfolio when he begins the new role on 1 …

Channel Register 31 Aug 2007, 08:36
Mars rovers roving again, for now

Skies clear, but dust poses new threat

Giant dust storms that have pinned the Mars rovers down for the last six weeks are beginning to lift, allowing the two explorers to restart their slow crawl over the red planet's surface. The storms have blotted out the light from the sun, leaving the craft virtually powerless as their solar panels lay in shadow. When the …

Space 31 Aug 2007, 08:49
Acer backs Blu-ray

IFA 07 HD media centre PC launched to prove it

Acer has thrown its weight behind the Blue-ray Disc to become the fifth big-name computer maker to back the next-gen optical disc format. It's launched a BD-equipped media centre PC to affirm its intentions. Acer's iDea 520: Blu-ray on board Acer's plan to acquire Gateway will catapult the joint company into the top tier …

Reg Hardware 31 Aug 2007, 09:00
Sony breaks out 'mass market' Blu-ray players

IFA 07 HD for all

High-definition at home is the big theme at the IFA consumer electronics show this year with a myriad of media players and a titanic turnout of new TVs. Not to be left out, Sony announced two new Blu-ray Disc players: the BDP-S300 and the BDP-S500. Sony's BDP-S300 (top) and BDP-S500 The BDP-S300 is being marketed for the …

Reg Hardware 31 Aug 2007, 09:15
Moller touts flying-saucer hovercar, again

Skycar - it blows

Here at the Reg, a lot of us tech fancier Vultures are flying-car friendly. We want our personal aerial ride and we want it now. But we're getting a bit tired of Dr. Paul Moller and the way people keep breathlessly writing him up. (Even the Reg has fallen into his trap on occasion.) Now those renowned technical wizards at the …

Science 31 Aug 2007, 09:24
NHS outlines NPfIT milestones

PACS, choose-and-book and electronic prescriptions honoured

The first quarter of 2007-08 witnessed several milestones for the National Programme for IT (NPfIT), says a report from the NHS. The NHS has singled out picture archiving and communications systems (PACS), choose and book, and the electronic prescription service as areas where significant progress has been made. Recognition …

Government 31 Aug 2007, 09:39
Racist Reg hacks slammed for 'vitriolic hatred'

FoTW So, what's the velocity of a Welsh flame in a vacuum?

Our recent piece of silliness entitled So, what's the velocity of a sheep in a vacuum? was generally well received by you, our beloved readers. Sadly, though, it didn't go down quite as well in one small corner of west Wales: I found the manner, tone and contents of your article offensive and I suspect in breach of the Uk …

Letters 31 Aug 2007, 09:44
Information Commissioner updates personal data guidance

Explains what constitutes personal data

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) published new guidance (pdf) this week that explains its view of what counts as personal data under the Data Protection Act (DPA). Information that is not personal data today may become personal data as technology advances, it says. A landmark ruling in 2003 challenged long-held …

Law 31 Aug 2007, 09:57
IFA 07 Cowon strikes at Archos with Wi-Fi media player

South Korea's Cowon today grew its stylish iAudio digital media player series with a pair of new models. The star of line-up: the Wi-Fi equipped Q5, a would-be Archos beater if there was one. Cowon's iAudio Q5: wireless wonder Built around a 5in, 800 x 480, 16m-colour touchsensitive display, the Q5 also packs in a 60GB …

Reg Hardware 31 Aug 2007, 10:02
Sharp shows off TVs, iPod hi-fis, Blu-ray player

IFA 07 Staying on the cutting edge

Sharp has announced five new Aquos LCD HD TVs in a range of screen sizes: 32in, 37in, 42in, 46in and finally a 52in display. All members of the X20E range support 1080p resolution and the cinema-style 24p frame rate. Sharp's Aquos X20E In addition, Sharp presented four new iPod sound systems. The DK-A1H and DK-A1HBK each …

Reg Hardware 31 Aug 2007, 10:24
'Commercially unimportant' copyright infringement punished

Being insignificant doesn't make it right

A software developer responsible for a copyright infringement described even by the copyright owner as insignificant still broke the law, a court has ruled (pdf). An injunction has been served even though the infringer has stopped using the technology. In a dispute between development company Gameaccount and its former parent …

Developer 31 Aug 2007, 10:41
AVG cries wolf at Adobe Reader

More dodgy upgrade madness

A faulty signature update from GRISoft published this week meant that its popular AVG anti-virus package falsely warned versions of Adobe Reader were infected with a Trojan. Reg reader Tulio received a false alarm that his system was infected by SHueur-JXW after he downloaded Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.09. GRISoft acknowledged …

Anti-Virus 31 Aug 2007, 10:43
Irish firm seeks Trainee Assistant Banana Ripener

'A good knowledge of Excel' a must, naturally

The Irish readers among you pondering a radical change of career could do worse than consider this vacancy down at Dublin-based Global Fruit Co. Ltd, which is currently a bit short-handed in its banana-ripening department: Trainee Assistant Banana Ripener Global Fruit Co. Ltd is the sole authorised distributor for Del Monte …

Bootnotes 31 Aug 2007, 10:45
Casio demos 'world's fastest-shooting' digicam

IFA 07 VGA video at 300fps, anyone?

Casio has developed a digital SLR camera capable of capturing 60 shots every second. That's stills - it can capture 640 x 480 video at a stunning 300fps. The company heralded the device as the 'world's fastest-shooting' snapper. Casio's 'world's fastest' camera prototype Not that you'll be able to buy it in the shops any …

Reg Hardware 31 Aug 2007, 10:46
SIS nixes OOXML approval

Voting irregularities, it appears

The Swedish Institute of Standards (SIS) has invalidated the vote that controversially approved the OOXML standard at a meeting this week. The organisation issued a statement saying that it had seen evidence suggesting one of the participants in the workgroup had broken the rules and voted with more than one vote. This …

Developer 31 Aug 2007, 10:55
BOFH: Chilling the bearings

Episode 30 Freezers have other uses, too

"So what are we looking at here?" the PFY says as the Boss humps a desktop machine into Mission Control. "It's dead," the Boss says, tapping the cover of the machine gently. "Dead as in DEAD or dead as in it's not booting properly?" "I... it's not booting properly." "Right then, slap her on the desk and I'll have a gander …

BOFH 31 Aug 2007, 11:02
UK plans surveillance for Earth-menacing asteroid

Keeping an eye on Apophis

UK boffins have come up with a plan to track the potentially planet-busting asteroid Apophis, according to a report on the BBC News website. The 300m-wide chunk of space debris is expected to make a close fly-by of Earth in 2029. Initial reports suggested it might actually collide with us, but more refined calculations allayed …

Space 31 Aug 2007, 11:43
Kung fu monks battle gobby net ninja

Demand apology for online slur

Monks at China's Shaolin Temple are vociferously demanding an apology from an anonymous Japanese internet user who suggested that a single ninja had once whupped the asses of the kung fu masters at the martial art's spiritual home. Specifically, "Five Minutes Every Day" last week posted a comment in an online forum claiming …

Bootnotes 31 Aug 2007, 11:45
Microsoft gets bugs, Google gets worms, and Orange goes bananas

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Hey, Bill! 1999 rang - they want their news back Microsoft was kicking it old skool this week with product delays, being accused of underhand tactics, security gaffes, and bickering with open sourcers. First up, Microsoft anti-piracy spy, Windows Genuine Advantage, cried wolf when legitimate users tried to install security …

Business 31 Aug 2007, 13:54
UK online gambling regs go live tomorrow

Computing Which? hack gets skinned

With the UK's 2005 Gambling Act coming into force tomorrow, and online gambling hugely more popular than it was*, is it time to assess the landscape of internet betting for British consumers? Computing Which? magazine says yes, and publishes the result of its painstaking investigation today. The article lays out the …

Law 31 Aug 2007, 14:00
FCC to fine network operators who can't find customers

They can run, and they can hide

US network operators who can't locate their customers in the case of an emergency are facing fines of over $2m, having already been given 18-months grace to comply. The Federal Communications Commission is proposing to fine Sprint Nextel, Alltel and United States Cellular, for failing to provide exact locations of customers …

Telecoms 31 Aug 2007, 14:12
Cops seek 179mph net vid biker

Burn-up footage sets new UK record

Police would very much like to speak to a biker who filmed himself apparently gunning it at 179mph on a "dangerous stretch" of the A628 Woodhead Pass in South Yorkshire, the Daily Mirror reports. The two-wheel speed merchant subsequently appeared in an incriminating video on LiveLeak UK, reportedly racing another bike while …

Bootnotes 31 Aug 2007, 14:14
Blogging: made in England?

Column Crouching tiger slagging blogger

Here's a quote from an interesting time in the past: ten years ago. You know, a decade back, 1997, when (It says here) 'Jorn Barger, who started his Robot Wisdom weblog in 1997, is "regarded by many" as the "first blogger".' Was he heck. The first blogger was Rupert Goodwins. He started his blog in 1996 - and very popular it …

Applications 31 Aug 2007, 14:18
Shotgun Wedding: Enterprise Architect 7.0

Good UML diagramming that won't break the bank

Agile development, for some, means avoiding diagramming (whether for documentation or analysis and design) and just getting on with testing and coding. So goes the agile ethos: the source code is the finished product, more or less, so if the work you're doing doesn't contribute directly towards creation of source code, then it …

Developer 31 Aug 2007, 14:30
Ingram Micro fingers new European chief

Koppen out

Global reseller Ingram Micro has announced that Jay Forbes will take over from EMEA boss Hans Koppen, who is retiring at the end of this year. Forbes, 46, begins his tenure on at Ingram on Monday after a spell as CEO of Canadian IT and communications firm Aliant. Prior to that he was finance chief at commercial property firm …

Channel Register 31 Aug 2007, 14:48
Russia plans 2025 Moonbase, 2035 Mars shot

All your base ...

Russia will put cosmonauts on the Moon by 2025, the head of the country's space agency has said. A permanent manned base might follow. "According to our estimates we will be ready for a manned flight to the Moon in 2025," Roskosmos chief Anatoly Perminov told AFP. He said that Russia could establish a lunar "inhabited station" …

Space 31 Aug 2007, 15:11
Microsoft settles eight year patent case with Eolas

Undisclosed payment over rights violation claim

Microsoft has settled a long-running patent infringement suit with Eolas and the University of California in a case which has been running since 1999. Microsoft will make an undisclosed payment to Eolas. Eolas had claimed that Microsoft's internet browser Internet Explorer violated a patent held by it. The dispute centred on …

Software 31 Aug 2007, 15:56
Monster.com attack hits federal job search site

Collateral damage as Monster talks of previous assaults

Cybercrooks who raided Monster.com's database also pilfered the personal information of an estimated 146,000 from USAJobs, the US government's official job search site. Monster Worldwide is the technology provider for the USAJOBS website, so the recent attack on Monster.com's systems also exposed the contact information of …

Enterprise Security 31 Aug 2007, 18:19
NBC to Apple: 'You're fired!'

Apple to NBC: 'You can't fire me! I quit!'

The Americanized version of "The Office" will soon disappear from Apple iTunes. The Reg couldn't care less - we prefer the original, and we have no interest in watching even our favorite TV shows on an overpriced, DRM-shackled, handheld status symbol - but many uncultured Apple-loving web mavens are sure to be very upset. Late …

Music and Media 31 Aug 2007, 19:28
Montavista reveals Linux debug secrets

DevRocket in your pocket

Set aside an hour on September 11th or 12th and learn how to debug those complex Linux applications without leaving your desk. Linux application tool vendor MontaVista has scheduled a live online 'webinar' to show off the debugging features of its DevRocket integrated development environment (IDE) for Linux. It says the IDE will …

Developer 31 Aug 2007, 19:33
SanDisk goes launch-crazy

IFA 07 8GB cellphone and camera cards, six-card adapter, and solid-state drive

SanDisk released today a slew of products at IFA, the consumer electronics show in Berlin. The lineup includes a 8GB card for mobile phones, a faster card for cameras, a high-speed card adapter and a new solid-state drive for laptops. Let's dive right in... Phone cards Although they aren't available to the public yet, today …

Reg Hardware 31 Aug 2007, 19:37
Mystery SNAFU exposes email logins for 100 foreign embassies (and counting)

In Tunisia, Iran's password is 'Tunisia'

Underscoring a major susceptibility threatening thousands of high-profile computer users across the world, a Swedish security consultant has published login credentials belonging to some 100 embassies. The list contains the login credentials for official email addresses belonging to some 100 foreign embassies from countries …

Security 31 Aug 2007, 20:33
Researchers: AMD less power-hungry than Intel

'Opteron more efficient than Xeon'

Computer performance consulting firm Neal Nelson & Associates claims that AMD-based servers have beaten Intel in 36 of the 57 power efficiency tests it has conducted. The tests put an AMD Opteron-based server up against an Intel Xeon-based server. The firm asserts the report was not funded or sponsored by any outside company …

Servers 31 Aug 2007, 21:45
California OKs class-action suits for unpaid overtime

Arbitration policies can't stop litigation

The California Supreme Court ruled this week that employees who claim they've been cheated out of overtime can sue their employer, whether or not the company's arbitration policy forbids class actions. The ruling was sparked by a 2002 suit led by a former Circuit City worker seeking overtime wages. According to The LA Times, …

Business 31 Aug 2007, 23:20
Aussie scam artist rides bank computer glitch to $9m overdraft

Death bars refund

After a computer glitch allowed him to overdraw almost $9m from his bank account, an Australian man has refused to return the pilfered funds, arguing that he will soon be dead. Between June 2005 and January 2006, Victor Ollis wrote check after check for money he didn't really have, scamming the Westpac bank out of AU$11m, …

Crime 31 Aug 2007, 23:30