The Register® — Biting the hand that feeds IT

Feeds

4th September 2007 Archive

Browse by publication date, or search the site.

  • Eurostar inaugurates UK high-speed track

    Updated Paris-London in 2hrs 3mins

    Eurostar will this morning try to set a new Paris-London time record during the inaugural run along the recently-completed British "High Speed 1" track to St Pancras International station, Reuters reports. Although the St Pancras terminal doesn't officially take over from Waterloo until 14 November, it will host the arrival of …

    Science 4 Sep 2007, 04:58

  • Texas Instruments stands out with 3D TV

    IFA 07 The next big thing?

    Watching your favourite film in high definition and on a monster screen is all well and good, but it still doesn't make the film leap out at you. Texas Instruments claims it's overcome this problem and has teamed up with Samsung to develop a 3D TV. The display, which was last week exhibited at the IFA consumer electronics …

    Reg Hardware 4 Sep 2007, 08:02

  • Boffins unveil sharpest ever stellar snaps

    Outdoing Hubble, from the ground

    Astronomers working at the Palomar observatory have taken some of the clearest ever pictures of space. A US and UK team of stargazers have taken advantage of new adaptive optics technology to out-do even the Hubble Space Telescope for sharpness. The problem with taking pictures of stars from the ground is that the atmosphere …

    Space 4 Sep 2007, 08:05

  • Mobile wallet opens

    Payments up to a tenner

    PayForIt is another mobile wallet scheme, this time backed by all the major operators and launched with the limited aim of taking payments for ringtones, games, and other mobile content. PayForIt is designed to provide a consistent interface regardless of the network operator, managed by licensed third parties and integrated …

    Mobile 4 Sep 2007, 08:14

  • Apple to announce HDD-less iPods tomorrow?

    Web talks up what it thinks Jobs will say

    Apple will tomorrow unveil revamped iPods - the first without a hard drive - and iPod Nanos at an event to be held tomorrow, if the leaks and rumours of the last few weeks prove accurate. Observers are expecting Apple to take the wraps off a new iPod with a design derived not from past versions of the player but from the …

    Reg Hardware 4 Sep 2007, 09:02

  • Pentagon: Chinese military hacked us

    We'll need a whole bunch of expensive stuff

    Sources in Washington have indicated that the cyber attack last June which targeted the office of US Defence Secretary Robert Gates was conducted by the Chinese military. According to a report in the London Financial Times, "senior US officials" and "persons familiar with the event" have briefed that there is a “very high …

    Security 4 Sep 2007, 09:34

  • Interface21 focuses on 'contract first'

    Spring framework delivers Web Services

    Open source tool supplier Interface21 has recast its Spring framework to deliver web services applications based on the 'contract-first' approach to development. Under the name Spring Web Services 1.0, the updated framework will enable developers to build and deliver more flexible, loosely coupled web services applications, says …

    Developer 4 Sep 2007, 09:58

  • Euro consumers favour plasma over LCD

    Not much in it, though

    Ask consumers which HD TV technology they think delivers the best picture quality and they'll put LCD and plasma on a par. Get them to try the two out first, and they quickly favour plasma. So claimed research company Synovate last week after conducting tests with punters across Europe. Up front, we should say the research …

    Reg Hardware 4 Sep 2007, 10:02

  • Why oh why do rock stars die young?

    A department of the bleedin' obvious special report

    Liverpool John Moores University has evidently opened its own department of the bleedin' obvious by revealing that rock and pop stars often die prematurely because of their penchant for a fast-track lifestyle fuelled by drugs and booze, The Daily Telegraph reports. The uni's study of 1,050 US and European artists discovered …

    Entertainment 4 Sep 2007, 10:15

  • Sage goes after the little people

    Coughs up HR offering for SMBs

    Acquisition-happy payroll software maker Sage (UK) has moved into the HR biz with the launch of a new system aimed at SMBs. The software, which is available now, can be used by firms to manage, update, access and analyse employee details and has a starting price tag of £250. The company said Sage 50 HR 2007 can be integrated …

    Small Biz 4 Sep 2007, 10:21

  • Oracle buys Netsure Telecom

    Grabs network intel and analytics software

    Business software provider Oracle has acquired Dublin-based Netsure Telecom. Netsure provides network intelligence and analytics software to communications service providers. The firm's clients include Vodafone, Cable & Wireless and Eircom. The deal is expected to be completed later this month, but financial details of the …

    Software 4 Sep 2007, 10:32

  • 'Happy slapping' vids prompt Brown to push net filters

    You the jury

    The availability of gore and violence on the internet has prompted the UK Government to consider backing a campaign to encourage wider awareness and use of net-filtering software. Gordon Brown has ordered ministers to work with ISPs and media watchdog Ofcom to devise a strategy to regulate access to smut and violence online. …

    Government 4 Sep 2007, 10:39

  • 41% of Londoners don't care about their pets

    68% would be upset if they lost their phone

    A survey from Carphone Warehouse reveals that those in the North East of England are the most callous about their animals; with the loss of their pet upsetting only 57 per cent, while 73 per cent of those living in the South West care most - must be all those retirees. Quite why the rest of the population keeps pets isn't clear …

    Mobile 4 Sep 2007, 10:49

  • UK Gambling Act is now in force

    Gambling Commission brings legislation up to date

    Major changes are in store for Britain's £91bn gambling industry after new gambling laws came into force on 1st September. The Gambling Act 2005 replaces legislation dating as far back as 1845 and governs nearly all forms of gambling. The legislation aims to protect children and vulnerable people, cut crime and keep games fair …

    Law 4 Sep 2007, 10:57

  • LG J10HD home cinema system

    Review Does this Chocolate-inspired set taste sweet or sour?

    The one-box home cinema system business reached saturation point some time ago, particularly at the cheaper end of the market. So companies who, like LG, target the mainstream have to work pretty hard to make their products stand out. LG has certainly put in some effort into the J10HD. LG's J10HD: Chocolate-styled For …

    Reg Hardware 4 Sep 2007, 11:02

  • Iogear touts anti-bacterial mouse

    Clean up your desktop

    Iogear is gearing up for the new school season and aiming to clean up the desktop in one foul swoop. It has created a wireless mouse that not only claims to deliver optimal, err, scrolling in all situations, but which is also coated with a specialist anti-bacterial coating. The Phaser 3-in-1 mouse apparently has a titanium …

    Reg Hardware 4 Sep 2007, 11:58

  • Sony Ericsson loses head

    Miles steps down for Dick

    Miles Flint, president of Sony Ericsson, has stepped down to spend more time with his money; to be replaced by Dick Komiyama, current chairman of the board at Sony Electronics, USA. When Flint took the helm at SE, in June 2004, the company had sold 27.2 million units during the previous year, compared to the 74.8 million it …

    Mobile 4 Sep 2007, 12:01

  • Venus Express celebrates 500 days around Venus

    Lots of data, struggling with a bottleneck

    Basking in four times the radiation its sister craft, Mars Express, receives, Venus Express is celebrating its 500th day around, and 500th orbit of, our twin planet. Although most of the one terabit of data that has been sent back is still being written up (brace yourselves for a flurry of papers some time fairly soon), there …

    Space 4 Sep 2007, 12:09

  • Pee-powered battery unveiled

    Other liquids accepted

    The trouble with batteries is that there never seems to be a power socket in sight when you want to charge them up. Thankfully, one manufacturer has developed a battery that should be slightly easier to recharge, thanks to its ability to run off a variety of liquids, including water and urine. Dubbed NoPoPo, the battery has …

    Reg Hardware 4 Sep 2007, 12:16

  • The UK office: hotbed of net smut addiction

    'Wacking' menaces British economy

    Any bosses among you who are wondering why your male employees' productivity has declined of late are directed to a highly suspect survey by moneysupermarket.com, which claims they're probably ogling some quality internet pornography rather than knuckling down to that mission-critical PowerPoint presentation. According to The …

    Bootnotes 4 Sep 2007, 13:33

  • Morse sees revenue slide

    13 per cent, unlucky for some

    Professional services firm Morse today reported a 13 per cent group profit fall and said its continued drive away from the IT infrastructure market had put a dent in its financial figures. Revenue from continuing operations was down £40m to £256.5m for the year-on-year period ended 30 June 2007. The infrastructure arm of the …

    Channel Register 4 Sep 2007, 13:55

  • Robot sailboats to race across Atlantic

    Seagull poo on solar cells is primary tech snag

    In the Irish Sea off Wales this week, a new kind of robot is taking to the waves. For once, this is not a military kill-droid, nor a securo-pork powered surveillance machine. Instead, we are seeing the debut of the fully-autonomous sailboat, which uses its own software to navigate out at sea. For now the uninhabited windjammers …

    Physics 4 Sep 2007, 14:10

  • Master Flash quick as a flash

    It's no flash in the pan

    Following on from our offers on the latest Dreamweaver CS3 and Photoshop CS3 titles, we thought we couldn't look at those exciting new releases without at least visiting Flash CS3, another part of the Adobe CS3 software dynasty. As usual we've taken a look at what is out there and whittled it down to bring you a selection of …

    Developer 4 Sep 2007, 14:19

  • Court junks $11m judgment against Spamhaus

    Return to lower court

    An appeal court has quashed an $11m judgment against anti-spam organisation Spamhaus in favour of controversial email marketing outfit e360 Insight. The US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit also lifted an injunction, imposed last September, that barred Spamhaus from listing either e360 Insight or its principal David …

    Spam 4 Sep 2007, 14:36

  • Better gadget battery-level readouts in pipeline

    'Sh*t, it said full just now' - a cry of the past?

    You know the way your phone shows a full battery for ages and ages, then as soon as you make or take a call it throws a double six and shuts down? Or the way your mp3 player drops towards empty while playing, then suddenly climbs up to almost-full again as soon as you press stop? Annoying, isn't it? But, according to a report …

    Hardware 4 Sep 2007, 14:48

  • Toshiba shines out widescreen projector

    And it's thief-proof

    Toshiba today unveiled its latest widescreen projector. The TLP-WX2200U model features a palm-sized control panel that allows users to assign a password to prevent unauthorised access to the projector – so presumably no one will be able to mess with your slides before that important presentation. The WX2200U also has a 1.2x …

    Reg Hardware 4 Sep 2007, 14:55

  • Google avoids AdWords jury trial as opponent backs down

    Adwords still stands strong

    A US retailer has dropped (pdf) a suit against Google which challenged the trademark policy of its keyword advertising system, AdWords. American Blinds & Wallpaper Factory (ABWF) has withdrawn its long-running action against Google. ABWF had claimed the fact that Google sold the right to advertise beside search results related …

    Law 4 Sep 2007, 15:15

  • UK set to greenlight chimera research

    Public support for the work

    The UK's fertility regulator is expected to give its seal of approval to research on human-animal hybrids in the UK. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) published its consultation on the proposed draft Human Tissue and Embryos Bill yesterday, in which it said most people consulted were at ease with the …

    Biology 4 Sep 2007, 15:23

  • Global chip sales on the up

    Asia shows biggest growth over last year

    Worldwide sales of semiconductors totalled $20.6bn for the month of July, a jump of 2.2 per cent on the previous year, according to new figures. The numbers were released by the Semiconductor Industry Association, which said the sector was on track to achieve its target of 1.8 per cent annual growth in 2007, despite severe …

    Hardware 4 Sep 2007, 15:28

  • Acer CEO talks up Chinese expansion

    Moo moos investor concerns over Gateway

    Computer maker Acer is looking into the possibility of a Chinese acquisition following its decision to buy US-based Gateway. Acer chief executive, Wang Jen-tang, said in an interview with the Financial Times that such a deal could boost the PC vendor's market share in China, he also hit back at investors who have criticised the …

    Channel Register 4 Sep 2007, 15:45

  • iPhone tops smartphone market

    Almost 2% of US phones sold in July were Apple-based

    Market analyst iSuppli (no relation) reports that the iPhone captured 1.8 per cent of US handset sales in July, outselling all other models of smartphone during its launch month. The study also reports that nearly a quarter of iPhone buyers were not AT&T customers. When an AT&T customer buys an iPhone Apple gets a cut of $3 a …

    Mobile 4 Sep 2007, 16:07

  • Scotland launches electronics design centre

    Glasgow Uni goes even higher tech

    The University of Glasgow is smashing a champagne bottle off the side of a new electronics design centre today. The £5m facility is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and has been designed to fill a gap in British electronics research. The university says it will be at the forefront of …

    Hardware 4 Sep 2007, 16:10

  • Is Samsung looking to take on the mighty iPhone?

    The Croix handset lookylike

    Is it a portable media player? Is it a mobile phone? Well, if Internet rumours are true, then yes – it’s the Samsung Croix. A device that’s uncannily similar looking to Apple’s iPhone and that is thought to sport a touch-sensitive screen and which has recently won a design award. Relatively little is still known about the …

    Reg Hardware 4 Sep 2007, 16:20

  • US in move towards GPS-based air traffic control

    Onboard satnav data to replace scanning radar

    The US aviation regulator has selected ITT Corp to provide a new generation of GPS satnav-based air traffic control equipment, awarding a $207m, three-year initial contract. Current air traffic control systems worldwide use radar to detect and track aircraft: either "primary," in which radio pulses from the radar reflect back …

    Physics 4 Sep 2007, 16:35

  • MetroPCS asks to swallow Leap Wireless

    'You don't do contracts. I don't do contracts. Let's get it on.'

    MetroPCS wants to buy Leap Wireless, intent on creating one big we-don't-do-contacts wireless carrier. And it wants the world to know it wants to buy Leap Wireless. But there's no telling what Leap wants. This morning, the Texas-based MetroPCS sent a letter to Leap's board of directors, offering to purchase its San Diego-based …

    Mobile 4 Sep 2007, 18:14

  • Sony to exorcise 'rootkit' from USB drives

    Thumbs down

    Sony is prepping an update to remove rootkit-like technology that shipped with a range of USB storage devices featuring fingerprint authentication. The Sony MicroVault USM-F fingerprint reader software that comes bundled with the USB stick installs a hidden directory under Windows. Files in the directory might be hidden from …

    Security 4 Sep 2007, 18:21

  • Virtual Iron releases version 4.0

    Chops away at VMware's feature list

    Virtual Iron has put out a new release of its server virtualization software, chipping away at the gap between VMware Virtual Infrastructure 3 — at a price palatable to the low end of the market. Version 4.0 of the company's software builds from the latest version of XenSource's hypervisor, adds support for SLES 10 kernel and …

    Servers 4 Sep 2007, 18:44

  • Dell beefs up Precision portable workstation line

    M6300 wants to kiss your desktop goodbye

    Dell is adding more power to its high-end line of mobile workstations with the debut of the Precision M6300, a 17" notebook geared at engineers, developers, video editors and others who need to tote around some serious silicon. Celebrating its 10th anniversary in workstation marketplace, Dell is aiming for the system as not so …

    PCs & Chips 4 Sep 2007, 21:36