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12th December 2007 Archive

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  • When Commodore ruled the world

    And programmers talked to rabbits

    "We made machines for the masses," said Jack Tramiel, the founder of Commodore, before motioning to the man beside him, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. "They made machines for the classes." Last night, at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, Tramiel and Wozniak joined several other veterans of the 80s PC …

    Hardware 12 Dec 2007, 00:38

  • Hey, HP laptop owners: click here to get hijacked

    Pwnage made simple

    If you use a Hewlett-Packard laptop, chances are a hacker can hijack your machine simply by luring you to a malicious website. The pwnage comes courtesy of "HP Info Center", which comes installed on most HP laptops, according to a post made Tuesday to Milw0rm.com. It turns out one of the ActiveX controls uses three insecure …

    Security 12 Dec 2007, 09:43

  • Three critical fixes star in Patch Tuesday update

    Among the unmagnificent seven

    Three of the seven patches Microsoft released on Tuesday earn the dread rating of critical. Updates involving flaws in handling streaming media by Microsoft DirectX, bugs in Windows Media Format Runtime, and multiple vulnerabilities in IE all pose a severe risk. In all three cases the vulnerabilities addressed by the update …

    Software 12 Dec 2007, 09:45

  • Kylie wraps herself round Dalek

    'Much bigger than I’d expected,' admits Oz popstress

    Oz popstress Kylie Minogue has made a guest appearance on the cover of the latest issue of the Doctor Who magazine wrapped around a rather unimpressed-looking Dalek. Minogue, who plays a waitress in Doctor Who Xmas special Voyage Of The Damned, said of the shoot: “I was in the presence of a legend.” She provocatively added: “ …

    Bootnotes 12 Dec 2007, 09:56

  • Western Digital's 'crippleware': Some lessons from history

    The panic that wasn't

    Seven years ago, The Register broke what became the biggest DRM story of all time. It described a plot that took place in obscure committee rooms that was quite cunning in its insidiousness. Had it succeeded and been implemented, it would have seen the demise of the open personal computer platform - without anyone realising it. …

    Storage 12 Dec 2007, 10:20

  • Honda shows off space-dwarf robot butler capability

    Also plans droids to 'work on street corners'

    The Japanese robot industry is streets ahead of the competition when it comes to designing droids for peaceful uses (for war-bots, of course, the discerning purchaser shops in America). That said, Japanese robots have so far struggled to find a real, erm, killer application. This is perhaps because the robo-designers of Japan …

    Science 12 Dec 2007, 10:25

  • McKinnon extradition drama turned into radio play

    Haxploitation

    The plight of accused Pentagon hacker Gary McKinnon has become the subject of a radio play due to air on the UK's Radio 4 on Wednesday afternoon.The play, due to air at 2.15pm will tell the story of McKinnon's fight against extradition to the US. McKinnon is fighting against extradition to the US on hacking offences after …

    Law 12 Dec 2007, 10:31

  • Recording industry puts stake in ground with Jammie Thomas case

    Copyrights and wrongs

    On 1 October, 2007, Jammie Thomas - a single mother living in Brainerd, Minnesota - was sued in civil court for copyright infringement by the Recording Industry Association of America. Three days later, the jury returned the verdict; Ms Thomas was liable for willfully infringing the copyrights on 24 songs. The fine: $222,000. …

    Media 12 Dec 2007, 10:43

  • Boeing confirms revised Dreamliner schedule

    First delivery late 2008

    Boeing has confirmed it will deliver the first 787 Dreamliner in November or December 2008, following a maiden flight early in the year. The announcement comes a couple of months after the company knocked backed the 787 schedule by six months due to production difficulties. It had previously said it would deliver the first …

    Science 12 Dec 2007, 11:13

  • DHS accepts buggy Eye-o-Sauron™ border scan towers

    Chertoff to Boeing: 'You don't own this border'

    The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has accepted into service its first section of SBInet virtual border fence, but it clearly isn't very happy with the state of the new technology. DHS chieftain Michael Chertoff reportedly said he was "satisfied for now" with the new kit. Border Patrol Assistant Commissioner Jay …

    Government 12 Dec 2007, 11:13

  • w00t voted 'Word of the Year'

    In the US, we hasten to add

    The truly repulsive "w00t" has been crowned Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year for 2007 - based on "thousands" of votes from visitors to the dictionary's website. According to the official announcement: This year's winning word first became popular in competitive online gaming forums as part of what is known as l33t ("leet …

    Bootnotes 12 Dec 2007, 11:15

  • PS3 sales to surpass Wii's... in four years' time

    An analyst writes...

    It may take another four years for the Sony PlayStation 3's sales to catch up with those of Nintendo's Wii, a games market analyst has claimed. Screen Digest’s Piers Harding-Rolls recently told the Economist magazine that PS3 sales will increase as more games become available for the console, enabling it to have “caught up …

    Games 12 Dec 2007, 11:32

  • Nokia 6500 Slide mobile phone

    Review Nothing slippery about this one...

    With its recent 6500 Slide and Classic models, Nokia has introduced the most unlikely twins since Schwarzenegger and DeVito. Although they share the same model number and 3G capability, the 6500 Slide and 6500 Classic are very different devices both in looks and key features. The Slide, with its brushed metal casing, much in …

    Phones 12 Dec 2007, 12:05

  • Toshiba delays OLED TV development

    But not for mobile phones

    Toshiba has put back its plan to develop ultra-thin OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) displays until 2009 or 2010. Sony's XEL-1: 3mm thick The Japanese manufacturer blamed its decision on the high cost of mass production. However, a company spokesman said it will continue to watch the market to see if making OLED TVs …

    Hardware 12 Dec 2007, 12:14

  • China pretty chuffed with lunar probe

    'Another landmark achievement' declares prez

    China's president Hu Jintao today described the country's Chang'e 1 lunar probe, which has successfully beamed back images of the Moon, as a "landmark achievement", Reuters reports. Chang'e 1 reached lunar orbit at an altitude of 200km on 7 November. A subsequent snap released to the press released caused a bit of a rumpus …

    Science 12 Dec 2007, 12:21

  • Microsoft squeezes out early release of 2007 Office SP1

    Don't mention the word open, ok

    Microsoft pumped out its service pack 1 (SP1) for the 2007 Office suite yesterday, which it said should cheer up customers unhappy with the number of system failures in the previous release. Microsoft Office boss Reed Shaffner admitted in a statement that customers had been hacked off with the amount of crashes experienced …

    The Channel 12 Dec 2007, 12:23

  • NASA aims for 2 Jan Atlantis launch

    Further tests on pesky fuel tank sensors

    NASA will next week fill the fuel tanks of space shuttle Atlantis for a third time, in an attempt to resolve sensor glitches which have led to two aborted launches. A first scheduled lift-off was last week cancelled due to the failure of two of the four sensors which monitor liquid hydrogen levels in the vessel's fuel tank. A …

    Science 12 Dec 2007, 12:36

  • City to Intel: Kick the rest of the tech industry into line

    What's the point of a (near) monopoly otherwise

    The UK's citadel of freemarket capitalism delivered a simple message to Intel yesterday – you've got a monopoly, so use it to make it easier for us to make money. A panel of City IT bosses at an Intel mixer in the City last night took time off from bemoaning the credit crunch to tell the vendor that it was pretty pointless …

    Data Networking 12 Dec 2007, 12:40

  • Ofcom will probe UK mobile market - again

    The market's changing, so the regs will too

    Telecoms regulator Ofcom is to investigate whether changes in the UK mobile market should also mean changes in the way it is regulated. In its annual plan for 2008, Ofcom says slower growth, greater retail competition, and growing service demands within the mobile market means it needs to review how it regulates the market. …

    Networks 12 Dec 2007, 12:45

  • SWsoft to abandon itself and become Parallels

    One name, lots of products

    SWsoft – likely the second largest virtualization software maker – will change its name next year and turn into Parallels. The company today sells a mix of virtualization code with its strongest server products fitting under the SWsoft brand and desktop products going under the Parallels brand. In 2008, however, SWsoft …

    Virtualization 12 Dec 2007, 12:48

  • Lily Allen to judge Orange women's fiction award

    Royal Society of Literature unimpressed

    Brit songstress Lily Allen has been selected a judge for next year's Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction, joining chair Kirsty Lang, Guardian Review editor Lisa Allardice, novelist Philippa Gregory and novelist, journalist and children’s author Bel Mooney on the panel for the women-only £30k award. Lang, described as a " …

    Bootnotes 12 Dec 2007, 12:56

  • Shell in Hawaiian algae biofuel pilot

    Sees big future in green scum

    Oil giant Shell announced yesterday that it will build a pilot plant in Hawaii to make biofuel out of algae grown in seawater ponds. "Algae have great potential as a sustainable feedstock for production of diesel-type fuels with a very small CO2 footprint," said Graeme Sweeney, Shell veep for Future Fuels. "This demonstration …

    Science 12 Dec 2007, 12:56

  • US gov silent robot white (?) helicopter prangs itself

    Groundbreaking technology

    A revolutionary* new robotic whisper-mode helicopter under development in America has crashed, according to reports. The US government's silent robot helicopter. Not black! What were they thinking? The A160T "Hummingbird" unmanned chopper was under development by US aerospace colossus Boeing for the Pentagon deathboffin …

    Science 12 Dec 2007, 13:56

  • PC World parent awaits FTSE 100 relegation

    Vista to blame? 'Absolutely not'

    Retail mammoth DSG International (DSGi) looks set to spectacularly tumble out of the FTSE 100 today losing its status as one of the biggest PLCs in the UK. The firm, which owns Dixons, Currys, and PC World, admitted last month that it had overstocked laptops that failed to subsequently fly off the shelves. It also recently …

    The Channel 12 Dec 2007, 13:57

  • Tiscali sets 200,000 TV subscriber target

    Thinking big, starting small

    Tiscali's boss has set ambitious targets for its TV over broadband service, after the firm's latest results showed it has been losing subscribers. Reuters reports that the Italian-owned firm wheeled out UK chief executive Mary Turner to reassure investors that its plans are on track. She said the firm is aiming for 200,000 TV …

    Broadband 12 Dec 2007, 14:07

  • Six in ten UK punters fear what gov will do with private data

    The other four believe the moon is made of tasty cheese

    Research sponsored by Symantec reveals that six out of ten UK citizens do not believe their data is safe with government departments. Bearing in mind the endless stream of data losses from the British government in recent weeks, this figure is really quite low. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs lost private details on 25m …

    Government 12 Dec 2007, 14:19

  • Paris Hilton cavorts naked in middle of desert

    NSFW Nothing but gold paint to protect her famous modesty

    Those among you who've ever wanted to see a picture of a naked Paris Hilton sprawled out in the desert like a gold-plated strumpet are in luck, because here is that image: Yup, we know what you're thinking: why's the world's favourite heiress doing a Goldfinger in Death Valley when she's supposed to be in Rwanda offering …

    Bootnotes 12 Dec 2007, 14:25

  • UK.gov data review calls for... data

    We'll hide all the blank disks, promise

    The Data Sharing Review - announced by Gordon Brown after the loss of 25m records from the child benefit database - is calling for input into how government departments and businesses use and share private information about British people. The consultation is part of the review due to report in the first half of next year. It …

    Government 12 Dec 2007, 14:35

  • Cybercrooks lurk in shadows of big-name websites

    Phishermen redirect via Google Maps, AOL et al

    A small team of security researchers has documented how many high-profile websites are unwittingly helping phishing fraudsters. Phishing scams often use "open redirector" exploits on major sites to make their attack URL look more legitimate. The trick also makes it more likely that fraudulent emails that form the basis of …

    Security 12 Dec 2007, 14:51

  • Orange unsure of own upcoming smartphone

    Too much Egg Nog?

    Orange has become the latest company to suffer from Christmas confusion, developing amnesia about which handsets it’s actually selling. Orange's E610: how it appears in the carrier's catalogue Image courtesy CoolSmartPhone.com The SPV E610 smartphone, which looks rather a lot like a rebranded Amoi 6711, appears in Orange’s …

    Phones 12 Dec 2007, 15:26

  • Designer pitches PSP phone

    If Sony won't, someone else will

    It seems some PlayStation Portable (PSP) fanboys are so keen to get their hands on a mobile phone-enabled version of the handheld console that they’re willing to design their own. Designer Muhummad Oli has meshed a Sony Ericsson handset together with a PSP, creating a handheld games console that not only satisfies mobile …

    Phones 12 Dec 2007, 15:34

  • Rubbish UK management crushing creativity

    UK tops negative management league

    Meddling middle managers are crushing the UK's creative instincts. Today's report from the department of the bleedin' obvious Chartered Management Institute found that overbearing and dogmatic managers are the most common in the UK. Topping the poll are bureaucratic managers with 40 per cent, reactive managers are next with …

    Management 12 Dec 2007, 15:45

  • HD TVs

    Top Five Read about watching

    The TV has long been central to many peoples’ lives and, as such, is often seen as one of the most important technology purchases for the home. But which one to buy? To help answer that question, Register Hardware sought the advice on an expert for the season's most in-demand LCD and plasma HD TVs. Michael Elliott has been …

    Hardware 12 Dec 2007, 15:51

  • Orb opens up iPhone

    Exclusive Placeshifting comes home

    Orb is expected to announce that it's supporting Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch in the next few days. Orb provides access to your playlists and songs on your home PC (as well as photos, videos and TV) from anywhere. It's Sling without the hardware, with many users simply using it to access their home music collections at work. …

    Mobile 12 Dec 2007, 15:57

  • Tosh promises March '08 launch for super batteries

    Five minutes' charging yields 90 per cent capacity

    Toshiba will begin shipping its first Super Charge Ion Batteries (SCIB) next March, capable of powering machines for longer and with far less capacity degradation than today's lithium polymer packs. The snag for laptop users: SCIB cells are aimed at transport and industrial applications. Toshiba's SCIB: next-gen batteries for …

    Hardware 12 Dec 2007, 16:19

  • Microsoft folds-in Multimap for '$50m'

    Redmond fights Google, one grid at a time

    Global OS leviathan Microsoft has continued buying trendy stuff, announcing that it had bought UK ad-driven mapping service Multimap today. "This acquisition will play a significant role in the future growth of our search business and presents a huge opportunity to expand our platform business beyond the UK and globally," said …

    Applications 12 Dec 2007, 16:22

  • Social networking and pron - together at last

    Penthouse buys AdultFriendFinder

    Grumble mag Penthouse is buying a bunch of social networking sites which put the stress on the social rather than the networking. Penthouse Media Group is paying $500m for Various Inc which runs 25 networking sites with 260m members, 1.2m of them paying subscriptions. Best known amongst of these is AdultFriendFinder, with 18m …

    Bootnotes 12 Dec 2007, 16:28

  • HSBC pins hopes on Borat and IPO-pimping ATMs

    For make benefit sub-prime crisis

    Forget the good, old US of A. HSBC wants to bet on places like Kazakhstan for its financial future. Ray O'Brien, an HSBC IT investment exec, unveiled his Borat-inspired plan to rule the world last night during an Intel-funded gig at Tate Modern. The grizzled financial markets in the US and Western Europe do little to inspire …

    Management 12 Dec 2007, 17:10

  • AMD braces for financial mayhem from ATI acquisition

    In search of life raft

    AMD, Intel's on-again, off-again rival, has given another example how it's mostly been off again over the past year, disclosing plans to take a "material" goodwill impairment charge for its $5.6bn acquisition of ATI Technologies. AMD says it is unable, at least in good faith, to estimate the dollar range of this charge, but …

    The Channel 12 Dec 2007, 19:29

  • Latest NetBeans thinks big for scripting

    Migrate and be damned

    Sun Microsystems is reaching out to scripters and developers on rivals' IDEs with enterprise tools and a migration program for its latest version of NetBeans. NetBeans 6.0, released Wednesday, targets Ruby and Ruby on Rails fans squarely with tools for code refactoring, debugging and deployment. JavaScript and C/C++ users also …

    Applications 12 Dec 2007, 21:11