14th January 2008 Archive

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Go native with iPhone development

Hands on Baby steps

I'll admit it. I'm an unashamed fan of the iPhone. I had an unlocked device in the UK running on my cheapskate Vodafone tariff before November's official launch. From a developer perspective my real interest is in being able to create native iPhone applications. I emphasize native. There's plenty of information around on how to …

Mobile 14 Jan 2008, 00:02
Creative Zen aux output quality glitch?

Q&A

My wife got me an 8MB Creative Zen - reviewed here - for Christmas and I am very pleased with its performance through my headphones. However, when I connect it to the AUX input of my hi-fi, the sound quality is no match for the same music played from the CD player. The level is much less and needs higher volume adjustment for …

Reg Hardware 14 Jan 2008, 09:02
Batman logo manifests in tomato

Holy edible simulacrum!

Forget Flash chip Messiahs - the hot simulacrum action right now is in tomatoes, or specifically, Batman logo tomatoes. Of course, it's obligatory that the discoverer of any coincidental likeness should immediately offer the revelation for sale on eBay, and the vendor in this case points out that the Batman tomato is "not …

Bootnotes 14 Jan 2008, 10:42
Intel pitches low-cost PC platform at Eee PC rivals

'Shelton' not just a desktop platform

Expect a flood of Eee PC-style cheapo mini laptops in Q3 when Intel sends out its 45nm 'Diamondville' processor to computer makers. Diamondville plugs into 'Shelton', The chip giant's low-cost PC platform. We first reported on Shelton and Diamondville back in November 2007, and then the emphasis was firmly on ultra-compact …

Reg Hardware 14 Jan 2008, 10:47
Sony beefs up bottom-end Alpha DSLR

Alpha 200 created

Sony has taken the wraps off the successor to its Alpha 100 (a100) digital SLR camera, predictably dubbed the Alpha 200 (a200). Sony's Alpha 200: an 18-70mm lens is included At first sight, the a200 doesn’t represent a massive improvement over the a100, which launched back in 2006. The a200 has the same 10.2-megapixel …

Reg Hardware 14 Jan 2008, 10:54
Tesla hits ejector button on staff

Jobs go at 'leccy car co.

Tesla Motors, the company behind the delayed high-performance electric car the Roadster, is laying off staff. Tesla said the job cuts were about performance not reducing the overall headcount. Darryl Siry, Tesla's VP of sales and marketing told San Jose Mercury News: "If you don't get the job done, there are consequences. We …

Environment 14 Jan 2008, 11:16
Sony, Nintendo sued in console controller patent clash

Up to a point, Lord Copper

A US company has filed a lawsuits against both Nintendo and Sony, alleging that the controllers that go with the companies’ games consoles trample over its intellectual property rights for console to controller connection. The dispute was filed at the US District Court for Western Pennsylvania late December 2007 by Copper …

Reg Hardware 14 Jan 2008, 11:17
Confidential details fall off the back of lorries

Brace of breaches

A box containing the banking details of 200 rich investors was found by the side of the road after apparently falling off the back of a courier's van. The container, which included cheques and other sensitive papers, was supposed to be safely carried between a Prudential building in Reading to a secure storage facility in …

ID 14 Jan 2008, 11:51
Nokia N95 8GB smartphone

Review Hardcore handset that has the whole package

Nokia has boosted the spec of one of its most popular smartphones, bolting in 8GB of Flash memory and refining key features. So is the latest version of the N95 a refreshing update for Nokia’s flagship multimedia, GPS-toting mobile? Nokia's N95 8GB: stacks more memory Unlike most upgrades, where cosmetic tweaks give a long- …

Reg Hardware 14 Jan 2008, 12:01
Alcohol enema bloke wins 2007 Darwin Award

Two bottles of sherry, the rest is history

The 2007 Darwin Award - created to "commemorate those who improve our gene pool by removing themselves from it" - has been claimed by the Texas man whose addiction to alcohol enemas eventually led to a fateful encounter with two 1.5 litre bottles of sherry. The original citation reads: When Tammy Jean (40) married Michael in …

Biology 14 Jan 2008, 12:02
Hoax: German IT boss sacks three non-smokers

'It's time for revenge'

Update 10.55pm 14 Jan: Hamburger Morgenpost, which reported that a computer company owner had fired three disruptive non-smokers, today said it had been hoaxed by a pro-smoking activist. Reuters has more here. Our story, based on the original Morgenpost report, is below. The boss of a small German IT outfit is being sued for …

Small Biz 14 Jan 2008, 12:07
Coda in takeover talks with Agresso

SAASy move

Financial software supplier Coda PLC has confirmed it received an "indicative" cash offer from Dutch rival Unit 4 Agresso NV. Talk of the possible takeover bid saw shares rocket by 17 per cent this morning to 200.5 pence per share. A trading statement, issued today, said the Aim-listed firm expects pre-tax earnings and sales to …

Channel Register 14 Jan 2008, 12:15
Hannah Montana fails to defy laws of physics

Body double outrage rocks cyberspace

Miley Cyrus fans have been left in a state of shocked disbelief by the revelation that the Disney star is obliged, like mere mortals, to obey the the fundamental laws of physics. The proof came during the 15-year-old's "Best of Both Worlds" tour, in which a swift costume change to transform the popstress from her alter ego …

Entertainment 14 Jan 2008, 12:21
California to snatch control of citizens' air-con

Cooking the public for the public good

Californians will be forced to break out in a sweat whether they like it or not as part of an energy efficiency plan being considered by the state government. The plan, which would mandate “smart thermostats” in new and substantially rebuilt buildings, as well as overhauled heating and cooling systems, is included in a revised …

Environment 14 Jan 2008, 12:25
USB Missile Launcher gets integrated spyscope webcam

Drawing a bead

That hugely popular office time-waster, the USB Missile Launcher, has been upgraded again, this time with an integrated webcam and the ability to be targeted using Microsoft's MSN instant messaging app. MSN Missile Launcher: webcam targeting engaged You can see the thinking behind it: build on a camera and users can watch …

Reg Hardware 14 Jan 2008, 12:40
Tag-a-lag: Chip implants mooted for UK prisoners

Wishful thinking to solve prison crisis, apparently...

The Ministry of Justice is planning to solve the crisis in the UK prison system by fitting prisoners with surgically implanted tracking chips, claims the Independent on Sunday, citing a senior Ministry official. The chips, claims the paper, would be used to keep order in prison and to enforce home curfews. Which appears to be …

Law 14 Jan 2008, 12:47
Sony tells LCD TV consumers to get a grip

Pick-up a TV today

Sony has unveiled an additional series of Bravia LCD TVs, this time boasting a cutting-edge portability accessory: a carry handle. Sony's Bravia B4000: now with a carry handle, apparently The Bravia B4000 series comes in 20in, 23in and 26in versions, and, in Sony’s words, features a “convenient handgrip” at the back to make …

Reg Hardware 14 Jan 2008, 12:48
Giant hydrogen cloud menaces Milky Way

Coming (relatively) soon to a galaxy near you

A giant cloud of hydrogen gas dubbed "Smith's Cloud" which contains enough gas to create a million stars like our own sun is on a collision course with the Milky Way, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) has announced. There is, however, no need to alert Bruce Willis quite yet: the cloud is currently 8,000 light …

Space 14 Jan 2008, 12:49
Number 10 spinner fingered in NTL investor 'bullsh*t' suit

Points for honesty, allegedly

The man Gordon Brown hopes will pull the government out of its popularity slump was accused of deliberately misleading investors over the financial status of NTL when he was its COO. Documents filed in a New York class action suit - the cable firm was listed on Wall Street - claimed that after a 2001 conference call Stephen …

Government 14 Jan 2008, 12:50
LG's Prada phone goes silver

A new face for the new year

LG is hoping to boost demand for its Prada-brand KE850 handset by announcing a silver-skinned, upgraded model. LG's Prada: now in silver Aside from the overhaul to the phone's faceplate, LG has also added a virtual Qwerty keyboard alongside the standard phone key layout offered by the previous model - reviewed here. This …

Reg Hardware 14 Jan 2008, 13:06
Royal Society: UK gov needs to grow a biofuels policy

Making a bad problem worse

The British government must set policies to ensure that the current drive towards biofuels does not make a bad situation even worse. Fuels derived from crops like palm oil have been hailed as a silver bullet for global warming and reliance on oil, but the Royal Society warns that unless proper policies are created biofuels …

Environment 14 Jan 2008, 13:10
CES on Video MS demos smart-cam phone software

Microsoft shows off software that makes use of a mobile's camera to recognise the world around you and automatically call up relevent information. Who said cameraphones were only for photography? Can't see the video? Download Flash Player from Adobe.com CES 2008 on Video Microsoft demos Surface multi-touch user interface …

Reg Hardware 14 Jan 2008, 13:20
Village shaken by GPS-driven tank invasion

Sat nav panzer army

The Shropshire village of Donnington has suffered repeated invasions by transporters bearing 70-tonne tanks because the drivers' sat navs have mistaken the "picturesque" enclave with a nearby barracks of the same name. The correct destination for the heavy metal is 15 miles away close to Telford, the Times reports, but …

Bootnotes 14 Jan 2008, 13:26
Bjork lays into NZ snapper

When elfin chanteuses attack

Elfin Icelandic chanteuse Bjork has sealed her reputation for laying into the press by attacking a New Zealand Herald snapper at Auckland International Airport yesterday. The battling warbler set about the Herald's Glenn Jeffrey when he photographed her arriving at 7.50am. The shaken lensman recounted: "I took a couple of …

Entertainment 14 Jan 2008, 13:38
Spam spewing printer attack pulps security

Cross Site Printing for Spamming

As if spam email wasn't intrusive and annoying enough, spammers might have a means at their disposal to send unwanted messages as print jobs to networked printers. The attack - dubbed Cross Site Printing for Spamming - relies on abusing a built in (but seldom used) facility on networked printers after tricking users into …

Enterprise Security 14 Jan 2008, 13:40
Immigrant ID cards and border checks slip towards 2009

Byrne's 'challenging targets' challenge belief

Immigration minister Liam Byrne has concealed what looks like further ID card slippage and set himself a remarkably unchallenging series of immigration and border control targets in a "ten point plan" for 2008. Humorously described by the Home Office as "challenging", the plan consists largely of low targets, targets already …

Government 14 Jan 2008, 14:18
IBM prelims beat the Street

Europe pushes strong fourth quarter

IBM increased profits and turnover in the fourth quarter of 2007. Big Blue made revenues of $28.9bn in the three months ended 31 December 2007 - up ten per cent. Six per cent of this increase was down to improved currency exchange rates. Earnings per share jumped 24 per cent to $2.80 a share, compared to the $2.40 Wall Street …

Channel Register 14 Jan 2008, 14:32
Play.com blames supplier for graphics card mishap

Wrong cards sent out

Online retailer Play.com has admitted that some of its customers received the wrong graphics cards before Christmas. The Jersey-based firm said it had sold the graphics cards to a number of people because its supplier, Zotac, had passed on inaccurate information which was then used on Play's website. Reg reader Alexander …

Channel Register 14 Jan 2008, 14:59
MP accuses BBC chief of illegally championing Microsoft

Blinded by novelty

A House of Commons public spending watchdog has accused BBC chief Mark Thompson of illegally supporting Microsoft. In failing to ensure iPlayer on demand services are available to all licence fee payers he has been blinded by the novelty of the internet, it's charged. As part of a Public Accounts Committee session on BBC …

Applications 14 Jan 2008, 15:11
Banksy artwork tops £200k on eBay

Portobello Road wall attracts hot bidding

A work by guerrilla artist Banksy, which appeared in September last year outside a post-production company in Portobello Road, west London, has topped £200k on eBay: The owner of the wall in question is Luti Fagbenle, and he's quite sensibly protected the piece with "per-specs [sic] glass". The successful bidder will, in …

Entertainment 14 Jan 2008, 15:13
US buys in to QinetiQ's millimetre wave technology

Only 12? SPOs it's a start

QinetiQ has finally spotted a customer for its SPO millimetre wave crowd-scanning equipment. The US Transport Safety Administration has placed an order for 12 of the scanners, with an option to order more. QinetiQ confirmed this was the “first substantial sale” for the technology. The TSA has inked the deal following a trial …

Government 14 Jan 2008, 15:16
Wave goodbye to sweaty 'laptop thighs'

A laptop carry case that's also a fan, sort of

Heat generated by laptops can be quite welcome if you’re working with one on your laptop in a cold room. But if you’d rather save your legs from any dissipated heat then there’s now a carry case that claims to do just that. LapGard: a solution for sweaty on-the-go workers? The LapGard’s manufacturer claims its carry case- …

Reg Hardware 14 Jan 2008, 15:46
Solwise extends powerline with pass-through mains option

Solwise has rolled out a pass-through powerline ethernet adaptor which allows you to network through the mains without losing power sockets. The NET-PL-200AV-PIGGY, as it's called, provides the same "SimpleConnect" push-button security configuration that Solwise's regular 200Mb/s HomePlug AV-based powerline units offer. …

Reg Hardware 14 Jan 2008, 16:02
Apple tells iPhone vendors not to reveal sales figures

Updated When I say jump, you ask how high

UK carrier O2 has confirmed that Apple has placed it under a gagging order to prevent it from publicly revealing how many iPhone handsets it’s sold to date. The company’s head of media relations, Simon Lloyd, told Register Hardware that it’s a stipulation within the company's sales agreement with Apple that O2 can’t release …

Reg Hardware 14 Jan 2008, 16:14
Microsoft hit by two more EC probes

Updated: Stop me if you've heard this one before

The European Commission is launching two formal investigations into Microsoft. Microsoft is accused of abusing its dominant position by unfairly tying products together - in this case its operating system and its browser, Internet Explorer. Microsoft is also accused of illegally refusing to disclose interoperability …

Software 14 Jan 2008, 16:22
BOFH 2007: Road trip

Park up

BOFH plays Pass the Password Episode 1 Resolution time BOFH: It's a funny old world isn't it? Episode 2 Adventure time! BOFH: The mystery of the vandalised office Episode 3 Sherlockian BOFH: Immortalised in print Episode 4 A little white lie never hurt anyone... The Bastard guide to work from work Episode 5 Like working …

BOFH 14 Jan 2008, 16:37
Scarlett Johansson to play Courtney Love?

Biopic promises 'accurate, credible glimpse of her life with Kurt'

Courtney Love is reportedly keen that she should be played by Scarlett Johansson in a proposed biopic of Kurt Cobain, currently in development. Love acquired the rights to Charles Cross's biography of Cobain, Heavier Than Heaven, and will act as executive producer for the movie. According to Marie Claire, a pal of Love's said …

Entertainment 14 Jan 2008, 16:37
Browser vulns and botnets head threat list

Shifting SANS

Security experts have looked into the crystal ball to predict the cyber attacks most likely to cause substantial damage this year. The resulting list (below), drawn together by 12 security experts under the auspices of the SANS Institute, is based on an analysis of emerging attack patterns. Two of the resulting predictions - …

Security 14 Jan 2008, 16:54
Drobo storage box gets NAS add-on

'Infinitely expandable' capacity now on the network

Data Robotics' Drobo may have a daft name, but it's a clever take on expandable external storage. And today, it became a NAS box too, courtesy of a clip-on network adaptor. Data Robotics' Drobo: expandable storage Drobo is a four-drive storage unit that allows you to plug in any SATA HDDs you've got hanging around and have …

Reg Hardware 14 Jan 2008, 16:55
IBM and chums kick off 'green' patents project

Share and share alike to save the planet

A number of big name tech firms including IBM, Sony and Nokia have joined forces to work on a patent-sharing plan, dubbed Eco-Patents Commons. The new project, which was officially launched today, has been set up to encourage companies to donate intellectual property that improves the environment. The founders said that, to …

Environment 14 Jan 2008, 17:12
Steve Jobs' Macworld Expo spiel spied on web?

Real or fake - read the outline then decide...

Steve Jobs' Macworld Expo keynote has been leaked. Well, sort of, and assuming it's not Fake Steve Jobs' Fake Macworld Expo Fake Keynote, of course. Here's the transcript - you decide... There's certainly no reference to the anticipated MacBook Air - though skinny, metal consumer MacBooks are listed. The already announced Mac …

Reg Hardware 14 Jan 2008, 17:32
MySpace reveals child predator blocks

US states applaud safeguards

MySpace is mending its frayed relations with the top law enforcers of 50 US jurisdictions by beefing up measures to protect underage users from pedophiles. Officials of the social networking site have already implemented mechanisms that delete profiles of registered sex offenders, make the profiles of 14- and 15-year-old users …

Crime 14 Jan 2008, 19:00
Latest Vista SP1 tweak open to everyone with a week to spare

Install, spin three times, buy a monkey and wait

Microsoft is now letting the common rabble get its mitts on the latest beta build of Windows Vista Service Pack 1. While the company released the tweak on January 9, it originally restricted the download to approximately 15,000 steely-nerved beta testers. Two days later, the company was feeling more adventurous. Microsoft …

Operating Systems 14 Jan 2008, 20:21
NEC pops PA Semi chips into storage gear

It's a low power thing

Chip start-up PA Semi has taken another semi-prominent scalp by revealing that NEC's storage division will use its processors. The NEC Systems Storage Division win is a performance per watt story. NEC reckons that the 1682M processor showed the top application performance in tests while chewing through very little power. As a …

Storage 14 Jan 2008, 20:25
Think twice about iPhone development

Inside the mobile matrix, part 3

In this, the third and final installment in our series looking at a trio of potential, new mobile development platforms, I'm going to focus on what I view as the real dark horse in this race: the iPhone. Why is the iPhone a dark horse? Because, at the time of writing, for a device with so much potential and "cool" about it …

Mobile 14 Jan 2008, 21:23
US.gov sets Real ID rules in stone

Privacy advocates, security mavens, states' rights renew assault

Critics have renewed their offensive on a federal law mandating changes to state-issued drivers licenses after the US Department of Homeland Security on Friday issued final rules implementing the controversial measure. Security researchers and advocates of civil liberties and states' rights lined up to attack the rules, which …

Government 14 Jan 2008, 22:20
VBA-free Office for Mac debuts

Hard-boiled suites

Microsoft is throwing developers working with mixed PC and Mac environments a curveball with the long-awaited release of Office for Macintosh 2008. Microsoft has pressed ahead with delivering a suite that drops support for Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), overcoming long-running concerns among the grassroots. The macro …

Applications 14 Jan 2008, 22:30
EMC does flash drives on big storage

Symmetrix goes solid

EMC will be the first major storage vendor to add solid-state drives for its high-end gear. The company said it will offer flash-based memory from STEC in its Symmetrix DMX-4 systems by the end of March. Solid-state drives (SSDs) prove speedier and less energy consumptive than traditional spinning disk storage. But the …

Storage 14 Jan 2008, 23:48