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29th May 2008 Archive

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  • Google opens Android kimono

    Google I/O For about 10 minutes

    The second loudest cheer was for the opening of Google App Engine. The loudest was for a compass built into an unnamed mobile handset running Android. This morning, during an extended keynote speech at Google's I/O developer conference in San Francisco, Android engineering director Steve Horowitz demonstrated the fledging …

    Mobile 29 May 2008, 00:32

  • KDE 4.1 beta 1 released

    Wobbles on desktop, won't fall down

    K Desktop Environment project devs have made the first beta of KDE 4.1 available today. The latest code for the desktop suite features expanded desktop shell functionality, the KDE Personal Information Management suite ported to KDE 4, and many new and newly ported applications. Testers, brave of heart, and those craving the …

    Applications 29 May 2008, 00:44

  • UK electricity crisis over - for now

    Analysis Power rationing started this week

    The UK electricity market has recovered from a troublesome shortage of supply on Tuesday, according to network operator National Grid. However, some analysts are seeing the problems - which included power cuts and reduced supply voltages - as a warning sign of more trouble to come. National Grid spokesman Stewart Larque …

    Government 29 May 2008, 07:10

  • Mozilla Screaming Monkey offers freedom from IE 'millstone'

    Google I/O Fans counter Microsoft promise with promises

    Mozilla's Screaming Monkey offers hope to developers who are frustrated by Internet Explorer's slow speed and skeptical of Microsoft's commitment to internet standards. So say representatives from Google and the Ajaxian community, in a joint presentation at Google's I/O conference in San Francisco on Wednesday. According to …

    Applications 29 May 2008, 08:02

  • NHS IT loses key contractor

    Fujitsu says goodbye

    The NHS patient care record project has suffered another serious setback - key contractor Fujitsu is ending any involvement in the scheme. The National Programme for IT, NPfIT, is already four years late and over budget and losing Fujitsu is unlikely to help. Estimated costs for the whole project have risen to £12.7bn. Fujitsu …

    Government 29 May 2008, 08:20

  • French FNARRista speed-cam bomber scores own goal

    Exploding ping-pong ball cracks him off at the wrist

    A French postal worker and alleged speed-camera bomber reportedly had both hands blown off by one of his own improvised bombs yesterday, at his flat in Clichy-La-Garenne to the west of Paris. The Telegraph reports that an unnamed post office employee, 41, is suspected by police of belonging to a mysterious group variously …

    Law 29 May 2008, 09:46

  • Tories would have to compensate ID vendors

    Current gov's actions 'improper and quite extraordinary'

    A Conservative government would have to compensate suppliers of the National Identity Scheme for lost profits as well as costs if it cancelled the project. "To guarantee these payments knowing that a future Conservative government has already said it will scrap ID cards is improper and quite extraordinary," shadow home …

    Government 29 May 2008, 09:47

  • FIPR slams central communications database

    Suggested and rejected years ago

    A proposal for a central database covering all electronic communications has been heavily criticised by members of the Foundation for Internet Policy Research. At an event to mark foundation's 10th anniversary, a former director of the think tank described such a data warehouse as a deeply flawed plan, which had been …

    Government 29 May 2008, 09:55

  • Are you ready for WW2-style energy rationing?

    Analysis Bring your own gas mask

    Environment Minister Hilary Benn again rebuffed calls this week for WW2-style energy rationing to return to the UK. He was responding to a Select Committee report urging ministers to issue 45 million Britons with an energy trading "credit card" - a mammoth techno-bureaucratic exercise costing several billions of pounds a year to …

    Government 29 May 2008, 10:02

  • Solar powered PMP shines down

    Free power juice

    Whilst Apple plays it cool over solar powered gadgets, a Japanese company has cut to the chase and unveiled a media player powered by the sun’s warming glow. Thanko's solar powered PMP: a bright idea? The sunny little Portable Media Player (PMP), from Japanese gadget specialist Thanko, may only have a 176 x 220 pixel …

    Hardware 29 May 2008, 10:21

  • Dell's wee Eee-alike uncovered

    Michael Dell reveals all, sort of

    Pictures of Dell’s upcoming Eee PC look-a-like have been revealed, and it’s rumoured to be called the Mini Inspiron. Dell's Mini Inspiron could ship in June Last month, an unnamed executive from Taiwanese contract manufacturer Compal claimed it is building an Eee PC rival for Dell. It's thought the PC will use Intel’s ‘ …

    Hardware 29 May 2008, 10:25

  • Samsung taps Infineon as second source for UMTS chipsets

    Cuts reliance on Qualcomm

    Last year, Nokia sparked the biggest realignment of the handset chipset market for years when it diversified its supply chain to create more competition to its silicon alter ego, Texas Instruments. Now Samsung has made a similar move, just as the world’s second largest handset maker faces a rejuvenated challenge from Nokia in …

    Mobile 29 May 2008, 10:32

  • BBC continues to milk great tits

    Fnar, fnar...

    It seems the BBC is determined to milk the schoolboy innuendo potential of great tits to the max, having already raised the bar with its recent award-winning headline "Great tits cope well with warming". Try this latest heartwarming, tit-related story from Scotland, paying particular attention to the related Beeb link: Fnar …

    Bootnotes 29 May 2008, 10:39

  • Samsung redesigns Soul handset

    Soul becomes Soulb

    Samsung’s Soul handset only recently touched down in the UK - see today's review - but the manufacturer has already announced a candybar version of the phone. Samsung's Soulb sports a three-megapixel snapper The new model is called the Soulb and said to contain “all the merits of Soul DNA,” except for the fact that Samsung’ …

    Phones 29 May 2008, 10:43

  • Want to buy Jacqui Smith's ID?

    Stupid plan shown to be stupid

    Four people have been arrested after the BBC bought a driving licence and utility bills in the name of Home Secretary Jacqui Smith. The Beeb has spent the last three months investigating one of the many websites which sell identity documents. It bought a driving licence, a gas bill and a bank statement in Jacqui Smith's name …

    Government 29 May 2008, 10:50

  • Atos Origin buries hatchet with rebel shareholders

    Chairman's exit ends bitter feud

    Atos Origin and its two largest shareholders yesterday ended their ugly public row over the firm’s management and biz strategy after chairman Didier Cherpitel resigned. Jean-Philippe Thierry, who is currently president of insurance firm AGF Holding, will succeed Cherpitel at the French IT services company. Atos said it had …

    The Channel 29 May 2008, 10:56

  • Apple mega update strikes out calendar bug

    iPatch

    Apple pushed out a bumper security and performance update on Wednesday that finally plugs a long-standing security hole. Mac OS X version 10.5.3 updates open source components that Apple bundles with its software (such as Apache) as well as its own software and third party components. In total the software upgrade patches 22 …

    The Channel 29 May 2008, 10:59

  • Samsung Soul SGH-U900

    Review Immortal inner spirit, on sale from Seoul

    With touch control, a slim slider design, HSDPA mobile broadband and a 5-megapixel camera, the flagship Samsung Soul is aimed squarely at the hearts and wallets of style-conscious mobile buyers. Working from the blueprint of its ultra thin-as-you-can phone family, Samsung has created a premium mobile with a more substantial …

    Phones 29 May 2008, 11:02

  • Palm's new OS not dead, just going Nova

    Finding solace in Apple's resurgence

    Palm is struggling valiantly on - it will have a new OS next year, codenamed Nova, and the Folio is very much still breathing. That's according to Palm's CEO Ed Colligan who spoke to Australian Personal Computer Magazine at the local launch of the company's Centro handheld. With typical Australian candour the magazine posed …

    Mobile 29 May 2008, 11:12

  • DVLA, Tiscali, Barclays rake in phoneline cash

    Which? inducts 30 into hall of call shame

    Which? magazine has produced a list of 30 companies and organisations it found to be using high-rate numbers such as 0870 and 0845, including the DVLA which apparently made £3.4 million last year from punters calling in. The list includes Tiscali, Barclays Bank, British Gas and the TV Licensing authority as well as the DVLA. …

    Broadband 29 May 2008, 11:17

  • Boeing starts leak tests on nuke-nobbler raygun jumbo

    Corrosive laser fuel must burn holes in ICBMs, not 747

    US aerospace megacorp Boeing has announced that ground tests of its nuke-roasting aerial blaster cannon are imminent. "Activation Tests" of the newly installed Airborne Laser (ABL) ray weapon - the final stage before ground firings - have now begun, according to the company. The ABL's mighty chemical laser, designed to heat up …

    Government 29 May 2008, 11:30

  • Heaviest Virgin Media downloaders face new daytime go-slow

    Operation Hog Strangle

    Virgin Media will double the number of hours it throttles the bandwidth of customers who hammer its network day and night, changes to its traffic management policy have revealed. The tightened regime means that between 10am and 3pm subscribers to its "M", "L" and "XL" packages will have their connection throttled for five …

    Mobile 29 May 2008, 11:42

  • Deadly Oz snake bites tourist's todger

    Roadside toilet stop ends in embarrassment and hospital

    A tourist enjoying Australia's Queensland had a close brush with death when a deadly brown snake attacked his todger as he took a roadside toilet break, the The Cairns Post reports. The unnamed victim was last month around 300km northwest of Cairns when he crouched down to relieve himself, at which point the venomous reptile " …

    Bootnotes 29 May 2008, 11:55

  • Sony promises 27in OLED screen

    27in display within 12 months

    Sony has revealed plans to launch a 27in OLED screen within 12 months, but the bad news is that it’ll be expensive. Speaking at a US conference, Howard Stringer, the electronics giant’s CEO, said that by May 2009 Sony “will come out with a 27in version”. Stringer didn’t reveal where the set would appear first or how much it …

    Hardware 29 May 2008, 12:01

  • So how will the new US prez handle IT issues?

    CFP 2008 Grilling all the (next) presidents' men

    Dear Potus 2008... Top ten things you haven't seen a US presidential candidate discuss: infosecurity; privacy from corporations; software patents; the infrastructure fund; network neutrality; user-centric ID systems; ownership of personal information; science/technology education; open APIs for government data. Actually, in a …

    Government 29 May 2008, 12:02

  • Frameworks and the danger of a grand design

    Hard-lesson learned

    It's probably safe to say that we've all succumbed to the "grand-design mindset" at one stage or another. It's a critical stage in a developer's growth: the dawning awareness that design matters, an earnest desire to write good code but without the bitter lessons that the reality of an over-designed project will soon fling at …

    Developer 29 May 2008, 12:02

  • STMicro boss admits: 'We need to do more pruning'

    All not well in the silicon rose garden

    STMicroelectronics NV plans to close or sell another 10 to 15 per cent of its operations as Europe’s largest chip maker attempts to cut costs up against a strong euro. CEO Carlo Bozotti told the Financial Times that the massive restructure that STMicro has undertaken over the past year was not enough. "We need to do more …

    Financial News 29 May 2008, 12:04

  • UK begins probe into aeroplane air quality

    Chicken, vegetarian or volatile organic compounds?

    The UK government is paying Cranfield University to investigate air quality on aeroplanes amid concerns that dangerous contaminated air could be endangering pilot and passenger health. Professor Helen Muir is running the probe. Researchers will look at BAe 146 cargo and passenger planes, B757 cargo and passenger planes and …

    Science 29 May 2008, 12:57

  • UK auction delay would be major blow to WiMAX

    Industry could lose headstart over LTE

    The UK’s upcoming auction of 2.GHz mobile broadband spectrum is intensely anticipated - partly because it is the first major European market to make the move, and so will provide some clear indicators for the rest of the region; but also because it represents the best chance for a WiMAX operator to gain a national licence in a …

    Mobile 29 May 2008, 13:02

  • Nintendo DS launching anti-smoking drive

    Play your way to cleaner lungs

    Playing on a Nintendo DS whilst clutching a cigarette is difficult. So, videogame firm Ubisoft is developing a title to transform you into a two-handed and healthier gamer. Ubisoft’s videogame is based on techniques promoted in books written by anti-smoking guru Allen Carr. In the videogame though, smokers players begin by …

    Science 29 May 2008, 13:40

  • BBC website suits slapped for cash splurge

    Toys taken away

    The BBC Trust has today sharply criticised BBC executives for poor management of online services after an investigation of the finances of bbc.co.uk revealed it was £36m over-budget. The review by the Corporation's independent governing body, which represents licence fee payers, revealed the splurge on bbc.co.uk hit £110m in …

    Media 29 May 2008, 14:05

  • Naomi Campbell charged with assault

    WSA Court beckons over Heathrow rumpus

    Battling Streatham clotheshorse Naomi Campbell has been charged with assaulting two police officers during an incident aboard an LA-bound British Airways flight at Heathrow's T5 last month which saw the supermodel escorted from the aircraft by armed police. She will appear at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on 20 June on a total …

    Bootnotes 29 May 2008, 14:12

  • KPN tempts Dutch customers with mobile TV

    Watch where you're cycling

    KPN will become the first operator in Europe to launch a nationwide mobile TV service when it begins broadcasting 10 channels across DVB-H next month. The Dutch operator's service kicks off from June 5 and it will offer TV-hungry customers two handsets, the LG KB620 and the Samsung P960, which can receive the broadcasts. DVB- …

    Mobile 29 May 2008, 14:52

  • Pong, the dining table

    1970's furniture

    If you’ve reached that age where Saturday nights are taken up with dinner parties, don’t you sometimes wish you could be playing videogames instead? Well, thanks to one inventor, you can now do both. The Pong table isn't for eating off, or is it? Mortiz Waldemeyer has designed a white dining table that doubles-up as an …

    Hardware 29 May 2008, 15:02

  • Hackers start poking holes in NFC

    Not the standard's fault, though

    A researcher from the Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technolog used the recent EUSecWest event to demonstrate progress in attacking NFC applications and to announce the availability of tools so that everyone can have a go at NFC hacking for fun and profit. Near Field Communications is the RFID-based standard being …

    Mobile 29 May 2008, 15:22

  • SpaceShipOne firm to build Stealth Bomber 4.0?

    Even its raison d'être can't be detected

    Media reports suggest that the US military has begun a secret, multibillion-dollar programme which will develop a new and more effective Stealth bomber. Reports indicate that Scaled Composites - famous for its X-Prize and Virgin Galactic rocketplane work - will play a key role. Evidence suggesting the existence of the new …

    Science 29 May 2008, 15:32

  • Comcast hack leaves users without email

    Pwned

    The portal of US communications giant Comcast was hacked on Wednesday night in an assault that left subscribers unable to access their emails for several hours. The comcast.net front page was replaced by a greeting from hackers on Wednesday night (28 May). The defacement was removed around two hours later. Users were then …

    Security 29 May 2008, 16:14

  • BenQ touts world's slimmest compact

    All hail the skinny shooter

    BenQ has launched what it claims is the world's slimmest compact camera so far, whilst also incorporating so-called user-friendly iPhone-esque touch controls. BenQ's T850 is 14.9mm thick The eight-megapixel T850 is 14.9mm thick, and sports a 3x optical zoom and maximum ISO sensitivity of 1600. Smile detection has quickly …

    Hardware 29 May 2008, 18:02

  • Fujitsu Siemens Computers announces Amilo series

    The brand new range is aimed at an "across the board" audience, from a "sleek" entry-level desktop to a "high performance" gaming machine and notebooks that cater for frequent use when mobile. Fujitsu Siemens Computers told a conference in Frankfurt this morning that it intends to "raise the bar" with its new end-to-end, …

    Hardware 29 May 2008, 18:52

  • Will Seagate build a flash SSD foundry?

    How big will Seagate's dash for flash splash be?

    The ebullient Seagate CEO Bill Watkins has made it clear that Seagate thinks flash solid state drives (SSDs) are interesting and Seagate will sell them - but not yet. When Seagate does sell a Seagate-brand SSD how will it make it? Will there be a Seagate flash foundry? A customer buys a hard disk drive (HDD) array from an OEM …

    Storage 29 May 2008, 19:02

  • French police bust 22 youths in alleged hacking network

    The French Connection

    Police in Dijon, France have detained 22 youths suspected of being members of a domestic network of hackers. According to the French daily Le Monde, sixteen of the alleged hackers are minors, and at least one is reported to be 14 years-old. The oldest detained was 25 years-old. They were apprehended yesterday near Paris and …

    The Channel 29 May 2008, 19:14

  • Potty-mouthed hackers steal comcast.net keys, go for a spin

    Users redirected to rogue site

    Unknown hackers hijacked Comcast's domain name for three hours overnight, sending subscribers who tried to access webmail and other services to a rogue site that bragged of the exploit. Comcast lost control of the comcast.net address after the attackers changed registration information stored by its domain registrar, Network …

    Broadband 29 May 2008, 19:19

  • Google waves Occam's Razor at web coders

    Google I/O Channels Swedish Chef

    Google's famously stark home page was a happy accident. It was designed by company co-founder Sergey Brin, and as legend has it, stark was his only option. "We didn't have a web master," Brin says. "And I don't do html." But nearly ten years on, the world's largest search engine still believes in that no-frills landing page, …

    Applications 29 May 2008, 20:28

  • Media police assault takes down legit video website

    MediaDefender in the hotseat again

    BitTorrent watchdog MediaDefender is once again taking heat after it was accused of launching a pernicious attack that brought down a web-based distributor of legal video. Jim Louderback, chief executive of Revision3, said in this blog post that the FBI is investigating the assault, which at points flooded his site with more …

    Media 29 May 2008, 23:25

  • Dell sales go 'over there'

    Employee axing is relaxing bottom line

    Dell posted a strong first quarter in its fiscal 2009, but the results, which beat many Wall Street estimates, shouldn't be taken as a sign that US companies are opening their wallets again. For the first time ever, Dell's overseas sales accounted for the majority of its revenues. The major contributors to the number two …

    Financial News 29 May 2008, 23:33