2nd June 2008 Archive

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IBM dumps Rational tools on unsuspecting users

Jazz...nice

IBM today launches the first products using its open-source Jazz project, extending real-time team collaboration across its own Rational tools and Microsoft's Visual Studio development suite. IBM is using its annual Rational Users' Conference in Orlando, Florida to announce pricing and availability for a swath of 22 products …

Developer 2 Jun 2008, 04:02
Help! Windows XP to Vista migration mishap

Q&A

I've just bought a Compaq laptop running Vista and am (failing) to migrate from my old Dell Inspiron 2600 laptop running XP Home! I bought a Techguys USB 2.0 Easy Transfer Cable for Windows Vista to make the task simple. I succesfully (I think) installed the Easy Transfer Driver on the Dell laptop and connected the Transfer …

Hardware 2 Jun 2008, 09:04
Asus offers Brits Eee PC 900 battery swap plan

But at a price

Asus has bowed to consumer pressure and agreed to swap Eee PC 900 buyers' old, 4400mAh batteries for a new 5800mAh model - and for a payment of £11.75. In a statement issued late last week, Asus said the battery swap programme would commence on 10 June. It also said it had posted a Bios update that would eke out the 900's …

Hardware 2 Jun 2008, 09:30
Indian gov: Let us into BlackBerry or we'll shut you down

RIM reluctant to offer up backdoor

The Indian government has tightened the screw on Canadian push-email pioneer Research In Motion (RIM) in the ongoing dispute over official interception of BlackBerry email. Reports now indicate that if RIM won't open up its encypted messaging to Indian spooks, it won't be permitted to do business in the subcontinent. According …

Government 2 Jun 2008, 09:38
NHS IT procurement leaves solid carbon footprint

Strategy recommends greater CO₂ monitoring

ICT procurement for the health service in England produces carbon dioxide equivalent to that generated by 27,000 of its patients. Such procurement produces 320,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, according to data released with Saving Carbon, Improving Health: A Draft Carbon Reduction Strategy for the NHS in England, …

Government 2 Jun 2008, 09:40
Intel confirms Nvidia 'Nehalem' negotations

Bus licensing argy-bargy

Negotiations between Intel and Nvidia over each others' technology are not going smoothly, the chip giant has confirmed. At stake: Nvidia's support for Intel's 'Nehalem' chips, and Intel's ability to support SLI. In a statement published late last week via Cnet, Intel admitted "there is a disagreement between Intel and Nvidia …

Hardware 2 Jun 2008, 10:02
Nokia Supernova handsets flare up, vanish

Star appeal?

Nokia could be chasing the ladies - or astronomers; or lady astronomers - with its latest out-of-this-world handsets, details of which have been spotted on the phone giant’s Polish website. Nokia's Supernova 7610 (top right) and 7510 (bottom left): brief blaze on the Nokia website Both dubbed Supernova, the 7510 is a …

Phones 2 Jun 2008, 10:14
US town tells Street View to push off

Private community snaps removed from Google Maps

Google has removed a private Minnesota community from its Street View feature after the town politely asked the search monolith to keep its roving spycars to itself. North Oaks, north east of Minneapolis, boasts a "unique situation", the Minnesota Star Tribune reports, in that its roads are owned by the residents and it " …

Applications 2 Jun 2008, 10:22
Heathrow T5 security tackles Transformers t-shirt threat

You can't board wearing that, IT consultant told

An IT consultant who attempted to board a British Airways flight to Dusseldorf at Heathrow's T5 wearing a Transformers t-shirt was told to take off the offending apparel or else, The Sun reports. Brad Jayakody, 30, was travelling with four colleagues and ill-advisedly decided to sport an image of Optimus Prime wielding a …

Bootnotes 2 Jun 2008, 10:55
Nvidia targets Intel Atom with ARM-based system-on-a-chip

Tegra revved

Nvidia has announced its attempt to split Intel's Atom: Tegra, an ARM-based system-on-a-chip product for handheld internet access gadgets that's capable of crunching 1080p H.264 HD video. Well, that's the Tegra 650 - a lesser model, the 600, only runs to 720p. Both chips will output at those resolutions - respectively, 1920 x …

Hardware 2 Jun 2008, 11:24
LG stretches out monitor range - literally

Widescreen gets wider

Widescreen TVs are the norm nowadays, but LG’s taking the form factor to crazy new… er... dimensions with a display that's more windscreen than widescreen. LG's stretched display: wacky or wondrous? The so-called "stretched" display is available now in the UK as either a 29in or 38in model. The 29in screen has a 1366 x 398 …

Hardware 2 Jun 2008, 11:35
Bonce-antenna education downloads foreseen in 30 years

Goth-fear admiral has brain chips on the brain

A controversial ex-admiral who now represents much of Blighty's fee-paying schools sector has predicted that schoolchildren of the not-too-distant future might download knowledge directly into their brains. The private schooling honcho seemed to predict some kind of implanted cranial antenna technology, rather than the …

Science 2 Jun 2008, 11:37
Europe agrees on exchange of criminal records

Common market for crims

The European Commission has adopted proposals to make it easier for police to check criminal records in other European countries. The European Criminal Records Information System will set out the technical specifications so that police can get easy-to-use records from forces in other countries. Jacques Barrot, commissioner …

Government 2 Jun 2008, 11:52
Vodafone investigated own board in press leak probe

Which one of you has an Orange account for press calls?

Vodafone has joined the select band of tech giants that have been outed for spying on board members’ contacts with journalists. The Daily Mail disclosed the Vodafone investigation this weekend, detailing how in 2006 the company “grabbed mobile call phone data and used it to try and prove a conspiracy against [just departed CEO …

Mobile 2 Jun 2008, 11:59
Windows experiment meets the bottom line

Project Watch: Microsoft 2008 Resist anything but temptation

This project I began writing about in late January, the prototyping of a large database project using the latest versions of a Microsoft software stack, has been an unusual exercise. Unusual because, from the start, both the executive and the technical personnel were fully co-operative throughout the entire undertaking. The …

Software 2 Jun 2008, 12:02
iRiver E100 MP3 player

Review Low price, low quality?

In recent years, iRiver has established a reputation for knocking out good media players aimed at the slightly more discerning audience. With the E100 it's trying to move a little more into the mass market. The all-plastic casing of the E100 is a clear indication that what we have here is a device built down to a price. Having …

Hardware 2 Jun 2008, 12:14
Analyst predicting tough times ahead for Wii

Korea not Wii smitten

The Wii's popularity has dominated headlines for the last year or so, but it’s been forecast that a lack of availability in some regions could see the console’s sales start to dwindle. According to a report by Korean paper the Chosun Ilbo, the Nintendo console has failed to take a hold in Korea since it was launched there in …

Games 2 Jun 2008, 12:21
Times hack has an attack of the Web 0.2s

Punts book via Yahoo pipe onto Google Maps

It's come to our attention that Times hack Michael Moran has a book out - the snappily entitled Sod Abroad which explains "why you'd be mad to leave the comfort of your own home". We were alerted to this new tome by a pretty shameless email from Mr Moran asking us to punt his cautionary travel tales through El Reg, and in …

Bootnotes 2 Jun 2008, 12:26
America.com auction fails to hit cash target

Sub-prime web real estate

America.com, assumed to be one of the web's most valuble addresses, has disappointed its owner by failing to sell at auction, prompting fears that the property slump has spread to digital real estate. Bidding last week reached only $1.71m, millions short of the seller's expectations. Prior to the auction some in the domain …

Broadband 2 Jun 2008, 12:27
Mole uncovers Toshiba's DVD upscaling plans

HD DVD who?

Now that the dust’s settled on Toshiba’s humiliating HD DVD defeat, the company is rumoured to be preparing a comeback - in the form of an upscaling DVD player. According to a report on Japanese news site Yomiuri, sources at Toshiba have let slip about the company’s plans to launch a DVD player capable of upscaling standard- …

Hardware 2 Jun 2008, 12:28
VIA revamps NanoBook sub-notebook platform

Reborn as OpenBook

VIA has revised its NanoBook Small, Cheap Computer reference design to make it a little more like Asus' Eee PC. It also comes with a new name: OpenBook. The chipmaker had to change the name, of course. Having just launched its 'Isiah' 64-bit CPU as the Nano, folk would have assumed the sub-notebook design featured the new …

Hardware 2 Jun 2008, 13:03
Chinese crackers blamed for US power blackouts

Lights go out, firewalls come tumbling down

Chinese hackers have been blamed for two sets of cyber attacks that left US homes without electricity in recent years. Two blackouts in Florida and the Northeast were at least partially caused by Chinese crackers, computer security experts told the National Journal Magazine. The magazine bases its claims principally on Tim …

Security 2 Jun 2008, 13:04
Safari practices self-love, claims code monkey

Last.fm input id outrage

Aficionados of code profanity in which exasperated operatives embed their disaffection deep in their masters' source code will doubtless enjoy Last.fm's contribution to the genre, found hidden in this innocent-looking page. A quick perusal of the source code reveals: <input id="safariIsWank" type="hidden" value="" /> - an …

Bootnotes 2 Jun 2008, 13:17
DARPA's Heliplane retrocopter project in trouble

Fails to slip surly bonds of credit market

Efforts by Pentagon tech chiefs to revive a long-neglected rotary wing aircraft type appear to have stalled, as the main contractor announced financial problems and sweeping layoffs. Groen Brothers Aviation (GBA), the company undertaking the "Heliplane" programme, revealed the extent of its difficulties in a statement at the …

Science 2 Jun 2008, 13:52
UK cops arrest six alleged BitTorrent music uploaders

Updated Surprise new arrests in OiNK investigation

Cleveland police have today confirmed that six people have been arrested for allegedly sharing music files via the defunct BitTorrent tracker OiNK.cd. Five men aged between 19 and 33, and a 28-year-old woman were detained "in relation to uploading pre-release music", the force said in a statement. Three of the arrests were …

Media 2 Jun 2008, 14:29
Crazy Japanese create iMac-like iPod dock

Touch dock boasts iMac style

You want an Apple iMac, but don’t have either the space or funds for one. What do you do? One Japanese manufacturer has designed a dock that gives the iPod Touch the appearance of a miniature iMac. iClooly: is it an iMac or is an iPod Touch? The so-called iClooly is simply an aluminium stand that, unsurprisingly, measures …

Hardware 2 Jun 2008, 14:34
Spanish chanteuse strips for anti-bullfighting campaign

NSFW ¡Olé!

Veteran Spanish singer Alaska has brought her considerable assets to bear in a combined AnimaNaturalis-PETA campaign against bullfighting. The Fangoria frontwoman features on a poster which states: "The truth laid bare. Bullfighting is cruel": The AnimaNaturalis statement quotes the Mexican-born chanteuse as saying: "We don' …

Bootnotes 2 Jun 2008, 14:58
3 pre-pay database server has a Sunday snooze

Top-up titsup

Engineers at 3 are busy rebuilding the firm's pay-as-you-go top-up database after the server carrying it fell over on Sunday. Customers were left unable to add new credit for several hours, either over the phone, online or in 3 stores. A 3 spokesman said today that it took action to ensure that pay-as-you-go users were able to …

Mobile 2 Jun 2008, 15:00
US bank loses unencrypted data on 4.5m people

IT finally hits the fan months after tapes go AWOL

Couriers lost magnetic tapes containing the personal details of 4.5 million people who had dealt with the Bank of New York Mellon, it has emerged. The incident happened three months ago, but has only surfaced after legal papers were filed in the state of Connecticut. The Bank of New York Mellon offered people whose details …

Security 2 Jun 2008, 15:57
Date set for next major PS3 firmware release

In-game messaging and play trophies due within weeks

The next major firmware update for the PS3 goes live within two weeks, it's been claimed. The new system software gives gamers access to the much-hyped in-game messaging and video chat facility. According to a report on Dutch news site PS Only, an anonymous source has confirmed that firmware 2.4 will be made available by Sony …

Games 2 Jun 2008, 16:01
HP biased against BIOS password security

Vendor nixes protection with step-by-step reset guide

HP has come under fire for nullifying BIOS password protection steps on laptops by publishing reset data on its website. UK-based security consultancy SecureTest compared the approach to hiding a front door key under a welcome mat. Security breaches resulting from stolen laptops have hit the headlines repeatedly over recent …

The Channel 2 Jun 2008, 16:03
Microsoft seeds HP PCs with Live Search

Live Search to get pre-install boost

Ever determined to close the gap on Google, Microsoft has cut a deal with HP to dope all new PCs it flogs to North Americans with Live Search. From January next year HP machines will come with the Live Search search enging toolbar pre-installed in Internet Explorer, and the homepage set to Live.com. Microsoft isn't saying how …

The Channel 2 Jun 2008, 16:52
Overstock and Patrick Byrne sue New York over Amazon Tax

Just like Amazon

New York's new online tax law is now facing lawsuits from two big-name online retailers. A month ago, Amazon sued that Empire State over its so-called Amazon Tax, and on Friday, cut-rate e-tailer Overstock.com filed its own suit, reiterating that the Amazon Tax affects more than just Amazon. Under Governor David Patterson's …

The Channel 2 Jun 2008, 16:59
Phoenix Mars website invaded by hackers

Take me to your Web-app developer

Add the webpages for the Phoenix Mars Lander to the list of high-profile sites that have been hacked by script kiddies. Not once, but twice. Security pros had to take down the University of Arizona-hosted site after hackers replaced the lead blog entry with graffiti that read "hacked by VITAL." As if that wasn't enough, …

Security 2 Jun 2008, 18:29
Best Buy flirts with e-waste recycling

Silicon to silicon, junk to junk

US electronics retailer Best Buy is experimenting with taking back some of the toxic materials contained in the products it peddles. It's piloting an e-waste recycling program at 117 stores in the Baltimore, San Francisco, and Minnesota markets. If all goes well, Best Buys says it will consider expanding the offering …

The Channel 2 Jun 2008, 20:36
Panic attack brings down Russian nuke pages

Not hack attack

This story was updated to correct the name of the researcher. Reports last week of a coordinated attack on websites that provide Russians with advance notice of nuclear accidents appear to be unfounded, a security researcher says. Instead, he says an outage of the emergency information system likely collapsed under a crush of …

Security 2 Jun 2008, 20:49