1st July 2008 Archive

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US regulators lapse into state of approval for HP's EDS buy

Deal receives official 'meh'

US regulators are letting Hewlett-Packard's planned $13.9bn purchase of computer services giant Electronic Data Systems (EDS) go through without much anti-trust fuss. Both the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission have let the required competition law waiting period expire sans any requests for additional …

Financial News 1 Jul 2008, 00:42
Congress still afraid to define 'internet gambling'

Whatever it is. It's illegal

The intellectual haze that envelopes American internet gambling policy thickened the past week, as lawmakers failed to define what exactly constitutes "unlawful" internet gambling. As absurd as it sounds, two years after the passage of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), Congress still can’t make up its …

Law 1 Jul 2008, 02:21
Adobe boosts Flash media search with Google and Yahoo!

More ads where you don't want them

Adobe Systems is working with Google and Yahoo! to improve the accuracy of searches for Flash ads and media by delivering an optimized version of its ubiquitous player. Google is today expected to start offering searches of media content using a version of the player that'll help search engines index content using Adobe's …

Applications 1 Jul 2008, 05:02
Duff UK nukes risk 'popcorn' multi-blast accident apocalypse

Atom bombs very dangerous, says CND man

Last week many Britons were amazed to read in the quality press that the UK's nuclear weapons are thought to have a "design fault" which could see a transport accident detonating multiple warheads in a devastating chain reaction apparently known as "popcorning". "More than 1,700 warheads are affected by the problem which would …

Government 1 Jul 2008, 07:55
French handbag eBay over fakes

French court acts

eBay must pay £30.6m (€38.8m) in damages to posh handbag group LVMH for allowing fake versions of its designer bags to be sold on the auction site. The online tat house said it would appeal the decision and accused the French company of using the issue of fakes to crack down more generally on online sales. The case was …

Law 1 Jul 2008, 08:35
Photos fool cigarette age-verification software

Whoops...

A Japanese reporter has used family photos and magazine cut-outs to fool face-recognition software currently used in some of the country's cigarette vending machines into selling him smokes. From July, Japan’s set to introduce tough regulations allowing prosecutions to be brought against vending-machine companies whose …

Reg Hardware 1 Jul 2008, 09:11
AMD chipset roadmap signals new southbridges, DDR 3

Greater emphasis on integrated parts too

AMD's going to be shaking up its chipset offerings this quarter, if an allegedly leaked roadmap slide is the real deal. The timeline stretches out into 2009 and highlights the increasing dominance of integrated parts. Later this quarter, AMD will revamp its enthusiast-oriented 790FX chipset, launched in November 2007, with its …

Reg Hardware 1 Jul 2008, 09:42
Flying cars on the horizon, says Clive Sinclair

'I'm sure it will happen'

Sir Clive Sinclair yesterday pretty well put the kibosh on the possibility of humanity ever getting behind the controls of a flying car by declaring them "technically entirely possible". Speaking to BBC Radio 4's PM programme, Sir Clive said the future of personal transportation would, of course, have to be electric-powered, …

Bootnotes 1 Jul 2008, 09:49
AMD rolls out line-leading four-core Phenom

And an energy-efficient quad-core CPU pair too

AMD has launched a trio of quad-core Phenom X4 processors today, including a new top-of-the-line part, the 2.6GHz 9950. The other two are lesser parts, but AMD's pitching their "energy efficiency", particularly when lined up against Intel quad-core CPUs. The 9150e and 9350e are clocked, respectively, at 1.8GHz and 2.0GHz. AMD …

Reg Hardware 1 Jul 2008, 10:03
Apple's fourth Leopard spits out 25 patches

Mac OS X 10.5.4 lands

Apple has coughed up 25 security updates that come bundled with yesterday's release of Mac OS X 10.5.4. The firm said its latest Leopard release addresses operating system and application performance issues and fixes a heap of security flaws. The update affects operating system components that include CoreTypes, c++filt, Net- …

Operating Systems 1 Jul 2008, 10:23
Legless Swede attempts to row home

From Denmark...

A 78-year-old Swede has earned himself a place in hard-drinking lore by attempting to row home after a robust session in the Danish town of Helsingor - an ill-advised venture since it involved a 5km (3 mile) paddle across the Oresund Strait to Helsingborg. The unnamed amateur oarsman, having apparently soaked up a skinful, was …

Bootnotes 1 Jul 2008, 10:28
Google free to offload '$1bn' AOL stake

What does $1bn get you these days?

Today is the first day that Google can sell its stake in AOL, picked up in exchange for $1bn as part of a wider video and advertising partnership between the two signed in 2005. The deal either gives Google five per cent of AOL should there be an initial public offering or gives Time Warner first refusal on the stake. A …

Financial News 1 Jul 2008, 10:53
Sony touts weird multi-sensor handheld gadget tech

Invented by former PlayStation chief

A Sony patent application has revealed the firm’s possible plans for a handheld gadget, featuring a standard touchscreen and a bizarre array of individual ‘pressure pads’ running around its edge. Sony's patent drawing of a "handheld device with touchscreen and digital tactile pixels" The electronics giant’s application to …

Reg Hardware 1 Jul 2008, 10:54
Orange tells customers they are now 'partners'

Ask not what your mobile operator can do for you

Orange, France Telecom's consumer brand, has decided not to serve consumers any more: in true Web 2.0 style it's rebranding itself as a partner - not a provider - in telecommunications. The new slogan is "together we can do more", so forget about being a punter just wanting a conversation with another punter; now you're …

Mobile 1 Jul 2008, 11:26
UK most popular destination for 419 scams

One in four Nigerian spams sent to Blighty

The United Kingdom is the most popular destination for 419 scams - emails which promise huge riches in exchange for up-front arrangement fees. A worldwide survey of spam found 23 per cent of all Nigerian 419 scams were sent to British surfers. The UK also scored highly for adult spam - coming second, just behind the US. The …

Crime 1 Jul 2008, 11:31
Schwarzenegger seizes Tesla Motors plant for California

Governator sings the body electric

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger - famed for his uncanny resemblance to an electric machine clad in an unrealistic fleshy cloak - has managed to ensure that noted electrical car company Tesla will base future manufacturing in areas under his rule. Tesla Motors, maker of the well-known but troubled $100k Roadster …

Environment 1 Jul 2008, 11:43
French gear up for biofuels retreat

While Prince Charles runs the Aston on English wine

The French are leading a retreat from the EU’s increasingly out of whack biofuel policy yesterday, as they began their six month presidency of the Brussels talking shop. The headlong rush from a sugar cane and palm oil-powered economy comes less than six months after EU president Jose Manuel Durao Barroso set EU countries …

Government 1 Jul 2008, 11:43
Telegraph falls to the Tw*t-O-Tron

Feral youths mug Middle England

It's with a chill in our hearts that we report today that the Telegraph appears to have succumbed to the inexorable rise of the Twat-O-Tron - originally designed as an automated "unholy turdspurt" generator based on real insights down at the BBC's Have Your Say. However, what started as a light-hearted piece of tomfoolery …

Bootnotes 1 Jul 2008, 12:16
Quantum of Solace trailer teases fans

Daniel Craig struts his stuff

Bond fans can now enjoy a taster of 007's next cinematic outing - Quantum of Solace - in the form of a trailer down at the film's flashtastic website. The 22nd movie in the franchise sees Daniel Craig reprise his generally-lauded interpretation of Bond, accompanied by Olga Kurylenko as the "mysterious" Camille and Brit thesp …

Entertainment 1 Jul 2008, 12:41
Microsoft dishes up interoperability version 1.0

Incomplete code is go...

Microsoft, in its latest attempt to play nice with pesky EU regulators, has published protocol documentation for its Office 2007, SharePoint 2007, and Exchange Server 2007 products. The software multinational lifted the lid on 14,000 pages of sketchy versions of tech documentation for core software code in April this year, in …

Applications 1 Jul 2008, 12:47
Who will be the next Doctor?

Get your popcorn in for Saturday’s geekfest

“No comment.” As the current season of Doctor Whoswings inexorably toward its grand finale, that is pretty much the universal tight-lipped response from the BBC and all its agents. Minimal advance details on the up and coming episode. No advance play tape. The latter, of course, have an unhappy history of being leaked and …

Entertainment 1 Jul 2008, 12:51
Boffins invent 42GB DVD

A disc capacity to rival Blu-ray?

Blank DVDs are a cheaper storage option than Blu-ray, but the HD format has greater capacity. However, Japanese storage scientists claim to have invented a method for storing up to 42GB onto a single DVD. Researchers from the Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, based in Japan’s Tohoku University, …

Reg Hardware 1 Jul 2008, 12:59
Italian authorities raid alleged music filesharing forum

Megaupload and Rapidshare link site targeted

Italy's Guardia di Finanza has shut down forum site Downrevolution.net for offering links to pirated music, video and software hosted on popular filesharing sites. Four people have been arrested for involvement in the site. According to a message posted to the domain, they face a criminal investigation. Reports say that three …

Law 1 Jul 2008, 13:41
Getac E100 rugged UMPC

Review Armour-plated 'ard drive

This UMPC has been specifically designed for use in in the field - conditions where you'd never normally take a laptop. So if you're an engineer, an architect - or perhaps a sniper - this PC's for you. The Getac E100 meets military and ruggedisation standards MIL-STD-810F and IP54, which basically means it's resistant to dust …

Reg Hardware 1 Jul 2008, 14:06
Tiwi spies on your children, so you don't have to

Black box for the kids

A new device called the Tiwi offers to spy on your children's driving by reporting their speed, manoeuvring, acceleration and even if they're wearing seatbelts, so the little blighters will be too scared to move by the time they're 18. Unlike competing offerings, which just tell you where your children are, the Tiwi focuses on …

Bootnotes 1 Jul 2008, 14:17
Discover a new language with our programming books offer

Site offer Don't hold back

It’s a familiar story for most computer programmers. You can write in C++ while you’re asleep and you could have a stab at creating a program using Java™ as well. However when it comes to Visual Basic you haven’t got a clue. Balancing which languages you specialise in and keeping a well-rounded knowledge of the hundreds of …

Site News 1 Jul 2008, 14:25
Software outfit keeps Vulcan airborne

Looking hopeful for 2008 airshow season

It looks like Vulcan XH558 - which last year took to the skies following a 15-year, £7m restoration - will be able to wow the crowds at air shows this summer following fears that a lack of cash might keep it grounded. The Vulcan to the Sky trust was forced earlier this year to indulge in some serious tin-rattling, requiring £ …

Science 1 Jul 2008, 14:26
Nikon unveils mid-range pro-friendly DSLR

Better than the D300, but not quite the D3

Nikon has launched a digital SLR designed to appeal to photgraphers with their eye on its entry-level D300 DSLR but hungry for a few more features, and to those looking for top-end D3 specs, but not willing to pay its price tag. The result is the D700, a mid-range - but still professional quality - DSLR that sits between the …

Reg Hardware 1 Jul 2008, 14:26
Videogame cartridge business card holders

Show off your gaming ~~geek~~ chic

The UK’s videogames industry may be in turmoil because of a lack of properly qualified geeks, but if you’re lucky enough to be an employed videogame designer then why not show off your credentials with a retro game cartridge business card holder. Business card holders inspired by Nintendo videogame cartridges Online …

Reg Hardware 1 Jul 2008, 14:31
Xandros buys Linspire, says bruised ex-CEO

No harmony for Carmony

Desktop Linux maker Xandros is understood to be in the process of buying Linux distributor Linspire. According to several reports, and former Linspire CEO Kevin Carmony, Xandros has bought the privately-held company, which is based in San Diego, California, after stockholders agreed to sell all of Linspire’s assets. The deal …

Software 1 Jul 2008, 14:53
Swedish customs pull Frenchman with two asses

You got a permit for those, mate?

A wandering Frenchman came to rue the day he ever attempted to get his two asses into Sweden, after customs officials demanded a veterinary examination of the pair costing €250, the Local reports. For reasons not entirely explained, Jacques Abdelaziz from Brittany has spent the last two months travelling Europe with a couple …

Bootnotes 1 Jul 2008, 14:56
Eurofighter at last able to drop bombs, but only 'austerely'

Comment In the sense of expensively but not very usefully

Some of the Royal Air Force's new Eurofighter Typhoon jets have today been announced as capable of delivering weapons against ground targets, in addition to their initial role of air-to-air combat. This has been reported as meaning that the already horrifyingly expensive, long-delayed planes are "fully combat ready". However, …

Government 1 Jul 2008, 15:51
Arnie terminates driving and dialling

California introduces hands-free law

As The Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger was once seen engaging in all manner of automotive chaos, but as Governor of California, the former actor now wants to ensure that the state’s residents don’t drive and dial. From today, California joins a number of other American states, including Connecticut, Illinois, Nebraska and …

Reg Hardware 1 Jul 2008, 16:02
AT&T prices up PAYG 3G iPhones

Remarkably close to alleged O2 price plan

AT&T will sell a contract-free 8GB 3G iPhone for $599 (£301) - exactly what the first version was priced at when it went on sale a year or so ago. The 16GB model will cost $699 (£351). Subsidised, the two models will set buyers back $199 and $299, respectively, but that price comes at the cost of a two-year airtime package. …

Reg Hardware 1 Jul 2008, 16:02
Trekkies to flip lids over Star Trek bottle opener

Get off my ~~bridge~~ beer!

If evenings spent drinking with your buddies are growing a little stale, then set your phasers to stun by cracking open a set of stubbies using a Star Trek bottle opener. The Star Trek Bottle Opener: out of this world? This bottle opener is no ordinary Trekkie tool though, because the drinking gadget is light years ahead of …

Reg Hardware 1 Jul 2008, 16:06
Dell conjures magic SD card for virtualizing blade server I/O

Full height boxes ready too

HP and IBM have some super fancy technology for virtualizing the I/O of their blade systems, and they sell it for thousands of dollars. Dell now has something similar - an SD card that it sells for $499 a pop. Texas-blessed Dell last week started shipping FlexAddress, which is "enabled by a special SD card." By "enabled" and " …

Servers 1 Jul 2008, 16:33
KVM backer takes virtual desktops on the road

Have branch office. Will ship code

Qumranet, the well-moneyed entity behind KVM, is asking folks to help it test out some new desktop virtualization code that sends applications out from headquarters to remote offices. Back in April, Qumranet birthed SolidICE, which is the the company's take on desktop virtualization. Like rival software, SolidICE ships desktop …

Virtualization 1 Jul 2008, 16:36
Mandriva One 2008 Spring Eee PC Wi-Fi glitch

I've installed Mandriva One 2008 Spring onto an Eee PC 900 using the installer on the Live CD. I did this in the office and it works reasonably well. At home, it's another matter however. Here, booting takes an age, and when it gets to loading the GUI, all I get is a black screen with the pointer and the rotating Mandriva icon …

Reg Hardware 1 Jul 2008, 18:53
Google plays musical chairs with affiliate ad networks

Double Clickization

Google has bagged one affiliate network in favor of another. At the end of August, the world's largest ad broker will discontinue its AdSense Referrals program, the affiliate network it launched back in March 2007. Now that Larry and Serg own ad behemoth DoubleClick, they'll do the affiliate thing through DoubleClick's …

Financial News 1 Jul 2008, 19:16
Pillar pumps performance in Axiom array

'We guarantee something'

Pillar Data Systems is topping off its lineup Axiom storage systems with a box supporting a healthy chunk more capacity and performance than its predecessor. The modus operandi of the Larry Ellison-funded unstart-up is storage efficiency — and this round it's slapping some guarantees on the new Axiom 600 disk array, promising …

Storage 1 Jul 2008, 19:23
BEA gets last laugh on Oracle app server

While other products get death row

In Oracle's world nothing changes, everything stays the same and no products ever die. Except those things that get "converged" or downgraded. Among them, Oracle's Application Server that, in the wake of Oracle's $8.5bn acquisition of one-time rival BEA Systems, is losing out to BEA's WebLogic Server. Oracle president Charles …

Applications 1 Jul 2008, 21:13
Japanese military shamed by USB device

Stolen, found, loaned, lost

Like ball point pens, cigarette lighters, and the occasional key, flash memory devices have a nearly unstoppable need to be set free upon the world at large. The result of this seemingly natural law is generally little more than irksome at home, but when combined with the cosmic force of sensitive data misplacement that is a …

Storage 1 Jul 2008, 21:30
JBoss app server 5.0 emerges from hiding

Late date with destiny

Red Hat is inching closer to delivery of the long-awaited JBoss Application Server 5.0, but there's still no final release date. Sacha Labourey, chief technology officer (CTO) for JBoss, has blogged the first release candidate is now frozen and will be available some time this week. He said a further release candidate will be …

Software 1 Jul 2008, 21:35
Microsoft searches for meaning with Powerset buy

Beats Google. Semantically speaking

The rumors were true. Microsoft is buying Powerset, the San Francisco-based semantic search startup. The deal was announced late this morning on the official Live Search blog. "Powerset brings with it natural language technology that nicely complements other natural language processing technologies we have in Microsoft …

Financial News 1 Jul 2008, 21:47