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7th August 2008 Archive

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  • Greene-free VMware joins Linux club

    LinuxWorld As open as the next proprietary vendor

    VMware has joined the Linux Foundation's enterprise IT club with owner EMC, barely a month after chief executive Diane Greene was turfed out of office. The market's biggest virtualization player said Wednesday it will help the non-profit consortium push virtualization software for Linux forward in the high-performance …

    Virtualization 7 Aug 2008, 00:12

  • Iomega throws out disk with latest made for TV device

    Yonder ScreenPlay TV Link betwixt display and USB storage

    Iomega has stripped the hard drive out of its ScreenPlay HD device and is launching a new model that acts as a link between a USB storage device and TV set for displaying high definition media. The ScreenPlay TV Link supports the same 480i, 480p, 720p and 1080i resolutions as the ScreenPlay HD unit (note that the latter two …

    Reg Hardware 7 Aug 2008, 00:41

  • Hack ushers in the insatiable toll booth

    Black Hat The FasTrak to fraud and empty accounts

    A widely used device for paying traffic tolls electronically is vulnerable to tampering that could create trouble for those who use it, a researcher said Wednesday. The FasTrak transponder uses radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to communicate with reader devices located at toll booths. Motorists use the devices …

    Crime 7 Aug 2008, 00:52

  • Ofcom tailgates Google with radio usage map

    Sussing out the spectrum

    Ofcom is responsible for managing radio spectrum in the UK, but it's hard to do that when you don't know who's doing what and where. So by the end of 2008 a fleet of vehicles touring the country will finish doing for radio spectrum what Google is doing for street views. Ofcom already monitors radio usage, with around 40 …

    Telecoms 7 Aug 2008, 07:02

  • Tech Data waves goodbye to (maybe) 80 staff

    Tech Data pink-slipped 80 people at its Florida headquarters on Tuesday, America's CRN reports. The distie told the channel mag it laid off less than one per cent of its 8,000-strong global workforce, but it's not saying where the axe fell. ®

    Channel Register 7 Aug 2008, 07:39

  • Rockstar confirms GTA IV PC edition

    Three months and counting...

    Murder, guns, drugs and car-jacking are all set to take over the PC, because video games developer Rockstar has confirmed that the biggest game of the year is coming to the desktop. Grand Theft Auto: IV for the PC will be released in the US on 18 November and on 21 November in the UK, cunningly just in time for Christmas. PC …

    Reg Hardware 7 Aug 2008, 08:50

  • Free passports for WWII generation hit 500,000

    Buckshee ID chips for Wars on Stuff from 2068?

    The UK government has announced today that it has just issued its 500,000th free passport under rules which offer free travel documents as a reward to senior citizens who were adults during World War II. "It gives me great pleasure to announce this milestone in a scheme which honours every adult who helped defeat the evils of …

    Government 7 Aug 2008, 09:05

  • Easy iPhone 3G unlocking for $30?

    Could it be true?

    Brando already sells a SIM card gadget that's claimed to unlock the original iPhone for use on any network, but now the online retailer’s launched an iPhone 3G version. This card unlocks your iPhone 3G, it's claimed Yes, that’s right, according to Brando this little plastic SIM card sized device unties the iPhone 3G from O2 …

    Reg Hardware 7 Aug 2008, 09:35

  • Orange sees broadband subscriber exodus

    'Levelling off' claim takes the pith

    Customers are continuing to desert Orange's ADSL offerings, the firm's results revealed today. In the six months to 30 June 44,000 net broadband subscribers quit the firm, leaving it with 1.06 million. Orange said its UK broadband customer base was "levelling off", but figures released in February showed that just 4,000 net …

    Data Networking 7 Aug 2008, 10:00

  • Top Jock cop calls for universal DNA database

    Bampot polis

    The Chief Constable of Scotland's largest police force, Strathclyde, is calling for all Scots to be put on the DNA database. Stephen House wants all samples kept forever - the Scottish system currently removes profiles from people acquitted of crimes or never charged. He suggested all newborn babies should have a sample taken …

    Policing 7 Aug 2008, 10:02

  • Net shoppers bullied into being Verified by Visa

    When voluntary means mandatory

    The Verified by Visa system may be marketed as an optional opt-in system for internet shoppers, but some banks are forcing users to enrol after only three attempts to avoid it. The unpleasant experiences of Verified by Visa refusenik and Reg reader Steve are likely to be faced by other cardholders, according to Andrew Goodwill …

    Crime 7 Aug 2008, 10:02

  • Sony to gather gadget gold

    There’s gold in them thar gadgets

    You may think that huge diamond dazzler bought with your annual bonus is the only precious material you own. But Sony thinks differently and so is going after your golden gadgets. Modern gadgets contain a host of different precious metals, such as gold, platinum, silver and copper. And, according to a report by JCN, it’s these …

    Reg Hardware 7 Aug 2008, 10:14

  • Deutsche Telecom sees income dip

    And UK mobe subs stand still

    Deutsche Telecom is reporting a good first half of 2008, with income dipping only slightly by three per cent to €30.1bn, though that can be "adjusted" into an "organic" increase of 0.3 per cent. This produced an adjusted net profit of €1.4bn. The adjustment is allowed because of fluctuations in exchange rates and changes in …

    Mobile 7 Aug 2008, 10:24

  • Mozilla dishes up teasers for concept browser

    New dawn please

    Mozilla Labs is inviting industry wonks, higher education types and ordinary bods to contribute ideas on its new concept browser, Aurora. The outfit behind popular open source browser Firefox wants people to get involved in its “Concept Series” project, looking at shaping the future design of web technologies. Mozilla Labs …

    Applications 7 Aug 2008, 10:34

  • Snoop more, share less - Home Office spurns EU advice

    Databases not safe, says database-loving gov

    Government responses to two outwardly unrelated bits of EU policy go a long way to explain what it really thinks about the War on Terror and the rights of individual citizens. At present, the government collects data on passenger movements across UK borders. This is gathered from sources such as travel agents and airlines, and …

    Government 7 Aug 2008, 10:40

  • Craigslist supervillain seeks henchmen

    'Goons. Hired goons.'

    Much as we love our belittling, thankless toil rewarding career at the Reg, we have from time to time mused that it would be good to find a vocation in which we could fully express our suppressed violent side. And so it is that today we find ourselves tempted by this Craigslist ad, apparently placed by authentic supervillain …

    Bootnotes 7 Aug 2008, 10:49

  • Olympus SP-570 UZ 'superzoom' camera

    Review This puppy packs a protruding 20x zoom

    The problem with many in-between/crossbreed/hybrid products is that they can suffer a little from an identity crisis...and the Olympus SP-570 UZ is no exception. At first glance, it looks like a compact version of a DSLR: it’s got a large zoom lens at the front, an SLR-type grip and it’s a mile away from the ultra-slim …

    Reg Hardware 7 Aug 2008, 10:51

  • Oracle breaks patch cycle with emergency fix

    Tackles buffer overflow exploits

    Oracle broke its regular patch release cycle on Wednesday to issue a patch for a vulnerability in WebLogic that has become the target of hacker attacks over recent days. Multiple versions of Oracle (formerly BEA) WebLogic application server software are affected by a buffer overflow flaw involving the Apache plug-in component …

    Enterprise Security 7 Aug 2008, 10:51

  • BT slams bandwidth brakes on all subscribers

    You're all hogs in their eyes

    BT is throttling all of its broadband customers' bandwidth at peak times, not just heavy users, according to independent monitoring data. Early findings from a new hardware-based monitoring project by ISP analysis outfit Samknows show that even customers who use their connection lightly have non-port 80 traffic slowed to about …

    Telecoms 7 Aug 2008, 10:56

  • FBI sets out case against anthrax 'rogue scientist'

    Strong but circumstantial - is there still room for doubt?

    Yesterday the FBI published its search warrants and affidavits pertaining to the case of Bruce Ivins, the Ft. Detrick scientist fingered by the agency as the perpetrator of the 'Amerithrax anthrax mailings.. These documents contain no rigorous scientific evidence, but refer to it, and the FBI explains its rationale for …

    Science 7 Aug 2008, 11:02

  • Virgin customer numbers dip

    It's er, quality that counts

    Virgin is reporting a slight dip in customer numbers over the last three months, but reckons those customers are of a higher quality and that the operating loss of £333 million is just a temporary state of affairs. The group has added subscribers during the last quarter - a couple of hundred thousand more are getting their TV …

    Telecoms 7 Aug 2008, 11:02

  • Ubuntu gets into unified comms, chides Microsoft

    Says new suite more sweet for SMBs

    Canonical has signed an agreement with Unison Technologies to offer a complete unified communications suite for small to medium-sized firms running Ubuntu Linux. Unison’s software, which will be sold via Canonical’s online store, will run on Ubuntu Server and under beta for Ubuntu Desktop Edition. Ubuntu’s sponsor Canonical …

    Networks 7 Aug 2008, 11:38

  • Cable broadband shines in Virgin Media Q2

    50Mbit/s by the end of the year

    Virgin Media's recent move to push broadband to the centre of its offering is paying off. The firm announced strong underlying profits today and said it expects its forthcoming 50Mbit/s network upgrade to further distinguish it as a premium/expensive ISP. Some 19,500 net customers left the firm in the three months to 30 June, …

    Telecoms 7 Aug 2008, 11:40

  • Sony Ericsson dials into the posers

    Phone featuring a self-portrait mirror

    Every poser needs somewhere to check they’re looking their very best. So, with that in mind, Sony Ericsson (SE) has launched a mirror the T700 handset. Sony Ericsson's T700 has a self-portrait mirror feature The handset has a self-portrait mirror function that enables the user to check their make-up, hair and whatever else …

    Reg Hardware 7 Aug 2008, 11:54

  • Nikon locates image tagging snapper

    Never forget where your images were snapped

    Everyone forgets where some pictures were snapped, so Nikon’s unveiled a compact camera that’ll automatically tag an image’s location. Nikon's P6000 supports geo-tagging The Coolpix P6000 supports geo-tagging that, although not a new feature unique to Nikon, means that a GPS unit built into the snapper enables the …

    Reg Hardware 7 Aug 2008, 11:55

  • Apple's secret iPhone app blacklist

    Cloak-and-dagger app wipes imminent?

    A researcher has discovered a URL buried in the iPhone hardware that appears to point to an application blacklist - potentially allowing Apple to retroactively remove applications it decides no longer fit the bill. The URL, reported by iPhone Atlas, links to a file on apple.com called "unauthorizedApps" that seems to contain a …

    Mobile 7 Aug 2008, 12:52

  • Sub £200 mini laptop launched

    Just don't hold out for Wi-Fi

    The mini laptop market has expanded yet again with the launch of a 7in machine costing under £200. The miniBook: 7in display, 2GB storage and an SD card slot Called the miniBook, it measures 222 x 165 x 30mm, weighs in at 650g and sports a 7in, 800 x 480 pixel display. The PC’s based on an 32-bit CPU and has 128MB of DDR 2 …

    Reg Hardware 7 Aug 2008, 13:21

  • Numonyx, Hynix say two NAND heads better than one

    Tricky market conditions, tough to produce...

    Hynix and Numonyx are throwing their weight behind NAND flash memory in an extended five-year deal to beef up development of the cash-starved sector. Together the companies will produce the memory technology that is used in high-end mobile phones including Apple's iPhone, MP3 players and other digital devices. It offers higher …

    Storage 7 Aug 2008, 13:29

  • Suprise at spelling snafu sanctions

    University lecturer waves through wonky wordage

    Proof that the revised maxim "If you can't beat 'em, fuck it all off and have some pie" is increasingly the norm reaches us today, as a senior university lecturer throws his hands aloft and declares a spelling amnesty. According to the Times, Dr Ken Smith of Buckinghamshire New University* suggests a list of 20 common mistakes …

    Bootnotes 7 Aug 2008, 13:44

  • iPhone fans shun credit crunch

    Diamond case that costs £7900!

    If you’ve got £600 spare to splash in Apple’s Application Store, then you can definitely spare another £7900 for a stylish iPhone 3G case. Yours for just £7900 The Apple iPhone Diamond leather case is adorned with 272 diamonds, with a total mass of 6.8 carats. The stones are arranged in a crescent moon arrangement, which is …

    Reg Hardware 7 Aug 2008, 14:26

  • German hackers poke hole in great firewall of China

    A new Olympic sport

    German hackers have constructed a route around the great firewall of China. The Chaos Computer Club said its technology will help athletes and journalists travelling to Beijing for the Olympic Games to circumvent censorship. Visitors to China are being offered USB sticks containing a browser that connects via the TOR proxy …

    Security 7 Aug 2008, 14:30

  • Carbon Trust: Rooftop windmills are eco own-goal

    Analysis Perhaps we should stop subsidising them

    Rooftop wind turbines are actually net carbon emitters for most British properties, according to new research. Worse still, it appears that even if small turbines became common they could produce only a tiny fraction of the UK's energy requirements. The new report (pdf) is titled Small-scale wind energy and is issued by the …

    Environment 7 Aug 2008, 14:31

  • SQL Server 2008 moves on, wants to stay friends

    Review It’s not you, it’s the BI and database engine

    Microsoft's SQL Server 2008 is now upon us. More than a year after its initial planned delivery date, Microsoft Wednesday released to manufacturing code for a new version of its database that's almost as significant as its last great release - SQL Server 2005, three years ago. Microsoft is, with SQL Server 2008, bucking its …

    Applications 7 Aug 2008, 15:02

  • Mule sought for mysterious Chinese delivery

    Silkworms 2.0

    The Free Software Foundation is asking for someone travelling back from China to bring a small package back with them, presumably leading to some interesting questions at airport security. The request, posted at the top of the Gnu.org web site, simply asks if anyone travelling to Boston from Shanghai or Beijing could possibly …

    Bootnotes 7 Aug 2008, 15:21

  • 'Carbon neutral' Dell's wind-blowing pays off

    Round Rock doesn't fart around

    Computer maker Dell has claimed it is now a carbon neutral company. It also reckons it’s the greenest technology firm on the planet (reader’s competition: spot the oxymoron and win a Madagascan tree). Boss Michael Dell has been pushing the green agenda for some time now. In September last year he announced a series of …

    Hardware 7 Aug 2008, 15:31

  • T-Mobile dates BlackBerry Bold launch

    RIM's first HSDPA 3G BlackBerry coming next month

    T-Mobile will launch RIM’s first tri-band HSDPA 3G handset into the UK next month. Also dubbed the Bold, the network provider will release this on its Business 1-Plan. T-Mobile will launch the BlackBerry Bold in the UK next month T-Mobile claims this plan offers a “flexible allowance of voice, data, texts and international …

    Reg Hardware 7 Aug 2008, 15:36

  • SQL attacks inject government sites in US, UK

    Click for 'road of pain'

    A new round of SQL injection attacks has infected millions of web pages belonging to businesses and government agencies, including those that belong to the National Institutes of Health and Education Department in the US and the UK Trade & Investment. This search shows at least 1.45 million infected pages and queries here and …

    Security 7 Aug 2008, 18:26

  • Anthrax 'rogue scientist' also Wikipedia cult member

    Jimbo Wales sleuths secret sorority obsession

    Bruce Ivins, the deceased US government bioscientist accused of perpetrating the infamous 2001 anthrax mailings, was also a closet member of the online cult known as Wikipedia. Under the name Jimmyflathead, Ivins spent several years obsessively editing Wikipedia's article on the American college sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma. A …

    Law 7 Aug 2008, 18:36

  • Teradata keeps warehousing money

    Shrugs off economy and rivals

    Teradata appears to be surviving a global economic slowdown that's affecting some of its largest customers. The data warehouse maker this week reported second quarter revenue of $455m - a 6 per cent rise over the same period last year. (Although, that increase does include five percentage points worth of benefit from currency …

    Financial News 7 Aug 2008, 18:48

  • US Patent Office rains on Dell's 'cloud computing' trademark

    Claim on the term was a topical storm

    Dell's grip on a "cloud computing" trademark may not be as solid as it first seemed. The US Patent Office has canceled its "notice of allowance" on the Round Rock computer vendor's attempt to master the popular IT buzzword. Passing the "allowance" step in the trademark process had meant that opponents could no longer object to …

    Servers 7 Aug 2008, 19:18

  • Man buys $1,000 worth of iPhone pixels by accident

    'I blame everyone but myself'

    An American man has accidentally spent $999.99 on an iPhone app that does nothing but display a glowing red ruby. Dubbed "I Am Rich," the app is meant as a status symbol for the wealthy. But in reality, it's a scarlet letter for the gullible. As reported by our friends at Valleywag, a Jesus Phone user known only as Lee5279xx …

    Mobile 7 Aug 2008, 21:18

  • Openmoko to reveal Linux phone's inner workings

    LinuxWorld Adapt us, please

    Enterprising engineers will soon get the chance to find out how Openmoko's Linux-powered phones work and to modify them. Barely a month after shipping the Neo FreeRunner, Openmoko has said it plans to make the schematics for this - and the Neo 1973 - publicly available under a Creative Commons (CC) license. No date was given …

    Developer 7 Aug 2008, 21:25

  • Crimeware grifters scamming naive phishers

    Dishonour among thieves

    Phishing exploitation kits can be picked up for free on the internet but these packages are regularly backdoored, according to a new study. Security researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara, have confirmed that inexperienced phishers are in effect doing the legwork for more wily grifters. Many phishing kits …

    Malware 7 Aug 2008, 21:33

  • Sega hopes to score with homely Japanese women

    'Project Beauty' for Nintendo DS

    Perhaps you've rescued the universe from marauding space pirates on your Nintendo DS — but can you save civilization from your own ugly face? Video game maker Sega and the cosmetic giant Shiseido may be able to help in this most noble of quests. That is, if you're a young Japanese woman. The two companies have coupled to make …

    Reg Hardware 7 Aug 2008, 22:03

  • IBM hacks into chip peoples' pay

    Poor reward for record revenue

    Bunny people working at IBM's US chip plants face tough times. IBM has confirmed reports that it will cut the pay of 3,500 assembly line workers at New York factories in East Fishkill and Poughkeepsie and another factory in Vermont. The workers will see their wages drop 10 per cent. Next year, shift employees will also lose …

    Financial News 7 Aug 2008, 22:57