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8th August 2008 Archive

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  • Notebook sales lead Lenovo in Q1

    Revenues solid in 'soft' economy

    Lenovo said today that revenues were up 10 per cent during its fiscal first quarter, boosted by strong notebook sales and an expanding market in China. The Beijing-based firm, which is the world's fourth biggest computer maker, reported net income of $110m for the quarter that ended June 30, up from $66.8m a year earlier. …

    PCs & Chips 8 Aug 2008, 00:00

  • Kiwi cops hunt teenage serial burglar with head of Robbie Coltrane

    'Cracker' thesp posterized

    "Cracker" star Robbie Coltrane has appeared on a New Zealand wanted poster. But don't assume he's suspected of criminal behavior. New Zealand police are using a photo of the beefy British thesp to track down his greasy-haired 16-year-old Doppleganger. The Daily Telegraph has the goods: Robbie Coltrane (Not) Wanted Poster …

    Entertainment 8 Aug 2008, 00:10

  • Join LiMo, avoid a patent pantsing from the big lads

    LinuxWorld Membership has its privileges

    For all its talk of openness, just a quarter of the code in the LiMo Foundation's mobile platform is open source, making it a minefield to navigate in terms of protected patents - 300,000 patents to be precise. That's one hell of a disincentive to any ISV that might be interested in building for LiMo but is unwilling to get …

    Developer 8 Aug 2008, 02:02

  • Black Hat organizers punt totally hackable RFID badges

    Black Hat Clone me, please

    The annual Black Hat conference in Las Vegas has become one of the premier venues for exposing lax security practices that put the unwashed masses at risk. In an interesting twist, a researcher is calling out conference organizers for supplying 4,500 attendees with an RFID-enabled badge that has widely known security weaknesses …

    ID 8 Aug 2008, 02:25

  • Rogue reporters kicked out of conference for network snooping

    Black Hat When hacks hack

    Three rogue journalists were ejected from the Black Hat security conference after being accused of connecting monitoring tools to the press room computer network and sniffing reporters' passwords. The reporters worked for French-based Global Security Magazine, a Black Hat media sponsor. According to screenshots posted here, …

    Enterprise Security 8 Aug 2008, 03:46

  • Google's $1bn AOL stake turns to dust

    Impairment is 'temporary'

    Google told the Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday that its investment in AOL is likely to be worth less than it paid for it in 2005. The search and ad giant bought a five per cent stake in AOL for $1bn in December 2005. Alongside the investment, Google provided search functions on AOL sites and a white label version …

    Financial News 8 Aug 2008, 08:32

  • Gov: UK biofuel probably made of starvation, rainforests

    Doesn't matter though, we aren't using much

    The British government has released its first monthly report into biofuels used in the UK. It says that not much biofuel is used, and that in general it has very little idea if Blighty's biofuel is sustainably produced, what kind of land was used to make it or indeed where it comes from. The figures are issued by the new …

    Environment 8 Aug 2008, 09:05

  • Sony launches Cyber-shot fashion duo

    Pretty as a picture

    Sony has launched two fashion conscious compact cameras to help bulk out its Cyber-shot snapper range. Sony's T77 has a 3in LCD The DSC-T77 and DSC-T700 are both 10.1-megapixel snappers that come in one of five “fashion colours,” including red, “champagne gold” and “dark grey”. Where the duo differ is that the T77 only has …

    Reg Hardware 8 Aug 2008, 09:14

  • Union takes IBM outsourcing case to employment tribunal

    Staff transfer details 'not revealed'

    A £400m outsourcing deal between local authorities and IBM was unfair because the full details of the transfer of staff to a private company were not revealed, workers' union Unison has said. It has lodged a claim with an employment tribunal over the deal, which it says led to the local authorities and IBM breaking a Transfer …

    Government 8 Aug 2008, 09:20

  • Govt persuades two people to share worst job in IT

    NHS poison pill shared out

    The government has found two people to run the struggling NHS IT programme - the National Programme for IT. The world's largest non-military technology project has been without a permanent boss since the departure of Richard Granger in January. Interim boss Matthew Swindells left the post in April. NPfIT is expected to cost at …

    Government 8 Aug 2008, 09:26

  • TomTom GO 530 Traffic satnav

    Review Already tip-top TomTom gets tweaked

    Bearing a close resemblance to the 520, the GO 530 is the entry-level unit in the new TomTom 30 range, which has now replaced the well regarded and popular 20 series. Retaining the trademark TomTom curved, slightly rubberised casing, excellent build quality and 4.3in screen, the GO 530 is a classic case of if it ain't broke, …

    Reg Hardware 8 Aug 2008, 09:35

  • Systemax Q2 revs jump 17%

    Claims strong quarter

    Systemax shrugged off the credit crunch in Q2, with sales jumping 17 per cent to $758m for the three months ended June 30. The direct marketing IT reseller and PC builder, noted stronger demand in North America and Europe in the quarter and it held gross margins steady at 15.3 per cent. However, net income fell 1.6 per cent …

    Channel Register 8 Aug 2008, 09:41

  • AMD unveils FirePro graphics

    Latest line-up post-ATI acquisition

    AMD hopes to ignite the market for high-quality graphics accelerators with its new FirePro duo. The ATI FirePro V5700 and V3700 cards are aimed at a range of arenas, from CAD to medical imaging. The V5700 features 512MB of frame buffer memory and a 30bit display engine that AMD claimed can produce more than 1bn colours at any …

    Reg Hardware 8 Aug 2008, 09:49

  • Lies, damned lies and government statistics

    Speed cameras part 72

    Apparently statistics are all down to personal opinion. Except, of course, when you are a government spokesperson, in which case they are the gospel truth. Despite expert evidence – and public exposure - that the “official estimate” of casualty reduction due to speed cameras is seriously overestimated, the Department for …

    Government 8 Aug 2008, 10:05

  • Evesham gets extended administration run

    Hangman backs off for a bit

    Evesham Technology Ltd's administration period has been extended. The defunct British computer maker’s directors received notice that the company would remain under administration until 2 February 2009. Evesham Technology’s creditors agreed to the extension, presumably to give administrators DTE Leonard Curtis more time to …

    Channel Register 8 Aug 2008, 10:15

  • MS preps 12 fixes for August Patch Tuesday

    Could this prompt a sysadmin recall?

    Microsoft is preparing 12 security fixes - seven critical - as part of the August edition of its regular Patch Tuesday update cycle. The seven "critical" fixes due out next Tuesday (12 August) cover flaws in Windows, Media Player, Internet Explorer and Office. All supported version of Windows - including Vista - will need …

    Enterprise Security 8 Aug 2008, 10:15

  • Project Kangaroo gets more time to defend anti-trust claims

    Probe into commercial iPlayer delayed

    The Competition Commission said today that its anti-trust investigation into Project Kangaroo, the joint internet TV venture by BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4, will take longer than expected. The trio of broadcasters has asked for more time to negotiate how they plan to operate the commercial video on demand operation. …

    Music and Media 8 Aug 2008, 10:19

  • Corny biodegradable Flash drives

    Chuck it out with the rubbish

    Most product launches end with a USB Flash drive holding the press notes being distributed, and the Register's got drawers full 'em. Thankfully, a biodegradable drive’s now available. The corn Flash drive is biodegradable Manufacturer Hoshino states that the FD-300 biodegradable USB Flash drive is made from, essentially, …

    Reg Hardware 8 Aug 2008, 10:24

  • Aussie cops reopen 7,000 DNA convictions

    Melbourne police admit errors

    Melbourne Police have withdrawn charges against a suspected double murderer, after they admitted that DNA evidence was wrong. A further 7,000 cases will now be re-examined - every conviction secured in Victoria using DNA in the last 20 years. Russell John Gesah was accused of a double murder and rape in 1984. Samples taken …

    Policing 8 Aug 2008, 10:43

  • BOFH: Smash + grab

    Episode 27 RIP an awful lot of hardware

    The long-awaited weekend has almost arrived! The migration of the server room to the new site and the transfer of our 'crucial' services to the successful tendering party (ie our ghost facility) is about to commence. "But I still don't see why we need to pay a data transfer fee!" the Boss whinges. "Because they'll need to put …

    BOFH 8 Aug 2008, 11:08

  • Gadget confusion rules supreme in Blighty

    Mobiles, satnavs, remotes and cameras all too complicated to use

    Confused by your compact camera? Menaced by your mobile? You’re not alone, because many of us are baffled by gadgets, a survey has revealed. Online gadget comparison website Reevoo questioned 2000 British adults and found that over one quarter had no idea how to use a digital camera properly, whilst 17 per cent don’t know the …

    Reg Hardware 8 Aug 2008, 11:36

  • Clone dog mistress denies she is 'sex in chains' McKinney

    Reg proposes McKinnon/McKinney extradition deal

    The miraculous rebirth of Booger the pit bull has been overshadowed by a row over the identity of the cloned dog’s owner. Bernann McKinney, the American woman who paid Korean scientists $50,000 for five copies of Booger created from cells from the deceased dog’s ear, has been forced to deny that she is better known as Joyce …

    Bootnotes 8 Aug 2008, 11:42

  • The Beijing Bonanza

    Site offer Find herculean savings

    With the Olympic Games in Beijing starting this week we’ve racked our brains for the IT angle and we can’t find one. Instead we at Register Books have decided to hammer down prices and run with an inflation-beating 50 per cent off* a vast selection of titles across a range of topics. Our Beijing Bonanza is running throughout …

    Site News 8 Aug 2008, 11:59

  • Wind farm wound down on air traffic fears

    Nothing must interfere with Heathrow

    The University of Reading is to scale back a planned wind farm just off the M4 because of fears it could interfere with air traffic control radar at Heathrow Airport. A pilot study on the site found it suitable for wind turbines, but a study from British Aerospace showed the planned six turbines could mess with radar. The …

    Environment 8 Aug 2008, 12:12

  • GPS tracking slapped on laptop recovery service

    Absolute knows where your PC lives

    Absolute Software has added GPS tracking to its laptop theft-recovery and asset-tracking service. This will allow asset managers to track laptops to within 10 metres. The technology will also speed recovery of missing or stolen computers, being easier to use than previous IP address-based tracking technology. The technology …

    Enterprise Security 8 Aug 2008, 12:15

  • CERN: LHC to fire first proton-smash ray next month

    Hadron headbanger machine chilled to ramming speed

    Scientists operating from a hollowed-out lair deep beneath the Franco-Swiss border have announced that their enormous, unprecedentedly powerful 27-kilometre proton cannon will shortly be ready to open fire. To be precise, "first beam" is scheduled for 10 September. Uncharacteristically, perhaps, the boffins made their …

    Physics 8 Aug 2008, 12:31

  • Fujitsu leaks netbook news

    Amilo Mini coming to IFA, Berlin

    Fujitsu Siemens Computers has expanded its Amilo PC range with a netbook addition. The Amilo Mini is based on a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor running on Windows XP Home edition. Can't see the video? Download Flash Player from Adobe.com What really sets the machine aside from other netbook rivals, such as Lenovo’s S9 and S10, …

    Reg Hardware 8 Aug 2008, 13:25

  • Boris boots Transys off Oyster contract

    Nothing to do with failures or cloning, definitely not...

    Transport for London and London's mayor Boris Johnson have ended their contract with Transys, the group of companies which provide Oyster cards - the card ticketing system for the capital's buses, trams, some trains and tubes. TfL said it is convinced it can save money by offering the contract to another company. The Oyster …

    Government 8 Aug 2008, 14:04

  • 1&1 botches Microsoft Exchange update

    Linux escapes mail fail

    Budget hosting provider 1&1 Internet has hit problems while updating its Microsoft email platform. Customers have been unable to access web mailboxes for more than 24 hours. Reg readers quickly spotted the problem and were told that the firm, which also owns gaffe-prone West Country hosting oufit Fasthosts, didn't know when …

    Telecoms 8 Aug 2008, 14:17

  • Senator slams DHS boss over border laptop searches

    Hey, Chertoff, seize this

    A US senator has accused the head of the Department of Homeland security of “blatant mischaracterization” over the searching of laptops at US borders. Following an article by the Washington Post, America suddenly realised last week that border agents were pretty much free to sequester and rummage around their laptops when they …

    Government 8 Aug 2008, 14:25

  • Stretchy 'bucky-gel' promises touchscreen video-stockings

    Interactive nano-Spandex iPants for all

    Japanese boffins have developed a material which they believe could be used to make stretchy, highly flexible electronic circuitry. It goes almost without saying that their elasto-conductor miracle sheet is based on fashionable carbon nanotubes. Science Magazine brings us the scoop on the rubbery circuitboard breakthrough. …

    Science 8 Aug 2008, 15:01

  • Gaming firms eyeing up MotionPlus

    Developer talks of interested parties

    The company behind the Wii’s MotionPlus has hinted that the add-on’s technology could soon be adopted by rival gaming firms. According to a report by Eurogamer, manufacturer InvenSense has said that its relationship with Nintendo over MotionPlus’ technology isn’t exclusive. Joe Virginia, Vice President of Wireless Business …

    Reg Hardware 8 Aug 2008, 15:17

  • Apple challenges Reg to patent duel

    New invention has familiar ring

    Apple will fill in some long-awaited missing features from its iPod and iPhone mobile players, a patent application published this week suggests. There's just one problem: Much of Apple's "invention" was dreamed up by Reg readers several years ago - and one embodiment is already on the market. Publication 20080189390, Remote …

    Music and Media 8 Aug 2008, 15:29

  • Rackspace cages lackluster IPO

    Your financial future looks cloudy

    Rackspace appears to have a knack for ill-timed IPOs. Shares in the hosting company dropped as much as 19 per cent during their debut on the New York Stock Exchange. And, at the time of this report, RAX - at $11.37 per share - was still sagging below the IPO price of $12.50 per share, which was already at the low end of an …

    Financial News 8 Aug 2008, 18:17

  • Verizon faces 65,000 worker walkout

    Contract talks stalled

    Mega American telco Verizon Communications is just three days from a possible union strike that would see the company lose 65,000 employees - about a third of its workforce. As reported by The Associated Press, two unions tied to Verizon - the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical …

    Financial News 8 Aug 2008, 18:19

  • American ISP flashes phantom bandwidth cap

    With 5GB, you get termination - except that you don't

    Yet another American ISP is toying with the idea of a ridiculously low bandwidth cap. Last month, Frontier Online - a regional carrier serving 24 US states - quietly slipped new language into its terms of service that appeared to cap its roughly half a million broadband customers at a measly 5GB a month. That includes both …

    Telecoms 8 Aug 2008, 20:20

  • HP Labs ponders grabbing attention in the age of social computing

    Answer: FREE NEW HOT STEAMY SEX

    Beware social network denizens, you are being watched and your wallets measured. The vast sea of information available on the internet is no doubt useful, but is it fruitful? HP Labs is hard at work figuring how to harvest the collective intelligence of groups arising from "web 2.0" and turn it into a profit. Bernardo …

    Applications 8 Aug 2008, 21:24