25th May 2009 Archive

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Microsoft arms half-wit developers with PHP handgun

Fail and You PHP is legal. But it shouldn't be

Terrible things are about to happen in Microsoft's web application hosting environment, Windows Azure. Redmond's Slugworth, desperate to keep up with Mountain View's Chocolate Factory, has introduced support for PHP on their web application platform. Microsoft's Windows Azure is a competitor to Google App Engine and is trying to …

Developer 25 May 2009, 05:39
Digital Universe adds sextillions to hit 487 billion gigs

Comment 30 billion iPod Touches. Loads, anyway...

IDC has under-predicted the growth in the amount of digital information, again, with millions of gigabytes of extra data created in 2008. The tech research firm claims business CIOs are having to make tough decisions, as huge information growth places ever-increasing demands on shrinking resources. John Gantz, IDC's chief …

Storage 25 May 2009, 06:02
Transparent techies gather in Oxford

Barcamping trip to the Dreaming Spires

The end of July will see a British BarCamp in Oxford to discuss transparency and openness in government, cyber activism, data and identity protection and the ethics of social media. The event will be held on Sunday 26 July somewhere in Oxford, although organisers are still looking for a venue and sponsorship. Organisers are …

Law 25 May 2009, 06:02
Scientists: Tasers work, but we don't know how

Humans make the best guinea pigs, after all

Despite the Taser being one of the most heavily researched less-lethal weapons in the world, its operational mechanism remains a mystery, a conference on non-lethal weapons was told. Explanations for the electro stun weapon's apparent ability to stiffen the whole of the human body without (usually) causing any physiological …

Biology 25 May 2009, 08:02
Sony Ericsson C905 Plus

Review Flagship photo phone functions facelift

Praised for combining quality optics with top-notch phone features, Sony Ericsson's 'C for camera' series has raised the bar again with the C905 Plus. It's basically an upgrade of the existing C905 8.1Mp Cyber-shot camphone with expanded memory, a grin gabbing Smile Shutter feature, plus extra applications including Youtube and …

reghardware 25 May 2009, 08:02
Who wants a giant poster of the history of Unix?

You'll need a bigger cubicle

This one is strictly for the hardcore fan - for the very first time, it says here, you have the chance to purchase a giant poster showing the history and development of Unix. That's right - this 40 foot poster includes over 1,000 versions of 150 different types of Unix. Backed with fractal art by Alan Tenant, the poster is …

Operating Systems 25 May 2009, 09:02
Phone apps help blind 'see'

Locate and identify things, landmarks, signs...

Two innovative mobile phone applications are in development that, it’s claimed, will help the blind and visually impaired more easily identify everyday objects and independently navigate. Can't see the video? Download Flash Player from Adobe.com SeeScan’s a text-to-speech app designed by US firm iVisit which uses a mobile …

reghardware 25 May 2009, 09:02
Pillar Data - Larry Ellison's other storage company

Analysis Life after Sun

Oracle buying Sun Microsystems has caused people to wonder about the future of Pillar Data, Larry's other storage company. Pillar Data is backed by Larry Ellison's personal investment vehicle, Tako Ventures, possibly to the tune of half a billion dollars. Founded in 2001 the Silicon Valley-based firm has developed the Axiom …

Storage 25 May 2009, 11:58
Inside USB 3.0

What makes SuperSpeed tick

NEC last week announced what it claims is the world's first host controller chip for USB 3.0 - aka SuperSpeed USB because of its 5Gb/s peak data-transfer rate. Since the Universal Serial Bus isn't a peer-to-peer system - unlike Firewire, for instance - NEC's chip isn't enough to allow manufacturers to offer USB 3.0 peripherals …

reghardware 25 May 2009, 12:02
iPhone apps - the 10 smartest and the 10 stupidest

One man's meat is another man's poison

The soon-to-be-released iPhone 3.0 software will offer a slew of new capabilities to iPhone developers. With that sea change in mind, we thought now would be a good time to take a look at the highs and lows of the current crop of apps for the iPhone and iPod touch. Not merely the best and worst, but rather two Reg-ratified Top …

Mobile 25 May 2009, 14:23
Super interconnect maker Quadrics going titsup

The InfiniBand blues

Last week, El Reg told you that one of the co-founders of British supercomputer switch interconnect maker Quadrics, Duncan Roweth, had taken a job at rival Cray. The situation at Quadrics is apparently more dire than that. The company is closing its doors. According to one anonymous source who contacted us in the wake of that …

HPC 25 May 2009, 15:05