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14th October 2010 Archive

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  • Microsoft confirms Russian pill-pusher attack on its network

    Is there a Linux admin in the house?

    Microsoft has confirmed that two devices on its corporate network were compromised to help a notorious gang of Russian criminals push Viagra, Human Growth Hormone, and other knockoff pharmaceuticals. The admission came in response to an article The Register published on Tuesday. It reported that two internet addresses belonging …

    Malware 14 Oct 00:28

  • Blade Network kicks RackSwitches up to 40 Gigabits

    Single ASIC pumps 1.28 terabits

    Blade Network Technologies kicked off the inevitable move toward 40 Gigabit Ethernet data-center networking on Thursday, rolling out the first 40 Gigabit switches aimed specifically at enterprises and their relatively flat networks. With the RackSwitch G8264, Blade Network throws down the gauntlet to its competitors, claiming …

    Data Networking 14 Oct 04:01

  • Behind the Kindle, under the iPad: an unholy alliance

    Frankfurt Book Fair E-book software and services vs. literature

    If some of the speakers at this year's Frankfurt Book Fair are to be believed, your life — or at least the part of it that involves snuggling up in bed with a good book and mug of hot cocoa — is about to be turned upside down. Sure, we've heard plenty on books going electronic, but the coverage mostly focuses on the devices — …

    Music and Media 14 Oct 06:00

  • Digital Stream DHR8203U Freeview HD DVR

    Review Going with the flow?

    Digital Stream is not a name that many people will be familiar with when it comes to PVRs – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing; few had heard of Topfield or Humax before their very successful Freeview models appeared in the UK. Fluid design? Digital Stream's DHR8203U The Digital Stream DHR8203U is about the same size as …

    reghardware 14 Oct 07:00

  • Opera Mobile for Android: Nearly there!

    Opera 11 set for Firefoxy extensions

    The Opera Mobile browser will be available in Google's Android Marketplace within the next month and the upcoming Opera 11 desktop browser will offer Firefox-like extensions. Opera chief development officer Christen Krogh showed the new Opera Mobile Android browser this morning at a company press event in Oslo. The Norwegian …

    Mobile 14 Oct 08:34

  • Apple regains top-three computer maker placing

    Back where it started

    Apple is once more among the top three personal computer makers in the US. Sales figures from market watcher IDC put the company's Q3 2010 share of the market at 10.6 per cent, up from the 8.9 per cent Apple took in the same period in 2009. Its share rose on a 24.1 per cent increase in unit shipments, from 1.61m to just under …

    reghardware 14 Oct 09:00

  • Ryanair wins ihateryanair.co.uk because of £322 ad revenue

    Critic must surrender domain name over trademark issues

    A website criticising airline Ryanair must surrender its domain name to the Irish carrier because it broke the policies governing the use of others' trademarks in .co.uk addresses by earning money from commercial links on the site. An appointed expert for Nominet, which is responsible for .uk domain names, has ruled that …

    Law 14 Oct 09:17

  • Former White House advisor wants cybercrime haven crackdown

    Harbouring hackers not cool

    A former White House security advisor has urged a crackdown on rogue states that serve as a "safe haven" for cybercrime, along with a fundamental rethink of internet architectures. Richard Clarke, who served as special advisor to the President George W Bush on cybersecurity, told delegates to the RSA Conference in London that …

    Enterprise Security 14 Oct 09:22

  • Paris Hilton flashes her Brazilian...

    ...virtual fashion range

    Brazilians who just can't get enough of "fashionista" Paris Hilton had better proceed directly to Orkut, where the world-leading celebutard has released a "line of inspired virtual goods". In return for hard cash, players of Vida nas Passarelas (Life on the Catwalk) can kit themselves out in the empress's new clothes, thanks …

    Bootnotes 14 Oct 09:25

  • Sony updates Nex camera firmware

    Better support for Alpha lenses

    Sony has posted a firmware update for its Nex compact cameras. The patch, available now from Sony's support site, gives the Nex-3 and Nex-5 the ability to automatically focus any one of 14 lenses designed for the company's Alpha digital SLRs and connected by the Nex cameras' E-mount to A-mount adaptor. The compact cameras …

    reghardware 14 Oct 09:28

  • Nokia takes C5, adds Wi-Fi, GPS

    Touchphone tweaked

    Nokia has rolled out a revision of its C5 budget touchscreen phone, this one with Wi-Fi, a digital compass and GPS, the Finnish phone giant said. The 3G-capable C5-03 also sports a 5Mp camera and a Micro SD slot for storage cards of up to 16GB in capacity. The display is a 3.2in job. It runs Symbian^1, the mobile phone OS …

    reghardware 14 Oct 09:47

  • 3 bigs self up as biggest 3G network

    For now at least

    3 is claiming to have the biggest 3G network, which if it is true won't stay true for long. Orange made the same claim for itself based on its population coverage, but advertised it a way that (as the Advertising Standards Authority decreed) could be misinterpreted to mean geographic coverage. 3's claim covers both angles, and …

    Mobile 14 Oct 10:00

  • Bonfire of the quangos begins

    Website falling over likes it's 1999

    The Coalition has released the full list of quasi-governmental organisations which are for the chop. The release of the full list was due at 9.30 but was delayed. The Cabinet Office website and the Central Office of Information were both either unavailable or working creakingly slowly due to interest in the announcement. In …

    Government 14 Oct 10:03

  • Nokia N900 to gain MeeGo dual-boot facility

    Try the future OS without losing smartphone functionality

    MeeGo developers are working to allow their open source operating system to be installed on the Nokia N900 alongside Meamo, the gadget's native - for now - OS. The N900 is currently available with Nokia's Maemo 5. Installing MeeGo 1.0 - the OS that combines Maemo with Intel's alternative Linux-based mobile OS, Moblin - …

    reghardware 14 Oct 10:07

  • High-speed asteroid pile-up prompts X-File

    Astronomers probe 'peculiar' object

    The Hubble Space Telescope has captured the aftermath of just what happens when two asteroids collide at 11,000 mph (17,702 km/h), prompting an explosion "as powerful as the detonation of a small atomic bomb". The result is a "peculiar" object - dubbed P/2010 A2 - which boasts a comet-like debris trail behind a mysterious X- …

    Space 14 Oct 10:30

  • AOL, News Corp, private equity firms all have hots for Yahoo!

    Report cites big interest in struggling web portal

    AOL, News Corp and a number of private equity outfits are reportedly circling Yahoo! in possible bids to buy the web portal. The Wall Street Journal cites “people familiar with the matter” who claimed that Silver Lake Partners and Blackstone Group LP are mulling a plan to help AOL purchase the Carol-Bartz-run firm. They are …

    Financial News 14 Oct 10:36

  • Archos users celebrate Android app access

    For as long as Google doesn‘t notice

    Users of Android-based tablets from Archos can now get the Google applications the rest of the Android community takes for granted, and seem blissfully unaware of the illegality of doing so. The apps include Gmail and Google Talk, though it‘s YouTube and the Android Marketplace client that most Archos users seem to want. They …

    Mobile 14 Oct 10:44

  • Germans develop sleepy-driver car 'warning' system

    Vorsprung durch disziplin- und ordnungstechnik!

    In Germany, apart from the well-known national passion for efficiency and order, a common trait among the citizenry is the desire for driving extremely fast along the autobahn. When bombing along the fast lane at 150mph (240km/h) in your BMW, even a split second's inattention can be fatal. And yet we are all human, and …

    Science 14 Oct 11:00

  • WD intros latest network hard drive

    MyBook Live in, MyBook World Edition out

    WD has added a fresh model to its line of network-connectable hard drives. The MyBook Live, like the current My Book World Edition - reviewed here - comes in 1TB and 2TB versions and hooks up to your router over a Gigabit Ethernet link. Networkable WD My Books: how the generations differ WD said the new model is capable of …

    reghardware 14 Oct 11:01

  • Cameron to spend £1bn+ on cyber security

    Operation 'active defence' is go

    David Cameron will next week allocate more than a billion pounds to a cross-government effort to bolster Britain's cyber security, Whitehall sources have told The Register. The funding will be announced by the Prime Minister as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review. The largest share of the three-year budget will …

    Government 14 Oct 11:05

  • Want to do a desktop refresh? How would you like to pay?

    Workshop The new models for acquisition, management and support

    Developments in both the worlds of PC technology and the global economic climate have conspired to slow down much of the “routine” desktop upgrade cycle that takes place periodically in most organisations. The combination of Windows Vista and the financial meltdown combined to push many refresh projects onto the back burner, …

    Desktop Management 14 Oct 11:16

  • When Dilbert came to Nokia

    Fascinating report shows how bureaucratic fear sealed company's fate in 2003

    You may have had your fill of Nokia analysis and features, but I'd like to draw your attention to one more - one that's very special. The Finnish daily Helsingin Sanomat has published a report based on 15 interviews with senior staff. It reads like the transcript to an Oscar-winning documentary where the narrative thread is held …

    Mobile 14 Oct 11:38

  • OOo's put the willies up Microsoft

    Fear of the other

    Microsoft is trying to convince customers who have fled the company’s Office software in favour of an open source alternative to return to the proprietary flock by publicly dissing its rival. But the rival in question, as you might expect, isn’t internet kingpin Google. Instead, Redmond has splashed out on an ad that warns …

    Applications 14 Oct 11:51

  • Ixos Divo 2.1 iPod dock and speakers

    Review Sound reinforcement for your PC or TV

    While all-in-one computers can often knock out an intelligible noise, laptops and oft-mute desktops will always benefit from some sonic support. PC-friendly 2.1 sound gear has been around for some time now, with plenty to choose from. Yet what really makes the Ixos Divo stand out is its impressive appearance. Indeed, Ixos doesn’ …

    reghardware 14 Oct 12:00

  • Tape backup could be binned soon

    Imation gets into bed with BDT

    Backing up to tape in an autoloader or small library could be heading for the graveyard if an Imation deal with BDT comes good. BDT is a white-box manufacturer of tape autoloaders and libraries, devices with up to four tape drives and 96 slots for cartridges. They are used in small and medium businesses (SMBs) to back up data …

    Storage 14 Oct 12:16

  • RIM gets another Indian reprieve

    Terrorists dash to their BlackBerrys for three-month free-for-all

    India won't ban BlackBerrys until next year, allowing RIM another three months to arrange lawful intercept, though the decision is not the good news it sounds. RIM's problem isn't time, it's the impossibility of providing a solution acceptable to politicians keen to be seen doing something, and enterprises reliant on RIM's …

    Mobile 14 Oct 12:18

  • Overland to cluster SnapServers

    Storage company snaps up Maxiscale assets

    Overland Storage aims to cluster its SnapServers together, using assets it is buying from Maxiscale. This means customers will soon be able to grow SnapServer storage seamlessly to 10PB-plus levels. MaxiScale, which emerged from stealth-mode in September 2009, took in some $25m of funding, using the cash to develop its FLEX …

    Storage 14 Oct 12:35

  • Manchester cops hit Twitter - spoof feeds fall down stairs

    Are there Twits on Mars?

    Greater Manchester Police decided to show the world just how tough it is policing England's third city by tweeting every report it receives for 24 hours. The results so far tell a story of stretched resources, organisational confusion, police communications hijacked by criminals and pranksters, and coppers ending up in jail - …

    Policing 14 Oct 12:46

  • Powermat debuts 'case-less' induction charging kit

    Wireless power

    Magnetic induction charging specialist Powermat has revamped its line up of wireless chargers, slimming down the adaptors that add power pick-ups to phones and other handheld gadgets. If you own a Nokia N97, or BlackBerry 9700, 8520, 9320 or 9330 you'll now be able to get an adaptor that leaves your handset barely thicker than …

    reghardware 14 Oct 13:08

  • Quango bonfire torches websites

    This site is unavailable - forever!

    The complete list of quangos to be quashed by the Coalition has been released and fortunately republished by the BBC and other media because the government's own sites have been still mostly unavailable today. The Central Office of Information website has been down for most of the day - it is one of the quangos which is still …

    Government 14 Oct 13:25

  • Facebook dismisses Ceglia lawsuit as 'scam'

    Firewood salesman's lawyers insist teen Zuckerberg gave him 50 per cent

    Facebook dismissed a lawsuit filed against the company’s boss Mark Zuckerberg by a man who claims he is entitled to 84 per cent of the social network, by saying the whole thing was a “scam”. New York firewood salesman and web designer Paul Ceglia threw a sueball at Zuckerberg in June. Ceglia had initially hired the Facebook …

    Law 14 Oct 13:29

  • Major US carriers sign up to sell Apple iPad

    AT&T, Verizon join Walmart, Target and Best Buy

    Apple's dramatic expansion of iPad sales outlets in the US continued today with the announcement both Verizon and AT&T stores will stock the "magical" device. The news follows the appearance of the tablet - now known to be the fastest selling consumer electronics gadget of all time - at major US retail chains Walmart and …

    reghardware 14 Oct 13:45

  • QPad Heaton XL gaming mousepad

    Txt Take Pad plus

    Product reviews in 140 characters... QPad Heaton Pictures Want our Txt Take on your gadget or accessory? Just send it in to Reg Hardware. Details here. ®

    reghardware 14 Oct 14:00

  • 'Squeeze green oil from North Sea by squirting CO2 in' - prof

    Analysis But who'd pay for the salty Perrier? Er, you would

    A top boffin working for major energy companies says that Blighty could enjoy a second North Sea oil bonanza - by squirting surplus CO2 from factory chimneys down into exhausted fields, so forcing more oil up the wells. In a study funded by European energy megacorp DONG and industry geoscience consultants Ikon Science, …

    Environment 14 Oct 14:03

  • Florida cops tase naked jogger

    'Superpowers' didn't include insulation

    Florida police tased a 18-year-old this week after spotting him going for a jog wearing nothing but a pair of swimming goggles. West Melbourne Police officer Ken Sells spotted Zak Anthony King out for what appeared to be an early Monday morning constitutional. However, Sells quickly realised King was stark naked, save for a …

    Bootnotes 14 Oct 14:04

  • Tablets? Pah! Netbooks still selling well, says analyst...

    ...while quietly cutting its netbook sales forecast

    Rumours of the death of netbook are greatly exaggerated, it has been claimed by one market watcher after it calculates that netbooks will have outsold the iPad and other such tablets almost 4:1 by the end of 2010. Some 43m netbooks will have been shipped by the time the year is up, but only 11m tablets, ABI Research said today …

    reghardware 14 Oct 14:35

  • Handheld porn market growing fast

    Pocket-based tug-market beats off downturn

    Apple might not like it, but smutty services for mobile phones and other devices are still growing strongly. The market for handheld filth is expected to be worth $2.8bn by 2015, up from $1.7bn in 2009. Video chat and subscription-based services will drive most of the growth, according to Juniper Research. Video chat …

    Mobile 14 Oct 14:57

  • LightSquared courts disaster with rapid response team

    Has new customers too, but won't say who

    American wannabe network operator LightSquared has created a rapid response team, poised to provide satellite communications, and put the company's technology in front of TV cameras, at a moment's notice. The Emergency Rapid Response Communications Team (ERRT) is basically a box of satellite-capable phones which can be rushed …

    Mobile 14 Oct 15:19

  • Robot goes berserk in Balkan lab: 6 boffins given dead arms

    Vending-machine repair unit's violent rampage

    The location: Deep in remote East-central Europe, the very stamping grounds of Igor and Dr Frankenstein. The scene: A laboratory, where dedicated scientists are toiling to create powerful artificial servants for the betterment of humanity - admittedly, using methods that their professional colleagues might deem questionable. …

    Science 14 Oct 16:05

  • Opera: Can someone free Korea from IE?

    Land of the living ActiveX

    Opera is quite pleased with the state of the European browser market, now that the EU has ordered Microsoft to give users a fair choice on Windows. But it still bemoans Internet Explorer's ongoing stranglehold in other parts of the world, most notably Korea. According to Opera chief technology officer Håkon Wium Lie, the …

    Applications 14 Oct 16:23

  • Facebook leaked users' real names with advertisers, suit says

    Tell-tale referrer headers violated privacy policy

    Two California men have filed a federal lawsuit accusing Facebook of sharing their real names and other sensitive information with advertisers in violation of the social network's own privacy policy. The personally identifiable information was relayed in referrer headers that were sent over three months to advertisers when …

    ID 14 Oct 18:29

  • Mozilla names SAP's mobility man as CEO

    Not an Apotheker

    SAP is turning into an unexpected mine of talent for Silicon Valley employers if Mozilla's latest hire is to be believed. Weeks after HP picked former SAP chief Léo Apotheker as its replacement for Mark Hurd, Mozilla has named SAP's vice president of mobile Gary Kovacs as its CEO. Kovacs will start work on November 8, and is …

    Applications 14 Oct 18:38

  • IBM floats new CloudBurst stacks

    Fluffy and virty x64 blades and Power7 racks

    IBM has revamped its existing x64-based CloudBurst appliances as well as rolling out an alternative stack based on its own Power7-based systems. Apparently Big Blue doesn't want to be an also-ran in the race to sell preconfigured cloudy infrastructure to companies setting up virtualized private clouds. IBM is also selling the …

    Servers 14 Oct 19:11

  • Larry Ellison to buy EMC?

    Rumeur du merde

    Whimsical Wall Street analysts, eager investment bankers, and maybe a few pump-and-dumpers are presumably behind the chatter that Larry Ellison, who is synonymous with software powerhouse and server wannabe Oracle, is interested in buying disk-array giant and VMware owner EMC. That's a good one, right? Almost as good as …

    Business 14 Oct 20:45

  • Google money machine tops self by 32%

    Mobile ads on pace for $1bn year

    The Google money machine continued to crank out the dollars in third quarter, as revenues leapt 23 per cent from the same period last year. Revenues reached $7.29bn for the quarter, and though a majority of these dollars still come from the company's bread-and-butter search ads, Google played up its revenues from other sources …

    Financial News 14 Oct 22:44

  • Microsoft polishes Office Docs for Facebookers

    Ozzie deigns to blog

    In love with Facebook and in fear of OpenOffice, Microsoft has updated its collaboration service for 500 million users on Mark Zuckerberg's social network. Docs.com has been updated for the second time in two months, adding support for PDF files, full-text search, social document ranking, user-generated templates, and bulk …

    Applications 14 Oct 23:54

  • Cheers for AMD's shrinking losses

    Or are they for Fusion?

    Wall Street moneymen pumped AMD's stock up by as much as seven per cent after the chip maker announced lower year-on-year losses Thursday, a gain that settled back to about four per cent after the initial buzz mellowed. In its third fiscal quarter, AMD announced on Thursday, the company took in $1.62bn for a net loss of $118m …

    Financial News 14 Oct 23:55