13th February 2012 Archive

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Mobile customers still sprout in Aus

Optus scores growth

Despite heated competition and with an ailing third competitor in Vodafone, Australia’s dominant mobile carriers continue to cram customers onto their networks. In Singapore Telecom’s regional results, Optus performed well on mobile acquisition with continued expansion. Total mobile customers grew by 182,000 to 9.41 million, …

Business 13 Feb 2012, 00:26
TDK ST-700 High Fidelity headphones

Geek Treat of the Week Cans do

These headphones from TDK owe something of their design to Beats' Solo cans. The black TDKs aren’t as stylish as the Solos but they exude class. Pick them up and it’s clear they’re solid and robust. Even the hinges which allow them to fold slide elegantly rather than snap. And I like the rubberised finish on the headband. …

Hardware 13 Feb 2012, 07:00
The God Box: Searching for the holy grail array

Latency killing super spinner

It's so near we can almost smell it: the Holy Grail storage array combining server data location, solid state hardware speed, memory access speed virtualisation, and the capacity, sharability and protection capabilities of networked arrays. It's NAND, DAS, SAN and NAS combined; the God storage box – conceivable but not yet built …

Storage 13 Feb 2012, 08:02
iPads seized from shelves by Chinese officials

China's G-men prowl stores after Apple loses Proview case

Officials have begun confiscating iPad devices from stores in China after a court ruled in December that Apple was guilty of infringing the trademark of Chinese monitor biz Proview. According to Hebei Youth Daily, officials from the Administrations of Industry and Commerce (AIC) raided a reseller in Shijiazhuang, clearing it …

The Channel 13 Feb 2012, 09:03
CSC confirms $1.5bn NHS IT write-off

Still in talks with gov ...

CSC has confirmed it is to write off almost $1.5bn as a result of its involvement in the National Programme for IT (NPfIT). In December 2011 the company, which had been contracted to supply electronic patient records systems to a number of NHS trusts, warned shareholders it may lose an amount equal to, or in excess of, its $1. …

Government 13 Feb 2012, 09:27
Ten... Valentine's Day gifts for him

Product round-up Surprise, surprise!

Valentine's Day is all about sharing, and while you can show your affection in many ways that won't cost a penny, it's also an opportunity to enhance your other half's lifestyle. Whether it's brightening up a dreary flat or indulging a passion, the choice is yours and so here are are ten treats that may tickle his fancy and …

Hardware 13 Feb 2012, 10:00
Boffins claim breakthrough in hovering robothopter experiments

Paper 'bugs' used subwoofer-powered wing flaps

Brainboxes in New York say they have made progress on one of the knottiest conundrums facing the technology of humankind today: that of constructing mechanical ornithopters able to fly – and specifically to hover – as well as insects can. This wouldn't be of use at the scale of today's manned aircraft: nobody's that interested …

Science 13 Feb 2012, 10:16
Cheap Ultrabooks? Not before 2013

Laptop maker moles offer gloomy forecast

Hoping for Ultrabook prices to plummet before you take the plunge? You may have to wait a while. These skinny laptops won't hit the $599-699 (£379-442) band until 2013, notebook manufacturers reckon. And this glum forecast is shared by component makers, DigiTimes says. They believe that while SSDs in particular are so pricey, …

Laptops 13 Feb 2012, 10:23
B&W updates designer speaker rig

Sphere and now

Speaker specialist B&W has updated its Mini Theatre line of home cinema audio sets for the well-heeled. The new line-up comprises the M-1 satellite speakers and two sub-woofers: the ASW608 and the ball-shaped PV1D. These elements cost, respectively, £150, £349 and £1200 each, but you can choose bundles too. The MT-50 pack …

Hardware 13 Feb 2012, 10:37
Cable thieves wreak havoc for cops, BT punters

Biz customers in Hertfordshire hit by outage

BT customers in Hertfordshire suffered lengthy outages late last week, after the national telco's underground cabling in that area was apparently targeted by thieves. One El Reg reader, who uses BT's business broadband, complained about the company's "incoherent response" to requests for an explanation about the downtime. " …

Small Biz 13 Feb 2012, 10:39
Fondle my slab, baby: Inside the tactile world of Apple-fan iDating

'There are more boys than girls, but it's not a problem'

Even in the hearts of Apple fanbois, there's room to love another human being as well as machinery. But it's better if the human receiving that love also has an iPad, say those who are presumably experts in the matter. Working on the basis that Apple fanbois/girls will be happier if they date other lovers of fruitchomp-branded …

Bootnotes 13 Feb 2012, 11:02
Fondle my slab, baby: Inside the tactile world of Apple-fan iDating

'There are more boys than girls, but it's not a problem'

Even in the hearts of Apple fanboys, there's room to love another human being as well as machinery. But it's better if the human receiving that love also has an iPad, say those who are presumably experts in the matter. Working on the basis that Apple fanbois/girls will be happier if they date other lovers of fruitchomp- …

Phones 13 Feb 2012, 11:03
Sun hacks cuffed after being DOBBED IN by News Corp

MoD staffer, a copper, armed forces member held too

Scotland Yard released five Sun journalists on bail at the weekend after they arrested the hacks on suspicion of corruption and aiding and abetting misconduct in a public office. The latest round of arrests at Rupert Murdoch's flagship tabloid brings the total number of people cuffed at that newspaper to nine. The Met also …

Media 13 Feb 2012, 11:17
Apple TV stock shortage sparks new gadget rumour fever

Rumoured supply cuts may signal a launch

Apple is throttling back its supply of Apple TV boxes, says 9to5Mac, suggesting that Apple is discontinuing the old product line in advance of a big launch. The launch, we assume, is Apple's hyped refreshed TV device. 9to5's source is a Best Buy employee who reckons his store is out of stock of Apple TVs for the first time in …

Media 13 Feb 2012, 11:32
Google locks Wallets – no new customers for now

Speed bump on the road to wireless payments

Google has suspended the provisioning of pre-paid cards into its electronic wallet, preventing the use of stolen cards but equally preventing new customers from signing up. Two recent attacks have been made on Google's Wallet, which protects cards used to authorise NFC transactions made by bonking a phone into a payment point …

Security 13 Feb 2012, 11:46
Microsoft India web store 'hacked by Chinese group'

Evil Shadow Team pounces, claims it uncovered passwords

Microsoft appears to have had its Indian web store broken into and user login credentials stolen by Chinese hackers. Tech site WP Sauce reported on Sunday that the group, which goes by the name Evil Shadow Team, managed to deface the web site, posting an image of a V for Vendetta mask and the message: “Unsafe system will be …

Security 13 Feb 2012, 12:03
Freeview HD sales surge

Quarter of sales in Q4 2011

Freeview today posted the following stats. Make of them what you will. • 1.3m Freeview HD-equipped TVs and set-top boxes sold in Q4 2011. • 4.4m Freeview HD-equipped TVs and set-top boxes have been sold to date - a quarter of them in the last quarter, according to the first figure. • Sales of Freeview HD-capable TVs doubled …

Hardware 13 Feb 2012, 12:16
Megastar personalities are intellectual property in draft law

Protecting the vacuous: Daft or ironic - you decide

The Guernsey Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has opened a public consultation on draft laws that would for the first time anywhere in the world allow celebrities to register their personality rights as a form of intellectual property. A sports law expert said the chance for enhanced legal certainty over their image and …

Law 13 Feb 2012, 12:23
ESA's first Vega rocket blasts off without a hitch

Europe's small-load launcher joins the big boys

Europe's first Vega launcher blasted off in South America today in a successful qualification flight that signals the rocket is ready for use. Vega lifted off at 10am from a new launch pad at the European Space Agency's site in Kourou, French Guiana. The "flawless" flight means the Vega will join ESA's Ariane 5 and Soyuz …

Science 13 Feb 2012, 12:31
Apple demands US ban on Samsung's Galaxy Nexus

Opens up new front in the patent wars

Apple is seeking a US ban on Samsung's Galaxy Nexus, the flagship phone for the newest iteration of Google's Android smartphone OS, in the latest battle of the ongoing patent wars. The fruity firm filed in California, saying that "a preliminary injunction regarding Samsung's new Galaxy Nexus, which infringes multiple key Apple …

Business 13 Feb 2012, 12:51
NASA plans manned Deep Space Moon outpost

Agency investigates way station for astronauts

NASA is looking at the possibility of parking a manned outpost beside the Moon as a way station for astronauts on their way to deep space missions. The way station probably won't look anything like this. According to a memo from William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for human exploration and operations, cited …

Science 13 Feb 2012, 13:01
Car crash model cushioned by 38KKK Bulgarian airbags

'I think my breasts saved my life'

A top-heavy model who wrapped her car round a tree is convinced her preposterous 38KKK Bulgarian airbags saved her from an appointment with the great cosmetic surgery clinic in the sky. Sheyla Hershey, 32, pranged her Ford Mustang near Houston, Texas, following a Super Bowl bash. She explained: "I think my breasts saved my …

Bootnotes 13 Feb 2012, 13:19
Muscle pants give girls that skin-stripped look

Bad to the bone

Looking for a little something for the lady in your life ahead of V Day tomorrow? If she takes sci-tech in her stride - and as the SO of an El Reg reader, we'd hope she does - how about a pair of these anatomically oriented geeky strides? Run up by Aussie outfit Black Milk, this pair of muscle leggings show exactly what's …

Hardware 13 Feb 2012, 13:24
Pakistan blocks 13,000 grumble flick sites

Ban system pledged after 'obscene' smut complaints soar

The Pakistani government has ramped up its web censorship regime, blocking access to 13,000 sites it deems “obscene” and hatching plans to filter content in a more systematic way in future. Parliamentary secretary for IT, Nawab Liaqat Ali Khan, told the country’s National Assembly that the site-blocking came after growing …

Mobile 13 Feb 2012, 13:39
Samsung shows third-gen Galaxy Tab

Ice Cream Sandwich tablet incoming

Samsung has outed the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0), its parenthesis packing new tablet fresh for Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. As the number in brackets will have told you, the first Tab 2 - presumably there's a Tab 2 (10.1) on the way - has a 7in screen, this one with a 1024 x 600 resolution. The 194 x 122 x 11mm tablet also packs …

Tablets 13 Feb 2012, 13:44
NexGen boss: If solid hardness isn't stuck into PCIe - forget it

Disk-flash storage mix biz chief argues his corner

Using flash memory, deduplication and predictable performance the iSCSI array has been reinvented by the founders of LeftHand Networks in the shape of NexGen Storage's n5. LeftHand Networks was acquired by HP and is now the HP P4000 line. It competes with Dell's EqualLogic iSCSI arrays, and NexGen is squaring up to both of …

The Channel 13 Feb 2012, 14:02
Asus Transformer Prime tablet reboot fix fails to show

It is coming, insists company

Asus has apologised for the Eee Pad Transformer Prime tablet firmware update no-show and pledge to get the code out soon. The patch, intended to fix the Prime's random reboot bug, was due to have been posted last week. On Friday, Asus said the the code was "rolling out". But the update did not materialise - due to "a couple …

Tablets 13 Feb 2012, 14:08
Anonymous reverse ferrets on CIA.gov takedown

'We ~~blacked out website~~ merely reported the outage'

Loosely connected hacking collective Anonymous claimed responsibility for making the CIA's website inaccessible on Friday - but later said it was just reporting the event. The apparent distributed denial of service attack against the spy agency's web presence follows a week after the release of a recording of a conference call …

Security 13 Feb 2012, 14:16
The to-do list to make private cloud work

Broadcast Unified infrastructure management

Change is the hardest thing that IT has to do, but it's a fact of life. How you deal with fundamental change can have a massive impact on the overall performance of the business, on user satisfaction and on how IT is valued. This is particularly true when there are a whole bunch of complex systems in place. You've just got them …

Cloud 13 Feb 2012, 14:32
HP boss Whitman urged to get touchy-feely with resellers

As Michael Dell whispers sweet nothings to big biz

HP CEO Meg Whitman, who will step out in front of a VIP audience at the invitation-only global partner knees-up in Las Vegas this week for the first since taking over at the vendor, should take a leaf out of Michael Dell's channel management notes. That's according to a bunch of resellers sitting at HP's top table - those …

The Channel 13 Feb 2012, 14:41
TicketWeb coughs to email database hack

Punters get phishy mails sniffing for credit card info

Customers of UK ticketing agency TicketWeb, a subsidiary of TicketMaster, received phishing emails from the company over the weekend after its direct email marketing system was hacked. Users received an email that told them their current version of Adobe Acrobat Reader was out of date, and asked them to upgrade to the 2012 …

Security 13 Feb 2012, 15:02
Windows 8 on ARM: Microsoft bets on Office 15 and IE10

WOA: hardware saviour to software challenges?

Steve Ballmer wasn't kidding when he said Windows 8 could be Microsoft's "riskiest product bet." With two-and-a-half weeks to go until Microsoft delivers the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, time has run out on holding back and Microsoft is now telling Windows devs just what they're in for with the next version of its PC client. …

Windows 8 13 Feb 2012, 15:18
Apple's secret outsource: 'Even more software to be made in India'

Is Cupertino getting internal software from Bangalore?

A visit by Apple's CIO to India in January has resulted in some hefty software deals for two Bangalore-based firms, according to The Times of India. Apple's top internal software guy, Niall O'Connor, met with executives from India-based Infosys and Wipro on a visit to Bangalore from 29 to 31 January – and apparently some juicy …

Developer 13 Feb 2012, 15:41
Kung-fu tweeting Carl Douglas wins El Reg prize - with expert timing

Beardie computer scientist was fast as lightning

Mr Carl Douglas - the computer scientist from Blighty's Lincoln, not the Kung-fu Fighting pop star - was fast as lightning to become @regvulture's 10,000th follower on Twitter. Winner: Carl Douglas As promised, he gets a mention in these pages after achieving such an ENORMO feat with expert timing. He now stands – or …

Bootnotes 13 Feb 2012, 16:01
PlayBooks lapped up from RIM by distributors

Update Q4 shipments up as discounts tweak interest

RIM UK PlayBook shipments took off in Q4 as price cuts finally convinced channel folk to up their orders. According to data from Context, the number of RIM fondleslabs sold to UK wholesalers, retailers, resellers and vendor stores during Q4 was up nearly threefold on a sequential basis to 32,000 units, taking market share to …

The Channel 13 Feb 2012, 16:35
Vodafone admits giving C&W the eye

Flashes wallet at prospective date

Vodafone has admitted eyeing up Cable & Wireless Worldwide, but says the relationship is still at the coy-glances stage with talks of a quick merger being premature. Responding to press speculation, Vodafone says it would be prepared to pay cash for Cable & Wireless, should the company prove attractive enough. Rules governing …

Broadband 13 Feb 2012, 17:09
NoSQL databases not just for the 'cool kids'

Relational DBMSes 'too rigid'

The companies peddling NoSQL databases, which are increasingly needed for web applications that have a scale that breaks relational databases, are drooling over the prospects of their products going mainstream this year. Back in December, Couchbase, one of the front-runners in the NoSQL race, did a poll asking companies what …

Developer 13 Feb 2012, 17:27
FCC turns auction upside down for $300m rural 3G broadband

Build it cheap, and they will come

A US regulator is proposing a reverse auction to attain national broadband, providing $300m to the company that claims to be able to do the most with the cash pot. "Auction 901" won't start until September 27, but the FCC has published an interactive map showing which areas of the US are still lacking wireless coverage so …

Mobile 13 Feb 2012, 18:04
Apple orders PC builder to 'choose sides' in laptop battle?

Build ASUS Zenbook or MacBook Air – not both

Apple reportedly put pressure on a Taiwanese manufacturer of its popular MacBook Air, asking them to choose between building that Cupertinian laptop or the ASUS Zenbook. According to a story in the Chinese-language Commercial Times (Google Translate), Apple has told the manufacturer, Pegatron, to "choose sides" – 選邊 – between …

The Channel 13 Feb 2012, 18:36
ScaleMP chases SGI customers with migration deal

vSMP 4.0 versus NUMAlink 5

The financial news out of Silicon Graphics last week - the company's profits falling even as revenues expand, and the contemplation of a reorganization in unprofitable European operations while looking for a new CEO – apparently has some customers looking for alternative shared-memory systems. Shai Fultheim, founder and CEO at …

HPC 13 Feb 2012, 18:40
Cisco resells Citrix, VMware virty desktop wares

Could just buy Citrix or Red Hat outright

Cisco Systems came late to the physical and virtual server rackets and that means it has to partner to get virtual server slices out there in the data center. And it thinks virtual desktop infrastructure, or what it now calls Virtual Experience Infrastructure or VXI for short, is the killer app for its "California" Unified …

The Channel 13 Feb 2012, 19:07
European Parliament prez slams ACTA 'in current form'

Politicians prevaricate as Europe protests

The recently elected president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, has criticized the current ACTA treaty, saying it provides little protection for the rights of individual users. "I don't find it good in its current form," Schultz said in an interview with Germany’s ARD television station on Sunday. The current treaty …

Government 13 Feb 2012, 19:36
Apple sends independent inspectors into Foxconn factories

Fair Labor Association

Apple has begun to send independent inspectors into its Chinese factories, a release today states. Apple's pledge to have its assembly line factories inspected by the independent Fair Labor Association (FLA) was part of its more rigorous Supplier Code of Conduct issued in January this year. It followed revelations about …

Hardware 13 Feb 2012, 20:03
Packer gets into cloud shopping

Takes stake in e-commerce start-up

Brisbane e-commerce and cloud-based logistics start-up Temando Shipping has received a cash injection from James Packer’s investment vehicle Ellerston Capital. Co-founder and managing director of Temando, Carl Hartmann, created the company to take advantage of the online shopping boom. With a digital media background at …

Cloud 13 Feb 2012, 21:15
Iranians get some services back

Censor’s dead hand still felt on Facebook, Twitter

Iranians have a little more Internet access than a few days ago, but access is still highly restricted. Last week, the country imposed a block on SSL-based VPNs which, it seems, is still in place. Barring SSL/TLS traffic stopped Iranians from using the well-known TOR Project to bypass state censorship of Internet sites. In …

Security 13 Feb 2012, 22:00
Apple tops Google in 'Reputation Quotient' survey

Tell Foxconn: Cupertino leads all US corps in 'Workplace Environment'

Apple may be facing brickbats for the working conditions at its Asian contract manufacturers, but a new survey puts Cook & Co. at the top of all US corporations in overall reputation, including perceived leadership in Workplace Environment. According to Harris Interactive's Reputation Quotient (RQ) Survey – which polled over …

Business 13 Feb 2012, 22:19
Aus start-ups get in the Silicon Valley house

Incubator for Aus entrepreneurs gets govt help

The NSW state government has put its weight behind a new Silicon Valley incubator targeting Australian startups that want to go global. StartUpHouse is a joint venture between Australian entrepreneurs Elias Bizannes and Bardia Houseman, and New Zealander Stephen Weir. It offers a 36,000 square foot (this is America, after all …

Business 13 Feb 2012, 22:30
CERN boffins to lift LHC beam power

Igor! More power!

CERN has announced that it’s going to boost the beam energy of the Large Hadron Collider by 0.5 TeV this year in a bid to pull more data out of the micro-universe before the machine takes a break at the end of the year. The CERN management says running the LHC at 4 TeV per beam will help it meet a data target of 15 inverse …

Science 13 Feb 2012, 23:00
Rackspace breaks billion buck barrier in 2011

Cloudy block storage, database, and firewall in the works

It took twelve years, but Rackspace Hosting has chalked up its first billion-dollar year – and it's hoping to get to $2bn in a lot less time, planning some new cloudy services to help make that happen. In the quarter ended in December, Rackspace brought in $283.3m in revenues, up 32 per cent year-on-year, with net income of …

Cloud 13 Feb 2012, 23:29
Broadcom boasts directional antennas for 802.11ac Wi-Fi

Coverage focusing part of new chippery

Broadcom has provided more details on the 802.11ac Wi-Fi chips it will bring to production in the second half of this year. The Broadcom chips, announced in January, are initially being aimed at the early adopters in the carrier and enterprise industry, and will be ready for volume production in the second half of the year, …

Data Networking 13 Feb 2012, 23:38