Euro 2012: England is semi-final probability
Euro 2012 stats Stats-cruncher lifts nation's hopes
Ahead of the first ball being kicked at the Euro 2012 tournament, England is the third-ranked team and has a 68 per cent chance of getting out of the group stage according to the UK's top academic soccer statistician.
You read that right. With one of its best players unavailable for the first two matches, a manager who's had his …
Get out the bar, your plane's leaving
Airport meets RFID the 13th
The selfish sods who hold planes up by lingering in the bar or duty free can now be pinpointed, within 4m, by cheap RFID tags on airline boarding passes.
Samuel L Jackson locates late passengers with RFID Enough is enough! I'm gonna tag every motherfucking snake on this motherfucking plane!
What the airline does with the …
How much bandwidth will next gen airports need?
Help airports offload data - opt for an enhanced patdown
Our US readers contemplating flying cross country travel this week might be putting worries about the data and power impact of air travel to the back of their minds.
But if they do opt for that enhanced pat-down they might comfort themselves with the knowledge they are helping offload some of the bandwidth and power a modern …
Robot wars break out on poker sites
Poachers, gamekeepers and game theory
The world's two largest poker sites, PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker, are battling to keep poker bots off their sites.
In October, Full Tilt removed an unstated number of players, confiscated the funds in their accounts, and pledged to redistribute this money to players who'd lost to the bots. PokerStars took similar action with …
$8.9m poker prize up for grabs - humans only please
Why can't a bot play at this level?
The biggest deal in the poker calendar kicks off tomorrow, but only humans will be allowed to sit in on the final table of the World Series of Poker's main event.
This Las Vegas knock-out tournament whittled 7,319 entrants down to nine back in July, and after a four-month wait to build media interest in the mainly no-name …
World Cup Stats Prof: I was right all along
Holland had 88% probability of not winning World Cup
Spain's extra time goal against Holland in the World Cup final denied our resident stats expert victory in predicting the tournament winner. Or did it?
Before a ball had been kicked Dr Ian McHale, senior lecturer in statistics at Salford University, had modelled the teams' performances in the run-up and had Holland as favourites …
Hup Holland, viva España
Dr Stats' head says Holland, heart says Spain
Holland are favourites to win the World Cup according to The Reg's resident football stats expert Dr Ian McHale. But the football fan in him says Spain.
Dr McHale, senior lecturer in statistics at Salford University, had Holland as favourites and Spain a close second before the tournament started.
After the group stage Dr …
Cumbria massacre top cop also patrols cyberspace
Analysis Favours internet self-policing, 'sexy technical stuff'
The UK's top e-copper has been put under the microscope over his force's heavily criticised response to Derrick Bird's fatal shooting spree.
Deputy Chief Constable (DCC) Stuart Hyde was the public face of the Cumbrian Constabulary in the days following Bird's murderous Lake District rampage. His boss, Chief Constable Craig …
Billionaire's betting exchange backs Android
Apple's a bit uptight
Irish billionaire and betting man, Dermot Desmond, is looking to Google's Android to boost the fortunes of his core business, Betdaq, not least because it's impossible getting a gambling app in the iStore.
Betdaq is expecting mobile betting to fuel its expansion and reckons that though the iPhone has been useful to mobile take- …
It's boffins versus bookies on the World Cup Rankings
World Cup Stats Tear up your sweepstakes ticket now
After all the fun and upsets of the World Cup 2010 Group stage Holland are still favourites to win according to the Reg stats expert Dr Ian McHale of Salford University.
But a surprise addition to the top 3 is Uruguay – ranked 7th by the bookies, and not even in Dr McHale's rankings at the start of the tournament.
“I think they …
England beat Germany - what are the odds?
World Cup Stats It's a numbers game
Sunday afternoon England and Germany resume a rivalry that has spanned generations as they meet for the sixth time in major finals since 1970.
So what does Bettorlogic's look at England (Bettorlogic Rank 8) and Germany (ranked 5) tell us?
Despite never having lost in 90 minutes to the Germans in these past five meetings – W1-D4 …
Renew your firearms licence via your iPhone
There's an app for everything
Sussex Police plan to allow gun owners to renew their firearms licences using an iPhone app.
The app will be part of a suite allowing the public to access news, appeals and other services form their iPhone.
The technology push is intended to save £3m, freeing up valuable cop time, but means firearms applicants won't have to see …
Speed cameras slide out of LibCon budget
Annoying motorists is a luxury In These Troubled Times
Jeremy Clarkson can start pressing his itchy accelerator pedal back to the metal - the new LibCon Government isn't going to fund more speed cameras.
It's acknowledging the suspicion that the devices are being used as revenue generators, and is encouraging local councils to “use other methods and effective safety measures” to …
Watch bandit IDed by own mobe snap
Hi-res photo leads to palm match
A hi-res mobile phone image of a man handling stolen watches gave forensic coppers the evidence needed to get the villain sent down yesterday.
The quality of the image on Stephen Taylor's Sony Ericsson W995 was sufficient for a forensic image specialist to get an enhanced picture of Taylor's palm print.
The match was enough to …
Laser-toting robots take over UK hospital
They control your drugs now
A Scottish hospital will become the first in the UK to use robots to clean, deliver food and dispense drugs.
The Forth Valley Royal Hospital's fleet of bots will also be carrying clinical waste and cleaning operating theatres when the new £300m Stirlingshire hospital opens in August.
The robot squad will move around via their …
High-living hacker swaps Porsche for porridge
Youthful swine jailed for fraud
A 21-year-old hacker was banged up yesterday for frauds netting him a Porsche, £40,000 in cash and £30,000 in gold bullion.
Alistair Peckover is serving 20 months after pleading guilty to two counts of fraud, and admitting 50 other offences which were taken into consideration.
Peckover targeted online betting sites, and also …
Indonesia flips over internet rock star smut clips
Naughty vid precipitates deletion/restriction frenzy
An online celebrity sex video is giving Indonesia's authorities an opportunity to try and restrict internet use.
Two explicit web clips showing Jakarta rock star Ariel in action with two models/television presenters has upset yet proved strangely enticing to the population, which is mainly Muslim.
Several schools have been …
LibCons bin £2bn of late Labour projects
Leaves axe dangling above another £8.5bn worth
The coalition government has scrapped 12 projects worth £2bn pounds that were agreed during the final months of Labour's rule.
Twelve further projects, worth £8.5bn, have been suspended.
Stonehenge Visitor Centre got the axe, as did a number of projects with a likely IT component including Sheffield steelmaker Forgemasters (an …
Software freetards demand axing of ACTA
Anti-anti-counterfeiting clamour
Richard Stallman and the Free Software Foundation are calling for the rejection of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) unless key changes to “protect the public's freedom” are made.
The self-described software freedom activist and FSF president has made a lengthy posting on the FSF site alongside a petition for those …
World Cup: Holland to win, Spain to slump
World Cup Stats We know the score. Yes
Spain is chewing on the chorizo of defeat thanks to Switzerland's 1-0 victory yesterday, and history shows this result is a major setback.
In the last 40 years only one top 10 team has won a World Cup group after an opening game defeat. Only four have finished in the top two. The tournament favourites Spain now face a serious …
DHS slams US gov network security
Better info sharing to plug info holes?
The US government is bad at protecting its networks and has neither the authority or manpower to respond to threats in real time.
The US Computer Emergency Readiness Team, which is responsible for securing the government's systems, got a roasting yesterday in a report (pdf) published by the Department of Homeland Security's …
Alleged Biden threat spoofer drops plea deal
'Wi-Fi' framer will face charges
The tech-savvy man accused of emailing threats to US Vice President Joe Biden, spoofed from his neighbour's account, has upped the stakes of the legal ordeal he faces.
Alleged Minneapolis nuisance neighbour Barry Ardolf has ditched his deal to plead guilty and wants to go to trial. This will mean he's likely to face charges of …
Easy-peasy science GCSEs binned
You put the bunsen burner where?
Science GCSEs set to replace the pack of dumbed down current exams have been rejected for being too easy.
Exam regulator Ofqual has said the proposed GCSEs don't go far enough to addressing the “serious concerns” it has for science assessment. It says they are not demanding enough, especially for the brightest students.
The 36 …
AT&T iPad 'hacker' arrested for 'drugs possession'
iFans' emails and mobile numbers exposed
One of the hackers behind the AT&T iPad security breach has been arrested after police allegedly discovered cocaine, ecstasy and LSD during a search of his home.
Andrew Auernheimer, 24, who goes under the hacker handle “Weev”, was seized on Tuesday by Arkansas County Sheriffs following the execution of an FBI search warrant. …
Cops collar 178 over £17m credit card crimes
International sweep nets several scoundrels
Cops across Europe, the US and Australia have collared 178 people in an operation to smash an international fake credit card production network turning over more than £17m.
The investigation was centred in Spain where police discovered 120,000 stolen credit card numbers and 5,000 cloned cards, arrested 76 people and dismantled …
UK.gov outlines £95m IT savings plan
Closed shop, open standards?
Ahead of next week's emergency Budget, Francis Maude, head honcho of the Efficiency and Reform Group (ERG), has outlined plans to renegotiate government IT contracts to net £95m in planned savings.
Targets by project have not been set, but Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General Maude said: “Each project will need …
How to follow the World Cup from your desk
Internet awash with footy froth, oceans of cash
The world and its dog are beaming World Cup insight and inanities into the web sphere. Here are our picks for insight.
For fixtures, results, interviews, player information, statistics, ticketing info, venue info and more you'd be a fool not to go straight for Fifa's site and its Twitter feed. It's also got a decent amount of …
Deutsche Telekom duo not facing nosey charges
Insufficient evidence of peeking at board members, journos
The former chief exec and chairman of Deutsche Telekom will not face charges, after an investigation into spying on board members and journalists failed to find sufficient evidence against them.
The spying took place between 2005 and 2006, and in 2008 the German telco admitted phone records were monitored. But Klaus Zumwinkel, …
Hacker charged with threatening US VP using neighbour's PC
Frame-up alleged
A hacker tried to frame his neighbour by tapping into his Wi-Fi and sending threatening emails to US vice president Joe Biden, according to search warrant affidavits unsealed last week.
Computer expert Barry Ardolf, 45, is charged with using someone else's computer to send a threatening email to Biden. However, the affidavits …
Home Office passport fraud sweep flops
Security upgrade strike rate effing pathetic
The Home Office security upgrade scheme to catch passport fraudsters through face-to-face interviews has bagged just eight potential 'Jackals'.
The project, requiring first-time passport applicants to attend interviews with officials from the Identity and Passport Service (IPS), launched in 2007 and has resulted in no …
Queen gives IP boss a bath in Honours List
Letters after names all round
Science and technology got a respectable shout out in the Queens Birthday Honours List, amid the usual celebs, civil servants and lollipop ladies.
Top of the heap, for their contribution to the cultural fabric of Britain, are the MBEs for Dr Frank Duckworth and Dr Tony Lewis - the statisticians who invented the Duckworth-Lewis …
World Cup stats fever - have you got the balls to win?
How to model your way to a result
No host nation has ever lost the opening game of the World Cup.
Now combine that nugget with knowing that South Africa is the lowest-ranked football team, by some distance, to have ever hosted the competition – the squad is 83rd in FIFA's rankings.
What do you think is going to happen when they face up to Mexico (ranked 17th) …
World Cup stars by the numbers
Stats Who's a secret secret weapon?
Do you think it's obvious which payers and teams will have an impact in the World Cup kicking off today?
Perception can really cloud the truth about a situation, particularly in sport. Two seasons ago Chelsea fans would have said French international Florent Malouda got off to a slow start at the club, that he was a weak link …
Spooks scour gambling sites in terror finance probe
Money laundering with a poker face
The security services are running 23 ongoing investigations into the exploitation of gambling websites to finance terrorism.
The revelation shows the online gaming industry is still vulnerable, and a prime target for criminals and terrorists, even after being at the centre of the conviction of the man described as the "godfather …
Betting sites balance fraudster nab and customer loss
Tricky job? You bet
Online gambling sites are fighting ever-sharper fraudsters, forcing them to balance stricter anti-cheat measures against the risk of alienating some of their best customers.
Last week's Betting and Gaming 2010 Conference ran just days after it was revealed bookmakers Ladbrokes was investigating the loss of thousands of customer …
Police sitting on forensic backlog risk, says top e-cop
Triage tool coming to save the day
The UK's top e-cop believes the forensic backlog in seized IT kit poses a serious risk to ongoing criminal investigations.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Janet Williams, the national lead on e-crime for the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), also sees the situation as unfair to those having to wait ages to get their …
Olympic ticket scams already starting, says top e-cop
Beijing Games was proof of concept
Organised criminal gangs are snapping up domain names, ready to launch rip-off ticket sites for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Janet Williams, the national lead on e-crime for the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), said specialist officers are seeing precursor activity they believe is from …
Early tech goes under hammer in London
LEO II/3 says time to close your deal
The going rate for bits of hardware and paperwork from the first commercially sold computer has been set at £8,400.
This is what LEO II/3, the 1958 Lyons Electronic Office electronic programmable storage computer sold for at auction in London yesterday.
For comparison, a job lot of an Osborne 'suitcase' computer and a Commodore …
eMachines wins Dixons PC deal
Centerprise switch
Dixons has switched its main supplier of own-brand Advent PCs from Centerprise to eMachines because of the latter's record on quality.
Dixons' PC World chain has relaunched its Advent PCs this month with a new design and chassis. The range is aimed at confident second time buyers who are comfortable upgrading their machines and …
Dixons sues Time over ComputerWorld name
Trademark spat
The Dixons Stores Group has fired off solicitor's letters to the Time Group telling it not to rebrand its shops as the The ComputerWorld. This name is too close to that of Dixon's PC World chain and could cause confusion, DSG claims.
Time has already renamed its Burnley branch The ComputerWorld and intends to have 150 stores …
1m anti-piracy hi-fi nuking CDs hit Europe
Your Speakers are Toast
New Scientist later retracted its report
"that an anti-piracy technology, called Cactus, from Midbar Tech of Tel Aviv, could damage hi-fis and loudspeakers (New Scientist, 4 August 2001, p19). This is incorrect". You can read the correction in full here.
One million CDs have been released in Europe which are protected by the …
MemoWatch HP begs staff to PR Compaq deal
Wear the company underpants, sing the company song
Hewlett Packard is rounding up loyal staff to sing the company song and say the proposed merger with Compaq is a very good idea.
The middleware part of the business is really doing its bit. An email on behalf of Bob Bickel, general manager of HP Middleware, is doing the rounds soliciting positive testimony form long serving HP …
Gateway ships 25 millionth PC
UK sales didn't help it reach the milestone
Gateway is shipping its 25 millionth PC today, 16 years after the company started.
As is the way of such things, Gateway has selected a worthy customer to be the focus of the celebration for reaching this sales milestone. In this case its Quentin and Theresa Vasconcellos of Glendale, Arizona, who ordered the Gateway 500X PC …
Fujitsu takes 10 mins to process PC orders
Down from 2.5 days
Fujitsu has slashed its PC order processing time from two and a half days to ten minutes by using an e-commerce ordering system.
Taking longer than two days to process an order doesn't sound that speedy, but ten minutes sounds pretty swift. Dell says it processes orders the same day they are placed, then builds them within five …
Psion mulls Teklogix writedown
Trading statement
Psion is reviewing the value of its Teklogix business following a tough year for the division in the North American market.
In a trading statement today Psion said its results for 2001 could include a write down on the value of the Canadian maker of software and wireless-comms kit, bought last year for $360 million.
Psion …
Death of an expert IT witness
Computer forensics infighting
The Home Secretary's plans to recruit top-flight computer forensic experts to work on complex cases as part of reforms of the police service may suffer a hitch.
An acrimonious dispute has erupted between the UK's leading computer crime experts. On his web site, Jim Bates, MD of Computer Forensics and a long-time police expert, …
AOL pumps $200m into Gateway
Buys a lot of Netscape, AIM promotion
Gateway is getting a $200 million investment from AOL.
The deal, an update on a two year-old marketing and investment agreement, see Gateway get the final $200 million of $400 million AOL planned to invest in the business. It should go through later this month.
The ISP is buying $200 million of Gateway Series A convertible …
Online bank fraudsters jailed for eight years
Credit card application scam
A five-strong Net fraud gang has been sentenced to a total of just under eight and half years for a conspiring to defraud online banks.
The four men and one woman made bogus multiple credit card applications with Egg, Cahoot, Smile, Marbles, MBNA, and SonyCard.
The gang, hailing from Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire, were …
Alba's Net TV dog dies expensive death
Regular TVs are selling well
Alba's draining foray into Internet television cost it £17.9 million in charges to close the venture.
The company's Bush Internet portal was folded last week into ITV Digital and Alba has ended production of all Net TVs and set-top boxes.
The charge meant Alba reported losses of £12.3 million for the six months to 30 September …
ATI rubs hands over GameCube royalties
Core business doing OK
ATI Technologies has issued guidance for Q1 ended 30 November, and points to increased revenue over the previous quarter and improved profitability.
ATI president Dave Orton said he was pleased with the company's core graphics and video business, as well as the "earnings contribution that has resulted from the very successful …
