Tech Digest

Keuco visiPad for the Bathroom

Continuing the alarming trend of putting a telly and a computer everywhere we might conceivably find some peace and quiet, Keuco has prototyped the Keuco visiPad Mediastation multimedia system, a water-resistant touchscreen that lets you watch television, use the internet, send text messages, talk on the phone, and generally be available to the world at large whether or not what you really crave is just a little privacy. Also available with mirrored glass, and in screen sizes from 10" to 46". Price TBA, but what price being able to just have a nice unhooked shower (or other less savoury bodily function that it's generally nice to be let be during). [GT]

Keuco | Keuco visiPad Mediastation multimedia system [via Trendir]

Related stories: H&B's 20 Gig touch screen jukebox | LG's Side by Side TV refrigerator

Scotland Yard warn of massive hacker attack on UK

Scotland Yard have today issued an urgent warning that the UK is under a huge, sustained attack from hackers. They say that thousands of PCs in homes have been targeted by US-based computers in a bid to steal personal information.

Officers have so far identified 2300 computers infected by the virus that they're publicly calling calling a 'backdoor'. They're saying that unprotected PCs on the Net are being bombarded by unauthorised access attempts up to 50 times an hour.

It's quite unusual for the police to get involved, though quite what they're going to do on their own I'm not sure. It needs greater effort from the ISPs to block these kind of attempts at source, as well as consumers being educated as to how to keep their PCs safe online.

These attacks have been increasing since July, and though news of virus attacks is far from uncommon these days, the scale of bombardment is staggering.

(Via This Is Money)

Naughty, rude programmers: Bad words found in code thanks to Google

The Register has been doing the modern-day equivalent of the schoolboy looking up rude words in the new dictionary, by using Google Code to search for programmers using less than tasteful language in their code comments.

For the sake of decency, I'll use judicious quantities of asterisks from now on, but you can read the examples in all their glory over at The Register - or search for yourself.

First up is Apple (allegedly) who's code included a comment "// Register the f***ing window class."

Next came some JavaScript written by someone who obviously hates Internet Explorer (like that narrows it down): "// f***ing IE"

Sun decided that they knew the user a little too well: "/* The user is a w***er */"

And finally, some poor programmer who seems to have had enough of the whole thing. Never mind... "// I really give up on this b****cks, I really do. MAME says do this. <sigh>"

Ahhh, poor guy.

One of the less useful, but far funnier, uses of Google Code search. Now go forth and, err, find your own. Not at work, though.

Read (probably NSFW)

Vista will ship in Europe on time despite EU's anti-trust concerns

Amidst ongoing fears by the EU that Microsoft is going to bundle anti-competitive software into Vista such as a search engine and PDF generator, it seems as if Microsoft's next OS will ship in Europe at the same time as everywhere else.

The commissioner of the EU's top antitrust authority, Neelie Kroes, was in discussion with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer last night, and said that she understood Microsoft would ship Vista 'globally' next year.

It's up to Microsoft to ensure that its software complies with EU laws, and Kroes said: "He [Ballmer] was aware that he shouldn't ask me if I could give a green light to it and rightly so,"

I suppose when you have 90%+ of the computer OS market, you'll be scrutinised much more closely. After all, Apple's Mac OS X has its own features built in (Google search bar in Safari as default, a PDF generator) but nothing ever seems to have been said about that - but then single-digit percentage shares of the world's computers is less of a problem, I guess.

Presumably security software firms such as McAfee and Symantec will also continue to keep an eye on what goes into Vista, and with what restrictions.

It's OK for advanced PC users - they'll just install what they want regardless of what software Microsoft puts in place as default. It's more novice users that may end up getting stuck with the MS bundle because they don't know what alternatives exist, or how to get them.

The anti-trust fun continues.

Friday Fun: Typewriter keyboard meets laptop meets dodgy Google Japanese-English translation

It's Friday. It's Friday 13th, in fact, and so I feel it's quite appropriate that the web page I've just found (courtesy of Digg) is just one of those that makes you wonder "what the hell?" (or words to that effect). Laugh. Cry. You decide.

I thought I'd share with you the joys of a bizarre technological concoction, twinned with the less-than-perfect Google translation from Japanese into English. Yes, it's banal. Stick with me...

Firstly, the page seems to be describing how someone with way too much time on their hands married an old typewriter keyboard with an LCD screen and various ports (USB and so on). Apparently it actually works. Boing Boing had a go at describing it, and the original page is here, but by far the most fun is by reading Google's translation, which includes such gems as:

"We would like to flaunt any which after all, were made in the person."

"Mack changing atmosphere, it attacks coolly. Rather than with saying, after the Mack producing the feeling which was shaken in the girl, appeared in style. But by your method of designing such time favorite what."

"Around the keyboard, the space bar is the wood product."

"The latest foppery equipment."

"Because key- in chattering treatment the [tsu] [chi] [ya] [u], it tried inserting the circuit of delay."

"Control ball. But another what from this the device and the Morse keyboard of the dream which can be input with the one key in the midst of development. The uncle who cannot use the keyboard well it is, whether properly even, correspondence (perhaps)"

I'll leave you to find the rest. Enjoy.

Better productivity excuse for more tech bling? Bigger displays help you work better say Apple

New research sponsored by Apple (you know, they make those massive cinema displays) has concluded that workers are more productive when using 30 inch monitors than 17 or 19 inch ones, and so presumably employers should rush out and order a load of large displays so that people can do tasks more quickly.

Apparently, workers can be up to 65% more efficient just because they're using a bigger display, according to Paris-based Pfeiffer Consulting. Benchmark tests included copying Excel spreadsheet cells and copying and pasting images. Comparisons were made between a 30 inch Apple display at a native resolution of 2560x1600 compared to a 17 inch Samsung monitor running at 1280x1024.

Other people disagree, saying the productivity improvement is overrated, and that having two monitors side by side would lead to faster working patterns. And at the end of the day, you can't put down improved working simply to your computer, even if you use it for the majority of your job. Also, most general office workers are not going to be playing (sorry, working) with large Photoshop images all day.

Disagreeing experts say that productivity gains might only be around 5%.

I prefer having two monitors over one larger one, particularly as they're both widescreen. I still get a lot of screen real estate to work on. What's your ideal monitor setup?

Read

Microsoft prefer education to legislation in keeping kids safe from adult digital content

Microsoft is launching a campaign across the US, and possibly beyond, in a bid to educate parents about how to protect their children from digital content that they don't want them to see, such as violent and explicit games and certain online content.

For example, the Xbox 360, like the Xbox before it, contains a family settings feature which will allow restrictions to be put on what can be played, based upon information coded into the game. The system also extends to the Xbox Live service and Xbox Live Vision camera, so restrictions could also be placed on who children communicate with using the system.

Microsoft say that it is better to educate rather than to legislate to ban certain types of games, and is organising a 20 US city bus tour to provide education to parents.

Thing is, kids are still going to get hold of games that their parents probably wish they hadn't, and play them on unrestricted machines. And let's face it, kids are far more technologically aware than their parents - who's to say they won't just crack whatever restrictions are in place, or their parents won't know how to put the restriction on in the first place?

It's another move in the ongoing rumble about the how games affect children. On the one hand, some schools are adopting games as a form of education and say it improves children's interest, participation and learning. On the other hand are those that would quite happily see all violent games either completely banned, or severely restricted, because they may have a detrimental effect and cause all our kids to become axe murderers...

In fact it's probably been rumbling on since Pac Man came out.

Russia's QWERTY keyboard monument

Now this keyboard is neither practical nor usable, but it's still pretty cool. Someone with some stonemason's skills has created a Russian keyboard monument in the Russian city of Ekaterinburg.

That right arrow key looks a bit bashed in, though. Too much gaming?

Via EnglishRussia.com

Sony launches VAIO SZ3 series with HSDPA

Sony have announced that their new SZ3 VAIO notebook computer will feature high-speed mobile broadband technology in partnership with T-Mobile. Whilst the HSDPA service is only just beginning to take hold, the 3.6Mbps from T-Mobile is expected to be in widespread use early next year.

Sony say their SZ3 series notebooks are the ultimate business VAIOs, with users able to choose between extended battery life or the use of both inbuilt graphics cards. High-speed mobile broadband is courtesy of the ExpressCard hardware coupled with a T-Mobile SIM card.

It's designed to find the fastest service available, and switch automatically, whilst on the move.

Other features include integrated Motion Eye webcam, fingerprint recognition, TPM security and hard-drive drop protection. It features the Intel Core 2 Duo processors and 2GB of memory.

It sounds like a good system for those on the move that want the convenience of broadband without much additional equipment, but I'm wondering if users will get caught up with vendor tie-in, or whether other mobile operators can provide their own SIM cards for use with the system. It's based on standard technology so I don't see why not - it wouldn't be great to be tied in to one UK mobile operator - and what happens when you go abroad and want to use it?

Is this a good solution or is it better to get a separate HSDPA-enabled mobile phone to connect up to your notebook?

Sony
T-Mobile

Here's one we uploaded earlier: Yahoo create digital time capsule

In true Blue Peter style, Yahoo are creating a digital time capsule capturing stories, photos, videos, artwork and poetry, to be sealed and stored at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC and then reopened in 2020 - marking Yahoo's 25th anniversary.

Items can be submitted under categories such as love, anger, faith, hope, beauty, now, you, past, and sorrow.

Of course the Blue Peter time capsules suffered from real world elements, some of the contents ending up a little worse for wear after their time underground (who didn't seal the box properly, eh?)

This digital version shouldn't suffer in the same way, though in 2020 how much of the archive will still be readable? Maybe certain file formats will be so legacy by then they'll be hard or impossible to open?

We'll see. It's an interesting project. Yahoo are also donating $100,000 and asking visitors to vote on how it's distributed. Whether that's $100,000 now or in 2020 I'm not sure. Let's hope no viruses get buried in there.

Visitors have until 8th November to submit material.

Yahoo! Time Capsule

D-Link launches DNS-323 two-bay network storage unit

Another device to consider if you want to stream or access your files from a central point - this time from D-Link, which has launched the DNS-323 two-bay network storage unit.

The DNS-323 includes a fast Gigabit Ethernet connection, support for two internal 3.5-inch SATA hard drives, a built-in FTP server for accessing files through the net, a built-in UPnP audio visual (UPnP AV) media server for streaming digital content to compatible media players (without the need for a PC to be switched on) and RAID 1 technology for backing up and mirroring important files. In addition, there's a USB print server and an iTunes Server for easy media access.

It comes with software, including D-Link’s Easy Search Utility, for easy location on the network and back-up software for scheduled or real-time back-ups. Available now, you can pick one up for £162.54, excluding VAT.

D-Link website

Pinnacle launches new product range for TV on your PC

Pinnacle has three new products on the market for TV on your PC, along with the option of viewing two channels at the same time, recording shows and transferring files to your PSP or iPod.

With the Pinnacle PCTV DVB-T PCI, you can watch digital terrestrial TV or listen to radio on a desktop PC. The included Pinnacle TVCenter software offers PVR features, including TimeShifting, MPEG-1/2 and DivX recording, EPG (trial only) and FM and Internet radio.

The Pinnacle PCTV Hybrid Pro Stick is a USB 2.0 tuner for to watching  DVB-T and Analogue TV, along with the option to record. It comes with a mini remote control and rod antenna and includes an analogue A/V input that allows capturing from camcorders, VCRs, and Set top boxes. The Pinnacle PCTV Dual Hybrid Pro PCIe is a dual-tuner PCI Express card for Digital (DVB-T) and Analogue TV (antenna and cable). It comes with new ASD (Automatic Signal Detection) technology, which makes the setup extremely easy. All available cable and terrestrial TV and radio signals will be detected and all channels are scanned automatically. Again, there's  TimeShift and record of programmes.

Both Pinnacle PCTV Hybrid Pro Stick and PCTV Dual Hybrid Pro PCIe include Pinnacle MediaCenter software, which allows you to record directly in MPEG-2 and DivX formats, or record video files compatible with Sony PSP and Apple's iPod (MPEG-4). The Pinnacle PCTV DVB-T PCI will ship Mid October for £29.99, the Pinnacle PCTV Hybrid Pro Stick will ship Mid October with a price of £69.99, while the Pinnacle PCTV Dual Hybrid Pro PCIe is available now for £89.99

Find out more

Antec's Fusion PC enclosure for quiet, cool media centre PCs

With PCs becoming more powerful and finding their way into consumer electronics and entertainment, keeping it cool and quiet is a priority. After all, you don't want your movies and music to be drowned out by the fans on your PC.

Antec have come up with a solution if you're running a PC based on Micro ATX form factor motherboards (so they say - I'll take their word for it). The case features a triple chamber layout for separately housing the power supply, hard drives and motherboard. The motherboard chamber features dual three-speed adjustable 120mm TriCool fans. Silence is further obtained by using extra soft silicone grommets on the removable hard disc drive brackets to minimise vibrations.

Antec supply their own custom PSU featuring an 80mm fan and universal input with active Power Factor Correction. There's also four expansion slots and three drive bays (1 5.25" and 2 3.5" internals) so that adding extra storage and drives is easy.

Front connection options comprise of 2 USB 2.0 ports, Firewire, and audio connectors, plus a nice big volume control mounted on the aluminium front plate. There's a Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD) that lists basic info about volume, CD track, etc.

The other advantage of casing up your media PC in this way is that it starts to look more like part of your AV entertainment setup rather than a boring box. Unless you really like the design of your PC case, this is an elegant solution that not only should improve the reliability of your system, but integrates it too. It does look good. The case is extremely reliable and durable due to its 0.8mm cold rolled steel construction.

Of course it depends on you wanting to run your own media PC based on the layout this casing requires. Price will depend on the features chosen.

Antec UK

Masked Blogger: an Apple insider anonymously blogging?

How about an undercover Apple blogger as good bait for a future 'employee-sacks-blogger' story?

Take one uber-secretive company, the ongoing saga of the perils of blogging at or about work, and someone who claims to be working for Apple (and in the UK at that) and all the ingredients are there.

Whilst I wouldn't normally link to a blog that has only two entries, one of which perhaps focuses a little too much on Sainsbury's, this "Masked Blogger" has already created a bit of a buzz on the web.

Thieir opening post reads simply: My first ... and test post! Stay tuned for an explanation on the anonymity. It's a genuine attempt to join and advance the conversation ... to effect positive change without jeopardising my livelihood. More shortly ....."

Unfortunately the second post suggests that he (or she) may not be very good at anonymity as he/she might like to think. As far as I'm aware, Sainsbury's is only really a prevalent store in the UK - which begins to imply (as commenters have picked up already) that the blogger lives in the UK and works in retail.

How the story develops, whether this is a genuine Apple employee, and at what level, remains to be seen. At this stage, it could be a big publicity stunt (it's working) by, well, anyone, or it could be a junior at an Apple Store who may not get much inside information anyway. If it is genuine, this person would be advised to be very careful, if they value keeping their job. We've seen the wrath of Apple on other Apple spoilers.

What do you reckon? Hype? Foolish?

The Masked Blogger

Sweex launches new Media Center storage range

Dutch firm Sweex has added to its storage range with new Media Center models, many of which can be added to your wireless network.

There's five models in total, essentially hard drives with added features, but ideal if you want to store all your music or video in one place, away from your PC, but with access when you need it. The MM120 is the basic model that comes as a case for a hard drive. The MM124 is already complete, with a 40GB hard drive - connect to a display and you can access a menu and navigate the video, image, and audio files stored on them via remote. The MM130, MM131, and MM132 are all wireless-enabled, with a range of drives up to 250GB.

Each comes with a cradle, remote control, stereo/USB cables and power adaptor. Prices range from £80 to £153.

Sweex website

Google buys YouTube for $1.65bn

Is this one of the biggest paydays on history? Google has struck a deal to buy YouTube, just 18 months after the site hite the net, for a whopping $1.65bn.

According to Google: “The acquisition combines one of the largest and fastest growing online video entertainment communities with Google's expertise in organising information and creating new models for advertising on the Internet.” It has guaranteed to retain YouTube's “distinct brand identity”, whilst "providing a better, more comprehensive experience for users interested in uploading, watching and sharing videos."

The deal came the same day that YouTube signed major deals with media giants Universal Music Group, Sony BMG - a deal with Warner Music had alreay been agreed. Only EMI remains of the big four record companies - but a deal is expected at some point in the near future. The Sony BMG deal is for a per-click revenue share, the Universal deal is a "strategic partnership", initially paying for each video used on the site.

TV channels are also moving towards YouTube, with CBS agreeing to provide content, as well as being gatekeeper for user-uploaded CBS video - with discretion over whether a clip is allowed to stay on YouTube's servers. CBS will get a cut of advertising on pages it leaves online. If successful, the scheme could be extended to other broadcasters.

YouTube website

Via The Register

Oooms Wooden Memory Sticks

Intended to be a little more on the natural side than the typical weirdzoid USB drives, the Oooms Wooden USB Sticks are all uniquely constructed from random pieces of pretty looking wood. €45 for 256 megs, €60 for 512 megs, €70 for 1 gig. Although they have their aesthetic merits, isn't the point of a USB drive to be portable and convenient? These look like they'd puncture you if you stuck it in your back pocket. [GT]

Oooms Wooden USB Sticks [via Trend Hunter]

Related stories: Pinnacle PCTV USB Stick | Zaptag: the USB memory stick on a wristband that could save your life | JumpDrive Firefly - the USB drive gets smaller (again)

MUS2 super-oversized pointer mouse

Reportedly having learned from Apple's hockey puck mouse, the MUS2 Mouse is a strangely shaped peripheral that nonetheless is statedly engineered to not lead to carpal tunnel: designed ergonomically for smooth handling and is a pleasure to use. Aside from that, it has a range of 2m, a resolution of 800 dpi, a frame refresh speed of 2300 fps, and a pricetag of £49.95. [GT]

MUS2 Mouse

Related stories: Top 5 strangest mouse modifications | IOGear's new mouse: wireless, laser, antibacterial | The ScrollSeal washable mouse

UK net users more fearful of online crime than burglary, survey shows

A new Government survey suggests that more Britons are concerned about online crime than they are about burglary and other 'real world' crime. 21% felt most at risk from cybercrime, compared to 16% who worried about being burgled. Some were even put off from using the Internet altogether, so strong was their fear of attack. 18% said they would not shop online.

These fears aren't entirely unfounded given that the survey also revealed a worryiing lack of precautions being taken. 17% of people had no anti-virus software and 22% had no firewall. A further 23% said they had opened an e-mail attachment that came from an unknown source.

Tony Neate from Get Safe Online said "There are some problems out there but simple, easy precautions mean you can be really safe." He suggested people should treat their computers like their cars, looking after and maintaining them, and protecting them from thieves.

Over three-quarters of a million people have already visited the Government's Get Safe Online website to read tips on securing their PC.

Get Safe Online

What's the deal with budget Windows Vista?

I've just been reading that the budget / entry-level features of Windows XP Starter Edition will be transferred to Windows Vista. Now, I hadn't appreciated what a cut-down system XP SE was, and to be honest I just don't get it.

I have no problem with offering a simplified operating system for lower-spec PCs - after all a full-blown Vista is going to need a seriously beefy system - but I don't understand how some of the restrictions help novice users.

For example, what's the deal with limiting the number of applications open at one time to three? I could be mean about Windows reliability track record here, but I won't. How is that benefiting users?

And what about restricting other features like maximum screen resolution, home networking, user accounts, and such like? Why not release the full Vista version but have a simplified mode so that users can unlock features at a later date, rather than having a different restricted version?

I know these products are aimed at 'emerging markets' and those with less powerful systems - the new Vista will be available in 79 languages which is great - but it still feels somehow stingy. What do you think?

Huge multi-monitor office setups

I found this post via the Blog Herald over the weekend: Stefan Didak has one of the biggest multi-monitor computer systems I've seen, and he knows how to tidy his cables up properly too. I've only got two monitors, a laptop, and one or two desktop computers running here, and wires are not a favourite item.

In the comments Stefan says "It’s 8 systems (all but two are SMP/duals), two more not in the same room (too noisy), two laptops, 7 screens (five with dual input that is switchable), and the whole setup is hooked together via Synergy and MaxiVista in order to configure the screen realestate any way I need to. :-)"

It's a serious system. Do you have anything as impressive? I hope he switches everything off at night.

Stefan Didak's Home Office Desktop

Technology on standby significant contributor to global warming

Did you shut your PC down before you left work on Friday night? A recent PC Energy Report has shown that one in five white-collar workers left their work computer on overnight at least three times a week. That's around 2 million computers and wastes £100m worth of electricity. Even some computers on standby or 'hibernate' mode still use a significant proportion of electricity.

87% of employees had never been asked to shut down their PC at night, nor did they make use of energy saving software to cut power use.

According to the report, if everyone turned their computer off when not in use (generally overnight) it would contribute to 10% of the total energy savings were expected to make under the Government's climate change levy.

Reasons given by surveyed employees included that 'no-one else did it', that it wasn't important, they simply forgot, or that they were worried about losing their work.

I know shutting down a PC can be a pain, as can waiting for it to power up the next morning, but really it doesn't take much. Even shutting off the monitor rather than leaving it on standby or displaying a screensaver would be a start. If shutting down completely is too much hassle then at least hibernating the machine would save power.

Given that businesses are expected to save energy, and that they'd also save money, I'm surprised more don't ask employees to shut down their machines, or enforce it. Surely it's worth the extra 5 or 10 minutes it takes each day?

Other energy wasting culprits include TVs left on standby, and mobile phone chargers left plugged in once the phone is fully recharged.

It's an important issue that doesn't require huge amounts of effort to do something about. What do you think?

Hitachi recall modest number of Sony-made laptop batteries

Oh look, another battery recall (yeah I know, easy news). This time it's Hitachi, and they're recalling a relatively small 16,000 Sony-manufactured notebook batteries. Presumably the number is lower as Hitachi aren't such a prominent notebook PC manufacturer.

There's still a few manufacturers to go sow we might not have heard the last of this.

I ordered my Apple Powerbook replacement battery at the beginning of September and haven't received it yet (though it's still within the 6 week time period quoted on their website). I know some US customers got their batteries really quickly. I'm interested to know how long it's taken UK customers to get a replacement battery for their particular notebook, and if it's any better than your old one.

Leave a comment below if you've been affected by this.

Igor says enough of the stupid Web 2.0 names

As I've commented before, you're not a real Web 2.0 company if you haven't invented a non-English word to describe your web application, service or product.

The Times has published an interesting article which documents the trend from Web 1.0 trends - where you took two words and put them together (ideally a colour and an animal, vegetable or fruit) - to Web 2.0 where you string together some vowels and consonants a la Countdown style - preferably unpronounceable and unmemorable, particularly if you're over the age of 21 - and voila!, you have your new brand.

According to Steve Manning of San Francisco branding agency Igor (huh? a branding agency with an association with a hunchbacked assistant?) this is all a bad idea as the names have no real value and there's nothing to grab onto mentally. It's the next wave of banality, apparently.

I agreed in part, until I visited Igor International and saw some of the names they'd 'invented' for people: Zeno, MOJO, URGE, Shinola, Tickle, Whisper...

OK some of those are real words, but c'mon: Whisper for a brand and business strategy company? Why would you whisper your brand? Some names require that you have a knowledge of ancient Greek philosophers (maybe you do, I don't).

Maybe I'm being unnecessarily picky today but some of these names, whilst not being totally random, don't speak much of the companies' plan and purpose.

Well, anyway, the Times article leaves us with an amusing example of silly naming: "When Microsoft announced that it would be taking on the iPod with something called Zune, did its branding team realise that the word translated into French slang for genitalia and a Hebrew term meaning getting laid?"

(From The Times)

Western Digital My Book Pro Edition II 1TB drive

With so many devices offering to throw our digital tunes around the home, it's becoming more convenient to stick all your audio onto a hard drive for remote access. And then there's all the other files you might accumulate. If that's you, it might be worth looking at the Western Digital My Book Pro Edition II 1TB drive.

Yes, you read it right - one terabyte of storage. And as an added bonus, it looks good too, slightly like a book (but unlikely to fool anyone). It consists of two separate 500GB hard drives - that's enough space to store 125 hours of high-definition movie footage, nearly 1,500 DivX movies or 256,000 MP3 files. That's got to cover anyone's immediate needs. There's a guage to tell you how much you've used and connectivity via - USB 2.0, FireWire 400 and ultra-fast FireWire 800 - which offers a maximum transfer rate of 800Mbps.

It's not network attached, so you can't access if your computer is off, but still seems worth a look at around £400.

Find out more at the Western Digital website

Via Crave

Keith Waterhouse, the Daily Mail, Blogging, and the vast Googling tribe of nerds [Rant]

I don't usually give the Daily Mail the time of day, letalone the airwaves, but when I was tipped off about the following piece of tripe from the misinformed Luddite that is Keith Waterhouse, I had to respond. In rant style. Maybe Keith is actually being incredibly 'with it' and doing the "nerdy blog thing" that is linkbaiting - but I doubt it.

In his 'column' (which to all intents and purposes is a blog, given that it's a series of dated, opinionated, entries with invitation for comment) he makes some fairly outrageous statements about blogging, and Internet users in general. I know the Daily Mail excels at sweeping generalisations, but this is classic. In a bad way.

You can read it here (ooh look, I linked out to them, something they don't seem to do) - you'll need to scroll down the page - but here's my commentary on it.

Here's the first loony statement. Beware, there are many:

"Seasoned googlers, of whom there is already a vast tribe, are nerds, anoraks and braces-wearers of the worst sort who spend every working moment searching the infernal engine for other people's blogs."

OK let me pick this apart like the rabid blogger I so obviously am.

1. Seasoned googlers (careful Keith, you'll get into trouble with that infernal engine for using that term): That pretty much covers the majority of Internet users, most of whom are NOT bloggers.
2. Nerd: "somebody who pursues academic and intellectual interests, which may result in the expense of social skills such as: interpersonal communication, fashion, hygiene and physical fitness." I hate to do this to you, Keith, but I think you fit that description pretty well. It doesn't, however, describe the majority of Internet or Google users.
3. Anorak: Assuming you're using the colloquial term and not talking about the item of clothing - what's wrong with having an obsessive personality and highly niche knowledge: it worked for Bill Gates.
4. Braces-wearers: Again, clothing or for the teeth? Well there are many high-powered businessmen that wear braces to hold their trousers up. And many teenagers who wear braces on their teeth. What is your point?
5. of the worst sort: You mean there's a 'best sort'? You're losing me here Keith. Really, you are.
6. "spend every working moment searching the infernal engine for other people's blogs" Actually, Keith, if you'd bothered to do any research you'd know that Google isn't (yet) the best way to search for blogs. Blogsearch is OK but you should've had a dig at Technorati to be factually correct. Oh, hang on, sorry you work for the Daily Mail don't you? Point taken.

What is an infernal engine? One that is irritating and tiresome? Yep, that'll be why it has such huge market share and so many people use it. Stupid people, eh?

"They are descended from a generation of titterers, pranksters and spokespersons of the bleeding obvious who in a more primitive era used to fool around with the office photocopier, circulating allegedly humorous material ("In these days of equal rights, why is Manchester not known as Personchester") faxed or posted to them by fellow-nerds who in turn had painfully copied the stuff from a parish magazine."

Apart from the fact that a lot of this is drivel, interspersed with a phrase that was only funny when John Cleese said it, I'm not sure if we're talking about people who use Google (ie nearly everyone) or bloggers. Either way, it's offensive in so many ways.

"The world is now their oyster - or their lobster as they would say, stealing the joke without acknowledgment. They never acknowledge original authorship, believing as they do that googling has outmoded the law of copyright."

I'll ignore the crustacean humour?? As for acknowledgement... OK when the Daily Mail learns how to do it, then you can complain about it. Don't judge every blogger by your own standards - yes there are blogs that rip content just as there are people who pirate CDs or newspapers that steal from online sources because 'googling has outmoded the law of copyright'. Utter sloblock (I'm in Brit-humour mode now, and acknowledging it)

"Googlers and bloggers do not have an original thought between them. Their ruminations on tax reform, Europe, immigration, Iraq, security, education and the rest have already been googled ten times over by fellow bloggers copying their source material from some other blogger's googling diatribe to the local newspaper."

No, bloggers have an inordinate amount of original thoughts, which is why many mainstream media organisations take inspiration and content from them. Heck, the BBC do (and they acknowledge the source) and even have their own blogs.

The trouble with writing about something you don't fully understand, Keith, is that your sentences don't even make sense. "the rest have already been googled ten times over by fellow bloggers copying their source material from some other blogger's googling diatribe to the local newspaper" WHAT???

"Hopefully, they will google themselves out of steam, replacing their hobby with games of draughts or snakes and ladders."

Hobby? Oh, OK, that'll be why AOL bought out Weblogs Inc for around $25m. That'll be why b5media have just received $2m in venture capital? Blogs can be business - big business - and also highly influential. We are not all teenagers (mind you they get an underserved bad press too).

Maybe this is one of the dying cries of a MSM journo who hasn't moved with the times (even though the rest of the DM thankfully has).

Bloggers aren't (generally) claiming to be the ultimate authority on everything, but then neither should the mainstream media. There's a place for both expressions of news and opinion, much of which is not simply recycled Google News, and diatribe from the likes of Mr Waterhouse doesn't help anyone. Except Google perhaps :)

Let the visitor statistics prove which sources of online news and opinion are most valuable, Keith.

For a more measured and more DM friendly viewpoint, along the same lines, read Ashley's post.

PS: The picture was blatantly stolen from the Daily Mail site, and I added my own 'original' words based on an unholy mix of "A Christmas Carol" and "Keith Waterhouse: The Musical" (I might've made that last bit up)

General Dynamics launches GoBook XR-1 fully rugged notebook in Europe

Not sure where you use a notebook, but if it's in adverse conditions or somewhere where it might get a few knocks, it might be worth taking a look at the General Dynamics GoBook XR-1, which has just been launched in Europe.

The XR-1 is the first fully rugged notebook to carry the Intel Core-Duo 1.83 GHz processor - and it's also world’s smallest and lightest fully rugged wireless notebook at just 11.8" by 9.65" by 1.97". It also features a dedicated ATI M22-CSP/32 external graphics controller, a 40 or 80GB 5400 rpm SATA hard drive, a power management utility, and an integrated Ethernet 1GB LAN and an anti-reflective screen and glow-in-the-dark keys for better outdoor viewing.

As the name suggests, it's also very rugged, meeting military standards for drop/shock and vibration and also protected against water and dust. And for operating in sub-zero weather, it incorporates heaters for the hard drive and display. And for wireless connectivity, there's  WLAN, WWAN (GPRS/UMTS/HSDPA), Bluetooth and GPS. 

Obviously this doesn't come cheap - the base configuration retails for £2,547.

Find out more

Cool Feet to keep your laptop cool

  Some of the better ideas are often the most simple - like Cold Feet - a simple way to keep the your laptop cool.

The Cool Feet laptop stand is composed of four little feet to raise your laptop off the desk. Each set contains two tall feet and two short feet (and four re-usable circular suction cups). Whichever set you do use, they do the same job - allowing air to circulate beneath your laptop. And if your laptop is cool, it should work better.

Available in silver (with a red pouch to store them in), they're available now for £9.99.

Find out more

Vista anti-piracy "Access your computer with reduced functionality" Err, so what's new?

OK I'm probably going to get flamed for this by some Windows fanboys, but hey, I don't care. I needed a laugh today, so thank you Todd Bishop for providing it on your Microsoft Blog.

Apparently Microsoft will be getting extra tough on illegal / pirated copies of Windows Vista. All well and good. How is it going to achieve this? Todd quotes from a recent white paper:

By choosing "Access your computer with reduced functionality," the default Web browser will be started and the user will be presented with an option to purchase a new product key. There is no start menu, no desktop icons, and the desktop background is changed to black. The Web browser will fully function and Internet connectivity will not be blocked. After one hour, the system will log the user out without warning. It will not shut down the machine, and the user can log back in. Note: This is different from the Windows XP RFM experience, which limits screen resolution, colors, sounds and other features.

In other words, it'll be a bit like my work PC used to behave after trying to work for an hour. And yes, that was a genuine version of Windows. Oh, except the Internet sometimes didn't work.

I've experienced times where the Start menu has disappeared, where icons have either disappeared or become 'generic', and yes, I've even been logged out without warning.

So nice try Microsoft - you've just legitimised something 'by design' that your previous operating systems did from time to time anyway.

Todd says "In other words, the technology doesn't turn the computer off. However, for most practical purposes, it renders much of the operating system useless." No change there then!

Being Microsoft, genuine customers will experience regular 'phone home' privacy violations checks. Just so long software is marked correctly as valid or invalid, I suppose we'll get used to it.

Read

Apple iPhoto to introduce Google Maps geotagging?

Image geotagging is certainly one of the current buzzes: being able to pinpoint exactly where a photo was taken. Now Mactelchat forum user javester has been sniffing about in the iPhoto code (and why not?) and has found some interesting keys including one called 'GPSMapURL' that is preset to 'http://maps.google.com/maps?q=%f+%f'. In other words, there's some link - albeit not yet working - to Google Maps.

Google CEO Eric Schmidt was elected to Apple’s board of directors in August, so maybe this is the first sign of some decent Google/Apple partnerships. In the past it's taken Google quite some time, if at all, to port PC applications and widgets over to the Mac - maybe we'll now start to get our own unique or at least comparable applications.

(Via Gadgetell)

Fujitsu Lifebook batteries recalled

Surely this has to be one of the last manufacturers to voluntarily recall batteries made by Sony. It's Fujitus-Siemens turn to recall the batteries powering a variety of its LifeBook notebook computers.

It affects some 287,000 batteries, and brings the total recalled from FJ, Toshiba, Lenovo, Dell, Sony and Apple to 7 million, and continues to cost Sony dear, both financially (around £265m, some analysts have predicted) and surely in terms of reputation. Sony can't be very happy right now.

Not all the PC and other device manufacturers that Sony has made batteries for have recalled their batteries, so we could yet see more costly replacements.

Full details of the FJ notebooks affected are on their website.

Fujitsu-Siemens

MSI unveils all-in-one Crystal 945 PC

Taiwan's MSI is moving in on iMac territory, producing a all-in-one PC with an Intel chip with a very slimline profile - the Crystal 945.

The Crystal 945 with LCD screen uses the Intel Pentium 4 Prescott (LGA775) CPU and to keep things cool, a heat-pipe thermal solution  which transfers the heat outside the chassis. There's also Intel GMA 950 Graphics, which supports DirectX 9.0, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a wired Gigabit network port, providing a 1000Mbps transferring rate. The 945 also features a 7-in-1 Card Reader.

No news on price or an availability date as yet, we'll keep you posted.

MSI website

New online community phishing database launched

Web company OpenDNS have launched the PhishTank system which allows registered users to enter details of sites they believe are involved in phishing, or to unlist sites that have been wrongly accused. Data also comes from other sources - presumably trusted online databases of known cybercriminals - and the data is available via a free API to allow it to be used in other systems.

The site is supposedly here (www.phishtank.org) though when I visited it I got an Apache server setup message, so things may not quite be in place yet.

Members can then use this service to keep them safe from visiting suspect sites. Exactly how this works isn't entirely clear at present - whether it works via a toolbar or other downloadable service.

It sounds like it could be a good service if it becomes widely used and presuming it isn't hijacked in some way. Not to tempt fate, but the ability of members - albeit registered ones - to block and unblock sites, has the potential to be used maliciously.

What do you reckon? Is an online repository of phishing sites a good idea?

PhishTank

Microsoft and McAfee accuse each other of being driven by commercial factors

There's a war of words between Microsoft and McAfee over security products, with both sides accusing each other of being motivated by commercial factors and not security concerns.

McAfee decided to take out a full page ad in the Financial Times stating that Microsoft's aim was to see "a world in which one giant company not only controls the systems that drive most computers around the world but also the security that protects those computers."

McAfee say that they haven't been granted access to the 64-bit kernel of Vista, which means they can't tell if there's malware present. Everything would then rest on Microsoft's PatchGuard.

Microsoft refuted this, saying that McAfee's security systems would work on 64-bit Vista.

Symantec have also muscled in, saying that the Microsoft Security Centre will not provide users with a choice of security product vendors.

Microsoft also say that the large security firms are complaining about the Security Centre because they are afraid it could help smaller security firms to compete with them.

To be honest, it's all a tad confusing, with various companies saying different things, and all with their own motivations. Is it too cynical to agree that most companies that produce security software for profit are doing it for commercial reasons? I don't think so. It may not be their only reason, but it's the primary motivation.

As to Microsoft locking out other people? Well, that's happened before and it wouldn't surprise me if it happened again, but I think in the current anti-trust climate they'd be very foolish to make it deliberately difficult for other vendors to offer their products.

As to whether Microsoft can offer a reliable enough security option in their next OS? Well I wouldn't rely solely on their system. What do you reckon?

Firefox hack fraudster. Great. Let's talk about his name instead

New reports claim that the Firefox hack discovery I reported yesterday is not entirely factual.

Mischa Spiegelmock (I'm still not wholly convinced that's his real name) says that the security vulnerability he had found only crashed the browser and did not execute arbitrary code. Any vulnerability is still a risk, but it's not as serious as was first reported.

He also says that he has no knowledge of 30 other vulnerabilities; someone else had made that claim and he doesn't know if it's true or not.

Apparently it was all meant to be humorous. Well, in that spirit, it's unfortunate (or maybe ironic) that his assumed surname is Spiegelmock. He certainly seems to have been playing around and mocking Firefox to some degree. They're still planning to continue investigating the claims to see what effect they may have on end users.

Thanks Mischa.

Steve Jobs will give keynote speech at SF MacWorld Expo

I hope you'll forgive this post. Yes, you can argue it's not particularly noteworthy or even surprising, but given the hype and rumours that Apple people excel at, I thought I'd mention the news that it's been confirmed that Steve Jobs will deliver the keynote speech at the San Francisco Macworld Expo in January 2007.

"Steve's keynote is always a great way to kick off the biggest Mac event of the year," said David Korse, CEO of IDG World Expo.

"We've added several new features to this year's event, and we're working hard to make this the most entertaining and informative Macworld ever."

Some way off (hey we've got Christmas first) but you can be sure that we'll be stirring up the Apple news from January 8-12. We love Steve's speeches.

(Via Macworld)

Logitech launch diNovo Edge keyboard

Logitech have created a high-gloss, slim Bluetooth keyboard with dynamic backlighting and integrated TouchDisc, that they're calling a minimalist work of high-technology art - a cutting-edge blend of refined design and breakthrough innovation.

They've designed it to be attractive in the increasingly high-visibility places your PC might be found in the home. It's cut from a single, semi-translucent piece of black Plexiglas and set into a brushed-aluminium frame. It has a limited number of buttons - not sure if that's a good thing for a keyboard or not - with dynamic, backlit icons embedded within the keyboard. It measures just 19mm thick.

It's Logitech's first rechargeable keyboard and features an integrated touch-sensitive navigation and scroll panel. It has Logitech's PerfectStroke key system featuring precision micro-scissor mechanisms that distribute force evenly across key surfaces.

It comes with a recharging station that also acts as a display base, allowing the keyboard to be stood upright to save desk space. Two hours charge gives up two months usage.

These good looks and features don't come cheap, at £149.99, but if you take your typing and style seriously, it could be a good addition to your PC.

Logitech

Firefox hack critical and unpatchable

Two hackers at the recent ToorCon conference in San Diego said they've found a critical flaw in Firefox that affects it on all operating systems and (as far as they're concerned) is unpatchable. Put simply, it has to do with the way Firefox handles particular Javascript, and the worrying thing is that, supposedly, it can execute without the user having to do anything once they've visited a web site containing malicious code.

For once, it's not just Windows users who need to pay attention, because it'll affect Mac OS X and Linux users too. Great.

I'm sceptical that this exploit is unpatchable, though it could well be difficult as it's a core part of the browser functionality.

And just to add some spice, once that little treat's out of the way, the hackers have another 30 exploits ready to share with Mozilla, or release into the wild, depending on how responsible they're feeling.

Maybe it's time to switch browsers again?

Tesco PC software coming for under £20

Remember the days when Tesco sold groceries? Just groceries. Now we have clothes and home accessories and electronic goods and insurance and Internet services and, well you know what a giant they've become.

The latest company we could claim Tesco are trying to take on is Microsoft. That's probably an exaggeration - Tesco's big but not that big - but nevertheless they're releasing Office-like and security software for PCs for around £20.

The Office suite is based on the Ability Office software developed by Formjet based in Cambridge, and are compatible with Microsoft Office.

Tesco are also releasing Internet security software, where they may have more success in carving a market. As the public is made increasingly aware of computer viruses and other nasties, Tesco could advertise the benefits of their software.

It seems as if there's very few markets that Tesco won't touch, but whether it can really make a name for itself in the PC software market is another matter. What do you think?

Tesco Software

PC DAB radio - digital radio from your computer without a net connection

I was trying to work out why the PC DAB radio was a good thing - but then realised not everyone lives in a broadband/Wi-Fi world - and there could be times when you want some good quality radio on the move and of range of a network.

Obviously, you'll need to be in a DAB-friendly area. And if you are, just plug in the PC DAB radio into a USB port, install the software and away you go. You get auto/manual scan to locate your favourite stations, presets to save them, you can record shows onto your PC and there's full DAB information (track/station) on your computer screen.

It's available now from Gizoo, priced at £49.95.

Product page

Via Shiny Shiny

HP launches Compaq nc6400 HSDPA (3G broadband) notebook

Vodafone was the first to launch a 3G broadband service in the UK back in June - and if you're upgrading your notebook and fancy taking advantage of it, you could take a look at HP's Compaq nc6400 notebook range, which features built-in antennas supporting 3G broadband connectivity, as well as standard Wi-Fi.

The notebook includes configurations with integrated 3G Broadband Wireless capabilities from Vodafone for select EMEA markets, as well as offering future upgrades via an After Market Option kit, protecting lifecycle investment. Ther machine itself features an Intel Core 2 Duo chip, 3D graphics and a 14.1-inch widescreen display.

The nc6400 Notebook PC with integrated 3G Broadband will be available in mid November - price to be confirmed. Without integrated 3G Broadband Wireless, the HP nc64007 Notebook PC is now available at £799 (ex VAT), and can be upgraded to full 3G as it ships with built in 3G antennas. A 3G broadband upgrade kit will be also made available for nc6400 users during Q4, again price to be confirmed.

HP website

Lindy combine mousepad and 4-port USB hub, and light it up

I find that I rarely use a mouse pad these days, as my laser mouse works quite happily on my wooden desk, but if I were to then I might try Lindy's new illuminated mouse pad complete with a 4-port USB 2.0 hub.

Though I haven't seen a spec sheet for it my presumption (always good for being told I'm wrong) is that it's not a powered bus, so you'll probably only get away with low-drain devices (all the really useful things like Christmas trees and mug warmers and fans, plus maybe a camera and iPod dock.

If you're prone to losing your mouse then a glowing blue perimeter on your mat might be just what you need. It looks quite swish (the pink mouse doesn't come with it), and should help with your USB-overloaded digital life.

It costs a very reasonable £14.99.

Lindy web site

Lenovo enter laptop battery book of remembrance

Apple, Dell, Toshiba, and now Lenovo: yes another swathe of batteries due for recall because the lithium-ion cell was supplied by Sony.

Lenovo are recalling 526,000 batteries issued since February 2005 with particular serial numbers, though they say it will only affect around 5-10% of the notebook computers they've produced. It follows an incident where a ThinkPad T43 caught fire at LA International Airport (presumably at the time it would've been allowed on a flight - good job it wasn't)

Lenovo say that the way they put batteries in their notebook computers is different from other manufacturers. It's obviously still not immune from the lithium-ion core which is flammable and always carries this risk.

I'm wondering if this is the last recall or if any more manufacturers are going to recall batteries. Roll on silver-zinc batteries, perhaps?

Parents need their techie kids' help

New research from ntl:Telewest and Virgin Mobile shows that every 16-year-old they questioned thinks they know more about technology than their parents. Two-thirds of adults regularly ask their under-18 kids to help them with their mobile phone, the internet or TV.

Here comes another silly acronym: these kids are TANKs. Yes, really. Technically Able Noughties Kids. Great.

One-third of these TANKs (I can't carry on using that) have a MySpace account, and over half use YouTube, whereas 82% of adults hadn't even heard of it. Two-thirds of these kids would rather go without food than their mobile for 24 hours (what, no Burger King?)

Dr Pat Spungin, a child psychologist, said: “Technology plays a positive role in the lives of children and many key skills and abilities for later life can be nurtured through its use. It encourages children to multitask and they will always have a desire to communicate and absorb information, which technology satisfies.”

And it's nice for kids to get one up over their parents, too.

Exterior Laptop Screen From Asus

There are times when you want to just check something quickly, or change the volume on the music, or look for a WiFi signal, and don't want to have to open up the whole laptop. For that, Asus has added a second screen to a prototype notebook at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco. It's basically a mobile screen embedded in the top of the notebook enclosure, and hopefully has a good rubberized protection on it so it doesn't get scratched all to hell in the first week or so like my Powerbook case. Not that I'm bitter. I mean, er, yes, thanks Asus, great idea! [GT]

Asus sticks a screen on the outside of a laptop [via DigiTimes]

Display your alien, glowing DNA in a GloFrame | Authentic introduces world’s first projection screen with sound | Plasma screen fireplace

Intel set $1m 'sexy PC' challenge

You may be a geek or a nerd and already think that your computer is sexy, but Intel has laid out the challenge to designers and manufacturers to design a 'sexy PC' - something that is better than the big beige box commonly associated with PCs.

Actually, even leaving Apple aside (who've had their share of beige boxes along the way, no really), PCs have come ono a way since the boring lump that you hid under your desk. Nevertheless, Intel would like to push further - and promote their own technology at the same time. Not surprisingly, the catch is that the computer must use Intel Viiv technology with Core 2 Duo processor. Well of course.

The grand prize winner will receive $300,000 towards the mass production of the system and $400,000 to co-market the design with Intel. The runner-up will receive up to $300,000 to help with manufacturing costs.

The result will be announced at the Intel Developer Forum in March 2007, by which time the Core 2 Duo processor will probably be going out of date.

Microsoft and Yahoo Messengers update their Mac clients

Now that Yahoo and Microsoft Messengers have merged Mac users needn't feel left out. Microsoft have announced version 6.0 of their Messenger service is now available for Mac. It features that interoperability with Yahoo! Messenger that we all apparently want.

A personal account works with the Windows Live Messenger service, whilst a corporate account uses the Microsoft Office Live Communications Server service. Microsoft say that the federation features on the Live Communications Server allow Messenger users to communicate with many other IM services including Yahoo IM, AIM, and iChat. Presumably the personal account only works with Yahoo.

And just for completeness, Yahoo have updated their Mac client to version 3.0.1 (beta, of course). Both are universal applications.

Apple updates iTunes 7: is it any better?

Apple's iTunes 7 was met with mixed reactions when it was launched earlier this month. Though it had some nice features, such as free album art, seamless playback, eye candy Cover Flow, and new views, some users complained of poor sound quality, podcast playback problems, iPod synchronisation, and more.

Apple are usually pretty quick at getting out updates, and yesterday version 7.0.1 was released into the wild from the Apple website or via Software Update. A .01 version update means that not a huge amount has changed, but Apple are claiming that stability and performance issues with Cover Flow, CD importing, and iPod syncing have been improved.

I hadn't noticed any particular problems with iTunes 7, but it'll be interesting to hear if the previous issues have been resolved, or if we'll have to wait for a 7.0.2.

iTunes web site

Rent the Geek Squad for your home IT problems

The rise in home technology and high-speed broadband connections is apparently leading to problems when customers are left to their own devices (no pun intended). Sign up for broadband and, apart from an installation CD and some skimpy instructions, you'll probably be left with the modem or router and expected to set it all up yourself.

Now, for many, that's not a problem (in fact I'd rather do it myself to save the embarrassment of showing off my untidy working environment to a telecoms engineer) but to appeal to customers who have little time or expertise, and some cash to spare, many companies are setting up on-call engineers.

BT will charge you £50 if you want an engineer to come round and plug in the USB or Ethernet cable between your PC and modem. The Carphone Warehouse have set up a 'Geek Squad' and PC World have 'TechGuys'.

You can be sure there'll be some premium prices around, so if you're the techie person in your family, you may start getting more calls from your technophobe relatives when they realise how much it'll cost to hire a corporate geek for the day. They can use you instead - you only charge a beer or two, don't you?

It's a nice little moneyspinner for the companies, at least.

Sony Vaio joins up with Mandarina Duck for laptop bag range

Yesterday, we briefly mentioned the new Vaio laptop cases, designed by Italian bag stylist Mandarina Duck. Well, more information and images have become available - and to be honest, they don't look much different to traditional laptop bags.

According to Sony, the collaboration between Mandarina Duck and Sony "will bring active men and women a stylish way to carry their notebook and everything they need for their mobile office in one fashionable bag". There's two types of bag, one backpack style, the other like a more traditional carrying case. Both are made from a mix of nylon and high quality leather and feature internal document and stationary pockets, Vaip branding on the leather handles, a Mandarina Duck loko on the aluminium buckles and enough room to securely hold a 14.1-inch laptop.

Both are available to pre-order now at £135.99 each, with a coloured range of bags for the C-Series models to follow.

Find out more

Buffalo's USB keyboard and Skype handset

If you make a lot of calls and are basically a cheapskate... you probably don't want to buy a whole new keyboard anyhow. Which begs the question of exactly who the Buffalo USB keyboard and Skype handset is aimed at - but anyhow. It has 13 extra hotkeys, a volume control for the headphone out if you don't want to just use the handset (but not apparently a speakerphone, so that part is a bit puzzling) and the whole shebang goes for about £30. [GT]

Buffalo's USB keyboard and Skype handset [via Engadget]

Related stories: Belkin launches glowing keyboard and mouse set | Brando Mini Bluetooth Keyboard | On the go: Roll-up Fabric Bluetooth Keyboard

Silver-zinc batteries debut as next-gen to lithium-ion

Zinc Matrix Power has unveiled its new rechargeable battery technology at the Intel Developers Forum, based on silver-zinc instead of lithium-ion currently used in many modern rechargeable batteries.

They see three main advantages that their amalgamation of silver, zinc and water have over the current technology:

1. Safer: in the light of the recent overheating and catching fire of laptop batteries, this is a major plus
2. Performance: more battery life
3. More environmentally friendly: battery cells can be easily recycled and reused.

The batteries are expected to be available to manufacturers for evaluation and testing in early 2007.

Arthur N. Budge, Jr., chairman of Zinc Matrix Power, said "We believe our battery has the potential to change the game much like lithium-ion did with its introduction in the early 90's."

Apple and podcast: Update and 'the truth'

I, along with some bigger names on the Net, have been rapped for reports that Apple is trying to trademark the term 'podcast'.

Rob from Podcast411.com picked me up in the comments of that article:

Actually your article is not correct at all. Apple is not going after the name Podcast. This is something that has been misreported all over the net. Listen to my podcast above where I shed the truth on this whole subject.

Well, if you do listen to Rob's podcast, you'll find out that the original cease and desist letter that was sent from Apple to Podcast Ready for infringement of Apple's 'iPod' trademark by their 'myPodder' service - because 'mypodder phonetically sounds like ipodder' (that's Rob word for word so I don't get into more trouble for misquoting or misrepresenting the facts)

There's a lot more on the podcast that's interesting (if a little longwinded, but then that's podcasts, eh?) but the basic point seems to be that a lot of us new media 'journos' didn't do our research properly and jumped on the back of Apple.

Well, OK, hands up to that one - but I still stand by my original rant that Apple continues to look stupid by it. Would Apple win against 'mypodder'? Probably - that's a whole new rant about trademarks and soundalikes - to me myPodder is different to iPod, but there you go. And going after other products with the word 'pod' in is still ridiculous. Period.

So, I get your point Rob, but I still stand by my original objection.

Microsoft pursues the Windows Media DRM-crackers

Microsoft is attempting to sue the group who devised the FairUse4WM crack that allows the DRM to be stripped from Windows Media 10 and 11 files, potentially opening up all the services that use it, including Napster, to a free-for-all.

Unsurprisingly, despite Microsoft patching up their protection, it was cracked again the next day. They're suing for copyright infringement, because FairUse4M uses code from Windows Media development kit version 9.5. They claim over £40,000 in losses.

Microsoft said that the defendants have gone to substantial lengths to hide their identities (well duh!) but experts say that in the long term it won't really hurt Microsoft or any of the legitimate download services that rely on the DRM. Content providers know that no DRM is unbreakable.

Buffalo offers secure backup with Drivestation Duo drives up to 1.5TB

Buffalo Technology has launched its DriveStation Duo USB 2.0/FireWire external hard drive, with capacities of 500GB, 800GB, 1.0TB and 1.5TB.   

It's the first Buffalo storage device to feature both FireWire and USB 2.0 interfaces. It incorporates configurable RAID 1 (Mirroring) for improved reliability (if one drive fails) and full capacity spanning modes for maximum capacity. And it comes with a Windows RAID utility to easily change RAID modes. It also features Secure Lock Ware for encrypting folders, along with software for scheduling regular backups. The Drivestation Duo also has automated setup and auto power-on when your PC is booted.

Prices for the drives are £135.99 (500GB), £254.99 (800GB), £279.99 (1.0TB) and £509.99 (1.5TB). All prices exclude VAT.

Buffalo Technology website

Yahoo! Messenger and Windows Live Messenger become one

Good news if you use Yahoo! Messenger or Windows Live Messenger and have friends on the other service - you can now contact them directly after the companies announced an agreement of interoperability, creating the world’s largest IM network - around 350 million user accounts.

Users of Yahoo!’s Messenger and Windows Live Messenger will now be able to exchange instant messages across both networks, see their friends’ online presence, share a selection of emoticons and add new contacts from either service. Unsurprisingly, a recent Yahoo survey found that over a third of Yahoo! users wanted to communicate with friends on other networks. And just to add a topical/celebrity element, the survey also found that the person most-wanted for an IM chat (over 34% of users) was ‘X Factor’ judge Sharon Osbourne, followed by Simon Cowell (19%). Which perhaps indicates that the survey was undertaken at said programme's auditions.

You can download Yahoo Messenger here.    

Sony launches stylish VAIO C-Series - colour co-ordinated notebooks

Never mind the specification, the new Sony Vaio C-Series is all about looks, with the notebook available in a choice of colours, along with matching designer bags.

There are five colours to choose from "to complement your style and look". Silver (for "sophisticated men or women"), pink  ("for the free spirit who likes to be noticed"), green ("for the explorer"), grey and orange model ("for the jet-setting nomad") and a black model with burgundy trim ("for the person who wants the classic understated look").

Sony fails to mention the actual specification, but a bit of digging finds a decent-looking Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 120GB hard drive, 1GB of memory (which can be upgraded to 2GB), 13.3" WXGA widescreen X-black LCD screen, NVIDIA GeForce Go 7400 graphics, writeable DVD drive, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

In addition to the actual notebooks, you can also pick up a rangte of C-Series notebook bags, created by Italian bag designer Mandarina Duck and available in pink, green, white and black to suit your choice of C-Series.

The notebooks are available from the end of October, priced from around £1,000.

Find out more

Brenthaven's Edge Collection of Apple-friendly laptop bags

Another laptop bag that wants to be a fashion accessory - this time from Brenthaven, with its Edge Collection of lightweight and slimline cases.

Aimed unashamedly at Apple users (they're a perfect fit for the new MacBooks), the Edge bags feature Brenthaven’s patent-pending CORE Protection System, which is claimed to provide ultimate protection from the drops, bangs and bumps of daily life. The bag features a back slip pocket for paperwork/magazines, a computer compartment that offers increased protection on all four corners and both side panels, an ergonomic strap and retractable handle. And the whole thing is so slim, you can even slip it inside another bag.

The Edge bag is available in 2 colour combinations - black and grey or light blue and orange and is priced at £34.95.

Brenthaven website

One Minute Video Review: Acer Ferrari 1000 laptop

Another questionable branded piece of technology, this time courtesy of Acer and Ferrari. I take a look at it, complete with F1 noises.  You can get one for £1,300 here.

IOGear's new mouse: wireless, laser, antibacterial

No matter how many times you wash your hands (and we're giving you benefit of doubt on the assumption that you are) your gear gets dirty anyhow, and is a pain to clean.  Enter the IOGear Germ Free Wireless Laser Mouse, which is coated with a Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) and Silver (Ag) nano-particle compound that kills bacteria and viruses on contact. Since it's a contact thing, it doesn't cause the resistance problems of antibacterial soap or antibiotics. IOGear does warn you that it's no excuse for good personal hygiene, and also, do not eat the mouse. [GT]

IOGear Germ Free Wireless Laser Mouse

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