Hardware and Software Forum

This has to be the most bizarre excuse for voiding a warranty ever, but according to [URL="http://consumerist.com/5408885/smoking-near-apple-computers-creates-biohazard-voids-warranty"]The Consumerist[/URL] at least two Mac owners have been told their Applecare warranties are no good because they smoke. In both cases, we are told, the Mac owner concerned took the matter up with …

Reports in the UK indicate that [URL="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8378267.stm"]Apple is about to start selling the iPhone through Tesco[/URL]. Given that this is an American site (see the way I spelled 'rumors' up there? I'm getting the hang of this) I should explain that Tesco is like our version of Wal-Mart over here. …

Pretty much anywhere you live, it would appear that the iPhone consumes at least 50% of all mobile data traffic. Whereas the Android has a little catching up to do with just 11% of that mobile data bandwidth consumption. Of course, the iPhone entered the restaurant first and is already …

[URL="http://www.checkpoint.com"]Check Point Software Technologies[/URL], developers of the ZoneAlarm security range, has announced the results of research which suggest that half of all staff will happily walk away from employment with competitive information about your business in their pockets. That they are walking straight into another job with it should be …

According to an ongoing debate over the GPL version 3, he does. How can this be, since Linus Torvalds, creator and chief architect of the Linux kernel, knows about software freedom and free software? He doesn't have a problem with what Richard Stallman refers to as "tivoization," which is the …

Welcome to the 10th installment of the Crystal Ball Sunday series. This is an exciting time to be involved with Linux because the temperature is right for some Linux vendor consolidation. In my August 22nd post, [URL="http://www.daniweb.com/blogs/entry3012.html"]Microsoft and Novell: Buying In or Selling Out[/URL], I subtly predicted that [URL="http://www.microsoft.com"]Microsoft[/URL] would …

I've done a bit of research on Windows 7 Enterprise to discover some of its new features and to uncover its secrets. From what I've seen so far, [URL="http://www.microsoft.com"]Microsoft[/URL] has provided some interesting Linux-esque features that might accidentally boost Linux adoption as a side effect. The two primary features to …

Has your server's memory reached its 192GB limit? Last week a company called [url=http://netlist.com/]Netlist[/url] was demonstrating a new RDIMM technology that it claims can double per-CPU memory capacity without doubling the cost and without replacing any other hardware. At [url=http://sc09.supercomputing.org/]Supercomputing 09[/url], the high performance computing industry's annual conference, Netlist showed …

At a time when prices are being driven down across the spectrum of electronics, one company clearly has avoided this trap: Apple. While others struggle to squeeze profits from a market that is becoming increasingly commoditized (sub-$200 netbooks anyone?), Apple maintains its edge and its hefty profit margin. It got …

The Internet has shown that reputations are important but don't have to be tied to specific real individuals. The entire banking system is built on top of the idea of reputation, but tries hard to tie them to real identities. The problem of identity theft is likely to break this …

A couple of months ago DaniWeb reported how British singer Lily Allen [URL="http://www.daniweb.com/news/story226113.html"]turned the music copyright debate into a copywrong farce[/URL] with some ill conceived blogging. Things went quiet soon after the media had swarmed all over Allen and her odd arguments, not least as she [URL="http://torrentfreak.com/lily-allen-deletes-pro-copyright-blog-and-ends-career-090924/"]closed down her blog[/URL] …

At my last, best count, there were over 550 individual Linux distributions. From the most generic, flat installs of the most common distros to ultra-specialized, multimedia-oriented to the eye-popping, fancy ones--they're all there for the taking. I found ten distributions from among the 500 or so that I know about …

IBM has today announced a breakthrough chip-stacking technology in a manufacturing environment that paves the way for three-dimensional chips to extend Moore’s Law way beyond traditionally expected limits. The ‘through-silicon-vias’ technology allows different chip components to be packaged much closer together, resulting in faster, smaller and lower-powered systems. This breakthrough …

Nothing gets people in the Linux World riled up like comparing distributions, desktops or editors. But for the new Linux user, the whole thing is a bit confusing. What do we tell [I]them[/I]? Do we verbally slug it out in forums or do we offer gentle guidance to those entering …

Apple may have delayed the release of the tablet computer, according to a number of sources, because of component selection. Inevitably this has led to a number of reports that it's not going to happen after all; one website in particular believes [URL="http://http://www.pcworld.com/article/182571/the_apple_tablet_is_dead.html?tk=rss_main"]the whole thing was a result of our …

I just had a Jaws moment. You know, you think it is safe to go back in the water and then a bloody great shark bites your legs off. Except in this case you can replace the sea with the Internet and the shark with the [URL="http://www.daniweb.com/blogs/entry4339.html"]equally dangerous Gumblar[/URL]. According …

Verizon made [URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37NKnDRPFKU"]an ad[/URL] making fun of AT&T's 3G coverage (and it's manliness). AT&T wasn't happy because it suggested their 3G coverage was spotty. So [URL="http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/03/atandt-sues-verizon-over-theres-a-map-for-that-ads/"]they sued[/URL] saying the ads were misleading consumers, and anyway they had way more customers and their customers loved them, and Verizon just couldn't handle …

Yes, it is April 1st, the day that you have to read the news with just a little more skepticism than usual as the pranksters roll out their made up stories. Some are so close to the truth that it is hard to actually tell they are gags at all, …

[URL="http://www.ubuntu.com"]Ubuntu[/URL] has redeemed itself with its latest version 9.10 (Karmic Koala). I took a look at Ubuntu 9.10 on October 1st and have been playing around with it for a few days. My first impression is that it is good stuff--seriously good stuff. From the new, updated installer to the …

Over the weekend news broke that a worm had started infecting Jailbroken iPhones in Australia. Nobody really took the exploit too seriously as all the 'ikee worm' did was change the phone wallpaper to a picture of 80's pop singer Rick Astley in a kind of warped tribute to the …

While most reporters and bloggers today are trumpeting the fine showing by chip-maker AMD in the semi-annual list of the world's [Top 500 Supercompting Sites](http://www.top500.org/list/2009/11/100), for me the real news is what AMD has planned for next year. In the first quarter of 2010, AMD is scheduled to begin shipping …

The [url=http://www.blackberrydeveloperconference.com/overview]BlackBerry Developer Conference[/url] concluded yesterday, but not before Research in Motion had the chance to unveil enhancements to its [url=http://na.blackberry.com/eng/developers/]BlackBerry Application Platform[/url], which now supports [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenGL_ES]OpenGL ES[/url], a subset of the desktop graphics API specification for embedded systems. Useful for development of 3D games development and other graphics, it's …

Botnets are, without any shadow of a doubt, one of the [URL="http://www.itpro.co.uk/blogs/daveyw/2009/09/30/death-taxes-and-botnets/"]biggest scourges[/URL] of IT security today. From sending spam to [URL="http://www.daniweb.com/news/story238033.html"]launching DDoS attacks[/URL] and distributing malware, botnets can be found [URL="http://www.daniweb.com/blogs/showentry.php?entryid=1021"]at the centre[/URL] of most of the security problems facing computer users right now. So wouldn't it be fun …

Have you searched for Linux distributions that are 100% free? Did you find more than one that suited your needs? Well, here's a list of nine from which you can choose your favorite. Free means freedom to alter, redistribute, sell or release as a different product with no restrictions on …

Now that's what I call an Android phone. Actually, that's what I call an Android phone that might just [URL="http://www.daniweb.com/blogs/entry3944.html"]kick some iPhone ass[/URL]. The [URL="http://www.sonyericsson.com/cws/products/mobilephones/specifications/xperiax10a?lc=en&cc=us#a"]Sony Ericsson Xperia X10[/URL] social networking phone is Android powered and feature rich. How rich? Well, how does 1GB RAM plus 16Gb of flash storage and …

Here in the UK it is pantomime season. A peculiar form of traditional slapstick stage play that is performed during the Christmas season. In essence favourite tales such as Peter Pan, Aladdin, Jack and the Beanstalk and Aladdin are retold with the lead boy played by a girl and an …

One of the great things about the iPhone is of course the App Store, which is a growing eco system of interesting applications. I tend to stick to the free ones, and not long ago I went and downloaded a bunch of new freebies. These are my favorites from that …

According to the latest McAfee Labs [URL="http://www.mcafee.com/us/local_content/reports/7315rpt_threat_1009.pdf"]Third Quarter Threats Report 2009[/URL] instances of Distributed Denial of Service attacks are growing in popularity. In the last quarter the McAfee Labs observed many new attacks demanding ransom money including those aimed at sports betting companies which were taken out of action during …

Reports are starting to emerge online that Microsoft may have initiated a cull of Xbox Live accounts belonging to users of modified games consoles. One [URL="http://pinoycosplay.blogspot.com/2009/11/microsoft-bans-600k-xbox-live-accounts.html?zx=e10c0b0fc532dc57"]claims[/URL] that a "trusty source" working in a call centre which handles Xbox 360 accounts has had an influx of "screaming teenagers who don't don't …

Cellphone manufacturer Samsung has taken everyone by surprise by announcing its own operating system Bada - Korean for 'ocean' - will [URL="http://www.bada.com/samsung-launches-open-mobile-platform/"]launch in December[/URL]. The intriguing question is why the company wants to do it. The Smartphone arena is at the moment dominated by a handful of players - Google's …

It is something of a good and bad news day for mobile phone giant Nokia. On the same day that it announces shipping of the new N900 handset, based on the open source Maemo 5 software, Nokia is also recalling a staggering 14 million mobile phone chargers due to concerns …

You don't have to have lived in Haight-Ashbury in the Sixties to achieve self-awareness in San Francisco. BlackBerry developers are gathered in the city this week for the annual [url=http://www.blackberrydeveloperconference.com/overview]BlackBerry Developer Conference[/url], taking place now through Thursday. Among the top stories is a new service platform from Research in Motion …

[URL="http://www.media.mit.edu/people/bio_lip.html"]Andrew Lippman[/URL], who is the Founding Associate Director at the [URL="http://www.media.mit.edu/?page_id=13"]MIT Media Lab[/URL] suggested at a talk last week that we were on the edge of a new third cloud where assistance becomes as important as access. The first cloud was the internet itself. The second cloud provided the services …

An Apple iPhone virus is on the loose in Australia. According to reports it's an odd one; it replaces your wallpaper with a picture of singer Rick Astley and an inoffensive slogan. It affects only jailbroken phones, in other words phones whose owners have fiddled with the operating system to …

[I]"If we went into an “evil room” and had an “evil light” shined on us, and we then behaved in an “evil” way we would be destroyed… there is a fundamental trust between Google and its users.” ~Eric Schmidt, Google CEO [/I] Google released an exciting new product today called …

Microsoft on Tuesday is set to release six security updates, three of which it has deemed critical and apply only to versions of Windows other than Windows 7. Microsoft released advance notice of its [url=http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS09-nov.mspx]Security Bulletin for November[/url], on Nov. 5. The bulletin itself will be released on Tuesday along …

What do you wake up to? An old-fashioned alarm clock with small hammer and large bells atop a round clockface? Maybe a clock-radio or perhaps a straightforward digital alarm with a loud beep-beep-beep to get you moving of a morning? If you do, then you are in the minority as …

Sony Computer Entertainment America has filed a patent application, number [URL="http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=2&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=laugh&OS=laugh&RS=laugh"]20090195392[/URL], which could lead to a PlayStation controller that knows when you are happy, sad or just plain angry. The patent application is officially for a 'laugh detector and system and method for tracking an emotional response to a media …

[URL="http://www.ubuntu.com"]Ubuntu[/URL]'s CEO, Mark Shuttleworth fired one over [URL="http://www.microsoft.com"]Microsoft[/URL]'s bow with a statement that the soon to be released Ubuntu 9.10 is ready to go head-to-head with Windows 7 on Netbooks. He also said that Windows XP is still hanging around on some Netbooks as a "ghost." Shuttleworth wants another shot …

[ATTACH=right]12439[/ATTACH] Leslie Stahl had a piece Sunday night on 60 minutes on the supposed impact of piracy on the movie industry. (You can watch it [URL="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/30/60minutes/main5464994_page2.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody"]here[/URL].) Her piece was so slanted toward the Motion Picture Association of America, it was almost laughable (if it weren't so maddening). At one point, …

Does it seem to you that Linux distributions have fallen into to a [I]well[/I] or other deep support chasm that defies the space-time continuum? It seems so to me. Linux distributions are lagging behind Windows and Mac in significant ways. Well, it doesn't work for this chipset. Well, it works …

There was a good analysis [URL="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/microsoft-google-and-the-bear/"]in the NYT yesterday[/URL] regarding the Google Android strategy, which according to author Saul Hansell, is intended not to make money for Google, but to block Microsoft from getting traction in the mobile space. Given that Google is giving Android away, it's a theory that …

Some people like to get their free Microsoft products by adopting the [URL="http://www.daniweb.com/blogs/entry4255.html"]eye patch and a parrot approach[/URL] via sites such as The Pirate Bay. Some of us, however, rather like the idea of getting Windows 7 totally free, totally legally, and direct from Microsoft for good measure. Yes, I …

The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously earlier this week to outsource its e-mail system to Google Inc., according to an [URL="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/10/city-council-votes-to-adopt-google-email-system-for-30000-city-employees.html"]article[/URL] in the Los Angeles [I]Times[/I]. The contract is worth $7.25 million and covers 30,000 employees. In June, Washington, D.C. made a similar decision, signing a contract worth almost …

It's supposed to be Windows 7's big week, but other news just seems to keep getting in the way. And it's not just competitors like the news coming out of Apple this week, it's big announcements coming from inside Microsoft too. You would think that Microsoft could at least keep …

If you're yearning to break free from Apple-sanctioned iPhone carrier AT&T (and you don't mind trading your warranty for the privilege), then reach out and touch George Hotz. The iPhone hacker yesterday posted a [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g23e9e9zOVI&feature=player_embedded]video showing an iPhone call on T-Mobile[/url], and Wednesday is expected to post the code that …

[URL="http://www.symantec.com"]Symantec[/URL] has published one of those rare things - a report that contains an actual surprise. It seems some 4 million people have fallen for Scareware in the last 12 months. I'm stunned. Not because people are installing fake antivirus systems. That's a shame but in some ways it's inevitable; …

While the competition is hard at work on a [url=http://www.daniweb.com/news/story233646.html]100-core processor[/url], Intel this week reported advances in [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase-change_memory]phase-change memory (PCM)[/url], a type of non-volatile memory that is seen as a possible next-generation replacement for flash. In a joint [url=http://www.intel.com/pressroom/archive/releases/20091028corp.htm?iid=pr1_releasepri_20091028r]announcement[/url] yesterday with Swiss memory maker [url=http://www.numonyx.com/en-US/Pages/default.aspx]Numonyx[/url], the companies said they had …

You probably call it Halloween, for myself and other pagans it is [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samhain"]Samhain[/URL], but for the cyber-gangs it is phishing time. Seasonally-themed spam is on the up at this time of the year, Halloween related messages accounting for 0.5% of the daily spam traffic by volume in mid-October according to …

Why so much fuss about the [URL="http://9to5mac.com/iPhone-fm-app"]rumour[/URL] that Apple is developing an in house app to bring FM radio to the iPhone? Sure, the fact that (assuming the rumour is true) this will be a native application that can run in the background just like the iPod app does on …