June 7th, 2010 by michael.frier

Daily News – 04/06

The Register – Vince Cable: Feel my mighty SME love

New Coalition government biznovation minister Vince Cable has set out his stall in a speech given yesterday at a business school in London. He pledged to cut the red tape stifling small businesses, and said he would compel banks to lend to SMEs.

SC Magazine - IT security professionals hack their own networks for penetration testing

Half of IT security professionals have admitted that they hack their own networks, with 73 per cent doing so to test the strength of their own network defences.

Computing.co.uk – Broadband customers buy on price, switch on speed

The main reason why consumers switch broadband supplier is because of disappointment with connectivity speed, but when they choose a new provider, they do so based on price, a recent survey has found.

The Daily Telegraph – Microsoft is ‘number five’ in the mobile market

Steve Ballmer, Microsoft’s chief executive, has admitted that the technology giant is losing the battle in the smartphone space with its Windows Phone offering, saying its currently ranked fifth in the market.

IT Pro – BT gets go-ahead for watered down broadband unbundling

The European Commission has said it agrees with regulator Ofcom that BT should be able to offer only virtual unbundling for its fibre broadband networks for the time being.

ComputerWorldUK – PC is not dead, device form is changing

Apple CEO Steve Jobs may believe that the personal computer – Mac and Windows PCs – will diminish in importance in the near future, but Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer sees thing differently. Ballmer, during an interview at the Wall Street Journal’s D8 conference, told the Journal’s Walt Mossberg that PCs will continue to evolve but will remain popular, even in a world where more and more people carry smartphones and tablet devices like the iPad.

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June 2nd, 2010 by michael.frier

Daily News – 02/06

Computer Weekly – BT to roll out Facebook-style social networking

BT is to roll out Facebook-style social networking services to its 100,000 employees, in a move that will allow staff to collaborate more effectively on projects whether they are in the office or working remotely. The company, which reported £1m profits this month, said the system would lead to significant gains in productivity and help the organisation keep track of the skills of its workforce.

The Daily Telegraph – ‘Quit Facebook’ protest day flops

A day of planned protests against the social networking site Facebook appeared to flop after just over 30,000 of the site’s 500 million users deleted their Facebook accounts.

ZDNet – NHS top culprit as UK data breaches exceed 1,000

More than 1,000 security breaches involving the loss of personal data have now been reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office, with the list topped by the NHS, the privacy watchdog said on Friday.

IT PRO – Google ditches Windows for ‘security’ reasons
Employees of the internet giant have claimed they are being moved away from Windows operating systems after the hack attack the company faced in December.

IT PRO – Bing may replace Google on iPhone 4G
Rumours have resurfaced that Apple may be planning to snub Google on the next version of the iPhone and iPad by making Microsoft’s Bing the de facto search engine.

Total Telecom – Google crowns Facebook king of Internet visits
Google on Friday released Web traffic data indicating that Facebook is king when it comes to online visitors despite criticism about privacy at the social-networking service.

ComputerWorldUK – Hackers promise demo of Google Android rootkit
Security researchers will demonstrate a malicious “rootkit” program they’ve written for Google’s Android phone next month at the Defcon hacking conference in Las Vegas.



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May 13th, 2010 by michael.frier

Daily News – 13/05

BBC – Child abuse ‘big business online’

There are around 450 criminal gangs around the world making money from images of child sex abuse, the UK’s Internet Watch Foundation has said.

IT PRO – HTC asks for iPhone, iPad and iPod ban
HTC has asked the US International Trade Commission to ban sales of Apple’s products in a patent infringement case.

Total Telecom – LG unveils its first US Android smartphone
South Korean vendor presents Ally; will sell through Verizon Wireless this month.

ZDNet – Office 2010 launched to business

Microsoft has released Office 2010 and SharePoint 2010 to volume licensing enterprise customers, ahead of the software’s retail launch in June.

ZDNet – ID cards, National Identity Register scrapped

The Conservative-Liberal Democrat government has confirmed that it will scrap the ID cards scheme and the National Identity Register

SC Magazine – Google responds to international information commissioners criticisms on Buzz privacy issues

Google has responded to international criticism on privacy issues surrounding its Buzz social networking site.

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May 13th, 2010 by michael.frier

Daily News – 12/05

BBC – Microsoft Office 2010 takes aim at Google Docs

Microsoft is preparing to launch its latest weapon in its ongoing battle with Google. The software giant will launch its flagship product Office 2010 to businesses on 12 May. The latest version of the software has a free online component – called Office Web Apps.

BBC – Google answers privacy questions posed by commissioners

Google has defended its privacy practices following a letter of complaint from data protection commissioners around the world.

The Register – UK hot-swaps leaders – Brown out, Cameron in

David Cameron took the keys of Downing Street this evening, ending uncertainty over the country’s leadership and ushering in what promises to be a period of austerity for the UK’s public sector and its IT suppliers.

Management Today – Everything, Everywhere: T-Mobile and Orange leave customers confused

Newly-named Orange and T-Mobile group suggests distinct lack of focus. Orange and T-Mobile have finally unveiled the name of their merged company – ‘Everything Everywhere’. VP of Brands Steven Day says the company ‘intends to propel itself beyond mobile communications’.

SC Magazine – Twitter hit by bug that forces users into following other people

Twitter was hit by a bug last night that saw high profile tweeters forced into following users. It claimed that the bug permitted a user to ‘force’ other users to follow them and those who typed ‘accept’ followed by a person’s Twitter name forced the user to be added to their list of followers.



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May 4th, 2010 by michael.frier

Daily News – 04/05

BBC – Smartphones to get novel memory material

Smartphones could have their battery life extended by up to 20 per cent by changing what type of memory they use. Samsung has announced plans to produce memory modules built of what is known as a phase change material.

BBC – Student convicted of hacking Sarah Palin e-mail account

A jury in Tennessee has convicted a former student of hacking the e-mail account of Sarah Palin. David Kernell, 22, was found guilty of obstructing justice and unauthorised access to a computer.

The Register – Internet Explorer drops below 60 per cent market share

Less than two thirds of surfers are now using Microsoft’s browser on the web as Google’s Chrome continues its northward assault.

CIO – Adobe CEO responds to Steve Jobs Flash attack

Grab your ringside seats, gang: Apple and Adobe are at it again, and this time, the fighting’s turning fierce. In one corner, you have Steve Jobs, decorated CEO of what may be both the most loved and most hated company in technology. In the other corner, you have Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, who can’t understand why Jobs won’t allow his Flash software onto the iPhone, iPod, or iPad

The Financial Times – Apple shifts 1m iPads in first month

Apple has sold 1m units of the iPad in the four weeks since it went on sale in the US, suggesting that demand for the touch screen tablet computer is higher than anticipated. However, the company faced criticism from users who complained that the 3G iPad, released at the weekend, was delivering poor video performance over AT&T’s network.

The Daily Telegraph – Head teacher calls for Facebook ban

The principal of a school in New Jersey has asked students to join a voluntary ban on social networking and text messaging to prevent cyber bullying. Anthony Orsini, head teacher at Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Ridgewood, New Jersey, sent an email asking parents to help wean their children – aged between 11 and 14 – off social networking websites such as Facebook, and to keep a careful track of their text messages.

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April 20th, 2010 by michael.frier

Daily News – 19/04

Information Age – Microsoft investigates China child labour report

Vendor says that independent auditors will examine Chinese factory following report of underage workers in ‘prison-like’ conditions

CIO – Romanians hack Daily Telegraph

The Daily Telegraph website has been defaced by what appear to be Romanian hackers angry at the newspaper’s claimed portrayal of the country.

CBR – SAS debuts social media analytics tool

Business analytics firm SAS has unveiled a new tool that can monitor social media portals, enabling businesses to get a better understanding of what is being said about them on the Internet. The on-demand SAS Social Media Analytics can monitor sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube as well as public discussion forums and blogs. Data can then be integrated with CRM and marketing systems.

The Financial Times – Facebook to unveil “like” button for the web

Facebook is planning to unveil this week a content-sharing button that other websites can embed on their pages, according to marketers briefed on the plans. The “like” button will be similar to products from Twitter and Digg that let users share content with their social networks. It new function will allow users to signal the content they like on sites around the internet.

IT PRO – Lib Dems would repeal Digital Economy Bill
Liberal Democrat Nick Clegg said his party would repeal the Digital Economy Bill, which was pushed through parliament in the so-called wash-up phase ahead of the election.

The Times – Be careful swallowing that tablet

Apple claims its iPad marks a revolutionary step in the digital age, but just how good is touchscreen computing

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April 14th, 2010 by michael.frier

Daily News – 14/04

Information Age – Storage industry body announces standard for the cloud

Cloud Data Management Interface will combat vendor lock-in and bolster security, says SNIA

A storage industry body has developed what it says is the first standard for cloud-based storage systems.

The Register – Microsoft, Adobe, Oracle unite with massive patch batch

It was an extreme version of Patch Tuesday as Microsoft, Adobe Systems, and Oracle released updates that fixed dozens of critical vulnerabilities in their wares.

CIO – Google revamps Google Docs

Google has unveiled its latest set of upgrades to Google Docs. The new improvements clearly aim to make the free online service a more robust competitor to Microsoft’s Office applications.

The Guardian – Facebook announces new safety measures but no panic button
Facebook has responded to calls for increased online safety by announcing a range of new measures including a 24-hour police hotline, a £5m education and awareness campaign and a redesigned abuse reporting system, but has declined to add a logo linking to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre.

IT PRO – UK doesn’t appreciate need for internet security
Identity theft is a major concern for UK residents, but many do not understand the huge effect that internet security could have.

Computing – Tories plan major public sector IT spending cuts
The Conservative Party launched its manifesto for the general election today, outlining plans to cut public sector IT spending, increase UK technology innovation and scale back the government’s database state.

Computer Weekly – Two-thirds of businesses plan to increase IT outsourcing this year

Half of businesses that outsource IT are considering using outsourcing services more than they were last year, according to the National Outsourcing Association (NOA). A total of 60 per cent of business intend to outsource services that are currently run in-house. The financial services sector is the most confident about using outsourcing.

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March 30th, 2010 by stephenw

Daily News 29/03

BBC – Introducing UK broadband’s first customer, 10 years on

The UK’s first broadband customer celebrates 10 years with the faster internet connection this week. Single parent Mark Bush was spending £300 a month on his dial-up connection before pre-registering for broadband with Virgin Media.

BBC – Sensors turn skin into gadget control pad

Tapping your forearm or hand with a finger could soon be the way you interact with gadgets. US researchers have found a way to work out where the tap touches and use that to control phones and music players.

BBC – US credit card hacker sentenced

Computer hacker Albert Gonzalez has been jailed for 20 years in the US for his part in stealing the details of more than 130m credit and debit cards.

Computing.co.uk – What happens when your cloud bursts?

Steve Prentice, vice president and fellow at research firm Gartner, reminds organisations not to rush into cloud service agreements or tryst any third party provider with mission critical data and applications without following appropriate risk management procedures.

The Guardian – We’re staying in China, says Microsoft, as free speech row with Google grows

Hopes that Google’s forthright stand on censorship in China would inspire other companies to follow suit appeared unfounded today.

Computer Weekly – Millions of e-mail users still respond to spam, survey reveals

Despite more than 80 per cent of e-mail users being aware of bots, tens of millions respond to spam in ways that could leave them vulnerable to a malware, a worldwide online survey has revealed. Half of the 4,000 people surveyed by the Messaging Anti-Abuse Working Group (MAAWG) said they had opened spam, clicked on a link in spam, opened a spam attachment, replied or forwarded it.

The Register – Third of UK students would strip their way through college

A third of female students would happily top up their funds by stripping while four per cent would consider escort work as a way to make ends meet.

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March 23rd, 2010 by stephenw

Daily News 23/03

ITPRO – Browser ballot hits Internet Explorer’s market share

The browser ballot has hit the market share of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer in France, Britain and Italy.

The Daily Telegraph – China angry as Google stops censoring search results

Google has stopped censoring its search results in China in defiance of the country’s authorities, sparking a furious response from Beijing. The internet giant said yesterday it was closing its China-based search engine and redirecting visitors to an uncensored site based in Hong Kong.

The Daily Telegraph – Google offers racist search suggestion after hack

Google offered “Why are black people so ugly?” as a search suggestion after hackers avoided the firm’s filtering process. The question appeared when internet users typed in the word “why” and Google offered the question in full as one of its suggestions for what you may be about to write. The firm has extensive filters which are intended to remove offensive suggestions but hackers appear to have got around the controls and users picked up on it.

Computing.co.uk – Brown sees government savings of £11bn from new IT

In a major speech made today, Gordon Brown outlined plans for a new digital Britain that will save the government millions of pounds and be underpinned by UK-wide access to super-fast broadband and the ‘next generation web’.

BBC – Mixed reaction to fast net pledge

Labour plans to wire up UK homes with super-fast broadband have met with a mixed response. Experts want more details about what “super-fast broadband” means and how the plan would be implemented.

The Register – OFT to examine BBC’s Canvas

The Office Fair of Trading is to examine Project Canvas, the BBC’s strategic Sky-f*cker next generation set-top box. The BBC Trust looked at Canvas and decided that its strategic goals of screwing over Murdoch and Branson furthering BBC content were not incompatible with the Trust’s charter.

The Register – Home Office takes non-action against phone pinchers

The Home Office is demanding that mobile phone recyclers continue what they’re already doing, in the name of cracking down on mobile phone theft. The office is busy creating a new Code of Practice which will require the industry to check handsets sent for recycling against the register of stolen phones, preventing thieves cashing in on the £25 average value of a handset. Which would be most laudable, it if wasn’t happening already.

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March 19th, 2010 by stephenw

Daily News 19/03

The Daily Telegraph – BBC iPlayer has more than 1.4 million visitors per day

Latest figures show that around 3.5 million programmes were watched on the catch-up TV service last month. The February figures, made available today by the BBC, underline the enduring popularity of the iPlayer platform, which allows people to catch up with radio and TV programmes aired in the last seven days.

ZDNet – Microsoft shows off Internet Explorer 9 preview

Microsoft showed off Internet Explorer 9 Platform preview on Tuesday, with headline features including support for web standards and faster performance.

ZDNet – UK internet security rated among Europe’s best

Internet security around the UK’s critical national infrastructure is among the best in Europe, a House of Lords committee has found.

SC Magazine – Facebook, Twitter and Microsoft claim that weak passwords still cause security headaches

The biggest problem with web security is still weak passwords, according to spokespeople from three major IT networks.

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