IT news!?!?

[Koku]

Microsoft shows off iPod killer

 

Zunes for tunes... but no video as yet

By Ina Fried and Greg Sandoval

 

Microsoft took the wraps off its Zune media player on Thursday, though what's underneath is largely what enthusiasts had come to expect.

 

The device, which the company anticipates will be ready in time for the holidays, will come in three colours and be capable, via its built-in wi-fi, of sharing full-length songs with other nearby Zune devices, the software giant said. As had been revealed through regulatory filings, it includes a 30GB hard drive as well as a 3-inch screen. The Zune will come in black, brown and white but the company has declined to reveal any pricing information.

 

With the Zune, Microsoft is chasing Apple and its iconic music player, the iPod, which has thus far eclipsed all challengers. For Microsoft to mount a serious campaign against Apple - which has sold more than 60 million iPods in five years - the Zune has to offer compelling features the iPod lacks, analysts say. This gets harder and harder to do with Apple's continuous upgrades of the iPod.

......

http://hardware.silicon.com/storage/0,3902...39162460,00.htm

[Nevareion]

I would rather not own an mp3 from either company. To much DRM built in.

[Orioni]

Ah, the Zune. Has it finally arrived? Just in time for the holiday season.

 

If I had the money, I'd rather purchase something by Creative. Those mp3-players almost always end up 1st on tests.

[Tamurin]

There's too much coming up to really get to know everything. Windows Vista, Office 2007, new MS-Server-Applications (new Sharepoint, Exchange, Project Server, Groove Server etc. etc.)...

[Orioni]

Free Google Wifi, Apple iPhone, ...

[Koku]

Free..free..free...

 

 

No free, but discounted now...

 

Sony cuts price of PlayStation 3

 

Sony is to cut the Japanese cost of its forthcoming PlayStation 3 console by 20%, the consumer electronics giant announced in Tokyo on Friday.

 

The price cut is aimed at boosting the launch of the machine and making it more competitive with the Xbox 360.

 

The price for the North American and European launch will stay the same.

 

The surprise move will see the 20 gigabyte version of the PS3 sell for 49,980 yen ($430) when it goes on sale on 11 November in Japan.

 

No changes to the price of the higher end model - 60GB version - or European and US prices were announced.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5369720.stm

[Koku]

A day out in Second Life

 

The Second Life virtual world has recently hit the one million member mark and real world firms are queueing up to establish themselves in the digital destination.

 

In this log, reporters from the BBC news website technology desk, spend a day in the cyber world getting to grips with the place and its inhabitants.

 

Technology correspondent Mark Ward will be taking the first steps into this brave new world.

 

1745 GMT FRIDAY 3 NOVEMBER

Flying across the busy landscape of Second Life gives you a real sense that this virtual world is something new.

 

Every few seconds while flying I came across spectacular buildings, bizarre sculptures or structures or gatherings of people that deserved investigating.

 

There is a huge amount going on here and in this log I have barely seen the surface let alone scratched it. Many thanks to all those that have messaged me in and out of game - I'm sure I'll get in touch as I need a guide to show me around.

 

I can see now why it is called Second Life - it would take another existence to find out about everything, sample it and join in.

.................

Full content: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6112880.stm

[Koku]

Wikipedia infected by malware

Bogus entry about Blaster worm links to malware site

by Amber Maitland

 

6 November 2006 - Wikipedia?s open contribution system has resulted in the spread of malware after hackers booby-trapped one of its pages.

 

The hackers changed an article about the Blaster worm on the German version of the online encyclopedia, and added a link that supposedly contained a fix for a bogus new variant of the worm. The ?fix? was a piece of code that actually infected PCs, rather than removed malware.

 

To intensify the attack, the hackers responsible also sent spam to German internet users that recommended they visit the Wikipedia site for more information about the Blaster worm. Because the emails linked back to the Wikipedia site, which is a legitimate site, it was not picked up by phishing filters.

 

Security analysts warn that this is an example of how hackers are becoming more sophisticated in their attacks and using new methods through social networking sites to distribute malware.

http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.pht...y-macware.phtml

[Koku]

Wireless Recharging you Say?

 

Even with the technological advantage offered these days, we can?t say that we are totally free in our use of new gadgets, why? Because all these gadgets we have are very dependent on electricity. Without power your cell phone, laptop/notebooks, MP3 players and the lot, will be totally useless. So to use them carrying cumbersome wire, cords and plugs is a necessity.

 

However, this might soon change. According to the researchers from the Department of Physics and Research Laboratory of Electronics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), there is a away by which recharging can be done even without wires. In order to bring power to the electronic devices there needs to be an electromagnetic field where of course there will be a power transmitter. The electromagnetic field should be fine-tuned that only specific gadgets will absorb the power. These researchers foresee that this wireless recharging can be done even over 10 to 15 feet from the power source.

 

This is a good thing, but we just have to wait and see if this proposal will come through.

 

http://www.waleg.com/techgadgets/archives/005804.html

[Tamurin]

I've read about that one.

 

It sounds really interesting and offers some amazing possibilities. I hope it works out OK.