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Windows

Submission + - Windows XP Thumb Drive Edition Is Real (osweekly.com)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: OSWeekly.com's Matt Hartley has discovered a real, working version of Windows XP Thumb Edition. He comments: "While a proof-of-concept has been perpetuated without Microsoft's content, the instructions are fuzzy, and trying to install this would certainly be a clear violation of existing US law, but my sources have indicated this to be the real deal — you can install Windows XP onto a USB drive as described above. Why hasn't Microsoft bothered to create such a thing themselves? It could be the belief that they do not see the cost/benefit value for offering a bootable USB OS despite the immense success of such a thing with Linux.
Security

Submission + - Important Ruling for the Anti-Malware Industry (net-security.org)

Submitted by ABC
ABC writes: Zango sued Kaspersky Lab to force the Company to reclassify Zango's programs as nonthreatening and to prevent Kaspersky Labs's security software from blocking Zango's potentially undesirable programs. In the important ruling for the anti-malware industry, Judge Coughenour of the Western District of Washington threw out Zango's lawsuit on the grounds that Kaspersky was immune from liability under the Communications Decency Act.
Software

Submission + - India decides to vote "No" for OOXML. (indiatimes.com)

Submitted by Indian
Indian writes: India on Thursday gave Microsoft a thumbs-down in the war of standards for office documents. In a tense meeting at Delhi's Manak Bhawan, the 21-member technical committee decided that India will vote a 'no' against Microsoft's Open Office Extensible Mark Up Language (OOXML) standard at the International Standards Organisation (ISO) in Geneva on September 2.
PlayStation (Games)

Submission + - Sony to add TV tuner, DVR to PS3

Submitted by pjhenley
pjhenley writes: Sony has announced that they will add digital TV and DVR capabilities to the PS3 in Europe. TV can also be watched on a PSP using "remote play" over WiFi or via downloaded recordings. You can read the press release on the semi-official Sony UK blog. Engadget has some details as well.
Music

Submission + - SoundExchange backs off DRM for webcasters (arstechnica.com)

Submitted by Radio Free Europe
Radio Free Europe writes: The big news is not that SoundExchange has repackaged the same royalty proposal that small webcasters rejected in May, but that SoundExchange has dropped its previous insistence that DRM be a part of any agreement. 'On the bright side, it doesn't appear as if DRM is part of the terms this time around. Previously, SoundExchange stated that webcasters who agree to the deal must actively "work to stop users from engaging in 'streamripping'." This began a war of words between the Digital Media Association (DiMA) and SoundExchange, with DiMA accusing SoundExchange of using rate negotiations to push mandatory DRM. SoundExchange's letter leaves the much-maligned streamripping issue out of the discussion, clearing at least that hurdle.'
PC Games (Games)

Submission + - Bioshock DRM Causes Massive Outcry (pcgamer.com)

Submitted by
Dr Kool, PhD
Dr Kool, PhD writes: "The PC DVD version of Bioshock is loaded with DRM like no other game ever released, and the outcry has reached critical mass. PC Gamer editors are reporting that they are not able to install and activate the game more than twice, even when previous copies are uninstalled. Thousands of complaints from frustrated buyers have flooded 2K Games' official Bioshock forum. The game uses a new version of the rootkit SecuROM to do its dirty deeds."
XBox (Games)

Submission + - XBox 360 security defeated (again) 1

Submitted by
Robinsod
Robinsod writes: "Back in Janruary this year I "discovered" that MS where using eFuses to prevent downgrading once a user had applied one of the 4xxx or 5xxx updates. I discovered this the hard way by "bricking" a brand new 360 :( During the previous six month the scene has gradually uncovered the secrets of the 360, how individual flash images are paired to individual CPUs & how the eFuses are used to "Lock Down" consoles such that they cannot be downgraded. Two important discoveries were made: 1) How to downgrade to an any version IF the CPU key is known. 3) The 360 is vulnerable to a "timing attack" that allows downgrading WITHOUT the eFuses. At 3AM this morning (after 3 evenings of struggling ;) ) I "guessed" the last byte of the secret required to defeat the version lockdown and my "bricked" 360 booted to the original 2.0.1888 Kernel & Dash!. It should be possible, soon, for anyone with an Infectus modchip and 20 Euros worth of homebrew hardware to downgrade. What does this mean? Once downgraded to the base Kernel and Dash the 360 can be upgraded again to any version. The Kiosk disk will boot again, upgrade your 360 to a vulnerable Kernel (4532/4548) and the King Kong exploit will allow you to run Linux or obtain your CPU Key and modify the 360s Key Vault to play games from other regions."
Media (Apple)

Submission + - Leaked iPod Nano pictures confirmed to be real

Submitted by thefickler
thefickler writes: Remember those leaked pictures of the soon to be released new iPod Nano you might've seen? Well it turns out that they're real, and Apple's not too happy about it. Apple Legal recently contacted 9 to 5 Mac, where the pictures originated on the web, and asked the Mac blog take them down.
Space

Submission + - SpaceX Progress Update (spacex.com)

Submitted by
memrob
memrob writes: "Elon Musk of SpaceX says that the next Falcon 1 launch vehicle will be shipped to their Kwajalein launch facility in December with the first launch window in January of 2008. The first Falcon 1 launch vehicle was lost when a fuel leak led to a fire, destroying the vehicle shortly after liftoff. The second Falcon 1 demo flight in March of this year reached space but failed to reach a stable orbit when fuel slosh coupled with the guidance correction, causing the second stage to shut down prematurely. The upgraded Falcon 1 replaces the ablatively cooled Merlin 1a first stage engine with a regeneratively cooled Merlin 1c, and the second stage features a higher strength tank (with slosh baffles) and an upgraded Kestrel 2 engine featuring higher efficiency and lighter construction to tighter tolerances. Musk also includes an update on submission of critical design review materials for the SpaceX COTS (Commercial Orbital Transportation Services) bid to NASA, and the move of the first Falcon 9 first stage tank assembly and engine bay to the SpaceX Texas facility for structural testing."
Wii

Submission + - Wii Has Outsold XBox 360 (vgchartz.com)

Submitted by
CastrTroy
CastrTroy writes: "According to the stats at VGChartz.com the Wii has now outsold the XBox 360. It has also sold more than double that of the PS3 which was released at the same time. Current numbers as I'm writing this show 10.57 million for the Wii, 10.51 million for XBox 360, and 4.32 million for the PS3. The Wii was only released 9 months ago, and the XBox 360 had a full year as the only new console on the market, yet it seems as though the Wii will win the popular opinion poll this generation. Good graphics or not, hardcore games or not, people are buying this thing in droves."
Censorship

Submission + - How to silence free speech silently (washingtonpost.com) 1

Submitted by
quizzicus
quizzicus writes: "The Washington Post writes today about a sensitive White House document detailing how to screen for, silence, and remove protesters who show up at the President's public appearances. Obtained by an ACLU subpoena in the Rank v. Jenkins case, the Presidential Advance Manual (pdf) lays out strategies such as searching audience members at the door for hidden protest material, strategically placing "rally squads" throughout the crowd to intercept and shout down hecklers, and forcefully removing dissenters who cannot be squelched. The manual advises, however, that staff should "decide if the solution would cause more negative publicity than if the demonstrators were simply left alone.""
Portables (Games)

Submission + - Hackers release universal PSP unrbicker (maxconsole.net)

Submitted by Anonymous Coward
An anonymous reader writes: A collective group of hackers including the likes of Dark_Alex, Noobz and Booster have released a new piece of software which will replicate the exact functions of Sony's Jigkick battery (even better) — that means it is now possible for homebrew enabled PSP's to UNBRICK and DOWNGRADE their systems at their own will.

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