101342
submission
ukhackster writes:
Those overheating laptop batteries are back. Lenovo is recalling 205,000 "extended" batteries which shipped with its ThinkPad machines, or were bought as replacements.
Slashdot readers will doubtless remember the flak which Sony attracted last year, after it was blamed for exploding Dell notebooks and several massive recalls. This time, the batteries were made by Sanyo. Could this be the start of another recall franzy?
101336
submission
ukhackster writes:
The EC is threatening Microsoft with yet more fines. This time, it's over the interoperability protocols that Microsoft has been ordered to open up to its rivals. The EC has examined 1,500 pages of information about the protocols, and concluded that they "lack significant innovation".
This is pretty damning for both Microsoft and the patent system, as it has been awarded 36 patents covering this technology and has another 37 pending. Could this encourage someone like the EFF to start pushing to get these patents overturned?
80210
submission
ukhackster writes:
A row is brewing in Europe over plans to make medical records available across the EC. The scheme calls for interoperability between health systems in 22 different countries. Experts are predicting that security problems could expose confidential patient records, with one calling the affair "a colossal waste of money and energy". Could this be another huge IT project disaster on the horizon?
76166
submission
ukhackster writes:
A Swedish bank has fallen victim to what experts believe is the biggest online robbery ever. A Russian gang apparently used keylogging software to steal around one million dollars, before they were detected.
The criminals used keylogging software, and it appears that most of the victims weren't running security protection. The bank is refunding everyone who lost money (even if they hadn't taken precautions) — good news for the victims, but not really an incentive to take more care in future.
67068
submission
ukhackster writes:
Traditional magnetic hard drive platters could be on the way out, thanks to SanDisk's launch today of a hard drive based on flash memory chips. The device can store 32GB of data and is meant for notebooks. . SanDisk claims that using flash chips means faster access and better reliability, so less danger of a serious system crash wiping out all your valuable data if you drop your laptop. The downside, though, is price. At an extra $600 dollars, are price-conscious consumers going to be interested?
55402
submission
ukhackster writes:
Ultrawideband is about to be legalised in Europe, but with tougher controls than in America. Ultrawideband offers wireless connectivity at speeds up to 1Gbps, and is meant to supercede USB and clear our desks of wires. However, it's currently outlawed in Europe, over fears that it interferes with other technologies. Opening up the European market could give manufacturers a powerful incentive to push UWB but do we really need such fast connectivity?
9949
submission
ukhackster writes:
European commissioner Neelie Kroes has claimed that she was lobbied by the US government over the Microsoft antitrust case. ZDNet UK is reporting that Kroes "did not appreciate" being asked to be "nicer" to Microsoft. Given that Microsoft was fined 280m euros, perhaps this tactic backfired.
1809
submission
ukhackster writes:
Relations between Microsoft and the open source community may be thawing. The Mozilla Foundation has just welcomed the offer of help to get Firefox working properly in Vista, and Microsoft has also insisted it will help non-IE browsers work with Windows Live. Is this the start of better collaboration, or just a sign the Microsoft has learned its lesson from the antitrust battles?
