Mozilla have made their first preview of Firefox 1.5 Beta 1 – code named “Deer Park” – available to early adopters, Web developers and Extension writers.
The highly-rated open source browser already boasts over 80 million users, with its tabbed browsing, built in pop-up blocker and increased security making sizeable inroads into the market dominance of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer.
Firefox 1.5 was originally scheduled for release in March 2005, but a second beta is now expected in the next month, followed by one or two release candidates before a full release “sometime before the end of the year”.
Chris Beard, products and marketing manager for Mozilla Corp, explained that the delay was due to the unexpected number of new features added to the browser.
“This ended up being a much bigger release than we originally planned,” he added.
The beta serves up several new features and improvements of existing tools, but Firefox are describing the new automatic updating as the “premier addition to 1.5”.
Much like Microsoft’s Automatic Update, Firefox 1.5 will automatically fetch program and security updates in the background and install them without user intervention. Naturally, this feature can be disabled, or users can specify that they are notified before installing patches.
Mike Schroepfer, Mozilla’s director of engineering said that automatic updating will reduce the size of patches by 10 to 20 times, explaining that the feature will remove the current requirement for users to download the entire browser to obtain fixes.
Firefox also promises faster browser navigation with improvements to back and forward button performance, the ability to re-arrange browser icons by drag-and-drop and more pop-up blocking options.
There’s improved security too, with a Clear Private Data feature making it easier for surreptitious surfers to quickly remove personal data through a menu item or keyboard shortcut.
Engineers at Firefox have ensured that the latest version of the browser is open-standard friendly, offering support for SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) 2 and 3, DHTML (Dynamic HTML) and JavaScript 1.6.
We were impressed with the improvements in the latest version, but it’s worth bearing in mind that as an early beta release there’s bound to be a few rough edges on display.
Anyone with a lot of Extensions installed, for example, may want to hold back for a while as many are currently incompatible with 1.5.
Mozilla has said that it will be providing up-to-date listing of developer extensions as they become compatible with Firefox 1.5 beta 1 at addons.mozilla.org . Mozilla were also forced to release a critical Firefox patch after a security vulnerability affecting all versions of Mozilla Firefox and the Mozilla Suite were publicly disclosed.
Toshiba has unveiled its new DVD recorder with the handy ability to set up and record TV programmes via email.
The RD-XS54 comes with Toshiba’s EASY NAVI menu and the TV Guide On Screen Interactive Program Guide for simple, easy-peasy channel navigation and recording scheduling.
In a feast of conglomeration and convergence, Internet auctioneer giants eBay are swallowing up Luxembourg-based Skype, the world’s leader in Internet phone services.
The company generates revenue by charging small fees for calls to non-Skype users and for Skype users to receive calls from callers not using the software. Skype also charge a fee to provide a voice mail service.
Although on the surface Nikon’s brand new Coolpix P1 and the Coolpix P2 cameras look like standard fare from the photo giant, they’ve got a trick up their sleeve – they both offer Wireless LAN support (IEEE802.11b/g). 
This wireless connection lets users transfer images off the camera’s storage card or transmit them ‘live’ as they’re snapped directly to Nikon’s PictureProject software.
As for the Coolpix P1 and P2 cameras, there’s nothing much to get too excited about, with the two identical cameras offering 8.0 and 5.1 Megapixels respectively with a 3.5x optical zoom (36-126mm equivalent, f2.7 – 5.2).
Framing and viewing images is taken care of with a sizeable 110,000 pixels 2.5″ TFT LCD screen and there’s a SD slot and USB 2.0 connectivity onboard.
Cool, I want one!
Ooh, Shiny, new and it rolls up!
Allah says no
“Drop the ink cartridge and put your hands on your head!”
Sony has announced the ground-breaking Cyber-shot DSC-R1, a high-end enthusiast digital camera offering a 10.3 million pixel CMOS sensor with a fast 24mm -120mm zoom lens.
Supporting the fancy pants sensor is a high quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T 5X optical zoom lens covering 24mm to 120 mm (f/2.8 to f/4/.8.) 
The camera’s $1000 price tag puts it in the heart of dSLR territory and we can’t help wondering how it’s going to compete.
No matter how hard we try, when we see someone wandering about with a Bluetooth headset in their lughole we don’t think, “there’s a cool, go-getting professional”; we tend to have an irresistible urge to shout unprintable things in their direction.
Designed to be compatible with Sony VAIO BX laptops, the HBH-608 connects the computer with the headset via Bluetooth making it possible to handle calls over the Internet (VoIP) without faffing about with troublesome phone cables. 
“The knowledge from two strong brands in the communications industry comes together in this solution. We believe that our joint experience benefits the user, making telecommunication as smooth as possible.”
Best of all, when you need to pop out for a double skinny frappuccino with Bolivian gnu’s milk, the same handset can be kept in your ear and used with your Bluetooth mobile phone on the street.
Rumours hotter than a double strength vindaloo are circulating major news organisations like the Wall Street Journal, Reuters and the Web that online auctioneers eBay are in talks to acquire the Internet-telephony company Skype.
OpenTV Corp have given out a large toot on their PR trumpets and announced the availability of their “PVR 2.0” software to network operators and set-top box manufacturers worldwide.
PVR 2.0 is built upon OpenTV’s “Core 2.0” software, the fourth generation of set-top middleware which sports an architecture and features to support the expanding requirements of advanced digital television set-top boxes including PVR, VOD, IPTV, HDTV and home networking. 
“Network operators increasingly understand middleware’s value in achieving their business goals, reducing operational costs and improving time to market of the services critical to the success of their businesses,” said Tim Evard, who has a very big name badge declaring him to be OpenTV’s “senior vice president and general manager of products and marketing.”
We like swiveling cameras. 
The swivel capability lets users shoot from the eye, the waist, overhead or upside down if they so desire, with the 180 degree rotate making it easy to take self portraits.
Powered by a pair of AA-size batteries, the S4 is designed to be highly portable, boasting slimline 112 x 69 x 37 mm (4.4 x 2.7 x 1.4 in) dimensions and a light weight of 205g.
The Coolpix S4 will be available at the end of this month priced €399 (£218, €320).