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Yahoo Tech Shopping Site Launches
Search engine big-boys Yahoo have unveiled a shopping site for consumer electronics backed up by expert advice and user-contributed reviews.
Shoving their size nines into a market long dominated by CNet Networks, the new Yahoo! Tech shopping and advice Website will offer hundreds of thousands of products with user ratings and reviews.
Spod-free advice, no anorak required
Yahoo is hoping that by offering a site free of the spoddy techno-jargon of gadget enthusiast sites, consumers will warm to their no-nonsense, straightforward approach.
“What we are trying to do is to make it simple to choose and use the technology that is easiest to use,” said Patrick Houston, general manager of Yahoo! Tech, formerly editor in chief at CNet.
“We built Yahoo! Tech for people who might not have the time nor inclination to learn about bits and bytes,” he added.
The magazine-style site will use Yahoo’s tried and trusted community tools to help users find information about products and prices and share their opinions with friends, family and other consumers.
Using an attractive and simple interface, products can be sorted and filtered by price, brand and expert rating with the option to compare online prices for the best deal.
Where consumers are looking to spend money, advertisers are always ready and willing to slap up enticing banner ads, and Hewlett Packard, Verizon Wireless and Panasonic have already signed up.
Content
Yahoo will be populating the site with content from “trustworthy publications from around the Web who may or may not be official content partners,” as well as their own staff editors and writers, and Yahoo! users.
A weekly video clip called ‘Hook Me Up’ will dish out ‘geeky wisdom’ to haul heel-dragging technology Luddites into the bright electronic age, aided by Yahoo’s ‘Emergency Makeover Technicians.’
The company is also reported to have licensed reviews from the “Dummies” series of How-to books, Consumer Reports, PC World and PC Magazine.
The new Yahoo! Tech is currently focussed on the U.S. market, with Houston saying that there are no imminent plans to expand into other countries.
http://tech.yahoo.com/
2 May, 2006
Macintosh Users Excluded From Channel 4 ‘Lost’ Downloads
Channel 4 is offering a UK online exclusive of the entire first series of the cult hit show, Lost.
From today, fans of the slightly unhinged drama can download full episodes of Lost on to their PCs.
Every episode from first season has been made available, with brand new episodes from Season Two being made available one week after transmission on Channel 4’s website.
You’ll have to be quick to watch the new series online though, as episodes one and two will only be free to view for two weeks (until May 11th 2006.)
Once that deadline has passed, viewers will have to whip out their credit cards and purchase each episode for 99p via a secure registration system.
Obsessive fans hoping to work out the dark complexities of the series by analysing each show in infinite detail will be disappointed to learn that it’s only possible to watch episodes for a 24 hour period on a single PC before the pesky thing goes into auto-destruct,
Mac users already miffed to find that the series isn’t available on iTunes will be even more annoyed to discover that the Lost downloads are only available to PC users with Microsoft Window Media Player 10.
System requirements
Lost video is only available to UK users using Windows Media Player 10 or above.
Windows 2000 or XP
Internet Explorer 5.5 or 6
A broadband Internet connection of at least 500 kbps
Flash Player 6.0 or higher
Internet Explorer’s “Privacy” settings set to the default “Medium” setting
Firewalls and pop-up blockers disabled
Channel 4: Lost
2 May, 2006
Nokia N73, N93:3 Megapixel Cameras Phones Announced
The dome-headed boffins at Nokia have triumphantly put their multiple pens back in their white coat pockets as the new Nokia N73 and N93 phones roll out on the product slipway.
Both phones come with large 2.4″ QVGA displays and high quality, Sony Ericsson-challenging 3 Megapixel cameras (2048 x 1536 pixels), armed with powerful flashes and Carl Zeiss lenses.
There’s also a new Xpress Share client which is designed to make it easy for mobile snappers to blast off their masterpieces via MMS or email, or upload images to Flickr accounts.
Both phones are equipped with S60 3rd Edition operating systems, which comes with Nokia’s new full web browser and a brand spanking new camera interface.
Nokia N73. Amazin’ Raisin Aero Bar.
Being Brits, we refuse to describe mobiles as having a ‘candybar’ form factor, so how about we call the N73, ‘Amazin’ Raisin Bar’ shaped?
Too obscure?
Well, we would say Mars Bar shaped, but then some of you with smutty minds might start giggling at the back, so we’ll settle for ‘Chunky Aero Bar’ instead.
Now that that’s settled, we can tell you that the Chunky Aero Bar-shaped N73 is designed to replace the popular N70 model and offers Quadband GSM/EDGE connectivity, with some models also including include 2100 MHz UMTS.
Unleashed from behind its spring-assisted cover, there’s an auto-focus 3.2 megapixel camera boasting Carl Zeiss optics, with 42 MB built-in memory and a MiniSD slot for additional storage.
Rounding off the man-sized feature set is Bluetooth 2.0, a music player supporting MP3, AAC, AAC+ and WMA, video player with streaming support, FM radio with visual radio and a set of built-in pixie-sized 3D stereo speakers.
The Nokia N73 is expected be available from July 2006, in three colour schemes with silly names: silver grey/deep plum, frost white/metallic red and frost white/mocha brown.
Nokia N93. Like a lardy Curly Wurly. Sort of.
Sticking with our ill-thought out confectionary theme a while longer, we reckon that if the N73 is an Aero Bar, then the N93 must be like a bendy Curly Wurly with its flexible hingey thingy.
Modestly billed by Nokia as the “ultimate mobile device for spontaneous video recording,” the N93 features a 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, “DVD-like” video capture at 30 frames per second, and 3x optical zoom with video stabilisation.
The feature set is mighty impressive, with the N93 offering 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, MiniSD slot, video player with streaming support and TV-out.
The onboard music player can keep you rocking to MP3, AAC, AAC+ and WMA, and there’s a FM radio with visual radio for some Terry Wogan on the move.
Sadly, those looking to see the famous wig wobbling about on TV will be disappointed to learn that the there’s no DVB-H tuner onboard.
The Nokia N93 is expected to be available in July 2006.
Nokia waves around the wedge. Celebs flock for a slice.
Nokia have pushed the boat out on promoting these new phones, somehow persuading actor/director Gary Oldman to shoot a short film using the N93 as part of their “pioneering new mobile video initiative”, the Nokia Nseries Studio.
Apparently, Oldman has become part of an “international cast of creative visionaries who are shooting mobile movies for the Nokia Nseries,” with the results being posted up at www.nokia.com/nseries/studio
Come the summer, Nokia are going to open up the site so mere mortals craving to achieve ‘creative visionary’ status can slap up their own movies.
25 April, 2006
Non-Windows Attacks On The Rise
Attacks against non-Windows operating systems – particularly Linux – are growing quickly, according to a Kaspersky Lab report.
Although the figures are infinitesimally small compared to the depressingly regular onslaught of nasty beasties targeting Windows users, Linux malware figures more than doubled in 2005 (up to 863 from the previous year’s 422).
The report, posted by Konstantin Sapronov on the Viruslist.com Website, also noted that other Unix-based systems were experiencing similar rises in attacks.
The increase in malware is seen as a result of the growing popularity of alternative platforms.
“Slowly but surely Linux is being chosen over Windows not only for servers, but also for desktops,” explained Sapronov.
“Mac OS X’s (stock) may also rise. Since Apple has switched to Intel processors, Macintosh is rapidly gaining popularity,” he added.
The report notes that with Apple’s OS X kernel being based on FreeBSD, the experience of creating malware for that platform may also be applied to create OS X malware in the future.
The author points to the two “proof of concept worms for OS X” (below) as evidence for errors in the system architecture, adding that “OS X may be fertile soil for security researchers.”
2005: *nix Malware Evolution
Those Mac bugs
Posted up late last week by independent researcher Tom Ferris, ‘proof of concept’ code has been revealed that could be used to crash applications or even run unauthorised code on Apple machines.
The code takes advantage of bugs in the Safari browser and the Mac OS X operating system, with Ferris highlighting exploiting a total of seven bugs.
Posting on his Security-protocols.com blog, Ferris said that Apple had been made aware of the bugs and plans to fix them in “the next security release.”
Writing in his blog, Ferris commented, “There [seem] to be some problems with the claimed solid-as-a-rock Unix OS Getting Safari to crash in many different spots is trivial, as where Firefox is very tough.”
The SANS Institute’s Internet Storm Center rated the severity of Ferris’s bugs as “highly critical,” warning that there are currently no patches or workarounds available for the majority of these vulnerabilities.
Apple had declined to comment as we went to press.
24 April, 2006
Google Calendar Finally Launches
Search giant Google has announced a free, Web-based ‘shareable’ calendar service called, appropriately enough, Google Calendar, which allows users to post up events and share them with others.
Calendar owners can send out invitations to their chums and keep track of their responses and comments (like, “Bog off weirdo – we’re not coming to your party”).
Conveniently, friends can still receive and add responses to your invites even if they don’t use Google Calendar themselves.
A neat ‘Quick Add’ feature uses Google’s clever-clogs technology to understand phrases like, “Dinner at the Old Scrote And Hounds with Tony, 1.30pm Saturday” and automatically slap it in the right place in your calendar.
Gmail Integration
Gmail can also recognise events mentioned in emails, letting users add events without leaving their Gmail inbox.
Naturally, you can search your own calendar, with Google adding the ability to search public calendars to look for interesting events to add to your own diary (like Cardiff City FC fixtures, for example).
Powered by Javascript and XML, the calendar offers support for Microsoft IE 6.0+ and Mozilla Firefox 1.07+, although users will need JavaScript and cookies to be enabled for the calendar to work.
Based on open calendar standards, events can be imported from popular programs like Microsoft Outlook and Apple iCal, while schedules can be viewed by any external application or device that accepts iCal or XML files.
Taking on Yahoo!
Although Google is offering compatibility with Yahoo’s popular calendar service (events can be shared between the two services), there’s no question that they’re looking to move in on Yahoo’s patch.
In fact, Google have added a whole page explaining how users can migrate their entire Yahoo! Calendar to Google Calendar, which suggests that things might get a little lively between the two services soon.
Google Calendar
13 April, 2006
Orange Mobile Photography Service Launches
Telecom giants Orange have launched a new photography service that lets snapping mobile users back up and store their digital photos on the move.
A new program will make it easy for users to upload their mobile photos by selecting an ‘upload to album’ option straight after their masterpiece has been captured.
The auto-upload application will be pre-installed on the soon-come Nokia N80, with the program being downloadable from Orange World. Compatible devices include the Nokia N70, 6680, 6630, 6230i phones.
Alternatively, users can select the ‘upload photos’ option and browse pics from the phone’s gallery for sending to their online album.
For users on older and non-compatible phones, pictures can be uploaded by sending them as a picture message using the shortcode, 25286 (which cunningly spells out ‘album’ on the keypad).
For a rather pricy monthly sting of £4, Orange subscribers will be able to slap up an unlimited amount of photos from their phone to the album within the UK, with 30 MMS messages being included in the bundle.
There’s also a £3 a month Photography 15 bundle available for Pay Monthly customers – this includes 15 photo messages but does not contain any inclusive data (for uploading photos and viewing album).
The PhotoBox-powered online photo album has a storage limit of 200MB – enough for about 1000 medium-res photos – and users can also store, add and edit digital images on their PCs or Macs.
Orange Mobile Photography
12 April, 2006
Carphone Warehouse To Offer Free Broadband?
Carphone Warehouse are going to stir up a hornet’s nest in the telecoms industry if they go ahead with rumoured plans to introduce a free broadband package in the UK.
According to the Sunday Times, the company is expected to offer the public “free” broadband as part of their Talk Talk landline package.
Backed by a huge advertising budget, the promotion is seen as part of Carphone Warehouse’s strategy to elevate their Talk Talk brand into the leading consumer alternative to BT Group.
Carphone Warehouse’s current tally of 75,000 broadband customers puts them miles behind big boys BT Retail and NTL, who boast a mighty 2.3m and 2.8m customers respectively.
Not us, Guv.
At the moment, the company are denying everything about the new free service, although an announcement is expected on Tuesday.
Some industry experts believe that Carphone Warehouse are looking to repeat the soaraway success of fabled freebie ISP Freeserve, who came out of nowhere to overtake BT in the late 90s.
Up until now, Carphone Warehouse have been hampered by having to resell BT’s wholesale broadband product, but a hefty £60m investment will see the company having its own broadband gear in up to 1,000 BT exchanges – potentially reaching 70% of the population.
PR spin-mesisters at Carphone are thought to have christened their broadband campaign “Independence Day”, based on a feeble pun that it will give customers independence from BT.
Some are suggesting that the tag has greater significance, insisting that it reflects the proposed launch date for the new broadband deals – July 4, America’s Independence Day.
Talk Talk
Carphone Warehouse
10 April, 2006
Two Million Brits Use VoIP Services
New research reveals that around two million Brits have used VoIP packages to place calls over the Internet in the last 12 months, with the figure expected to double by this time next year.
Analysts at Continental Research conducted a poll of 3,000 UK adults using VoIP and discovered that Skype was the preferred tool of choice for 48 per cent of users.
In second place was Microsoft’s MSN Messenger boasting a fifth of all calls, with Vonage and BT trailing miles behind at 6 per cent each and Wanadoo barely visible on the horizon at just two per cent.
Punters seem happy with the service, with most saying that they will increase or maintain usage over the next year, with only 1 per cent planning on using VoIP less.
Sound quality was the most common complaint with 29 per cent citing dissatisfaction with what’s reaching their lug’oles.
Mulling on the findings, James Myring, the associate director of Continental Research, told The Independent newspaper that by being early to market, Skype has enjoyed a big “first mover” advantage.
He noted that BT has huge potential to roll out VoIP to customers on a large scale, but warned that, “it will be concerned about losing market share from its fixed line business. For BT, it might be a case of compete or lose.”
Protecting the VoIP future
Elsewhere, the University of North Texas is leading a project to look at ways of protecting VoIP services from voice spam and network attacks like DoS, as well as looking into issues concerning network quality and emergency services access.
The $600,000 (£344,000) investment looks to develop a secure, geographically distributed test bed to seek out VoIP vulnerabilities before the “damage is done.”
Unveiled by the National Science Foundation, the three year security audit will also be used to sniff out potential security holes arising from running VoIP over conventional phone networks.
With VoIP being aggressively marketed, one recent study estimated that some 24 million US households will be hooked up to VoIP services by 2008.
10 April, 2006
Google Releases Toolbar v2 for Firefox
Google is launching an upgrade to its toolbar for Mozilla’s Firefox browser, adding enhancements to the search box and an antiphishing feature.
Google Toolbar 2.0 will now offer suggestions on the fly for narrowing queries and correcting spelling – great news if yore speling esn’t up to muuch.
The all-new, turbo-charged search box also remembers previous query terms inputted by a user – as well as bookmarks – and serves them up as query suggestions, with a handy drop-down menu letting users select which part of Google’s empire to search.
The new release includes feed integration with the Google Personalised Homepage, with the toolbar automatically detecting Web content available for subscription, and a click of the “Subscribe” button taking users to their preferred feed reader.
Pheck Off Phishers
To help battle against pesky phishers, the upgraded Firefox toolbar includes Google’s Safe Browsing extension.
Previously an optional add-in, this feature warns users when they innocently roam onto Websites that could be a phishing trap, with Google using clever-clogs advanced algorithms and reports about dodgy pages to flag up the iffy sites.
Gmail users should like the new feature that opens mailto: links on webpages straight into a compose window in Gmail – no need to copy and paste emails off Webpages.
“We’ve made searching better by including previous queries, spelling corrections, and suggestions for popular choices”, a company employee purred on the Google Blog.
Google blog
Toolbar 2.0 features
7 April, 2006
Sony Launches Cyber-shot DSC-T30 Digital Camera
Sony America has launched a new digital camera today for the trendy party crowd, the 7.2-megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-T30.
Featuring Sony’s familiar sliding lens cover, the T30 measures a designer suit untroubling 90 x 54.8 x 20.2mm, with the 159g mass unlikely to add much bulk to the Gucci handbag.
Sony’s Super Steady Shot optical image stabilisation lets the camera keep on working late into the party, with a high ISO 1000 light sensitivity (coupled with Sony’s Clear RAW noise reduction system), allowing more natural, flash-less pics.
Introduced to the T-Series is a set of selectable colour modes allowing users to choose ‘natural mode’ for subtle colour variations or ‘vivid mode’ for more intense colours – great for reproducing the full range of hues of the pavement pizza at the end of the night.
Shutter lag with AF/AE is rated at a nippy 0.28 of a second, with the burst mode offering 5 shots at 1.1 frames per second – enough to capture a dramatic, alcohol-fuelled dance floor collapse.
Shot-to-shot interval is up on its predecessor, the T9, with the camera taking 1.4 seconds – the slower time a result of the larger files being saved.
Other features include a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 3x optical zoom (f3.5-4.5), a hefty 3 inch “Clear Photo LCD Plus screen” and 58MB of internal memory.
Images can be played back as a slide show option with music function, with the Memory Stick Duo offering up to two gigabytes of additional storage.
Powered by an InfoLithium battery, Sony are claiming up to 420 shots per full charge – nearly double the performance of previous T-series models.
The Cyber-shot DSC-T30 camera will be landing on store shelves in the US next month for around $500. There’s no news about the UK launch and price yet.
Specifications
Dimensions 3.7 x 2.2 x 0.9″, 95.0 x 56.5 x 23.3mm
Weight 169.0 g, 5.9 oz
Sensor Type 1/2.5″ CCD, 7.20 megapixels (effective)
Aspect Ratio 4:3, 3:2
Image Dimensions 3072 x 2304 (7.1 megapixels), 3072 x 2048 (6.3 megapixels), 2592 x 1944 (5.0 megapixels), 2048 x 1536 (3.1 megapixels), 1920 x 1080 (2.1 megapixels), 1632 x 1224 (2.0 megapixels), 640 x 480 (0.3 megapixels)
Capture Speed Continuous: 0.8 frames per second
Image Quality 2 levels
Viewfinder No
LCD 3.0″, 230,000 pixels
Playback Zoom 5.0x max
Lens Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar, 3x optical zoom
Image Stabilization Yes
Focal Length 6.3 – 19.0mm (actual), 38 – 114mm (35mm equivalent)
Aperture Range f/3.5 (wide) / f/4.3 (tele)
Focusing System 5-area Contrast detect with AF assist lamp
Manual Focus possible (5) steps
Focusing Range Normal: 20″ – infinity (50 cm – infinity)
Macro: 0.4″
ISO Sensitivity Auto, 64, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1000
Shutter Speed 30 – 1/1000 second
Metering Modes Multi-pattern, Center-weighted, Spot
Exposure Compensation +/- 2.0EV in 1/3EV increments
White Balance Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Flash
Internal Flash Modes: Auto, Auto w/ Red-Eye Reduction, On, On w/ Red-Eye Reduction, Slow Synch, Slow Synch w/ Red-Eye Reduction, Off
Range: 0.3 – 11.2 ft, (0.1 – 3.4m)
Creative Scene Modes Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Landscape, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, High-Speed Shutter, Candle, Magnifying Glass (Super Macro), Soft Snap
Digital Zoom Precision 2x
Self Timer Yes, 2 or 10 seconds
Storage Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, Built-in
File Format JPEG
Connectivity USB 1.1
Battery Type Lithium Ion rechargeable, Proprietary NP-FR1 InfoLITHIUM
6 April, 2006