Sep 30
Microsoft/Windows Update Program Manager Nate Clinton has just posted on an issue we’ve learned of that affects some users of Windows Update repairing their systems using a Windows XP CD. The symptom is that some Windows XP customers are unable to install updates via the latest version of Windows Update after using a Windows XP CD to perform the “Repair from CD” function.
The issue does not look to be widespread and occurs in rather exceptional only under specific circumstances; it occurs because the Windows XP Repair CD replaces all system files, including Windows Update, with older versions of those files. Meanwhile, the most current version of Windows Update (which is already present on the system) includes a file that is not present in the Windows Update image on the Repair CD. After performing the repair, the new file remains on the system and creates a registry mismatch, causing subsequent installation of some updates to fail. Continue reading »
Sep 29
n Apple software update is disabling iPhones that have been unlocked by owners who wanted to choose which mobile network to use.
Earlier this week Apple said a planned update would leave the device “permanently inoperable”.
Thousands of iPhone owners hacked their expensive gadget in order to unlock it for use with other mobile carriers and to run a host of unsupported programs.
There are also reports of the update causing issues with unaltered iPhones. Continue reading »
Sep 29
Customer demand has forced Microsoft to extend the shelf life of Windows XP by five months.
Microsoft was scheduled to stop selling the six-year-old operating system on 30 January 2008 to leave the field clear for Vista.
Now the date on which many sellers of XP will no longer be able to offer it has been lengthened to 30 June 2008.
Microsoft said the change was to help those customers that needed more time to make the switch to Vista. Continue reading »
Sep 29
More than 100,000 old books previously unavailable to the public will go online thanks to a mass digitisation programme at the British Library.
The programme focuses on 19th Century books, many of which are unknown as few were reprinted after first editions.
The library believes online access to the titles will help teachers.
“If there are no modern editions teachers cannot use them for their courses,” said Dr Kristian Jensen, from the British Library. Continue reading »
Sep 29
Halo 3 has officially become the biggest entertainment launch in history, accumulating nearly £84m in the first 24 hours alone.
This is only based on sales in the United States. Halo 3 was released in the UK on 26 September and saw hundreds queuing to get their hands on a copy.
The Xbox 360 title beat previous records set by blockbuster releases like Spider-Man 3 and novels such as Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows.
Halo 3, which sees players take control of the Master Chief once again, also broke the record in Australian retail history and looks set to continue the trend around the world. Continue reading »
Sep 26
TOKYO (Reuters) - Sharp Corp said it would launch a Blu-ray high-definition DVD recorder with a 1-terabyte hard disk drive (HDD), the world’s largest storage capacity on any Blu-ray recorder, as it competes with the HD DVD camp. Sharp, along with Sony Corp and Panasonic maker Matsushita Electric Industrial Co, promotes Blu-ray optical disc technology, while Toshiba Corp and Microsoft Corp back the rival HD DVD format.
The 1-terabyte model, capable of recording 127 hours of digital high-definition programs, will go on sale on December 1 in Japan for about 300,000 yen ($2,616).
Sharp also plans to offer eight other new Blu-ray recorder models by the end of the year in Japan in a bid to replace video cassette recorders and conventional DVD machines.
The Osaka-based company said on Wednesday it has no specific plans at the moment for overseas launch of these products. Continue reading »
Sep 26
“As we were discussing, Gran Paradiso — the latest version of Firefox — is nearing release. Gran Paradiso includes a form of malware protection that checks every URL against a known list of sites. It does so by sending each URL to Google. In other words, if people enable this feature, they get some malware protection, and Google gets a wealth of information about which sites are popular (or, for that matter, which sites should be checked for malware). Fair deal? Not to worry — the feature is disabled by default.” Continue reading »
Sep 26
If you hacked your iPhone to run other applications or use it on other networks, the iPhone Dev Team wants you to wait before installing Apple’s forthcoming software update.
The group credited with opening up the iPhone to both application development and networks other than AT&T’s says it will have a fix out next week that will allow you to restore that iPhone to its factory settings, according to a statement attributed to the group that was posted on The Unofficial Apple Weblog. On Monday Apple warned iPhone users who had installed software for unlocking their phones that an iPhone update expected later this week could potentially break their phones, and that just downloading the unlocking software voids the iPhone warranty. Continue reading »
Sep 26
OK, kids–hope you’ve been nice this year, because here’s something you might want to add to your holiday wish lists. Today, T-Mobile announced not one, but two new Sidekicks to be added to its lineup: the T-Mobile Sidekick LX and the T-Mobile Sidekick Slide.
Let’s start with the latter since it brings something new to the mobile messaging device: a slide-up screen (all together now: oooohhh, ahhhh). Unlike previous models, which have been manufactured by Sharp/Danger, the Sidekick Slide is made by Motorola and features a smaller design. It measures 4.6 inches wide by 2.6 inches high by 0.6 inch deep and weighs 5.3 ounces, while the T-Mobile Sidekick 3 comes in at 5.1 inches wide by 2.3 inches high by 0.8 inch deep and 6.7 ounces and the Sidekick iD is 5.1 inches by 2.4 inches by 0.8 inch and 6.2 ounces. And hallelujah–it has a higher resolution screen at 320×240 pixels and 65,000 colors. Continue reading »
Sep 26
EW YORK (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc on Tuesday launched an early version of its highly anticipated digital music download store, which is seen as a potential rival to Apple Inc’s dominant iTunes service.
The “Amazon MP3″ store allows users to buy music without copy protection technology, so the songs can play on a variety of devices, including Apple’s market-leading iPod.
The retailer believes selling music without protection will attract consumers who have been reluctant to buy songs that are digitally formatted to restrict where they can be played or transmitted. That is the case with iTunes, where most song downloads for 99 cents apiece are usually only compatible with an Apple iPod player. Continue reading »
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