Assorted Techie News (24 Aug)

nightzip SG

Qantas makes passengers remove Dell batteries

AUSSIE AIRLINE Qantas has made the first move to protect planes from problems caused by defective Dell batteries.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, passengers can still check and carry on their Dells, but only use them when batteries are removed.

However, there is confusion at some airports according to the newspaper - with some passengers finding security staff removed Dell batteries and taped up the contact points.

Last week we revealed that an international aviation body was to discuss Dell batteries at an upcoming conference in Montreal.

The Australian prohibition, where it's enforced, applies to all Dell notebooks and not just for machines the firm warned might have problems with batteries. µ

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=33876

Google faces $61 million fine for withholding user data

Brazil threatens to down it

By INQUIRER staff: Wednesday 23 August 2006, 09:17

PROSECUTORS in Brazil have demanded that Google supply it with information for a criminal investigation, or face the consequences.
Those consequences could include a $61 million fine and the closure of its Brazilian web site, unless it supplies information about Orkut pages.

Google may also face a daily fine of over $90,000 if it doesn't comply with prosecutor requests that it discloses user information.

Google wants to appoint an expert to assess whether it's complying with legal requests but because the Orkut server is based in the United States it needn't comply with such Brazilian requests. µ

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=33869

US thinks of sticking RFID chips inside troops

I got you under my skin

By Nick Farrell: Wednesday 23 August 2006, 06:48

THE FLORIDA outfit which makes implanted RFID chips is lobbying the US government to stick them under the skin of 1.4 million US soldiers.
According to the DC Examiner, VeriChip is hoping to convince the Pentagon to allow them to insert the chips under the skin of the right arms of military personnel instead of the traditional dog tags.

The Examiner said the outfit might get away with the idea as it has powerful political connections. Apparently the former secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson, on its board.

Thompson told the Examiner that the chip was safe and that no one will be forced to accept an implant against his or her will.

Others, like veterans groups, are not so happy with the idea.

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=33858

nightzip SG

Walking Irishman beats Apple

By Steve Nosejob: Wednesday 23 August 2006, 14:47

APPLE'S IRELAND office has finally said sorry to a bloke who had threatened to walk across Ireland to protest about the Cappuccino outfits shocking customer service.
Karl Haydens ten month-old iMac crashed on July 14 and after several botched attempts to fix it, Apple agreed to replace the computer on 14 August.

Then it failed to pick it up.

Hayden threatened to carry out a "walk of shame" from Dublin to Cork, which is the location of his nearest Apple repair centre and a sodding long way. His big idea was that if he told the media about the walk, it would embarrass Apple as well as gain attention for his plight.

It looks like Apple saw a PR nightmare coming and decided to do something to head it off at the pass.

According to Macworld, Hayden received an apology, a replacement 2GHz iMac Intel Core Duo with 512MB and additional memory to match the broken iMac, which had 2GB installed. µ

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=33885

Apple acts on threat of 'walk of shame'

http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=15647&Page=1&pagePos=5

Sun overtakes Dell

We are the new number three, who is number one?

By Charlie Demerjian: Wednesday 23 August 2006, 08:24

SUN AND DELL are doing a nice job of reflecting the epic Intel vs AMD struggle, both are 'pure plays' in the iAMD64 server world.
As such, with a little lag, they reflect the chip companies relative strengths in a direct way.

Because of this, Sun suddenly leapt past Dell as the #3 server vendor this quarter after losing the position in Q3/05 according to IDC here .

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=33863

Messenger will have a panic button

Sexual predators beware

By Nick Farrell: Wednesday 23 August 2006, 15:22

MICROSOFT HAS installed a panic button in its Messenger product that will enable users to report suspected sexual predators directly to the coppers.
According to the Guardian, the Voles "report abuse" icon on Messenger will connect users worried about their anonymous Internet buddies directly to online plod.

Of course, it may also mean that the police will get a lot of notifications when the wrong button is pressed, or when punters thought they were ordering a pizza.

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=33884

nightzip SG

Playstation 3 works but Sony doesnt want to show it

By Fuad Abazovic in Leipzig: Wednesday 23 August 2006, 18:00

WE HAD a chance to get within five inches of what Sony claims to be the final production prototype of the Playstation 3 console. We could even touch the wireless remote but the machine didnt work as Sony didnt want to plug it in.
The marketing chap had the lamest excuse of them all, he said that Sony doesnt want to show the live demo as there is a hidden secret feature that Sony doesnt want to show off yet.

I can guarantee you that it super does not work and that Sony is merely showing what the machine will look like. There was a live demo - but from the developers' machines - of some developers' demos but you can clearly forget about the real hardware.

I dont have any idea how it is going to produce enough Playstation 3 machines in time to meet the November timeline.