IPTV News
March 31, 2007
IPTV may finally be poised to move into Pakistan. In the past, the country has lagged behind the rest of the region in broadband availability and especially in cost. It looks like the situation is set to change over the next few years due to policy and regulatory changes. Several companies are already in the process ...
IPTV Moving Into Pakistan
by Kathryn LangIPTV may finally be poised to move into Pakistan. In the past, the country has lagged behind the rest of the region in broadband availability and especially in cost. It looks like the situation is set to change over the next few years due to policy and regulatory changes. Several companies are already in the process ...
March 30, 2007
Startup company, BreakingPoint Systems, is launching the BPS-1000 network test appliance, which aims to give customers an accurate picture of how their networking equipment will perform in the real world. The device can detect security vulnerabilities in routers, load balancers and other devices. It also enables users to see how their networking equipment performs under a high volume of networking ...
New network test appliance from BreakingPoint
by Janet HarrisStartup company, BreakingPoint Systems, is launching the BPS-1000 network test appliance, which aims to give customers an accurate picture of how their networking equipment will perform in the real world. The device can detect security vulnerabilities in routers, load balancers and other devices. It also enables users to see how their networking equipment performs under a high volume of networking ...
Motorola Launches MC35 PDA/Phone
by Janet Harris
Motorola has launched the MC35a PDA phone, which is targeted at mobile salespeople.
The device, which includes a barcode scanner, GPS and Bluetooth, is an update of the MC50 durable enterprise PDA made by Symbol which Motorola acquired in January. The MC35 uses software to decode barcodes through the camera.
While the MC50 used ...USB-Powered DVD Burner announced by Panasonic
by Jan HarrisPanasonic's latest DVD player - the Panasonic LF-P968C - can both play and burn DVDs and can draw its power from a USB port, eliminating the need for a separate AC adapter. The Panasonic LF-P968C is compatible with Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system and works with dual-layer DVD+/-R at 4x, single-layer DVD+/-R at 8x, and DVD-RAM at 5x. The easily portable ...
VOIP Making It a Small World
by Kathryn LangWhen you make that call to your helpline (for your DVD player, your BBQ grill, or whatever else may be giving you trouble) it is very likely that you are going VOIP and you don’t even know it. Even more exciting it that you have no idea where your call may end up. India is leading the world as the ...
March 29, 2007
Kidaro, the managed workspace specialist, has announced the availability of the Kidaro Corporate "To-Go" for a USB flash drive. Corporate "To-Go" is an encrypted virtual machine on a USB drive, which mobile workers can plug in to any workstation, regardless of hardware or set up, and gain access to policy-based corporate applications and resources. The product eliminates the need to provide ...
Kidaro offers desktop on USB
by Jan HarrisKidaro, the managed workspace specialist, has announced the availability of the Kidaro Corporate "To-Go" for a USB flash drive. Corporate "To-Go" is an encrypted virtual machine on a USB drive, which mobile workers can plug in to any workstation, regardless of hardware or set up, and gain access to policy-based corporate applications and resources. The product eliminates the need to provide ...
Bioscrypt’s 3D DeskCam provides face scan biometrics
by Janet HarrisBioscrypt of Toronto has announced a new camera which is both a Webcam and a security system with 3D face scanning technology. 3D DeskCam comprises a 3-inch tall, half-inch wide camera, which authenticates anyone trying to access a computer by using infrared and a lens to scan their face in three dimensions. The camera uses about 40,000 identification points on a ...
Nokia launches 5070 and 5700 phones
by Janet Harris
Nokia has launched the 5700 XpressMusic phone, a 3G Symbian Series 60 smartphone with a twist design to switch between multi-media functions.
The 5700 features a music player, two-megapixel camera and video calling. It supports all music file formats - WMA, MP3, AAC, eAAC+ and MP4. It also supports DRM coded ...VOIP Choices if Vonage Sinks
by Kathryn LangVonage is not the only VOIP provider on the market, although there are days that if feels that way. Vonage has had a vocal advertising campaign that has pushed it into the eyes of consumers more than the other internet phone providers out there. With the all the trouble that Vonage has found itself in lately, many of its ...
March 28, 2007
McAfee Inc. has announced the McAfee OK program - which inspects and certifies content on mobile phones. The program is designed for mobile content aggregators and network operators. It inspect ringer tones, images, video, applications and other mobile content, and certifies that it does not contain any malicious or inappropriate material. McAfee OK is based on McAfee's mobile detection technology, which ...
McAfee announces ‘McAfee OK’ programme
by Janet HarrisMcAfee Inc. has announced the McAfee OK program - which inspects and certifies content on mobile phones. The program is designed for mobile content aggregators and network operators. It inspect ringer tones, images, video, applications and other mobile content, and certifies that it does not contain any malicious or inappropriate material. McAfee OK is based on McAfee's mobile detection technology, which ...
Naztech n300 charges phones from USB port
by Jan HarrisNaztech Technologies introduced its N300 charger for iPods and mobile phones at the CTIA Wireless convention in Orlando. The N300, which is also known as the 3-in-1 rapid charger, is the first device that will charge mobile devices from either a USB port, a standard wall AC outlet, or mobile lighter receptacles. The compact and lightweight device is easy for mobile ...
HDTV Sees Nature In a Whole New Way
by Kathryn LangDiscovery started releasing its Planet Earth series recently, a look at nature as no one has seen it before made all the more intense through HDTV. If you didn’t know it was coming, then you don’t watch TV at all. This series has been hyped from here to eternity and back again. There is nothing worse ...
Problems with Skype’s VOIP
by Kathryn LangSkype is one of the world’s leading VOIP providers. As an innovator in the industry and one of the first to tap into the market, it is no surprise that it has such a strong market share. There are some surprises to Skype’s VOIP services, though. The following surprises in the services are just a few of the ...
23half Inc launches camera phone search technology
by Janet Harris
23half Inc, a California-based company which specialises in innovative technologies to extend the use of camera phones, has announced the availability of the beta version of Thrrum Visual Search.
Thrrum Visual Search effectively transforms a camera phone into a visual information browser. It integrates visual recognition and information search technologies ...
March 27, 2007
Code to exploit a known flaw in Internet Explorer has been posted on the Milw0rm.com web site. The code, which exploits a recently patched flaw in Microsoft's browser, could be used to run unauthorised software on a computer that was not updated with the latest Microsoft patches. Security researcher HD Moore discovered the vulnerability in July 2006. A patch ...
Exploit for IE posted on web
by Janet HarrisCode to exploit a known flaw in Internet Explorer has been posted on the Milw0rm.com web site. The code, which exploits a recently patched flaw in Microsoft's browser, could be used to run unauthorised software on a computer that was not updated with the latest Microsoft patches. Security researcher HD Moore discovered the vulnerability in July 2006. A patch ...
OCZ releases USB SD card reader
by Jan HarrisOCZ Technology Group, Inc., which provides innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory, has released the new OCZ Trifecta SD card series. The Trifecta secure digital memory solution combines a microSD, SD and a USB key in one unit. It provides an innovative solution for sharing files between a mobile phone, MP3 player, digital camera, and PC. The Trifecta card utilises ...
Sony Ericsson launches W580 Walkman phone
by Janet Harris
Sony Ericsson has announced the W580 Walkman, a stylish 2.0 megapixel camera phone with full Walkman music capabilities.
The slider phone can store up to 470 full-length tracks. It is distributed with Disc2Phone music management software and USB cable in the box, making it easy to transfer music from a computer ...VOIP Better Than Traditional Telecommunications
by Kathryn LangThe arrival of VOIP has changed the landscape of telecommunications for everyone in the industry. The quality of the new internet technology, when it is good, is far superior to land line calls. The traditional telephone communications has been locked in the time warp. Many of the older companies still have a small bandwidth of only 300 to ...
March 26, 2007
Symantec is planning to unveil its first suite of security software for Microsoft Windows Mobile devices - Symantec Mobile Security Suite 5.0 - at the CTIA Wireless show in Orlando. With Mobile Security Suite 5.0, Symantec aims to provide mobile devices with the same kind of protection it offers to PCs. Although PC viruses significantly outnumber viruses aimed at mobile devices, ...
Symantec announces mobile security software
by Janet HarrisSymantec is planning to unveil its first suite of security software for Microsoft Windows Mobile devices - Symantec Mobile Security Suite 5.0 - at the CTIA Wireless show in Orlando. With Mobile Security Suite 5.0, Symantec aims to provide mobile devices with the same kind of protection it offers to PCs. Although PC viruses significantly outnumber viruses aimed at mobile devices, ...
Franklin releases CDU-550 USB EVDO modem
by Jan HarrisFranklin Wireless is releasing its own EVDO modem. The CDU-550 Mobile Broadband USB modem has a unique cross-platform feature which enables it to work on a PC, laptop, Windows Mobile platforms (for handhelds and UMPCs), Linux platforms, and Macs. The USB modem allows wireless subscribers using Tablet PC, Macs, laptops, and desktops without a PCMCIA card slot, to connect to the ...
Zyxel launches Skype smartphone
by Janet Harris
Zyxal is launching a new converged WiFi/GPRS/GSM quad-band V660 smartphone with built-in VPN support in the UK.
The Skype phone will enable users to make and receive voice over wireless LAN (VoWLAN) calls, either fixed or mobile through one single device. It also provides web, and instant messaging services.
The phone includes Microsoft Windows ...IPTV Slips Into Reality
by Kathryn LangIt was only a matter of time. Now reality TV has infiltrated IPTV. It was a pipe dream, but I was hoping that the technology savvy service would be immune to the lure of the ludicrous, but I was wrong. Justin.tv it putting on an IPTV version of the movie “Ed TV†where cameras follow Justin as he ...
HDTV Sets For Free
by Kathryn LangIf you are like me, you missed the great HDTV giveaway that occurred recently. When Sony launched PS3, it gave away a free 46-inch HDTV to the first 100 Brits that purchased the new gaming system. The free HDTV’s are a good sign that the PS3 systems are net selling as well as the company would like. Promotions ...
VOIP Gets Another Hit
by Kathryn LangVonage, one of the leading VOIP providers, has been knocked a hard blow. A court recently granted an injunction to Verizon against Vonage that prohibits the VOIP provider from using technology a jury recently found infringed on Verizon’s patents. Vonage is not giving up without a fight. It hopes to be able to win a stay ...
March 24, 2007
There is a new IPTV service being launched in India. BSNL is the second company to launch, the first was MTNL. Although there has been lots of media buzz about the new technology, there haven’t been that many reviews of the new services. The big problem that IPTV is facing is content. With so many restrictions on ...
More IPTV for India
by Kathryn LangThere is a new IPTV service being launched in India. BSNL is the second company to launch, the first was MTNL. Although there has been lots of media buzz about the new technology, there haven’t been that many reviews of the new services. The big problem that IPTV is facing is content. With so many restrictions on ...
March 23, 2007
Well, it looks as if one of the original high-quality ISPs have decided to get out of the game and cash in their chips.
Pipex has seemingly 'put itself up for sale' and hung a price tag of £300m - £350m around its' own neck. Must be nice to be able to do that I ...
Pipex up for sale?
by BGonaSTICKWell, it looks as if one of the original high-quality ISPs have decided to get out of the game and cash in their chips.
Pipex has seemingly 'put itself up for sale' and hung a price tag of £300m - £350m around its' own neck. Must be nice to be able to do that I ...SonicWALL TZ190 featured at Business Continuity Expo 2007
by Janet HarrisE92 Plus Ltd will demonstrate its latest SonicWALL product, the TZ190, at the Business Continuity Expo, which will take place at the ExCeL Exhibition Centre in London on the 28th-29th March. SonicWALL TZ190 is a network security appliance which provides secure broadband wireless Internet access. Users can instantly create a secure 3G wireless broadband network in any location, without the ...
TwinMOS USB disk supports Windows Vista ReadyBoost
by Jan HarrisTwinMOS Technologies has introduced the USB 2.0 Mobile Disk-M9, which features full support for the Windows Vista ReadyBoost function. The device features 8GB of storage and a read/write speed 10 times faster than USB1.1. It measures just 75.5 x 22.0 x 8.2 mm and weighs a mere 15g. Microsoft’s Windows Vista operating system requires high-capacity DRAM modules (Dynamic Random Access Memory). The ...
Accelerometers could enhance camera phones pictures
by Janet Harris
Analog Devices, which manufactures accelerometers - the motion-sensing technology used in Nintendo's Wii video game - believes the market is set for rapid growth as the technology is increasingly employed in cell phones.
The company expects more and more devices to start using motion sensors, particularly MEM (microelectromechanical) accelerometers.
The technology will be ...IPTV Being Integrated Through LaunchPad
by Kathryn LangIPTV has a new game in town. LaunchPad, a new offering by Raketu Communications, Inc., is set to be released. This innovative application will integrate VOIP, IPTV, VOD, and IM/SMS service into one that easy to navigate and to use. This is likely to draw even more of a customer base to the already strong internet ...
HDTV as Simple as It Gets
by Kathryn LangHDTV does not have to be as difficult as some seem to think. Just knowing a few standard terms (and what they actually mean) will make purchasing an HDTV set a more pleasurable experience. Since all broadcasting in the United States will be digital by 2009, this is a purchase most of us will have to face ...
VOIP is NOT a Phone Service
by Kathryn LangVOIP is not a phone service, this is according to a three judge panel that ruled just this past Wednesday that it is not a telephone service, but is instead a data service. This is a great victory for the internet providers out there. By ruling that VOIP is actually a data service, the panel has saved the internet ...
Symantec reports 48% increase in threats to data
by Janet HarrisSymantec Corp's Internet Security Threat Report Volume XI, identifies an increase in data theft, data leakage, and the creation of targeted, malicious code designed to steal confidential information for financial gain. The number of bot-infections increased worldwide by 29% to over 6 million, in the second half of 2006. Trojan attacks increased by 23% compared with the first half of 2006, ...
March 22, 2007
Korea's Pantech Group, will launch a magnetic levitation slider phone in April.
Magnetic levitation, or maglev, suspends an object above another object with a magnetic field.
Pantech utilises the technology in the phone's slider mechanism - the top half of the slider moves via magnetic power.
As the technology replaces the springs which ...
Pantech unveils magnetic levitation slider phone
by Janet Harris
Korea's Pantech Group, will launch a magnetic levitation slider phone in April.
Magnetic levitation, or maglev, suspends an object above another object with a magnetic field.
Pantech utilises the technology in the phone's slider mechanism - the top half of the slider moves via magnetic power.
As the technology replaces the springs which ...PCProfile launches worlds 1st USB audit tool
by Jan HarrisPCProfile, an Australian company, has released USB Auditor to help managers ensure that software audits are up to date and correctly recorded. USB Auditor is believed to be the world's 1st USB audit tool and at only 78k, it is also the smallest footprint software auditing tool on the market. USB Auditor runs from a USB drive and writes the results ...
Fine-tuning a motorised dish
by AnaloguesatHere are our Five Top Tips for fine-tuning a DiSEqC motorised setup. This mini-guide assumes that you have already set up your mounting brackets/mast, motor, dish, LNB etc. and have managed to tune in a least a few satellites. Your setup is far from ideal though, right? Poor signal strength and quality? Missing some satellites? Read on… First - Make sure you have read and re-read the Satellite Help guide to DiSEqC motor installation so that you not only follow the procedures required for first-iteration setup, but understand the theory behind what you are trying to achieve. Sometimes your brain has to seemingly work in four dimensions to calculate which tweak has to be made to your dish/motor to improve things! Second - Mark everything before you start with a permanent marker. This way, the worst that will happen is you end up back where you started. Based on this premise, most anything you do should improve your arc-tracking! Third - Only adjust one thing at a time. This is important, otherwise you will never know which adjustment had which effect. You are probably dealing with a multitude of minor errors, so you need simple solutions. The only exception to this is a combination of elevation and declination. If the OVERALL elevation of the dish is already optimal for a given satellite, then increasing one will mean increasing the other to stay exactly on-satellite. Don’t forget that an increase in declination is a downward tilt at the dish scale. Fourth - Forget USALS. Use DiSEqC 1.2, because it gives you total azimuth control of the dish positioning. Once your dish tracking is near-perfect you can go back to USALS if you so choose, but once you have finished this process you may find that USALS will just not cut it any more. Fifth - This is what the first four tips have been building up to. Draw a map. Yes, a map. Draw a map of the theoretical arc, and roughly mark onto the line all the satellites you think you should be able to receive. Now, start with your dish in the middle of the arc and peak the first satellites’ signal using just the motor via the receiver menus. Record the actual azimuth setting that gives you the peak reading (you should be using 'GOTO x.x' format commands). Now flex the dish face up and down gently whilst checking the signal quality/strength on the receiver/meter. Note on your sketch whether the signal improves if you tilt the dish face slightly up or slightly down. Mark where the actual satellite appears to be on your diagram. Repeat this whole procedure (i.e. drive motor to peak signal, flex dish and then record results) for as many satellites as you can stomach. Now, using this information, and the actual azimuth figures you also recorded, compare the results to the arc-tuning diagram here: Satellite Arc Tuning The more readings you take, the clearer the picture will be. Be scientific about it, and you should be able to identify one or more of the erroneous conditions indicated on the chart. Finally, don't be afraid to move slightly away from the indicated settings on your motor mount and dish scale. The stamped scale on some brackets can be well over a degree out, whilst some dish scales seem to make no sense at all. It's also possible to have the mount slightly twisted on the pole, even if you have tightened the four nuts on the two U bolts equally. Remember - the alignment you have at the end of the theoretical phase is only a starting point for real-world fine tuning. Patience will get you there in the end – good luck!
VOIP Losing Ground?
by Kathryn LangVOIP may have already reached its peak. At least one blogger out there is making the case for just such a scenario – and he’s not alone. There are many things that could cause the technology to peak before it seems its time has come. The number one thing in this instance is the control of the networks. ...
March 21, 2007
Kingston Technology Company, Inc., has announced the availability of its DataTraveler Secure and DataTraveler Secure - Privacy Edition USB 2.0 Flash drives in 8GB capacities. The drives have titanium-coated, stainless steel casings, which are waterproof and capable of withstanding harsh operating conditions. They incorporate 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) hardware-based encryption to safeguard critical data. This allows data to be encrypted ...
Kingston announces DataTraveler Secure
by Janet HarrisKingston Technology Company, Inc., has announced the availability of its DataTraveler Secure and DataTraveler Secure - Privacy Edition USB 2.0 Flash drives in 8GB capacities. The drives have titanium-coated, stainless steel casings, which are waterproof and capable of withstanding harsh operating conditions. They incorporate 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) hardware-based encryption to safeguard critical data. This allows data to be encrypted ...
LG KE850 Prada available in UK
by Janet Harris
The LG KE850 Prada, one of the world’s first completely touch-sensitive mobile phone, is now available in the UK through Mobilephone24.co.uk.
Fashion house Prada and LG Electronics have together created a sylish, 2-megapixel camera phone with an extra-wide LCD touch screen which eliminates the need for a keypad.
The camera features a ...Gemalto and Utimaco Launch 'Secure Digital Companion'
by Jan HarrisGemalto and Utimaco jointly announced a USB device which combines two functionalities at CeBIT 2007. The 'Secure Digital Companion' device manages network identity credentials and also provides users with additional memory to securely store confidential data. Data protection technology is supplied by Utimaco, while Gemalto provides the strong authentication software and the personal device. The device is aimed at businesses who need ...
Trend Micro enhances gateway messaging security
by Janet HarrisTrend Micro Incorporated has announced new versions of its email security products, InterScan Messaging Security Suite and InterScan Messaging Security Appliance. The company is also launching InterScan Messaging Hosted Security, a new hosted service for enterprise customers. The products provide anti-spam and anti-phishing protection alongside antivirus and anti-spyware solutions. The latest innovative techniques are also provided - customer-specific reputation services and image ...
March 20, 2007
Chinese phone company Huawei Technologies Co Ltd demonstrated a phone with a built-in USB connector at CeBit 2007. The USB connector, which is located on a flexible rubber border at the top of the phone, connects the mobile to a PC, eliminating the need to for cables and providing a convenient method of connection anywhere at any time. As well as ...
Huawei demos USB cell phone
by Jan HarrisChinese phone company Huawei Technologies Co Ltd demonstrated a phone with a built-in USB connector at CeBit 2007. The USB connector, which is located on a flexible rubber border at the top of the phone, connects the mobile to a PC, eliminating the need to for cables and providing a convenient method of connection anywhere at any time. As well as ...
Longcheer G300 Phone features GPS module
by Janet Harris
Longcheer, a Chinese manufacturer of handheld devices, has integrated the LEA-4S GPS module from u-blox AG into its G300 phone.
u-blox AG is a leading Swiss provider of GPS receivers. The AG LEA-4S GPS provides a cost-effective solution with a high level of sensitivity, together with low power consumption.
The G300 GPS phone ...HDTV and the 2008 Presidential Election
by Kathryn LangWill HDTV affect the upcoming United States Presidential election? It is very possible. With a technology that delivers a crystal clear picture, the candidates will be up close and personal with all Americans. There will be no more hiding the lines and spots and unsightly blemishes. Some experts are skeptical about the effects that HDTV could have. ...
New Open IPTV Forum Starting
by Kathryn LangJust when you thought there wasn’t enough “group love†in the world today, IPTV jumps on the bandwagon. A long list of industry leaders has agreed to join forces for the Open IPTV Forum. It will be a consortium to look at a way to define an interoperable end-to-end specification for delivery of IPTV services. Among the heavy ...
March 19, 2007
Symnantec highlights an increased threat to public sector security in the latest edition of its threat report which covers the last six months of 2006. According to the study, a quarter of data breaches involved information held by government or its agencies. The second highest number of data breaches, 20%, affected education, with the health sector third with 14%. Over ...
Symantec warns on public sector security
by Janet HarrisSymnantec highlights an increased threat to public sector security in the latest edition of its threat report which covers the last six months of 2006. According to the study, a quarter of data breaches involved information held by government or its agencies. The second highest number of data breaches, 20%, affected education, with the health sector third with 14%. Over ...
Swisscom Cashing In on IPTV
by Kathryn LangCash could be king in IPTV soon. Swisscom has made an all-cash offer to purchase Fastweb, the pioneer in IPTV and triple play services located in Italy. This merger could be the first international one of its kind, if it goes through. Swisscom is after Fastweb’s Italian retail customer base and its expertise in IPTV. The merger ...
Touchmate Launches World’s Smallest Mobile Phone
by Janet Harris
Touchmate, a Dubai-based company, has launched Diamond Cam Mobile TM-M800G - the world’s smallest mobile phone.
The phone measures just 3cm x 9cm and weighs 99gms, but is still packed with features including mp3 and mp4 capability, 128MB memory expandable by a T-Flash slot, speaker functionality, and dual USB and power ...Tiny Pretec Flash drive features RFID
by Jan HarrisFlash pioneer Pretec, debuted the smallest USB flash drive in the world to include radio frequency identification (RFID) technology at CeBit 2007, the international technology exhibition. The i-Disk RFID has a volume of 1.23 cubic centimetres and measures around a quarter of the size of a traditional USB flash drive. Pretec produces the drive in a range of capacities, from 128 ...
March 16, 2007
Intel Corp's 2007 line of vPro business desktop chipsets, codenamed 'Weybridge', place the emphasis on security and energy efficiency. The new chipsets feature network firewall capabilities, and introduce the memory protection capabilities of the Trusted Execution Technology (TET) codenamed "LaGrande". The upgrade includes an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and adds support for industry management standards. TET is a virtualisation technology ...
Intel boosts security with vPro chipsets
by Janet HarrisIntel Corp's 2007 line of vPro business desktop chipsets, codenamed 'Weybridge', place the emphasis on security and energy efficiency. The new chipsets feature network firewall capabilities, and introduce the memory protection capabilities of the Trusted Execution Technology (TET) codenamed "LaGrande". The upgrade includes an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and adds support for industry management standards. TET is a virtualisation technology ...
