Microsoft's URL handling 'fix' for IE comes under fire

Microsoft's HTTP-related patch for Internet Explorer, over the use of spoofed URLs, has come under fire. The technique is often used by attackers 'phishing' for user's financial details. Critics allege that the new restriction of HTTP functionality for URL syntax is actually harmful for a wide variety of legitimate users and that users will still be left vulnerable to malicious attackers. ...more

Music file swapping network in the dock

Another file sharing network has been brought to book over copyright infringements. The Taiwan music service Kuro has been found guilty of criminal charges and becomes the first such case to see the imposition of gaol terms. The owners of the Taiwan-based Fashionow company, which operates Kuro, have been sentenced to three years in prison, and the company has been fined 3 million Taiwanese dollars (T$). ...more

Telewest enters the 'midband' market

Telewest is launching a 256Kbits/sec broadband service for ?17.99 a month. Launched in response to 'public demand', the entry-level service is aimed at those without ambitions above surf, email and shopping, but would like to go a little bit faster and free up the phone. ...more

BT unveils phones of the future

Payphone technology has finally entered the 21st century, so cast away thoughts of kiosks permanently vandalised and smelling of somthing unpleasant, and prepare yourself for a more agreeable payphone experience. The new Multi.phone boxes look similar to regular payphones, but they feature a 12in full-colour touch screen and come with access to the World Wide Web. ...more

Enthusiasts create eight-core Mac Pro

A computer hardware site has created an eight-core Mac Pro by replacing the Apple machine's two dual core Xeon processors with Intel's yet-to-be released, quad-core Clovertown chips. Anandtech was able to swap the chips because Intel has ensured that Clovertown - the second generation version of the Xeon - supports the same LGA-771 socket. Using a pair of 2. ...more