Government presses on with e-voting

The Government showed off today some of the technology it is trialling in the run up to a full e-election in 2006. Pilot schemes using digital TV, kiosks and text-messaging are among the technologies being used by local authorities during this year's local elections. The government has invested ?18m in this year's 59 pilot schemes that between them cover 6. ...more

IBM showcases its smallest ever desktop

A new S50 ThinkCentre will be the smallest full-featured desktop available, according to IBM, which has been previewing the machine ahead of its release later in the summer. 'It's the smallest desktop we've ever made', IBM's ThinkVantage Technologies Specialist, Adrian Horne, told us. He defined a full featured desktop as one with an internal power supply and a desktop hard disk drive. ...more

Tetris comes to chip and pin terminals

Researchers at Cambridge University have managed to hack tamper-resistant chip and pin terminals so they can play a game of Tetris. Stephen Murdoch and Saar Drimer, researchers at the Security Group at the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory managed to open up the terminal and replace most of the inner workings that control the screen, card reader and keypad. 'Steven suggested that in order to show that it is completely under our control, we should make it play Tetris (similarly to the guys who made a voting machine play chess),' said Drimer on their blog. ...more

Gowers copyright report calls for UK right to private copying

A right to private copying should be enshrined into UK law, a Government-sponsored review of intellectual property has concluded. The report, by former Financial Times editor Andrew Gowers, also recommends that the current 50-year limit for copyright on sound recordings is retained, rejecting music industry arguments for it to be extended, and proposes exemptions to IP law for libraries and educational establishments. Gowers recommends a strengthening of the law in some areas to tackle commercial counterfeiting and piracy and called for new powers and duties for Trading Standards to take action against infringement of copyright law and tougher penalties for online copyright infringement - with a maximum 10 years imprisonment. ...more

Mac OSX launch date revealed

OSX will be launched on 24 February, according to reports today. Apple boss Steve Jobs will make the announcement at the MacWorld Expo in Tokyo, more than five weeks later than the rumoured-to-be San Francisco launch. Industry insiders suggest that Jobs will use the San Francisco expo to reveal the final shipping date. ...more