ISPs dumping 'raw sewage' on Net users

ISPs are 'pumping out raw sewage' and not protecting vulnerable users according to MessageLabs Internet service providers (ISPs) must take more responsibility when it comes to protecting users from security threats. So says Mark Sunner, chief technology officer at filtering specialist Message Labs, who believes that although users need to be security-savvy, ISPs must also step up their game. 'They're currently pumping out the equivalent of raw sewage and saying: "You sort it out,"' he said during a panel debate on security at an internet stakeholder event held hosted by Nominet this week. ...more

Bluetooth gives hearing aid a new meaning

Bluespoon has announced a mobile phone headset of Alice in Wonderland proportions - the lightest to be available in the UK. At just 57x32x30mm and weighing less than two pound coins, the tiny egg-like Chameleon doesn't feature cumbersome arms or antennae that make other headset wearers look like their on their way hom from a call centre. Instead, the Bluetooth device fits snugly inside the ear, allowing you to make and receive calls much more discretely - indeed Paul McIntosh, the UK distributor for Bluespoon, says that the technology used to create such a small device originated from the intelligence services. ...more

Gaming currency exchange opens

The global financial markets can add a new member to the fold as the Gaming Open Market opens today, trading simoleans, therebucks, L$, platinum and gold among others. The currencies are not of this world, however, but from the virtual realms of online gaming - a market where the value of trades across eBay's gaming trading category alone is estimated to be worth nearly ?5mn in 2003. The Gaming Open Market offers currency trading between gamers of The Sims Online, Star Wars Galaxies, Horizons: Empire of Istaria, Second Life, There and Ultima Online, with further games being added in the future. ...more

University of Tokyo sets two new Net speed records

The University of Tokyo has broken two of the Internet2 Land Speed Records and has now set or broken 10 records for the highest-bandwidth, end-to-end networks. The first record was set over a next-generation IPv6 network path over 30,000km long and crossing six international networks (over three-quarters of the circumference of the Earth). The Tokyo team successfully transferred data at a rate of 7. ...more

Parthus shows off all-in-one mobile chip

Irish semiconductor developer, Parthus Technologies, has unveiled a new chip design that supports multiple technologies, giving mobile phones the functionality of handhelds. The chip, known as Infostream, was developed with Psion and incorporates the ARM processor design. It provides the functionality of a handheld, such as spreadsheet, calendar and games capabilities as well as GPRS broadband wireless, Bluetooth, GPS and Internet access. ...more