Netsky restarts the virus wars

The latest NetSky variant indicates that the original author is back in the Bagle vs NetSky wars, despite promising early this month that he or she would write no more. The virus war seems to have flared up again though with NetSky-R, which contains a vicious attack on the authors of the Bagle virus. Text within the virus code reads: 'Yes, true, you have understand it. ...more

Apple France sued over iPod licensing refusal

Virgin Mega has filed a complaint with the French Competition Council alleging that Apple France has wrongfully refused to license the Fairplay digital rights management technology. Fairplay is used by Apple to control where songs sold through the iTunes Music Store can be played and copied. It is the only DRM technology supported by the iPod. ...more

EU to sign up to first Cybercrime Treaty

A treaty that criminalises child pornography and fraud on the Internet could be adopted within weeks, reports Reuters. Member states will have the opportunity to sign up to the cybercrime convention at the conference in Budapest on the 23 November. The treaty advocates global policing policies, email interception, the extradition of suspects and computer searches. ...more

Virtual worlds surface in schools for free

A new teaching aid will allow teachers and students to create and explore their own virtual worlds. Using a PC and PDAs, schoolchildren aged 10 and above can create and explore their own maps containing zones that will trigger the display of new information. The free software from FutureLab comes with a player and an editor that allows the teacher and pupils to create their own worlds with pictures and sounds overlaid on a map. ...more

Vodafone introduces revolutionary 'simple' mobile phone

Following what is doubtless years of research, Vodafone is to introduce a radical new concept in mobile phones. The world's biggest mobile operator is to launch a mobile phone, which - get this - only makes phone calls. The Vodafone Simply range is aimed at the techno baffled who find the endless complexity of the modern mobile simply too complicated, or just don't feel the need to play Snake on a train or take pictures of their mates falling out of a club at closing time. ...more