Infamous Norwegian hacker claims Apple wireless encryption crack

The infamous Norwegian hacker known as DVD Jon has apparently hacked the encryption software that Apple uses to broadcast music around a house via its AirPort Express wireless hub. Jon Lech Johansen makes the claim in his So Sue Me blog, and criticises Apple for restricting access to the music capabilities of AirPort Express to its own iTunes software. He has previously praised Real Networks for cracking the digital rights management software that prevents songs from online music stores other than Apple's from playing on an iPod. ...more

BT shaves 70p off DataStream broadband under stern gaze of Oftel

BT has taken its smallest lathe to its DataStream products to the tune of 70p, following complaints to Oftel that it was unfairly favouring IPStream. The cuts to BT's DataStream affects consumer end-user services and start at 70p, rising to 87p with further discounts for volume. DataStream is BT Wholesale's ADSL offering where carriers with their own networks can take traffic onto it from BT's exchanges allowing them greater flexibility in the services they provide, rather than the managed service of IPStream. ...more

UPDATED: HP unveils its first HD DVD drive

HP has entered the high-definition optical disc foray, on the side of HD DVD. The external drive, the hd100, can read HD DVD-ROM, DVDR/RW and R double-layer discs. It can also read CDR/RW and CD-ROM discs. ...more

Apple gets legal green light to pursue rumour sites

A US judge has granted Apple permission to pursue the legal action necessary to secure the source of leaks about future Apple products. Judge James Kleinberg of Santa Clara County Court, California dismissed the PowerPage website's attempt, backed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, to win a protective order that would prevent Apple from subpoenaing PowerPage's email provider for its records. On the 19, 22 and 23 November 2004, the judge noted, PowerPage contained an 'exact copy of a detailed drawing' of 'Asteroid, a FireWire breakout box for its GarageBand software. ...more

Digital camera round up

The popularity of digital still cameras is undeniable and we've got news of two models that might be of interest. Fuji is to debut a budget-priced camera in Japan in the shape of the Axia iX-20. The camera (pictured) features a 350,000-pixel image sensor and can capture images of 640x480 pixels in resolution. ...more