X-rays via the Internet

Guys and St Thomas's Hospital in London have introduced a system whereby consultants can access X-rays and other health images over the Internet. The system, developed by Kodak, means that consultants on call can make diagnoses from home or other remote locations, and expert opinions can be sought from consultants across the globe instantly. The records will only be accessible through a secure intranet site and the system is already improving efficiency and reducing stress for both clinicians and patients. ...more

Loss of PDAs and laptops rocket

Nearly 5,000 laptops were left behind in the back of black cabs in the last six months, according to a recent survey. For mobile workers, the laptops are company property and contain valuable and sensitive information, yet the trend for losing IT kit seems to grow more acute. The figure for laptops has risen 71 per cent since 2001. ...more

BT boss rails against regulators

BT chief executive Ben Verwaayen has launched an attack on European telecom regulators, saying that they are to blame for the lack of 100 per cent broadband coverage, reports ZDNet UK. Speaking in London this week, he accused them of having a narrowband approach to broadband issues and failing to back risk-takers. Unlike narrowband, he said, broadband comes in several forms - ADSL, cable, 3G and satellite for example - and should not be subject to the same restrictions. ...more

Windows Xmas security hole

Fix available for critically severe vulnerability. Microsoft has issued an alert over a security hole in Windows XP that, at worst, could lead to an attacker gaining full access to the PC. Certain installations of Windows Me may also be affected, as are Windows systems that have the Windows XP's Internet Connection Sharing client installed. ...more

Net at the speed of light

Optical technology isn't new - telecommunication has been using light for many years, piped down fibre optic cables. But what if you threw the cable away? Would you still be able to communicate with a light beam? The answer is yes, and a company called Terabeam is using lasers to beam high-speed Internet connections through office windows. On Tuesday, the company announced its plans to build a network of laser transmitters in Denver, the first of six cities to use Terabeam's holographic 1GB/sec network. ...more