Microsoft Offers Manual Fix to 'Stealth' Windows Update Bug
It turned out to be an insignificant problem after all, rather than something on the order of a rootkit: the discovery that Microsoft's Windows Update feature updates itself even when users turn off "automatic updates" - a fact that Microsoft had actually documented quite well, but which few had apparently read. But now, a claim that the self-updating update subsequently unregistered Microsoft's Windows Update drivers in XP-based systems forced its own drivers to become unregistered.
The claim comes from Windows Secrets writer Scott Dunn, who wrote the initial article about what he called a "stealth update." After using an XP install disk to roll the operating system back to a previous state, he discovered the system's capability to install updates retrieved from the Internet would fail.
Minnesota Stands Up for Overcharged Customers
Hundreds of complaints from Minnesotans against Sprint Nextel have been heard by Attorney General Lori Swanson. In a lawsuit against the carrier filed earlier this week, she accused the company of extending customers' contracts without their informed consent, and seeks restitution of up to $25,000 per incident.
The allegation is that the company used "hidden trip wires" to lock customers into lengthy contracts whenever minor plan changes were made. If true, it is a violation of Minnesota state laws that require adequate information to be supplied to customers, and knowing consent be obtained before any contract terms are altered.
iPhone Update Delivers Unnerving Message
Apple released an update to its iPhone today that applies some critical bug fixes and adds some new features, such as the ability to buy iTunes songs over a Wi-Fi connection. It also delivered a message to users of unlocked devices.
iPhone Version 1.1.1 adjusts the speakerphone and receiver volume problem, adds the ability to view e-mail attachments in portrait or landscape mode, and patches 10 vulnerabilities, most of which are related to the built-in Safari browser.
Yahoo to Stop Podcasts, Unlimited Music's Future in Doubt
In a banner along the top of its Web page, Yahoo notified users of its podcast service today that it will be shutting down that service on October 31. This as TechCrunch's Michael Arrington discovered the company has scheduled a priority meeting of its senior executives, including CEO Jerry Yang and President Susan Decker, for tomorrow morning.
This afternoon, Yahoo felt the need to prepare customers - and perhaps investors - for tomorrow's news, by giving it the best spin possible early on.
Dell's 'Beast' Finally Unleashed: XPS M1730 Notebook Launched
Single-chip 802.11n Provides 200 Mbps
Broadcom announced today a new addition to its Intensi-fi line: the groundbreaking BCM4322, not only the smallest and most cost-effective 802.11n solution available now, but also the first to enable Wi-Fi products to achieve over 200 Mbps of actual wireless throughput.
This chip combines all the elements of a wireless LAN subsystem on a single silicon die, which means that manufacturing costs will greatly decrease, thereby driving down the price of common 802.11n products. It also means that other electronic devices like TVs, cameras, set-top boxes, even dishwashers, if you're so inclined, can be cheaply equipped with WLAN functions.
Frontline Wireless Claims 700 MHz Auction 'in Jeopardy,' May Not Bid
The maverick network service provider run by former Netscape CEO Jim Barksdale, and that was largely responsible for convincing the US Federal Communications Commission to impose new and innovative rules for bidders on certain blocks of the 700 MHz UHF spectrum, is now saying it may not be able to bid after all. In a formal complaint to the FCC filed Monday, lawyers for Frontline Wireless accused the FCC of "getting it wrong" by having set the asking price of the choicest blocks in the auction too high.
"The Commission established soaring objectives for the newly freed-up, prime 700 MHz spectrum," Frontline's attorneys wrote. "It properly understood that the availability of this spectrum has presented a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address nation-critical communications issues, the resolution of which is long overdue and pressing. In its August 10, 2007 Order the Commission saw that these ambitious goals were realizable and envisioned largely appropriate paths to their attainment. But then, unaccountably, the Commission made implementation decisions in its Order that put these goals in jeopardy. On reconsideration the Commission should expeditiously bring the means, which the Order at times got very wrong, into alignment with its ends, which the Order largely got right."
DigitalLife 2007: Thursday's Images from the Show Floor
UPDATE 6:46 pm ET September 27, 2007 - It's being called second only to CES as the most important consumer electronics show in America. BetaNews' Ed Oswald is on the floor of DigitalLife 2007 in New York City, and he's sending back fresh photos as the show goes on. See Palm's Treo Centro 500v, HP's and VoodooPC's Blackbird 002, and the big push for HD DVD.
Check back with BetaNews throughout the day for more sights and specs from the East Coast's largest electronics gala.
DigitalLife 2007: iRobot Unveils New Robots
iRobot used the backdrop of Digital Life to unveil its redesigned floor vacuuming robot as well as a new robot to clean your gutters, and one that can take your place when you're away.
AT DIGITAL LIFE CEO Colin Angle told attendees of a Thursday afternoon keynote at Digital Life 2007 that the robots were part of the company's vision of the "iRobot home." While some may see the robots as superfluous and even in some cases a little scary, the speech shows the ever increasing reach of robotics into our daily lives. See the slideshow for more.
DigitalLife 2007: Improved Nokia N95 Ships Today
The award-winning Nokia N95, launched last April, received a number of upgrades today geared toward improving the North American user's experience.
In addition to its built-in 5 Mp camera, music player capability, and personal navigator, the newly endowed N95 adds support for North American High Speed Download Packet Access (HSDPA) networks, more memory, and a new battery with extended life, and a feature Nokia is calling Assisted GPS.
DigitalLife 2007: Friendster Announces Fan Profiles
Taking a page from MySpace, Friendster announced that it was launching Fan Profiles, a feature that allows artists and celebrities to connect with their fans through a variety of methods.
Some 40 different entity types will be supported, including actors, athletes, bands, DJs, events, journalists, musicians, politicians, TV shows, web sites, among others.
DigitalLife 2007: Gateway One Unveiled Today
Gateway announced at DigitalLife today its first all-in-one desktop computer, The Gateway One. It could reflect the brand's developing approach toward clutter-free desktop designs very much like Apple's iMac.
Citing market research and reports, Gateway says this unit will function well as the entertainment hub in a digital household, and is especially suited to the consumer who uses his computer itself as his entertainment center. Wireless peripherals, invisible speakers, and most importantly, the CPU and flat screen monitor combo are all present in one sleek package.
Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Patent Case on Use of Intel Chips
While the US Congress continues debate on new patent reform legislation that would likely limit the amount that aggrieved parties could receive in infringement suits, the Supreme Court has agreed with a Justice Dept. request to hear a critical case. Its outcome, one way or the other, may not only impact technology patent law but also how manufacturers mix Intel and AMD parts, and also how - believe it or not - how digital music stores sell MP3 tracks.
The case was originally brought by LG Electronics, which manufactures a part for use in Intel-based communications equipment. LG holds a US patent on that part, which was expressly designed to be used with Intel chips; and Intel sells those chips under license from LG. One of Intel's customers is Quanta, a Taiwan-based computer manufacturer and the original defendant in this case. It assembles systems for Hewlett-Packard, among others.
Slight Bright Spot for Vonage: Partial Remand in Verizon Case
It may be extremely slim comfort for VoIP services provider Vonage in the wake of yesterday's total loss in the patent infringement suit brought against it by Sprint Nextel, but Vonage will take it nonetheless: A federal appeals court upheld today only two of the three patent infringement decisions in last March's case brought on by Verizon, remanding the third to a lower court for retrial.
This afternoon, Vonage accepted the good news like a team down six touchdowns in the fourth quarter that has just kicked a field goal from the 48. In a statement this afternoon, the company said it has already implemented a workaround for the other two patents, so service should not be affected. It did not refer to yesterday's statement, which said Vonage would plan to implement workarounds for the Sprint Nextel methodologies.
HD DVD and Blu-ray: Toward an Endgame
In a recent survey of HDTV owners by NPD Group, a full 73% were satisfied with the picture quality provided by upconverted DVDs for them to become too interested in a high-definition disc player of either format. Other figures are equally shocking, suggesting that the high-def format war may already be over. BetaNews spoke at length with the NPD report's lead analyst, Ross Rubin.
If there were just one universally embraced format for high-definition video discs, it would most likely have been introduced just over two years ago, probably at the $1,200 price point. By the spring of 2006, the budget-priced versions would have appeared at around $699.
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