- Recent
- Popular
- Tags (0)
- Subscribers (1)
- US Customs can copy your hard driveAugust 1
- The Department of Homeland Security in the US has just issued new guidelines confirming that it can seize and search through files and data on your laptop, mobile or PDA, whenever you pass through customs. The guidelines go so far as to say that hardware and files can be taken from the airport, the contents copied and the information shared with other US agencies. In fact, border agents don't even need probable cause to do this. Thanks to a court ruling back in April, they can nab your equipment on a whim - although they do have to destroy any copied files if nothing out of sorts is found. Interestingly, correspondence contained in a sealed letter class mail cannot be opened without a warrant - leading some to suggest you should just mail any data you'd rather not fall into the hands of US officials direct to your destination, and then pop it in your laptop when you arrive. Head over here (http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/travel/admissability/search_authority.ctt/search_authority.pdf) for the full guidance in pdf. [Register (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/01/us_customs_laptop_seizures/)]
- Kensington launches pocketable laptop lockAugust 1
- Kensington bills this as its most portable and secure offering yet. It's the ComboSaver Portable Notebook Lock aimed students and workers on the go to keep their laptop safely tethered and away from sticky fingers. The combination lock, which features a T-bar mechanism, is attached to a steel cable, cunningly coiled to keep it compact. It's designed to fit the standard lock fitting found on just about every laptop. Kensington Marketing Manager, Stephen Hoare, says helpfully: Huge amounts of valuable personal and professional data are kept on mobile equipment, which has given rise to new security risks. A lock is the first line of defence against losing your laptop to an opportunistic thief. Food for thought for our armed services (20080718716/figures-reveal-mod-data-slip-ups.html), ministers (20080707663/daily-mail-in-pot-calling-kettle-data-blunder.html) and newspaper proprietors (20080707663/daily-mail-in-pot-calling-kettle-data-blunder.html). Find the ComboSaver for £29.99 at Dixons and PC World. [Kensington (20080707663/daily-mail-in-pot-calling-kettle-data-blunder.html)]
- Asus confirms new high-end Eee PCsAugust 1
- Asus president, Jerry Shen has confirmed that not just new Eee PCs are on the way, but entirely new categories of Eees. As well as the current crop, which are being pitched - with all the allure of a pair of slacks - as 'Smart Casual', will be the 'Pro Fashion' and 'Ultimate' ranges, with added bells and whistles. The two new ranges are expected later this year and will feature - get this - dual core Atom processors as well as boosted storage capacities with 120GB hard drives or 32GB SSDs. Click through for more.
- Apple iPhone 3G tethering: blink and you missed itAugust 1
- For a fleeting moment one of the iPhone’s most-wanted features – tethering to a PC to function as a wireless modem – was a reality. At some point yesterday a program called NetShare pitched up in the App Store (http://www.apple.com/uk/iphone/appstore/). Published by Nullriver (http://www.nullriver.com/), a few folks coughed up the $9.99 asking price, downloaded NetShare and found that they were able to turn their iPhones into a mobile hotspot. Big w00ts all round. Well, for about 30 minutes – before Apple saw fit to pull NetShare from the App Store. According to MacRumours, the reason for its removal is a complete mystery to the developer. Nullriver’s quote is pasted after the cut.
- O2 launches home, mobile and Wi-Fi broadband comboJuly 31
- O2's come up with an attractive offer for mobile broadband users. It's giving customers who sign up to its £20 a month mobile broadband tariff free home broadband for a year. For that you'll get 3GB of HSDPA per month, unlimited access to O2's Wi-Fi hotspots (which includes BT's Openzone network) and O2's standard 8meg home broadband package. As a sweetener it's also throwing in a Wi-Fi router. The offer's available from tomorrow till 31st October. [O2 (http://www.o2.co.uk)]