Thursday, September 09, 2010

Google search accelerates with 'instant' resultsLatest News

SAN FRANCISCO: Google Inc stepped on its Internet search accelerator by adding a feature that displays results as soon as people begin typing their requests.

Europe cops blitz computer piratesLatest News

BRUSSELS: Ten people have been arrested in raids across Europe against computer pirates who put illegal copies of movies and television series on the Internet.

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Doing its bit to fight credit-card fraud

PETALING JAYA: More companies are urged to adhere to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), a set of global best-practices that aims to reduce the amount of credit-card data that is stolen.

Reggie Lee Merdeka theme for Win 7 PCs

KUALA LUMPUR: Renowned cartoonist Reggie Lee has created a Merdeka-inspired theme for Windows 7 PC users. It comprises seven pieces of artwork.

US lawsuit seeks to halt snooping of travellers

NEW YORK: Civil rights lawyers sued the US Government to stop authorities from snooping in the laptops, cellphones and cameras of international travellers without probable cause.

HP sues ex-CEO Hurd over new job at rival Oracle

SAN FRANCISCO: Hewlett-Packard Co is suing Mark Hurd, the chief executive it ousted last month, to stop him from taking a top job at rival Oracle Corp.

Goodies up for grabs

PETALING JAYA: Sometimes it can be a real pain to carry a big DSLR around.

Viera goes 3D

PETALING JAYA: Panasonic has officially launched two high-end Viera Full HD 3D plasma HDTVs in 50in and 65in sizes.

What's new in iOS 4.1

Apple will release the first major software update to its iPhone operating system, iOS 4. We take a look inside to see what the updates mean for you.

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

Kaspersky unveils new security products

PETALING JAYA: Kaspersky Lab has launched Internet Security 2011 and Anti-Virus 2011 which feature advanced tools for monitoring malware.

Entrepreneur finds audience for short movies

LOS ANGELES: Some years back, investment banker Carter Pilcher stumbled across some really good short movies made by a few talented friends, and the money-making and artistic sides of his brain suddenly clicked.

Microsoft reinvents the mouse

Microsoft's latest mouse, the Arc Touch Mouse, is a flexible touch sensitive peripheral that changes its shape according to need.

JobsDB plans aggressive expansion

KUALA LUMPUR: Hong Kong-based online recruitment company JobsDB.com expects its Malaysian operations to contribute about 30% to its total revenue over the next two years in line with its expansion programme.

Akamai appoints Chua as country manager for Malaysia, Singapore

KUALA LUMPUR: Akamai Technologies Inc, the leading provider of cloud optimisation services, has appointed Philip Chua as its country manager for Malaysia and Singapore.

Monday, September 06, 2010

LeX look and feel

SUBANG JAYA: IT IS called LeX, which stands for Lifestyle Experiential Centre and it's located in the Empire Shopping Gallery in Subang Jaya.

SD memory cards get a significant speed boost

Toshiba has unveiled the world's fastest SDHC memory cards.

Nasa launches iPad application

Nearly one year after launching a free application for the iPhone and the iPod touch, the US space agency has created a program for the latest device from Apple.

High-speed fibreoptic link for university

KUALA LUMPUR: R&D organisation Mimos Bhd is now linked to the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) with a high-speed fibreoptic line.

HTC quietly challenging the iPhone

BEIJING: HTC Corp, a Taiwanese maker of smartphones, is moving out of the shadows and trying to establish its own brand name as it competes with Apple's iPhone.

Passion fruit

Some stay-at-home mums bank on their hobbies and build successful ­businesses on the Web.

Craftmaking teaches creativity

Merryn Tan is a mum on a mission. She has a three-year-old son and is on a quest to bring craftmaking back into the lives of children.

From an online to a real-world store

Website Najjah.com caters to the Muslimah fashionitas out there. It sells tudungs, hijabs and shawls, as well as blouses and other tops designed by Malaysians Farah Adeeba and Nurul Azwin who is affectionally known as Awin.

Friday, September 03, 2010

New cameras and camcorder from Sony

SONY has launched the Alpha 55 (A55) and Alpha 33 (A33) DSLR cameras as well as the NEX-VG10 Handycam camcorder.

Samsung pits its Galaxy against the iPad

BERLIN: Samsung Electronics Co unveiled a new tablet PC named Galaxy Tab as the latest device meant to rival Apple Inc's popular iPad.

Sony makes a Move

Sony makes a move (pardon the pun) to capture some of the casual games market share with the PlayStation Move, which it officially launched at an event in Kuala Lumpur.

Twitter launches iPad application

Hot microblogging service Twitter launched an application for the Apple iPad to rave reviews from technology blogs.

Dell's enterprise challenge remains after 3Par

SEATTLE: Dell Inc doesn't have to start over in its quest to become a significant purveyor of technology for businesses after losing a multibillion dollar bidding contest for an obscure data-storage maker.

UN says RIM should share BlackBerry data

LONDON: BlackBerry's Canadian manufacturer should give law enforcement agencies around the world access to its customer data, the UN technology chief said, adding that governments have legitimate security concerns that should not be ignored.

'Bed Intruder' songster turning fame into a future

HUNTSVILLE (Alabama): Antoine Dodson's angry, head-shaking TV interview about an attempted rape against his younger sister in her bed has turned into a chart-topping iTunes song and YouTube hit and made the 24-year-old Alabama college student an Internet sensation.

Facebook offers remote logouts

NEW YORK: Facebook is rolling out a new security feature that lets users log out of their accounts remotely from another computer.

US man admits to Internet sex assault crime

PHOENIX: A man here accused of sexually assaulting his unconscious girlfriend and broadcasting the attack live on the Internet has pleaded guilty to three charges.

Thursday, September 02, 2010

A beefier ThinkPad

Lenovo has announced a new addition to its ThinkPad Edge line of notebooks, the Edge 14.

Apple rolls out new iPods

APPLE has announced new iPod devices just in time for the coming holiday season.

HITBSecConf back with new features

PETALING JAYA: HITBSecConf, Asia's largest and most popular network security conference, returns for its eighth consecutive year in Malaysia.

Meet Eater, the social networking plant that needs your friendship to grow

Meet Eater is a plant that craves social interaction. It has its own Facebook page and feeds off the love and attention its online friends provide.

Wednesday, September 01, 2010

Smartphone makers wave hello to feature phone users

SAMSUNG is joining a growing number of smartphone makers in their quest to expand the once niche market of high performance devices to a broader demographic of consumers.

Malaysian mums depend on the Net

KUALA LUMPUR: Eight-five per cent of 300 Malaysian mothers said the Internet has helped them to make better decisions relating to family matters, according to a survey done by Starcom MediaVest Group and Microsoft Advertising, a division of Microsoft Corp.

Nanotech helping 3D TVs slim down for a bigger, better pictures

LG Electronics will show off the world's slimmest full LED 3D TV at the IFA consumer electronics trade show in Berlin from September 3 to 8.

Hear clearly and comfortably

PHONAK has introduced the Audéo ZIP, which is a new discreet ­hearing aid that is designed to instantly fit in most ears.

Shoot full HD videos

Canon has unveiled the EOS 60D DSLR camera, the latest in the company's mid-range DSLR offerings.

A mouse for any surface

A4 TECH has unveiled its latest wireless mouse, the G9 370, which uses Glass Run technology to work on almost any surface including glass.

Brocade opens regional service centre

KUALA LUMPUR: Network solutions provider Brocade Communications Systems Inc has launched a sales support and customer service centre for its South East Asian customers here.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Unplug me but don't disconnect me: the future of our WiFi world

BY 2014 there will be more than 2.6 billion WiFi-enabled consumer devices roaming our planet.

Bio-plastics: Cashew nut computers?

A UNIQUE plastic made from cashew nut shells could be used in consumer electronics by 2013.

Japan develops 'touchable' 3D TV technology

TOKYO: A Japanese research team said it had developed the world's first 3D television system that allows users to touch, pinch or poke images floating in front of them.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

HopShopGo for easier online shopping

PAYPAL and comGateway, an online shopping company, have unveiled a one-stop online shopping website for consumers to shop, buy and ship from over 300,000 online retailers in United States.

PlayStation Move to land here next month

PETALING JAYA: Sony's eagerly anticipated motion sensing game controller, the PlayStation Move for the PlayStation3 is set to get its local introduction at a media event next week.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

MSI FX400 multimedia notebook lands here

PETALING JAYA: MSI has just unveiled their latest multimedia notebook, the FX400.

More external storage for multimedia fans

PETALING JAYA: Seagate has launched what it claims is the world's first 3TB external desktop drive.

Dell updates Vostro series

PETALING JAYA: Dell has recently updated its Vostro line of notebooks to be much sleeker and - dare we say - prettier.

Sunway researchers develop bus-tracking system

PETALING JAYA: Students and other residents in Bandar Sunway can now spend less time waiting for buses because they'll know exactly when the vehicles will arrive at their respective stops.

Toshiba to sell first 3D TV without glasses

TOKYO: Japanese electronics giant Toshiba plans to market the world's first 3D television that does not need special glasses later this year, a report said.

Apple Peel's suitors line up for a slice of the iPhone-converter action

HONG KONG: In little over a month, Pan Lei and Pan Yong have seen their wildest dream come to fruition. And now, it seems, the whole world wants to know them.

Netbooks with dual-core Atom chip make debut

KUALA LUMPUR: Dual-core Atom processor-based netbooks are available in stores here, chipmaker Intel Corp said. The netbooks include those from Acer, Asus, Fujitsu, Lenovo, LG, Samsung, MSI and Toshiba.

Webstore to push Malaysian books globally

KUALA LUMPUR: An online bookstore - www.booqc.com - has been set up to promote works by Malaysian authors and publishers.

TM, Govt ink services deal worth RM170mil

KUALA LUMPUR: Telekom Malaysia (TM) has signed an agreement with the Government for the provision of network and maintenance services, as well as Internet-Protocol Virtual Private Networks (IP VPN).

Exclusive e-book deal with Amazon is cut back

NEW YORK: An exclusive e-book deal between online bookstore Amazon.com and the agent for such Random House classics as Invisible Man and Lolita is no longer exclusive, and no longer a deal.

Microsoft fuelling Yahoo!'s search engine

SAN FRANCISCO: Microsoft Corp's technology is now processing all the search requests on Yahoo! Inc's website in the United States and Canada.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Slim with substance

IF YOU are looking for something more powerful than a netbook, but without the weight and bulk of a regular-size notebook, you should check out the Dell Inspiron M101z.

iFamily rewards for Apple accessories

APPLE accessories distributor Eisentech Resources Sdn Bhd has launched an online rewards programme, dubbed iFamily.

Dewan Eja Pro gets grammar checker

THE latest edition Dewan Eja Pro 2010 for Microsoft Office comes with the first commercially available Bahasa Malaysia grammar checker as well an updated spell checker.

David Beckham advocates for health and fitness in videogames

Football star David Beckham is teaming up with videogame giant Electronic Arts as a spokesperson for their upcoming home fitness title EA Sports Active 2.

TM's pre-tax profit for first-half of year up 15%

KUALA LUMPUR: Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) posted a pre-tax profit of RM519.5mil for the first six months ended June 30, 2010, an increase of 15.4% from RM450.2mil previously.

Malaysia gets first digital operating theatre

KUALA LUMPUR: KPJ Healthcare Bhd, a member of Johor Corporation, unveiled Malaysia's first digital operating theatre with navigation system. The facility is at its newly opened KPJ Tawakkal Specialist Hospital.

Fama brings the Internet to Kampung Bantal

JERANTUT: Travelling to Kampung Bantal, located in Hulu Tembeling, takes more than four hours by boat, depending on the water level of Sungai Tembeling.

Social networking site for Muslims

PADANG (Sumatra): The Indonesia-based social networking site specially for the Muslim community, CMnet, is becoming increasingly popular since it went online on Aug 6, said the Antara news agency.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Paid apps now available on BlackBerry App World

PETALING JAYA: RIM has announced an update to the BlackBerry App World that now allows local users to purchase applications using their credit cards.

Digital distribution key for PC games, says Introversion

"You absolutely have to be on Steam at the moment," said Introversion's managing director regarding the popular digital download service for PC games.

Creative content developers earn MDeC boost

KUALA LUMPUR: We may soon see these Malaysian-made games on various devices next year. They are all winners in the recent MSC Malaysia Intellectual Property Creators Challenge Series 2010 competition.

The race to build next year's 3D, touchscreen, designer computers

COMPUTER manufacturer MSI is taking the world's first high performance multitouch 3D all-in-one PC from concept to consumer product.

Recession hits smartphone makers in the chips

NEW YORK: The seemingly recession-proof smartphone is suffering from a side effect of the rough economy. Manufacturers can't build enough because chipmakers that rolled back production last year are now scrambling to catch up.

Sweden cancels arrest warrant for WikiLeaks founder

STOCKHOLM: Swedish authorities revoked a short-lived arrest warrant for the founder of WikiLeaks on Saturday, saying a rape accusation against him lacked substance.

Friday, August 20, 2010

More cybercentres to come

KUALA LUMPUR: The Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC), caretaker of the nation's MSC Malaysia initiative, will continue to increase the number of cybercentres in the country.

Nokia goes for 'Touch and Type' with the X3

CONSUMER electronics companies are busy racing forward, embracing new technology and trying to develop gadgets with the latest and greatest features, but recently a couple of mobile phone makers have changed their tactics, introducing high-tech phones with, what many might consider, outdated features.

Intel buying McAfee in push beyond PC chips

SAN FRANCISCO: Intel Corp is making the biggest acquisition in its history with the US$7.68bil (RM24.6bil) takeover of computer-security software maker McAfee Inc.

US takes aim at China cyberthreat

WASHINGTON: The United States for the first time is publicly warning about the Chinese military's use of civilian computer experts in clandestine cyberattacks aimed at American companies and government agencies.

Shop assistant held for illegal song downloads

KULIM: A shop assistant has been detained for the illegal download of songs. He was caught during a raid by the Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Ministry.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

GTower gets Malaysia Cybercentre status

KUALA LUMPUR: Goldis Bhd's GTower has been awarded the Malaysia Cybercentre status, giving MSC Malaysia-status companies yet another location in the country to set up business.

Microsoft preps Windows Phone 7 for Xbox experience

Microsoft will launch more and more games for mobile phones running its Windows Phone 7 operating system as the year goes on, unveiling 73 launch titles that integrate with the existing console service in one way or another.

TM, Sony hold Merdeka photo-contest

PETALING JAYA: In celebration of Malaysia's upcoming 53rd anniversary of Merdeka, Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) in collaboration with Sony Malaysia is inviting Malaysians to capture and immortalise the essence of the Merdeka and 1Malaysia spirit through a photo contest.

Fake IRB e-mail messages making their rounds

KUALA LUMPUR: The Inland Revenue Board (IRB) has received 217 complaints from the public regarding fake e-mail messages on tax refunds since July 21.

WikiLeaks seeks online safe haven in Sweden

STOCKHOLM: WikiLeaks moved its servers from the United States to Sweden in 2007 to take advantage of laws protecting whistleblowers and a culture supportive of online mavericks.

BlackBerry users eye alternatives as curbs loom

DUBAI: Udoay Ghosh sat sipping coffee before an early morning flight from Dubai International Airport, looking with affection at his two - yes, two - BlackBerry smartphones laid out in front of him.

Founder of Indian outsourcing giant granted bail

HYDERABAD: A court granted bail to the founder of one of India's largest software services companies, his lawyer said, nearly 19 months after he was arrested for allegedly stealing millions of dollars.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Sun radiates in Oracle temple

PETALING JAYA: Sun Microsystems is shining brightly at Oracle Inc, which acquired it earlier this year and is now busy integrating the products of both companies.

Testing prototypes locally saves time, money (updated)

SUNGAI BESI: Software and hardware developers can now test their products at the Mimos Centre of Excellence before commercialising them.

HP buying cybersecurity firm Fortify Software

PALO ALTO (California): The Hewlett-Packard Co says it is buying Fortify Software to beef up its cybersecurity offerings. It did not disclose financial terms of the buyout.

North Korea turns to Twitter, YouTube

SEOUL: North Korea appears to have ramped up its propaganda war against South Korea and the United States by turning to Twitter and YouTube. These websites are banned to most of its citizens.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Testing prototypes locally saves time, money

PETALING JAYA: Software and hardware developers can now test their products at the Mimos Centre of Excellence before commercialising them.

Goodies up for grabs

WE ARE celebrating our Techniversary (In.Tech's 25th anniversary and The Star Online's 15th) and are inviting you to be a part of the celebrations with our Tech Your Pic contest.

iPhone improves your singing

HERE are a few iPhone applications that will help budding singers improve their voice and perfect their vocal performances.

Terato Tech launches magazine app for iPad

PETALING JAYA: Local application developer Terato Tech has released its first iPad magazine app, Aiyo, which is now available free on the Apple App Store.

Celcom unveils BlackBerry Messenger plan

KUALA LUMPUR: Celcom Axiata Bhd has unveiled a BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) plan for its Xpax prepaid subscribers.

EISA announces list of best consumer electronic products for 2010-2011

THE European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) announced the winners of its coveted consumer electronics awards on August 15.

Two affordable pro cameras from Canon

PETALING JAYA: Canon has launched its XF 300 and XF 305 professional video cameras that ship with a host of high-end and advanced features that should appeal to local broadcasters, production houses and creative agencies.

Tribunal wants claim-filing via SMS, Facebook

KUCHING: The Consumer Claims Tribunal is studying the possibility of allowing the short message service (SMS) and social networking site Facebook to be used for filing claims.

Singing the praises of ePerolehan

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government's electronic procurement system, ePerolehan, will allow suppliers to trade efficiently and confidently in a secure online environment.

Dell to buy storage provider 3Par

SEATTLE: Dell Inc's purchase of a storage provider for US$1.13bil (RM3.6bil) marks another step in the personal computer industry's quest to expand into more profitable businesses.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Pixar team gives animation tips

KUALA LUMPUR: The Pixar Toy Story 3 Lecture Series is a success, with the more than 600 animation professionals and students who attended singing its praises.

Logitech S715i speakers to land next month

THE Logitech S715i speaker for the iPod and iPhone is the latest model in the company's line of compact speakers that come with a built-in rechargeable battery.

Internet lifestyles leave digital estates for descendants

SAN FRANCISCO: As lives move increasingly online, Legacy Locker is building virtual safe-deposit boxes where people can leave digital estates for descendants.

Grin or grimace? Aerial images being used to enforce laws

RIVERHEAD (New York): On New York's Long Island, it's used to prevent drownings. In Greece, it's a tool to help solve a financial crisis. Municipalities update property assessment rolls and other government data with it. Some in law enforcement use it to supplement reconnaissance of crime suspects.

Online 'sextortion' of teens on the rise

INDIANAPOLIS: The nightmare began with a party: Three teenage girls with a webcam, visiting an Internet chatroom and yielding to requests to flash their breasts.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Hewlett-Packard hit by bribe probe

WASHINGTON: Hewlett-Packard Co is co-operating with US and German authorities investigating allegations that three company executives used bribes to win a contract to sell computer gear to the Russian prosecutors' office.

Tech bellwether sees slowdown in spending

NEW YORK: Cisco Systems Inc, the world's biggest provider of networking gear, is warning of a slowdown in technology spending.

Home computers aid in discovery of neutron star

WASHINGTON: Ordinary computers are being credited with finding a previously unknown neutron star.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Office for Mac 2011 to show up in October

KUALA LUMPUR: Microsoft has announced that its Office for Mac 2011 productivity suite is sheduled to hit local store shelves at the end of October.

Technopreneurs that got on the Azure cloud

KUALA LUMPUR: Local startup Authentic Venture is a convert when it comes to the benefits of cloud computing, where computing resources are delivered and shared over the Internet instead of kept on company premises.

BlackBerry Curve gets updated with 3G

RIM has updated its BlackBerry Curve line with a feature-rich yet affordable mobile device called the BlackBerry Curve 3G (9300).

Virus sends costly text messages from Android phones

SAN FRANCISCO: Mobile security firm Lookout has warned that a booby-trapped Movie Player application is infecting Android phones in Russia with a virus that sends costly text messages.

Remotely access your media files

PETALING JAYA: You can now easily access your digital library remotely using Zyxel's NSA221 centralised media server and DMA2501 multimedia player.

MTV hires first 'Twitter Jockey'

LOS ANGELES: After a talent search online and votes by fans for a favorite, MTV will launch its first TJ or Twitter Jockey. A take-off on its VJ/video jock, the new position is for online talent.

Cheap mobile phones to gain high-powered operating systems

Mobile operating systems such as Google's Android, Nokia's Symbian and Microsoft's Windows Mobile are set to make their way onto China's cheap mobile phones.

Update: Kaspersky puts regional office in Malaysia

PETALING JAYA: Russia-based information security solutions provider Kaspersky Labs opened its regional office in the country, as a springboard for strengthening its brand presence in South-East Asia.

High-tech aids for Muslims to observe Ramadan

PATERSON(New Jersey): The most ancient traditions of Islam are going high-tech, with a slew of modern offerings for those observing the holy month of Ramadan.

People flocking to Felda community broadband centre

PADANG BESAR: The Felda Chuping Community Broadband Centre has received positive response from the public, recording 11,000 visitors since it started operating two months ago.

US nabs credit-card data thief

WASHINGTON: The US Justice Department says an international credit card trafficker, who allegedly sold stolen credit card information, has been arrested in Nice, France.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Kaspersky opens regional office in Malaysia

PETALING JAYA: Russia-based information security solutions provider Kaspersky Labs opened a regional office in Malaysia today, as a springboard for strengthening its brand presence in South-East Asia.

DiGi goes MiFi

PETALING JAYA: Ever wanted to have wireless broadband wherever you go without the hassles of having to plug in a USB dongle? Or perhaps you have a Sony PSP or an Apple iPad which won't accept USB dongles?

Special casing converts iPod touch to phone

BEIJING: A Chinese firm has developed a special protective case known as the Apple Peel for converting the iPod touch media player into a mobile phone, state media said on July 10.

Malaysia should develop more broadband content locally

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia should look at developing more broadband content locally because this will mean less Internet traffic passing through international connections and help save cost.

Intel, other chipmakers suffer on PC sales fears in US

SAN FRANCISCO: Shares of chipmakers Intel Corp, AMD Inc. and nVidia Corp dropped yesterday as analysts said demand for computers looked shaky heading into the all-important back-to-school season in the United States.

User uptake of location-based services growing

Location-based services have taken the tech world by storm. Almost every technology blog is brimming with headlines about the rapidly growing trend.

Indonesia blocks access to four million porn sites

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Government is blocking access to four million pornography sites on the Internet following continuing calls from the public to protect the nation's youth from the dangers of smut.

Human rights groups ask WikiLeaks to censor files

LONDON: Human rights groups have asked WikiLeaks to censor secret files on the Afghanistan war to protect civilians who've worked alongside the United States and other foreign forces from reprisals.