Dave Bailey, Computing, Thursday 26 November 2009 at 10:01:00 Phil McKinney is vice president and chief technology officer for HP’s Personal Systems Group, and as such is the IT giant’s go-to guy for insight into all things mobile. Dave Bailey caught up with him on his recent trip to London and asked him what advances business users can expect over the next few years Hardware design McKinney believes the next “killer mobile platform” will combine the mobility of smartphones with the richer user experience currently offered by notebook and netbook PCs. “At one end of...Read More »

Conor Ward & Tom Wood, Computing, Thursday 26 November 2009 at 10:00:00 Experts in IP law Conor Ward and Tom Wood explore the murky world of second-hand software Until the green shoots of economic recovery grow considerably greener, UK businesses face an ongoing need to find new cost-cutting opportunities. The IT department is no exception. Could buying and selling software second-hand be such an opportunity? The bright idea From a commercial angle, dealing in second-hand software (if legal) sounds a bright idea, whether it involves selling off unwanted software licences or buying additional licences at...Read More »

Tom Young, Computing, Thursday 26 November 2009 at 09:49:00 EU signs agreement pushing e-government initiatives that enable more efficient cross-border services and simple automated transactions IT ministers from all European Union member states signed a declaration in Sweden last week that commits them to pushing e-government issues both nationally and internationally. One of the declaration’s aims is to show how e-government ­ – which allows citizens to interact with the state online ­ – can be used as a high-tech “bridge” between countries in Europe. Swedish minister Mats Odell, who chaired discussions, said, “The declaration should...Read More »

Tom Young, Computing, Thursday 26 November 2009 at 09:42:00 Making Ordnance Survey information available for all to use online will provide a major boost to the quality of public services – and cut costs The government’s decision to publish Ordnance Survey mapping information in a free and re-usable form online is a major victory for democracy campaigners. The move is likely to result in new and improved online services for citizens, as well as better government transparency, according to experts. Stephen Timms, who has ministerial responsibility for the wider initiative to put state information online, said...Read More »

With LG predicting a 3D television market in excess of 30 million units by 2012 and Samsung busily promoting its related world's firsts, you'd better believe that these powerful South Korean "chaebols" have their government's full support when it comes to delivering 3D content. Just today the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) announced its drive to start beaming 3D broadcasts in Full HD quality sometime in 2010 -- licensing begins in January with first broadcasts expected mid-year. Unlike those 3D satellite broadcasts tested in Japan and the UK, Korea will deliver its 3D content through its...Read More »

The field of "spintronics" - a future means of computing - is shown to work at room temperature for the first time. Full published article at: Read More »

The Wikileaks site publishes what it says are 570,000 intercepted pager messages sent during the 9/11 attacks in the US. Full published article at: Read More »

Researchers have demonstrated a device that can kill off superbugs such as MRSA in just seconds - and could help with body odour. Full published article at: Read More »

You know, we've pretty much all been enamored with the Zune HD's industrial design, but one unintended consequence for Microsoft was that it made its console look even more childish and toylike. It was inevitable, then, that a group of industrious Swedes would take up arms against this injustice and right the world with their Elegant Edition mod. Featuring three 120mm cooling fans, an aesthetic borrowed straight from the 1980s, and absolutely no shame about its bulk, this mod is cooler than the original in both the literal and colloquial sense. We'll accept no arguments to the...Read More »

In Japan, the ultimate merit of a robotic suit is measured in sacks of rice. We've seen it before with the HAL-5. The latest suit created by students at Tokyo's University of Science provides enough assistance to the wearer's back to lift an additional 15 to 20 kilograms (that's 33 to 44 pounds) -- in other words, another two bags of rice for five in total. The university's previous robosuit was heavier and more bulky by comparison, in that it provided assistance to both the wearers back and arms (though clearly some support is provided based on the...Read More »