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Friday, September 2, 2011

Schmidt rates Jobs as 'best' CEO

2 September 2011 Last updated at 05:32 ET

Steve Jobs was "probably the best" company boss in 50 or 100 years, said Google chairman Eric Schmidt.

Mr Schmidt, a former Apple board member, handed down the praise in an interview at a technology conference.

He said Mr Jobs deserved the praise because he built Apple into a powerful corporation not once, but twice.

The assessment puts Mr Jobs ahead of other American industry giants such as oil magnate John D Rockefeller and car maker Henry Ford.

Ongoing health problems forced Steve Jobs to resign as Apple chief executive on 24 August. He continues to serve as the company's chairman.

World leader

The resignation ended a 15 year stint at the head of Apple which saw Mr Jobs turn it into the most valuable company in the US by stock market valuation, ahead of oil giant Exxon.

Mr Jobs' first term as head of Apple lasted from the late 1970s when the company was founded until 1985. During that time he drove Apple to become a significant force in the home computer industry.

He resigned after losing a boardroom battle over the future of the company.

In 1997, Steve Jobs returned as CEO and launched the iMac range of personal computers.

Since then he has introduced the iPod, iPad and iPhone, all of which have redefined their respective markets, as well as making huge amounts of money for Apple.

Mr Schmidt made his comments during an on-stage interview at Salesforce.com's Dreamforce conference.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Germany lifts Doom ban after 17 years

1 September 2011 Last updated at 08:51 ET

A German ban on selling Doom to teenagers has been lifted after 17 years.

The classic video game was put on an index of controlled titles in 1994 as it was deemed likely to harm youth.

Like pornography, sales of the violent shoot 'em up were restricted to adult-only stores.

The rules have been relaxed because officials believe that Doom is now only of artistic and scientific interest and will not appeal to youngsters.

However, one version of the game remains on the index because it features Nazi symbols on some levels.

Sadistic violence

The restrictions on Doom and Doom II officially expired on 31 August following a meeting of the Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons (Bundesprufstelle) earlier in the month.

The Bundesprufstelle reportedly decided to reconsider the game's status following an appeal by Bethesda Softworks, the current owner of iD Software, which created Doom.

Bethesda argued that the game's crude graphics had been surpassed by many modern titles and, as a result, the violence it depicted had far less of an impact.

In a document detailing its reasons, the Bundesprufstelle said its original decision was not solely based on the graphic quality of the game, although it noted that most mobile phones now supported far more realistic images.

The panel explained that it was originally concerned because the story played out in Doom involved a relentless cycle of gunplay and "bloody sadistic" violence.

The Bundesprufstelle said it had relaxed the restrictions because Doom was now "mainly of historical interest" and was far less likely to be played by children. Not least, it added, because much more realistic and challenging games were more widely available.

Some members of the Bundesprufstelle panel wanted to keep the restrictions in place but were outvoted by those deeming it acceptable.

If Doom goes on sale in Germany it will still only be available to those aged 16 or over.

The adults only rule was beginning to look like an anomaly because other versions of Doom games, such as one for the Game Boy Advance, had previously been approved in Germany.

Restrictions on "Doom II - Hell on Earth" have also been lifted.

However, the panel decided to maintain controls on the American version of Doom II because it incorporates two levels from Wolfenstein 3D which makes use of Nazi symbols including swastikas.

Hologram microscope spots E. coli

1 September 2011 Last updated at 07:06 ET

A cheap holographic microscope capable of detecting E. coli and other bacteria has been developed by researchers in the US.

The handheld device uses a laser instead of lenses to identify bugs in water, food or blood, and costs less than $100 (�60) to build.

Images can be uploaded to remote computers for further analysis.

Scientists hope the technology will improve healthcare in areas that lack sophisticated diagnostic equipment.

Details of the microscope - created at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) - were published in the journal Biomedical Optics Express.

Micro 3D

The device has two modes of operation: a "transmission" mode which can analyse liquids such as blood and water, and a "reflection" mode which produces holographic images of denser surfaces.

"Transmission mode is great for looking at optically transparent things like cells or very thin slices," explained Dr Karl Ryder of Leicester University's Advanced Microscopy Centre.

"However, if you want to look at more solid surfaces, you can't use transmission mode, because the light wouldn't get through."

In reflection mode, the microscope used holography to create a 3D image of the sample being studied.

"You take a laser and you split the beam in two using a mirror. Then you use one of these beams to illuminate your sample," said Dr Ryder.

"You can then recombine these two beams using clever mathematics to build a 3D image of your object."

"Start Quote

Doctors could use devices like these to improve health care in remote areas of the world"

End Quote Professor Aydogan Ozcan UCLA

Cheap chips

A key advantage of the design is that it employs cheap electrical components instead of heavy and expensive lenses.

"There are no optics at all in this system. They've made it really small, and they're looking at small sample sizes, so you don't need complex focusing," said Dr Ryder.

Instead, the microscope uses digital photo sensors commonly found in devices like iPhones and Blackberrys. These can cost less than $15 each to produce.

Despite its price, researchers claim that the microscope can help to monitor outbreaks of difficult-to-detect bacteria such as E. coli.

"It's a very challenging task to detect E. coli in low concentrations in water and food. This microscope could be part of a solution for field investigation," said Prof Aydogan Ozcan from UCLA.

The device captures raw data, but its simple design means that processing needs to be done on an external device with more computing power.

A user in the field can forward the image data to their mobile phone, a laptop PC, or even upload it to an internet server.

Prof Ozcan believes the microscope could prove invaluable for medics working in developing countries.

"With just a small amount of training, doctors could use devices like these to improve healthcare in remote areas of the world with little access to diagnostic equipment."

Codebreakers remember Tony Sale

1 September 2011 Last updated at 03:19 ET

Veteran codebreakers will return to Bletchley Park this weekend for the annual Armed Forces Weekend and Enigma Reunion.

The two-day event will also remember Tony Sale, the National Museum of Computing founder, who died this week.

Mr Sale was the mastermind behind the re-building of Colossus, the world's first operational computer.

"Tony was one of our best known characters," said Bletchley Park Trust director Simon Greenish.

"His contribution to the early days of the development of the trust, when the site was under very real threat of development, was fundamental and, without him, the Bletchley Park site and its hugely important history would not have survived."

Vital role

The event, which is open to the public, will look back at the role of the armed forces through history and the vital role Bletchley Park's codebreakers played during World War II.

About 100 former codebreakers are expected to attend the reunion, which will include a memorial service on Sunday.

"A lot of our veterans who knew Tony personally, and indeed his wife Margaret, will be attending the memorial service where we remember those who worked here at Bletchley Park, so tributes to Tony will certainly feature in that service," said Mr Greenish.

Other attractions will include a field gun run competition and a display by the Vintage Military Amateur Radio Society of radio equipment spanning the last 100 years, showing how communication in the armed forces has changed over time and become more vital.

World War II re-enactors dressed in uniforms and civilian costumes of the day will reflect the wartime era.

The weekend will also include flypasts by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (subject to weather conditions and aircraft serviceability).

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Mobile internet use nearing 50%

31 August 2011 Last updated at 11:56 ET

Almost half of UK internet users are going online via mobile phone data connections, according to the Office for National Statistics.

45% of people surveyed said they made use of the net while out and about, compared with 31% in 2010.

The most rapid growth was among younger people, where 71% of internet-connected 16 to 24-year-olds used mobiles.

Domestic internet use also rose. According to the ONS, 77% of households now have access to a net connection.

That figure was up 4% from the previous year, representing the slowest rate of growth since the ONS survey began in 2006.

Among the 23% of the population who remain offline, half said they "didn't need the internet."

Household internet access

Northern Ireland excluded from 2011 survey.

Source: Office for National Statistics

The ONS report is the first since dot-com entrepreneur Martha Lane-Fox was appointed as the government's UK Digital Champion, with a brief to increase internet uptake.

In a statement, Ms Lane-Fox said: "That so many offline households don't see any reason to get online reinforces the importance of the digital champions network that the Raceonline2012 partners are creating."

Mobile revolution

The figure for domestic connections contrasted sharply with the rapid growth in uptake of mobile services.

However, the popularity of 3G broadband did not necessarily mean that more people were going online overall.

Many of those using mobile phones are likely to already have home broadband connections.

Older users, who the government is particularly keen to get connected, appeared to have been relatively untouched by the phenomenon.

While 71% of 16 to 24-year-old who went online said they used mobile broadband, just 8% of internet users aged over 65 made use of the newer technology.

The ONS survey also found a dramatic rise in the use of wifi hotspots - a seven-fold increase since 2011 - suggesting that the rise of 3G has done little to slow demand for free and paid-for wireless access.

All findings were based on a monthly survey of 1,800 randomly selected adults from across the UK.

Graphene to boost internet speed

31 August 2011 Last updated at 09:22 ET

By Katia Moskvitch Technology reporter, BBC News

Graphene, the strongest material on Earth, could help boost broadband internet speed, say researchers.

A UK team had devised a way to capture and convert more light into power than was previously possible.

Scientists from the Universities of Manchester and Cambridge upped the sensitivity by combining graphene with tiny metallic structures.

Their discovery paves the way for more efficient optical components and connections.

The researchers describe their findings in the journal Nature Communications.

Optical communications

"Start Quote

Many leading electronics companies consider graphene for the next generation of devices"

End Quote Prof Kostya Novoselov University of Manchester

Graphene's ability to convert and conduct electricity is not new.

In the past, scientists managed to produce a simple solar cell out of the material by placing microscopic metallic wires on top of graphene sheets and shining light onto them.

Its superconductive properties meant that electrons could flow at high speed with extreme mobility - opening-up the possibility of reduced lag time in electronic components, including photo receptors used in optical fibre systems.

However, early graphene solar cells were not very efficient, as the material was only capable of absorbing about three percent of visible light, with the rest shining through it without being converted into power.

The latest research overcomes that problem by using a method, known as plasmonic enhancement to combine graphene with tiny metallic structures called plasmonic nanostructures.

As a result, its light-harvesting performance was increased by 20 times.

"The technology of graphene production matures day-by-day, which has an immediate impact both on the type of exciting physics which we find in this material, and on the feasibility and the range of possible applications," said Prof Kostya Novoselov, one of the lead researchers.

"Many leading electronics companies consider graphene for the next generation of devices. This work certainly boosts graphene's chances even further."

His colleague Professor Andrea Ferrari from the University of Cambridge added that the results show the material's "great potential in the fields of photonics and optoelectronics".

Wonder material

Many believe that the amazing properties of graphene - the thinnest, strongest and most conductive material in the world - could revolutionise electronics.

Essentially a super-conductive form of carbon made from single-atom-thick sheets, it was first discovered with help of a simple sticky tape in 2004.

Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov, both originally from Russia, managed to extract the new material from graphite, commonly used as lead in pencils.

In 2010 they were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work.

Microchip monitors tumour growth

31 August 2011 Last updated at 05:36 ET

Researchers in Germany have developed a microchip sensor that can be implanted close to a tumour to monitor its growth.

The device tracks oxygen levels in nearby tissue to detect if a tumour is expanding.

Results are then transmitted wirelessly to a patient's doctor - reducing the need for frequent hospital scans.

Future designs will include a medication pump that can deliver drugs directly to the affected area.

Researchers hope this will lead to less aggressive and more targeted cancer treatments.

Medical engineers at the Technical University in Munich developed the device as a way to track and treat tumours that are difficult to reach, or better left alone.

"There are some tumours which are hard to remove - for example, close to the spine. You run the risk of cutting the nerve if you remove them surgically. Or the problem may be that the tumour is growing slowly, but the patient is elderly," said project manager Sven Becker.

"In these cases it's better to monitor the tumour, and only treat it if there's a strong growth phase."

Drug pump

The sensor is implanted next to a tumour, and measures the concentration of dissolved oxygen in nearby tissue fluid. If this drops it can indicate aggressive growth, and doctors can be alerted.

"The microelectronic chip has a set of electrodes that detect oxygen saturation. It transmits this sensor data to an external receiving unit that's like a small box you carry around in your pocket," explained Mr Becker.

"From there it goes into the doctor's PC - and they can look at the data and decide whether the tumour activity is getting worse."

Researchers believe this will reduce the need for frequent hospital check-ups.

"Normally you would have to go to the hospital to be monitored - using machines like MRI to detect the oxygen saturation. With our system you can do it on the go," said Mr Becker.

The team plans to add a medication pump to the chip that can release chemotherapeutic drugs close to a tumour if treatment is needed.

Mr Becker hopes this will prove more effective and less toxic for future cancer patients.

"Start Quote

Patients can be treated more quickly and with less side effects, because it's local"

End Quote Sven Becker Technical University Munich

"In traditional chemotherapy you put drugs into the whole body - which can have awful side effects. We want to add a pump to our chip, so if the sensor detects growth, you can apply microscopic amounts directly to the tumour," he said.

"Patients can be treated more quickly and with less side effects, because it's local."

Development is still in its early stages, but researchers hope to have a device ready for medical use within ten years.

Japanese companies in LCD venture

31 August 2011 Last updated at 03:43 ET

Hitachi, Sony and Toshiba are planning a joint venture to make small and medium-sized LCD displays for tablet PCs and smartphones.

The new company will be operated by Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ), a government-backed firm set up to promote innovation in Japan.

The companies hope to have integrated the businesses by early 2012.

INCJ will eventually hold 70% of the shares in the new company, with its three partners holding 10% each.

The companies have signed a memorandum of understanding, which is not currently binding. They hope to sign legally binding agreements later this year.

INCJ, which is 90% government-owned, will eventually invest 200bn yen ($2.6bn; �1.6bn) in the venture, which will overtake Sharp and Samsung to be the world's biggest manufacturer of small and medium LCD displays.

Hitachi, Sony and Toshiba have hesitated to make big investments in the LCD business because of competition for South Korea and Japan and expectations that prices are likely to fall.

"We will probably see oversupply in the near future," said Shigeo Sugawara from Sompo Japan Nippon Koa Asset Management.

"It's not a business that will likely provide stable profits in the mid to long term."

Sharp is about to receive a $1bn investment from Apple.

There are concerns that while Toshiba, Sony and Hitachi have 21.5% of the small and medium LCD display business between them, they use different types of display technology, which will make it difficult to combine the businesses.

Key computer conservationist dies

30 August 2011 Last updated at 10:37 ET

George the Robot with his inventor, Tony Sale

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.

Tony Sale built a working robot out of scrap from a crashed bomber

Tony Sale, the brilliant engineer who led the rebuild of Colossus, the first modern computer, has died aged 80.

The mammoth project to recreate the code-cracking Colossus capped a career built around electronics and computers.

Most recently, Mr Sale drove the campaign to save Bletchley Park, where Colossus aided Allied code-cracking efforts during World War II.

At Bletchley he also founded the National Museum of Computing to help preserve the UK's ageing computers.

Born in 1931, Mr Sale displayed his talent for engineering at an early age by building a robot, called George I, out of Meccano. One of the later versions of George was built from the remains of a Wellington bomber.

Instead of going to university, Mr Sale joined the RAF, which nurtured his engineering talent, and by the age of 20 he was lecturing pilots and aircrew about advances in radar.

His career also included a six-year stint as a scientific officer at MI5. He rose to become principal scientific officer of the intelligence agency and aided the work of spycatcher Peter Wright. On leaving MI5 he established, ran and sold a variety of software and engineering firms.

During the late 1980s Mr Sale's job at the Science Museum nurtured an interest in old computers. This led to the creation of the Computer Conservation Society which leads efforts to restore many key machines.

His interest led to the 14-year project that saw the re-creation of the pioneering Colossus computer. During wartime, Colossus gave the Allies an insight into the communications of the German high command.

The rebuilding work was difficult because the original Colossus machines were broken up at the end of WWII and all plans for it were destroyed.

The rebuilt Colossus became the centrepiece of The National Museum of Computing (TNMOC) that Mr Sale established at Bletchley Park.

"Tony Sale's passing is a tremendous loss to us all on a personal and professional basis," said Andy Clark, chairman of the TNMOC trustees.

"Tony's contributions to The National Museum of Computing have been immense and I am quite sure that without his remarkable talents, enthusiasm, and drive, the museum would not have come into existence," said Mr Clark.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Facebook pays for security holes

30 August 2011 Last updated at 05:54 ET

Facebook has spent $40,000 (�25,000) in the first 21 days of a program that rewards the discovery of security bugs.

The bug bounty program aims to encourage security researchers to help harden Facebook against attack.

One security researcher has been rewarded with more than $7,000 for finding six serious bugs in the social networking site.

The program runs alongside Facebook's efforts to police the code it creates that keeps the social site running.

A blog post by Facebook chief security officer Joe Sullivan revealed some information about the early days of the bug bounty program.

He said the program had made Facebook more secure by introducing the networking site to "novel attack vectors, and helping us improve lots of corners in our code".

The minimum amount paid for a bug is $500, said Mr Sullivan, up to a maximum of $5000 for the most serious loopholes. The maximum bounty has already been paid once, he said.

Many cyber criminals and vandals have targeted Facebook in many different ways to extract useful information from people, promote spam or fake goods.

"Start Quote

It's hardly surprising that the service is riddled with rogue apps and viral scams"

End Quote Graham Cluley Sophos

Mr Sullivan said Facebook had internal bug-hunting teams, used external auditors to vet its code and ran "bug-a-thons" to hunt out mistakes but it regularly received reports about glitches from independent security researchers.

Facebook set up a system to handle these reports in 2010 which promised not to take legal action against those that find bugs and gave it chance to assess them.

Paying those that report problems was the logical next step for the disclosure system, he said.

Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, said many other firms, including Google and Mozilla, run similar schemes that have proved useful in rooting out bugs.

However, he said, many criminally-minded bug spotters might get more for what they find if they sell the knowledge on an underground market.

He added that the bug bounty scheme might be missing the biggest source of security problems on Facebook.

"They're specifically not going to reward people for identifying rogue third party Facebook apps, clickjacking scams and the like," he said. "It's those sorts of problems which are much more commonly encountered by Facebook users and have arguably impacted more people."

Facebook should consider setting up a "walled garden" that only allowed vetted applications from approved developers to connect to the social networking site, he said.

"Facebook claims there are over one million developers on the Facebook platform, so it's hardly surprising that the service is riddled with rogue apps and viral scams," he said.

World News | Latest News

Friday, September 2, 2011

Schmidt rates Jobs as 'best' CEO

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Germany lifts Doom ban after 17 years

Hologram microscope spots E. coli

"Start Quote

Codebreakers remember Tony Sale

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Mobile internet use nearing 50%

Household internet access

Graphene to boost internet speed

"Start Quote

Microchip monitors tumour growth

"Start Quote

Japanese companies in LCD venture

Key computer conservationist dies

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Facebook pays for security holes

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