Bill Lindner

A recent "Which? Computing" (magazine) investigation reportedly found that hundreds of innocent people are being accused of software piracy crime, despite the fact that many have never used file sharing services. (Source: bbc.co.uk ) The case ... against one Scottish couple falsely accused by Atari Corporation was dropped, but Which magazine estimates that there are hundreds of others in similar situations. Before the case was dropped, a letter was sent giving them a chance to pay 500 GBP compensation or face a court case. Atari has not commented on why their case was dropped. It's estimated that ... (view more)

Radio-frequency-identification (RFID) is an automatic identification method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders. (Source: wikipedia.org ) Researchers at RSA Laboratories and the University ... of Washington recently released a report which studies the privacy and security vulnerabilities of the RFID tags embedded in the state of Washington's Enhanced Driver's License and Electronic U.S. Passport Cards. Electronic Product Code and RFID Electronic Product Code, or "EPC tags," are industry-standard RFID devices created as the ... (view more)

Despite Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's recent assertions that Windows Vista "is Microsoft's best-selling product ever," there are many indications to the contrary, that reveal just how irrelevant Windows Vista has become and how it has proven to be a ... major flop. (Source: microsoft.com and microsoft-watch.com ) Ballmer boasts that over 180 million copies of Windows Vista were sold in the first 18 months of its release. As infopackets has noted in the past, it's virtually impossible to get an accurate count on the number of Windows Vista units sold since many have been "downgraded" to ... (view more)

The latest Orwellian request from the Pentagon reportedly involves seeking contractors to provide a "Multi-Robot Pursuit System" that will let packs of robots "search for and detect a non-cooperative human." (Source: newscientist.com and dodsbir.net ... ) Questions arise as to where that type of technology could end up. Last year, iRobot struck a deal with Taser International to mount stun guns on its military robots. How long will it be before we see packs of rogue droids hunting down pesky demonstrators with paralyzing and deadly weapons while making wrong decisions? Steve Wright of Leeds ... (view more)

President Bush has reportedly signed into law a controversial bill known as the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for intellectual Property (PRO IP) Act to protect American consumer rights that stiffens penalties against counterfeiting and ... piracy at the federal level. Under the law, an Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator --- referred to by some as an intellectual property czar --- will be appointed by the Senate who will report directly to the president on how to better protect copyrights both domestically and internationally, over the objections of the Justice Department that ... (view more)

A new variation of a fake Microsoft security notification email is reportedly being circulated. Attackers appear to be taking advantage of Microsoft's Patch Tuesday to send legitimate looking emails claiming to be a security email from Microsoft ... with an executable file attached, which it claims is the latest security update. It encourages the recipient to run the attached executable so their computer will be safe. The email is different than previous versions as it claims to be signed by Steve Lipner, an actual Microsoft employee, and has what appears to be a PGP signature block attached to ... (view more)

Despite the short-lived Seinfeld commercials and the ongoing ad blitzes , customer demand for Windows XP over Windows Vista has again prompted Microsoft to extend the Windows XP lifeline . Microsoft stopped selling Windows XP on June 30 of this ... year, but Windows XP is still available at some retail outlets, including Amazon.com while supplies last. Larger PC manufacturers can't directly sell Windows XP anymore -- except on ultra-low-cost machines -- but they can sell Windows Vista Ultimate and Windows Vista Business machines with Windows XP discs in the box or they can do a 'factory downgrade ... (view more)

Reports of detached prongs involving a very small percentage of iPhone 3G power adapters has resulted in Apple announcing an ultracompact USB Adapter Exchange Program. Apple is warning users that under certain conditions the new ultracompact Apple ... USB power adapter's metal prongs can break off and remain in a power outlet, creating a risk of electric shock, but no injuries have been reported. Pictures of the power adapter in question are available from Apple's web site . If your adapter has a green dot on the bottom, you already have the new, redesigned adapter and do not need to exchange it ... (view more)

Hewlett-Packard (HP) will reportedly release a laptop next month boasting a high-capacity battery that lasts up to 24 hours without charge -- provided it runs Microsoft's Windows XP operating system rather than Windows Vista. HP's EliteBook 6930p ... 14in. laptop, targeted at businesses, will need a 12-cell Ultra-Capacity Battery which sells for $189 and lasts about 10 hours longer than the regular-capacity one. The Ultra-Capacity Battery weighs 1.77lb/0.8kg compared to a weight of 0.7lb/0.3kg for the standard battery. Despite Microsoft's increasingly desperate attempts to push Windows Vista, HP ... (view more)

As part of its Trustworthy Computing Initiative, based on building the concept of "End to End Trust" proposed by Microsoft in April at the RSA Security Conference, Microsoft reportedly wants to create "digital playgrounds", sites where visitors have ... to prove their age using digital identity credentials. Microsoft is hoping its measures will make the Internet safer for children and adults wanting to conduct business, make transactions, and communicate confidently with people who are who they say they are. Part of the challenge concerns how to add more identity authentication without ... (view more)