Ofcom proposes new spectrum of regulation

Ofcom has set out its proposals to free up the radio spectrum in the UK with the aim of allowing the market to decide the best use for radio frequencies. Traditionally, the UK's radio spectrum has been centrally managed with some set aside for military use, some for radio, TV, etc. Today 95 per cent of Britain's radio spectrum is still managed this way with only small amount set aside as the unlicenced 'spectrum commons'. ...more

Google confirms work on mobile phone

Apple and Google may share a board member, and Google technology may be key to the iPhone, but that hasn't stopped the search giant from working on its own mobile phone. The move has been rumoured for some time, but it has now finally been confirmed to Spanish newspaper Noticias by Google Spain chief Isabel Aguilera. She told the paper that it was working on the phone, along other projects, as a means of gaining access to information while on the move. ...more

Cash rewards for grassing spammers could be up for grabs

The US Federal and Trade Commission is to consider a report on whether cash rewards for grassing spammers would be effective. The report says that although cyber sleuths may have the technical skills to garner a lot of information about where spam comes from, the evidence needed to identify several streams of spam to a particular source is often not at their disposal. Clearly spammers practice their art for money, and the banks that look after that money and have information such as addresses and so on simply aren't legally able to give it. ...more

TechNet hits the road

Microsoft's TechNet Roadshow is to begin in April, offering briefings and advice on security issues. Kicking off at the Celtic Manor in Newport on 16 April, the roadshow - now into its fifth year - then tours around the UK until the end of May. The content will focus on 'security and integration' issues and be centred around Microsoft's Windows 2000/XP, its ISA server, the SharePoint Portal Server and Content Management Server, and BizTalk 2002. ...more

Batteries to get boost from nanotechnology

Mobile devices in the future may get extra battery power thanks to nanotechnology. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have come up with a way of storing extra charge in 'ultracapacitors'. The team led by Riccardo Signorelli, Joel Schindall and John Kassakian have developed a new type of double layer capacitor that can store charge way beyond the limits of normal capacitors. ...more