ASUS launches easy WiFi

ASUS has launched its Wi-Fi@HOME platform, designed to make wireless networking easier for those without the time or expertise. The platform consists of ASUS motherboards with WiFi slot, a WLAN card, and a software utility that can turn your PC into an access point, allowing other wirelessly-enabled devices use it to share data and services such as Internet access. ASUS's take on the trouble with WiFi is that to prevent the compatibility issues that can occur through the use of WiFi products from different manufacturers, its WiFi motherboards will have a slot that only supports its WiFi cards: thus precluding the issue of other manufacturers' cards not working properly - because they won't work at all. ...more

Foo Fighters record the most swapped track of the week

Having defended their decision to copy-protect the latest Foo Fighters album, executives at Sony BMG and its subsidiary RCA must be smarting at the news that the track Best Of You has topped a chart of the most swapped track in the past week. According to Big Champagne, an online media measurement company, the song was the most swapped 'rock active' track and the number two 'rock modern' track. It was also number seven overall. ...more

Comment: Politicians fail the Internet test

Having spent a decade in technology journalism, certain things instantly send my scepticism soaring: press releases proclaiming a new product to be 'truly revolutionary', guesstimates of how many zillions virus attacks cost businesses and anything that's the 'world's first'. But one thing that really brings out the inner-cynic in me is politicians taking an interest in technology. Take this unsolicited email that arrived in my inbox recently, in reaction to Gnarls Barkley's Crazy appearing at the top of the iTunes charts. ...more

Opera disses MSN muppets

Browser-maker Opera Software renders MSN unusable with specially tailored Bork browser. Based on the Swedish chef muppet character Bork, the special edition is a dig at Microsoft's MSN site which was revealed to serve up different and inferior HTML files for Opera users. 'Hergee berger snooger bork,' said Mary Lambert, product line manager desktop, Opera Software. ...more

IBM saves the planet from out of space objects

IBM is proudly proclaiming the role of one of its SP supercomputers, in the Maui High Performance Computing Centre, as helping the US Air Force identify stray objects in outer space, including those that may be hurtling earthwards. Maui is one of the Hawaiian islands and the computer is part of a $10 million contract awarded to IBM to upgrade the supercomputing facility. The machine - digitally enhancing images from ground-based telescopes - will enable the US to monitor the skies for craft launched by other countries, debris left in space by astronauts, and, no doubt, any other unidentified objects. ...more