Reg Hardware

7th July 2006 Archive

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  • Lexar recalls burn-hazard FireFly USB drives

    Secure II units too

    Storage specialist Lexar has recalled a number of its JumpDrive USB Flash disks, some of which have been found to overheat and potentially burst into flames. The name of the product: FireFly... Lexar described the recall as "limited" - it only applies to 256MB, 512MB, 1Gb and 2GB drives purchased in the US during April and …

    Gadgets and Gizmos 7 Jul 2006, 08:51

  • VIA preps UMPC-friendly chipset

    VX700 fits on one chip

    VIA is gearing up to ship a single-chip chipset aimed at ultra-mobile PCs (UMPCs) at the end of Q3, the company said yesterday. The part will be used in the upcoming DualCor device, it said. The VX700 measures 3.5 x 3.5cm but packs in a UniChrome Pro II graphics core with MPEG 2, MPEG 4 and WMV 9 hardware-accelerated video …

    Bits 'n' Chips 7 Jul 2006, 09:06

  • Lightning lashes iPod-packing teenager

    Did the music player save his life?

    Don't use your iPod in a storm. Castle Rock, Colorado teenager Jason Bunch was wearing his when he was struck by lightning, according to local news reports. He was listening to Metallica, but it is, alas, not known if it was the band's Ride the Lightning album. The 17-year-old was zapped on Sunday afternoon, the Denver Post …

    Media players 7 Jul 2006, 09:39

  • Gadget uses Skype to send TV anywhere

    Watch out, Slingbox...

    Fancy turning your copy of Skype into a watch-anywhere TV viewer? Now you can, courtesy of Japanese company Novac, which today announced a box that turns any suitably-specified PC into a machine for beaming TV shows to anyone on the internet. The key is in the software. The box itself is an analogue TV tuner - not digital, …

    Gadgets and Gizmos 7 Jul 2006, 09:53

  • AMD, ATI agree acquisition deal?

    Approach with caution...

    AMD has reached an agreement with ATI to buy the graphics chip company. An official statement will be made shortly - if, that is, you believe a report on a Chinese-language website citing a single source said to be close to the negotiations. We're taking this with a big pinch of salt. The unnamed source, cited by Sohu.com, …

    Bits 'n' Chips 7 Jul 2006, 10:24

  • USB missile launches detected on multiple fronts

    Updated Yes, it's WAR!

    What have we done? Today, we began receiving sporadic reports of the outbreak of hostilities between rival factions within the nation's offices and workplaces, all following our coverage of the USB missile launcher gizmo yesterday. Reg Hardware, is seems, may have contributed to a major dip in the country's productivity as …

    Gadgets and Gizmos 7 Jul 2006, 13:41

  • Nintendo Wii to make a splash early?

    Production start claims point to September/October release

    Nintendo will release its next-generation games console, Wii, much earlier than the company has previously announced, it has been claimed. The company is already punching out Wii hardware, it's said, and that means the firm is out to get to market well ahead of Sony. American Technology Research (ATR) analyst PJ McNealy this …

    Consoles 7 Jul 2006, 14:04

  • Phone maker VK declared bankrupt

    Competition too strong

    South Korean handset maker VK has been declared bankrupt after it failed to pay its creditors, local media reports reveal. Trading in the company's shares has been suspend pending a de-listing on 22 July. According to a number of South Korean newspaper reports today, VK owed its creditors KRW1.78bn ($1.90m). Last week, an …

    Phones 7 Jul 2006, 14:39

  • Slim Devices' Squeezebox supports Rhapsody DRM

    Plays protected tracks for the first time

    Slim Devices has added support for the Real Networks' Rhapsody digital music download service to its Squeezebox network music player. The deal will allow the device to play DRM-protected tracks purchased from the service. To date, the Squeezebox has been only able to play DRM-free AAC and WMA tracks in addition to the MP3 and …

    Gadgets and Gizmos 7 Jul 2006, 15:35

  • Print Screen button enables HD DVD, Blu-ray Disc duplication

    Recipe for RSI?

    HD DVD movies can be copied, and all it takes is the presses of a single button on any PC's keyboard. Well, lots of presses. Lots and lots of presses. Lots and lots and lots of presses. Yes, keep hitting that Print Screen button and, according to Germany's c't magazine, one the movie's finished playing, you'll have enough …

    HD 7 Jul 2006, 15:51