29th November 2006 Archive

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Apple blocks Mac OS X security holes

Patch posted

Apple has posted a Mac OS X Security Update that patches almost two dozen holes in the Unix-based operating system. The update incorporates fixes for AirPort, Apple Type Services, Finder, Installer, Security Framework, VPN and a raft of other, under-the-hood apps and utilities. However, the fix doesn't appear to patch the …

Mac 29 Nov 2006, 09:56
AMD Quad FX debuts in Japanese four-GPU PC

Athlon 64 FX-7x series launches today?

AMD will today announce its Quad FX platform, formerly codenamed '4x4', it has been claimed. The technology is built out of Nvidia's nForce 680a SLI chipset and AMD's new Athlon 64 FX-70 series of dual-core processors. According to a report on Japanese-language site PCWatch, there are the FX-70s: the FX-70, FX-72 and FX-74, …

PCs 29 Nov 2006, 10:32
Nokia launches budget 'iPod killer' music phone

VoIP-friendly and smart clamshells too

Nokia yesterday launched a trio of handsets, including its latest bid to win business from Apple's iPod and other music players with its a colourful music-friendly handset. It also took aim at the mid-range 3G arena with a clamshell-format 3G smart phone. The Nokia 6290 runs Nokia's S60 user interface on top of the Symbian …

Phones 29 Nov 2006, 11:28
Gateway sets out Xmas PC stall

Own-brand laptops, eMachines desktops launched

Gateway UK today unveiled its bid for the wallets of the PC-buying public this Christmas with a pair of Core Duo-based and Centrino-branded notebooks and a trio of desktop systems released under its eMachines brand. The notebooks, the MX6932b and MX6933b, contain a 1.73GHz Core Duo and a 1.66GHz Core 2 Duo processor, …

PCs 29 Nov 2006, 12:10
Nokia hammers out steel-cased handset

N-series phone for the rest of us?

Nokia is to bring the brushed-metal look of its N series of smart phones to a broader audience next year with the Nokia 6300. The stylish new handset has a mid-range spec and an attractive price that includes a 128MB MicroSD card. Nokia claimed the 6300 has a talk-time of up to 3.5 hours and a standby time of up to 14 days …

Phones 29 Nov 2006, 12:12
Shuttle XPC mini X100HA slimline PC

Review Good things come in small packages?

Most Shuttle XPC small form-factor systems such as the SN27P2 and the SN37PS look like a cut-down PC tower, but the XPC mini X100HA sets a new standard. It's absolutely tiny. We previewed the X100 here and now we've got our mitts on a real, live working example... The photos don't do the tiny size justice, so to put things in …

PCs 29 Nov 2006, 12:50
Apple rival pitches magnesium music player

Will Max-Ivy grow on you?

Apple's move to recast the iPod Nano in a metal casing is starting to influence other product designers. Nokia announced a stainless steel phone yesterday, and today German gadget supplier Maxfield unveiled Max-Ivy, an MP3 player with a "scratchproof... flawless" jet-black magnesium shell. The Max-Ivy is due to ship next …

Media players 29 Nov 2006, 15:04
Bluetooth gets DSP audio boost

CSR soups-up headsets with extra processing power

Digital signal processors (DSPs) are making their way into almost everything, and now it's the turn of Bluetooth headsets. Chip developer CSR has just started shipping BlueCore5-Multimedia, which includes a 64Mips DSP alongside Class II Bluetooth. Since DSPs in gear like this are mainly used for audio processing, it is …

Bits 'n' Chips 29 Nov 2006, 16:15