Free stop son numéro de renseignement

Iliad (Free) a été obligé de fermer son numéro de renseignements téléphonique vendredi soir suite à une décision de justice. C'est Allo Bottin qui a réussi à faire fermer le service de Free. Il est vrai que l'exploitant du 118.007 avait fait feu de toute part plaidant l'acte de concurrence déloyale ou le dénigrement. C'est finalement sur le terrain de la publicité mensongère que le tribunal de Commerce de Paris s'est fondé. Pour la cour, l'offre n'est pas gratuite comme l'avance Free, "le consommateur étant facturé pour toutes les communications qui suivent la mise en relation, toutes les communications de l'annuaire inversé, tous les appels effectués à partir des mobiles, et tous les appels effectués à partir d'une ligne fixe autre que France Télécom ou d'une Freebox", rapporte Les Echos.Free est donc pour une fois mis en échec sur l'un de ses projets. Si le trublion d'Internet reste fidèle à sa réputation il devrait toutefois rapidement s'adapter à cette nouvelle donne pour relancer son service de renseignements sous une nouvelle forme.

Nokia débarque sur le marché des GPS autonomes

Nokia, premier fabricant mondial de téléphone mobile, va commercialiser son premier système GPS autonome, le Nokia 330 Auto Navigation. L'appareil, un boîtier de navigation destiné principalement à être embarqué dans des véhicules, sera disponible au quatrième trimestre 2006. Il coûtera environ 400 euros dans l'Hexagone.
Ce produit destiné au marché européen intègre les données cartographiques de l'américain Navteq. L'application de navigation est quant à elle fournie par la société néerlandaise Route 66, dont les logiciels étaient déjà compatible avec plusieurs smartphones Nokia. Ce nouvel équipement fait également office de lecteur de musique et permet de visionner photos et vidéos.
De quoi inquiéter la numéro un du secteur, le néerlandais TomTom. «TomTom n'a pas d'inquiétude à avoir sur ses ventes et ses bénéfices en 2007, mais l'entrée de Nokia sur le marché constitue une réelle menace» a déclaré à Reuters Cornelis Bos, analyste chez ING.
Un secteur en plein essor, selon l'institut d'études GFK. Il devrait s'écouler un million de ces appareils d'ici à la fin 2006 rien qu'en France.

La Fnac se lance dans la formation multimédia à domicile

Jusqu'à présent, pour s'initier aux subtilités de l'Internet et du multimédia, la Fnac proposait des formations en atelier dispensées directement dans ses magasins. Depuis le 2 octobre, ses services d'assistance et de formation sont également disponibles à domicile.
Cette offre est labellisée « Internet accompagné », du nom du programme gouvernemental qui se propose d'assister les néophytes lors de leurs premiers pas informatiques. Elle comprend un ordinateur, et jusqu'à 5 h 30 d'initiation, de prise en main et de formation, modulable selon les besoins de l'utilisateur. Une sélection de trois ordinateurs portables (de marques Sony, Asus et Toshiba) et de trois PC de bureau (de marques HP et Packard Bell), intégrant le service d'assistance à domicile de la Fnac est proposée à partir de 1198 euros. Un prix auquel il convient d'ajouter le coût d'un abonnement Internet.
Une déduction fiscale de 50 %
Pour les consommateurs qui ne souscriront qu'au pack « Installation, prise en main et formation », le tarif est fixé à 399 euros. Un prix conséquent pour le client mais dont il est possible de tempérer l'impact. Tout d'abord, l'utilisateur est libre de choisir tout (5 h 30) ou seulement une partie du pack de formation : 129 euros pour 1 h 30 d'installation et de prise en main et 149 euros par session de 2 h de formation, où le client choisit les thèmes qu'il souhaite aborder.
Ensuite, le premier service d'assistance à domicile de la Fnac est éligible au titre de services d'aide à la personne tels que définis par la toute récente « loi Borloo ». En pratique, pour régler ces prestations, les particuliers peuvent recourir au Chèque emploi service universel (CESU) et surtout déduire de leur déclaration fiscale - à hauteur de 50 % (et dans la limite de 1000 euros par an) - les sommes engagées pour ce type de service.
Pour la Fnac, la mise en place de ce dispositif n'est qu'un premier pas vers une stratégie de sensibilisation du grand public à l'électronique et à l'informatique, qui devrait connaître d'autres développements dans le courant de l'année 2007.

MusicMe proposera du téléchargement illimité de musique

Après Napster et Rhapsody aux Etats-Unis, MusicMe (ex-AllMusicBox et partenaire de 01net.) s'apprête à lancer sur le marché français une formule de téléchargement illimité de musique par abonnement à 14,95 euros par mois.
Jusqu'à présent, le site proposait d'acheter des morceaux de musique à l'unité. L'internaute avait aussi la possibilité, en souscrivant un forfait de 9,95 euros par mois, d'écouter en streaming et en illimité à partir de son PC l'ensemble du catalogue de MusicMe. Celui-ci devrait atteindre 600 000 titres d'ici à la fin de l'année 2006, avec l'ajout récent des 250 000 titres du fond EMI Music (Ben Harper, Alain Souchon, Coldplay...) et de labels indépendants. L'ensemble des titres disponibles sur MusicMe est également accessible en écoute partielle et gratuite de 30 secondes.
Les titres loués devraient être transférables sur un baladeur
Les formules de téléchargements illimitées telles que testées sur le marché américain sont en réalité des offres de location et non d'achat de musique. Le jour où l'utilisateur cesse de payer son abonnement, c'est-à-dire quand il ne se connecte pas en temps voulu à la plate-forme de téléchargement, il ne peut plus écouter les titres téléchargés, gelés par les systèmes de DRM.
A contrario, le paiement de l'abonnement réactive et prolonge le droit de licence des fichiers concernés. Les chansons louées sur MusicMe devraient être transférables sur des baladeurs numériques intégrant le système de gestion des droits numériques de Microsoft.

Google réunit son tableur et son traitement de texte en ligne

Les start-up spécialisées dans les suites bureautiques en ligne ont désormais leur propre conférence, Office 2.0, qui se déroule ces jours-ci à San Francisco. Google a profité de l'évènement, réunissant bon nombre d'acteurs de ce marché naissant - iNetOffice, Zoho, Smartsheet, ThinkFree - pour annoncer le lancement de « Docs & Spreadsheets ».
Il s'agit, dans les faits, de la réunification de son traitement de texte et son tableur en ligne, au sein d'une interface utilisateur unique et d'une même plate-forme de partage et de collaboration. « Malgré ses allures d'Office, Docs & Spreadsheets ne se veut pas un concurrent de la suite bureautique de Microsoft », assurent Jennifer Mazzen et Jonathan Rochelle, responsables respectifs du traitement de texte (ex-Writely) et du tableur de la nouvelle suite de Google.
« Avec ce nouveau service, nous avons avant tout privilégié la simplicité, le partage et la collaboration en ligne plutôt que l'exhaustivité des fonctions des éditeurs traditionnels », ajoutent-ils. Par exemple, ni le traitement de texte ni le tableur de Google ne gèrent les macros et il n'est pas encore possible d'insérer un document Docs dans Spreadsheets, ou vice-versa. « Nous ajoutons de nouvelles fonctionnalités toutes les 2 à 4 semaines pour répondre aux demandes des utilisateurs. Ce n'est qu'une question de temps », indique Jennifer Mazzen.
Des limitations qui laissent la porte ouverte à des jeunes pousses, comme Zoho. « La solution de Google n'est pas vraiment une suite à proprement parler, mais la combinaison de deux outils. Avec Zoho Virtual Office, nous proposons l'intégration avec la messagerie électronique, le calendrier, les contacts et le logiciel de présentation », explique Raju Vegesna, le PDG de Zoho.
Lent, ce service nécessite d'être connecté
Quels que soient les services proposés, ces nouvelles suites bureautiques sur Internet souffrent de problèmes identiques : leur lenteur, notamment lors de la gestion de longs documents avec des images, et l'absence d'une composante « hors ligne » qui permette de continuer de travailler sur ses documents lorsque la connexion à Internet est mauvaise ou qu'il n'est tout simplement pas possible d'y accéder. « La version payante de notre service, qui inclura un module Java présent en permanence sur la machine de l'utilisateur, est prévue avant la fin de l'année et permettra justement de continuer à travailler en mode déconnecté et de synchroniser ses documents entre son ordinateur et le service en ligne », affirme TJ Kang, le PDG de ThinkFree.
L'absent de marque à la conférence Office 2.0 n'était autre que Microsoft, pourtant représenté dans la salle, et qui a évoqué l'idée d'une version en ligne de sa suite Works. « Personne n'utilise Works sur son PC. Mais c'est le mieux que Microsoft puisse faire, au risque de cannibaliser sa vache à lait [Office représente un chiffre d'affaires important pour Microsoft, NDLR]. Ce qui nous laisse les mains libres pour proposer une solution équivalente à Office », se réjouit TJ Kang. Pour rappel, Microsoft doit sortir dans quelques semaines la version 2007 d'Office.

La Caisse d'Epargne présente le transfert d'argent par téléphone mobile

La Caisse d'Epargne a annoncé ce jeudi 12 octobre le lancement de Movo, un service pour transférer de l'argent de particulier à particulier via un téléphone mobile. Pour Sébastien Rohart, directeur de la distribution de la Caisse nationale des Caisses d'Epargne, il s'agit du « premier système de paiement mobile peer-to-peer [au sens propre de « personne à personne », NDLR] sur mobile » . Le service est dans un premier temps réservé aux clients des Caisses d'Epargne, mais sera généralisé dans les prochains mois.
Pour envoyer ou recevoir de l'argent, en utilisant le téléphone comme intermédiaire, il suffit de disposer d'un compte et d'une carte bancaires. Pour l'émetteur de la transaction, il faut dans un premier temps s'inscrire sur le site Movo.fr et y enregistrer ses coordonnées bancaires. Cela fait, deux solutions s'offrent à l'utilisateur pour enclencher une transaction. Il peut envoyer un SMS, au coût de 50 centimes d'euro (en plus du prix normal) indiquant le numéro de mobile du destinataire, son propre code personnel, et le code de sécurité de sa carte bancaire (les trois chiffres qui figurent au dos). Il peut aussi contacter un serveur vocal interactif à 0,57 centimes la minute, hors coût de communication. Effectuer un transfert nécessite également de souscrire un abonnement de six euros par an. L'encaissement, lui, est gratuit

Microsoft muscle Vista contre les versions pirates

Microsoft veut éviter que des versions illégitimes de son futur système d'exploitation, Windows Vista, soient activées grâce à des clés, légitimes elles, fournies aux entreprises, comme c'est souvent le cas pour Windows XP.
Selon l'éditeur, pour activer les systèmes Vista qui équiperont leurs parcs informatiques, les entreprises devront, dans un premier temps, installer sur un serveur un système de gestion de clés qui distribuera ensuite les droits d'activation aux PC connectés sur le réseau interne de l'entreprise. Ce système, baptisé KMS (Key Management Service), devra être configuré pour communiquer avec un serveur de gestion de droits de Microsoft au moins une fois tous les 180 jours, dans la perspective de réactiver l'ensemble des clés du parc.
De fait, si une clé ou une machine est dérobée, Windows Vista ne pourra, en principe, pas être réactivé. Et dans un tel cas de figure, le système d'exploitation deviendra inopérant et passera en mode réduit. C'est-à-dire que l'utilisateur n'aura droit qu'à une heure de connexion Internet afin de lui laisser le temps et la possibilité d'acheter une licence, bloquant le reste du système.
Pas de blocage pour la version grand public
En ce qui concerne les PC de l'entreprise qui ne sont pas reliés au parc durant ces 180 jours, Microsoft propose le système MAK (Multiple Activation Key), une activation du système d'exploitation gérée en direct par un serveur de l'éditeur.
Côté activation d'une version grand public, Microsoft indique que le principe ne change pas. Un numéro de série permettra toujours l'activation du système, soit par Internet, soit par téléphone. L'utilisateur dispose de trente jours pour réaliser cette activation. Au-delà de ce délai, le système désactivera certaines fonctions, comme l'interface graphique Aero, la technologie d'accélération « Ready Boost », et le dispositif antispyware Windows Defender. Soit rien qui empêcherait vraiment d'utiliser Vista. Contrairement à une idée qui circule largement sur Internet, Microsoft affirme que la non-activation du système d'exploitation version grand public n'entraînera pas le blocage de la machine.

SSD : la fin des disques durs ?

Le disque dur est le principal point faible des ordinateurs portables. Gourmand en énergie, il réduit leur autonomie et résiste mal aux chocs, entraînant parfois des pertes de données en cas de chute. C'est pourquoi Samsung propose depuis cet été une solution de stockage alternative : le Solid State Disk (SSD). « Il s'agit d'une mémoire de masse qui repose uniquement sur de la mémoire flash NAND et qui propose une interface IDE standard pour faciliter son intégration au sein des PC », explique Christopher Partridge, chef de produit Portables de Samsung Electronics France.
La capacité de stockage des SSD de Samsung varie de 4 Go à 32 Go (64 Go en préparation). En l'absence de mécanique, un SSD ne nécessiterait que 5 à 10 % des ressources électriques utilisées par un disque dur pour PC portable. De quoi augmenter l'autonomie d'environ 10 %, un gain loin d'être négligeable puisqu'il se traduit par près d'une heure supplémentaire de fonctionnement sur les portables de dernière génération.
En outre, en lecture, le SSD serait deux fois plus rapide qu'un disque dur traditionnel : 50 Mo/s contre 24 Mo/s. Gravée en 60 nanomètres, la puce 2Gb OneNAND de Samsung atteint 108 Mo/s en lecture. Enfin, un SSD est plus fiable qu'un disque dur en cas de choc, d'exposition à l'humidité ou de fortes variations de température. « La durée de vie moyenne d'un SSD est au minimum équivalente à celle d'un disque dur standard », confirme Christopher Partridge, de Samsung. Les constructeurs les garantissent entre trois et sept ans

Google s'offre le numéro un de la diffusion de vidéos en ligne

La rumeur enflait sur le Web depuis trois jours. Lundi 9 octobre au soir, à la clôture des marchés, Google a officialisé son mariage avec YouTube. Le géant de la recherche sur Internet s'est offert le site de partage de vidéos pour 1,65 milliard de dollars, payables en actions. Ce rapprochement effectif avant la fin de l'année est un aveu des difficultés que rencontre Google sur ce secteur. Face à la petite start-up, le numéro 1 des moteurs de recherche n'a pas réussi à s'imposer.
Depuis son lancement, il y a une vingtaine de mois, YouTube s'est forgé une place de leader sur le secteur. En mai dernier déjà, il représentait aux Etats-Unis 43 % de parts de marché, selon l'institut américain Hitwise. Loin devant son challenger, le site communautaire Myspace.com (24 %), Yahoo! Video (9,6 %) et MSN Video (9,2 %). Habitué au statut de premier de la classe, Google n'arrive qu'en cinquième position, avec 6,5 % de parts de marché. Le français Dailymotion, populaire dans l'Hexagone, y occupe la neuvième place, avec 0,22 % de l'audience.
Plutôt habitué à développer ses technologies en interne au sein, entre autres, de ses Google Labs, l'américain a préféré mettre la main à la poche pour acquérir YouTube. Il faut dire que la mariée apporte en dot quelque 30 millions de visiteurs uniques, selon Nielsen/Netratings, le double selon Comscore.
Quoi qu'il en soit, le secteur est plus que porteur. D'après les analystes d'IDC, la vidéo sur Internet pourrait générer 1,7 milliard de dollars de revenus d'ici à 2010. L'institut américain base sa projection sur le fait que les producteurs de contenus comme les chaînes de télévision ou les majors devraient être de moins en moins réfractaires à exposer leurs productions sur le Web.
Le mouvement est d'ores et déjà amorcé à en croire les derniers partenariats signés outre-Atlantique comme en Europe. Quelques heures avant l'annonce de ce rapprochement, Google révélait des accords passés avec Sony BMG et Warner Music Group pour mettre gracieusement en ligne des clips de leurs artistes respectifs. Dans le même temps, YouTube signait avec Universal Music.
En Europe, Google Video poursuit sa quête de contenus. Le service a signé plusieurs partenariats avec l'Institut national de l'audiovisuel, Arte, CanalPlay ou encore Oasis. Le groupe pop invite ses fans, à l'occasion de la sortie de son nouvel album, à poster leurs propres vidéos. Toutes sont accessibles, et les fans localisables sur son site depuis l'outil cartographique Google Maps.
S'assurer que la présence des oeuvres sur le site ne viole pas le droit d'auteur
Studios et maisons de disques ne rechignent plus à mettre leurs oeuvres sur ces sites, dans la mesure où leurs exploitants trouvent un moyen de monétiser leur audience, et de reverser une partie des gains aux ayants droit. « Nous allons exporter nos différents outils comme les liens sponsorisés ou contextuels [les publicités en rapport avec le contenu, NDLR] sur YouTube, qui continuera d'exister sous sa propre marque », développe Stefan Lechère, responsable des partenariats de Google Video France. Outre-Atlantique, le moteur utilise par ailleurs le sponsoring : un bandeau publicitaire de textes peut apparaître dans certaines productions.
On comprend mieux pourquoi Eric Schmidt, le PDG de Google, expliquait lors de l'annonce qu' « il s'agit d'un des nombreux investissements que nous allons réaliser pour faire de la vidéo l'expérience centrale des internautes ».
Reste que pour monétiser les contenus, Google devra s'assurer que la présence des vidéos sur YouTube ne viole pas le droit d'auteur. Pour la première fois, en juillet dernier, le site de partage de vidéos a été poursuivi en justice par le vidéaste Robert Tur. Ce dernier avait filmé le tabassage d'un conducteur de camion lors des émeutes de Los Angeles, en 1992. Bien que la vidéo ait fait le tour des télévisions à l'époque, elle s'est retrouvée sur YouTube, sans son accord. Sans possibilité technique supplémentaire de modération, il se pourrait bien que le nouvel ensemble doive faire face à de nouveaux procès

Neuf mini-boîtiers de 230 à 500 euros

Vous cherchez un nouveau PC qui soit à la fois peu encombrant et beau à voir ? En parcourant les catalogues, vous avez sans doute été intrigué par les mini-PC... Guère plus encombrants que de grosses boîtes à chaussure, ces micros savent se faire discrets tout en affichant un design bien plus soigné que les grosses tours grises habituelles. De plus, à petit volume, petit poids : pour qui transporte régulièrement son ordinateur, c'est une qualité appréciable !
Pourtant, attention : les mini-PC ne sont pas des ordinateurs complets. Ils comprennent boîtier, carte mère, système de refroidissement du processeur et alimentation ; la plupart possèdent aussi une carte graphique (intégrée à la carte mère, comme c'est le cas dans sept des modèles que nous avons testés) ; et certains, comme les modèles de MSI, sont même livrés avec une carte réseau Wi-Fi et un lecteur de cartes mémoire.
Manquent dans cet inventaire, les éléments les plus importants : de la mémoire vive, un disque dur, un graveur, et surtout... un processeur ! La raison ? Ces ordinateurs sont des bases à compléter soi-même. On les surnomme d'ailleurs barebones (colonnes vertébrales) : ils sont l'ossature d'un micro, et vous devez acheter le reste des composants séparément

La DS de Nintendo va surfer sur un air d'Opera

Les accros de la console portable de Nintendo pouvaient déjà, grâce au Wi-Fi, jouer en réseau. Ils pourront dorénavant utiliser leur console pour naviguer sur la Toile. L'éditeur norvégien Opera lance, ce vendredi 6 octobre, en Europe, une version éponyme de son navigateur Internet spécialement développée pour la DS. Les utilisateurs peuvent se connecter mais également lire et envoyer des courriers électroniques depuis leurs boîtes aux lettres en ligne (webmails).
Le logiciel est commercialisé sous la forme d'une cartouche de jeu classique vendue 40 euros. Il existe en deux versions, l'une pour la DS Classique, l'autre pour la DS Lite, les deux n'étant pas interchangeables. Dans chaque pack est fournie une extension de mémoire, indispensable pour accéder à cette fonction. Il faudra l'insérer dans le port GBA de la console.
Ceci fait, l'internaute peut utiliser le clavier virtuel pour taper une nouvelle URL ou l'inscrire directement à l'aide du stylet via la fonction de reconnaissance d'écriture manuscrite. Une fois les sites visités, il est possible de les stocker dans des favoris pour un accès plus rapide. Pour surfer, l'utilisateur peut se servir des boutons de la console, ou bien de l'écran tactile.

Un projecteur « full HD » pour vous en mettre plein la vue

Doté de la technologie DLP, le dernier projecteur Optoma est vraiment de type haute définition. Comprenez qu'il est en mesure d'afficher des images en 1920 x 1080 de manière native et en mode panoramique. Avec une luminosité de 1400 lumens et un contraste de 10 000:1, le ThemeScene HD81 se veut exploitable au quotidien. Il est d'ailleurs doté de plusieurs technologies de traitement de l'image afin d'offrir une qualité optimale du rendu.
Le HD81 se présente en deux parties : un boîtier de contrôle placé près des sources et le projecteur relié par un câble HDMI. Le boîtier de contrôle convertit toutes les sources en 1080p avant de les transmettre au projecteur. Au chapitre de la connectivité, il est richement pourvu avec pas moins de 3 prises HDMI, 3 connecteurs S Vidéo et bien d'autres choses encore (lire « Les caractéristiques techniques »). Reste le plus étonnant : ce projecteur peut générer une image d'une diagonale allant jusqu'à 7,62 mètres ! De quoi surclasser sans mal les écrans plasma et autres LCD incapables de réaliser une telle prouesse.
Evidemment, tout ceci a un prix assez élevé puisqu'il faut compter 5 999 € TTC. Ce projecteur dispose d'une garantie de trois ans et la durée de vie de la lampe est annoncée pour 3 000 heures en mode standard

Premiers pas commerciaux pour la mémoire universelle

Freescale Semiconductor, alors Motorola SPS, avait créé l'événement à la fin 2003 en échantillonnant la première mémoire Ram magnétique (MRam) 4 Mbit du marché, une mémoire quasi idéale qui combine la rapidité d'une Sram, la densité d'une Dram et la non-volatilité d'une mémoire flash.
L'américain récidive en annonçant la commercialisation d'une telle mémoire à un prix de 25 dollars. Ce prix spécifié pour une quantité de 1 000 pièces ne pourra qu'être inférieur en volume.
Un lent travail de maturation
Reste que même si, à 25 dollars, « la solution n'est pas forcément à parité de prix avec d'autres technologies mémoires éprouvées, ce prix n'est pas exagéré compte tenu de l'association de caractéristiques précieuses apportées par les MRam : non-volatilité, rapidité et endurance illimitée », nous a déclaré Andreas Wild, directeur R&D Europe de Freescale Semiconductor.
La quête de la mémoire universelle, pour laquelle la MRam est une prétendante parmi d'autres, ne date pas d'hier. Les premières MRam ont fait leurs débuts dans les conférences il y a plus de six ans.
Les modèles décrits lors de la conférence ISSCC en février 2000 avaient une capacité de seulement 1 Kbit. Les choses sont ensuite allées relativement vite jusqu'à l'échantillonnage de la MRam 4 Mbit de Motorola et la présentation par IBM et Infineon d'un prototype 16 Mbit en juin 2004.
Depuis, plus rien ou presque, même si des jeunes pousses se sont multipliées, notamment en France, tandis que les recherches japonaises finissaient par se concrétiser dans un prototype de MRam 16 Mbit dotée d'un débit de transfert des données de 200 Mo/s, sans industrialisation à la clé pour l'instant. Côté commercial, un seul fabricant, Cypress, a tenté l'aventure avec des MRam 64 Kbit et 256 Kbit ; mais il a vite jeté l'éponge.
Cette fois, les choses se présentent différemment. « Il s'agit d'une vraie solution industrielle répondant à un besoin », affirme Andreas Wild, en précisant que Freescale a livré plus de 9 000 pièces depuis le début de l'échantillonnage général il y a deux ans.
Cette première mémoire MRam commerciale « prouve l'arrivée à maturité de notre technologie, pour laquelle nous avons déposé plus de 100 brevets, ajoute M. Wild. Elle est fabriquée sur la base d'une technologie Cmos 0,18 µm sur laquelle sont rajoutées les couches magnétiques destinées à former la jonction tunnel magnétique.
De ce fait, le traitement de base peut être fait dans n'importe quelle usine de Freescale ou même par un fondeur extérieur. Seul le traitement final est effectué dans l'usine de Chandler en Arizona, où « les rendements sont décents », affirme M. Wild.

Des logiciels pour piocher la télévision gratuite sur Internet

Il existe sur la Toile bon nombre de flux télévisuels gratuits, mis en ligne par les chaînes elles-mêmes en streaming, ou par des webTV spécialisées, en mode peer to peer. Pour éviter d'avoir à jongler entre les différentes adresses et accéder à des centaines de chaînes facilement, des logiciels se proposent d'agir comme des interfaces uniques et simplifiées.
C'est le cas du français MaxTV Online* (disponible en version gratuite et payante) et de PeerTV (gratuit), un outil français lui aussi lancé début septembre. Une fois le logiciel installé, l'internaute clique dans une liste sur le nom voulu. Après un temps nécessaire à la connexion - durant lequel MaxTV, pour sa version gratuite, en profite pour afficher de la publicité - apparaissent alors les images demandées.
L'internaute se branche directement sur les programmes nationaux de chaînes comme BFM TV, iTélé, Direct8, ou de webTV comme Canal Onet ou Whytivi. Il peut accéder aussi à des flux internationaux, comme ceux de Fox et ESPN (Etats-Unis), Barcelona TV (Espagne) ou Al Jazeera (Qatar). Les connexions sont parfois cahotiques et l'image n'est pas toujours de première qualité. Mais ces logiciels se montrent plutôt pratiques.
Un des créateurs de PeerTV - développé à l'origine pour un usage personnel - Adrien Contesse, revendique aujourd'hui près de 300 chaînes disponibles. « La liste est mise à jour à chaque démarrage », précise-t-il.
Vu qu'il se sert notamment de la technologie de peer to peer et de l'application Peercast, le logiciel se veut un moyen pour de petites chaînes sur Internet d'être diffusées plus largement et à moindre coût. Mais au regard des « véritables » chaînes, si ces logiciels sont moins ouvertement illégaux que ceux qui donnent accès à des contenus payants (la Ligue 1 de football, par exemple), ils « posent problème, s'ils n'ont pas l'autorisation des groupes de médias dont ils diffusent le contenu », considère Guillaume Champeau, responsable du site Ratiatum, spécialisé dans la culture numérique

GlaxoSmithKline seeks approval for new breast cancer drug

The coming few months might offer a ray of hope to thousands of women suffering from breast cancer across Europe as GlaxoSmithKline launches its revolutionary pill. The pill, taken orally has been proved successful during trials in significantly delaying the cancer from reaching advanced stages.The drug, called Tykerb, whose chemical name is lapatinib ditosylate is particularly beneficial for women who have suffered longer from breast cancer, causing it to spread to other organs as well. An experimental trial conducted on 324 women who had late stage cancer showed that the drug delayed further spread of cancer considerably. The women were divided into two groups, one of which took Tykerb in combination with Roche Holding AG's Xeloda, while the second group took only Xeloda.

Five telecom majors in fray to bag BSNL's GSM network contract

NEW DELHI: Five top global telecom equipment suppliers -- Nokia, Ericsson, Motorola, Siemens and ZTE — are in the field to bag the highest-ever tender floated by a telecom company, the Indian public sector behemoth Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd, to add 45.5 million lines using the GSM technology at an investment of Rs 20,000 crore. As per the bidding process, two bidders will be selected. While the lowest bidder will be given 60 per cent of the contract, the second lowest will get the remaining 40 per cent.The tender was floated in June, but there had been delays as the bidders completed the technical evaluation after several rounds of talks only last week.According to sources, the financial bids are expected to be opened Tuesday.The original work was for 60 million lines, but an order for 15 million lines has been awarded to the ITI-Alcatel joint venture, in the reserved quota for a public sector unit.One of the clauses in the tender is a specification that at least a third of the equipment required for commissioning the project should be manufactured in India. Motorola has plans to locate a manufacturing plant near the south Indian city of Chennai, while Nokia has already set up a plant near that city. Ericsson too has a manufacturing facility in India, while Siemens and ZTE have also announced their plans.Meanwhile, reports quoting Ericsson said it is the lowest bidder. If the company wins the contract, it will be the second major work it will be winning in India, after the $1 billion order from the private mobile services provider, Bharti Airtel. Nokia has become the second-lowest bidder.

'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart'

Jon Stewart has a knack of turning the impossible into the possible. In the last two weeks, Republicans have been stung by Foley's folly, so much so that viewers have gotten used to seeing grim-faced GOPers grace the idiot box, but Stewart in his typical way has turned what is a serious charge into a laugh riot.A video clip of Rep. Tom Reynolds, who is caught in the middle of the Foley fracas was aired on Jon Stewart's show yesterday. Reynolds had managed to surround himself with kids in order to ensure that reporters would not ask him lurid questions.On any other network, the video clip received somber coverage. Not on the Daily Show. Stewart said he looked like the "evil bastard at the end of Stephen King's "The Dead Zone." The audience was in stitches. That set the tone for the show, which went from the naughty to the hilarious in a matter of seconds.

Royal Mail's junk mail misery

Royal Mail, the United Kingdom's mail service, one of the most trusted postal services company in the world has found itself in the middle of a junk mail row. Plans are underway to abolish the limit on the amount of junk mail that can be delivered to peoples homes, a move that could cause a deluge of unwanted mail.The Local Government Association (LGA) has issued a warning to the Royal Mail about its plans to remove the present strict limit of three mails per house per week. This step is bound to cause damage to the environment , cost council tax payers more and enrage private house owners ,Lord Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, Chairman of the LGA reasoned.Households in the UK already receive a considerable amount of unwanted post by way of flyer's, restaurant menus, credit card and bank flyer's and pamphlets of various services, most of which is never opened. Last year alone the Royal Mail delivered 3.3 millions such unaddressed mail, an increase of 12.5% from the previous year. This new move is bound to increase the already burgeoning amount of land fill.

Sony announces 3 titles in 50GB dual-layer Blu-ray discs

CULVER CITY, California: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment announced the first three 50 GB dual-layer Blu-ray discs -- the heartwarming comedy Click, action drama Black Hawk Down and the hilarious box office hit Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.

The company said Click, starring Adam Sandler, Oscar winner Christopher Walken and Kate Beckinsale, will be on store shelves 10 October, while Black Hawk Down, an Oscar winning movie, starring Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore and Eric Bana, and featuring a new Blu-Wizard technology, will be available on 14 November.

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, starring writer and producer Will Ferrell and John C Reilly will be ready by 12 December. The movies have been authored by Sony Pictures Digital Authoring Center and manufactured by Sony DADC.

Singapore Schools with gastric flu trouble

Singapore had a minor epidemic scare with four schools reporting a large number of gastric flu cases. The first of these cases came from Ang Mo Kio Secondary School where about 300 students were affected.In the following days reports came in from Stamford Primary where 200 students fell ill. Two other schools, Maris Stella Primary and ACS (Independent) also had some students and staff complaining of vomiting and diarrhea.Gastric flu is caused by a microorganism called norovirus which is present in stool or vomit of infected people. The infections spreads when people eat food infected with norovirus or touch surfaces or objects contaminated with it. Since it is highly contagious it spreads easily where a number of people gather and/or eat together.Food poisoning cases at Ang Mo Kio Secondary were studied which revealed that the symptoms were indeed of norovirus gastroenteritis. Their conclusions were based on the presence of this virus in the stools of five food handlers. So the place of infection was concluded to the canteen where there would be a lot of contact between the food and infected hands or surfaces.

European media speculates about Airbus chief's exit

PARIS: European media is full of speculation that Airbus' chief executive Christian Streiff is considering relinquishing his position. However, Sunday none other than French prime minister Dominique de Villepin endorsed his abilities, saying there is no reason for him to quit. Villepin went to the extent of saying, "I salute the important work he has done in the last weeks to put the company back on track."Streiff had joined Airbus in July following the resignation of Gustav Humbert on account of the delays in manufacturing and cost overruns on the Airbus A380 aircraft. The aircraft maker had announced last week there will be an additional one year's delay in delivering the first A380 to its clients.Several reports said over the weekend Streiff is most likely to quit and that he had disagreements with other executives over the restructuring, including the cost cutting plans, he is proposing at the company. Streiff had last week said he will cut the company's fixed expenses by 30 per cent with measures including job cuts. Some publications even went to the extent of saying both EADS and Airbus are looking for a successor. Airbus has, however, denied Streiff is leaving, while parent company EADS described the reports as speculation.

Microsoft's Windows Vista versus piracy

Microsoft's new windows vista operating system is finally planned to release in November for business and later in January for consumers. The company expects potential growth in the computer market within the first two years of vista's release.Last month the software was tested by nearly 3.5 million users and about 700,000 PC's ran the software creating 46 million separate work sessions. Also 53,000 staff computers at Microsoft are running on the test version.Starting with the windows vista operating software, Microsoft also declared its new plan to coil software piracy in the market. After a 30-day grace period copies that don't pass the online authorization to check whether the purchase was authentic would result in limitations in the software's functionality.

Babyshambles UK tour postponed to help Doherty's rehab

Troubled Babyshambles rocker Pete Doherty, better known as supermodel Kate Moss' boyfriend, is determined to reform for his lady love. The 27-year-old rocker, who recently finished a de-addiction stint at the Priory Clinic in London, has put off his United Kingdom tour to aid faster recovery from drug addiction.“Babyshambles made the decision to postpone the remaining five dates of their current UK tour. It has become clear that Peter embarked on this arduous and high profile tour too soon after his discharge and still needs time to recover from his extensive rehab treatment. Peter asks that he be given the time and space to continue with his excellent effort to recover. The band apologizes to fans but hope that they will understand the importance of Peter being able to best continue his good progress in recovering from addiction,” a spokesperson fro EMI, the band's label, said.

Lots of free play will do good to children develop, says new study

CHICAGO: Children will do well in their healthy development with a lot of old-fashioned playtime, says the American Academy of Pediatrics. It says the overscheduled lifestyle is robbing them of the benefits of play. The academy is releasing a new report Monday, which says spontaneous free play like playing with toys like dolls or chasing butterflies in the garden help children to use their imagination. But, unfortunately, these are often sacrificed in today's world, which affects their healthy development.The report advocates promotion of free play as an essential part of childhood, avoidance as far as possible of television and computer games, which are passive entertainment, and active involvement of parents in their children's daily activities like spending time together and talking and listening to them rather than giving them loads of extracurricular activities. The report recalls several studies, which emphasize that unstructured play benefits children, especially in making them creative, in discovering their own passions and in developing instincts for problem solving. The report, which is to be released at the academy's annual meeting in Atlanta, said above all, play is a simple joy that is a cherished part of childhood. The report warns that a lack of free and spontaneous playtime can lead to stress in children as well as in their parents. It can also increase risks of obesity in children, because they would tend to spend more time in front of computers or TV sets. Sometimes, such a situation can lead to depression too. The report's lead author and a pediatrician at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Dr Kenneth Ginsburg said in the current environment where so many parents feel pressure to be super parents, "I believe this message is an important one."Ginsberg also stressed that college admissions is another factor that is pushing kids too fast and too soon to grow up. However, this is a factor one should address easily.

'The Departed' shoots down Leatherface, reigns over weekend box office

Martin Scorsese' gangster flick The Departed has brought good news for Warner Bros. The film, starring Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon, grossed US$27 million in the US and Canada on its debut weekend.The Departed revolves around two men, one a cop who is an informer for the mob and another who is a mobster and an informer for the cops. Nicholson plays an eccentric mob boss. The film earned an average of US$ 8,954 per screen across 3,017 theaters.The boost was welcomed by Warner Bros. “Life is good right now. This is just the beginning of a strong fourth quarter for us,” said Dan Fellman, who heads domestic distribution at the studio. For Scorsese, The Departed takes over from 1991's Cape Fear as the best opener.Cape Fear amassed US$10.3 million when it debuted. Scorsese's other hits include GoodFellas, Raging Bull and Taxi Driver. However, his latest film has still to beat the critically acclaimed The Aviator, which earned a whopping US$102.6 million domestically and US$213.7 million globally.

Chinese hackers access U.S. commerce department system

WASHINGTON: Hackers using internet servers located in China had launched several attacks on the sensitive computer systems of U.S. commerce department in recent weeks, it was revealed. The department had to replace hundreds of workstations and block employees from regular use of the internet for more than a month, the department officials said. The attacks were targeted at the computers of the Bureau of Industry and Security, a unit in the department, which controls exports of commodities and software and technology having both commercial and military uses. The attacks seemed to be sensitive as the bureau had recently enforced stricter regulation on trade with China as the U.S. has increased its exports of such items to China.

US Medicaid and Medicare systems lack security, says report

October 9, 2006: An article in the New York Times reports of poor security in the central computer system of Medicaid and Medicare that could even lead to the disruption of its services affecting millions of people in the US.An investigation by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) showed that critical security controls were absent in the system. The central computer was found to have poor passwords that were anyone's guess, and loose password controls that made unauthorized access easy. Moreover, there was no method to track the user or usage of this network, and data in the system was not coded, all of which made access to, and modification of information about a person's personal, financial, and medical details very hassle-free.
This is a threat to the security of millions of beneficiaries of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services since its database is linked to a vast network comprising, besides hospitals and nursing homes, financial organizations like banks and insurance companies too. The investigation was called for after a theft was reported in May, by the Department of Veterans Affairs, of a laptop with data of millions of veterans from the residence of an employee of the agency.That the network is used not only for payment of claims but also for communication with the state's Medicaid agencies, healthcare orgaqnizations and private contractors increases the need for the concerned agencies to fix the problem as soon as possible, says officials.“No security breaches have occurred, said Dr. Mark McClellan, Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to the newspaper. He is also reported to have agreed to fix the problems quickly.

Qaeda targeted England, Australia cricket teams, says terrorists' friend

LONDON: One of Britain's leading newspapers has come out with disclosures that the England and Australian cricket teams for the 2005 Ashes series were targets of al-Qaeda. The paper claimed the July 7 London bombers had originally targeted the cricket teams.The paper, Sunday Times, quoted a friend of a terrorist as saying they were instructed to poison the cricketers with sarin gas. The man, who had used a pseudonym Hafiz, and claimed to be a family friend of Hasib Hussain, the person who had bombed the bus in London in July 2005, revealed to the newspaper that two of the suicide bombers involved the attacks were to have been part of an al-Qaeda plot to kill the two cricket sides

Gardasil available in some places

Gardasil, Merck's vaccine against the Human Papillomavirus strains that are responsible for cervical cancer, began arriving in the Bay Area in the past few weeks. Kaiser Permanente will begin dispensing the shots starting today.Once again the debate about whether it is feasible to vaccinate young girls against a sexually transmitted disease is bound to begin. Conservatives are aghast that the FDA approved the vaccine in the first place. They feel that giving the vaccine to 11-year-ols will encourage sexual promiscuity.However medical professionals and advocacy groups are at pains to point out that cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers today. "This is not a vaccine for sexually transmitted diseases," said Dr. Charles Wibbelsman, chief at the Kaiser teenage clinic in San Francisco. "We're talking about cervical cancer. This virus is everywhere. You can get it without having sex. It can be on your hands."He also pointed out that young girls were often victims of sexual harassment, "`If your daughter were a victim of date rape, I wouldn't want her to develop cervical cancer later on because she wasn't vaccinated," he added.The FDA has approved Gardasil for girls as young as 9 years and for young women up to 26 years of age. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has revealed that the vaccine is being tested in boys as well, but there are no results as yet.The vaccine protects girls and young women against HPV types 16 and 18, which are implicated in over 70 percent of all cervical cancers. Gardasil also protects against HPV types 6 and 11, which cause 90 percent of genital warts.However FDA stressed that parents still have the final say as to whether their daughters can receive the vaccine. The state of Michigan recently made it mandatory for schoolgirls to receive the vaccine. It is hoped other states will soon follow suit.

Google set to distribute music video online

Google Inc the Search Engine leader has announced inking deals with Sony BMG and Warner Music Group for distributing their Video content online. The deal is aimed at fighting copyright abuse. The agreement would mean that Google users can have free access to Stream content from Warner Music and Sony BMG's Video music collections. Advertisers on Google will sponsor these Video contents and the revenue generated will be shared by Google and its content partners. The deal will also allow all those websites that take part in the Google Adsense Advertising Program to host Warner or Sony Music videos on their own site for free.The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.A Warner Music press release said "Our partnership with Google is rooted in the pioneering approach we've used to offer fans more music, while benefiting artists and protecting copyrights."Thomas Hesse, the Global Head of digital business said “Google is a defining force in the ongoing development of the Internet, and we're extremely pleased to be expanding our video relationship with them,”Google has revealed that it plans to develop technology to let users mix some contents of the music companies into their own Videos.The stock prices of all the concerned Companies reacted as expected. Google shares rose $8.3 nearly 2% to $429.80 on the NASDAQ. Warner Music stock fell to $26.27, down 32 cents on the New York Stock Exchange. Sony American Depositary shares were down by 23 Cents to $37.55.In a related development, You Tube the online Video hub which had announced similar deals with Sony BMG and Universal Music Group is rumored to be negotiating a sale to Google. New York Times reported that the deal is expected to be to the tune of $1.6 billion though talks could still break down.

Glaxo acquires CNS for $566 million

LONDON - Europe's biggest drug maker GlaxoSmithKline Plc today announced that it has agreed to buy American firm CNS for $566 million. Glaxo will pay $37.50 per share for the consumer health firm, which represents a 31 percent premium over CNS' closing share price last Friday.CNS is well known for products like Breathe Right nasal strips and FiberChoice dietary fibre supplements. Glaxo said the deal would be formalized early next year. It added that the agreement was subject to approval by the shareholders in CNS as well as antitrust clearance.CNS, which is based in Minneapolis, reported sales of $118.5 million in the year ending June 2006. The company's main customer base is in the US with 86 percent sales conducted in mainland America. Breathe Right is marketed in 27 countries globally, while FiberChoice is only for US markets."This outstanding business provides a great global growth opportunity for GSK," said John Clarke, President, GSK Consumer Healthcare. "The opportunity for growth through geographic expansion and pipeline innovation make this acquisition an exciting prospect."His CNS counterpart Marti Morfitt said the deal provided good value for the company's shareholders. "I am proud of our achievements at CNS and the success we have built around our brands, and am happy that our good work will continue with GSK as these brands realize their worldwide potential," he added.Sawaya Segalas & Co., LLC was the adviser for CNS, which reviewed potential suitors before settling on GSK.

Arctic Ocean losing more sea ice every year, warn scientists

DENVER, Col.: Continually decreasing sea ice in the Arctic Ocean prompted a group of researchers yesterday to warn that this Polar region may have no sea ice by 2060.Measurements taken by satellite indicated that the sea surface area covered by ice floes was at its minimum in 29 years, a result of global melting. A team of scientists from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) made the observation. Team leader and senior researcher at NSIDC, Mark Serreze believes the phenomenon is linked with the rapid rate of global warming. The researcher suggested it could also be the result of a self-perpetuating warming cycle.By covering much of the northernmost ocean, sea ice works like insulation preventing the sea water from warming up. The ice reflects much of the sunlight which would otherwise heat up the sea water. Seasonal temperature changes affect the extent of sea surface covered by these ice bodies. In summers, it is usually the lowest, with the ice floes melting down to their minimum around mid-September. The thermal expansion and runoff from melting icebergs and glaciers contribute to the rising sea levels. The decline in sea ice mass would be recovered during winters, under normal circumstances. However, the entire Arctic mass of sea ice has been on a long-term decline, reaching new lows every summer. The level observed on September 14 was the fourth-lowest recorded since 1977 when satellites were put in place to monitor the weather patterns in the region. Co–researcher Julienne Strove worried that "at this rate, the Arctic Ocean will have no ice in September by the year 2060".Lead researcher Dr Serreze said the Arctic region would be the first to be affected by global warming. He explained the self-perpetuating warming cycle as: the more sea surface there is the more sunlight and heat it will absorb, which in turn would result in more sea ice melting.

WHO gives a global wake-up call to control air pollution

October 6, 2006: In the light of statistics that says air pollution alone is responsible for more than two million deaths in the world, World Health Organization, for the first time, has decided to go strict with permissible limits of pollutants, the world over. The new measures were decided after consultation with more than 80 leading acientists around the world. According to WHO, PM10, particulate matter that contains substances smaller than 10 micrometers is the biggest pollutant that comes mainly from the burning of fossil and other types of fuels. Because of the smaller size of its particle, PM10 that comprises soot and dirt particles do not get filtered in the nose and throat, and settle in the lungs where they cause various health problems and respiratory failure.New guidelines suggest that reducing the levels of PM10 alone, to lower than 20 micrograms, would prevent 300,000 premature deaths every year. Currently, in most cities, the average annual levels of PM10 exceed 70 micrograms.WHO has also substantially lowered recommended levels of other pollutants like ozone and sulfur dioxide.Ozone is found to be another anti-health factor. Although it is the layer that filters the harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun to earth, ozone at ground level is essentially a harmful pollutant, often experienced as urban smog. Ground level ozone is reported to have made major contribution to the number of premature deaths in many cities. “Even modest exposure to ozone can cause healthy individuals to experience chest pains, nausea, and pulmonary congestion. In much of the US, a warming of four degrees (F) could increase ozone concentrations by about 5 percent (US EPA),” says a website, www.climate.org. As per new standards, the permissible limit of ozone per day has been lowered to 100 micrograms per cubic meter, as against the current limit of 120 micrograms. Besides PM10 and ozone, studies have shown that lead emissions from gasoline damage intelligence of children. Sulfur dioxide emissions may place asthmatics and others with respiratory disease at risk. "By reducing air pollution levels, we can help countries to reduce the global burden of disease from respiratory infections, heart disease, and lung cancer which they otherwise would be facing," said Dr. Maria Neira, Director, Public Health and Environment, WHO.As per reports by WHO, although air pollution is found to be very high in cities of developing countries, even European and North American cities suffer from dirty air. Experts doubt how much control the new standards can bring about since many countries lack any regulation for air pollution in the first place.

Work starts on Europe's biggest wind farm in Scotland

LONDON: Work on Europe's biggest onshore wind farm is set to begin Monday paving way for generation of electricity that can power at least 200,000 homes. The farm, with 140 turbines and to be set up at a cost of 300 million pounds, is being located at Whitelee, south of Glasgow in Scotland. Britain's trade and industry secretary Alistair Darling, said it will contribute substantially to energy requirements of the country and in controlling environmental degradation. He said Scotland, which has been the U.K.'s powerhouse, is now getting into the vanguard of renewable sources of energy. Around 16 per cent of Scotland's electricity already comes from these sources, compared to 4 per cent for the U.K. as a whole, he added. The farm will generate 322 megawatts of electricity. Constructed by Scottish Power, it will take some three years to reach completion. It will be three times larger than the existing largest wind farm in the U.K., located at Blacklaw near Forth in South Lanarkshire.

'Generate power in your homes, make money' Ofgem tells Britons

LONDON: UK energy suppliers are not encouraging Britons who want to sell home-generated power back onto the supply grid, the country's energy regulator said. Ofgem, the British energy regulator, warned yesterday it may be forced to set a minimum price and terms for the sale of domestically produced electricity, if energy suppliers do not cooperate in the energy conservation effort. That means the suppliers then have to buy whatever surplus energy is fed back onto the grid at a fixed price, an idea not welcomed by some. Ofgem believes microgeneration can thrive as an industry in the UK considering that 800,000-odd Britons already produce energy at home and many more could be interested as the cost of energy keeps rising. The prospect should be explored for any possible benefits and given preference, even over commercial interests, it said.

Aircraft hijacked in Pope visit protest

The Greek Defence Ministry have said that a mayday hijack signal was sent twice from a Turkish Airlines aircraft.Reports on NTV Turkish television are that the plane was hijacked by two Turks in protest at the Pope's pending visit to Turkey. These hijackers are now apparently reader to surrender after making their protest.The plane set off from Tirana in Albania heading for Istanbul and was hijacked shortly after entering Greek airspace. Jet fighters were scambled by the Greek Airforce to push the plane back out of their airspace. Once in Italian airspace it is understood that two F-16 Italian fighters were scrambled and forced the hijacked plane to land in Brindisi, Italy. The airport is currently closed.It is thought that the plane, a Boeing 737 has at 106 passengers and crew on board. No injuries have been reported so far and the hijackers are said to have a message for Pope Benedict XVI.

Arm the Teachers fraternity – Republican Frank Lasee

Green Bay State representative, Frank Lasee proposes to bring in a legislation that would allow teachers and School personnel to carry weapons into Schools. He said that the decision would be left to the teachers but if they do decide to carry weapons, then they would have to undergo strict training on usage of weapons.The proposal has been prompted by recent shootings in Schools in Colorado, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. In one of the incidents, Principal John Klang of Weston High School was shot and killed. According to Lasee, the proposal stems from his study of such existing legislation in Israel and Thailand. He said that this would ensure that School personnel and teachers are better equipped to face situations which could otherwise be life threatening. But the proposal of Lasee has been met with responses varying from cold to stringent opposition from the various school staff and also law enforcers.Pete Pochouski, Director of School safety, Milwaukee Public School said there is lot of freedom in the United States as compared to Israel and Thailand and therefore they should be prepared to expose themselves to dangers to keep the freedom. He further stated that statistically, schools are the safest place for children and the current problem is not to the extent of allowing school personnel to carry arms into schools. Lena Crawford, acting Assistant Principal of Marshall High School says it would be better to use the official resources to introduce more safeguards and safety measures in schools to make it safer.Middleton Cross Plains Superintendent William Reis said the proposal of Lasee is not at all reasonable and would only amount to asking for more trouble. Carie Jens who teaches at Webster's Elementary School in Green Bay said it is an absurd idea and went on to add that she does not want to have the responsibility of carrying guns as it will scare children. She also expressed concerns of possible misplacement or forceful snatching of these arms. “You know, that type of thing should be saved for police officers and SWAT teams, not for us” she says.Green Bay Superintendent Dan Nerad said that though steps are needed to make schools safer and secure, the steps taken should not create unsafe situations and added that carrying guns is not the solution to the problem being faced.

Jolie-Pitt entourage leaves West Indian city of Pune abuzz

It was a Jolie good ride. Hollywood's sexiest couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, in Pune in India to shoot a film based on slain journo Daniel Pearl, took their adopted four-year-old Maddox on a rickshaw ride on Sunday.Not surprisingly, the media were out in full force, with photographers trying to capture every second of the 20-minute ride. Followed by security guards, the couple began at Hotel Le Meridien, and proceeded to Jehangir Hospital chowk, taking the Alankar talkies and Sadhu Vaswani chowk route, passed a multiplex called Inox and Wadia College chowk, before making their tracks back to the hotel. Their two other children, 2-year-old Zahara and newborn Shiloh Nouvel, have also accompanied them on the trip. In spite of their bodyguards' efforts to keep camera lenses away from couple, several photos of Brangelina were snapped up. Pitt and Jolie's bodyguards have time and again come under fire for treating the paparazzi a little too roughly. On Saturday, one of their bodyguards was caught on camera with his hand around a British photographer's neck. The footage was beamed across Indian channels. “He said if I took his pictures he would kill me. I couldn't breathe. He had his fingers on my windpipe and he knew what he was doing,” the photographer said of his ordeal. Two Indian scribes also said they had been threatened.The 32-year-old Lara Croft actress and her 44-year-old Troy beau are in India to shoot The Mighty Heart, a film based on Pearl's widow Mariane's book on the journalist who was murdered by Islamic militants. Jolie is playing Mariane in the film, which is being produced by Pitt and directed by Michael Winterbottom. The film was originally meant to be shot in Pakistan, the scene of the journalist's abduction and subsequent murder in 2002, but due to security concerns, the couple opted for India.“I am disappointed that we could not shoot the film in Pakistan, a country that I love and have visited three times. I had hoped to make this film in Pakistan, but after discussions with Pakistani officials it became clear that they would be more comfortable for us to film in India,” a statement released by the couple said.Jolie, however, said she was overwhelmed with the warm welcome extended to her and her family by Pune locals. “We deeply appreciate the warm welcome we have received from the people of Pune, India, where we are filming A Mighty Heart. We are excited to have this chance for our children to learn about India's wonderful culture and history,” she said.A A Mighty Heart also stars Dan Futterman, who would play Daniel Pearl. The film is scheduled for release in 2007.

New drug found effective in treating age-related vision loss

NEW YORK: A new drug has been identified, which has been found to prevent vision loss caused by age-related macular degeneration. Ophthalmologists find that the drug, Lucentis (ranibizumab), also improves sight for periods extending to two years in patients suffering from this disorder. The drug has also been found to be a better therapy than the existing treatment that doctors prescribe, that is, use of verteporfin, which combines drug and light therapy.Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, is the No 1 cause of blindness among adults over 50 years in the U.S. Experts say one in three people will be affected by the disorder by the time they reach age 75, and it will assume epidemic proportions as the population ages.The disease is known to destroy a person's sharp central vision incapacitating him or her in doing daily chores, including recognition of faces. Nearly 90 per cent of the cases are a "dry" form of the disease, while wet, or neovascular, AMD, which accounts for the rest, is on account of abnormal blood vessel formation, resulting in fluid leakage and subsequent damage to the vision cells in the eye.The effectiveness of Lucentis in wet AMD has been corroborated in two new studies, which are reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. The drug secured the approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in June. In the first study, Dr Philip J. Rosenfeld from the University of Miami and colleagues covered 716 patients who were randomly given either monthly injections of Lucentis (at a high or low doses) or placebo injections for two years. All of the patients had relatively early-stage disease. After one year, roughly 95 per cent of patients treated with either dose of Lucentis had no loss of vision compared with 62 per cent of the group given placebo injections. In addition, it was found that 25 per cent of patients treated with low dose Lucentis and 34 per cent treated with high dose experienced improvements in vision, compared with just 5 per cent of the other group. The benefits continued to be seen after two years. In the second study, carried out by Dr David M. Brown of the Methodist Hospital in Houston and colleagues 423 patients with wet AMD were treated either with Lucentis or with verteporfin for one year. It was found that about 95 per cent of the patients getting Lucentis lost no vision compared with 64 per cent undergoing the verteporfin therapy. In addition, vision improved in 36 to 40 per cent of those treated with Lucentis compared with 6 per cent in the other group. In both the studies, the doctors found that 1 per cent of patients treated with Lucentis had developed inner eye inflammation.Rosenfeld, who led the first study, clarified that Lucentis is not a cure for AMD. "This prevents the irreversible damage that occurs from the abnormal growth of blood vessels in the eye," he said. "If you catch it early, you can get spectacular vision improvement but if it's been there a year or longer, you won't get this significant improvement. If it's a couple of years and it turns into a scar, there's nothing you can do. You have a window of opportunity to get the treatment in."Lucentis belongs to a drug type known as a "recombinant, humanized monoclonal antibody." It works by neutralizing vascular endothelial growth factor, which is a naturally occurring molecule that helps fuel the formation of new blood vessels.Both the studies were sponsored by Genentech, which makes Lucentis, and Novartis Pharma, which markets the drug in the U.S. and abroad.A single dose of Lucentis costs about $2,000.Before the availability of Lucentis, doctors have been treating wet AMD patients with a cancer drug, called bevacizumab and sold as Avastin. Since the FDA has not approved it for treating AMD, doctors have been using it as an "off-label" drug. A single dose of Avastin costs around $550. Experts have, however, not come out saying for sure if Lucentis works better than Avastin. The U.S. National Eye Institute now plans to compare the two drugs under controlled conditions.

Mourning Amish seek private funeral for girls killed in school shootout

NICKEL MINES, Pennsylvania: The Amish community, grieving the horrendous murder of five of its children in the school shootout Monday, has sought private funerals for the dead. The Amish came out with a statement Wednesday spurning the proposal for a national mourning as done in the case of a similar tragedy at Columbine High School, and seeking privacy so that they can mourn in silence. The four girls to be buried Thursday are Naomi Rose Ebersole, 7, Marian Fisher, 13, Mary Liz Miller, 8 and her sister Lena Miller, 7. The funeral for Anna Mae Stoltzfus, 12, the fifth girl died in the massacre, is scheduled for Friday.Some 300 to 500 people are expected at each funeral, according to Philip W. Furman, the funeral director. The church-led services could last about two hours before mourners leave for a cemetery in horse-drawn buggies. There will be a short graveside services there. The dead will be buried in simple wooden caskets. An Amish girl is always laid to rest in a white dress, a cape, and a white prayer-covering on her head, according to Furman.The services are conducted in German, with the men and women sitting separately. The locations of the burial sites are also kept private

Breastfeeding not linked to higher IQ

October 4, 2006: New research, and by far, the most comprehensive done on links between breastfeeding and intelligence claims higher IQ among babies is due to factors other than breastfeeding.The study conducted by the Medical Research Council and University of Edinburgh has found that higher levels of IQ among babies are, besides inherent, a result of favorable social environment created for them by mothers with higher IQ who are educated and intelligent. According to Geoff Der, statistician and lead researcher at the University of Edinburgh, the link between higher IQ and breastfeeding started way back in 1929. For more than 75 years since then, researchers in the UK, USA, and Australia have submitted various findings that supported, but not proved, the role of breastfeeding in increasing the IQ among babies.

Pro-Pyongyang paper says nuclear threat is not a bluff

TOKYO: North Korea's threat to test a nuclear device is not a bluff and the test is "unavoidable" unless the United States opts for a conciliatory attitude, a pro-North Korea newspaper in Japan reported from Pyongyang Thursday.There is still room for negotiation, the newspaper, Choson Sinbo, said, adding the carrying out the nuclear test is an inevitable conclusion, under a condition where the country declared the possession of nuclear weapons. The newspaper is not an official publication of the North Korean government, but is considered a propaganda medium for the country. It said if the U.S. is not taking the test plan seriously, it will be misunderstanding the country. However, the standoff can be avoided if the U.S. begins to take action towards denuclearization of the Korean peninsula with the same goal as North Korea.If the U.S. does not change its attitude, the Pyongyang will implement its planned nuclear deterrent, the paper said.

Space debris leaves tiny hole in Atlantis

NEW YORK - The shuttle Atlantis, which successfully completed an 11-day mission last month was injured in combat, NASA officials revealed today. Atlantis suffered a tiny, but significant hole in its frame when it was hit by a piece of space debris.The micrometeoroid apparently struck at a radiator panel and did not cause any damage to the delicate thermal panels or the tiles that are the shield for the shuttle when it returns to Earth. James Hartsfield, a NASA spokesman said that when viewed with a historical perspective, the hit was a major one.He said the hit was “the second-most-damaging particle that we've encountered in the program, but posed no danger to the crew and no change to the mission." NASA revealed that it was not aware of what exactly had hit the shuttle.However the impact was hard enough to cause a hole of about a tenth of an inch in diameter at the entry point, NASA admitted. The exit hole of the particle is three-hundredths of an inch in diameter. It also caused a a crack two-tenths of an inch in length.The astronauts' abroad the shuttle conducted three inspections though they were focuses on the heat shields rather than the payload bay. “This is exactly why we instituted the late inspection in this program,” NASA spokesperson Kyle Herring told Space.com. “We've known for the life of this program that [micrometeorite and orbital debris] was a top risk to the space shuttle. Definitely in the top five, and maybe in the top three.”NASA has been very safety conscious ever since the Columbia disaster in February 2003. The shuttle burst into flames on re-entry killing all seven astronauts on board.

Security on Firefox seems poorer than it should be

The open source web browser Firefox is a mess as far as it's handling of JavaScript is concerned, two hackers revealed on Saturday. Mischa Spiegelmock and Andrew Wbeelsoi said at the ToorCon hacker conference in San Diego that Firefox leaves a computer vulnerable because malicious hackers can takeover by creating a web page containing malicious JavaScript code.Hackers said that the flaw affected FireFox running on Windows, Apple's Mac OS X and Linux. The hackers said the vulnerability was totally due to the use of the decade old scripting language. Spiegelmock said that a decent hacker could implement various programming tricks to cause stack overflow error. The hackers claimed this flaw was impossible to fix unless Mozilla rewrote key sections of the code.

Virgin showcases SpaceShipTwo model

NEW YORK: U.K.-based Virgin Group's head Richard Branson unveiled a mock-up version of the suborbital spaceship his company, Virgin Galactic, will use to take passengers into space. A full-size model of SpaceShipTwo was displayed at the Javits exhibition centre in New York Thursday. The spaceship is expected to carry six passengers and two pilots. The model on show had a large cabin with reclining seats for the passengers and large portholes. The interior is developed with features that will allow the passengers to float around. The model showed a white interior with scooped-up seats. According Virgin Group, the price a passenger will have to pay for the odyssey, which includes several minutes of experiencing weightlessness, will be $200,000.The rocket-powered SpaceShipTwo is being built in private by aviation designer Burt Rutan in California's Mojave Desert. Its design is based on SpaceShipOne, also designed by Rutan, and which became the first privately built vehicle to reach space in 2004.Virgin Group has assigned to Rutan's company, Scaled Composites, the task of designing and building the passenger spaceship and its mothership. Virgin Galactic will own and operate at least five spaceships and two motherships.Test flights are expected sometime next year, and the first flight in 2008. While initial flights will originate from California, a facility will be built in New Mexico called Spaceport America, at a cost of $225 million. Virgin Galactic plans to carry 500 people in its space flights in the first year. The company's president Will Whitehorn said his company intends to hold a reality TV show where contestants will be able to compete to win a place on a space flight. Among the first space passengers will be a London businessman, Alan Watts, who has traded airmiles for his ticket. He will undergo three days of training before the two-and-a-half-hour journey, reaching speeds of up to 3,000 mph.The space passengers will not get any in-flight meals and "a number of products" will be available to settle the stomach and bowels so that the passengers can experience the G-forces. The sub-orbital space flight will give a clear view of the curvature of the earth and the thinness of the atmosphere.

Female space tourist and crew return safely in Soyuz

MOSCOW: Space Adventures, the only company to offer commercial access to space, said it achieved another significant milestone with the safe return to Earth of the first female paying space tourist Anousheh Ansari. For Ansari, the experience of spending 11 days in space aboard the International Space Station “was more than I had ever imagined” she told rescue staff and mission control officials here. She returned to Earth accompanied by US astronaut Jeff Williams and Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov in a Soyuz capsule they had boarded a little over three hours ago from the ISS. Williams and Vinogradov had been aboard the space station for the past six months. The Soyuz capsule's descent had been slowed by firing rockets and opening parachutes and it landed safely at dawn in a target zone in the Kazakh steppe. The two astronauts and space tourist Ansari were quite well. A Russian official presented a bouquet of roses to Ansari while her husband Hamid welcomed her with a kiss.Ansari is also the first Muslim woman and the first Iranian-born person to be launched to space. Back home in the US, Ansari is a successful businesswoman heading Prodea Systems, a digital home technology developer. She is believed to have paid about $20m for the 11-day trip to and back from the space station. Fellow astronaut Vinogradov said she “has done a good job – she's one of the team”. Although she spoke little during the helicopter flight from Kazakhstan to a training centre here, she said she hoped to repeat the experience soon. She had enjoyed each of the 11 days “to the fullest” and thanked the crew members of Expedition 13 and 14 aboard the ISS for making her feel welcomed. She said she was also grateful to Space Adventures for having given her the opportunity. The 40yr old woman was a last minute substitute for another tourist, a Japanese businessman who failed his medical test for the trip. Ansari is also the main sponsor for the $10m X Prize to honor privately funded trips into space.

Korean cell company calls Motorola copycat

SEOUL, South Korea - LG Electronics, the South Korean electronics behemoth, has slammed Motorola accusing the latter of copying the KV2300 clamshell phone design. LG Electronics said that the newest model produced by Motorola, the KRZR K1m, is a straight copy of its KV2300 phone. Speaking to the media, LG spokesman Lee Hyoung-kun said, "Our KV2300 is a flat, rectangular flip phone with high-gloss black finish, and the KRZR K1m is also a flat, rectangular flip phone with high-gloss black finish."Lee said that the touch control keys placed in front are very similar and added that both the phones are of the same dimension. "Both are equipped with 1.3-megapixel cameras and touch control keys in their fronts with strikingly similar arrangements. In addition, their dimensions are almost identical,” Lee observed. “At first glance, we recognized that the KRZR has adopted the concepts of our recent products that started with the Chocolate phone simple clamshell models armed with touch-sensitive keys.”Lee concluded that while they do not think that Motorola has intentionally copied the design, they were nonetheless "flattered that a company of such caliber followed our design policy".The KV2300 has been released in Korea in August and the KRZR K1m is expected to be released later this month.