Articles

Windows 8.1 To Bypass Start Screen With Boot To Desktop

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:45:28 +0000

Windows 8.1 (also known as Windows Blue) may allow users to boot straight into the desktop by default, bypassing the Start Menu that has divided windows users since the launch of the OS in October 2012.

Russian website Microsoft Portalfirst found the hints in the code of a leaked version of Windows 8.1. Such an option could please many users familar with having the desktop as the first thing they see. While there are hints to such an option in the code, we can't say the same for the control panel. it is unclear as to how the tech giant will proceed, but rest assured many will be watching closely.

The move could be come after a report by the IDC last week showed the biggest slump in PC sales in a quarter, ever. The report also cited Windows 8 as a reason for the decline.

Windows Blue will be the first major update to Windows 8 and is expected to be released in June 2013. Pricing for upgrading to Windows 8.1 is yet to be announced.

Court Rules Kim Dotcom Can Sue NZ Spy Agency

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 13:58:21 +0000

The department is only allowed to spy on those who do not legally live in New Zealand. An inquiry into the unlawful spying prompted an apology from the country's Prime Mininster John Key

The court rejected a challenge to a previous ruling that allowed Dotcom to sue the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) over the way he was treated.

The GCSB worked alongside US officials whilst investigating Dotcom for allegations of piracy and money laundering. Dotcom denies the charges and is currently fighting extradition to the US.

US officials claim pirated content on Megaupload cost copyright holders over $500m (£322m) in lost earnings.

Microsoft, Apple and Facebook Hacked

Sat, 23 Feb 2013 13:32:11 +0000

Apple announced their security breach on the 19th, while FaceBook was first on the 15th.

A number of employee machines at each of the firms became infected with malware after visiting compromised websites. However each of the companies have now carried out an investigation and claim no customer data was leaked.

In a statement released by Microsoft yesterday they said 'we found a small number of computers, including some in our Mac business unit, that were infected by malicious software using techniques similar to those documented by other organizations. We have no evidence of customer data being affected and our investigation is ongoing.'

The infection stemed from a Java exploit, so be sure you have all your systems up tp date.

Pirate Party not giving up after BPI legal action

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 14:10:28 +0000

Elected members of the parties National Executive Committee, along with the head of IT, received letters from lawyers acting for British Phonographic Industry (BPI), threatening them personally with High Court legal action.

A proxy server was initially provided in solidarity with other parties in Europe, but soon became an anti-censorship resource for UK users after the 'Big Six' ISPs were forced by court order to begin blocking The Pirate Bay. Access to the proxy server has been removed.

Frances Nash, IP Lawyer at Manchester solicitors, Ralli, commented on behalf of the Pirate Party:

"Despite attempts by elected members to resolve this situation, the law at present is clear and makes any decision to continue hosting the proxy untenable.

This is not the outcome the party wanted however, any challenge to this proposed action would make it financially impossible for the party to deal with other issues for which they actively campaign on a daily basis.

The Pirate Party strongly believe that site blocking is both disproportionate and ineffective and will continue to lobby for digital rights and their wider manifesto.”

Get Windows 8 Professional Free Following Microsoft Cock Up

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 14:20:34 +0000

Anyone running the Windows 8 Pro can turn their 180 day trial into a legitimately activated Windows 8. The loophole was found after Microsoft announced free downloads of Windows Media Centre for Pro users up until January 2013.

To get your key to activate media Centre you simply apply here and it will be emailed to you. The site currently says you will receive the key within 72 hours.

Once you have it, goto settings and look for “Add features to Windows 8” click on it and enter your product key. Windows Media Center will be downloaded and installed. Reboot your system and you’ll be able to use the same product key to activate your Windows.

Your copy of Windows 8 will now be fully active and will read “Windows is activated” in the activation window.

Microsoft are working on a patch to address the loophole.

Windows 8 vulnerable to 15% of Existing Malware

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 14:15:22 +0000

The Bitdefender team carried out a number of tests on varying Windows 8 pc's with results showing that the new Operating System with Microsoft's own security solution Windows Defender installed, is prone to infection by 15% of the 100 Malware families most used by cyber criminals in 2012.

The machine with Windows Defender installed was infected by 61 malware threats of 385 malware samples. Two additional samples passed Windows Defender, however one could not execute whilst the other was blocked by User Account Control (UAC)

The PC that did not have Windows Deferender installed (unsurprisingly) faired worse, 234 of the 385 samples ran successfully. Another 138 samples could not be started on the machine for various reasons, six e-threats executed but then crashed, and seven others launched but had their payload was blocked by UAC.

“Even if the new operating system boasts a major overhaul in terms of visuals with the introduction of the Advanced UI, Windows 8 with the default antivirus solution activated registers alarming detections rates similar to the one registered by Windows 7,” said Bitdefender Chief Security Researcher Alexandru Balan.

Kim Dotcom Unveils ME.GA To Replace MegaUpload

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 13:55:29 +0000

The new service encrypts files on the fly so only the uploader will know the contents of the file.  "The new Mega encrypts and decrypts your data transparently in your browser, on the fly. You hold the keys to what you store in the cloud, not us." Dotcom believes the move to encryped files will put the responsibility on the the uploader rather than his site and it's administrators.

Dotcom is currently seeking investors in his new venture.  He is also calling on tech lovers to donate some server for the new service.  If you have "At least 20 TB of disk space, quality RAID controller, at least 4 GB of RAM, at least 1 Gbps uplink (2 Gbps preferred) Linux" kicking around in your garage then you could be a part of the me.ga.

Full details can be found at http://me.ga

Earlier this year a raid warrant issued on Dotcoms New Zealand home was ruled to be invalid.  An apology was also issued following an Inquiry in illegal spyingon Dotcom.

In addition to me.ga Dotcom is working on a sister site called MegaBox.  A number of high profile artists inculding  The Black Keys, Rusko, Two fingers and will.i.am have already signed a deal with MegaBox.

Top Windows 8 Shortcut Keys

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 13:36:52 +0000

Since Microsoft have completely redesigned the User Iinterface in Windows 8, a tonne of new shortcuts have been added.  The big list below will come in handy for any of you Windows 8 adopters.

Windows Logo Key:  Toggles between the Start screen and the most recent application
Windows Logo Key + C: Displays the Charms Bar
Windows Logo Key + Tab: Displays the Modern Desktop Taskbar
Windows Logo Key + I: Displays the Settings Charm
Windows Logo Key + H: Displays the Share charm
Windows Logo Key + K: Displays the Devices charm
Windows Logo Key + Q: Displays the Apps Search screen
Windows Logo Key + F: Displays the Files Search screen
Windows Logo Key + W: Displays the Settings Search screen
Windows Logo Key + P: Displays the Second Screen bar
Windows Logo Key + Z: Displays the App Bar if you have a Modern Desktop Application running
Windows Logo Key + X: Displays the Windows Tools Menu
Windows Logo Key + O: Locks the screen orientation
Windows Logo Key + . : Move the screen split to the right
Windows Logo Key + Shift + . : Move the screen split to the left
Windows Logo Key + V: View all active Toasts/Notifications
Windows Logo Key + Shift + V: View all active Toasts/Notifications in reverse order
Windows Logo Key + PrtScn: Takes a screenshot of the screen and saves it in the Pictures folder.
Windows Logo Key + Enter: Launches Narrator
Windows Logo Key + E: Open Computer
Windows Logo Key + R: Open the Run dialog box
Windows Logo Key + U: Open Ease of Access Center
Windows Logo Key + Ctrl + F: Open Find Computers dialog box
Windows Logo Key + Pause/Break: Open the System page
Windows Logo Key + 1..10: Launch a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Windows Logo Key + Shift + 1..10: Launch a new instance of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Windows Logo Key + Ctrl + 1..10: Access the last active instance of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Windows Logo Key + Alt + 1..10: Access the Jump List of a program pinned on the Taskbar in the position indicated by the number
Windows Logo Key + B: Select the first item in the Notification Area and then use the arrow keys to cycle through the items Press Enter to open the selected item
Windows Logo Key + Ctrl + B: Access the program that is displaying a message in the Notification Area
Windows Logo Key + T: Cycle through the items on the Taskbar
Windows Logo Key + M: Minimize all windows
Windows Logo Key + Shift + M: Restore all minimized windows
Windows Logo Key + D: Show/Hide Desktop (minimize/restore all windows)
Windows Logo Key + L: Lock computer
Windows Logo Key + Up Arrow: Maximize current window
Windows Logo Key + Down Arrow: Minimize/restore current window
Windows Logo Key + Home: Minimize all but the current window
Windows Logo Key + Left Arrow: Tile window on the left side of the screen
Windows Logo Key + Right Arrow: Tile window on the right side of the screen
Windows Logo Key + Shift + Up Arrow: Extend current window from the top to the bottom of the screen
Windows Logo Key + Shift + Left/Right Arrow: Move the current window from one monitor to the next
Windows Logo Key + F1: Launch Windows Help and Support

PageUp: Scroll forward on the Modern Desktop Start screen
PageDown: Scroll backward on the Modern Desktop Start screen
Esc: Close  a charm
Ctrl + Esc: Switch between Modern Desktop Start screen and the last accessed application
Ctrl + Mouse scroll wheel: Activate the Semantic Zoom on the Modern Desktop screen

Alt: Display a hidden Menu Bar
Alt + D: Select the Address Bar
Alt + P: Display the Preview Pane in Windows Explorer
Alt + Tab: Cycle forward through open windows
Alt + Shift + Tab: Cycle backward through open windows
Alt + F: Close the current window Open the Shut Down Windows dialog box from the Desktop
Alt + Spacebar: Access the Shortcut menu for current window
Alt + Esc: Cycle between open programs in the order that they were opened
Alt + Enter: Open the Properties dialog box of the selected item
Alt + PrtScn: Take a screen shot of the active Window and place it in the clipboard
Alt + Up Arrow: Move up one folder level in Windows Explorer (Like the Up Arrow in XP)
Alt + Left Arrow: Display the previous folder
Alt + Right Arrow: Display the next folder
Shift + Insert: CD/DVD Load CD/DVD without triggering Autoplay or Autorun
Shift + Delete: Permanently delete the item (rather than sending it to the Recycle Bin)
Shift + F6: Cycle backward through elements in a window or dialog box
Shift + F10: Access the context menu for the selected item
Shift + Tab: Cycle backward through elements in a window or dialog box
Shift + Click: Select a consecutive group of items
Shift + Click on a Taskbar button: Launch a new instance of a program
Shift + Right-click on a Taskbar button: Access the context menu for the selected item

Ctrl + A: Select all items
Ctrl + C: Copy the selected item
Ctrl + X: Cut the selected item
Ctrl + V: Paste the selected item
Ctrl + D: Delete selected item
Ctrl + Z: Undo an action
Ctrl + Y: Redo an action
Ctrl + N: Open a new window in Windows Explorer
Ctrl + W: Close current window in Windows Explorer
Ctrl + E: Select the Search box in the upper right corner of a window
Ctrl + Shift + N: Create new folder
Ctrl + Shift + Esc: Open the Windows Task Manager
Ctrl + Alt + Tab: Use arrow keys to cycle through open windows
Ctrl + Alt + Delete: Access the Windows Security screen
Ctrl + Click: Select multiple individual items
Ctrl + Click and drag an item: Copies that item in the same folder
Ctrl + Shift + Click and drag an item: Creates a shortcut for that item in the same folder
Ctrl + Tab: Move forward through tabs
Ctrl + Shift + Tab: Move backward through tabs
Ctrl + Shift + Click on a Taskbar button: Launch a new instance of a program as an Administrator
Ctrl + Click on a grouped Taskbar button: Cycle through the instances of a program in the group

F1: Display Help
F2: Rename a file
F3: Open Search
F4: Display the Address Bar list
F5: Refresh display
F6: Cycle forward through elements in a window or dialog box
F7: Display command history in a Command Prompt
F10: Display hidden Menu Bar
F11: Toggle full screen display

Tab: Cycle forward through elements in a window or dialog box
PrtScn: Take a screen shot of the entire screen and place it in the clipboard
Home: Move to the top of the active window
End: Move to the bottom of the active window
Delete: Delete the selected item
Backspace: Display the previous folder in Windows Explorer  Move up one folder level in Open or Save dialog box
Esc: Close a dialog box
Num Lock Enabled + Plus (+): Display the contents of the selected folder
Num Lock Enabled + Minus (-): Collapse the selected folder
Num Lock Enabled + Asterisk (*): Expand all subfolders under the selected folder

Press Shift 5 times Turn StickyKeys on or off
Hold down right Shift for 8 seconds Turn FilterKeys on or off
Hold down Num Lock for 5 seconds Turn ToggleKeys on or off

Happy 11th Birthday Windows XP

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 13:06:40 +0000

On October 25th, 2001 Microsoft launched it's shiny new Operating System dubbed Windows XP.  The updated interface and multitudes of new features meant mundane tasks in earlier versions of Windows were now easier and more beatutiful than ever.

It is with no surprise that Windows XP became the most successful Windows OS ever.  In fact, even today 11 years after release, Windows XP still holds a massive 38% market share.  It was only surpassed in August of this year by Windows 7 which now has a market share of 40%.

Despite it's success, Microsoft has set a date in which XP will no longer be supported.  The official date is April 8th, 2014.  After this date the software giant will cease all support, including the release of security patches.

I guess a total run of 13 years will be quite a stint.  So long XP!  It has been fun!

Tell us of your first experience with Windows XP in the comments below!

Microsoft Surface Starts Shipping Ahead of Windows 8 Release

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 12:46:50 +0000

Initial reviews of the new tablet have been mixed with the biggest gripe appearing to be a lack of apps available in the Microsoft Store.  Earlier reports suggested as much only a month before release date.  The quality of the built in camera has also been criticised.

Despite a lack of apps, the tech giant said pre-orders of the 32GB version of the tablet had "temporarily sold out" in the US, Canada, France, Germany and the UK within one day of going on sale.  The 64GB version remains on offer.

More apps may be announced alongside the Official Windows 8 launch this Friday.  Microsoft earlier announced a Surface specific version of Office 2013.

BPI Attempts To Have More File Sharing Websites Blocked By UK ISPs

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 11:10:54 +0000

The BPI sent a letter to UKs biggest internet service providers BT, Sky, Virgin Media, O2, EE and TalkTalk in an attempt to have the sites blocked before Christmas.

The ISPs have indicated that they will only comply with the demand if they are required to do so by court order.

A previous court order issued in April led to the blocking of The Pirate Bay in the UK.  Web monitoring company, Nielsen, state that The Pirate Bay lost three quarters of their visitors since this ruling occurred.  Nielsen also state that during September over a million UK visitors have been to the websites that BPI now hope to see blocked.

Copyright specialist, Adam Rendle, believes that the process to bring about the blocking of these sites may be quicker because of the precedent set by The Pirate Bay case.

Open Right Group campaigner Jim Killock believes that web blocking is an extreme response and the rights of users legitimately using the sites are not being taking into account.

Those against blocking websites believe it is an ineffective method.  After The Pirate Bay was blocked alternative avenues to access the site were set up with one major ISP stating that traffic levels returned to normala few weeks after the block was put in place.

Restore The Windows 7 Boot Loader In Windows 8

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 13:03:14 +0000

But the one that tops the list is Speed. The new boot loader is slower than the previous version. In this day and age time is precious. The the new bootloader also supports touchscreens and has large tiles. You may not like the general feel or look of it.

You can revert to the Windows 7 Style Bootloader by grabbing this little program called Switch Boot.. Once downloaded and unzipped you can run the program and choose the boot loader style you want to use.

If you ever want to switch back, you can simply re-run the program and switch back.

Thats all there is to it!

Download SwitchBoot

Internet Explorer 10 Release Preview For Windows 7 Imminent

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 12:30:12 +0000

The tech giant made the announcement via it's blog and said that the final Windows 7 version will only be released "as we collect developer and customer feedback".

The firm has come under scrutiny since the announcement with some suggesting the port from Windows 8 to Windows 7 hasn't been as easy as expected.

However, the upgrade may be worth the wait as the company claims "We built an entirely new browser with Windows 8... IE10 brings improved real-world site performance and additional standards support to Windows 7 that Web developers have been asking for"

Tests have shown IE10 on Windows 8 to be considerably faster than competiting browsers Chrome and FireFox.

Not all Windows 7 users will be able to upgrade straight away as the new browser will require SP1 to be installed first. The recommended specs are as follows.

1GHZ processor
Windows 7 SP1 or higher
512 MB memory

Follow this article for details on how to get your hands on IE10 as soons as it is released.

Gary McKinnon extradition for US military hacking blocked

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:25:41 +0000

Mr McKinnon has been firing against extradition since 2002.  He admits that he accessed US government computers but states that he did so to find evidence of UFOs.

US authorities described this as the "biggest military computer hack of all time".  They believe the hacking was intentional and calculated.  It also resulted in caused $800,000 (£487,000) worth of damage to military computers.  Mr McKinnon faced a potential 60 year jail sentence if convicted.

Having previously lost appeals in the High Court and House of Lords two years ago a High Court Judge ruled that there was a risk of suicide if Mr McKinnon was extradited.  This led the Home Secretary to appoint psychiatrists on behalf of the Home Office earlier this year to assess his condition.

Speaking earlier Mrs May stated “After careful consideration of all of the relevant material, I have concluded that Mr McKinnon's extradition would rise to such a high risk of him ending his life, that a decision to extradite would be incompatible with Mr McKinnon's human rights. I have therefore withdrawn the extradition order against Mr McKinnon."

The decision has been met with a positive reaction.  Mr McKinnon’s MP, David Burrowes, tweeted "Compassion and pre-election promises delivered today."  The Major of London Boris Johnson stated "To extradite a man diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome to America for trial would have been extraordinarily cruel and inhumane. I applaud the government's stance. If they had approved extradition they'd have been saying that extradition on any grounds was OK. It's not."

The case will now be looked at by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, to determine whether Mr McKinnon should now face trial in the UK.

Lenovo Passes HP as Worlds Top PC Maker... or Does It?

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 08:16:14 +0000

According to Gartner Lenovo shipped 13.8 million units in Q3 whilst HP only shifted 13.55 million. It said Lenovo had gained market share because of recent price cuts.

Meanwhile statistics from the IDC suggest that HP is still on top, but Lenovo is close behind and the gap is closing rapidly. IDC say HP shipped 13.9 million units with Lenovo close behind with 13.8 million.

Regardless of whose stastics are correct, it seems that it is only a matter of time before Lenovo takes the top spot.

"Just the momentum that Lenovo has had, makes it inevitable that it will be the world's number one PC maker across all charts," said Andrew Milroy of Frost & Sullivan.

Full Gartner and IDC statistics can be found here and here.

Windows 8 Updated Ahead of Official Release

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 12:42:49 +0000

The tech giant announced the update yesterday and said the enhancements cover "performance, power management and battery efficiency, media playback, and compatibility".  Audio and video playback and driver and application support are also said to have been improved.

If you are an MSDN or enterprise customer then the update is available now via Windows Update.  The update will also be included in all OEM products from launch date on October 26th.

The update is also available for Windows Server 2012.  Full details can be found here.

Fake Bad Piggies App Infects Thousands of Google Chrome Users

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 13:02:33 +0000

When users downloaded and installed the fake version of the game, a malicious plugin was also installed which started publishing spam adverts.

Security experts at Barracuda who spotted the suspicious activity said 'Seven of these plugins are from the same source www.playook.info, a maker of 'free' flash games,'

The plugins required 'access your data on all websites' permissions. Barracuda says those who granted such permissions may have opened the door to their sensitive data such as credit card details and email address.

If you (or anyone you know) has installed this application, you should remove it immediately. As an extra precaution you should run an adware scan and change any passwords that may have been exposed as a result of installing the app.

Apple iPad Mini Due For Release in November?

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 12:57:31 +0000

"Some component suppliers to Apple in Asia say they have received orders to make more than 10 million units of the smaller tablets in the fourth quarter. That is roughly double the order that were placed for Amazon's Kindle Fire tablets in the same quarter, these suppliers say." reports the Wall Street Journal

Apple (as always) hasn't commented on the rumors, but a number of factors point to an iPad mini being released in the near future. Internal parts of the so called iPad mini have been leaked online. If the iPhone 4 and 5 are anything to go by, this pretty much means we will see the device soon.

Rumours suggest an launch event for 17th October 2012 with the new device going on sale in November.

Watch this space.

Megabox Launch Imminent

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 14:12:59 +0000

The video, named Kim Dotcom – Making of Megabox, states "This is what they don't want you to have. Unchaining artists and fans. Megabox is coming soon" and shows a group of developers putting the website together, including features that will be available on its release.

Four exclusive artists have been identified on the site – The Black Keys, Rusko, Two fingers and will.i.am.

The site will allow users to access free music while artists will receive a share of revenue generated through advertising using the Megakey app, which replaces existing adverts with Megabox adverts.

Mr Dotcom is currently facing extradition to the US regarding alleged copyright infringement relating to his website MegaUpload. Since his arrest in JanuaryMegaUpload has been shut down.

Earlier this week Mr Dotcom also received an apologyfrom the Prime Minister of New Zealand for being illegally spied on by their Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) in the lead up to his arrest in January.

AMD Brings Android Apps To Windows 8

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 12:34:40 +0000

The Apps will be made available via AMD's AppZone player.  Software company BlueStacks has developed a wrapper for the AppZone player that will allow mobile apps to run on Desktop's, Laptops.and Tablets that run Windows 8.

In addition to the AppZone player, AMD has made a number of changes to the core code that runs it's graphics cards and processors to ensure Android apps run smoothly on all devices and can scale to larger displays.

So what does this mean for the future and Microsft's App store?  Well new AMD gadgets will ship with the AppZone player installed giving users access to over 500,000 Android apps.  In addition to this, users will be able to synchronise their apps between Windows 8 based devices and Android devices.  A pretty good offering.  Meanwhile, reports suggest that less than 1 month before Winodws 8 is due to launch, the Windows app store has a mere 2000 apps.

The AppZone player could be Microsoft's worst nightmare if it gets off the ground fast enough.

Would you be interested in using the AppZone player?  Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Apology for ‘illegal spying’ in Megaupload case

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 15:33:30 +0000

GCSB were asked by police in New Zealand to spy on Mr Dotcom and this was carried out prior to a police raid on Mr Dotcom and Megaupload being shut-down. GCSB are only authorised to spy on foreigners and Mr Dotcom, who was born in Germany, had been a citizen of New Zealand since 2010.

In a statement issued by the Prime Minister John Key following a report from the Inspector General of Intelligence on the incident he apologised and stated “It is the GCSB's responsibility to act within the law, and it is hugely disappointing that in this case its actions fell outside the law.”

It is not clear if this report will have any impact on the extradition order Mr Dotcom is facing to the US over copyright issues in relation to the Megaupload website.

Google Unveils Stunning Underwater StreetView Style Maps

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 12:57:03 +0000

“We’re adding the very first underwater panoramic images to Google Maps, the next step in our quest to provide people with the most comprehensive accurate and usable map of the world,” said the company on it's Official Blog.

Google has partnered with The Catlin Seaview Survey, a major scientific study of the world’s reefs, to make these beautiful images available to millions of people around the globe. A specially designed underwater camera called the SVII, was used to capture the photos. The hi tech device can take continous 360-degree panoramic images.

You can use your mouse to explore the sea world as normal, or you can swipe your way through the Great Barrier Reef on your touch enabled device.

We have included some of the images, but to enjoy high quality images at their best, we recommend you check it out for yourself.

Inquiry into "unlawful spying" of Megaupload Founder Kim Dotcom

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 12:05:30 +0000

Mr Dotcom is currently fighting extradition to the US in relation to copyright theft. A NZ court earlier ruled that a search warrant used to raid Mr Dotcom’s home was illegal and that he should be allowed to see the evidence that will be used at his extradition hearing.

NZ’s Prime Minister, John Key, got involved stating that some of the communications obtained were done ‘without statutory authority” and asked for an investigation into "circumstances of unlawful interception of communications of certain individuals" working for the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), the country's main intelligence agency.

Mr Key added "I expect our intelligence agencies to operate always within the law. Their operations depend on public trust.”

Mr Dotcom responded through his Twitter account stating I welcome the inquiry by @JohnKeyPM into unlawful acts by the GCSB," he wrote. "Please extend the inquiry to cover the entire Crown Law Mega case."

During the arrest of Mr Dotcom and his colleagues in January computers, hard drives, art work and cars were confiscated. Megaupload was also forced to close.

Despite this Mr Dotcom has created a new version of Megaupload called Megabox which he hopes to launch before the end of the year.

Rioting at Foxconn Halts Production

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 11:54:38 +0000

What started off as a “personal dispute” escalated to involve approximately 2,000 workers.  Police were involved and 40 employees were injured as a result.

The incident started on Sunday at 23:00 local time (15:00 GMT) and continued until about 03:00.  Nearby shop windows were smashed and police vehicles overturned.  Police in riot gear brought the scene under control.

This has been the second incident this year where a fight has broken out between workers.  The previous incident involved up to 100 workers in a restaurant at the site.  Both disputes do not appear to be directly work related.

Foxconn have received previous media attention in regard to the poor working conditions of its employees and a series of suicides relating to this.  Since then they have agreed to protect pay, reduce hours of work and improve representation for staff.

December release for Nintendo Wii U console

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 09:51:23 +0000

The basic version will have 8GB of storage while the premium version will have 32GB and additional stands for both the console and its touchscreen controller.  An additional controller will cost 13,000 yen ($167; £104).

The touchscreen controller allows the user to carry out tasks on it, while the main game will be shown on the television screen.  There is also the ability to play on the console if the user does not have access to a television.

A criticism of the console is that it does not have mulittouch.  There is also competition from Sony and Microsoft who have similar devices for their games consoles and are expected to release new versions next year. However these are likely to be more expensive and the low price of the Wii U may make it more attractive to consumers.

The Wii U will be launched with the all new Super Mario Bros U.

There will be an international release of the console in New York today (September 13).

GoDaddy Says Downtime Not Caused By DDoS

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 12:25:26 +0000

A number of GoDaddy services suffered downtime over a six hour period on Monday. Initial reports suggested a DDoS, however GoDaddy Chief Executive Scott Wagner said the issues were caused by internal malfunctions.

"The service outage was not caused by external influences. It was not a 'hack' and it was not a denial of service attack..... at no time was any customer data at risk or were any of our systems compromised"

"We have determined the service outage was due to a series of internal network events that corrupted router data tables... we took corrective actions to restore services for our customers and GoDaddy.com"

Court fine woman $220,000 for 24 illegally downloaded songs

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 11:10:07 +0000

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) first filed a complaint against Thomas-Rasset in 2006 and have been in a legal battle with her since then.  In a statement they said were pleased with the outcome of the appeal.

RIAA had initially accused Thomas-Rasset of downloading and distributing more than 1,700 music files through the file-sharing app KaZaA.  They only pursued legal action further in relation to 24 files.  The RIAA offered to settle with her for $4,500 but Thomas-Rasset was not willing to accept this and choose to fight her case.  At court Thomas-Rasset had denied any knowledge of KaZaA.

Thomas-Rasset’s lawyer has said that they will try to take the case to the US Supreme Court.

The RIAA has sued more than 18,000 people for illegally sharing music on file sharing networks.  The majority of the cases have been dismissed or settled. They have stopped suing individuals since 2008 and have since shifted their focus to persuading Internet Service Providers (ISPs)to monitor their users for file-sharing activity.

Related:
Capitol V Thomas Round 3
RIAA Losing Millions In Prosecutions

Apple To Announce iPhone 5 Tomorrow September 12

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:55:35 +0000

The numbering scheme will likely be dropped with the device simply being called "The New iPhone". This follows in the footsteps of the latest iPad.

A leaked image of some redesigned earbuds may be hiding in the packaging of the new iPhone as Tinhte reports.

It will include a new Dock Connector. Apple has already listed an adapter for sale on its website which will allow customers to continue using devices with old style connectors.

It will look pretty similar to the iPhone 4S, but will include a bigger 4.08 inch retina display.

The App Store has been redesigned in iOS 6. It looks good too with its style closely mimicing Chomp, an Apple acquisition earlier this year.

(image via 9to5mac)

This should give you an idea of the new features included in the new iPhone.... At least until the official announcement tomorrow!

Spotify To Launch Browser Based Version

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 12:38:41 +0000

Spotify first launched in the UK in 2009.  Since then it has expanded to a number of other countries including the United States and Australia and boasts more than 10 million users.

The service offers streaming of selected music from a range of major and independent record labels which is currently delivered through a desktop application.  Songs can either be accessed for free with adverts or advert-free through a monthly fee.

The browser based version of Spotify would allow users to access playlists on whatever computer they log on to without the need to download and install the desktop application. The browser will also increase Spotify’s competiveness in relation to rivals Rdio and Pandora in the US.

There has also been further speculation that Spotify could lower the cost of its mobile subscription.  Watch this space for more info soon.

Pirate Bay Co-Founder Deported Back To Sweden

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 12:25:28 +0000

Warg was arrested in late August at Sweden’s request. This was following Sweden signing an agreement to provide almost $60m(£37m) in development aid to Cambodia. Warg is due to take flight to Stockholm from Bangkok early today (11th September).

Three other members of the Pirate Bay were sentenced to between four and 10 months in prison plus fines in a Swedish appeal court. Ward had failed to attend the hearing due to illness and his sentencing is therefore still to be determined.

Another co-founder of the Pirate Bay, Peter Sunde, stated on Twitter last week that Warg’s arrest was related to WikiLeaks being hosted by the website.