John Lister

A Congressional agency has told regulators it is time to review the rules governing cellphone radiation. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) said existing rules might not be doing an effective job of measuring the risk to users. The GAO acts ... as support staff for Congress and also carries out audits to check that government departments are spending money effectively. Three members of Congress recently asked the GAO to look into the way the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates public safety with respect to cellphones. Cancer, Health Risks Not a GAO Concern The GAO's year- ... (view more)

Microsoft has made a change to the final edition of its new Windows 8 operating system (OS). According to a new report, the change forces users who prefer Windows' traditional desktop layout to use the system's new interface (formerly known as ... 'Metro') every time the new OS boots up. This requirement could represent a major irritant for many Windows users. The most significant change in Windows 8 is the new user interface. It's a much different design featuring very large icons known as 'tiles,' and has already become fairly popular among users of Windows-based smartphones. Microsoft ... (view more)

Hackers who support the Syrian government may be responsible for two separate attacks on the Reuters news agency. The hackers' efforts apparently caused false information about the political and military situation inside Syria to appear on the news ... agency's website. The first hack damaged the Reuters blogging platform, a section of the agency's website that allows Reuters correspondents to write personal accounts and opinion pieces under their own name. It appears Reuters reporters can post directly to the site, which may have made the hacker's job easier. Fake Interview Posted On Reuters ... (view more)

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) plans to join the twenty-first century by using computer systems rather than paper to manage its cases. The change may improve detection rates by making it easier to cross-reference data between cases. ... The new computer system, called Sentinel, will also allow FBI agents to make notes on cases via dedicated software. A demonstration for reporters showed that Sentinel contains elements reminiscent of consumer software, such as web browsers, Microsoft Outlook, and tax preparation software. (Source: wsj.com ) FBI personnel have been using Sentinel ... (view more)

Microsoft is reportedly scrambling to come up with a replacement name for its new user interface in Windows 8. According to reports, the Redmond, Washington-based company has decided to completely drop the name 'Metro' after a threat of legal action ... arose over possible trademark violations. Microsoft has reportedly told its staff they should not use the term in any applications or documents. Microsoft has been calling its new interface 'Metro' for some time. In the past it was meant to describe an overall design style, including both a typeface and a system incorporating very large icons. ... (view more)

Microsoft says its new 'Surface' tablet computer will be more like a traditional computer than other ultra-portable devices, such as Apple's segment-leading iPad. To help attract PC users the company is launching a range of new keyboards and mice ... specially designed to work with the Surface. The company is also adding the ability to interpret touch gestures to an existing high-tech mouse. Microsoft recently confirmed that the earlier, cheaper versions of Surface will be available on October 26, 2012, when Windows 8 is released. More expensive versions of the device, aimed at higher-end ... (view more)

A government agency wants to overhaul the rules limiting how websites collect personal data about children. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says the changes would make the rules much clearer and more effective. The current regulations stem ... from the Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA), which took effect in 2000 and currently applies to sites aimed at children under 13 years of age. As the rules stand, websites must clearly explain to both children and parents what data they will collect about children and how they plan to use it. Such sites must also get parental ... (view more)

Facebook's business model is based on advertising. But one disgruntled advertiser claims 80 per cent of the "people" clicking on its advertisements aren't humans at all. Limited Run is a website that lets musicians create an online store in which ... they can sell both physical CDs and digital content. Like many businesses, Limited Run created a promotional page on Facebook and then began advertising on the social networking site to attract visitors to its own home page. According to the company, however, it became suspicious that something was amiss when the details associated with the number of ... (view more)

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) now says it will help bring broadband Internet service to 400,000 Americans who currently don't have access to high-speed Internet. The program to subsidize networks in rural areas will cost $115 ... million in public funds. The aim of the Connect America Fund is to subsidize the installation of high-speed Internet cables in remote places where doing so is not profitable for private firms. The money will come from the Universal Service Fund. In the past, this fund was spent on subsidies to make sure every American home had telephone service, but ... (view more)

Microsoft has acknowledged that its decision to build its very own tablet computer, Surface, could upset the companies that produce Windows PCs. The firm has also admitted that the rise of tablet devices could dramatically impact the traditional PC ... market. Both comments come in Microsoft's latest Form 10-K, which publicly traded companies must submit to the Securities and Exchange Commission as an annual report on the company's activity. The form contains a section where companies must detail any potential risks to their business. This helps existing and would-be stockholders to make more ... (view more)