John Lister

Environmental organization Greenpeace has issued a widespread warning about the technology used to host the Internet. According to Greenpeace, much of the online space is dependent on 'dirty' power. The group says that some of the largest web firms ... are intentionally moving their servers and other power-hungry facilities to geographical areas that can provide cheaper, although more environmentally harmful sources of electricity. The criticisms were recently published in a report titled: "How Clean Is Your Cloud?" The title is a reference to the current emphasis on cloud computing , ... (view more)

The world's biggest video game retailer has been forced by courts to compensate customers who bought used games and weren't informed they'd have to pay extra for "free" downloadable content. The retailer, GameStop, will also have to post clear signs ... in its stores to explain when used games will require gamers to pay additional fees. The court case covers the situation where additional content can and often must be downloaded once a player has installed a game on his or her console. Examples of such additional content can include new and different missions in an action game or updated rosters ... (view more)

Microsoft has now revealed that most buyers will choose between just two versions of Windows 8. It's a big change from earlier Windows launches, in which choosing the right version could be a daunting and confusing experience. One version of Windows ... 8, known as simply 'Windows 8', is aimed at consumers and small businesses. The more expensive and expansive option will be called 'Windows 8 Pro'. As with previous "premium" or "business" editions of Windows, it will include features that are most useful in a corporate setting. These additional features include extra network controls, a remote ... (view more)

A man who wants to launch an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that puts privacy first has raised more than $40,000 in a single day. However, he says it will take at least $1 million before the company can get off the ground. The project, known as the ... Calyx Institute, was stimulated by a 2004 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) request for an ISP to provide information about its customers, accompanied by an order not to reveal that such a demand had been made. Nicholas Merrill was running that ISP, and he was stunned by the request. With the help of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), ... (view more)

Facebook has launched a new tool that allows its users to compare how much electricity they consume and compare the number with their Facebook friends. The idea is to give millions of people some added incentive to cut down on their wasted ... electricity. The free application allows users to link their Facebook memberships to their power company accounts. As long as they give permission, they'll automatically have their total monthly power consumption published on their Facebook pages. The new tool will then rank each user against all their friends with the power-counting app installed. This ... (view more)

Imagine you could walk into any bar, cafe or club and immediately identify which women were single, learn their names, and instantly send them a message via smartphone. For many of us, that might seem a dream come true. But a surprising number of ... people find the idea at least a little creepy. No Hacking Required To Uncover Personal Data Perhaps the most surprising thing about the new "Girls Around You" tool is that it doesn't involve any hacking, snooping, or other illegal behavior. The software works entirely by mining information that women have made publicly available, although ... (view more)

Google has been ordered to pay a $25,000 fine for impeding a government investigation into claims the search giant inadvertently snooped on home wireless networks. However, it looks as though the company will escape serious sanctions for the act. ... The case resulted from Google's "Street View" project, which is now a part of its Google Maps tool. The project involved sending modified vehicles along nearly all public streets, using roof-mounted cameras to take a continuous stream of pictures. At the same time, the vehicles also scanned for local wireless networks. Google intended to ... (view more)

Iran's government has dismissed reports that it intends to block all Internet access for its citizens, starting in August. Spokespeople claim the shutdown reports stem from an April Fool's joke. Yet at least one part of the story appears to be true. ... The allegations of a coming shutdown are made by Reporters Without Borders, an international media and free speech advocacy group that in recent years has turned its attention to online censorship. Intranet Could Replace Internet According to Reporters Without Borders, Iran plans to simply cut all public access to the global Internet for its ... (view more)

Microsoft has announced it will finally stop supporting Windows XP in April of 2014. The decision leaves users of that operating system (OS) out in the cold, without security updates or support of any kind from the software giant. The company had ... already begun phasing out support for the original versions of XP and currently offers support only for copies containing the final batch of updates for the software, Service Pack 3 (SP3). Even Windows XP with SP3 has already reached the "extended support" phase. As a result, Microsoft issues free security updates, but offers tech support on a paid ... (view more)

An engineer who left his job at Intel has now admitted to stealing design documents worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Bishwamohan Pani, 36, a worker at the company's chip manufacturing facility in Hudson, Massachusetts until 2008, will be ... sentenced on five counts of fraud. Pani had been working on Intel's line of Itanium processors, which were designed for use in extremely powerful computers and the servers used in corporate networks. Although much-hyped, the processors didn't catch on in the market and were generally considered something of a disappointment. Vacation Time Perfect for ... (view more)