NAACE Need2Know Stuff
Health Protection Agency to conduct study into wi-fi exposure
The decision by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) to conduct further research into the exposure levels from wi-fi systems as part of a larger study in the area of electromagnetic fields has been welcomed by Becta, the government’s education technology partner.
http://news.becta.org.uk/display.cfm?resID=34362&page=1658&catID=1633
BBC signs WiFi deal
The BBC has signed a deal with wireless network operator The Cloud to offer its customers online services over WiFi free of charge.
www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2201220/bbc-cloud-free-wifi
MySpace starts Skype call service
Social network website MySpace has joined forces with internet phone firm Skype to allow MySpace users to make calls to each other.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7047851.stm
[A member of Becta’s SafetyNet community commented “That means the 29,000 convicted sexual offenders on Myspace can now talk directly to kids and there’s no track of their audio conversations!” Nevertheless PC Pro reports that they have introduced new complaint and audit procedures to protect users. See next. Ed]
Facebook settles child safety probe
Facebook has submitted to a range of measures to settle the child safety probes being conducted in New York.
Under the terms of the settlement, Facebook has agreed to address any complaint of inappropriate content concerning nudity, profanity or harassment within 24 hours of it being received. This will be followed, within 72 hours, of a report to the complaining party detailing the response undertaken by the site. In addition, the company has agreed to allow an independent examiner, chosen by the attorney general, to oversee how it handles such complaints.
www.pcpro.co.uk/news/131048/facebook-settles-child-safety-probe.html
Companies are holding on to data too long
Seven out of 10 organisations do not have the mechanisms in place to destroy records that have passed their regulatory expiry date, according to new research.
www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2201097/storage-expo
Boffins zoom in on digital image search
Searching for digital photographs is set to become easier thanks to smart software developed by researchers at Penn State University. The US boffins have developed a software system that automatically tags images as they are uploaded and improves the tags by “learning” from user interaction with the system.
www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2201278/boffins-find-better-search
Productivity soars in the ‘free range’ office
Cramped office conditions and old equipment are harmful to staff and productivity, an experiment into the effects of poor office design has shown.
www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2201172/cramped-offices-stupid
Citrix upgrade gives school secure, flexible access
Presentation Server deployment gives school two-factor authentication, speedier access to graphics apps and remote access. Somerset-based Taunton School has upgraded to Citrix Presentation Server 4.5 Platinum Edition as part of its efforts to improve services for staff and students.
www.itpro.co.uk/news/130175/citrix-upgrade-gives-school-secure-flexible-access.html
Hitachi spins 4TB hard drive
Hitachi has unveiled a new read-head technology for hard disk drives, which it says will increase storage capacity fourfold. That means drives of up to to 4TB in desktop computers and 1TB in notebooks.
www.computershopper.co.uk/shopper/news/
Technology to mimic terrorist
The Ministry of Defence has taken simulation technology to new heights with a system designed to accustom troops to the explosion, smoke and intense shock of a roadside terrorist explosion.
www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2201035/technology-mimic-terrorist
