Weekly News Round Up

• Cell phones, Jeans and Half Sleeve Shirts Banned by Anna University
  “Anna University, Chennai, have enforced a few student unfriendly rules. After the ban on camera cell phones, Tee-Shirts, now its time for Jeans and cell phones. Students of all colleges affiliated to Anna univ are forced to dress formal with full ahnd shirt. Students are not taking this easy.”
• Free Opera Download (for 24 hours) [Download.com]
  Until midnight tonight (PDT) you can emailregisterme@opera.com for a code to register Opera for free
• Bloggers journal Katrina destruction [Cnet]
  “As Hurricane Katrina tore across the Gulf Coast on Monday, the Web provided some of the most vivid, first-hand accounts of the storm’s destructive path in the form of blogs, online photo galleries and discussion forums.”
• Web site gives e-mail senders a reputation [Cnet]
  “A new Web site aims to help determine whether a specific computer has been sending legitimate e-mail or spam.”
• Researchers: Distorting biometrics enhances security [CNN]
  “A trick reminiscent of a fun-house mirror might improve the security and privacy of the access-control technology that examines fingerprints, facial features or other personal characteristics.”
• Crackdown spurs file-sharing shift [CNN]
  “Traffic in the popular file-sharing network BitTorrent has fallen in the wake of a crackdown on piracy, but file sharers have merely shifted to another network, eDonkey, new data released Monday showed.”
• Domestic robot to debut in Japan [BBC]
  “A robot that recognises up to 10 faces and understands 10,000 words is to be offered to Japanese consumers looking for a high-tech helper in the house.”
• Camera phones boosting digital camera sales-study [Reuters UK]
  “Contrary to expectations, camera phones are spurring U.S. consumers to buy digital cameras, according to a study released on Monday by research firm IDC.”
• How low can PC prices go? [CNN]
  “If you’re willing to forgo extras, you can snap up a brand-new PC for as little as 300 bucks.”

Die Dulci Fruere