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iPhone v3.0 sneak peek
iPhone users and app developers got a sneak preview at what the future holds for them on Tuesday, when Apple showcased its upcoming iPhone 3.0 software. The next major version of the iPhone operating system, slated for a summer release, promises a number of changes aimed at end-users and software makers alike. For iPhone users, that number is more than 100–the amount of new features Apple promises in iPhone 3.0. Topping the list is the ability for users to copy and paste information–including text, blocks of HTML, and photos–in the iPhone’s built-in apps. Users will also be able to copy and paste between applications.
Diebold fixes ABM problem
Diebold has released a security fix for its Opteva automated teller machines after cyber criminals apparently broke into the systems at one or more businesses in Russia and installed malicious software. Diebold learned of the incident in January and sent out a global security update to its ATM customers using the Windows operating system. It is not releasing full details of what happened, including which businesses were affected, but said criminals had gained physical access to the machines to install their malicious program. Diebold did not say exactly how the criminals were able to install the software on the systems, but its security update advises customers that there are several factors that can increase the risk of such a hack. They include using administrative passwords that have been compromised; not using the locked-down version of Windows that Diebold provides; or misconfiguring the Symantec firewall software that comes with the ATMs.
Discovery Channel sues Amazon over Kindle
Less than a month after delivering the second version of its Kindle ebook reader, Amazon has been hit with an intellectual property lawsuit from Discovery Communications, the company behind the Discovery Channel. Discovery alleges that the Kindle infringes on a patent developed by Discovery founder John S. Hendricks for an electronic book security and copyright protection system. The patent was issued in 2007. In the suit, Discovery accused Amazon of infringing on the patent in both versions of the Kindle as well as in its services related to the device, including the sale of electronic books. Amazon declined to comment.
Windows Azure test has hiccup
Users of Microsoft’s cloud-computing network Windows Azure suffered an overnight outage over the weekend during which their applications being hosted on the network weren’t available, Microsoft confirmed late Monday. Currently only a test release of Azure is available, and some early adopters are running applications on it. For nearly a 24-hour period from Friday night until Saturday night Pacific Time, those users found that their applications were unreachable or in “stopped” or “initializing” states. Microsoft first heard about the problem at about 10:30 p.m. PT Friday and resolved it by Saturday at 8:30 p.m. PT, the company said.
…And those are the top stories from the IDG Global IT News Update, brought to you by the IDG News Service. I’m Sumner Lemon in Singapore. Join us again later for more news from the world of technology.