Sky turns on set-top box internet connection
The TV company, which has yet to connect any of its set-top boxes to the web, has finally flicked the on-switch, but has limited the experience to its staff, while it trials the product. The functionality will fully launch this winter and be available to the 2.5 million Sky customers who have an HD enabled box. The latest generation of boxes has always had an ethernet connection but until now, internet capability has yet to be turned on. The development is the latest move in the race between the major pay-TV operators, Sky and Virgin, to offer a more interactive TV set-top experience. Currently Virgin delivers its VOD content via a cable internet connection but has plans to launch a new set-top box in partnership with Tivo later this year which will enable access to internet content such as Spotify.
The Telegraph

Scientists create their very own 'black hole'
Scientists in China have created a device which acts like a black hole, absorbing 99 per cent of electromagnetic waves without any bounce back. The device essentially simulates the behaviour of a black hole, with Physorg saying about the absorber: "This is the first experimental demonstration of an omnidirectional electromagnetic absorber in the microwave frequency region.
TechRadar UK

Steve Ballmer: Microsoft is 'number five' in the mobile market
Speaking at D8, a technology conference in Los Angeles, Ballmer, when asked about Microsoft and its mobile strategy, said: We were ahead of this game and now we find ourselves number five in the market. We missed the whole cycle. I’ve been quite public about the fact that I’ve made some changes in leadership around our Windows Phone software. The change of leadership has come in the form of long term Microsoft employee, Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft Entertainment and Devices division, retiring without a direct replacement. This means that presently, Ballmer is personally in charge of the Windows Phone division.
The Daily Telegraph

Amazon's new Kindle to challenge iPad
The electronic reading gadget, the new version of which could be available in August, allows users to download books and newspapers instantly and employs "electronic ink" rather than a backlit screen to come closer to the effect of a printed page. In contrast the iPad is criticised for being difficult to read in bright conditions, though its makers say it is not solely dedicated to reading and also allows users to browse the web, watch films and play games.
The Daily Telegraph

Google Wi-Fi privacy row: Eric Schmidt admits search engine 'screwed up'
In an interview with Financial Times, the search engine’s boss admitted the company could have gained access to the personal details of millions of unsuspecting internet users. Google is currently at the centre of a global privacy storm after it admitted that its Street View cars had mistakenly collected information sent over unencrypted Wi-Fi networks. The company, based in Mountain View, California, is currently facing a series of international investigations over the crisis after it admitted recording information broadcast via unsecured wireless networks in family homes.
The Daily Telegraph

Ten bulletins on the way for Patch Tuesday
Microsoft is planning to release ten bulletins addressing a total of 34 vulnerabilities next week. The company said in the advance notification for the 8 June monthly security release that it would be patching flaws in Windows, Internet Explorer and Microsoft Office. Of the ten bulletins being issued, three will patch vulnerabilities rated as 'critical,' the highest of Microsoft's security alert levels.
V3

Nokia unveils bike-mounted mobile charger
Nokia has unveiled a new system which will allow users to charge their handsets by pedalling a bicycle. The company said that the charger would allow users to mount a small dynamo and generator on their bicycles which will convert some energy spent pedalling the bicycle into electricity which can then be plugged into a Nokia handset.
V3

Samsung Android tablet is a scary iPad clone
Samsung has finally unveiled its Android tablet device - cunningly called the Samsung Galaxy Tab - and it feels eerily familiar. The new device was unveiled on Samsung's official South Africa Twitter feed, and says that the new Galaxy tab has a seven inch LCD screen, or "this particular one is" according to the update. This hints at the fact there will be a variety of Android tablet sizes from Samsung, with more to come in the near future.
Techradar

Vodafone confirms UK safe from Samsung Wave virus
The Samsung Wave, which has just gone on sale, has been confirmed as shipping with a Trojan virus. The virus lives on the 1GB microSD card, and will automatically run when the phone is connected to a PC.UPDATE: Samsung has contacted TechRadar, and while it had declined to say why there's a virus on the phone, it did give us this statement: "In relation to your story on the Samsung Wave and the reported virus that has been found on some microSD cards sold with the product in Germany, we wanted to let you know that this is an isolated issue that took place solely in the German market.
Techradar

Michael Dell considered making company private
Computer giant Dell's chief executive has admitted that he once considered making his company a private, rather than a public, affair. Michael Dell's comment caused the stock to spike a half-hour before the market's close on speculation about a buyout premium, but analysts said many pieces would have to fall in place for such a deal to happen. Kaufman Bros analyst Shaw Wu said Dell going private was not out of the question, but said it would take plenty of outside financing and would not change the company's structural problems or necessarily improve its ability to compete with the likes of HP and Apple.
IT Pro

Since I first added my thoughts to PR Week’s debate about the ideas around online privacy mooted by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg, it’s been something that been on my mind. Mainly, how can we as communications experts balance support for, and exploration of, new social communications tools, and a belief in data security and personal privacy?

This article in the Guardian is the latest in a long line of online comment on this subject. Personally, I’ve found myself agreeing with many of the things said by Jennifer Leggio, Christopher Breen and others.

A big part of human nature is the ability to share and to contribute to common causes. We have also, with the establishment of capitalist democracies, supported the rights of businesses to exploit information in the pursuit of sales and profits. It’s nothing new that companies sell the benefits of their technologies at the same time as downplaying the perceived risks; with the speed at which the online landscape is changing, few people have the time or the inclination to stop and really think about all the implications that putting so much data online for anyone to discover. What we really want to do is be the first in our peer group to sign up to new services, and show off the latest apps; no time to question just what they plan for the information given in return.

The fact that it’s newsworthy means that more people than before are thinking about the privacy consideration. Research shows that many people, especially teens, don’t understand the implications of putting a lot of very personal data online. Personally, I believe that the privacy of data will become a major issue over the next few years, as it cuts across not just existing laws of civil liberty and data protection, but also affects copyright, libel, IP and more. Government policies are not yet defined, leaving it to business leaders like Zuckerberg to take the initiative. Of course, a cynic would argue that he doesn’t speak for the people but for his shareholders.

Although not directly linked, the repercussions from the News of the World phone tapping scandal and Google’s revelation that it accidentally recorded personal data from WiFi networks will do more to shift the privacy needle than hundreds of millions of people sharing intimate information online. It will be interesting to see whether government and business can agree ways to protect privacy whilst preserving the kinds of meta data that services like Facebook, Gowalla and Twitter are defined by. Watch this space.

John Ozimek