Faked web certificate could have been used to attack Iran dissidents
Security researchers are warning that a fake web certificate is being used that could let attackers steal passwords and data from apparently secure connections to Google sites such as Gmail. Internet users in Iran are reckoned to be at particular risk from the faked SSL certificate, which is used to digitally "sign" https: connections to any google.com site and was issued by a Dutch company called Diginotar on 10 July. In particular, dissidents who trust Google's systems for their security may have been targeted in the attack.
guardian.co.uk

Sainsbury's trials iPad shopping trolley
Sainsbury's is pimping up its shopping trolleys with the roll out of a new breed of grocery cart equipped with its own iPad dock. Shoppers simply need to plug their iPad into the tilting holder to transform the trolleys from dumb metal into a multimedia device. The hi tech trolleys are also equipped with front bumper warning sensors in case shoppers get too distracted and even an onboard solar panel to ensure the iPad never runs out of juice. Developed in conjunction with Sky to promote its Sky Go service the trial will initially be limited to Sainsbury’s Kensington branch, London, but may be rolled out across the country if successful.
THE DRUM

Nokia says sorry about the hack
Former rubber boot maker Nokia has shut down an online forum for developers after hackers attacked it. Nokia killed off its developer forums and replaced them with a company statement warning developers that the "significantly large" hack attack could have compromised personal details. Registered developers' email addresses and dates of birth could be in the hands of the hackers. The phone outfit said that it has started a probe into the attack which happened over the weekend. The Nokia Developer website team said the hackers exploited a vulnerability in the bulletin board software.
TechEye

Amazon tablet 'is first true iPad challenger' – Forrester
Within a year, Amazon will be a major player in the tablet market, second only to Apple's iPad, a major research firm predicts. Not only will Amazon ship millions of its still-unannounced Android-based slate, but third-party manufacturers will sell a variety of "Amazon tablets" that feature the online retailer's software and services. This bit of soothsaying is courtesy of Forrester Research, which has just published a new report on how Amazon will quickly become Apple's biggest competitor in the tablet space.
Macworld UK

Vodafone mulling further investment in Greece
Vodafone this week confirmed that it is in talks with Greek player Wind Hellas over a possible merger or acquisition. In a statement, Vodafone said it has entered into discussions with Wind owner Largo Limited to “explore a potential business combination between Vodafone Greece and Wind Hellas.” However, the UK-based operator pointed out that discussions are at an early stage and there is no certainty as to whether an agreement will be reached. At present, Cosmote is the Greek market leader with 7.7 million subscribers at the end of June, while Vodafone and Wind have 3.7 million and 2.8 million users respectively. A merger of the two smaller operations would close the gap significantly. However, there is an argument to say that with Greece in its third year of economic crisis, would Vodafone want its investments to become more entrenched in the country?
Telecoms.com

Twitter sets record with the news of Beyonce's pregnancy
Earthquakes, tsunamis, and hurricanes (and the odd World Cup soccer match) may be newsworthy subjects to post about on microblogging platform Twitter, but it was the news of pop singer Beyonce’s pregnancy that set a new Tweets Per Second (TPS) record. “Last night at 10:35pm ET, Beyonce's big MTV #VMA moment gave Twitter a record bump: 8,868 Tweets per second,” announced Twitter via its @twitterglobalpr account.
Yahoo! News

Microsoft warns of fraudulent digital certificate issued by DigiNotar
Microsoft has issued a security advisory warning of at least one fraudulent digital certificate issued by root certificate authority (CA) DigiNotar. Digital certificates are used primarily to verify the identity of a person or device, authenticate a service or encrypt files. Microsoft notes that DigiNotar has since revoked the digital certificate which, according to the security advisory, affected all subdomains of google.com. "This is not a Microsoft security vulnerability; however, the certificate potentially affects internet users attempting to access websites belonging to Google," said Dave Forstrom, director of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing division.
Infosecurity (UK)

RAM prices set hit 'free fall'
Not content with merely rolling downhill, the price of RAM is set to drop off a cliff as the PC market slows, according to IHS iSuppli. The average selling price for DDR3 with 2GB density, which is the bellwether DRAM product, is projected to drop to $1.60 in the third quarter, down 24 per cent from $2.10 in the second quarter."A dramatic oversupply and freefalling prices are in store during the third quarter for the DRAM space, resulting in a turbulent second half for besieged DRAM suppliers," the analysis house said.
The Register

3 promises wireless broadband for remote areas
Mobile network 3 has offered to equip 11 rural areas with 3G broadband in a bid to fill in the UK's rural notspots, according to reports. The mobile operator intends giving away wireless broadband dongles and a year's access to its 3G service as part of what it called a commitment to Government to improve connectivity in remote areas. "We hope to demonstrate that mobile needs to be a crucial part of the strategy to tackle notspots," Hugh Davies, Three's director of corporate affairs, told the BBC, adding that the company would also set up public Wi-Fi hotspots in the local pubs and community centres.
PC Pro

US operators in $100m m-payment plan
Verizon Wireless, AT&T and T-Mobile USA are planning to make investments of over $100 million in Isis, their joint venture allowing users to use mobile phones to pay for goods. The overall investment amount will depend on the success of Isis to attract banks and merchants, according to Bloomberg which cited sources privy to the project. The service will generate wealth by charging marketers a fee for sending offers to customers’ phones. With this venture, the companies look to tap the mobile commerce market. A study by Juniper Research predicts that global mobile payments will generate $240 billion in 2011. Apart from payments, Isis users will also be able to receive and redeem coupons through their mobile devices.
Global Telecoms Business