IBM produces advanced Cell processor

IBM has started producing a more advanced version of the Cell processor, reports ComputerWorld.

The chip, originally developed in conjunction with Sony and Toshiba, is now being manufactured using a 65nm process. Using this process means the chip will be physically smaller and use less power.

SCEI plans to use the new Cell Broadband Engine in a future version of the PlayStation 3 to help cut manufacturing costs.

Apple issued a security update yesterday for Mac OS X to correct 45 security risks, says News.com. This patch is the seventh released by Apple in the last three months.

The security holes can be exploited in various ways. Some can be used to gain full access over a Mac, while others are more limited, only allowing an intruder to crash a machine.

The update corrects these vulnerabilities in Apple's software, as well as third-party components, such as Adobe Systems' Flash Player.

The short-list for a literary prize aimed at honouring the best books based on blogs has been announced, reports BBC. The award intends to encourage literature that is becoming more prominent in the blogosphere.

"We've seen a big increase this year in the number of entries from traditional publishers," said Bob Young, of Lulu, the self-publishing Web site that sponsors the prize. Turning blogs into books has also helped to create new literary genres.

"Previously, such jottings might have been kept in the author's notebook, but something amazing happens when you post them online: readers help you connect them, flesh them out and grow them into fully-fledged books or blooks," he said.

Dutch justice minister Hirsch Ballin has rejected calls for a copyright tax on USB flash drives, reports The Register.

Dutch industry group SONT also proposed a levy on iPods and MP3 players to pay artists who lost revenue because of piracy. Consumer organisation Consumentenbond called the proposal for USB tax "bizarre" because USB keys are typically used to store images and documents.

Originally, SONT wanted a EUR0.05 levy per USB key, but it also mooted a levy based on actual storage capacity. Electronics manufacturers immediately rallied against such a tax.