RFID sport kit raises privacy concerns

US security expert Bruce Schneier has highlighted privacy concerns around the Nike+iPod Sport Kit that enables users to track time and other statistics while running, reports News.com.

Schneier says the kit consists of a wireless sensor that fits into Nike+ Air Zoom Moire sneakers and a small receiver that plugs in to an iPod Nano, but transmissions can be read 18m away.

The chips have no personal identifying information, concedes Schneier. However, he says as long as the RFID chip has a unique identifier, it can be used for surveillance. It can be scanned and linked to a user's physical identity.

IBM and Yahoo have introduced free search software with Web search services that enables businesses to find and access information stored within organisations and across the Web.

DailyTech says IBM OmniFind Yahoo Edition offers support for up to 500 000 documents per server, more than 200 file types and documents in more than 30 languages. It uses Yahoo Search services in combination with the open source Lucene indexing library to provide cross-platform full text indexing.

The new software enables organisations of all sizes to find information residing in different locations and in different formats. IBM says this is essential to resolve customer issues, spot trends, recognise business opportunities and become more flexible.

Samsung has developed a prototype fusion memory chip that can significantly increase the data processing speed between processors in mobile applications for 3D graphics, reports Playfuls.com.

According to the report, the new fusion solution, OneDRAM, is likely to be specified in the design of handsets, game consoles and other digital applications. This will increase the speed of mobile gaming consoles, reduce the number of chips needed, and extend battery life by 30%.

The 133MHz 512Mb device uses a dual-port approach to decrease the time it takes to transfer data between processors. Data managed by the processors is housed in a shared bank, eliminating the need to specify DRAM and SRAM chips for buffer memory.

Nintendo's new Wii console has become the fastest-selling piece of game hardware in Australia's history with almost 33 000 units being sold within the first four days of being on the market.

Gamespot says the Australian record is the latest in the impressive list of the Wii's global sales figures, exceeding Xbox 360 sales by over 400 units and outstripping the Sony PSP by 6 000 units down under.

The Australian figures follow similar Wii debuts in other countries. In the US, gamers bought 600 000 Wiis in the first eight days after launch, while Japanese gamers scooped up 372 000 units and Europeans 325 000 in just two days. In Britain, 50 000 Wiis were sold in the console's first 12 hours of sale.