The remote control of the 21st century

Hillcrest Labs has developed FreeSpace, a way to visually search music, movie and photo menus, reports CNet.

The technology consists of two parts: a four-button remote shaped like a ring that controls a cursor by merely being pointed, and software that turns reams of TV listings into thumbnail menus. The idea is to provide more information at once, but in a natural, intuitive manner.

Cable, TV and music companies won`t have to adapt their menus to Hillcrest`s technology. The metadata is ingested and the XML data is converted into visual data. Hillcrest does need the companies` permission to hook into the data, however.

As more people turn to Web applications for everyday tasks - from mail to payments - cyber criminals are intensifying their search for bank account details and other valuable data, security researchers say.

Users of Yahoo`s e-mail service, Google`s Orkut social networking site and eBay`s PayPal online payment service were among the targets of attacks in recent weeks, reports Wired.

All three companies have acknowledged and plugged the security holes. These come amid the growing popularity of online communities such as MySpace.com and of Web-based calendars, messaging and other services offered by Google, Yahoo and others.

Nice Systems, the Israeli firm trying to sell extreme surveillance software to the British police, has put out a promotional video depicting the way friendly bobbies will police UK communities a year from now - if they use its latest software, reports The Register.

Using extreme intelligence software liked to the street`s CCTV cameras, the system can check CCTV images against the police mug shot database.

Voice recognition may also be used: tagging the use of words like "gun", which will trigger the dispatch of armed police units. Satellite tracking may also be used to follow vehicles, identified in the CCTV footage, via their GPS navigator systems.

France has developed a Web site that rivals Google Earth. It gives more detailed satellite images of France than its competitor, reports All Headline News.

President Jacques Chirac emphasised the necessity for France to have such a site, saying the state had to be at the forefront of modern technology.

The site will allow Internet users to view aerial photos and maps.

Chip manufacturer Intel has opened a high-volume semiconductor manufacturing facility in Leixlip, Ireland, IT Wire reports.

The fabrication plant is Intel`s third chip factory using 65nm process technology and the industry`s first chip factory in Europe producing 65nm chips in high volume. The new facility (called Fab 24-2) is the company`s most technologically advanced, high-volume semiconductor manufacturing plant which builds multi-core microprocessors.

The $2 billion factory has begun high-volume production using 65nm process technology produced on 300mm wafers, which provides the Intel fab with the potential to generate higher microprocessor output at lower cost.