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House OKs tougher spyware penalties

Bills call for jail sentences of up to 2 years, millions in fines

Updated: 11:40 p.m. ET May 23, 2005

By overwhelming majorities, the House passed two bills that stiffen jail sentences and establish multimillion-dollar fines for those who use secret surveillance programs to steal credit-card numbers, sell software or commit other crimes. Spyware has emerged as a major headache for computer users over the last several years. It can sap computing power, crash machines and bury users under a blizzard of unwanted ads. Scam artists use spyware to capture passwords, account numbers and other sensitive data.

Spyware can end up on users' computers through a virus or when they download games or other free programs off the Internet.

"Consumers have a right to know and have a right to decide who has access to their highly personal information that spyware can collect," said California Republican Rep. Mary Bono, who sponsored one of the bills. The bills prohibit a number of practices often associated with spyware, such as reprogramming the start page on a user's Web browser, logging keystrokes to capture passwords and other sensitive data, or launching pop-up ads that can't be closed without shutting down the computer.

Nokia unveils hand-held Internet tablet

Linux-based device seen as laptop replacement

The Associated Press

Updated: 1:17 p.m. ET May 25, 2005

NEW YORK - Nokia Corp. is straying from its core cellular business with its first non-phone mobile device, a hand-held Internet tablet for accessing the Web around the home over a wireless broadband connection.

The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet unveiled Wednesday is based on the open-source Linux operating system rather than the Symbian platform it uses for "smart" cell phones or the mobile version of Microsoft Corp.'s Windows.  Nokia said it plans to publish the source code in hopes developers will write customized software for the device.

Priced at $350, the Internet Tablet is being positioned as an alternative to buying an extra personal computer or laptop for different rooms, providing a cheaper, quicker and less-cumbersome way to connect to the Web.

While fairly unique in terms of its hand-held size, the Internet Tablet can be seen as the latest in a long line of attempts to create a so-called "Internet appliance" — a TV-like device providing easy access to the Web and basic tasks such as e-mail for which the computing power of a full-blown PC is unnecessary. The Nokia announcement also marks the second time in days that a prominent producer of mobile devices has veered into a new product category.Last week, PalmOne. Inc. unveiled a $500 device called the LifeDrive, essentially a cross between a mobile media player, portable hard drive and an organizer.  The LifeDrive features 4 gigabytes of internal storage and a high-resolution screen for on-the-road access to music, video, digital photos, e-mail and office documents.  It also offers Wi-Fi wireless capability to connect with the Web and corporate networks remotely.

By contrast, the Nokia tablet is designed specifically for Web browsing and personal e-mail, primarily at home, though its Wi-Fi transmitter can also connect with public and commercial hot spots