Most of the time if you see virus and computer or electronics in the same sentence it is bad news. However some researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, have created a transistor with very fast switching speeds. They have done this by coating 30-nanometer-long chunks of tobacco mosaic virus with platinum nanoparticles. They say it could eventually be used to make memory chips for MP3 players and digital cameras. A device fitted with such a virus-chip would access data much more quickly than one using flash memory.

Microsoft has released a security advisory concerning the latest exploit discovery in Internet Explorer. This exploit can be used by malicious software to execute code on any computer system running Internet Explorer, as well as cause Internet Explorer to unexpectedly close. You can read more about the exploit at Symantec or Microsoft. Microsoft is releasing a patch for this issue on Oct. 10th.

A computer worms that spreads via instant messaging is being used to build an extensive "botnet" of remote-controlled PCs, a US security firm has warned. Security experts at US company FaceTime identified the worm as "W32.pipeline" and warned that it spreads via AOL's instant messenger program. http://www.newscientisttech.com/article.ns?id=dn10119&feedId=online-news_rss20

Activist group Defective By Design is calling for an international day of action against digital rights management (DRM) technology on 3 October. They want to highlight the threat DRM poses to open-source software development, consumer rights, and the way it could be used to control and track consumer viewing habits of future next-generation DVD formats. Via MacWorld

Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced yesterday that iTunes Music Store will now be carrying movies from Disney, Pixar, Miramax and Touchstone Pictures. The movies will be viewable from iTunes, as well as video capable iPods. From Apple News: Apple today announced iTunes 7, delivering stunning new features such as the new album and Cover Flow views of music, TV shows and movies. In addition, the iTunes Store is now offering over 75 movies from Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar, Touchstone Pictures and Miramax Films, which customers can purchase and download to watch on their computers and iPods, and soon on their flat screen televisions with Apple’s upcoming iTV player. [Sep 12, 2006]

Apple announced on Tuesday, September 12th, a new refresh to its line of iPods that include the iPod, the Nano, and the Shuffle.  In addition, the announcement included news on the iTV Media Server.  Read more http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/firstlooks/