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27th January 1999 Archive

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  • A year ago: Compaq poised for all-out war on IBM

    We analyse the Digital take over

    As we all know, up until last Monday Digital was a company that had been going through a painful reconstruction and downsizing owning to the unfortunate decline of its mid-range market. It has been selling off various divisions over the years, but the bottom line remained that it was fighting on too many fronts for the resources …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 08:29

  • Windows refunds and the law

    We look at some of the possibilities of Windows Refund Day

    With the rise of the open source movement, an increasing number of users find they don't use the copy of Windows that invariably comes with their new PC, unless they have purchased it from a specialist OEM. It's understandable that they feel peeved at having to pay what is known as the Microsoft tax, so any possibility of …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 09:12

  • Embrace and smother – how the MS strategy works

    Maritz nearly admits he said that, and we look at the mechanisms that underlie the approach

    Reports so far of Paul Maritz's testimony so far this week have largely been confined to repeating his denials - he didn't threaten to cut off Netscape's air supply, and Microsoft didn't force Apple to ship Internet Explorer. But he did, apparently, tell Intel Microsoft would "embrace and smother" Netscape. Yesterday in court …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 09:33

  • Intel's Merced is undead

    It's not brown bread and samples will ship in June

    Intel has confirmed it is still on schedule to ship Merced in the year 2000 with production samples going to its customers in June. That follows claims from an Alpha developer on the comp.archnews forum that the Merced platform is dead. According to the engineer, IA-64 has a number of features which will be very hard to …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 10:59

  • Banshee leads 3Dfx revenue surge

    But it can't scream about profits

    3D graphics leader 3Dfx yesterday reported fourth quarter 1998 revenues of $60.7 million, up 273 per cent on the $22.2 million recorded for the same period last year. However, the increase in revenue did not translate into equally expanded profitability -- for Q4 98, 3Dfx made $2.09 million; the Q4 97 figure was a barely-lower $ …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 11:19

  • Creative Labs spins multiple music player plans

    We're doing a digital music player. Oh no we're not. Oh yes we are (repeat ad nauseam)...

    Creative Labs was in some confusion yesterday over its commitment to produce a digital music player to rival Diamond Multimedia's Rio PMP300 portable MP3 machine. First, the device was in development, then it wasn't and finally it was on again. After the publication of reports from Creative's European brand manager, Eion Leyden …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 11:34

  • Amazon Q4 sales go through the canopy

    But will shoppers side with more familiar brands?

    Amazon.com yesterday reported sales for last year rose by a staggering 313 per cent -- up from $147.8 million in 1997 to $610 million in 1998 -- but reported an operating loss of $74.4 million, even further into the red than the $31 million the company reported the year before. Much of that gain was down to an impressive fourth …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 11:48

  • Intel hit by price protection scam

    Avnet suspends staff amid allegations of foul play

    Intel has said it expects to receive an explanation from components distributor Avnet, following allegations that three of its sales staff were suspended for making bogus price protection claims. The chip giant said it expects a report from Avnet by tomorrow outlining what has happened and explaining what remedies Avnet plans to …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 11:53

  • Tick, tock – it's overclock time again

    Are Celeron's clock locked? Yes they are

    Reports on various hardware sites that Celerons are not locked for overclocking are untrue, Intel is insisting. Dr Tom Pabst, who edits Tom's Hardware Page, said he has definitive word from an Intel employee that the current generation of Celeron's do not have overclocking protection built in. But an Intel spokesperson in the UK …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 12:10

  • Sex change Webcast postponed at last minute

    Patient said to be at risk -- surely not?

    A sex change operation due to be broadcast live on the Web tomorrow has been postponed due to "pre-operative complications". A man -- known as William -- who should have left an unidentified hospital somewhere on the West Coast of the US as Julie, will now have to wait until the surgeon, who doesn't want to named, feels that it' …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 12:14

  • MIPS wins Toshiba and NEC

    Ten year agreements for 64-bit Ruby

    MIPS signed deals with both Toshiba and NEC to license its next generation of 64-bit chips. The chip, codenamed Ruby, is likely to be available by the end of 1999. The companies gave no financial details of the deals, and it is unclear what the processors will be used for. The deal will give MIPS some respite. Last year, Compaq …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 12:21

  • Internet Technology Group goes Dutch with acquisition

    Snaps up Dutch ISP to make play for European business

    London-based Internet Technology Group (ITG) has bought Dutch ISP Internet Facilities Europe (IFE) for £4.27 million in a move that marks the company's first major step into the European corporate Internet services market. IFE provides Web hosting services and high-speed Internet access for businesses throughout Holland. Its …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 12:37

  • Apple to honour free support pledge

    Move follows FTC deceptive advertising enquiry

    Apple has bowed to pressure from the US Federal Trade Commission to honour promises of free technical support it made user its Apple Assurance scheme. The FTC charged Apple with deceptive advertising following in investigation prompted by complaints that the Mac maker had begun charging certain users for technical support even …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 12:43

  • RealNetworks loss shrinks, revenues double

    Outlook good despite loss of Microsoft stake

    Internet streaming media software developer RealNetworks saw its loss narrow following a near doubling of its revenue when it reported its latest quarterly figures yesterday. The company reported a loss of $600,000 on revenues of $20 million. That compares to a loss of $2.59 million for the same period last year. Revenue for Q4 …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 13:09

  • Microsoft modifies temporary worker contracts

    Well, sort of...

    Microsoft has complied with a court order requiring it to remove from its employment contracts clauses requiring temporary workers waive any rights to damages from forthcoming legal action against the company's employment practices. The order was issued on 14 January by US District Judge John Coughenour during court action …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 13:52

  • Linux to get first commercial game release

    Civ III for Linux to coincide with Windows version

    The latest title in the hugely popular Civilisation series of 'God sims', Civilisation: Call to Power, is to be released on Linux, the first time a major commercial entertainment release has shipped on the platform at the same time as the Windows version. The port is being handled by Loki Entertainment under licence from …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 14:09

  • Linux in-car MP3 system to ship in March

    UK company ready to begin production after passing FCC, CE tests

    British hi-fi start-up Empeg has begun production of its forthcoming in-car MP3 player, the company has revealed. The move comes after the unit passed US and European electromagnetic emission tests. The Empeg-Car system was announced last October (see UK firm announces MP3 player). The device contains up to 28.2GB of disk …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 14:41

  • Cyrix Jalapeno to go standalone

    But it's gonna be a while

    Cyrix said today its plans for its Jalapeno platform remain unchanged but it did confirm that it will produce a standalone version. However, it is likely to be next year before the wonder-chip appears. A representative said: "There's no change in our strategy. Cyrix will sample Jalapeno in Q4 of this year." But reliable reports …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 15:24

  • Compaq results show steep gain

    Eck did well... flipping Eck

    Compaq's fourth quarter earnings have increased by 14 per cent after it reported a net income of $758 million -- up from $667 million on the same period in 1997. Revenue for the year leapt 48 per cent to $10.86 billion from $7.32 billion in 1997 although some of this gain is a reflection of Compaq's acquisition of Digital in …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 15:45

  • Linux to become a ‘core OS’ for HP, SGI

    Both companies to offer Linux-based Intel servers -- HP to develop Linux for Merced

    Silicon Graphics and Hewlett-Packard have both decided to offer Linux as one of their core operating systems, according to the Wall Street Journal. HP is the most enthusiastic of the two companies in its support for the free operating system. The company will be shipping Red Hat Linux on some of its Intel-based servers -- Red …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 16:12

  • Developer claims 3D TV breakthrough

    Set-top box creates stereoscopic 3D images without glasses

    An Australian 3D graphics company claims to have developed a method of displaying stereoscopic 3D programming on a conventional television without the need a dramatic increase in broadcast bandwidth -- or, apparently, special glasses. Dynamic Digital Depth's process uses proprietary software to allow broadcasters to transmit 2D …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 16:46

  • Internet Shopper changes its name

    The word Gordano says more about its identity, apparently

    Bristol-based Internet Shopper -- the UK company behind the NT-based mail and list server software NTMail and NTList -- has changed its name to Gordano. The multi-million pound company -- which sells its software solely via the Internet -- boasts more than 8,000 customers and sells its products all over the world. The company …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 18:08

  • Datatec continues its UK buy-up bender

    More Rands flow into the channel

    South African distributor Datatec is to splash out as much as £41 million on networking reseller Satelcom, continuing its UK shopping spree. Datatec will make an initial payment of £14 million, with the balance depending on Satelcom’s pre-tax profit performance for 1998-2000. Satelcom founders Brian Jacobs and Ian George each …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 18:09

  • Irish domain company hit by political hackers

    Supporters of Indonesia’s occupation of East Timor force Web host to pull plugs

    Supporters of the Indonesian government's occupation of East Timor are being blamed for a simultaneous and well-orchestrated attack on Connect - Ireland earlier this week. The politically motivated attacks by 18 hackers on Tuesday brought the Dublin-based company -- one of only two top domain guardians in Ireland -- to its knees …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 18:10

  • MS claims plans for browser integration predate Gates' birth

    Well not exactly, but you no doubt get our drift...

    Incoming. Microsoft today released another vast deposition, from senior VP Jim Allchin, and this time it comes with video clips too. The basic thesis is that Allchin is a computer guy who don't know no lawyer book-learning, but he knows what's what. We'll deal with his text in full RSN, but for today we'll confine ourselves to …

    Business 27 Jan 1999, 20:52