29th August 2000 Archive

Browse by publication date, or search the site.

Software delays to cripple MS cable TV push?

Absence of software is fatal flaw in throw money at market strategy

Is Microsoft's interactive TV strategy about to turn into a pile of ashes? Noises coming out of AT&T yesterday suggested at the very least white-knuckle negotiations, following Microsoft's confession that it wouldn't have the software ready for October. European cable giant United Pan-Europe Communications has already gone into …

Software 29 Aug 2000, 08:35
Micron sues Rambus in antitrust action

Geese prepare for chilly winter

US memory giant Micron has taken legal action against memory intellectual property giant Rambus, in a case which could mean geese get the shivers as their respective lawyers sharpen sheaves of quill pens. A statement released by Micron, based in Boise, Idaho, said: "The suit asserts violations of the Federal antitrust laws, and …

Channel 29 Aug 2000, 08:39
Nvidia sues 3dfx over patents

'Tactical' lawsuit revenge for earlier 3dfx 'nuisance litigation'?

Nvidia yesterday commenced legal action against 3D graphics chip developer 3dfx, alleging its arch-rival has been infringing a number of its patents for ages - since the days of the Voodoo 3, to be precise. The suit, filed in the US District Court for Northern California, claims 3dfx products violate five Nvidia patents, all of …

Channel 29 Aug 2000, 09:35
Sony backtracks from anti-Napster spiel

Our man was quoted out of context, company claims

Sony appears to be distancing itself from anti-Napster comments made by one of its senior US executives last week. Sony Pictures Entertainment staffer Steve Heckler told attendees of the Americas Conference on Information Systems 2000 that his company would develop technology to block Napster at all levels, if the Recording …

Music and Media 29 Aug 2000, 10:30
Freeserve set for FTSE exit

Eircom shareholders are revolting

Freeserve - Britain's biggest dotcom - could be booted out of the FTSE 100 next week following the exchange's quarterly review. The monster ISP became the first British dotcom to enter the heady heights of leading companies when it joined earlier this year. News of Freeserve's anticipated drop comes amid industry speculation …

Business 29 Aug 2000, 10:44
Virgin claims first ever MP3 mobile

Actually made by Samsung but Virgin has better PR

Virgin Mobile has staked its claim to the world's first mobile phone with an in-built MP3 player. Available from today, the Samsung SGH M-100 is a fancy bit of kit and will set you back a not-inconsiderable £349.99. The phone has actually been around for a while and can be found Spain, Germany, Austria, Portugal, Italy etc etc …

Music and Media 29 Aug 2000, 10:56
SCH bucks dealer doldrums

Boosts profits by 31 per cent

Specialist Computer Holdings saw pre-tax profits leap 36 per cent to £15.1 million in the year to 31 March. Sales grew by 16 per cent to £581 million. Big contract wins are partly responsible for the strong results at a time when rivals are finding trading tough. For example Computacenter saw its first half profits slump 52 per …

Business 29 Aug 2000, 10:59
Java is skill in most demand in UK, Windows down

C++ starting to fall

Java appears to be the most sought after IT skill in the UK. The SSP/Computer Weekly Q2 survey of appointments data and trends, based on what employers were seeking in trade press and national newspaper ads, showed that C++ was still top. However, it was down 36 per cent compared with the year-earlier quarter while second-place …

Software 29 Aug 2000, 11:28
Supremes decline to sing on MS case

Indecisions indecisions...

The Supreme Court has made it clear it's not in a particular hurry to decide whether it wishes to hear the Microsoft case, or whether it will send it to the court of appeals first. Yesterday, eight orders by the Supremes were made public: seven concerned refusals to hear death-sentence cases, which understandably have a higher …

Software 29 Aug 2000, 11:30
No cheap WinME upgrade for 95 users, says MS

Look punks, you skipped the last two, so that's $109, OK?

Microsoft's 'cheapest ever Windows' announcement seems to have been even more dubious than we thought at the time. Earlier this month the company announced that the Windows ME upgrade would be available for a limited (but unspecified) time at $59.95, after which it would revert to the standard upgrade price of $109. But now it …

Software 29 Aug 2000, 11:35
Halifax offers free anti-virus software to Net customers

It's another PR coup. Hopefully we'll forget the bank's bad side

Halifax has said it will give free anti-virus software to its Net banking customers and has promised to cover any online fraud - something it was criticised for not doing by an Internet watchdog. In a bit of a PR coup, top man David Walkden has waxed lyrical about how the £20 software (retail price) will give its customers …

Music and Media 29 Aug 2000, 12:01
Oftel ticks-off BT over leased lines

And let that be a lesson to you

BT is anti-competitive and has been abusing its monopoly position, according to the winged watchdog Oftel. A review of the leased lines market found that "competition was not effective in the retail market resulting in prices higher than they would be in a competitive market." One of the proposals on the table is to force BT …

Data Networking 29 Aug 2000, 12:13
Warwick Watch: SFX, lies and masking tape

Updated Media appearances by captain cyborg. Oh, and a book review

We've been keeping an eye out for the "prophet of the robot age" since his unwanted appearance on Radio 4 a few weeks ago and the news that he is to host this year's Royal Institution Christmas lectures. He's got a new book out see. Things are looking up since last time we did a proper Warwick Watch. He appears to have been …

Business 29 Aug 2000, 13:44
NTL unmoved by AltaVista farce

Is this a good or bad thing?

NTL is committed to providing flat-fee Net access and reckons it's on course to notch up two million users by this time next year. The cableco-cum-telco outfit claims 250,000 people are currently using its ntlworld unmetered Net package. The service was announced in March this year at the same time AltaVista made its pledge to …

Music and Media 29 Aug 2000, 14:00
MP3.com returns to copyright court

No deal with Universal - yet

MP3.com was back in court yesterday, having failed to secure a settlement with Universal over its violation of the major music label's copyrights. Back in April, MP3.com was found guilty of distributing music from Universal, Sony, BMG, EMI and Warner - the world's 'big five' record labels - without permission. Since then, it …

Music and Media 29 Aug 2000, 14:57
BT in miracle ADSL launch

See what you can do when you try?

BT has performed miracles and launched its domestic broadband Net access product some three months ahead of schedule. The feat is a triumph of BT's own making and shows how the monster telco can be fleet-of-foot when pressed. Today's announcement also pooh-poohs those doubters who constantly knock BT. Surely, they'll be forced …

Music and Media 29 Aug 2000, 16:08
Amazon gets into bed with Microsoft

M$ up to its old tricks again. Mine, all mine, hahahaha

Amazon is "teaming up with" Microsoft to deliver e-books (ach!) to the world. M$ is going to give it a customised version of its Reader software and Amazon, presumably, will provide the books. But hold on, before you get excited and start shouting "ze bastards are at it again", "anti-trust" or "Bezos and Gates for the electric …

Music and Media 29 Aug 2000, 16:13
Big Brother jacks up Real Player usage

Generates 500,000 UK downloads

The demand for video streaming from Net viewers of Big Brother has boosted the UK user base of Real Networks' Real Player by 500,000. Before the show started there were a total of five million Real Player users in the UK. But since the start of the 24 hour Web casts that figure was been boosted by 10 per cent just from …

Music and Media 29 Aug 2000, 16:34
Intel: Spot a problem and don't win a Metro

Intel more than happy to receive help but won't pay

Following the good Doctor Tom's travails with a recalcitrant Pentium III 1.13GHz and The Reg's fabled DOA 1.13GHz system, we asked Intel what the deal was regarding remuneration for helping the great Stan of Chips identify "challenges" with its products. You will be astounded, gobsmacked, flabbergasted, bowled over, stunned and …

Channel 29 Aug 2000, 16:36
Beckham only English footballer good enough for France

Okay, so it's a tenuous IT angle and some blatant PR puff, but we like it

David Beckham (that bloke married to the god-awful pop star) is the only member of the English football team that would make it into the French side. That is according to mIQ - a company whose entire business is sports stats (sent over mobiles). Apparently, David has completed 84 per cent of his passes - up there with Petit and …

Music and Media 29 Aug 2000, 17:20
HW Roundup Soltek's talking mobo

Plus 1.1GHz T'birds and the Asus A7V

OCWorkbench has had fun checking out the Soltek SL65JVB-X talking mobo based on the VIA 694X chipset. Though having a board chatting to you is fun the reviewer thought 'it is not as good as D-LEDs as D-LEDs can show 16 error possibilities whereas the Voice Diagnostic can only indicate 5 common errors in 4 spoken languages.' …

Hardware Roundup 29 Aug 2000, 17:22