Site news Today we launch Reg NewsAlerts, a small free desktop application that pops up from the start bar with our latest news as it breaks. You may be familiar with the technology already - our partner Skinkers also supplies all the software for BBC Online's news alerts.

You can sign up for Reg NewsAlerts here.

All you have to do is download, install it and then follow the instructions on how to receive the news that's important to you. Once you've done that, we'll send you a desktop alert every time we publish a new story into that section. It couldn't be easier.

It isn't a big application, under 1Mb, and it's easily uninstalled. Reg NewsAlerts is a clean application: no ad-ware, no diallers, no viruses. And it's completely anonymous - the only data it collects is the data you give it, such as the channels of content you receive, or the answers to any questions we might ask. But there's nothing compulsory, and nothing that identifies you.

We have trialled Reg NewsAlerts over months - currently there are more than 2,000 active subscribers. But this is a beta release - we want to make sure it does the job for you. Feedback please to philip.mitchell@theregister.co.uk ®