100Mbps DSL broadband services given green light

The International Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) has finalised the specification for DSL broadband services up to 100Mbps. VDSL2 (very-high-bit-rate digital subscriber line 2) uses existing copper wires, and is designed to complement the installation of fibre networks to provide support for high-bandwidth applications such as TV, video-on-demand and videoconferencing. Many operators see it as the ideal accompaniment to fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP), where fibre optic lines are used to link offices or apartment blocks to the network backbone (PSTN) to provide sufficient bandwidth for all the users in each building. ...more

Yes to creativity, but no to Corel Linux

Corel has outlined its corporate strategy and the emphasis is on further developing its "creative" products while its desktop version of Linux will be spun-off. And there's a new logo, too. Following heavy losses incurred last year and October's $135m injection of investment from Microsoft, Corel has announced its future plans. ...more

Apple fixes iTunes Windows bugs

Apple has released an updated version of iTunes for Windows that fixes a number of bugs in the original version. The update 'addresses an incompatibility with Windows 2000 and older third-party CD burning software, and improves support for non-standard mp3 files'. Apple has also made a change to the default preferences setting, so 'Keep iTunes Music folder organized' preference is now turned off. ...more

MPs warned over massive scale of digital crime

'There are no votes in this,' lamented Derek Wyatt MP, as politicians met with captains of industry and the software world yesterday to give evidence for the revision of the pre-Internet 1990 Computer Misuse Act (CMA) for today's digital world. 'We're fully aware that there's a lot of work to do to get this on the political agenda,' he added. Dr Jeremy Beale, Head of eBusiness Group, CBI said the Act 'needs updating to address the network world, and the task of doing this is urgent. ...more

Production to double at iPod mini disk factory

Hitachi is to double the output of factory that makes that 1in disk drives used in Apple's iPod mini. A shortage of drives coupled with unanticipated demand has created to a six-week waiting list for the portable music player, and delayed the European launch until July. Hitachi will invest $200mn in the Thailand plant, which also makes drives for both laptop and desktop machines and will employ some 16,000 workers. ...more