Play an online book

Everyone likes a good old fashioned role-playing game (RPG) but Digital Tome has gone one step further by releasing its RPG series, The Siege of Avalon, as a series of interlocked chapters. You can download the first chapter for free from its site, and the company plans to publish a further five chapters. The second chapter is already out and can be purchased from the site for a mere $9. ...more

Feds launches new offensive against Internet crime

More than 100 people have been arrested following the US law enforcement agencies' latest offensive against Internet related crime. So-called Operation Web Snare has targeted people alleged to have engaged in fraud, identity theft and similar crimes. The announcement of the operation, which has been going on since June, was made the US Attorney General John Ashcroft. ...more

Sony activates music CD security

Music giant announces new copyright protection for music downloads Sony Music has announced new encryption techniques it intends to employ on its compact discs from January of next year. Apparently borrowing Microsoft's product activation idea, a CD can only be stored on a computer after the owner has been granted a decryption key from Sony over the Internet. Sony will grant the decryption key to the initial transfer of a CD to computer for free, but thereafter will charge 200 Yen (about ?1) per track thereafter. ...more

DRAMeXchange: Worldwide DRAM production boost due in 2004

Worldwide DRAM production capacity will increase by 15.6 per cent in 2004 according to the DRAMeXchange. The surge in growth will occur as manufacturers move from 8 inch wafers to 12 inch wafers and migrate to 11um processes. ...more

EU holds fire on iTunes probe

The EU has no plans to investigate whether Apple's iTunes Music Store breaches its competition laws, despite threats of action by two member states. Sweden and Denmark have both said they will investigate whether the digital music service violates local consumer protection laws. Their enquiries were prompted by Norway, itself not an EU member, which has given Apple until 1 August to alter the store's terms and conditions in order to comply with Norwegian law. ...more