Blu-ray boosts FireWire

The adoption of Blu-ray technology for high-volume data storage will provide a major boost for FireWire, according to the 1394 Trade Association, which oversees development of the high-speed data interface. Consumer electronics companies including Samsung, Sharp and LaCie have already introduced HD-capable FireWire-equipped Blu-ray disc technology. Sharp, for instance, has introduced a Blu-ray recorder equipped with 1394 connectivity for recording high-definition TV programs from its FireWire-equipped TV sets. ...more

In-Stat projects IC market to jump in 2004

Revenues for the worldwide IC market will jump 29 per cent to $214.7 billion in 2004, nearing the record-high of 2000, but changes in market fundamentals suggest that the market has not returned to the good old days, said research firm In-Stat/MDR. 'The strength of the current recovery should not be interpreted as a return to the good old days,' says Mark Kirstein, company general manager. ...more

Microsoft withdraws from Novell slur

The company will cease sending anti-NetWare 6 letters to Novell customers, and retracts previous statements. Earlier this month Novell filed a suit against Microsoft, claiming false advertising, after Microsoft was discovered to have mailed Novell customers last month with thousands of leaflets. These claimed that Novell did not plan to fully support NetWare, that the nearly-obsolete product would be expensive to maintain, and that the software had an expiration date. ...more

Docklands Linx claims new world record

East London's London Internet Exchange (Linx)now has more throughput than the largest exchanges in either the US or Japan, making it the world's biggest. The facility, which hosts and peers Britain's internet traffic is now claiming throughput of 40Gb of data per second at peak times with its eight routing suites handling total traffic of 55Gbit per second. The 55Gb per second number comes from the 40 gigabits being passed on the Linx exchange and some 15 gigabits that is being shunted around the exchange through private peering connections. ...more

Apple opens Intel Macs for Windows

Apple has confirmed that it has not made any effort to prevent Windows from being installed on its new Macs. VP Philip Schiller said that Apple has no problem with anyone who may wish to install the Microsoft OS on a new iMac or MacBook Pro. 'That's fine with us,' he said. ...more