Cable & Wireless cooling on UK retail broadband market?

Cable & Wireless, the owners of Bulldog, may be about to withdraw from the retail broadband market. Several Sunday newspapers have reported that C&W is concerned that the UK broadband market may be approaching saturation point. If, as a result, it cannot continue to expand its user base, the company has little prospect of recouping the ?18mn it paid for Bulldog and the ?250mn it has subsequently invested. ...more

Microsoft touches the Surface

Microsoft has unveiled a coffee-table-shaped 'surface computer' in a major step towards co-founder Bill Gates's view of a future where the mouse and keyboard are replaced by more natural interaction using voice, pen and touch. Microsoft Surface, which has a 30in display under a hard-plastic tabletop, allows people to touch and move objects on screen for everything from digital finger painting and jigsaw puzzles to ordering off a virtual menu in a restaurant. It also recognises and interacts with devices placed on its surface, so cell phone users can easily buy ringtones or change payment plans by placing their handsets on in-store displays, or a group of people gathered round the table can check out the photos on a digital camera placed on top. ...more

Apple develops iPod Photo

Apple has launched the iPod Photo, a new version of its portable music player which stores and displays photos as well as music. The iPod Photo is the first iPod to come with a colour screen and can store up to 25,000 digital photos alongside a music library. The iPod photo can be connected to a TV to display photo slide shows, and synchs with iPhoto in the same way as current iPods synch with iTunes. ...more

LaCie launches a 2000GB hard drive

LaCie has announced the latest addition to Bigger Disk range of desktop hard drives, the 2TB (that's 2,000GB) Bigger Disk Extreme. As well as plug-and-play FireWire 800/400 access, the drives also has a built-in RAID 0 configuration that allows for high-speed data transfers of up to 85MB/sec and for large-scale backup. It has a smart fan system, improved heat dissipation and an automatic on/off feature to increase performance and drive reliability. ...more

Sony shows super, slim digicam

Sony has unveiled a new 'super slim' digital camera with a pot pourri of technological firsts for a camera of its size. The Cyber-shot DSC-T9 is, Sony says, 'the first super slim digital still camera with double 'anti-blur' technology - combining optical image stabiliser and high sensitivity', added to which Super SteadyShot, 'reduces camera shake for crystal clear photos'. Combine Super SteadyShot with High Sensitivity [Sony's caps] and the camera can shoot happily in the dark without a flash or capture moving objects with the 'reassurance that they will be blur-free'. ...more