US Recording Industry goes on the legal attack

A US recording industry organisation has launched a further 762 law suits against users of file-sharing networks suspected of trading copyright material. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced the suits yesterday. Although the actual identities of those sued are not known, it is expected that ISPs will be asked to hand over identifying information for IP addresses that the RIAA believes have been used to swap copyright files. ...more

New p2p service uses Gmail storage

Ever wondered what you might do with the 2GB storage provided by Google's Gmail service? A Dutch student Robbie Groenewoudt has come up with a novel solution. His new service, known as G2G Exchange combines the storage capacity of Gmail with p2p technology to create a new file-sharing service. The new service requires that a user reveals some login information, so it is not something that you would want to use for a personal email service. ...more

Google to make web apps work offline

Google has created web software that runs both online and offline, marking a sea change for the internet industry by letting users work on planes, trains, spotty connections and even in the most remote locations. The technology, called Google Gears, would allow users of PCs, phones and other devices to manipulate web services such as email, online calendars or news readers whether online, intermittently connected to the web or completely offline. By bridging the gulf between new web services and the older world of desktop software, where any data changes are stored locally on users' machines, Google is pushing the web into whole new spheres of activity and posing a challenge to rival Microsoft, leader in the desktop software era. ...more

Perplex City opens its gates to the quest for the cube

It could be dubbed the intellectual heroin of alternative reality gaming, but Perplex City has opened its gates to the quest for the cube, and once you've started on that road there's no going back. The game is set in both the real and 'cyber' world of Perplex City, where those that successfully locate the lost Receda cube stand to win a very tangible ?100,000. How? Purchasing a pack of puzzle cards is the first step. ...more

Google 'plans desktop search tool'

Google is planning to release a search tool for desktop computers according to the New York Times. If the report is true, and Google has not commented, it would put the company on a collision course with Microsoft. Google already has a stated aim of deploying its famous search engine technology wherever it can applied. ...more