New Instant messaging virus reaching epidemic proportions

Kaspersky Labs has warned of a new virus that is already creating a global epidemic by exploiting the ICQ instant messaging application. The Bizex worm arrives as an instant message inviting the victim to visit the 'jokeworld' website where they are shown cartoons from a 'Joecartoon' series. However, in the background, the worm harvests the victim's ICQ contacts to which sends the invitation to visit the website as if it came from the victim. ...more

Google does the Writely thing

Google has added yet another online service to its ever expanding portfolio with the acquisition of Upstartle, a small company that owns Writely.com. Writely is one of a new breed of websites that provide functionality that had traditionally been the domain of desktop applications. ...more

HP posts modest gains in profits

A week after firing its CEO Carly Fiorina, HP has released its first quarter results. The numbers show a company increasing revenues but not setting Wall Street alight. For the quarter HP posted a profit of $943mn on sales of $21. ...more

Music industry responds to Spanish ruling

IFPI criticises media coverage of the case. Specifically, the inference that the ruling affected the status of p2p file sharing. The recording industry body International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has responded to the ruling of a Spanish judge in a music sharing case. ...more

IDF Spring 2004: Microsoft gives 64-bit backing to Intel

Microsoft has said that its 64-bit extensions in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 will be compatible with Intel's 64-bit extension technology announced at its IDF conference this week. Building on the announcement that Intel is to include 64-bit extensions in its Xeon server chips as well as desktops chips further down the line, Microsoft says that the 64-bit editions of XP and Server - currently in beta - will be available in the second half of this year. 'Microsoft's and Intel's leadership continues to deliver powerful, cost-effective, 64-bit computing to the broad IT market,' said Jim Allchin, group vice president of the Platforms Group at Microsoft. ...more