Porn site wins 5K competition

If you can cast your mind back to the middle of April, you might be able to remember a story about an online competition to find the best code crammed into 5K of memory. Anyway, the results are in and the best entrant in the competition has been decided. The winning code actually came from the PixxxelChix Web site and proved that pornography doesn't have to be dirty or smutty, unless you have really poor eyesight. ...more

Are you gadget crazy?

A new study by Analyst Verdict paints a picture of consumers hungry for the next 'must-have' appliance and that our appetite for new technology will grow even further in the next five years. The report predicted that the next big thing in the world of gizmos and gadgets would be the TiVo - a TV recording system that automatically responds to the viewers' requirements and edits out advertisements. The report also pointed out that the next big impact on the electrical and software sales sector will be electronic sales via the Internet or interactive TV. ...more

Mobile phones blamed for declining bee populations

Scientists struggling to explain the decline in bee populations in certain parts of the world believe they may have discovered the cause of what is known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) - phone handsets. CCD occurs when bees suddenly desert a hive. No-one knows where they go, nor do they know why the empty hive fails to attract the parasites, wildlife and other bees that would normally raid the honey and pollen left behind. ...more

FTC urged to restrict Amazon's handling of customer data

Amazon.com is once again under fire for its handling of customers. Following on from charges of a discriminatory pricing policy, two US privacy groups are now campaigning to prevent the company making any disclosures of customer data unless shoppers themselves give permission. ...more

Java further embeds itself in Linux

Sun is emphasising its commitment to Linux with the delivery of a Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME) profile geared for the popular GNU-based version of UNIX. The J2ME Connected Device Configuration (CDC) and Foundation profile will be used to target next-generation consumer electronics devices, such as advanced set-top boxes and residential gateways, as well as other mobile systems. With a Linux-oriented version of the profile, that OS is not excluded from the party. ...more