BT shaves 70p off DataStream broadband under stern gaze of Oftel

BT has taken its smallest lathe to its DataStream products to the tune of 70p, following complaints to Oftel that it was unfairly favouring IPStream. The cuts to BT's DataStream affects consumer end-user services and start at 70p, rising to 87p with further discounts for volume. DataStream is BT Wholesale's ADSL offering where carriers with their own networks can take traffic onto it from BT's exchanges allowing them greater flexibility in the services they provide, rather than the managed service of IPStream. ...more

The Internet is a cult - official

Results of a new survey issued by statistical company Ipsos-Reid reveals that only an estimated 6 per cent of the world's population is online. According to research from International research firm Ipsos-Reid, billions of people haven't even heard of the Internet let alone have any intention of buying a computer and getting online. Even in countries such as the United States, Canada, Sweden and the Netherlands, about one-third of people who could have access to the World Wide Web choose not to. ...more

Microsoft intros Local Live with birds eye views

Microsoft is extending the functions of its new Live web based services initiative with a new locator and directions tool. Using imaging data from the Virtual Earth database, Windows Live Local will create an online local search and mapping service that combines bird's-eye imagery with driving directions, Yellow Pages and other local search tools. The idea is that by combining driving directions - 'turn right, go forward two miles' - with a map 'I should be seeing a large building and a park about now', it makes it easier for someone to find their way. ...more

Microsoft claims Mac Office success shows it does not rely on Windows' dominance

Microsoft did not need to rely on its dominance of the operating system market to deliver successful applications, a company attorney said yesterday as he continued his opening statement to the Iowa court hearing a private class-action lawsuit against the company. David Tulchin told jurors that it was the company's decision to 'bet on the graphical user interface (GUI)' when other software developers continued to develop character-based operating systems and applications, that has underpinned its success. Indeed, it was Microsoft's enthusiastic support of the GUI that led it to develop word processing, spreadsheet and other applications software for the Mac long before many other software developers, he said. ...more

Price check: Keyfob Flash drives

They are the modern day floppy and a boon for those on the move. Keyfob Flash drives are the best way around for swapping data across several computers. And with prices always falling, we thought it was time for a price check. ...more