Microsoft and Vodafone drive a PC-to-mobile messaging service

Vodafone and MSN are to pool their customers to drive a new PC-to-mobile instant messaging service. With more than 300m customers between them, the new service will give mobile users all the presence, logging and immediacy of a PC-based counterpart. Users can also invite others that don't currently use the service to join, and the companies hope that their combined communities will 'create a penetration pull effect'. ...more

UK games chart: Blood money stays top of charts

It's pretty much steady as she goes in this week's ELSPA games chart, with Eidos's Hitman: Blood Money (for PC, PS2, X360, Xb) holding the number one spot. While the long-running previous number one, EA Sports' FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 (PC, PS2, Xbox and Xb360) also holds number two, the multi-format Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend (PC, PS2, PSP, Xb, Xb360) climbs back up into the top three. The only new entry this week is Valve's first-person shooter Half-Life 2: Episode One (PC). ...more

Music services show mixed financial results

There were mixed fortunes for two of Apple's main rivals in the digital music market, Napster and Real Networks, when they announced their latest financial results last night. Napster's losses grew to $19.9 million for the latest quarter, compared to just $2. ...more

Hong Kong movie pirate sentenced

A Hong Kong man convicted of movie piracy using the BitTorrent service has been sentenced to three months. Unemployed 38-year-old Chan Nai-ming was convicted last month of distributing three movies: Daredevil, Red Planet and Miss Congeniality; making him the first BitTorrent user to be successfully prosecuted for the offence. Chan pleaded not guilty. ...more

Viruses erase digital memories

Brits are losing treasured memories to cyber crime because they are failing to make back-ups of their digital archives, a survey from McAfee has found. Almost one million UK households have lost irreplaceable photos of memorable events and loved ones, their favourite music, and entire address books after PCs were infected by a virus. McAfee questioned 1,500 home users across Europe and found that people are putting themselves at risk by using PCs, mobiles and PDAs as personal treasure troves. ...more