Toshiba puts brakes on HD DVD

Toshiba has announced that it is delaying the release of the first HD DVD players. The company, which first developed the next-generation optical storage standard, said that copy protection issues will delay the launch until early next year. HD DVD backers had hoped that the first devices would ship before the end of 2005, giving the technology a head-start in its tussle with the rival Blu-ray system. ...more

Rights management central to Microsoft future

Microsoft plans to extend its Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology to both its Office suite of business software and its market leading Web browser, Internet Explorer. In an email sent to customers, Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer argues that the full potential of computer technology will not be realised, 'because of concerns about illegal use of digital information, about confidentiality and about privacy.' 'Businesses don't exchange digital information with customers and partners as freely as they might,' he continues, 'because they fear it could fall into the wrong hands'. ...more

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Broadband hits three million mark

The UK now has three million broadband subscribers, according to the latest figures from industry regulator Oftel. In its latest Internet and Broadband Brief, Oftel says that there are 1,674,000 ADSL users and an estimated 1,331,000 cable subscribers. These figures do not include businesses with leased lines. ...more

Fujifilm creates more powerful CCDs

Fujifilm announces CCDs to reveal more detail and use less space. The fourth generation Super CCDs from Fujifilm announced yesterday come in two forms. The Super CCD HR will mean an improvement of 50 per cent in the resolution of the image produced, compared with a third generation Super CCD of the same physical size. ...more