Intel cranks up Celeron speeds

Intel has raised the bar on its low cost Celeron offering by introducing two new versions at 2.3 and 2.4GHz. ...more

EasyCruise auctions dock at eBay

easyCruise and eBay are linking up to encourage online bidders to choose a cruise. The deal between the two brands will allow customers to start bidding at just ?1 or hit the 'buy it now' price from ?30 per person for a two-night trip. 'Our primary business has always come via our internet site, easyCruise. ...more

Trade unionists unhappy with Apple report

Trade unionists have expressed dissatisfaction at Apple's report into working conditions at Foxconn's iPod manufacturing plant in China. While Apple, with some reservations, gave the plant a clean bill of health, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU)'s director of human and trade union rights, Janek Kuczkiewicz, told the BBC that it has 'serious reservations' about the report. 'We are not impressed either by the report or by the findings of Apple,' Kuczkiewicz said. ...more

Los Angeles rejects master and slave disk labelling

Los Angeles County has asked computer equipment manufacturers and suppliers to stop using the common terms 'master' and 'slave' to denote primary and secondary hard drives. The request follows a complaint to the county's Office of Affirmative Action Compliance (OAAC) and has met with a mixed response. In a memo seen by Reuters, the OAAC's division manager of purchasing and contract services Joe Sandoval wrote, 'Based on the cultural diversity and sensitivity of Los Angeles County, this is not an acceptable identification label. ...more

Napster's $1bn sweetener

Napster is hoping to buy the friendship of record companies with a $1bn offering over five years. In the wake of the findings by the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit that the service infringes copyrights, supporting a lower court injunction to prevent the unauthorised exchange of copyright material, Napster has proposed to split $150m between the five major labels and a further $50m between indie labels and artists annually. The offer is to be funded by the introduction of a subscription fee to its user base, which could begin as early as July. ...more