UK broadband connections overtake dial-ups

The number of broadband connections in the UK has exceeded dial-up usage for the first time. BT figures show that there are now more than 7.4 million broadband users, with two million using cable and 5. ...more

Bertelsmann/EMI merger would face EC concerns

EMI and Bertelsmann's music group BMG met yesterday in New York for further talks after their announcement of a possible merger on Friday. The proposal, however, will still have to overcome the EC's fears over a concentration of major labels. The deal would reduce the number of major labels from five to four - one of the EC's main concerns that led to the collapse of EMI's previously proposed merger with Time Warner. ...more

And also today (23-October-2001)...

Here, in brief, are some of the day's other stories. Red Hat 7.2 For those who track the many and varied releases of Linux, Red Hat 7. ...more

Think tank recommends compulsory use of e-Government services

A new report from The Work Foundation recommends that Net-savvy users should have to use some e-services in order to boost the use and the money-saving benefits of paperless transactions. The report, SmartGov - renewing Electronic Government for Improved Service Delivery, says the government's current target of getting all services online by 2005 should be downgraded, with priority given to getting people to use them. Co-auther James Crabtree said: 'Some of the services Government has to put online to meet its 100 per cent target - from burial at sea to potato seed classification - begin to look a little peculiar when barely 3 per cent of those eligible are filling in their tax returns online. ...more

Intel and IBM add to traffic-jam of in-car computing

You wait ages for an automotive computing system to turn up, and then three come along at once. Following on from our reports on Microsoft's Car.Net and Sun's dashboard Java, comes news of Intel's collaboration with IBM to produce an in-car client platform of their own. ...more