First look: Nokia's N-Gage

Following Nokia's unveiling of its N-Gage handheld multimedia system, we can now tell you what it's actually like to play. After the launch conference, invited guests were ushered into the capsule of the majestic London Eye, each filled with N-Gage units and, more importantly, free champagne. Or have we got that the wrong way round? Anyway, after announcing the support of Activision, Sega, Eidos, Taito and THQ, attendees actually had chance to try out both the system and the some of the initial software offerings. ...more

Scots to get electric Web

Two towns in Scotland are to take part in a pilot scheme which will use electricity power networks to deliver broadband Internet services in rural areas. The telecoms arm of Scottish and Southern Electricity plc, SSE Telecom is working with various partners to provide broadband in Crieff and Campbeltown, utilising funding made available by the government's DTI Broadband Fund. The services will be open to residential, business and public sector Internet users. ...more

Toshiba docks into new Multimedia Center for notebooks

We are all familiar with racks of separates in a Hi-Fi system and Toshiba is borrowing the concept to help expand the capabilities of notebooks running Windows XP or 2000. The Multimedia Center for notebooks comprises four stackable modules: an audio/USB hub, Giga Store mass storage, analogue/digital TV and radio tuner and wireless home hot spot. Apart from the audio/USB 'base station', different modules can be added to the stack according to needs and budget. ...more

Google's approach to click fraud declared 'reasonable'

Google's approach to click fraud has been declared 'reasonable' by an independent expert. Dr. Alexander Tuzhilin, Professor of Information Systems at NYU, was asked to make a detailed examination of Google's detection methods and procedures and he declared the approaches to the problem made by Google's Click Quality team were 'reasonable'. ...more

Chinese crackdown on Internet porn

China has warned that it is to crack down on Internet porn. The Chinese news agency Xinhua says that those caught pushing pornographic images either through the Internet, mobile phones or phone sex face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Popular commercial websites which have been clicked over 250,000 times face the severest penalties although the Supreme People's court warned that producers of non-profit websites which contain indecent material will also be targeted. ...more