Apple reports $45 million loss

Apple lost $45 million during the last quarter, but recorded a $65m profit for the financial year. Revenues for the quarter of $1,443m were only slightly down on the same quarter last year, when the company recorded a $66m profit. However the last three months saw increased operating costs and $65m losses on investments. ...more

Sony and Universal take on MusicNet

Just days after the announcement of MusicNet - the joint venture between RealNetworks, Warner Music, BMG and EMI - comes the news of a rival effort that sweeps up the remaining major labels along with Yahoo. Duet is to be MusicNet's rival, a platform for delivering a subscription-based music service over the Net, developed by Sony and Universal, and delivered by Yahoo. Yahoo's shares leapt 25 per cent on the news. ...more

Annual mobile phone sales near one billion

Nearly a billion mobile phones have been sold this year according to figures released by IDC. Sales in developing nations are driving strong growth in the market, with worldwide sales up 21 per cent on the year and seven per cent on the month. Earnings results from the top five manufacturers show no let up in sales so far. ...more

Microsoft 'in talks' to buy stake in AOL

Microsoft and media giant Time Warner are in negotiations to merge the MSN and AOL portals according to reports in the New York Post. The Post says that according to its sources the two companies are in 'advanced discussions' to sell a stake in AOL to Microsoft. Under the proposed plan, Microsoft would pay cash upfront for AOL that would leave the two companies roughly equal partners. ...more

Batteries to get boost from nanotechnology

Mobile devices in the future may get extra battery power thanks to nanotechnology. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have come up with a way of storing extra charge in 'ultracapacitors'. The team led by Riccardo Signorelli, Joel Schindall and John Kassakian have developed a new type of double layer capacitor that can store charge way beyond the limits of normal capacitors. ...more