Racing round the Net

Rage releases E-racers today, a street car racing game that is centred around online competition. It works fine as a single player arcade, boasting great 3D-effects and real-time damage, and you can use this offline mode to build up your skills, opening up new cars and tracks as you progress. But once you've mastered your wheels, head to the Web and you can take on human opponents either on your own or as part of a team. ...more

IBM sells the Cell outside the gaming market

IBM has signed a deal with US systems developer Mercury Computer Systems to licence the revolutionary Cell processor. This deal is the first that sells the new design outside of the games market. The Cell chip, jointly developed by IBM, Sony and Toshiba, combines nine processors on a single piece of silicon and is set to revolutionise graphics processing. ...more

Microsoft begins Express Upgrade programme

Microsoft has begun its Express Upgrade coupon programme, for those in the market for a new PC but who want to have the much-delayed Vista operating system. Working with computer sellers, Microsoft's programme will provide some consumers with certain low-cost upgrades to Vista. It will apply to PCs that are pre-loaded with various flavours of Windows XP or 2003 Microsoft Office software. ...more

And also today (10-Apr-2001), for the record...

Here, in brief, are some of the day's other stories. Bad maths in the courtroom Last week an award of $296,873 was made against MP3.com in a copyright lawsuit brought by the record label Tee Vee Toons. ...more

Cable & Wireless cooling on UK retail broadband market?

Cable & Wireless, the owners of Bulldog, may be about to withdraw from the retail broadband market. Several Sunday newspapers have reported that C&W is concerned that the UK broadband market may be approaching saturation point. If, as a result, it cannot continue to expand its user base, the company has little prospect of recouping the ?18mn it paid for Bulldog and the ?250mn it has subsequently invested. ...more