DRAM makers keep fingers crossed for better prices

Unwilling to see their losses jump higher, DRAM makers are tolerating higher inventory levels as they keep their fingers crossed for a better pricing environment in the second half, sources said. While global contract prices for DRAM show no signs of recovery, the price of 256Mbit DDR has seen temporary support at $3, as several leading DRAM makers maintain a bias towards holding inventory rather than selling at a loss. However, DRAM prices are unlikely to recover in the near term due to the traditional second-quarter weakness in the IT sector and the potential repercussions of SARS on IT demand, market participants said. ...more

Parallels simplifies installation for Windows-on-a-Mac software

Parallels has added a new installation assistant to its Desktop for Mac software that enables Macs to run PC operating systems at the same time as OS X. The assistant provides an 'Express Windows OS Installation Mode' for Windows XP and Windows Vista, which automates the virtual machine set-up and Windows installation processes. Users select which Windows version they plan to use, enter their name, company information and Windows activation key and then installation is completely automated, requiring no user interaction. ...more

Comment: Inprise becomes Borland (again)

A full circle has been turned with the announcement that Inprise Corporation plans to change its name to Borland Software Corporation. The Nasdaq market symbol will change from "INPR" to "BORL" come the first quarter of 2001. It was back in the late nineties, when everything of serious value had to be "enterprise" in some form (or Edition) or other, that the marketing repositioning of Borland began. ...more

AMD phases out Athlon for Phenom

AMD will phase out the Athlon brand on its next generation of top-end K10 CPUs, it has announced. It will be replaced by a 'Phenom'. According to AMD's marketing, the CPUs will 'allow users to experience the phenomenal'. ...more

US politicians lean on spam to promote campaigns

As the fate of US politics spins out in the mid-term elections, security specialist Sophos notes that campaigners are going to extraordinary lengths to boost turnout at the polls. Even inanimate objects are being urged to take part. So zealous have the parties been on the campaign trail that Sophos's network of honeypot servers, designed as easy prey for virus writers and spammers to provide the company with a snapshot of malicious online activity, have been sent emails supporting both the Republican and Democrat camps. ...more