Government issues 3rd annual report on Freedom of Information

The newly-created Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) (formerly the Department for Freedom of Information) has published its 3rd Annual Progress Report on the introduction of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The document details progress towards full implementation of the Act, which is due in January 2005. By then public authorities - which include government, local authorities and a wide range of quasi-governmental bodies - have to put details about their decision making into the public domain. ...more

Free broadband promise, too good to be true?

Fantastic as it may seem, a new ISP is taking pre-registrations for what it promises will be the world's first free broadband. Freebroadband says its 'incredible' service will be open to UK home users from the spring. The promise of broadband for free will no doubt be met with suspicion, not least because the company is unprepared to say how it can cover the not insubstantial costs of running a broadband service. ...more

VIA launches VT8237 south bridge

VIA Technologies, a developer of silicon chip technologies and PC platform solutions, has announced its VIA VT8237 south bridge, which can be coupled with the complete range of VIA core logic north bridges for connectivity across the spectrum of Intel, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and VIA processor platforms. VIA claims it features the world's first integrated multi-configuration Serial ATA (SATA)/RAID controller. The company believes the VIA VT8237 will drive SATA hard disk drive technology mainstream, providing the performance and data integrity benefits of RAID across a wider platform. ...more

UK games chart: Xbox launch powers Doom revival

An Xbox launch and a PC expansion pack have done the trick for Doom 3 (pictured) in this week's ELSPA UK games chart, with id Software's shoot-em-up re-entering the charts at number three. Sitting above Doom 3, however, is EA's FIFA Street - still at number one - and Ubi Soft's multi-format action game Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, which is up two to two. Last week's number two - Sony's Gran Turismo - skids down to number four. ...more

IBM powers world's fastest chip

New Power6 chip offers environmentally-friendly computing with reduced power consumption. IBM claims it is not only the world's fastest microprocessor but one also able to help cut electricity consumption of datacentres, which makes them more environmentally friendly. The new Power6 processor clocks in at 4. ...more