HP-Compaq merger gets backing from investor advisors

Influential investor advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) has come out in support of HP's merger plans in a 25-page report. Good news indeed for Fiorina and the gang, as around 23 per cent of shareholders receive ISS's reports. It should also raise the tone of the ongoing embittered battle between the HP board and the families of the founders, led by Walter Hewlett, which has become increasingly personal and desperate. ...more

Kingfisher free to buy Dixons

The DTI has announced that it is lifting the restrictions placed on Kingfisher plc that had prevented it from taking control of Dixons plc. Following a Monopolies and Mergers Commission report in 1990 the company gave undertakings were given by Kingfisher that it would not make a bid for Dixons. At the time, the company owned the rival Comet electrical retailer. ...more

Curb email rage – with a chilli!

A new piece of software called Eudora Moodwatch aims to prevent you sending out any emails that may be a little too hot to handle. We’ve all been in a position when we’ve received an email which enflames and enrages the senses. The only recourse you have is to type in a couple of angry missives and click on ‘send’. ...more

Adobe unveils Photoshop 6

Adobe has finally take the wraps off Photoshop 6. The long-awaited upgrade includes a raft of new features, tools and usability enhancements that will reaffirm Photoshop's position as the image manipulation package of choice. Key additions include the integration of vector-drawing support, enabling the creation of editable, resolution-independent vector shapes and text and output to PDF files. ...more

Washing machines that read the labels

Ariston is acting on manufacturers beginning to tag products with RF chips, by adding in the technology to read them on its domestic appliances. Recently Gillette began manufacturing RF-tagged razor blades to boost efficiency in its inventory and logistics processes, as razor blades are one the products most-often stolen from supermarkets. The technology allows both Gillette and supermarkets to track production rates and stock levels. ...more