Ultraportable Latitudes from Dell, business notebooks from HP

New notebook offerings are announced by both Dell and HP. Dell has updated its Latitude range with the ultraportable D400 (pictured). It features full Centrino certification (a Pentium M processor with Intel's PRO/Wireless 2100 support for 802. ...more

MSN takes on PressPlay

Microsoft has made a deal with Vivendi Universal and Sony to put budding music-download-service Pressplay on the Microsoft Network. The deal is part of the ongoing war between record companies to get subscription-based Net music services onto as many PCs as possible. The involvement of Microsoft will no doubt be a blow to EMI, AOL/Time Warner, Bertlesmann, Real Networks and Napster, who are working together on a similar project called MusicNet. ...more

Spam levels dropping by a third - security company

Email security company SoftScan claims spam levels dropped an unprecedented 30 per cent in the last week. The reason behind the drop could be because one of the main botnets used for sending out spam email might have temporarily lost control of the infected machines in its network. Other possibilities include the effect of earthquakes in Asia or the fact that more PCs would have been turned off over the Christmas break or replaced with new models. ...more

AMD reveals new roadmap

AMD is planning to finally break open Intel's grip on the x86 market for desktops and servers. The company plans to introduce new ranges of multicore and multisocket designs and has invited the industry to join it in creating a more open ecosystem based on AMD technology. Chairman and CEO Hector Ruiz told analysts that the company wanted to create a 'more open and innovation-friendly x86-based platform to those who want to collaborate in the development of differentiated, customer-centric solutions'. ...more

Google cast as Internet bully

Search King has taken out a lawsuit against Google, alleging that the company is penalising competitors. The search engine optimisation company claims that Google 'arbitrarily' reduced the ranking for Search King and its related sites, thereby reducing the value of the company and the service it provided to advertisers. The lawsuit brought by the president of Search King alleges that Google 'arbitrarily and purposefully devalued his companies' and his customers' Web sites, causing his business to suffer financially'. ...more