HSBC strengthens online defences

The HSBC is claiming the largest UK roll out of access code generating key fobs to its business customers. Some 180,000 of its business customers will receive the key fobs, costing the bank around ?3 each, in a bid to combat online fraud following successful roll outs in the US and Hong Kong. A spokesperson told us that HSBC has no plans to offer the security devices to its consumer customers as 'the risk profile is so much higher' for businesses. ...more

NEC gets handy with handhelds

NEC Computers has joined the ranks of PocketPC 2002 PDA makers with the MobilePro P300 Pocket PC. As with the army of new PocketPC 2002 PDAs from the likes of Toshiba, HP, Compaq and Casio, the MobilePro P300 houses the standard set of high-end components including Intel's 206Mhz StrongARM processor and a 65,000 colour screen and is aimed squarely at the corporate market. The unit comes as standard with an SD card comprising third-party apps for data management, image editing, a Java runtime environment, VoIP software and a PowerPoint/Excel viewer. ...more

Wacom pushes pen tablet for laptops

Wacom has introduced a second wireless pen tablet - but this one is to keep notebook users happy. The PenPartner2, aimed at business professionals and business travellers, is designed specifically for laptops and allows users to add hand-written notes to documents in Microsoft Office. Now users can add a personal touch, like a signature or comments, to letters and e-mails in or out of the office. ...more

BT wants you to Ask Jeeves

British Telecom is not that well known for answering questions, so to rectify the matter it is handing over that side of its website to snooty search engine Ask Jeeves. If you are not already familiar with the search engine, it is fronted by Jeeves, the butler from PG Wodehouse's Bertie Wooster stories. You will be able to ask the virtual butler things relating to BT such as "How do I order an extra line" or "Can I pay my bill by direct debit?" The Jeeves character should be appearing on the bt. ...more

Broadband TV company expands outside London

Broadband TV company Homechoice is planning to expand outside London for the first time. The company uses local loop unbundling to supply fast broadband connections to 34,000 subscribers, up from 15,000 at the start of the year. They pay between ?14 and ?18 to receive ADSL up to 8Mbps, as many as 55 digital TV channels, as well as video on demand and telephone services. ...more