Apple to license FairPlay DRM for iPod?

Certain copy-protectd CDs may soon be compatible with iTunes and iPods, according to a report that Macrovision may be about to license Apple's FairPlay rights management software. If Macrovision is successful in gaining a licence from Apple, it would be able to include compressed AAC files alongside those encoded in Windows Media on CDs protected by its CDS-300 DRM software. Any agreement would make sense for Apple, as the deployment of copy-protection on CDs seems set to increase now that the software developers have overcome early teething problems that prevented many CDS from playing in computers. ...more

Google Earth goes 3D for search and mapping

Google has launched a new satellite imagery-based mapping environment that combines 3D buildings and terrain with mapping capability and Google search. Google Earth enables users to fly from space to street level views to find geographic information and explore places around the world. Key features of Google Earth include 3D buildings in major cities across the United States; 3D terrain showing mountains, valleys, and canyons around the world; integrated Google Local search to find local information such as hotels, restaurants, schools, parks, and transportation; dynamic navigation; video playback of driving directions; and tilt, rotate, and activate 3D terrain and buildings for a different perspective on a location. ...more

JavaOne: Sun unveils Java Studio Creator and J2SE 5.0

Sun has made a host of new announcements at its JavaOne conference, which has kicked off in San Francisco. Jonathan Schwartz, president and COO at Sun Microsystems, rolled out a slew of big figures to demonstrate how far reaching Java had become: 4 million developers and a 100 million downloads of Java kits, writing software for 1.7 billion devices, including 350 million mobile Java phones, and power an economy worth $120 billion. ...more

AMD advances into Mexico with its 50x15 initiative

AMD is advancing with its 50x15 initiative, to bring affordable Internet access for 50 percent of the world's population by the year 2015. It has announced a deal with Telmex, a Mexican telco, to supply Personal Internet Communicator (PIC) devices across Mexico. Developed by AMD, the Telmex Internet Box - as it will be dubbed - will provide Internet access and involve hardware and software support. ...more

Hi-Grade DMS II 3400: PC Pro review update

Following our review of Hi-Grade's new Media Center PC, the DMS II 3400 (see issue 126, p62), Hi-Grade has now announced that customers can now pre-order the machine with a digital tuner card. The configuration includes a single DVB-T card, two analog tuners and an nVidia GeForce 6600 GT graphics card. Existing customers can upgrade their DMS II 3400 to this specification for ?264 including collection, re-delivery, parts, labour and VAT. ...more