Legal downloads exceed file-sharing in UK and Germany

The value of digital music sales trebled in 2005. Downloads and ringtones generated $1.1bn and now account for six per cent of record company revenues. ...more

PIDA: 17-inch TFT LCD shipments to dominate by 2005

With more production capacity - especially fifth-generation lines - being devoted to 17-inch TFT LCDs, their share of global shipments is expected to rise and exceed that of 15-inch panels by 2005. This is predicted by the Taiwan-based Photonics Industry & Technology Development Association (PIDA). The price of 17-inch panels may fall as low as $220 in 2003, down from the current $260, but its average selling price (ASP) will be $230-240 for the year, according to PIDA. ...more

Hatto husband admits music CD hoax

The husband of late pianist Joyce Hatto has confessed to passing off other classical recording as her work. In a letter to the BIS record label, William Barrington-Coupe admitted to the fraud, which was uncovered after listeners inserted her CDs into a computer, only to get track information from the Internet for another artist altogether. 'It is self-evident that I have acted stupidly, dishonestly and unlawfully,' Barrington-Coupe wrote. ...more

Samsung named world's fastest growing brand

Samsung has been named the 'Fastest Growing Global Brand' by Interbrand, a global brand consultancy. For a second year in a row the South Korean electronics giant has taken this particular marketing garland. Interbrand calculates that Samsung's brand value has more than doubled from $5. ...more

07-07-2001 Essential news of the week

Brought neatly together and presented on a plate, here is a roundup of some of the week's main news stories from the world of IT. HP asks staff to take pay cut Logitech presses the right keys Lexmark enters the all-in-one market Genie to play Nokia games Marconi to shed 4,000 jobs Dixons posts strong results, bucks IT trend Cube on ice Intel unwraps value chips P4 heads towards 2Ghz All in one HP for all Microsoft seeks better-balance for XP Smart Tags Don't forget, we welcome your comments. Just click on a story and go for the 'Comments' link on the right-hand side of the screen. ...more