Netscape joins Microsoft court queue

Netscape is to sue Microsoft for anti-competitive practices, following the US Federal Court ruling that Microsoft has violated anti-trust laws and damaged Netscape in the process. Netscape, which is a division of AOL Time Warner, is seeking, 'injunctive relief sufficient to prevent further anti-trust injury,' and, 'an award of treble damages to be determined at trial.' The lawsuit alleges that from 1995 Microsoft harmed Netscape by promoting Internet Explorer at the expense of Netscape's Navigator Web browser (now known simply as Netscape). ...more

Microsoft trials web based MSN Messenger service

Microsoft's MSN messenger has had a Web-facelift, allowing users to communicate through instant messages even if they don't have the client software. The software is currently in beta and will be launched later in the year. Like rivals such as AOL's AIM Express, the web version of the messaging service doesn't feature any of the niceties of the client software such as games, voice or video calls. ...more

LaCie announces new mobile hard drives

LaCie has unveiled that latest addition to its range of hard drives designed by FA Porsche. The Mobile Hard Drive is available with 20GB, 40GB or 80GB of storage with either a FireWire/iLink or Hi-Speed USB 2 connection. No external power supply is required (and none supplied) as the drives are bus-powered. ...more

Islington unveils wireless mile of free Net access

Islington Council has announced the opening of its Technology Mile, a free wireless broadband network running along Upper Street, Islington's main thoroughfare. Stretching from The Angel to Highbury Corner, it provides one mile of unbroken wireless broadband coverage to for residents, workers and visitors, anyone, in fact, with a wireless-enabled device. 'As London's largest hotzone Islington's Technology Mile is a landmark in providing wide reaching community services directly on the street,' said councillor Bridget Fox. ...more

Last century codecs for next-gen Blu-ray

As Sony prepares for the introduction of the first commercial Blu-ray products early next year, its film and TV division is planning to release its first movies on the format using a decade-old codec. Don Eklund, senior vice president of advanced technology for Sony Pictures, has revealed that the it will encode with the same MPEG-2 technology used for DVDs. 'Advanced formats don't necessarily improve picture quality,' said Eklund. ...more