Analysts: DRM on music CDs deemed unworkable

Analysts at research firm Gartner said they doubt music publishers will ever find a 'workable DRM scheme for music CDs'. The company has been following the saga of Sony's ill-fated DRM technology closely, and pointed out that aside from the public-relations fiasco that this has become, the technology itself is easily overcome. 'The user simply applies a fingernail-sized piece of opaque tape to the outer edge of the disc,' report the analysts. ...more

2Mbit broadband for less than ?30

Bulldog has announced that its residential 2Mbit PrimeTime broadband service is available for just ?29.36 (inc. VAT) until 31 August. ...more

Medical simulation games on the Net

You won't have heard of them, but a popular series of medical simulation games based on Emergency Room surgery are making their way to the global township that is the Internet. ER-sim puts you in the white coat and matching stethoscope of an ER doc, treating car crash victims, drunken loons, gunshot wounds, infant fevers and, er, snowboarding accidents. Fans of the Casualty Drinking Game can also create their own cases for others to try out. ...more

Canalys predicts smart phones to usurp PDAs

Research company Canalys has predicted that next year will see smart phones outselling handhelds by half a million. In the company's latest report, EMEA Mobile Device Trends 2003, Canalys predicts markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa to see 3.3 million smart phone devices shipped, compared with 2. ...more

States hold their ground against Microsoft

Old enemies Microsoft and the nine US states yet to agree on a settlement slunk back into court yesterday to slug out what penalties should be imposed to ensure the software giant can't further indulge in anti-competitive behaviour. The trial, expected to last around two months under the gaze of Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, will determine exactly what those penalties will be, following Microsoft being found guilty of breaking US federal antitrust laws last June. The nine states that have so far rejected an earlier proposed settlement are suggesting that stiffer penalties be imposed to prevent Microsoft repeating its actions in emerging markets such as media players and the new-found enthusiasm for Linux. ...more