HSE warns against PC mag advice

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned against advice given by some computer magazines on upgrading practices. In particular, it's concerns lay with advice on how to rid yourself of static electricity before installing new components. It had found some magazines advised their readers to plug the computer in to the mains, switch off the power supply at the mains, and earth themselves to the computer chassis using a conductive wrist strap. ...more

HP and Nokia team up for Bluetooth printing

Wireless printing project will make phone to printer connection Nokia and HP have announced that they are working on a printing application for Nokia's Symbian-based Series 60 mobile platform that will allow users to print files on Series 60 phones directly to a compatible printer via Bluetooth. 'The convenience, speed and reliability with local wireless connections will simplify consumers' mobile experience,' said Juha Putkiranta, Senior VP of the Imaging Business Unit at Nokia. 'Printing from Nokia's Series 60 phones is a natural extension of what people want to do with digital information. ...more

Google Analytics rolls out worldwide

Google has revamped its website traffic monitoring service and made it available to businesses worldwide. New functionality in Version 2 of Google Analytics includes email reporting, customisable dashboards, and new site map displays. According to Google, there is also a greater emphasis on making the data more accessible. ...more

EC to investigate 'British Government subsidies' to BT

The European Commission is to investigate whether BT and the Hull based telco Kingston Communications have been given hidden subsidies by the British Government. The subsidies are said to be via a different 'business rate' on property not available to competitors. The difference is said to be in the region of around ?12 billion. ...more

EU cans spam trademark

Hormel Foods has failed in a EU-wide bid to register a trademark for the word spam, when used to refer to junk email. The Minnesota-based company tolerates the use of the term to describe unsolicited email, just as long as it is written all in lower case. The capitalised SPAM is registered as a trademark in more than 100 countries and refers to the company's canned spiced ham product. ...more