Microsoft begins Express Upgrade programme

Microsoft has begun its Express Upgrade coupon programme, for those in the market for a new PC but who want to have the much-delayed Vista operating system. Working with computer sellers, Microsoft's programme will provide some consumers with certain low-cost upgrades to Vista. It will apply to PCs that are pre-loaded with various flavours of Windows XP or 2003 Microsoft Office software. ...more

Sendmail flaw makes email vulnerable to hackers

The security software company Internet Security Systems (ISS) has discovered a security flaw in the most popular program for managing the Internet email traffic. The buffer overflow vulnerability affects the well-established Sendmail program. ISS states that Sendmail handles between 50 per cent and 75 per cent of three-quarters of all Internet email traffic. ...more

Sony gets a bad vibration

Sony has been ordered by a US judge to pay $90 million damages to the Californian company Immersion Corporation for patent infringement. The suit refers to the vibration mechanism built into control pads for PlayStations that provide synchronised tactile feedback during a game The award follows a decision by a jury in the Northern Californian jurisdiction that Sony had infringed Immersion's patent by incorporating the Dual Shock controller technology into its consoles. In addition, the court decreed a permanent injunction against Sony manufacturing, importing or selling PlayStation consoles, Dual Shock controllers, and the 47 games which make use of the feature. ...more

Toshiba announces super-slim drives

Toshiba has announced it will begin mass production of a tiny disk drive with a capacity of a staggering 60Gb sometime next month. The MK6021GAS is a 2.5in drive, measuring less than a centimetre in height (9. ...more

Colour mobiles around the corner

Sharp has shown off four prototypes of colour LCDs currently being developed for use with mobile phones. The new LCDs were debuted at the LCD/PDP International 2000 exhibition in Yokohama. The first display is a super-twisted nematic (STN) and can handle 256 colours. ...more