BitTorrent swarms towards a CE future

File-swapping phenomenon BitTorrent has teamed up with US home networking kit builders to bake in its software into their devices. Asus, Planex and QNAP will include BitTorrent's download manager and client software in their various wireless routers, media servers and network attached storage (NAS) devices. BitTorrent is no longer the maverick it once was, and is cleaning up its act. ...more

Microsoft settles ?684m antitrust suit

Microsoft has settled a pending class action lawsuit in an agreement worth up to ?684m ($1.1bn). The class-action suit, which would have gone to trial towards the end of February, was brought by businesses and individuals in California who alleged that the company used its monopolistic power to violate antitrust laws and overcharge customers for its products by as much as ?25. ...more

Competition Commission proposes tough rules for extended warranties

The next time you buy an expensive piece of electronic kit, the experience of then being rushed into signing up to an equally expensive extended warranty may be a thing of the past. In the Competition Commission's investigation into whether the consumer is adequately informed and served when sold an extended warranty, it has arrived at two possible remedies. The first would mean goods were displayed with the cost of the warranty and duration along with the price of the product. ...more

Walking CDs drives music fans digital

UK music fans' inability to hang on to their CD collections is driving the adoption of digital music services, according to an ICM survey. The survey found that we have lost two billion vinyl records and CDs through theft or by lending them out, that's 37 out of the average 126-strong collection. As a result, the survey claims, one-in-five are now using the Internet to get our music while 42 per cent no longer venture into high street stores where they cannot find what they are looking for. ...more

AOL faces VAT

Freeserve smug on AOL facing VAT come July. New EU law that comes into effect in July will mean AOL has to start paying VAT on sales inside the region. Freeserve is delighted that the anomaly which it believes has saved AOL ?150mn over the past seven years is to come to an end. ...more