UK PTO workshop divides lawyers and engineers over patents

The extent of the division between attorneys and software engineers over software patents was crystallised at a series of workshops run by the UK Patent Office. Delegates comprised a mix of patent attorneys and software engineers and were tasked with testing a number of patent applications against different definitions of the 'technical contribution' criteria. It is this test that determines the approval of software patents in current law and within the formative CII directive on the issue at the EU. ...more

Apple servers upgraded to dual 800s

Apple's Mac OS X Server hardware configurations have been upgraded, with two dual-800MHz models added to the existing 733 option. The two new servers, effectively modified Power Mac G4s, have two 800MHz processors, each with 256K of level 2 cache and 2MB of level 3 cache, and 256MB RAM. Differentiating the two are a 80GB Ultra ATA hard drive in one - the 'Faster' model and two 36GB Ultra160 SCSI drives in the other, the 'Fastest'. ...more

Toshiba boosts HD-DVD capacity

Toshiba has taken the capacity of its HD-DVD technology to 45GB, within range of the 50GB offered by Sony's rival Blu-ray system, by adding an additional 15GB storage layer. The 50 per cent capacity increase virtually wipes out Blu-ray's major advantage over HD-DVD, and will undoubtedly strengthen Toshiba's hand in the negotiations over merging the two into a single standard. Toshiba has further embellished its technology with the development of a hybrid, double-sided disc that is HD-DVD on one side and normal DVD on the other, providing optimum forward- and back-compatibility. ...more

Euro police raid 80 homes in crack down on child pornography

An alleged child pornography ring has been smashed according to Europol. A combined operation involving six EU member states searched around 80 house and made a number of arrests. The operation, called 'Icebreaker II' carried out raids in France, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK following investigation and surveilliance of chat rooms and bulletin boards led by Italy's Carabinieri police. ...more

Intel intros vPro combo

Putting its financial woes behind it, Intel has launched its vPro platform. Consisting of Intel's new Core2 Duo processor along with the Q965 Express chipset and the 82566DM Gigabit Network Connection, it also includes Intel's Active Management Technology and Virtualisation Technology. In addition, Intel vPro-based PCs include Intel's latest integrated graphics - which will put the platform directly up against the new AMD and ATi axis that came together a month ago. ...more