PC Pro: Stealth upgrade

JAL has changed two components in its Virgo Stealth machine, which won the Silent PCs group test The Logitech Wireless Keyboard/Mouse have been changed to the Microsoft Wireless Keyboard & Optical Mouse, while the Nicole SD-2500 speakers have been upgraded to the Creative Inspire 5100 speakers. As the mouse and keyboard are of equivalent quality, and the speakers are an improvement, PC Pro Labs is happy with these changes to the reviewed specification. However, if you would prefer to order the Stealth as originally reviewed, JAL will offer this exact configuration. ...more

Rights management central to Microsoft future

Microsoft plans to extend its Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology to both its Office suite of business software and its market leading Web browser, Internet Explorer. In an email sent to customers, Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer argues that the full potential of computer technology will not be realised, 'because of concerns about illegal use of digital information, about confidentiality and about privacy.' 'Businesses don't exchange digital information with customers and partners as freely as they might,' he continues, 'because they fear it could fall into the wrong hands'. ...more

Kodak puts photos on the TV

Kodak has formed an alliance with LSI Logic to develop DVD players that will display digital photos on television sets. The idea is that the DVD players will be able to read photo CDs and display both thumbnails and full photos, which will be automatically resized for TVs. If successful, the plan will mark the first steps towards moving digital photos away from the PC, although, of course, you couldn't edit them or upload them to the Net. ...more

Sun swishes back into PC territory

Sun unveils today its first sub-$1000 UNIX workstation - the Sun Blade 100. The new workstation is targeted directly against the higher-end PCs that have eaten into the market share of the traditional workstation. PC builders, such as Dell and Compaq, have long been releasing ever more powerful Wintel machines to compete for the computation-intensive work of engineers and designers, the typical workstation users. ...more

More ISPs cut broadband prices

Two more ISPs have announced cuts in the prices of their home broadband Internet services in the wake of cost cuts announced by BT on Tuesday. Apple UK's preferred ISP Demon Internet has introduced the new price at the same time as announcing its self-install package. Demon Express Solo will cost ?28. ...more