Fujitsu drives in a spin

Fujitsu has introduced its MAM series of hard drives for high-end workstations and servers, spinning at 15,000rpm. With current drive speeds at the 7,200rpm mark, this more than doubling of speed allows a much greater data transfer rate, as much as 88.9Mbytes/sec. ...more

Apple warns of iPod counterfeits

Apple has begun warning its service partners that several companies are manufacturing and selling counterfeit iPods. AppleInsider reports that the fake devices often have a genuine Apple serial number - a number have been found bearing the code 6U545TK2TJT - but lack identifying features. Fake nanos can usually be easily recognised as they do not have a dock connector and lack the familiar iPod software while shifty shuffles are devoid of the battery and status indicator lights. ...more

UKonline on your PC

Users of MSN's Messenger service may have noticed an extra tab has been added, giving access to the Government's UKonline portal. The new tab was softly launched just a few days ago under cover of silence. As well as access to UK online, the new tab adds links to the 10 Downing Street Web site, NHS Direct and the WorkTrain jobs site. ...more

ARM builds in biometric voice recognition

The UK voice recognition specialists Domain Dynamics is working with ARM to develop biometric voice security technology. Reducing the scope for fraud and security breaches is the goal. Domain Dynamics is to join the ARM PrimeXsys Community Program, making its Smart Voice technology available to developers for ARM devices, which include phones, PDAs and access control systems. ...more

Microsoft establishes 'interoperability council'

Microsoft has established a group known as the 'Interoperability Customer Executive Council' with the aim of identifying areas for interoperability improvements across its range of products and the overall software industry. Among the founding members are Soci?t? G?n?rale, LexisNexis, Kohl's Department Stores, Denmark's Ministry of Finance, Spain's Generalitat de Catalunya and Centro Nacional de Inteligencia (CNI), and the states of Wisconsin and Delaware The choice of founding members says something about Microsoft's business strategy. Many of the companies are from Europe where the EU has been involved in an increasingly bitter dispute over interoperability issues with Windows Server. ...more