Dell opts for Ubuntu Linux distro

Dell has chosen Ubuntu as the Linux distribution that it will offer pre-installed on a range of its PCs. A month ago the company announced that it would extend its Linux offering in response to feedback to its IdeaStorm website and a subsequent survey. In this, more than 70 per cent of the 100,000 respondents said that they would use the open source operating system both at home and at work. ...more

South Park gets high-res makeover for Xbox 360

The distinctly low-res cartoon South Park will get its first high-def treatment via HD DVD. Comedy Central and Microsoft have announced that from today, Xbox Live members will be able to download the high-definition episode Good Times With Weapons from the Xbox Live Marketplace. It will be freely available for a fortnight only, as taster for the 11th season of South Park that is beginning in the States tomorrow. ...more

Google opens website for developers

Google is throwing open the doors to open source developers and inviting them to participate in projects via the code.google website. Google says that the site will be the repository for its free source code and the list of its API services. ...more

Virtual racing beats crisis

Being a hardened gambler, I am particularly saddened to see that the current foot and mouth crisis that's gripping this fair isle has affected the sport of kings, with most racing fixtures, including the Cheltenham Festival being called off. You can imagine my relief when I heard that that the good folk at the Racing Post have thrown fans of the sport a lifeline in the shape of a series of virtual races. Today, if you visit the Racing Post site, you'll be able to watch the action from 3. ...more

CeBIT 2005: Samsung launches first 7 megapixel phone

While it took the photographic industry several years before it produced the first 7 megapixel compact digital camera, the mobile phone industry is wasting no such time. Samsung has today announced a world first with the 7 million pixel SCH-V770 which, it has been reported, boasts manual focus, shutter priority, AE lock and an optical zoom as well as MP3 functionality and a business card reader. The SCH-V770, which can also take telephoto and wide-angle converter lenses, is due to make its debut at CeBIT, Germany tomorrow. ...more