The Xbox revealed - the specs lowdown

Microsoft has finally lifted the lid on its much hyped games console at a press conference today in San Francisco. The little that has been known of the specs for the Xbox so far has suggested it's basically a PC in a console box. Today's announcement confirms the machine will sport a 733MHz processor along with an 8MB hard drive. ...more

Music publishers license guitar tabs for the Web

The Harry Fox Agency (HFA) - a subsidiary of The National Music Publishers' Association - has begun licensing websites that want to reproduce guitar tabs, the notation that tells guitarists where to place their fingers in order to play a tune. Such websites have been around for some time, publishing the tabs without the consent of the copyright holder. The US Music Publishers Association (MPA), for example, announced a legal crackdown on these, as well as sites that reproduced song lyrics, in 2005. ...more

Microsoft engages Juniper Networks for IPTV security

Microsoft has signed up Juniper Networks to provide greater security for its Internet-based TV platform (Microsoft TV IPTV). IPTV is a technology that allows connected users to access regular TV channels via an Internet connection both in standard and HD formats and it also supports interactive features, paid-for and on-demand services. Under the terms of the agreement, Juniper's Firewall and Firewall IDP (Intrusion Detection and Prevention) systems will complement the Microsoft offering. ...more

Computer Buyer readers say after-sales service sucks

A poll on the Computer Buyer Web site asked whether people would be prepared to pay extra for a PC with guaranteed high-quality after-sales service. It revealed some interesting results. Of the 186 participants, just over 50 per cent begrudgingly agreed they would, although many felt that they were already paying for after-sales service - they simply weren't getting any. ...more

Windows beats Mac OS X on security says report

Mac OS X would appear to be less secure than Windows, as findings show that in the last six months of 2006 Microsoft patched its operating system fewer times than any rival, and turned around those patches far quicker. The information appears in Symantec's newly-published Internet Security Threat Report, which covers the period 1 July to 31 December 2006. Windows Vista was not released to retail until January 2007, so is not included in the report, although as it points out 'In December 2006, Symantec reported a vulnerability in previous versions of Windows that also affects the version of Windows Vista that was released to consumers in January. ...more