Dreamcast goes back in the box

After a number of rumours, Sega has announced that it will be teaming up with Pace Micro Technology to develop a set-top box. The new product will be 100 per cent compatible with existing Dreamcast software and will feature a high capacity hard drive and broadband connection. Sega's shift in strategy sees them aiming to become the world's leading network gaming provider. ...more

iGoogle for personalised homepage

Google has taken a leaf out of Apple's marketing handbook and renamed its Personalised Homepage service as iGoogle. The new moniker had been the company's internal handle for the service, which lets you create a custom Web page comprising search, a calendar, email, news, weather and more. The name 'connotes interactivity, the Internet, and personalisation all at once', according to Sophia Brueckner, an iGoogle software engineer. ...more

Microsoft takes on Adobe

Microsoft has finally unveiled its long awaited strategy for taking on the market leaders in web development, Macromedia and Adobe (not quite yet the same company). At the Microsoft Professional Developer Conference 2005 the company has launched a set of tools known as Microsoft Expression aimed at designers both for the Web and for the upcoming Windows Vista operating system. Amongst the tools announced are the Acrylic Graphic Designer, a painting, illustration and effects tool for creating graphic designs, the Sparkle Interactive Designer, a user-interface design tool for application development using the Windows Presentation Foundation; and Quartz Web Designer, a layout and design tool for creating Web sites. ...more

No High Street Apple in the UK

Apple's confirmation that it is to open its first retail store - likely to be the first in a chain of stores across the US - makes the company unique amongst computer makers as having both a chain of its own stores and a dealer network. An Apple spokesperson was unavailable for comment on whether the stores would be rolled out in the UK. However, it is doubtful whether Apple UK has the resources at present to bankroll a chain of stores, given its financial limitations, with one prominent dealer claiming, "I haven't heard any noises about them doing anything in Europe. ...more

Sony adds 40GB storage device to its digital imaging range

Sony has announced that the latest addition to its range of digital imaging storage products is a 40GB hard drive with integrated media card slots. The USB 2 device can transfer data such as digital images direct from MemoryStick, CompactFlash and MicroDrive cards to the hard drive at the push of a button. The drive then mounts as a standard external device on a Windows or Mac OS X 10. ...more