A New Year's resolution: do-it-yourself ADSL

BT confirms New Year launch date of its DIY broadband service. The self-install broadband ADSL service will be officially launched on 15 January, BT has confirmed. BT Wholesale will be able to connect up users to broadband services without the need for a home visit by an engineer - you simply plug yourself in, as it were. ...more

mmO2's quiet Revolution

The mobile operator rolls out interactive portal in preparation for mobile data boom In contrast with the closed Vodafone Live service, O2's Revolution will be open to anyone on any network. The operator is currently finalising the last of its 40-odd applications with which it is launching. The applications cost ?1. ...more

Foxconn iPod factory 'one of the better ones'

Foxconn's iPod factory is 'one of the better ones' according to Ken Tidwell, who recently visited the plant in LongHau, China. Apple is currently investigating allegations of poor working and living conditions at the plant, but Tidwell told macintouch.com that 'the five hundred staffers I recently lectured to were all in good spirits and clearly satisfied with their jobs and working conditions'. ...more

Microsoft to digitise 100,000 British Library books for MSN service

Microsoft is working with the British Library to digitise 100,000 books and make them available online as part of its MSN Book Search service. To avoid the legal problems that have dogged Google Print in this field, the collection comprises out-of-copyright books from the 19th century and earlier, approximately 25 million pages worth of content. More books are promised to follow, but a spokesperson for the British Library insisted they would also be out-of-copyright works. ...more

Pipex buys Freedom2Surf

Pipex has acquired fellow ISP Freedom2Surf in a deal worth ?10mn. The combination of both companies' user bases will make Pipex the fifth largest provider in the UK. It has recently begun unbundling 60 exchanges, with 40 more to come, and the acquisition of F2S should help ensure that is has enough customers to make the LLU investment worthwhile. ...more