Microsoft bids to improve Wi-Fi Hot Spot access

Microsoft has signposted the release of new Windows software for managing user interaction with Wi-Fi Hot Spots. Essentially, the software allows wireless network providers to send configuration information to clients seeking to connect. The idea is to make the 'sign-up' process seamless, if not automatic, and generally make the user's experience more uniform. ...more

Broadband debate reaches House of Lords

Words such as IPstream and Datastream have stirred the nodding members into consciousness, as Lord Avebury brings the broadband debate to the House of Lords. In a speech on Tuesday, Lord Avebury voiced concerns over Oftel's broadband review that found the market is still dominated by BT, according to EU benchmarks. 'We want a fully competitive market. ...more

Uninterruptable Power Supplies recalled

Leading uninterruptable power supply manufacturer APC is recalling two models in its range following reports that they may represent a fire hazard. The two models - the Back-UPS CS 350 and Back-UPS CS 500 - may cause overheating of the units, resulting in the melting of the outer casings. APS says that 2. ...more

SeeReal cracks holographic TV and PC displays

Holographic displays could soon be coming to the workplace and homes, claims a German company, SeeReal. It has developed a new technology for displaying 3D images on a TV set or computer display, or through a projector. SeeReal unveiled a prototype at this week's Society for International Display (SID) forum in California. ...more

Toshiba, SanDisk promising new era of gigabyte memory chips

Toshiba and SanDisk are promising a new era of gigabyte memory chips following the unveiling of an 8Gb NAND flash memory chip at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) 2005 in San Francisco. Built with 70nm process technology, the new NAND flash memory is based on multi-level cell technology that allows two bits of data to be stored in one memory cell and hence doubling the memory capacity. A combination of burst mode techniques and high read bandwidth delivers a write speed of 6MB/sec and a maximum read speed of 60MB/sec, which, Toshiba and SanDisk say, is 40 per cent faster than today's designs. ...more