Dixons takes hard look at Freeserve tie-up

Freeserve's deal with Dixons to promote its narrowband Internet service could see it replaced with AOL. The Sunday Telegraph reported yesterday that AOL had made an offer worth as much as a ?10mn that Freeserve has been unable to match. Any new deal would take effect from February of next year, with AOL's narrowband services taking Freeserve's place inside PCs from PC World, Currys and Dixons stores. ...more

Google expanding with 60 per cent profit growth

Google has published its first quarter financial results and beaten analyst expectations, showing a 60 per cent increase in profit and outlining future expansion plans. Google reported revenues of $2.25 billion, for the quarter ending 31 March - an increase of 79 per cent on the $1. ...more

Broadband is go for 15 more exchanges

BT has announced dates for the upgrading of a further 15 exchanges with ADSL broadband capability. The fifteen, with dates, are: Antrim, Northern Ireland; Badsey, Hereford & Worcester; Devonport, Devon; Dunblane, Central Region; Kidmore End, Oxfordshire - 21 May; Attleborough, Norfolk; Dronfield, Derbyshire; Highclere, Hampshire; Ingleby Barwick, Cleveland; Kingston Blount, Oxfordshire; Odiham, Hampshire; Southam, Warwickshire; Wormley, Surrey - 28 May; Wentworth, Surrey - 4 June; and Brimscombe, Gloucestershire - 28 June. These 15 bring the total announced in the past three weeks to 49. ...more

ITV poised for Friends Reunited buy

ITV seems set to buy Friends Reunited in a deal worth ?100m and possibly rising to ?170m if the business performs well over the next few years. The television company appears to have beaten several other suitors including the Daily Mail, BSkyB and BT to acquire the website, which established itself by reuniting old school friends. It has since added other sections for contacting former work colleagues or neighbours, and added new features such as genealogy, recruitment and Internet dating. ...more

Racing games breed 'boy racers' - BSM

There's a new contender catching up fast to the white van man as the scourge of the open road. A survey of a 1,000 young drivers conducted by BSM (British School of Motoring) unearthed a worrying 'game boy racer' demographic, prone to driving faster and taking more risks after a session on the consoles. 'Don't game and drive,' is the message being given by the RAC's BSM driving school, after research revealed that people still pumped up with the adrenalin of high-speed gaming are likely to take it with them into the real world of driving. ...more