Jobs shows off Leopard's top spots

Steve Jobs has taken the wraps off some of the new features of Leopard, the next major upgrade to Mac OS X, which is scheduled to begin shipping in spring next year. The Apple CEO introduced new software for recovering and restoring date and managing desktops and applications, a significantly enhanced Mail and iCal, improved support for 64-bit hardware and a new desktop animation technology. Time Machine [pictured] is perhaps the standout new feature in Leopard. ...more

Microsoft contract win put down to Linux skills shortage

Microsoft may find a monopoly on developers will help it maintain its grip on the software market in the face of Linux alternatives. Redmond is currently touting the roll-out by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) of Microsoft's server and back-end technology in its e-commerce driven online portal as a win over Linux, the platform on which the site originally ran. But Richard Carlson, Head of Business Systems, RICS, said that the decision to go with Microsoft was taken very early on before the job was put out to tender - on the basis that RICS' in-house developers were in the main Microsoft coders. ...more

.Net Best Awards 2001

One for competitive programmers. Microsoft is funding a worldwide competition - to the tune of $400,000 - and inviting UK developers to enter the .NET Best Awards 2001. ...more

Creative shrinks Zen MP3 players

After the Micro, the Neon, the Touch, the NX, the Xtra and the USB 2, there's another Zen family of MP3 players from Creative - the Zen Nano Plus. The 'ultra portable' model, which works with MP3 or WMA files, comes in 3 capacities - 256MB, 512MB and 1GB - and a range of 10 colours. It is a reworking of the MuVo Micro N200 series and commemorates, according to Creative, the 10th anniversary of the MP3 format. ...more

EA says yes to Xbox

Microsoft has announced that Electronic Arts is to develop a number of games for its new console, the Xbox. Electronic Arts is planning to release at least 10 games for the Xbox launch and has already asked Microsoft for 500 Xbox development kits. The news comes as no surprise as Electronic Arts was one of the development teams that took part on the Xbox advisory panel that helped Microsoft come up with the initial Xbox specification. ...more