The Mac gets security conscious

Apple has released a new set of tools for verifying compliance with security standards across a wide range of G4 and G5 Macs. The tools allow security conscious users to test to what degree Macs comply with Common Criteria, an internationally approved set of security standards which provides a clear and reliable evaluation of the security capabilities of Information Technology products. Common Criteria has been adopted in 20 countries including the UK and lets users from other countries purchase IT products with the same level of confidence, since certification is recognised across all complying nations. ...more

Macs 36 per cent cheaper than PCs, says report

Macintosh systems are as much as 36 per cent cheaper to own and maintain than Windows PCs, according to research by industry analyst Gartner. The study, carried out on behalf of Gartner by the Melbourne University Faculty of Arts, Australia, looked at a number of cost factors, including the price of hardware and upgrades, the cost of providing technical support and training, and depreciation. It also took into account the value of users supporting themselves and each other and the loss of productivity due to downtime. ...more

Zen and the art of USB 2

Creative has created a USB 2.0 version of its Jukebox Zen digital audio player. The significance of USB 2. ...more

New Order album debuts on the Web

More usually acknowledged for their groundbreaking contribution to the music scene over the past 20 years, New Order broke new ground on Monday with their next album Get Ready, which is playing on the Internet a week before its UK release and a month ahead of its US release. New Order's record label is part of AOL Time Warner, and it is on the same company's Spinner.com Web site that the album will be streamed via the site's Internet radio service. ...more

Another Euro 3G auction faces collapse

Following in the wake of France and Italy, Belgium now faces problems with its planned auction of national 3G licences. Following the withdrawal of a number of possible bidders, the Belgian government now faces the prospect of having fewer contenders than the four available licences. Not an ideal scenario to encourage increased bidding. ...more