China closes gaps in the Web

If you have been following China's stance on the World Wide Web, you will know that the powers that be aren't too keen on its citizens downloading any unsuitable material. According to report from Reuters, the Ministry for Public Security has upped the ante with the release of its new Internet Police 110 software. This new software package has been designed to keep all that unhealthy information from seeping into the Chinese consciousness via the Internet. ...more

UK company scoops technology 'Nobel Prize'

A UK company is one of three grand prize winners of this year's EU 'Nobel prize' for ICT Transitive Corporation is the only UK company to receive an award this year. It was awarded the prize, which includes a €200,000 bounty, for its pioneering QuickTransit translator that can adapt applications for different operating systems and hardware architectures without the need for changing either binary or source code. The company claims that the resulting applications run as fast and efficiently as a native port. ...more

BT inks deals for 21CN

Following on from a ?12bn investment in February, BT has announced further progress with its '21st Century Network' (21CN), which it describes as its 'next generation network transformation programme'. BT has concluded negotiations and signed contracts with the remaining four preferred suppliers for the 21CN. Contracts have been signed with Alcatel, Cisco, Ericsson and Fujitsu, following on from Ciena, Huawei, Lucent and Siemens, with whom contracts were signed at the end of last year. ...more

Creative takes on the iPod mini with the Zen Micro.

Creative has launched the latest in its line of digital music players with the Zen Micro. At 84 x 51 x 19mm, it's a diminutive device, but with a 5GB disk it can carry 2,500 songs, according to the company. Creative says the rechargeable battery lasts 12 hours for continuous music playback and 16 hours for continuous use of the FM radio. ...more

NTL splits in financial restructuring

Internet service provider NTL is to split into two following a restructuring of its $17 billion debt. The process should be completed in August or September. NTL's UK and Irish operations will form one new company - possibly called NTL UK and Ireland - and will get $500m of new financing. ...more