Apple denies all-clear for Foxconn's iPod plant

Apple has refuted claims that its has cleared Foxconn's iPod manufacturing facility in Longhua, China of any breaches of its supplier code of conduct. A Chinese website reported last week that the plant had received a clean bill of health after the audit, which was prompted by allegations of extremely poor working conditions made by the UK's Mail on Sunday newspaper. But Apple said the investigation has yet to be completed. ...more

Comment: Politicians fail the Internet test

Having spent a decade in technology journalism, certain things instantly send my scepticism soaring: press releases proclaiming a new product to be 'truly revolutionary', guesstimates of how many zillions virus attacks cost businesses and anything that's the 'world's first'. But one thing that really brings out the inner-cynic in me is politicians taking an interest in technology. Take this unsolicited email that arrived in my inbox recently, in reaction to Gnarls Barkley's Crazy appearing at the top of the iTunes charts. ...more

Scottish Police arrest suspect counterfeiter

A two-year anti-piracy operation in Scotland has lead to the arrest of a 35-year-old man and the seizure of an estimated ?250,000 worth of games, music and film discs. Most of the counterfeit software comprised PlayStation 2, Xbox and Gamecube titles, and there was also evidence of consoles being 'chipped'. Trading Standards officers worked with ELSPA (the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association) to target five locations in Dumfries and Galloway. ...more

Apple enters the living room

Breaking with its tradition of closely guarded secrecy about future products, Apple yesterday gave a preview of a new set-top box for wirelessly transmitting video from a Mac or PC to a TV. Codenamed iTV - a name that CEO Steve Jobs admitted needs changing - the device, looking like a Mac mini cut across in half, has wireless 802.11, Ethernet and USB inputs coupled with output via HDMI - the new combined, single-cable digital video and audio protocol, optical audio, component video and RCA (phono) audio. ...more

Samsung to pay $300m price fixing fine

Korean electronics giant Samsung has agreed to pay a $300 million fine for its part in an international cartel to fix DRAM prices. The fine is the second largest in US history and the biggest penalty since 1999. Samsung has pleaded guilty to the charge that between 1 April 1999 to 15 June 2002, Samsung and its US subsidiary, Samsung Semiconductor, conspired with other DRAM manufacturers to fix the prices of DRAM. ...more