Apple covers its back with Nano cover

Apple has begun including a simple cover with the most recent shipments of the iPod nano. The decision to provide protective covering could be seen as a tacit admission that the player is indeed prone to scratching. Apple is currently facing two separate lawsuits alleging that it shipped the portable music player knowing that it is prone to scratching. ...more

Toshiba to launch $199 Pocket PC in March

Toshiba, which opened the door for sub-$400 Pocket PCs last June, will launch a new Pocket PC priced at $199 (?125) next month. It believes the aggressively priced handheld device could help boost PDA sales and better compete with rivals Dell Computer and Hewlett-Packard, which have launched similar models with higher price tags. The world's fifth-largest PDA vendor has contracted Compal Electronics to produce the e350 Pocket PC, which will feature an Intel 300MHz PXA 250 processor, 64MB SDRAM and a semi-transmissive TFT LCD panel, according to sources. ...more

UN says spam can be canned in two years

The world can be free of spam within two years estimates United Nations International Telecommunications Union according to a report by the Reuters news agency. The alternative is that the world may abandon the internet as a tool 'If we don't work together, we may see millions of people abandoning the Net entirely out of frustration and disgust.' Robert Shaw, Internet strategy expert with the ITU told a press conference. ...more

Napster promises summer UK launch date

Napster will launch in the UK before the end of the summer, the Windows online music service announced today. It has targeted the UK as the springboard for entry into the rest of Europe, promising 'UK-specific genres, promotions and content from domestic acts'. 'We're very excited about bringing the biggest brand in on-line music to the UK and making London our European headquarters,' said Napster chairman and CEO Chris Gorog. ...more

IBM releases new 1.7GHz PCs

IBM has announced 17 PCs based on Intel's new 1.7GHz Pentium 4 processor. The new models include five IntelliStation M Pro workstations and 12 NetVista A60 (pictured) business and A60i home desktop systems. ...more