European Commission seeks to bolster IT and media industries

The European Commission has announced a new initiative to foster growth and jobs in the information and media industries. 'i2010: European Information Society 2010' is a strategy designed to encourage the development of the digital economy by modernising and deploying relevant EU policies on regulation, research and partnerships with industry. In particular it will aim to promote high-speed and secure broadband networks across the EU. ...more

Apple updates iPod software

Apple has released the latest iPod software update, adding new features for users of the photo-enabled models. The update provides iPod photo Software 1.1, which adds support for the iPod Camera Connector, Apple's recently introduced device for importing and viewing photos directly from a camera, and provides updated slideshow transitions. ...more

Blinkx to power Microsoft's Live.com and MSN portal

The video search engine Blinkx is slated to announce it has signed up Microsoft to become the engine powering video services on the software giant's Live.com and MSN portal. With YouTube having made online video the current darling of the Internet, nimble Net video startups are under close scrutiny from more lumbering tech giants. ...more

US Authors' Guild sues Google

The US Authors' Guild suing Google over copyright infringement. In a class action with the biographer of Abraham Lincoln biographer, a children's book author, and a former Poet Laureate of the United States, the guild alleges that the search engine is 'massive copyright infringement at the expense of the rights of individual writers'. Google Print is a service whereby searchers can find information about a book, read extracts and buy it. ...more

NTL sees broadband value in local loop unbundling

NTL is planning a major expansion of its ADSL broadband services by unbundling 300 of BT's busiest exchanges. The cable provider has decided that since BT cut the cost of local loop unbundling by 70 per cent DSL is now a more cost effective way of growing the business than widening cable coverage. On completion of the LLU programme, NTL will have added around two million potential customers to the eight million homes currently within reach of its cable network. ...more