The computers don't work

Another publicly-funded computer system bites the dust, as a ?77m Home Office system is scraped. The system, for the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND), was intended to process applications for asylum - there is an existing backlog of 66,000 applications - but it hasn't proved up to the job since its installation in 1998. Instead, hundreds of extra workers have been taken on to do the paper work manually. ...more

Toshiba calls back Sony notebook batteries

Toshiba has announced that it will replace 340,000 Sony-manufactured laptop batteries, the third such recall by a major notebook maker in little over a month. The company said that the lithium-ion batteries, installed in Dynabook and Dynabook Satellite laptops manufactured between March and May this year, could fail because of problems with both power storage and transmission. Ohmori reassured Toshiba users that the fault as not the same one that led both Apple and Dell to recall more than four million batteries after verifying that they could overheat, in some cases causing users to get minor burns and in extreme circumstances resulting in laptops bursting into flame. ...more

Dave for OS X updated

Thursby Software has released an updated version of Dave for OS X, software that allows Macs to connect to PC networks. Dave installs on Mac, requiting no additional software for the PC machines, and allows Macs - via the Chooser - and PCs - via the Network Neighbourhood - to share files and Postscipt printers. Dave 3. ...more

Intel 'to slash jobs'

Intel is planning to cut about 10,000 jobs or ten per cent of its workforce according to sources close to the company. The proposed cuts follow a 90-day internal review ordered by Intel chief Paul Otellini as the company attempts to address plunging profitability at the chip giant. The cuts are predicted to be particularly heavy in the marketing department as the company will attempt to ring fence the key R&D businesses. ...more

Microsoft consolidates into three divisions

Microsoft is to reorganise itself. Instead of the current seven divisions, the company is concentrating itself into three divisions, each one headed up by its own president. The biggest division will be Microsoft Platform Products and Services Division and will cover the areas of the Windows Client, Server and Tools, and MSN. ...more