Dell stays king of the hill

Latest figures from IDC put Dell at the top of the heap in the global PC shipment stakes. Earlier this year, Gartner gave HP the accolade of top PC seller for 2002, but it's Dell that is pushing devices out the door in vast quantities - nearly six million of them. The figures represent devices shipped, whether into the channel or direct to customers. ...more

Microsoft makes 200 changes to IE7

Microsoft has made over 200 changes to Internet Explorer 7 as it struggles to meet CSS standards. The development team says that the new browser, which has been feature complete since March, is now in the process of being given a final polish before the official release later this year. Markus Mielke, the IE 7 Program Manager writes in the blog posting, 'We understand that we are far from being done and we know we have still a lot of work ahead of us. ...more

Apache on warpath with Microsoft Caller ID

Open Source development group the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) is at loggerheads with Microsoft about licensing restrictions it places over its contributions to the Sender ID technology proposed to help combat spam and fraudulent email. One of the pillars of the Sender ID technology is the Caller ID software, which has been added under a Royalty-Free Sender ID Patent License Agreement. But in an open letter, the Apache Foundation, which builds the popular Apache Web server and other Internet and email applications, has criticised Redmond for placing any restrictions on the technology. ...more

Samsung touts dual-format next generation DVD player

While the Japanese consumer electronics giants slug it out to establish their products as the winner in the high definition DVD war, the South Korean manufacturer Samsung has come up with its own solution - it will make a dual format player. Sony, the sponsor of the Blu-Ray format, and Toshiba, with its HD-DVD solution, have been lining up manufacturers and movie studios on their sides in order to gain a critical mass large enough to convince consumers to buy their format. Earlier this year, with billions at stake, attempts to forge a unified format between the two opposing camps broke down. ...more

Bank turns to idle PCs for computing power

A French bank has come up with a cheap and easy way of boosting its total computing capability. BNP Paribas is using off-the-shelf grid software to harness the power of all the PCs that sit idle on its desks overnight. From 700 machines it is getting an extra 6,000 computing hours and the cost amounts to little more than the price of licensing Symphony grid software from Platform Computing. ...more