Record companies put squeeze on music download pricing

Online music stores are facing pressure from some record companies to hand over a greater share of proceeds from the burgeoning downloads market. In a move that has reportedly angered Apple CEO Steve Jobs, the Financial Times reports that some labels want to increase wholesale prices, arguing that they had initially been set low to stimulate demand. However two of the largest, Universal and Sony BMG, are believed to be opposed to a price rise as they do not want to disrupt a market that they believe is not yet mature enough for an increase. ...more

World Online bought by rival

World Online's controversial time on the stock market ended when rival Internet service provider Tiscali bought out the company. The company was dogged by controversy after it was revealed that founder and chairwoman Nina Brink had sold a sizeable amount of her shareholding before World Online was floated. This meant that the floatation was made at a fraction of the float price, causing panic among investors. ...more

Neocron game to inspire broadband subscription surge

Apparently the upcoming sci-fi 'massively multiplayer online role-playing game' Neocron will make everyone rush out to get broadband Internet connections! According to CDV, which is to publish the game, a massive 86 percent of those who are planning to purchase the MMORPG have stated that they were strongly considering ditching their old modems in favour of broadband Internet connections. Now, the implication is that the arrival of Neocron will be responsible for a surge in broadband subscriptions. 'If our forecasts are correct, the Neocron subscriber base could drive nationwide broadband subscription up by 10 per cent in one fell swoop,' stated Leo Zullo, Marketing Manager, CDV Software Entertainment. ...more

56 per cent of Britons regular Net users

Figures from the Office of National Statistics show 56 per cent of adults in Great Britain had used the Internet in the past three months. The figures also pull the number of households with Internet access up to 12 million (48 per cent), a figure that has grown fivefold in as many years. While 56 per cent of the population of Great Britain had logged on in the past three months, roughly 44 had done so within the last seven days. ...more

Microsoft's digital signature security compromised

Microsoft and VeriSign are warning that an impostor fraudulently obtained two digital certificates. The danger is the certificates will be used to deceive users into receiving damaging code under the guise of it being officially supplied by Microsoft. An audit procedure at VeriSign - the issuers of the certificates - identified the problem that actually occurred back in late January. ...more