Microsoft claims Vista take-up doubles XP

Microsoft said on Monday that it has sold more than 20 million Windows Vista licenses in the first month since the operating system's debut of the consumer version on 30 January. The world's biggest software maker said the pace of Vista adoption is at more than twice the rate of its predecessor, Windows XP, which had sold 17 million licenses after its first two months of release. 'It's a little bit better than what we were expecting,' said Bill Mannion, a director in the Windows marketing group. ...more

Apple fix takes heat off MacBook Pro

MacBook Pro users are reporting that yesterday's firmware update appears to fix widely reported overheating problems. Although Apple revealed scarcely any information about the release - save that it provides a System Management Control update that fixes 'intermittent boot problems' - MBP owners have discovered that said is the specialised controller that manages thermal and power conditions and is in charge of running the portable's fans. Users report that after installing the update fan usage increased an machines were running up to eight degrees cooler. ...more

AMD starts work on new Dresden Fab for 300mm wafers

AMD has begun the construction of new manufacturing facilities in Dresden, Fab 36. The significance of this lies in the fact it will support the processing of 300mm wafers - and the larger the wafer the more chips that can be produced from them. Furthermore, the site - which will produce the next generation of AMD products - will use AMD's patented manufacturing system, Automated Precision Manufacturing (APM 3. ...more

Microsoft chief positions Longhorn as mainframe and Unix killer

IT Forum, Barcelona: Windows will not only dominate the desktop, but every area of business infrastructure, according to a leading Microsoft executive. Speaking on the opening morning of Microsoft's Tech-Ed IT Forum in Barcelona, Bob Muglia, Senior Vice president of Microsoft's Server and Tools Business, was bullish about the software giant's chances of moving up the enterprise ladder. The high end of business systems is traditionally the playground of custom designed systems and Unix mainframes. ...more

Computer Aid International ships its 50,000th recycled PC

Computer Aid International, the world's largest non-profit supplier of professionally refurbished PCs for schools in developing countries, announced today that it has reached a landmark milestone by refurbishing and shipping its 50,000th PC. Computer Aid International specialises in recycling and refurbishing Pentium class computers and sending them out to equip schools and not-for-profit organisations in developing countries. Based in London, the charity says it is the biggest such supplier in the world. ...more