Microsoft buys Teleo for VoIP
by brian_turnerMicrosoft is strengthening its position in the expanding internet phone sector with the acquisition of San Francisco-based Teleo for an undisclosed sum. Teleo’s technology allows computer users to make and receive phone calls from their pc and has the advantage of being already compatible with Microsoft products including Outlook and Internet Explorer.
Microsoft and rivals [...]
PSP makes UK debut
by brian_turnerSony’s handheld games console, the PlayStation Portable (PSP), has gone on sale in the UK after months of delay. The console has been available in Japanese stores for the past nine months and in the US for six months.
The games console, which can play films and music and is also a wireless web-browser, is [...]
Mastercard to sell shares to fight anti-trust case
by brian_turnerMastercard, the New York based credit card company, is planning to sell shares in an initial public offering (IPO) next year, to raise funds for possible legal costs related to an anti-competition case.
The company, which is owned by 1,400 member banks, will sell 49% of its equity to investors. These shares represent 83% [...]
Oil prices force power companies to increase prices
by brian_turnerPowergen is increasing its domestic electricity charges by 7% and its gas charges by 12%, for its six million customers.
The increases, which are due to higher wholesale electricity prices, will add £52 a year to a typical “dual fuel” bill.
British Gas is also considering a 15% increase in gas prices although a spokesman [...]
Apple iPhone to be announced
by brian_turnerApple will next week announce the release of a new product, that combines elements of it’s popular iPod with mobile phone services.
Dubbed “iPhone”, expectation that the device was coming has been rife for some time.
No definite information is yet available – for example, it is unknown whether the iPhone will download directly from the internet, [...]
August 30, 2005
CBI says high street sales still weakening
by brian_turnerAccording to the CBI’s distributive trades survey, high street retailers have experienced one of the worst summers for years and the situation is not expected to improve in the short term.
Approximately 20% of retailers expect trade to worsen in the next quarter, compared with only 13% who expect an improvement. It is the first [...]
Creative win mp3 player patent battle
by brian_turnerCreative Technology, one of Apple’s main rivals, has secured a patent for the interface used on many digital music players. The patent applies to Creative’s players, as well as some competing products, including Apple’s iPod and iPod mini.
Although Creative was one of the first companies to produce MP3 players, the market has been dominated [...]
Borrowing slows across the UK
by brian_turnerAccording to the Bank of England, mortgage lending in the UK is rising at its slowest rate since January 2002. Lending in July increased at a yearly rate of 10.4%. Lending by banks and building societies increased by £6.45bn.
However, figures on mortgage approvals – loans agreed but not yet made – indicate that the [...]
Government workers may strike on pension plans
by brian_turnerLocal government workers may strike this autumn, in protest at government plans to raise the retirement age of public sector workers from 60 to 65. The planned increase in pensionable age is part of a strategy to deal with increasing pension costs. It is estimated that there is a £29bn deficit in the local government [...]
Payfinder states gender pay gap continues
by brian_turnerResearch by salary comparison site, PayFinder, suggests that female British workers earn on average 27% less than male co-workers. The largest gap in wages was in London, where men earned an average of £39,022 and women 35% less at £28,833.
PayFinder’s report was based on data given to the site by approximately 40,000 workers between [...]
August 29, 2005
Businesses should plan for Avian flu
by Brian TurnerCanadian bank BNO Nesbitt-Burns has released a PDF report on the prudence of stock market investors to consider the potential impact of an Avian Flu epidemic on long-term investment cycles.
It underlines a few key points – namely, that according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), an Avian Flu epidemic is not a possility, but an [...]
August 26, 2005
Teleography says net traffic slowing
by brian_turnerConsultancy Teleography says that the amount of net traffic is slowing down. The amount of net traffic travelling on backbone cables between nations increased by 104% in 2004, compared with only 49% in 2005.
Telegeography attributes the change to a global slowdown in the numbers of people signing up for high-speed net services.
The rate [...]
UK GDP sees slight increase on last quarter
by brian_turnerNew figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that in the three months to June, UK GDP grew by 0.5% compared to the previous quarter. This represents a significant improvement from the ONS’s previous estimate of 0.4%.
The upward revision was due to a higher estimate for manufacturing output, which was found to [...]
IBM to enter continuous data protection
by brian_turnerIBM, the US computer company is developing software that will continuously back up information on the PCs of small and medium-sized firms. The company is adapting its corporate Tivoli product as part of its strategy to secure more business from firms with less than 1,000 staff.
Smaller firms often have inadequate protection against computer crashes [...]
Investors warned that avia flu pendemic is a risk factor
by brian_turnerA report from BMO Nesbitt Burns, a Canadian bank, claims that a global outbreak of avian flu could cause severely affect the economy. It suggests that the financial effect could exceed that of the 2003 Sars epidemic, estimated to have cost $30bn.
Discovery of the virus in Siberia has increased concerns about its further spread. [...]
Government catches on to cross-browser compatability
by brian_turnerThe Department for Work & Pensions is planning to make its Web sites compatible with as many browsers as possible, including the open-source browser Firefox.
More companies, including software company Autodesk, are striving for Firefox compatibility, though significant gaps remain.
Carl Mawson, the head of e-communications at the Department for Work & Pensions, said: “We are [...]
August 25, 2005
TUC calls for less standing in the workplace
by brian_turnerStanding up at work for long periods can damage workers’ health, according to the TUC. Standing for too long contributes to 200,000 workers with leg ailments being off sick for two million days a year. Problems caused by standing for long periods include varicose veins, swelling of the legs and feet, joint damage and circulatory [...]
Oil over $68 a barrel
by brian_turnerThe price of US light crude reached $68 a barrel in Asian trade on Thursday, after the country reported a fall in gasoline stocks. Concern that tropical storm Katrina could jeopardise production in the Gulf of Mexico also pushed up the price. The storm is expected to reach the gulf in the next few days. [...]
Banks use insecure methods for PIN numbers
by brian_turnerUniversity of Cambridge researchers have revealed pin numbers in tamper-proof stationery, using bright lights and easy to use software. The security experts warn that the pin numbers of millions of consumers are at risk.
Secure stationery is used by banks and other organisations to send new pins or passwords to customers. The stationery is designed [...]
Intel reveals Viiv computers for digital home entertainment
by brian_turnerIntel is developing PCs designed to act like media hubs for the home.
The Viiv computers will include Intel dual-core processors, chipsets, software and networking capabilities and users will be able to control media with a remote. They will be controlled in a similar way to TVs, with every device coming with a remote control. [...]