Nikon recalls cameras

Nikon has announced a product recall for some of its Coolpix 2000 digital cameras. A mechanical fault has been found in some batches, which results in overheating in the battery compartment causing the casing to melt. Nikon has stated that cameras with the serial numbers in the following ranges are affected: 2010001 - 2042816 2510001 - 2543248 3010001 - 3060980 3510001 - 3561916 4010001 - 4063334 4510001 - 4555696 5010001 - 5014664 5510001 - 5512592 No other models are affected. ...more

Silicon Valley grinds to a halt

If you think working in Britain in 86 degree heat is no fun, then try a stint in California. If you work for a tech company, you'll have a week without pay, blackouts and 100 degree heat to deal with. Admittedly, many people in Silicon Valley are getting the week starting with Independence Day off, but this is a cost-cutting measure on the part of the tech companies. ...more

Microsoft shows off Vista's multimedia features

Microsoft has been giving a sneak peek of the much trumpeted multimedia features of the new Windows Vista operating system. The company is saying that it has built the multimedia capabilities of the Vista operating system 'from the ground up'. Many of the improvements in Windows Vista have been promised for a long time but now Microsoft is actually beginning to demonstrate some of the features. ...more

Xbox is $1 billion risk

Microsoft's Xbox games console could cost the company $1 billion before it begins to break even, according to a Morgan Stanley analyst. Analyst Mary Meeker said that as long as the Xbox is 'reasonably successful' then Microsoft can expect to break even in 2004. Xbox launches in the US on 15 November for the same price as Sony's established PlayStation 2, but at $100 more than Nintendo's GameCube, so there is no guarantee that it will be 'reasonably successful'. ...more

UK uni puts on hacking course

Budding crackers can now take a degree course in the art of Ethical Hacking and Countermeasures, courtesy of Dundee's University of Abertay. The BSC Hons course makes its debut at the beginning of the new academic year in October, with 30 places up for grabs to study how to attack computers and how to secure them. The university says that students will be vetted in accordance with Home Office guidelines and closely monitored thereafter. ...more