Sony launches worldwide video over IP service

Sony is to launch what it claims is the world's first IP-based video call service. Based on its own technology and that of GlowPoint, the company says it can offer video calls to anywhere in the world. Sony says that the IVE (Instant Video Everywhere ) service is as simple to use as making a phone call. ...more

iTunes model key to online music success

Following Apple's successful iTunes model is the key to a successful online music business, according to a new report by Forrester Research. The report argues that the combination of an easy-to-use interface which as well as giving you access to music, lets you organise it, burn CDs and copy songs to a portable player are all necessary elements if rival services are to compete with Apple's. It also stresses the importance of having the right marketing strategy, and praises Apple's strategy of achieving as high a profile as possible, through advertising and setting up alliances with AOL and Pepsi that would not be reached simply by promoting the product through its website. ...more

Compaq pushes iPaq PDAs to 64Mb

Compaq has accidentally leaked information about a new range of 64Mb iPaq PDAs on its site. The new handhelds which, like the other iPaqs, will run on Microsoft's Pocket PC software, will be able to take two PC cards and will come with a wireless networking option. Apart from this, details of the new PDA are thin on the ground. ...more

Apple storms through Intel switch

Apple's chief financial officer told a California technology conference that more than 1,000 Mac applications have now been ported to the Intel platform and that the company is a year ahead of its schedule for the transition to the new hardware. However Peter Oppenheimer told the Morgan Stanley Semiconductor and Systems Conference that key applications are not yet universal and acknowledged the poorer performance of these apps on Intel Macs. 'For power users, they are going to notice a difference,' he said. ...more

AOL challenges Freeserve for No 1 spot

The gap closes to 1 per cent, with Freeserve dropping and AOL on the up. Nearly four million households have connected to the Internet in the past year, many of them choosing AOL as their ISP, helping the firm to close the gap with Freeserve. The figures from telecoms regulator Oftel show that the slow down in PC sales hasn't slowed down enthusiasm for the Internet. ...more