Apple secures patent on music and video downloading

Apple could reap revenues from every song and video downloaded over the Internet after securing a 1996 patent. The company has reached an out of court settlement with the patent's original holder, an unnamed Vermont 'inventor' of a system comprising desktop computer holding multiple songs with an interface allowing a hotel guest to select three songs and play them on an electric grand piano. The inventor's lawyer, Michael Starkweather, claims that he spotted the potential in the patent and extended and redefined it to cover music and video downloading on a much larger scale. ...more

Help at hand for game virgins

Are you stuck on the 299th level of Hyper Babble Jumper 3? Or have you lost the Elvin key in Old Dark Historical Adventure? If so, Virgin's web port offers help at hand in the form of some handy guides. The web portal has struck an exclusive deal with US publisher Prima Games in which they will offer electronic versions of their game guides. The Virgin portal has just been revamped and you can already download guides to over 50 top games, including that darned Pok?mon game, but this will be extended to a full catalogue of fast-track guides covering over 300 games. ...more

Sony launches video-editing PC

Sony has launched its PCV-RX1 desktop for the home video-editor. The RX1 houses a high end spec, including a 1.7Ghz P4, 80Gb hard disk, DVD and CD-R/W drives and a GeForce2 MX 32Mb graphics card. ...more

TiVo corners Timewarping

TiVo's stock has risen sharply with the award of a patent covering the key features of its video recording of live broadcasts. TiVo has developed the "personal video recording" system whereby you can pause live programs - i.e. ...more

Microsoft, Visa, eBay forge alliance to fight Phishers

Microsoft is joining with eBay and Visa to fight the growing meance of phishing attacks. Together they have formed the Phish Report Network that aims to cut off the source of Phishing attacks before they become widespread on the Internet. Customers of financial institutions such as banks, ecommmerce and insurance companies are under attack almost every day from the phishers. ...more