LG combines MP3 with imaging

When's a digital camera not a digital camera? When LG Electronics combines digital imaging technology with an MP3 player. The South Korean giant introduced its Digital Music Eye at the Las Vegas Comdex 2000 show on Monday. The unit measures 64x93mm and looks like something from a sci-fi movie. ...more

Security patch crashes Explorer, Office

The latest security patch issued by Microsoft last week is causing havoc with a range of consumer equipment from Hewlett Packard. The patch issued last week was intended to fill in some holes found in Windows Explorer. However, after the patch was installed, users found that they suddenly had a series of problems in accessing files on their computers. ...more

Supreme court turns down RIAA appeal over file-swapper identities

The US Supreme Court has turned down an appeal by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to overturn a Lower Court decision that supported ISPs' refusal to hand over details of subscribers using filesharing networks. The refusal follows an earlier attempt by the RIAA to have the decision overturned in a rehearing in a DC Circuit court. This, too, was denied. ...more

Microsoft announces pedal power for Windows

At Microsoft's sixth annual Research TechFest show, the company unveiled the Step User Interface, allowing users to interact with Windows using their feet Using the kind of dance mats sold for use with computer and console games, researchers Brian Meyers, A.J. Brush, Steven Drucker and Marc Smith reprogrammed the touch-sensitive pads to trigger many of the repetitive tasks faced by office workers each day. ...more

Dreamcast price halved as Sega eyes Palm platform

Following on from the news that Sega is to stop producing the Dreamcast comes the announcement that the company is to halve the price of the console in the US. Sega needs to offload its remaining stock of two million units and so, from 4 February, the price of a US Dreamcast will fall from $199 to just $99. And the indications are that European Dreamcast fans will see a similar price cut. ...more