Microsoft looks at Windows dominance to give its search engine an edge

A source at Microsoft let slip yesterday that Redmond's work on a home-grown search engine is focussed on using Windows to give it the edge. While stalwarts such as Google and Yahoo! continue to add new services to their search engines, both are keeping a close eye on what Microsoft is brewing up in this arena. It may be difficult to see where Microsoft can take search: after all, as deep as its pockets are, there are only so many pages out there to index, and once you've done that, added in a sponsored links feature and so on you're going to end up with something difficult to distinguish from anything else out there. ...more

'Secure' Vista gets Microsoft's anti-virus software

It is the operating system that Microsoft's Jim Allchin famously declared was so secure his seven-year-old son could run it without anti-virus software. Yet, Microsoft is to offer its online security suite in the UK for the first time - to coincide with the January 30 launch of Windows Vista. Windows Live OneCare - which has been on general release in the US since last year and on beta test in this country for months - provides anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall protection for consumers, across up to three home PCs. ...more

Directgov launched to offer online Government services for all

The Office of the e-Envoy has announced the first stage of its Directgov online service. The idea is to simplify access to government services and information. So whichever departments of Whitehall you need access to - the site is a one stop shop for all of them. ...more

NEC launches the Versa P520 notebook

NEC has launched the Versa P520. It is a 15.1in notebook that - NEC claims - delivers the performance of a workstation to mobile business users. ...more

Express Newspapers enters music download market

Northern & Shell, owners of Express Newspapers, is the latest entrant into the crowded UK downloads market, launching separate stores for the Daily Express, Daily Star, OK Magazine and Daily Snack, its online presence. The publishing group has signed up Wippit to provide the stores which will be individually tailored for each publication's readership. The OK store, for example, will look to appeal to the magazine's largely female audience. ...more