Graphics toolkits hold cinematic promise for future games

With the Games Developer Conference holding sway in San Jose both ATI and Nvidia have announced new toolkits for graphics rendering. Nvidia has launched version 3.0 of its Shader Model 3. ...more

Worldwide PC shipments rise 17 per cent

Worldwide PC shipments rose by 17 per cent in the last quarter, with Apple the major beneficiary. Mac sales grew by 48 per cent according to figures from IDC, the highest growth rate of any of the leading manufacturers. Growth was driven by notebooks and low-cost systems. ...more

ICANN makes .xxx extinct

The board of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has rejected a bid to create an adult .xxx top level domain (TLD). Campaigners argue that the TLD will make websites with sexual content easier to filter out for those that don't want to view it, and easier to find for those that do. ...more

Sun applies quality control to its own workforce

Work appraisals can be stressful events at the best of times. But it seems that Sun Microsystems will be upping the ante even further - it's looking to reduce its workforce to save costs, and job cuts will be made as part of the review process.. ...more

Oftel decides on FRIACO part 2

Telecoms regulator Oftel has told BT it must offer ISPs a fully unmetered rate for access to its network by 26 February. The new wholesale service, called ST FRIACO (single tandem flat-rate internet access call origination), improves on the existing FRIACO service because it stretches from the consumer's home, through BT's exchanges, and onto the ISP's network. At the moment ISPs can only get an unmetered rate for traffic carried from customers to the local exchanges. ...more