EU shelves MP3 player levy reforms

The European Commission has shelved plans to introduce new laws governing levies on digital music players just days before it was due to unveil its proposals. Denying allegations that it had bowed to pressure from the French government, the Commission said simply that it needed more time to consider the issues involved. The Copyright Levies Reform Alliance, which represents device makers and sections of the music industry, said that it was furious at the last minute postponement and published a letter sent last month by the French prime minister Dominique de Villepin which urged Commission president Jos? Manuel Barroso to delay reform. ...more

Gowers copyright report calls for UK right to private copying

A right to private copying should be enshrined into UK law, a Government-sponsored review of intellectual property has concluded. The report, by former Financial Times editor Andrew Gowers, also recommends that the current 50-year limit for copyright on sound recordings is retained, rejecting music industry arguments for it to be extended, and proposes exemptions to IP law for libraries and educational establishments. Gowers recommends a strengthening of the law in some areas to tackle commercial counterfeiting and piracy and called for new powers and duties for Trading Standards to take action against infringement of copyright law and tougher penalties for online copyright infringement - with a maximum 10 years imprisonment. ...more

Adobe to release Captivate 2

Adobe has announced a new version of Captivate, its software that enables the creation of high-quality, interactive simulations, software demonstrations and scenario-based training modules. Based on the Flash technology that the company acquired with the purchase of Macromedia, Adobe Captivate 2 generates interactive content in Flash, without the need for programming knowledge or multimedia skills. That content can include scored interactions, feedback, audio and video. ...more

Three new screens from Philips

Philips has just announced prices for its three new high-end monitors: the Brilliance 202P4 and 109P4 aperture-grille models and the 201B4. The models, weighing in with 22in, 19in and 21in screen sizes respectively, offer Philips' Auto Calibrate function that continually recalibrates colour temperature and luminance, which Philips claims to extend operational life by 30 per cent. The monitors are also sRGB compatible, meaning that the colours you see on the screen should exactly match those printed out on an sRGB-compatible printer, for example. ...more

Xandros offers free trial version of Linux OS

Linux maker Xandros is offering a free-as-in-beer version of its operating system. The Open Circulation Edition of Xandros will be free on the BitTorrent file sharing network or for a $10 admin and overhead charge direct from the company's servers. The file is a 513Mb download, so is probably not advisable on a dial-up connection. ...more