Department of Justice seeks speedy retrial

If you feel that the Microsoft anti-trust case is never going to end, then you are not alone. The American Department of Justice is trying to get the case processed again as quickly as possible. At the end of June, the US Court of Appeals ruled that the case should go back to a lower court for another ruling because some of Judge Jackson's findings were overturned. ...more

IBM researchers build carbon molecule computer

A group of US researchers at IBM's Thomas J. Watson Research Center claim to have built the first computer circuit on a molecule. Using 12 field effect transistors stretched along a single carbon molecule in the form of a nanotube, the scientists managed to run the logic circuit at some 52MHz. ...more

Comment: Contracts and con tricks

The idea of buying a car, a licence, and then paying ongoing maintenance fees might work in the world of the automobile, but many businesses are growing increasingly frustrated at having to pay a king's ransom just to keep their software on the road. Are the world's software vendors becoming too greedy? For most business software, and almost all enterprise-level applications, companies expect to pay 15 to 20 per cent of the original price in annual maintenance costs. These payments cover updates as the vendor improves the package and some level of technical support. ...more

shuffle to boost iPod sales to record levels

iPod sales for the current quarter look likely to surpass the 14 million units sold in the same period last year, with the recently shipped shuffle model expected to have a significant impact on demand. Based on data from the quarter's first month, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster estimates that Apple will sell at least 14 million. But that data was collected in October, before the shuffle appeared on shop shelves. ...more

AFP agrees Google News lawsuit settlement

An agreement has been reached between Google and Agence France-Presse over the use of photos and cuttings from the French news wire service. In a joint statement, the two companies said the accord allows the internet giant to post AFP content on Google News and other services. Terms of the pact were not disclosed. ...more