Gnome and KDE agree to share APIs

The desktop viability for Linux is to get a boost as the two leading desktop environments agree to work on a joint set of APIs to allow software vendors to easily produce programs for both Gnome and KDE. The Portland Project, run by the Open Source Development Labs and freedesktop.org, has announced the first technology preview for the new APIs and tools. ...more

The future according to SonyEricsson

That's entertainment. Sony Ericsson has announced a horde of all-singing, all-dancing, all-wireless and all-multimedia phones and accessories, poised to run riot in a high street near you throughout the coming year. Having struck deals with the likes of Sony Pictures, Sony Music and Sony Europe, the new phones are in a strong position with plenty of quality content in their own back yard. ...more

Broadband Internet for rural areas near

BT Openworld to launch satellite service by November. BT Openworld will join the ranks of long-distance broadband suppliers late this year when it will announce the launch of a two-way satellite-based Internet service. The cost to users is expected to be around ?100 (?125 inc VAT) per month. ...more

Mozilla betas Thunderbird 2

Mozilla has released a first beta of Thunderbird 2, the next generation of its standalone email client. A redesigned visual theme introduces the new Message Tags features - custom tags that can be added to messages and combined with saved searches and mail views to make it easier to organise email - as well as numerous improvements to existing features. The changes involve: Session History Navigation (back and forward buttons allow navigation through message history); extensions support (extensions can now add custom columns to the message list pane in addition to storing custom message data in the mail database); and notification alerts (new mail alerts include information such as the subject, sender and message text); and find as you type. ...more

iMac RIP

After five years, the iMac - the original one, and in many eyes the best one - is dead. There's no doubt in my mind that without the iMac, Apple would now be either dead or sold off, a division of some mega-corporation like Sony. During its five years of existence, it sold millions of units to consumers, offices and schools that might otherwise have gone the Windows route. ...more