May the farce be with you

Lucasfilm, which has been lambasted for its draconian attitude towards Star Wars fan sites in the past, has now done a bit of an about turn. The company behind the Star Wars franchise is no longer getting its wookie in a twist over such matters and has teamed up with Atom Films to for the Star Wars Fan Film Network. The site will allow access to media clips from the Star Wars movies, including Darth Vader's dodgy breathing and the swooshing sound of a light sabre. ...more

British Government report gives green light to Linux

The UK Government has released its report on the viability of Open Source software in the public sector, giving the platform its full backing where it offers the best value for money. The report arrives on the same day that Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer sent round his executive email on the cost-savings of Windows. Ballmer's arguments centred on the higher cost and difficulty of finding support and in-house training for adopters of the platform along with the exposure to intellectual property risks that Microsoft would cover you for. ...more

Iomega join forces with SONICblue

A strategic alliance has been announced between media specialists Iomega and SONICblue, which markets the RIO range of portable MP3 players. The deal means that Iomega's existing PocketZip drive technology will be a feature of new SONICblue products. The PocketZip format was used in Iomega's own HipZip MP3 player, a small unit that uses proprietary media to store MP3 and WMA files. ...more

T-Mobile maps out coverage

T-Mobile is offering a network coverage checking tool via its website, to better advise potential users of the services available in particular locations. Dubbed StreetCheck, it generates a visual guide to the strength of 2G and 3G coverage on the basis of a user-supplied post code. 'It's a big simple thing,' T-Mobile's Brand Experience Manager, Greg Watts told us. ...more

EU sets limits on mobile roaming charges

The EU has finally agreed limits on the cost of using a mobile phone abroad. European Union ministers adopted price ceilings established after a year of debate between the European Commission, Parliament and member states. Current EU president Germany said that the new rules will slash the price of making and receiving calls between one EU country to another by cutting 'roaming' charges to a quarter or a fifth of what phone users now pay. ...more