Bush administration gets tough on downloaders

The US Justice Department has proposed new legislation that could put music or movie shares in gaol. The law would criminalise the unauthorised copying of copyrighted material and would also enable prosecutions of people who try, but fail, to make copies of intellectual property including music, movies and software. It would also allow the seizure of assets acquired with the profits from sales of copied content. ...more

Universal Music slashes CD prices

One of the big five global music companies Universal Music Group has slashed the wholesale prices of its CDs and cassettes in the US. The move is seen as an attempt to head off the growing threat to its business from piracy and illegal downloads. From the beginning of October, the price of CDs to retailers will be cut by between 16 and 24 percent. ...more

Users face long wait for iPod shuffle

After huge demand in the US, iPod fans may face a wait of up to four weeks if they want to get their hands on Apple's latest music player, the iPod shuffle. Apple's US online store currently lists both the 512Mb and 1Gb models as having a delivery time of between two and four weeks, while the UK online store lists the product as shipping in three to four weeks. Dealers contacted by MacUser also admitted to having none in stock, although some were prepared to take orders for the product with delivery times in the range of four weeks. ...more

New holes found in IE leave PCs vulnerable

New vulnerabilities in Microsoft's Internet Explorer could allow remote code to be run on the target machine, and there is currently no patch available. Security experts Secunia discovered the holes earlier this month and found they could be exploited even in a fully patched Windows machine. It said the only thing it has found to mitigate the vulnerabilities is the beta of Service Pack 2. ...more

Drivers on the phone face penalty points

From today, new laws governing the use of mobile phones in cars come into force. Drivers caught using mobile phones while driving now face an endorsable fine of ?60 and three points on their licence under Section 26 of the Road Safety Act 2007. Previously, the offence was punishable by a fixed penalty of ?30. ...more