Microsoft explains its decision to back HD DVD

Microsoft has explained its decision to back the HD DVD format for high-definition optical discs rather than the rival Blu-ray specification. Jordi Ribas, Microsoft's director of technology strategy for Windows Digital Media told Tom's Hardware Guide that the company's previous neutrality had been abandoned because Blu-ray failed to meet six key criteria. 'A year and a half ago, both format organisations had very similar goals, and to some extent, the story of Blu-ray was actually very powerful,' he said. ...more

MP3 music in your wallet

Bantam Interactive has announced it will start selling two credit-card sized digital audio players in the UK from next month. The BA350 will cost approximately ?179 including VAT and offers 128MB of memory on which to store your tunes. There's an SD slot if you want to add more capacity. ...more

Videoseven launches budget gaming TFT

There is a new budget LCD display in the Videoseven range. The German company has added an entry-level screen for gamers in either black - the V7 L17AB - or biege - V7 L17AM. The 17in screens boast a nimble response time of 16ms and offer a contrast ratio of 450:1, a brightness of 260 cd/m? and support for a resolution of 1280 x 1024 pixels. ...more

UPDATED: BPI threatens UK music file sharers with court action

The UK record industry has warned music file sharers to stop or face court action. The BPI said that unauthorised swapping of music using peer-to-peer software such as Kazaa is illegal under the 1988 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act. It will be contacting individuals it suspects of making large numbers of songs available, asking them to desist. ...more

Microsoft stamps down on counterfeit disc replicator

An international disc replicator has settled a multimillion dollar counterfeit suit with Microsoft. MPO Group, headquartered in France, was the subject of an investigation lasting several years that revealed that its Thai production plant had issued some 20,000 counterfeit copies of Microsoft Exchange and SQL Server in July 2003. MPO claimed the discs were manufactured under an agreement on what turned out to be forged documentation from a third party. ...more