NTT DoCoMo to launch Wristomo Wristwatch Phone in Japan

Japanese telecoms giant NTT DoCoMo is to begin sales of the Wristomo, the world's first commercial wristwatch-style Personal Handyphone System mobile phone, on May 7, 2003 in Japan. Costing 37,000 yen, excluding tax, (?193), it comes with a standard accessory kit including battery charger, cushioned pad and adjustable wrist band. An optional cable (SI1001) that connects the Wristomo with a PC to exchange data costs 6,200 yen. ...more

Intel announces new China 300mm wafer fab

Intel is strengthening its ties with China with the announcement of a new 300mm wafer fab in the city of Dalian, in the north-east province of Liaoning. While Intel has a number of such chip factories around the world - in Israel and Ireland, as well as the US - this is its first in Asia. In what is described as a $2. ...more

Google trials updated Blogger service

Google has begun offering a selected group of users of its Blogger service a chance to play around with a set of new features. These include keyword tagging and a new point-and-click, drag-and-drop customisation interface. Customising Blogger blogs has until now required at least a rudimentary knowledge of HTML and CSS. ...more

China turns up the heat on Google.com

China has turned up the gas on the great firewall of China, cutting off access to Google.com almost completely, according to Reporters without Borders (RWB). Apparently, since Google capitulated to the authorities' demands and set up a vetted version in the form of Google. ...more

Secret Service super-snooping plans breach Human Rights

Secret service plans to record and access every phone call, e-mail and Internet page impression we make - over a time span of seven years - have come under heavy fire from campaign group Liberty, who are prepared to take the case to the European Court. The database, which would cost ?3m to set up and ?9m each year to run, would help MI5, MI6, the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) and the police tackle problems like cybercrime, terrorism, drugs trafficking and the operation of paedophiles. Roger Gasper, deputy director general of the NCIS, said: "We believe the Home Office already accepts that such activity is unquestionably lawful. ...more