AMD changes the face of Flash memory architecture

The light of day shines on AMD's new Flash memory architecture, MirrorBit, as first production shipments begin. Doubling data density with no reduction in reliability is AMD's boast for what it claims to be the 'new face of Flash'. Designed to be a low-cost technology, Bertrand Cambou - group VP of the AMD memory group - has claimed that the manufacturing process has, 'a cost structure that is two generations ahead of comparable flash technologies. ...more

Brand name Centrinos to slip under ?1,000 price point after Christmas

Toshiba says that it expects Centrino based machines to dip under the ?1,000 mark by the time of the January sales, so if you want to buy Centrino, it may be worth your while to wait a month or two. Toshiba says that it expects Centrino based machines to dip under the ?1,000 mark by the time of the January sales, so if you want to buy Centrino, it may be worth your while to wait a month or two. If you can't wait, the Satellite M30 - 15in display, with Nvidia graphics support at the higher end - is among the machines destined for the Christmas market. ...more

Intel-Mac apps begin to appear

Apple may only have released a limited number of Intel-based Macs to select members of its developer community, but already the first compatible applications are beginning to appear. Unsurprisingly, given its pre-eminence amongst text-based code editors, BBEdit is leading the way. Version 8. ...more

New UK database immobilises stolen mobile phones

Scheme to counter mobile theft will render stolen handsets useless A new database of EMEI numbers - the unique identifying number for each phone - will allow victims of mobile theft to cancel their phone as easily as cancelling a stolen credit card. The database is shared across all UK mobile operators and lists all the EMEI numbers of handsets reported to have been stolen. Additionally, the Mobile Telephones (Re-programming) Act, which came into force 4 October, criminalises the reprogramming of EMEI numbers with penalties of up to five years in prison. ...more

Napster offers free music in iTunes battle

Napster has begun offering free music in a bid to entice customers away from iTunes. The music service is offering visitors to its US website the chance to hear songs up to five times for free, albeit at a low bitrate and wrapped up in a Flash .swf file to prevent them being easily downloaded to the listeners' computer. ...more