EU accuses Microsoft of playing media games

A senior EU official has accused Microsoft of using two-days of talks on antitrust compliance purely for publicity. 'The reason for this hearing is purely a media exercise for Microsoft,' said Cecilio Madero, senior Commission official leading the case at the two-day closed hearing. Microsoft wanted the hearing to be open to the public, instead it is being held today behind closed doors. ...more

Overture Launches 'Content Match' contextual ad service

Leading pay per placement company Overture Services has jumped on the contextual advertising bandwagon with Content Match. The new product places the company's search results - which have been paid for by advertisers - on relevant content-based pages of its distribution partners' Web sites. The first 'distribution partner' to roll out the new service will be MSN with others to follow. ...more

Sony shows super, slim digicam

Sony has unveiled a new 'super slim' digital camera with a pot pourri of technological firsts for a camera of its size. The Cyber-shot DSC-T9 is, Sony says, 'the first super slim digital still camera with double 'anti-blur' technology - combining optical image stabiliser and high sensitivity', added to which Super SteadyShot, 'reduces camera shake for crystal clear photos'. Combine Super SteadyShot with High Sensitivity [Sony's caps] and the camera can shoot happily in the dark without a flash or capture moving objects with the 'reassurance that they will be blur-free'. ...more

Sun employee earns six times the salary of chairman Scott McNealy

Sun's pony-tailed COO Jonathan Schwartz is enjoying a bumper 2004, with a promotion to president and a 56 per cent pay rise, taking home more than six times the salary of his boss, chairman Scott McNealy. According to an SEC filing yesterday, Schwartz's payroll comprises $559,435 plus a bonus of $107,819 and further compensation of $3,529 for patent applications, taking him to a mighty $670,000. Schwartz's boss, McNealy, took his regular $100,000, as he has done for the past three years (although he enjoyed a hefty bonus in 2002 of around $500,000). ...more

Broadband is letting technology down, says Gates

Bill Gates said on Wednesday that broadband Internet access was the Achilles heel of the technology revolution. Speaking at Microsoft's CEO summit, attended by top technology leaders, Gates said that broadband wasn't cheap enough to gain acceptance quickly. "There is no hardware limitation that will affect what you want to do, but there is one exception and that is the cost of broadband communication, primarily to the home," said Gates. ...more