Scientists build the world's fastest transistor

Scientists at the University of Illinois have built what they claim is the world's fastest transistor. The new device has smashed through the 600GHz barrier and switches at a world record 604GHz. The researchers behind the transistor say that a terahertz transistor could now be within reach. ...more

Microsoft targets robots

Software giant Microsoft is taking a first step away from office software towards more industrial applications with the preview of the Microsoft Robotics Studio. Aimed at a range of robotic researchers in areas as diverse as academic, hobbyist and commercial development, the Robotics software is engineered differently from the average desktop operating system. In order to function and respond in the real world, it has to be able to receive and process concurrent information from its sensors in real time and feed it back instantly as a response through its motors - and that is without any autonomous decision making built in. ...more

MusicNet undergoes Windows Media conversion

RealNetworks-backed MusicNet's catalogue is to be converted to Windows Media. Currently offered through AOL's online service, the format change could well be the first fruit of AOL and Microsoft chumming up, dropping the former's antitrust suit, and agreeing a seven-year, royalty-free licence to use Microsoft's entire Windows Media 9 Series digital media platform. Microsoft's cross-town rival RealNetworks is a majority shareholder and technology partner in MusicNet, which recently completed an additional round of funding from the company's original group of shareholders including RealNetworks, Bertelsmann, EMI and Warner Music Group. ...more

Apple makes Windows Rendezvous

Apple has released a technology preview of the Windows version of its Rendezvous networking technology. Rendezvous enables automatic discovery of computers, devices, and services on IP networks. Also known as zero-configuration networking, using industry-standard IP protocols to allow devices to automatically find each other without the need to enter IP addresses or configure DNS servers. ...more

A word in your shell-like...

Running SSH version 3.0? Get the patch now or else! Unix administrators running version 3.0. ...more