Joint venture to produce organic displays

Samsung and NEC have announced a joint venture worth 500bn Korean won (?288m) to develop low-power screens for use in mobile devices. The new company, called Samsung NEC Mobile Display, will produce organic electroluminescent (EL) displays - a self-emitting light technology - that don't need background lighting and consume less power. It is also claimed to be faster and more compact than current TFT LCD displays. ...more

UK games chart: Harry Potter rules the roost

The spell cast by Harry Potter is still not fading - the movie spin-off Harry Potter And The Goblet of Fire ascends from number six to number one in this week's ELSPA UK games chart. EA's game version of the bespectacled Hogwartian holds off a former number one, Lucas Arts' Star Wars: Battlefront 2. At number three is THQ's WWE Smackdown! Vs Raw 2006, for the PS2 and PSP, which is body-slammed by Mr Potter from last-week's top position. ...more

Microsoft patches .wmf vuln

Microsoft has made a patch available to address the .wmf vulnerability that was already being targeted by the virus underground. The patch was released yesterday in the US following the security team finishing their testing ahead of schedule. ...more

Windows Live Mail Desktop beta goes public

As promised earlier this year, Microsoft has made a public beta available of the new look Windows Live Mail Desktop (WMLD). This is earmarked to replace the Outlook Express mail client currently bundled with Windows XP. Microsoft has enabled direct sign-up for US and UK customers with Free Hotmail accounts. ...more

Investigation of Apple Samsung Flash deal confirmed

South Korea has confirmed that it has begun an investigation into accusations that Samsung has charged Apple unfairly low prices for Flash memory chips. 'We are investigating whether Samsung has been unfairly supplying Flash memory chips to Apple at cheaper prices than applied to domestic music player makers,' a spokesman for the country's Fair Trade Commission explained. Samsung, however, did not appear too concerned. ...more