New modems for old

ADSL broadband supplier Pipex is offering to swap old external dial-up modems for a brand new ADSL modem - for free - if you sign up to their broadband service. The old modems won't just be thrown away, they will be given to the Computer Aid International charity which will then send them to new computer users in the developing world. Pipex is currently offering free ADSL connections to the first 40,000 to sign up and there are still around 20,000 spaces left. ...more

Supreme Court gives tech companies breathing space in patent cases

The US Supreme Court has struck a blow against the patent trolls. The Justices agreed unanimously that injunctions against patent infringing technology should only be used as a last resort. Instead courts should take other factors into account before issuing the injunctions including whether the patent holder has suffered irreparable damage or whether simple damages awards might be enough to compensate the patent holder for any losses. ...more

More than just another chip plant

China and Taiwan, from the coldest of political climates, have come to agreement over the creation of a new computer-chip plant. It is the sons of two powerful men - President Jiang Zemin of China and Wang Yung-ching, chairman of Taiwan's largest private industrial company, Formosa Plastics - who have brokered the $1.63bn deal. ...more

DesignIT 2007 challenges IT pros

It's a chance for IT professionals to show their creative side, and it's charities that benefit. The DesignIT 2007 challenge was launched last night, with three charities - the NSPCC, Global Action Plan and Leonard Cheshire - setting the problems they hope the IT community will help surmount. Examples of the charity challenges include: how can IT help redesign or develop a web service that allows people to calculate their carbon footprint (Global Action Plan)? How can IT help a small scale local arts and crafts shop to benefit from the increased interest in local produce (Leonard Cheshire)? And how can IT provide a mechanism that would validate a user across a number of different media channels, helping to make younger users safer online (NSPCC)? The competition is sponsored by Microsoft and the head of its UK Server Product team, Bruce Lynn, officially launched the event, highlighting a usually unseen side of IT pros: their creativity. ...more

Judge dismisses Google pagerank suit

A U.S. judge has thrown out a lawsuit challenging the fairness of how search giant Google calculates the popularity of websites in determining search results, court papers show. ...more