MusicMatch service hopes to be match for iTunes

Music management software company MusicMatch has launched its MusicMatch Downloads service, which it hopes will enjoy the same success in the PC market that iTunes has with Macs. Already having some 40 million users as a result of MusicMatch software being bundled with a host of digital music players, the company will be hoping that the relatively lenient licensing rules will tempt a good portion of these to sign up. Like Apple's iTunes, MusicMatch Downloads offers single song purchases for 99 cents from tracks offered by all five major and more than 30 independent record labels. ...more

Microsoft appoints Chief Security Strategist

Scott Charney, from Pricewaterhouse Coopers' Cybercrime Prevention and Response Practice, has been chosen to lead Microsoft's security efforts. With a serious CV of tackling computer crime, Charney has been welcomed as an 'essential member of Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing leadership team'. He will be responsible for security strategies for software and services, and generally beefing up Microsoft's performance in this increasingly-sensitive area. ...more

Paid-for content more likely to be mobile

A new report predicts that within five year's time people will be paying for content on their mobile phones rather than PC. The figures are that by 2006, Europeans will be spending ?3.3bn to receive content of one form or another on mobile phones, almost double that of ?1. ...more

Comment: Internet experts face anti-terrorist threat

Internet security professionals everywhere are breaking the law and risk facing prosecution as terrorists. The remarkably non-specific UK Terrorism Act 2000, passed on Monday, makes it possible for the government to target and label network security specialists as terrorists because they hold, and sometimes publish, documentation about system vulnerabilities. While such information can be used by politically-motivated crackers to attack, penetrate or bring down computer systems, it is also essential for systems administrators who need to stay up-to-date with details of the latest software vulnerabilities so they can strengthen their firewalls, e-mail systems and Web sites. ...more

Skype shows progress for non-Windows versions

Linux Skypers have a reason to be cheerful - version 1.3.0. ...more