Microsoft admits to handing over search data to Feds

Microsoft has admitted that it has handed over data from its search engine logs to the Department of Justice (DoJ). Last week, Google refused a similar request saying that the Department's request was 'overreaching'. Although civil liberties may be in the mind of the company whose motto is famously 'do no evil', more importantly, from Google's point of view is its reputation with its visitors. ...more

ST FRIACO gets its first customer

WorldCom has announced it will be offering ISPs a wholesale unmetered product based on the ST FRIACO package announced by Oftel yesterday. The company is the only telco so far to act on the ST FRIACO news, despite Oftel's hopes that it would level the playing field for ISPs. WorldCom hasn't said how much it would charge for its service, but Phil Reynolds, UK director of regulatory affairs at WorldCom, said that ST FRIACO would bring "sustainable competition" to the UK. ...more

Bulldog takes a bite out of megabit broadband services

Bulldog has welcomed BT's LLU price cuts by itself cutting the price of its 1Mbps and 2Mbps PrimeTime broadband packages. Bulldog is one of the prime movers behind LLU-based services in the UK. The 1Mbps PrimeTime 1000 service drops ?5 to ?19. ...more

Linux desktop to run Dashboard widgets

The next version of the KDE desktop for Linux will be able to run Dashboard widgets ostensibly developed for Mac OS X. Lead developer Zack Rusin revealed in his blog that a layer in the desktop will be capable of running most widgets as they are use nothing more than HTML and Javascript code. The fact that Apple's WebKit rendering engine is based on KDE's Konqueror browser also helps. ...more

Microsoft announces new Xbox deal

With the release date being moved back and the lack of Japanese developers getting behind the new Microsoft mega-console, the company has announced a new series of deals with software developers. Yesterday, Microsoft announced that it has signed deals with six developers who are putting games together for the Xbox. Microsoft will publish games developed by Blitz Games, Curly Monsters, Double Fine Productions, Radical Entertainment, Vision Scape Interactive and Yeti Software. ...more