Universal buys EMusic

Vivendi's music arm Universal Music Group has acquired EMusic, the popular MP3 download site that also boasts RollingStone.com and Downbeat.com, furthering its wish for greater penetration within the US market. ...more

Ofcom is go... next year... perhaps

The Government has passed a bill to combine five regulators of the media and communications industry to form OFCOM (the Office of Communications). Oftel, the Independent television Commission, the Radio Authority, the Broadcasting Standards Commission and the Radio-communications Agency will combine to form OFCOM, which could begin regulating in 2003. The exact timing of this will depend on the Bill itself being passed, which in turn depends on there being time available to get it passed in next year's parliamentary session. ...more

WLAN Event: MyZones launches managed Wi-Fi broadband service

The Wi-Fi startup company MyZones has announced two services for providing managed wireless access to broadband. The official launch was at the Wireless LAN Event at Olympia. The idea is that with a simple user interface and the installation of client software on your machines, you are ready to login to the Net-based MyZones system. ...more

HD DVD drives heading into all Toshiba laptops

Toshiba is intending to put HD DVD drives in all of its laptops from next year, a Toshiba executive has said. The move is a new attempt to gain ground in the next-generation DVD format battle. Sony equips its PS3 game consoles with Blu-ray drives to win people to the rival high-definition DVD format, and Toshiba should use a similar tactic, said Toshiba Senior Vice President Hisatsugu Nonaka. ...more

The PlayStation 2 gets violent

The links between computers games and violence were finally established in the US on Thursday when scuffles broke out at some stores across the country. Shortages of the next generation console meant that PS2 fans in areas as varied as North Dakota and Woodstock were left hot around the collar. As tempers flared, people were threatened and violent behaviour displayed. ...more