Computers Directory

Microsoft to Recall Xbox Cords Due Electrical Issue
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp., the world's largest software maker, said on Thursday it will recall 14.1 million power cords for its Xbox video game console after a defect gave some users minor singe burns and scorched carpets.

Mobile Industry Sees Viruses as Growing Threat
CANNES, France (Reuters) - Viruses on mobile phones are still rare, but their number has been growing fast as handsets increasingly resemble small computers that connect with each other and the Internet, industry officials said.

Microsoft Launches Anti-Piracy Plan in Brazil
SAO PAULO, Brazil (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday MSFT.O launched its biggest initiative yet to combat rampant software piracy in Brazil, allowing only registered customers access to "non-critical" updates of its Windows operating system.

Lawmakers, Businesses Call for More R&D; Funding
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government needs to boost spending on scientific research to avoid falling behind India, China and other countries that are rapidly gaining ground, business and education leaders said on Wednesday.

Intel Builds First Continuous Laser with Silicon
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Researchers from Intel Corp. have created the first continuous laser beam using silicon components, a development the chip maker called a major scientific breakthrough that could herald significant advances in communications and medicine.

The Music Phone Is Already Here, Sendo Says
CANNES, France (Reuters) - As three of the world's top six mobile phone makers announced music-playing phones at this week's 3GSM wireless trade show, Britain's privately held Sendo said it was the only handset maker that could already show a model.

Microsoft to Recall Xbox Cords After Users Burned
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp., the world's largest software maker, said on Thursday it will recall 14.1 million power cords for its Xbox video game console after a defect gave some users minor burns and scorched carpets.

Qualcomm Expects $50 3G Handsets Within Two Years
CANNES, France (Reuters) - U.S.-based wireless technology company Qualcomm said on Tuesday it expects $50 handsets for faster third generation (3G) mobile phone networks to be on the market in two years' time.

Users Bypass Copy Protection on Portable Napster
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Users have found a way to skirt copy protection on Napster Inc.'s NAPS.O portable music subscription service just days after its high-profile launch, potentially letting them make CDs with hundreds of thousands of songs for free.

Microsoft Plans New IE Browser, Better Security
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. MSFT.O will release a new version of Internet Explorer, the world's most widely used Web browsing software, with stronger, built-in security features, chairman Bill Gates said on Tuesday.

Flarion's High Speed Network Will Be Used in Europe
CANNES, France (Reuters) - U.S.-based wireless communications company Flarion said on Tuesday it expects to sign several deals with European operators for nationwide construction of its ultra high-speed mobile data technology.

Atari to Release New 'Matrix' Game This Holiday
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Video game publisher Atari Inc. will return to the universe of "The Matrix" with a new game that lets players assume the role of actor Keanu Reeves' lead character Neo, the company said on Monday.

Phones Will Become Entertainment Devices - Orange
CANNES (Reuters) - This year will witness the transformation of mobile handsets into genuine entertainment devices, France Telcom's wireless unit Orange predicted on Monday.

Axalto Unveils 3G Chip Made with Intel, Orange
CANNES, France (Reuters) - French smartcard provider Axalto on Monday unveiled a new 3G chip made in partnership with Intel and Orange aimed at securing its leadership of the next generation mobile market.

E-Mail Bug Made Computers Phone Emergency Line
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A Louisiana man has pleaded guilty to sending rigged e-mails that caused some computers to dial the 911 emergency services number, prosecutors said on Monday.

Nokia, Microsoft in Media Software Deal
CANNES/HELSINKI (Reuters) - The world's largest mobile phone maker, Nokia, and software giant Microsoft struck a deal on Monday to make it easier for consumers to buy digital music online and play it back on their handsets.

Motorola Unveils RAZR Successors, iTunes Phone
CANNES, France (Reuters) - U.S.-based Motorola unveiled a range of new handsets on Monday that will be built around its popular RAZR model, and showed a long-awaited music phone with Apple's iTunes music player software.

Sony Ericsson Set to Unveil Walkman Phones
CANNES, France (Reuters) - Swedish-Japanese mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson 6758.T will launch digital Walkman phones in March to better tap into the mobile music market, seen as a top growth area for 2005, its head said on Monday.

Hitachi to Offer Security-Enhanced Notebook PCs
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Hitachi Ltd. 6501.T said on Tuesday it would launch notebook computers with no hard disk drives, offering corporate clients a way to protect key business information from potential leaks.

Toshiba Near Deal with Toyota on Hybrid Car Chips
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Toshiba Corp. said on Monday it was in the final stages of talks with Toyota Motor Corp. about supplying the world's second-largest auto maker with microchips that control key functions of hybrid cars.

Toshiba Starts Premium Corporate Laptops
CANNES, France (Reuters) - Toshiba launched a new line of laptops on Monday which are more secure, sturdier and easier to connect, in an attempt to lure business customers by retaining the latest technology longer for itself.

Gulf Arabs Turn to Top Technology for Security
ABU DHABI (Reuters) - Oil-rich Gulf Arab states are turning to state-of-the-art technology to keep at bay insurgents from nearby Iraq or a spread of al Qaeda violence, military experts said on Saturday.

Sony Movie Unit to Issue Films for PSP Game System
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The home video unit of Sony Corp. said on Friday it will release four movies in April on a new disc format designed for Sony's PlayStation Portable handheld video game device.

Toshiba to Make Chips for Toyota Hybrid Cars -Paper
TOKYO (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp., the world's fifth-largest chip maker, will start supplying Toyota Motor Corp. with microchips that control key functions of hybrid cars by the end of the year, a Japanese newspaper said on Sunday.

Mobile Phones to Replace IPods, Says France's NRJ
PARIS (Reuters) - Top French radio group NRJ predicted on Friday mobile phones would replace portable music players such as Apple Computer Inc.'s AAPL.O iPods, as it unveiled plans to become France's third high-speed mobile service provider after Orange and SFR.

Leading Brands Reluctantly Chase Cheap PC Sales
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - For personal computer makers caught in a vortex of plunging prices and weak U.S. consumer demand, the question these days is, how low can you go?

Intel Takes Gamble with New Brand for PCs
SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Intel Corp. INTC.O will try to liven up the drab desktop PC later this year with new technology that will help convert the home computer into an entertainment hub, but advertising and technology experts say such a product will be tough to market.

Microsoft Delays New CRM Software Version's Launch
SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. MSFT.O will push back the launch of the newest version of its software for small businesses that want to track and manage their customer relationships, the world's largest software maker said on Friday.

Yahoo Tests Toolbar for Firefox Browser
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Yahoo Inc. YHOO.O said late on Wednesday it has released a test version of its toolbar for the Mozilla Firefox Web browser.

Hewlett-Packard Ousts CEO Carly Fiorina
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Hewlett-Packard Co.HPQ.N on Wednesday ousted Chairman and Chief Executive Carly Fiorina, the architect of a controversial $19 billion merger with Compaq Computer that never produced the results she promised.

Judge: Microsoft Pact Not a Guarantee
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The federal judge overseeing the landmark Microsoft Corp. MSFT.O antitrust settlement said on Wednesday there was no guarantee the pact will put a dent in the company's Windows computer operating system monopoly.

Sirius Says Approached Apple on Adding Service
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. said on Wednesday it has discussed with Apple Computer Inc. the possibility of adding its service to Apple's popular iPod music player.

FCC Deal Blow to TV Broadcasters
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. regulators on Thursday dealt a blow to television broadcasters by rejecting requests that cable operators be required to carry more than one of the stations' primary channels.

Online Banking Growing Rapidly, Survey Finds
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly half of all U.S. adult Internet users now manage their bank accounts online, making banking the fastest-growing online activity, according to a survey released on Wednesday.

Hasbro Aims to Connect with 'Tweens' with ChatNow
By Angela Moore NEW YORK (Reuters) - After a rough 2004, Hasbro Inc.HAS.N is setting its sights on "tweens," and beefing up its offerings to that lucrative market.

Digital Camera Growth to Slow in 2005 -Study
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The photography industry expects U.S. digital camera sales growth to slow to about 13 percent this year, as the market matures after growing at a breakneck pace for almost a decade, according to a report released on Thursday.

Intel to Add 64-Bit Feature to Pentium Chips
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Intel Corp. INTC.O, the world's largest chip maker, said on Tuesday it would add 64-bit computing capabilities to its flagship Pentium 4 computer chips this month, allowing more powerful processing of large chunks of data.

U.S. Companies Move Call Center Work to the Home
NEW YORK (Reuters) - People who reach Esther DeJesus when they call Office Depot Inc.'s customer service center have no idea that she's sitting at home in a room decorated with pictures of Garfield and Betty Boop.

Phones, Car Engines Face Security Threats -- Report
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Daily computer security headaches such as viruses and spam threaten to spread to a far wider range of devices -- from phones to car engines, a survey to be published by IBM on Wednesday has found.

Hewlett-Packard Ousts CEO Carly Fiorina
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Hewlett-Packard Co. HPQ.N on Wednesday ousted Chairman and Chief Executive Carly Fiorina, the architect of a controversial merger with Compaq Computer that never produced the results she promised.

Intel Produces One Chip with Two 'Brains'
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Intel Corp. INTC.O on Monday said it had completed initial production runs of a chip with two processors-in-one, setting the stage for mainstream marketing of personal computers with two processor "brains."

Hollywood Lines Up Support for Net Song-Swap Case
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The entertainment industry has rounded up dozens of allies to persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to hold Internet file-trading services responsible when users copy songs and movies without permission.

Ex-Microsoft Worker Pleads Guilty to Software Theft
SEATTLE (Reuters) - A former Microsoft Corp. MSFT.O employee pleaded guilty on Wednesday to selling the world's largest software maker's products for more than $7 million for personal profit, federal prosecutors said.

Nintendo Coming Out with Baseball Video Game
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Japanese video game company Nintendo Co. Ltd., which owns baseball's Seattle Mariners, on Thursday said it will publish a baseball video games title this spring.

Microsoft to Launch Anti-Piracy Initiative
SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. will combat piracy of its flagship operating system by requiring Windows users to verify that their copy of the software is genuine in order to receive timely updates and security fixes, the world's largest software maker said on Wednesday.

Wireless Auction Brings $974 Mln in Bids
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Almost $1 billion in bids were made on Wednesday on the opening day of a U.S. government auction of valuable wireless airwaves, with companies fighting hard for the Los Angeles market.

Intel's Mystery Mark, VIIV, Sparks Intrigue
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Recent trademark filings from Intel Corp. INTC.O are raising speculation that the world's largest chip maker may be preparing to create a new global brand. The question is, what does VIIV mean?

Chip Inventory Levels Fell Sharply at Year-End
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Excess semiconductor inventories fell 38 percent in the fourth quarter, a surprisingly large drop that could ease fears of an ongoing oversupply, iSuppli Corp. said on Thursday.

New Yahoo Tool Sends Business Info to Mobile Phones
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Yahoo Inc. YHOO.O began offering on Thursday a new tool that allows users of its local search service to send restaurant or business information in the form of a text message from a computer to a mobile phone.

Teen Sentenced for Unleashing Blaster Worm
SEATTLE (Reuters) - A federal judge sentenced a teenager to a year and half of prison on Friday for releasing a variant of the Blaster worm that was used to attack more than 48,000 computers.

EU Raises Possibility of New Fines for Microsoft
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission held out the possibility on Friday that Microsoft Corp. may be fined up to 5 percent of its average daily turnover unless it complies soon with a European Union antitrust decision.

Symbian Unveils More Powerful Smartphone Software
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - British mobile phone software maker Symbian, part-owned by Psion, unveiled on Wednesday a new version of its operating system that supports high resolution cameras and three-dimensional games graphics.

Japan FTC Thinks Intel Violated Antitrust Law-Media
TOKYO (Reuters) - The Japanese unit of Intel Corp., the world's biggest chip maker, declined comment on Saturday on media reports that it would receive a warning from Japan's antitrust regulators about its business practices.

EA Making 'Godfather' Game Using Brando's Voice
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Marlon Brando is dead but his voice will live on, as Electronic Arts Inc. said it plans a video game version of the classic film "The Godfather" using the brooding actor's voice and likeness.

Fisher-Price, Scholastic Plan Interactive DVD Books
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fisher-Price, a unit of No. 1 toy maker Mattel Inc. MAT.N, is teaming up with publisher Scholastic Corp.SCHL.O on interactive DVD toys using classic children's books.

Sony May Miss Target for PSP Europe Launch -- Source
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese electronics maker Sony Corp. could miss its end-March target for the European launch of its new handheld game machine PlayStation Portable (PSP), a company source told Reuters on Friday.

FBI Unable to Launch New Computer Program -Audit
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The FBI has squandered $170 million on a failed computer system agents can use to instantly share information, and seems to know neither how long it will take nor how much it will cost to build one, a Justice Department audit showed on Thursday.

Microsoft's Gates Vows 'Interoperable' Software
SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. MSFT.O adopted a new mantra on Thursday, promising to work harder to make its software work better with other software systems and hardware, Chairman Bill Gates said in an e-mail to customers.

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