Software
Opera delivers
Norwegian software specialist Opera has become the first company to offer a web browser that automatically delivers articles and updates to weblogs. Available for a free download (it is supported via banner advertising) Opera 7.50 relays Really Simple Syndication (RSS) items directly to a PC or Mac via the browser's integrated email client, Opera Mail. Also new is an internet chat client that is compatible with private and group online chats. Opera has also revamped the browser's interface to deliver shortcuts to internet activities via a new panel selector.
Mobile phones
Vouchers take a hit
A European directive on electronic money could hit prepay mobile phone users, after the European Commission last week suggested in a consultation paper that it should apply to prepay vouchers, if they are used to buy third-party services or goods such as ring-tones or information. The directive says electronic money must be redeemable for cash, and be protected against use by money launderers. Analyst firm Ovum warns that applying the directive to prepay vouchers would either mean mobile operators setting up special subsidiaries, or outsourcing issuance to specialist e-money companies - both of which would be expensive. http://europa.eu.int/comm
MP3 players
A Zen for quality
Many budget MP3 players have tacky plastic cases. Not the EZAV Zen EMP-200, which goes on sale this week via MP3 Plus. The £139 256MB player is finished in a solid metallic case. Compatible with MP3 and WMA files, it features direct encoding from audio sources such as CDs and can be programmed to create a new track when silence is detected at the end of a piece. This makes it a good bet for those archiving vinyl records. The player, which works with PCs and Macs, features an LCD screen, a joystick-controlled menu system and USB 1.1 connector. www.mp3-plus.net
Hardware
Doubling up
Sony has also unveiled its latest top-end desktop PC that doubles as a home entertainment server. When used with Sony's £300 Network Media Receiver device, the RA104 can wirelessly stream music, video and still images from its hard drive to a television or home entertainment centre using the 802.11g format. The PC features an analogue TV tuner complete with Sony's hard disk video recording Giga Pocket software. The company has also incorporated an electronic programming guide for the PC. This web-based software enables users to instruct the recorder to archive programmes remotely via a PC or an internet-enabled phone. The RA104 goes on sale in June.
Socket surfing
For those lumbered with 56k dial-up modem connections, Socket is offering the chance to surf the net wirelessly. Its £99 cordless 56k modem connects a computer to the internet using Bluetooth. Users plug the modem into a standard phone line and then go online via a Bluetooth-enabled PC up to 100 feet away. It is powered by a rechargeable Lithium ion battery. The modem, which works with Palm and Microsoft-based PDAs, is accompanied by utilities connection set-up software, which apparently makes it easy to program the modem when travelling abroad. www.socket.com
Sony slims down
Sony is to bring to the UK next month what it is billing the slimmest and lightest ultra portable notebook PC. Launched in Japan at the end of last year, the Vaio X505 is just 9.7mm thick and weighs around 850g. Sony claims it has cut the note book's bulk by employing a new miniature motherboard that is around the same size as a MiniDisc. Features include a 10.4in XGA screen, 1.1 GHz Intel ultra low voltage Pentium M processor, a 20GB hard disk and 512MB Ram. Also included is 802.11/g wireless connectivity via a PC card, a multi-format flash storage card adapter and a DVD rewriter. It is expected to retail for around £2,200.
Internet
Site fails disabled
A Disability Rights Commission website, <A HREF="http://www.disabilityaware.org"">www.disabilityaware.org, fails basic tests on its accessibility to the disabled, according to Business2www, a website testing firm. It found a button that lacks an alt tag, stopping anyone using screen-reading software from identifying what that button does. The firm says that in general, government websites are improving their compliance with web accessibility initiative (WAI) guidelines.
Taking into account a range of measures, the research found the Child Support Agency and the Privy Council have the best websites of 67 government organisations, while the Treasury has the poorest.
Yahoo vs Google
UK users of Yahoo's free webmail service will get 100MB of storage space from late summer, up from from 6MB. Paying users, including BT Yahoo customers, will go from 50MB to "virtually unlimited" storage space. Google is trialling a groups service, Groups 2, which can handle email lists and newsgroups - similar to Yahoo Groups.
Google is also adding image-based adverts to its context-specific AdWords service. These adverts had been text only. For the time being, the image-based adverts will be shown only on willing third-party websites, rather than on Google's own services.
http://groups-beta.google.com
Stat of the week: Web surfing at work
49% of us would sooner lose morning coffee than our work net connection, and we average around two hours a week on personal surfing. 22% of men and 12% of women admit to looking at porn - although 13% of men and all the women say it was an accident.
