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MS to push Vista online

By Warwick Ashford, ITWeb London correspondent
Johannesburg, 19 Jan 2007

MS to push Vista online

Microsoft has introduced three different programmes to make it easier to buy, upgrade and license multiple copies of Windows Vista online from the end of this month, reports PC Mag.

The first programme offers discounts for more comprehensive versions of Vista for customers in North America, Japan and Europe; the second offers discounted Home Premium licences for Vista Ultimate customers in North America only; and the third makes Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office release available by direct download for the first time.

The programmes are being offered via Windows Marketplace, an e-commerce infrastructure introduced by Microsoft last year to make downloads safer and more efficient.

US turns to Net for political news

Use of the Internet as a primary source of political news has doubled in the US since 2002, according to a new Pew Research Centre study, reports BBC News.

The research report says Americans are increasingly using the Internet as their primary source of political news and that more people are contributing to political debate via their own blogs. The result is a growing online influence on how people think about civic issues.

The report says one of the biggest reasons for the trend is that nearly half of US homes now have a broadband connection and the Internet is playing an increasing role in daily lives. At the same time, politicians are also embracing the Internet as a means of communication.

SMEs wary of VOIP security

Half of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the US feel they can trust the security behind IP telephony, reports eWeek.

This was the conclusion of a new survey by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) and International Data Corporation. Researchers found the main reason for the lack of faith in VOIP was the knowledge that IP telephony relies on the same systems that are vulnerable to viruses, worms and Trojan horses.

Conversely, 82% of respondents said they trusted the security of traditional telephone systems, 72% trusted Ethernet data networks and 60% trusted wireless local area networks. CompTIA says the research shows that security concerns continue to present a significant obstacle to converged solutions for SME customers.

US spends billions on games

US game sales hit $13.5 billion in 2006, an 18% market growth driven by new consoles from Sony and Nintendo and titles like Madden NFL 07 and World of Warcraft, according to market research firm NPD, reports News.com.

Sales of video games and accessories for consoles and portable devices grew to $12.5 billion from $10.5 billion in 2005. Revenue from PC games rose 1% to top $970 million in 2006.

Madden NFL 2007 from Electronic Arts was the top-selling video game for consoles and handheld devices, based on unit sales, while World of Warcraft was the top PC game.

LG plans iPhone rival

LG will release a new mobile phone next month that the Sydney Morning Herald says incorporates a buttonless touch-screen which resembles the iPhone from Apple.

LG's Prada Phone is being produced in partnership with the Italian fashion brand. It is set to go on sale in late February for $780 at mobile phone dealers and Prada stores in Britain, France, Germany and Italy. The Prada Phone has a wide-screen display, can play digital music and video, and has a 2MP camera.

Apple's iPhone is set for US release in June and will cost $599 for the high-end model with 8GB of internal memory - the same as the LG model. Other markets, such as Australia, will see the iPhone later this year and in 2008.

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