Govt's lost laptop tally exceeds 1 000

The Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has lost 96 laptops since the beginning of 2001, the latest part of Whitehall to admit to its computer losses, reports Computing.co.uk.

The figures take the UK government tally for lost laptops to more than 1 000.

The Ministry of Defence previously admitted to losing 347 laptops since 2004 - including one with the details of 600 000 people interested in joining the forces.

Intel unveiled an updated version of its Classmate PC laptop at the Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai, but changes made to the device are largely cosmetic, at least for now, says IT World.

The new Classmate PC has a sleeker look than its predecessor, and should appeal to a broader range of users. It also offers the option of a 9-inch screen instead of a 7-inch screen, and can have a built-in video camera.

However, most of the laptop's internal components remain largely unchanged from the original Classmate PC. The new laptop also retains the soft plastic cover that does double-duty as a carrying handle.

When it comes to protecting its base of coveted developer customers, IBM Rational is acting like an insecure suitor by suddenly uninviting potential rivals to its big party, according to a vendor that was asked not to attend, reports eWeek.

At least one vendor, Genuitec, maker of the MyEclipse IDE, has said an IBM official called its representative and told them Genuitec was not welcome at the Rational Software Development Conference this year.

Another company, AccuRev, which markets software configuration management and other solutions that compete with Rational's products, received a similar call. Both companies attended the conference last year and exhibited in the event's exhibit area.

In the latest effort by the ailing music industry to bolster its declining prospects, three of the industry's four major companies have struck a deal with the social networking site MySpace to start a music Web site, reports New York Times.

MySpace said yesterday that as part of the deal it would turn its popular MySpace Music site into a joint venture, bringing in Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group as minority owners.

The music companies are expected to make their entire digital music catalogues available for listening and downloading on the new site, which will be introduced later this year.