Microsoft sweeps into security

Microsoft claims its OneCare software offers PC owners all the protection they need, but it may be tough to dislodge Symantec and McAfee, reports Business Week.

About 18 months after promising a consumer-security product, Microsoft`s OneCare has finally hit the market. The aim is to provide a low-cost, easy-to-use product that gives consumers anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall protection.

"OneCare is like a pit crew [taking care of your car] for your computer," says Gina Narkunas, lead product manager for OneCare at Microsoft.

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) continues to step up its battle with Intel to secure a bigger share of the digital home entertainment market with the introduction today of AMD Live! Entertainment Suite, reports EE Times.

It is a collection of services and applications designed to enhance the home PC experience.

PC makers such as Acer, Alienware, Fujitsu Siemens, Gateway, HP, Sahara and Tsinghua Tongang will offer the AMD Live!-branded systems, which use AMD`s Athlon 62 X2 dual processor.

IBM`s famed Almaden Research Centre today celebrates 20 years of blood, sweat, research and development, reports The Register.

The Almaden facility sits atop a hill in San Jose, providing hundreds of IBM researchers with one of the more idyllic corporate research and development venues. Over the years, the lab has churned out some of IBM`s key storage, software and processor advances.

IBM has had a long-standing presence in Silicon Valley that dates back to the 1950s when it opened a small lab in San Jose. Some of IBM`s most prominent West Coast work includes the invention of the hard disc drive, the creation of the relational database by Ted Codd and the development of myriad storage management products.

Apple has begun accepting machines for its new recycling programme, according to Wired.

The programme allows purchasers of new Macs to recycle their old machines.

Apple had not disclosed full details of the programme until recently, but the steps are simple now: purchase an Apple computer, opt into the recycling programme, print the confirmation e-mail, package the computer when it`s time to recycle and take it to FedEx.