Symantec spells out answers to MS

Symantec yesterday laid out how it will compete with Microsoft for consumers` security business, but again wouldn`t promise that its by-subscription security service would be available this year, reports InformationWeek.

As part of a day-long briefing of financial analysts, Symantec`s consumer group chief, Enrique Salem, detailed both stop-gap and long-term product plans to stay ahead of Microsoft, which this week entered the consumer security market with a $49.95 per year Windows Live OneCare service.

Salem said Symantec`s answer, once code-named Genesis but on Wednesday renamed Norton 360, would go into beta testing next month, first in a limited, managed roll-out, then in a widespread format that would be open to the public.

Sony has released a new firmware update to the PlayStation Portable (PSP) that moves the system from the 2.70 version released in April to 2.71.

According to Gamespot, as the incremental advancement in the version number suggests, it doesn`t seem to be a large update - it notifies users of only two changes upon installation.

The bigger of the two changes included in the update is the ability to download game demos directly from the PSP Internet browser to the system`s memory stick. The other change is a fix for the LocationFree Player so that video output is displayed properly when an external tuner is selected.

Microsoft has been vocal about its desire to support the first Xbox by making all original Xbox games backward compatible with the next-generation Xbox 360 system. The goal was to make every original Xbox game playable on the Xbox 360, says IGN.

In May 2005, a PR manager for Xbox told GamesIndustry.biz that Microsoft`s "goal is to have every Xbox game work on Xbox 360. You will NOT need to purchase a new `version` - your original games will work on Xbox 360."

Microsoft VP Peter Moore may be taking on the role of the fat lady and singing backward compatibility a fond farewell in a video interview available today on gaming Web site Kikizo.