Universal dumps YouTube

NBC Universal has removed its video clips from YouTube and closed a promotional channel on the Google-owned online video site in advance of the expected launch next week of Hulu, its rival service, says MSNBC.

An NBC spokesman confirmed the move, and said it was intended to provide a boost to Hulu, which is a joint venture with News` Fox division, and did not represent a new, tougher line that the company was taking against Google.

"Down the road, we will be open to promoting our content as we see fit," the spokesman said, adding that NBC was "not closing the door on anything".

A chemical industry group has lashed out at Greenpeace, condemning the environmental lobby group for unfairly criticising Apple`s iPhone`s green credentials, reports PC World.

Greenpeace last week released an analysis of the iPhone, in which it claims the product contains a range of potentially dangerous chemicals.

The Bromine Science and Environmental Forum, the international organisation of the bromine chemical industry, points out that none of the substances Greenpeace is criticising Apple for deploying in the device are banned under existing environmental law.

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies today unveiled the Deskstar P7K500 desktop hard drive, which it claims cuts power requirements by up to 40% over its predecessor T7K500 offering, says Computerworld.

Hitachi said the 250GB version of the new drive requires 3.6 watts of power in idle mode, while higher-end models that store 350GB and more require 4.8 watts. Active Deskstar PK7500 machines require 6.4 watts to 8.2 watts of energy, the company said.

The new Hitachi desktop drives will start shipping in volume before the end of the year, Hitachi officials said in a statement.