Online music stores going cheap

Loudeye digital music company is expected to announce a new service today to help companies set up online music stores, reports CNet.

In collaboration with Microsoft, Loudeye is to provide the infrastructure for online music companies at much below the cost of developing their own sites. There has been a proliferation of plans for such sites in the eight months since Apple launched its iTunes song store.

News.com is quoting a Reuters report that some US electronics companies are protesting against a decision by Chinese authorities to regulate the sale of wireless networking equipment inside the country.

In terms of the regulations that went into effect at the beginning of the month with a grace period until June next year, all wireless networking equipment sold in China must include an encryption scheme to which only 11 Chinese companies have access. U.S. industry and government officials say they are concerned about the disruption the measure could have on shipments.

Sony has launched a new gaming device that is a cross between a digital video disc recorder and game machine.

Channel News Asia.com reports that the PSX, released to the Japanese market, not only records movies and TV programmes, but can also run PlayStation games. The report says the e PSX could help Sony boost sales in the DVD recorder market. Sony is also said to be hoping the PSX will challenge PCs, which are increasingly being used to play digital music and videos.

The PSX is expected to go on sale in the US and Europe next year.

Microsoft is to make tools available on its Web site to remove swastikas from the latest version of Office software.

Wired News reports that although the swastika was made infamous by Nazi Germany, a form of the symbol has been used in the Buddhist religion and became common in China and Japan with the spread of the religion. It was included in Microsoft`s "Bookshelf Symbol 7" font, but Microsoft says the font was derived from a Japanese set and there was no malicious intent.