W3C: Berners-Lee pushes open web applications
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) sees the web becoming a platform where data can be posted and reused in multiple ad-hoc applications, to judge from a workshop the organisation held at the WWW2010 conference, this week in Raleigh, North Carolina.
ComputerWorld UK

O2 announces laptops with built-in mobile broadband
O2 today announced two new laptops to be available exclusively on O2.  The laptops are the Asus UL30A and Samsung N150 netbook.  Both come with integrated 3G mobile broadband connectivity.  The Samsung netbook will cost £25 per month and includes 3GB of data usage plus 500MB of Wi-Fi. It has a one-off fee of £29.99 and will be available on a 24-month contract from 30th April.  It has a 10.1 inch screen, a 160GB hard drive and 1GB of RAM.
Seek Broadband 

IBM gains top spot with 27.7 per cent market share
Worldwide project application development software revenue was down two per cent to $7.25bn in 2009, compared to $7.39bn in 2008, according to information technology research and advisory company Gartner.
Computer Business Review 

Cisco is world's greenest tech giant, says Greenpeace
Cisco Systems earned the top spot on the new Greenpeace 'Cool IT' leadership list, while some of Japan's biggest electronics vendors - Toshiba, Sharp, Sony and Panasonic - finished last. The list ranks 15 of the biggest technology vendors on their efforts to fight climate change. Out of a possible 100 points, half are awarded for products offered to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, 35 are for political advocacy, and 15 are for corporate commitments to cut emissions internally.
PC Advisor

Text Of Apple CEO Jobs' Memo About Adobe's Flash
Apple Inc. (AAPL) has published on its main Web site a memo signed "Steve Jobs" that, in uncharacteristic fashion, details Chief Executive Jobs' and Apple's opposition to the use in some Apple products of Flash, the technology from Adobe Systems Inc. (ADBE) that is broadly used to create video and animation content on the Web. The complete text appears below.
Wall Street Journal

America top of spam table, UK is ninth
So where does most of the world’s spam come from? From Minnesota in America, actually. Home of the Hormel Foods Corporation who make the dubiously coloured and textured meat product we all know and, er, know. (It’s coming back in fashion though – thanks recession!). But America is also the biggest producer of the electronic variety of spam that arrives in your inbox, attempting to persuade you to purchase pills which can make certain bodily parts grow longer, for longer.
Tech Watch  

China includes internet in secrets law revision
The Chinese government has moved to force internet and telecom companies operating in the country to turn over confidential customer information if it relates to ‘state secrets’.
FT

Microsoft confirms, kills Courier in one fell swoop
Well this is depressing. Word has just gone fluttering out of Redmond that work on the Courier project -- a heretofore rumored dual-screen tablet which rightfully set the tech world ablaze -- has been spun down by the company.
Engadget

Mind controlled robots loose in America
A US programmer has succeeded in creating the world's first mind-controlled robot, a WowWee Rovio powered by nothing more than brainwaves and the occasional head gesture.
Stuff

iPhone Finder Regrets His ‘Mistake’
The person who found and sold an Apple iPhone prototype says he regrets not doing more to return the device to its owner, according to a statement provided by his attorney Thursday in response to queries from Wired.com
Wired

Stephen Hawking warning: What would an alien invasion be like?
The human race could be devastated if aliens were to learn of our existence and venture to Earth, warned British scientist Stephen Hawking on Sunday. But how could extraterrestrials really invade Earth?
CSMonitor

Japan sending humanoid robot to the moon by 2015
As the US prepares to send NASA's humanoid Robonaut2 up to the International Space Station in September, Japan's private SOHLA (Space Oriented Higashiosaka Leading Association) is gearing up to send its own two-legged robot to the moon by 2015.
Engadet

Cutthroat competition spreads to Japan's electronics sector
The price wars that are affecting everything from fashion to fast food in Japan have spread to the electronics sector. Yamada Denki Co. has opened a vast new store selling discounted home appliances in the Shinjuku district of central Tokyo, with another store due to open nearby next year. The other key players in the sector - Bic Camera and Yodobashi Camera - already operate similar large-scale outlets nearby. The firms all have firm presences in the popular shopping districts of Shibuya, Ikebukuro and Akihabara and are considering further expansion plans.
The Independent

Guilty verdict in San Francisco rogue admin case
A former San Francisco network administrator has been found guilty of tampering with the city government's computer network. Terry Childs was found guilty of denial-of-service charges that can carry a penalty of up to five years in prison. He will be sentenced on 14 June. In what would become a textbook case of dysfunctional security and management practices in IT, Childs made headlines in 2008 when he locked city officials out of their own networks following a dispute with management.
V3

Facebook Like hits 50k sites in just one week
Whether you think it's a handy tool or insidious blight on the internet, nobody can deny that the Facebook Like button has been a hit – with a whopping 50,000 sites integrating the latest tool since launch. Facebook's Like button along with Activity Feed and Recommendations were launched on 75 sites, but have quickly become familiar sights on the internet – not bad for something that arrived at the f8 conference on 21 April.
TechRadar

Robot heart surgery to be done by remote control
A doctor will perform heart surgery remotely using a robot arm, in a pioneering operation conducted at Glenfield Hospital Leicester. Dr Andre Ng, Senior Lecturer in Cardiovascular Sciences at the University of Leicester and Consultant Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist, Glenfield Hospital, University Hospitals of Leicester, and quite possibly a man who needs a very large business card, is the first person to carry out an operation remotely on patients using this system.
TechRadar

Arsenal FC sets the pace with NETconsent
Arsenal Football Club is implementing new ways to distribute corporate policies with advanced software from NETconsent. With match day revenues now exceeding £100 million and an increased level of credit card transactions within the high tech Emirates Stadium, the correct handling of data is paramount for the Club. NETconsent allows policies, standards of conduct and customer data-handling procedures for some 400 staff to be communicated and controlled quickly and easily, with the added benefit of recording and reporting on employee’s understanding and acceptance of any changes.
Mobile Business Magazine

Will Vodafone Radically Change The 360 Platform With Android Smartphones?
The Vodafone 845, the mobile phone operator's first Android smartphone, could be a precursor of things to come as it is the first 360 smartphone to come out since Vodafone launched the Samsung H1 and M1. There are currently only four other quasi obsolete Nokia phones that come preloaded with the full set of 360.
ITproPortal

Palm being bought by Hewlett-Packard for $1 billion
Hewlett-Packard is buying Palm for nearly $1bn in cash, ending a brief period when it had looked as though the troubled smartphone maker might be bought by rival phone makers HTC or the Chinese computer maker Lenovo. The $5.70 per share price represents a 23% premium over the price yesterday. Accounting for debt, which HP is also taking on, the transaction has a value of $1.2bn. It is expected to close by the end of July. Last year Palm stock traded at up to $18 - though that is a far cry from its 2000 high of $552.
The Guardian

Microsoft unveils new Messenger service
Microsoft has announced the next generation of Windows Live Messenger, promising better sharing and interactivity. Speaking to students at the Universidad de Sao Paulo, Steve Ballmer previewed a new Messenger service which utilises the cloud more than ever before. The onus of the Messenger redux is very much about creating richer and more meaningful conversations through the service, adding things like social-network integration and better video and photo sharing.
Tech Radar

Apple Buys Siri To Push Voice Search
In a bid to take on Google's Android mobile OS, Apple has acquired Siri, a technology start-up that  develops voice-activated search applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch. California-based Siri, develops voice apps similar to the ones Google offers for its Android mobile operating system.
ITproPortal

Firefox tips up on Android
Open source Web Browser Firefox has appeared in "pre-alpha" form for the Android operating system. In a blog post, Firefox developer Vladimir Vukicevic announced that a early build, presently called Fennec, has been tested on Motorola's Droid and Milestone as well as Google's Nexus One.
The Inquirer

RIM offers first look at BlackBerry 6 OS
The chief executive of Research in Motion (RIM) has been showing off the new BlackBerry 6 operating system at the WES 2010 conference in Florida. In a short preview film Mike Lazaridis showed off the system's capabilities, including multi-touch controls and better integration of social networking functions into the traditionally business-focused operating system.
V3

Green IT for Sustainable Business Practice - How to lessen the impact of Embodied Emissions
Considering the potential environmental impact, it is imperative that both organisations and individuals implement solutions to reduce the embodied Greenhouse Gas emissions of ICT equipment. There is a real and potential danger for organisations to find themselves on the wrong side of the law as well as causing environmental damage through negligent e-waste disposal.
Computer Active

Poor smartphone sales push LG Mobile revenue down 20%
Manufacturer reports results for the quarter ended 31 March. LG Mobile said a drop in prices contributed to first-quarter sales down 19.4% from a year earlier to KRW 3.422 trillion.  The company shipped 27.1 million handsets in the Q1, up 20% from the year-earlier period but down 20% from the 34 million sold in Q4. Profit margins fell to 0.9% from 6.4% a year ago.
Mobile Today

Microsoft Office 2010 set for June 30 UK release
Amazon UK has started offering the consumer versions of Microsoft's next Office productivity suite for sale on its website. A single-user version of Microsoft Office 2010 Home and Business will cost £229 while the Professional version will cost a mighty £429. Amazon states that the Office suite will launch on 30 June.
PC Advisor

Virgin Media boasts more subscribers and more losses
More households than ever before switched to Virgin Media in the last quarter, as the company reaped the benefits of network upgrades.A net 38,300 new households joined the cable network in the first three months of the year, beating every quarter since Virgin Media was formed four years ago.A net total of 72,300 customers bought cable broadband, up 53 per cent on the same period a year ago.
The Register

Sony launches electronics 'scrappage scheme'
Electronics manufacturer Sony is to introduce a "scrappage" scheme to encourage customers to upgrade their TV and other equipment before the World Cup this summer. The scheme applies to TV, DVD-R, Blu-ray, home theatre, camera and other ranges, and offers a discount of up to £150 when old products are exchanged for selected new Sony models
The Guardian

Facebook told to tighten privacy policy
 US lawmakers have told Facebook they are concerned about changes to its privacy policy that would allow advertisers to save personal information about Facebook users and their friends. In a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, four US senators objected to changes that made a user's current city, hometown, likes, interests and friends publicly available, where they were previously only seen by friends.
PC Pro

Google reports huge rise in fake anti-virus software
Google researchers have warned of a huge rise in fake anti-virus software that tricks users into paying for a useless software suite.Fake anti-virus software now accounts for 15 per cent of all online malware, and is responsible for 50 per cent of all malware delivered by advertising, a fivefold increase in a single year.
V3

Cost of cybercrime to businesses doubles
The cost of cybercrime to businesses has doubled to more than £10bn over the past two years, research to be released today will reveal. The survey by professional services firm PwC reveals that 92% of businesses have experienced security incidents over the past year ranging from hacking attacks to accidental leaks of data.
Computer Weekly

Election 2010: Will it be the Sun or Twitter wot won it?
Who will decide the outcome of this election? Sun readers or the Twitterati? It's just one of the questions that make this the most fascinating of contests and a reason why nobody, thus far, is willing to predict the outcome.This uncertainty has created something of a panic among Conservatives and that significant portion of the press that has come out in their favour. After all, the party looked to be a shoo-in a couple of months ago.
The Guardian

Lonely Planet freebie sparks 3m iPhone downloads
Lonely Planet's iPhone apps have been downloaded more than three million times since 13 of them were made free earlier this week, the company has announced. Its travel guide apps for 13 European cities were switched to free in the wake of the volcanic ash cloud that's laid waste to flight schedules in the last week.
Mobile Entertainment

Foursquare: One million users and an imminent deal...
I'm mayor of our local baby swimming pool on Foursquare and, given that I'm not very competitive when it comes to gaming, that may well remain my biggest LBS victory. Founder Dennis Crowley told the Observer last week he wants Foursquare to be "about encouraging adventure". I'm not sure that's quite what he had in mind.
The Guardian

Cybercriminals step up click theft from online advertisers
Cybergangs are increasingly targeting advertisers who pay website owners for every click on their online ads, two click fraud technology suppliers have found. In the first quarter of 2010, 17 per cent to 29 per cent of clicks to online ads were fraudulent, up from 15 per cent to 25 per cent the previous quarter, according to separate estimates by Click Forensics and Anchor Intelligence.
Computer Weekly

Microsoft pulls faulty Windows patch
Microsoft is pulling an update for Windows 2000 issued in this month's Patch Tuesday because it simply didn't work. Update MS10-025 was designed to fix a flaw in Windows 2000 systems running Windows Media Services (WMS). It turns out, however, that the patch failed to mend the problem it was designed to address.
PC Pro

Social site Blippy spills credit card data
Social networking service Blippy has become the latest technology firm to be linked to a data leak. A report on technology finance news site Venturebeat said that Blippy had left user credit card details open to search queries, and had revealed multiple credit card numbers. The report suggested that the social networking site, which allows users to share information on credit card purchases, could yield user data through a targeted Google search.
V3

Adobe abandons iPhone code tools
Adobe is to stop making software tools that allow Apple's iPhone and iPad to use its popular Flash technology.
The decision reverses an earlier pledge in which it said it would help get Flash working on the gadgets. Flash is very widely used on the web and many sites use it to power animations, media players and other multimedia elements.
BBC

Cost of mobile data abroad is a scandal
Holidaymakers are being milked by extortionate charges to access the internet on their mobile phones. We are planning to go on holiday next month to France. Which is nice. I am also planning to take my phone now that the mobile internet is exploding. Which is also nice. The trouble is that I am actually planning to use my phone in order to access the web (email, Twitter, Flickr etc), and that's where the problems start.
The Guardian

Son's autism leads to innovation
The father of a child with severe autism has developed technology to help him communicate. Stephen Lodge said the idea for his Speaks4Me system came to him years ago but has been waiting for technology to catch up in order to make it a reality. His eleven-year-old son, Callum, is non-verbal and uses his father's invention to speak.
BBC

Israel Lifts Ban On Apple iPad Devices
Apple afficionados residing in Israel breathed a sigh of relief after the country's Communication Ministry lifted the ban on Apple's iPad tablet computer. This follows a technical review which established that the WiFi network of the device will not hamper the country's own network.
ITProPortal

Link made between computer chips and brains
Scientists have worked out that there are striking similarities between the human brain, the nervous system of a worm, and a computer chip.  According to the journal PloS Computational Biology, which we get for the Spot the Neuron competition, the team have found that while brains are often compared to computers, but it has been unclear whether this is more than just a metaphor used by BBC tech hacks.
Tech Eye

Windows 7 drives Microsoft to bumper profits
Windows 7 has once again kept Microsoft's balance sheet healthy. On Thursday, the company announced strong income and revenue growth for its third fiscal quarter, thanks in part to continued brisk sales of the new OS.
Computer World UK

Nokia Holds Back Symbian 3
Nokia has reportedly delayed the release of the Symbian 3 smartphone operating system on its phones and mobile devices due to quality issues.  Nokia said it held back Symbian 3 “because it fell short of internal quality guidelines,” MarketWatch said on 22 April.
E Week Europe

Health of 250,000 mobile phone users to be tracked
A quarter of a million mobile phone users are to have their medical records tracked for more than 20 years in the world's largest study into the health effects of the devices.  Network operators, including Vodafone and O2 in the UK, have agreed to invite a random selection of customers aged 18 to 69 to take part in the study, which will look for increased rates of cancer, dementia and other conditions, such as depression and sleep disorders.
The Guardian

ARM Plays Down Apple Acquisition Rumours
If Apple-related rumors were bad news for Samsung at the start of the week, for chip designer ARM Holdings they worked to drive stock prices up. Rumors that Apple may be considering purchasing ARM—which currently makes chips for the Apple iPhone—drove ARM stock to an eight-year high, the Guardian reported on 22 April.
E Week Europe 

HTC sets timeframe for Hero Android update
HTC's anticipated update that will take its Hero smartphone to Android 2.1 will now not appear until June.  Originally expected in February this year, the upgrade was subsequently put back a month. It didn't show up in March.  But this week, HTC released a statement saying that it will provide the update for 2.1 - aka 'Éclair' - for European Heros free of charge.
The Register 

Japanese scientists develop thought-controlled machines
A consortium of Japanese companies, research institutes and the government is working on the gadgets, which could be on the market in as little as a decade, according to Tomoo Yamauchi, director of the Research and Development Division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. The devices would use advanced versions of existing brain-machine interface technology, he said, and would allow a person to change a television channel by thinking or send a text message composed through thought.
The Telegraph

Microsoft wins piracy battle in China
Microsoft has won its first big piracy battle in China against a Shanghai-based insurer.
A Shanghai court found the Dazhong Insurance guilty of using illegal copies of Microsoft's software and ordered the insurer to pay $318,000 in damages. This is the first case in which Microsoft has taken a large Chinese company to court over copyright infringement of its software, the software firm said in a statement. "It is also the case in which Microsoft has been awarded the largest sum in damages in China so far," the company said.
Computer Weekly

Now Newspapers Can Count Their Mobile Audiences, Too
One of the world’s leading newspaper auditors has added mobile phones to the list of mediums that it tracks, providing validation to the wireless industry, while also potentially giving publications a shot of new readers as traditional print audiences decline. To do so, the interactive unit of the Audit Bureau of Circulations has partnered with Verve Wireless, which works with more than 600 newspaper publishers in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Together, the two will be able to audit mobile applications, mobile browsers and even e-readers, like the iPad. Although the service will be limited to Verve’s clients, it marks the first official time the ABC (NYSE: DIS) has tracked mobile usage.
mocoNews

YouTube celebrates fifth anniversary of first clip
YouTube is celebrating the fifth anniversary of the first video ever uploaded onto the site – which has since become the world's most popular propagator of videos online.  On 23 April, 2005, Jawed Karim – a founder of YouTube - uploaded 'me at the zoo' and sparked an internet sensation. The 19 second clip was filmed at the San Diego zoo, and also features elephants and a very loud goat alongside a very nervous Karim. Now, more than a billion videos are streamed each day by users globally, and the site is owned by Google.
TechRadar UK

eBay founder launches paid-for online news service
The founder of eBay – the virtual marketplace that connects sellers and buyers worldwide – is launching an online news site where people will pay to exchange ideas and discuss issues affecting their communities. Pierre Omidyar, the chairman of eBay Inc, is entering the news business with an online service in Hawaii. By charging $19.99 (£13) a month for membership, Omidyar hopes to accomplish what newspapers and other media organisations have long struggled with – having readers pay for content and making local news profitable.
The Guardian

Facebook introduces Docs, based on Microsoft Web Office
At Facebook's F8 developer conference, chief executive Mark Zuckerberg announced Facebook Docs, saying: "It's all of the power of Microsoft Office suite online with a simple Facebook integration."Facebook users will be able to create, edit and share Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents online, or upload them from their PC or Mac.
The Guardian

London Marathon 2010: follow route on Google Street View
Much of the international elite field has been frantically searching for ways to reach the start line rather than get to the finish this week due to the flight ban introduced as a consequence of the volcanic eruption in Iceland. But while they are making their way to the UK Google’s street mapping project could provide some on-board viewing to prepare for Sunday’s race. Nervous first timers, too, can see what lies ahead at the weekend, when temperatures are predicted to reach 20 degrees and replicate the sunny conditions captured when Google first mapped the streets of London.
The Telegraph

US $100 bill gets 3D makeover
The US $100 bill has been given a 3D makeover – with a security ribbon taking advantage of the latest techniques to defend against forgery. The banknote utilises a "3D Security Ribbon" which makes it harder for forgers to copy the bill accurately. Tilting the bill should immediately show if the strip is present and the note genuine. "As with previous US currency redesigns, this note incorporates the best technology available to ensure we're staying ahead of counterfeiters," said US Treasury Secretary, Tim Geithner.
TechRadar UK

BBC iPlayer hits new record for radio requests
The BBC iPlayer set a new record of 33.8m radio requests in March, according to the broadcaster’s latest figures. It also revealed that the average weekly amount of time spent watching TV programmes increased six per cent to 68 minutes, and time spent listening to radio rose eight per cent to 176 minutes. The iPlayer was visited by 1.3 million users a day throughout March and received a total of 118m requests for programmes across all platforms.
New Media Age

Heathrow Offers Premium App for Free
Heathrow Airport is offering passengers a free version of its newly launched mobile application for the next four weeks to provide passengers with the latest information and updates on the status of flights operating in and out of the airport.
Mobile Marketing Magazine

McAfee apologises as update cripples Windows XP PCs
McAfee has been forced to apologise to its Windows XP customers after sending out a flawed security update that crippled their PCs. The security software maker revealed that an update to its software mistakenly identified the 'svchost.exe' core Windows system file as a virus, leading the software to attempt to quarantine the file, causing the PCs in question to either crash or enter an endless cycle of rebooting. Only PCs running Windows XP Service Pack 3 have been affected.
ITPro

Skype offering free calls for stranded travellers
The Government promised Navy frigates, presenter Dan Snow has been navigating RIBs across the channel and now Skype is doing its bit to help those stranded by the volcanic ash aircraft ban. Flights are beginning to return to normality, but to help people stuck at airports, Skype has announced that it is making its WiFi tool, Skype Access, free until 2359 on Friday (23 April).
Wired

Vodafone launches mobile recording service
Vodafone Global Enterprise has announced the launch of a new service to enable regulated financial firms to record all incoming and outgoing mobile calls and texts, as new regulations on compliance loom. The solution will significantly enhance governance, business continuity and risk management processes.
Mobile Europe

Crisp, Jumptap, Medialets partner for rich mobile ads
Mobile ad specialists Crisp Wireless, Jumptap and Medialets have teamed up to offer what they are calling a unified rich media ad platform that works across both apps and the mobile web.
Mobile Entertainment

Apple records 90% rise in profits
The phenomenal popularity of the iPhone helped Apple deliver a 90% leap in profits yesterday, sending shares in the Silicon Valley electronics empire to a record high. Apple easily beat Wall Street forecasts by notching up sales of 8.75m iPhones around the world in the three months to March, an increase of 131% over the same period last year.
The Guardian

Ford Fiesta Gets Smartphone Twitter Voice Control
Ford which recently replaced General Motors as the No. 1 seller of American cars—is putting more and more IT features into its product line. Ford revealed on 20 April that its 2011 Fiesta model will become the first vehicle to enable BlackBerry and Android smartphone users to control Websites such as Twitter, Stitcher and online radio service Pandora with voice commands
EWeek Europe 

Google Tunes Up Its Pitch For Local Ad Dollars
Google (NSDQ: GOOG) is renewing its push for the ad dollars of local businesses with an overhaul of its Local Business Center, which it is now calling Google Places. Via the Local Business Center, businesses have for more than eight months now been able to edit websites—called “Place Pages”—which Google has been automatically generating about them and linking to from Google Maps (The “Place Pages” feature contact info, reviews, and photos). Google is now letting businesses in several cities pay a flat $25 monthly fee to promote their “Place Pages” via bright yellow markers—called “Tags”—which show up in Google Maps.
Paid Content UK

Teens would rather text than talk
A study conducted in the US by the Pew Internet & American Life Project has revealed that teens would rather text than speak to each other. Texting has become the primary and preferred means of communication for teenagers, above social networking sites, phone calls, or the dreaded art of actually talking to someone face to face.
Tech Watch

BlackBerry OS 6.0 details and screens leak out
With all the excitement around iPhone OS 4 in recent weeks, it's easy to forget that rival smartphone platforms are also due for upgrades this year. Like BlackBerry. Tech site Boy Genius Report has published comprehensive details and screenshots of the next-generation BlackBerry operating system, 6.0, which it says will be available this June or July.
Mobile Entertainment  

Offscreen Technologies notches up 25m Ovi Store downloads
Finnish developer Offscreen Technologies' apps and games have been downloaded more than 25 million times from Nokia's Ovi Store.
It's the biggest milestone yet for a developer on Nokia's store, although as with previous announcements of this nature, the figure hasn't been broken down into free and paid downloads.
Mobile Entertainment

Research shows ads on Facebook work better with social element
Facebook and Nielsen announced the partnership this year to measure the impact of brand advertising on Facebook (nma 28 January 2010) and the first data, based on an assessment of 14 US campaigns, revealed how social interaction and advocacy can boost the effectiveness of paid-for ads.
NMA

Philips plans to kill germs with your ears
Philips has launched a new range of sports headphones designed to keep you active and stop your ears dying from disease. The new set consists of the in-ear SHQ1000 and the pair of washable options, the ear-clip SHQ3000 and neck-band SHQ4000
TechRadar

Lib Dems come top of the digital class
Fresh from being crowned king of TV following the first leaders' debate on ITV1 last week, Nick Clegg can also polish his digital halo after a new report found that the Liberal Democrats have the most user-friendly website. It seems that Clegg, the self-styled people's champion, presides over a website most fit for the people, according to the Political Usability Report. The report, which examined the user-friendliness of the websites of 10 parties that hold seats in the House of Commons, rated the Lib Dems' digital presence a top-ranking 80 out of 100.
The Guardian

EU outlines IT elements of criminal justice plan
The European Commission (EC) said on Tuesday that it will introduce a security and criminal justice system overhaul known as the Stockholm Program. The system will be deployed between 2010 and 2014, and will include stronger regulations on data protection and increased penalties for identity thieves. The EC intends to conduct a study of identity theft, and craft a common definition and criminalisation of identity theft for all EU members for the first time. The plan calls for new laws to be introduced by 2012.
V3

YouTube's got TV in its sights
Internet video chief Chad Hurley says he wants YouTube to be watched in the same way as television, up from 15 minutes a day to an average of five hours. Such a move in watching time would have the potential to open up the global $450bn (£292bn) television advertising market to YouTube, which was bought by Google for $1.65bn in 2006.
The Telegraph 

Smartphone games booming in US
The US mobile games market contracted by 13 per cent in terms of subscribers in the 12 months ending February 2010 to sit at 50.9 million. The good news, however, is that there was a 60 per cent increase in the number of people playing games on smartphones over the 12 month period (now at 21.4 million).
Mobile Entertainment

Microsoft completes Office 2010
Microsoft Office 2010 has been "released to manufacturing", the last major milestone before release. RTM occurs when Microsoft officially signs off the code, and the company will now allow Office 2010, SharePoint 2010, Visio 2010 and Project 2010 to be installed on new machines by PC makers, burnt to CDs and uploaded to Microsoft's servers ready for download.
PC Pro

UN split on cybercrime conventions
A United Nations committee on international crime prevention is split on how to deal with cybercrime. Some countries want the existing European convention to be adopted worldwide, while others want a completely new agreement to be created. At the UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Brazil last week nations debated how to tackle what they agreed was a major and growing problem.
The Register

US college blocking Apple iPad connections
The Apple iPad may be flying off the shelves, but it hasn't been an unmitigated success for the company, with US universities admitting that the device is causing them problems. With the UK launch put back by a whole month due to the US demand for the device, Apple's iPad is performing above expectations in terms of sales, but some colleges are having trouble with the device.
Tech Radar

Media consumption on the increase
People are watching more television, reading more news, playing more video games, spending more time updating their social networking profiles and using more video on demand services than they were six months ago, according to a KPMG survey published today, but their actual spending has plunged as increasingly consumers expect free access. Spending on 'traditional' media such as newspapers and magazines has dropped almost 20 per cent in the last six months, while spending on digital media has almost halved.
The Guardian

T-Mobile and 3UK build Europe's largest shared 3G network
T-Mobile UK and 3UK are on course to complete their joint network infrastructure programme by the end of 2010. The pair say that when completed, it will be Europe's largest shared network and will offer smartphone and dongle customers the most far-reaching 3G coverage in the UK, along with excellent levels of connection coverage and performance.
Mobile Business Magazine

Social media and stranded traveller
If the volcanic ash from Iceland had made its way across Europe five years ago, its effects would have been even more distressing for the thousands of people stranded far from home. Why? Because five years ago most people did not have access to the social-networking services which are helping some stranded travellers make their way home.
BBC News