Stories by: Oliver Garnham

The first beta version of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) is now in the hands of testers, after Microsoft released the update to subscribers of its Technet and Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) services.

Microsoft has demonstrated its Windows 7 operating system (OS) on an Asus Eee PC featuring just 1GB of RAM and a 16GB solid-state drive.

Intel president and CEO Paul Otellini has assured customers that the IT industry is not about to enter a "post-dotcom downturn", after the company announced earnings were up in the third quarter, narrowly beating analyst expectations.

A tweaked graphics interface, a tagging tool and an extension that provides relevant keywords for associating with bookmarked sites have been named the best new add-ons for Firefox 3.0, following a contest set up by open-source browser developer Mozilla.

Intel has released part of the draft specification for USB 3.0, a move that could speed up the release of the next-generation data transfer standard.

BT has become the latest ISP to join forced with the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in a bid to get tough with illegal file-sharers, announcing plans to cut off customers who use their accounts to illegally download software from P2P networks.

Apple's iPhone will run on Intel's Atom processor by 2010, according to an analyst with US investment firm FTN Midwest Securities.