Labels expose Qtrax claim as hoax

[Reuters] The world's biggest music companies, including Warner Music Group Corp and Sony BMG, denied that they have agreed to license songs for a free download service that was launched by Qtrax on Monday. Qtrax claimed that it had deals with the major labels representing about 75 percent of all music sales, to let users download songs for free in a new service to be supported by advertising revenue.

Cisco unveils data center networking platform

[PCW] On Monday, the company is set to unveil a data-center networking platform that eventually could take the place of both the Ethernet switches that link servers as well as the Fibre Channel devices that form storage networks. The Nexus series is designed both to meet exploding demands for bandwidth and energy efficiency within data centers and to simplify the jobs of IT administrators. In the process, it could help give Cisco the central role it seeks in IT infrastructure.

Nokia buys Trolltech

[BizWeek] Mobile telephone giant Nokia Corp. on Monday announced a deal to take over Oslo software company Trolltech ASA with a cash offer that values the Norwegian company at nearly 844 million kroner (US$153 million; euro105 million).

AMD bests Nvidia with two-chip graphics board

[Newsfactor] "It's a kick-ass card," agreed Roger Kay, president of market intelligence firm Endpoint Technologies. "It probably gives them high-end bragging rights," he added in a telephone interview. While Nvidia still has a commanding lead in sales volume, "it's important for the whole company for ATI to take the performance crown -- at least temporarily."

PayPal buys Israeli fraud-detection company

[Mercury] Fraud Sciences' risk tools will be integrated with PayPal's fraud management system, PayPal President Scott Thompson said. The move "should allow us to be even more effective in protecting eBay and PayPal's hundreds of millions of customers around the world," he said.

Livescribe offers computerized pen

[PCMag] Livescribe on Monday unveiled its Pulse smart pen, a computer within a pen that uploads handwriting and audio files onto personal computers, or plays back handwritten notes in an audio format by tapping on the text. Livescribe is offering two Pulse models: a version with 1 Gbyte of storage for $149 and a 2-GB version for $199. The 1-GB version holds over 100 hours of audio and 16,000 pages of notes.