WebProNews

Microsoft And EU Close To Agreement On Browser Choice

The European Commission said Wednesday it will invite comments from consumers and software companies about an improved proposal by Microsoft to allow users to choose other Web browsers. The improved proposal by Microsoft comes after the Commission expressed concerns that the company may have infringed EC Treaty rules on abuse of a dominant position by tying its web browser to its Windows operating system.  

Mobile Subscriptions To Reach 4.6 Billion

Global mobile subscriptions are on track to reach 4.6 billion by the end of the year, and mobile broadband subscriptions are set to surpass 600 million in 2009, according to a new report by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). More than a quarter of the world's population is online and using the Internet, as of 2009. Increasing numbers are opting for high-speed Internet access, with fixed broadband subscriber numbers more than tripling from 150 million in 2004 to a projected 500 million by the end of 2009.

eBay Rethinks Customer Service In Europe

eBay's approach to customer service in Europe is about to change in a big way.  eBay announced today that it will eliminate a full 400 positions in Germany, while at the same time, the company intends to hire 100 new employees in Ireland and establish what it calls a "European Centre of Excellence." 

Google Expands AdSense Euro Reporting

Google has expanded the number of European places where Euro reporting is available for AdSense. Users who are in the following locations can now switch to local currency reports to view their earnings in Euros:

EU Says Internet Can Boost Economy

More than half (56%) of Europeans are now regular Internet users compared to one third in 2004, according to a new report from the European Commission. Half of households and more than 80 percent of businesses now have a broadband connection. The most active Internet users are those between the ages of 16 to 24 with 73 percent of them regularly using advanced services to create and share online content, twice the EU population average (35%).

Global Online Population To Hit 2 Billion

The number of people online globally is set to grow more than 45 percent to 2.2 billion users over the next five years, according to a new report from Forrester Research. Asia will account for 43 percent of the world's online population by 2013, with 17 percent residing in China. Growth rates in the U.S., Western Europe, and nations in Asia Pacific such as Australia, Japan, and South Korea will slow to between 1 percent and 3 percent.

Europe To Get Standardized Mobile Phone Chargers

Major producers of mobile phones have reached an agreement with the European Commission to standardize phone chargers in an effort to reduce unnecessary waste and provide convenience for users. The first generation of the new interchargeable mobile phones is set to reach the EU market in 2010.

Google Street View Meeting EU Privacy Guidelines

Google has announced it is making additional privacy modifications to its Street View project in Europe. Google says it is continuing to work with the Article 29 Working Party, which brings together representatives from all 27 European Data Protection Authorities. It is complying with European authorities request to provide advance notice to the public about the Street View project before driving in a new country. The Article 29 Working Party has requested that Google set a time limit on how long it retains unblurred photos of panoramas in Street View.

EU Fines Intel A Record $1.45 Billion

The European Commission has imposed a record fine against Intel Corp of $1.45 billion (1.06 billion euros) for violating antitrust rules and other practices used to exclude competitor AMD from the computer chip market.

Facebook Making Big Gains In Europe

Facebook is now the sixth most popular Web site in the world with 275 million visitors in February, a 175 percent increase over the previous year, according to comScore. Facebook has experienced strong growth in Europe, where the site has seen a 314 percent increase to nearly 100 million visitors.