General

Leading PC manufacturers are often unable to resolve problems with the computers they make, according to new research. They were defeated by more than 40 percent of user problems with Windows PCs, US investigators found.

Customers also say they're tearing their hair out over manufacturers' phone support hassles and delays, and that paid technical support is often little better than free service.

In a significant setback for the world's first rocket racing league, a founding team has abandoned the competition. The withdrawal of Leading Edge Rocket Racing leaves the league with only two teams.

The Rocket Racing League plans to run high speed, low level flying races between manned rockets. Backers hope that the League can eventually rival Nascar or Formula 1 racing as a sport, while simultaneously boosting spaceflight and aerospace research.

Demonstration events are planned for the end of 2007, the League announced earlier this year.

Updated May 7: Internet traffic to Digg.com was doubled by the firestorm of controversy surrounding the release of an HD DVD decryption code, according to a monitoring service.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has imposed penalties on a distributor that it alleges helped Grand Theft Auto publisher, Take-Two Interactive, inflate revenue reports. Despite this, investigations continue into the events, which took place between 2000 and 2003, the SEC announced yesterday.

The games distributor, Capitol Distributing, did not admit or deny the allegations, but accepted various, apparently minor, restrictions on its behavior. The company's founder was fined $50,000.

SEC documents released in the case describe how games and cash were exchanged in the complex accounting scheme that added more than $5 million to Take-Two's apparent revenue.

A leader of the One Laptop Per Child project has rejected allegations that the organization 'sold out' by raising prices and allowing Microsoft to run Windows on the machine.