Here is a collection of news stories that may be of interest to computing pupils. You have to remember: your writing skill is an academic weapon you must hone and improve day.

2009, September

• Google launches web browser (BBC) 

2008, August

• Microsoft claims heart beats in open source (Register)
• Olympic link to early 'computer' (BBC)

2008, July

• Linux mini-PC takes two watts to tango (desktoplinux.com)
• Tiny UMPC runs linux (linuxdevices.com)
• It's not the Gates, it's the bars (BBC)

2008, June

• Boffins build self-replicating machine (Register)
• Google releases Google Desktop for linux (Google Blog)

2008, May

• VIA open source hardware (ZDNET)
• Monkey's brain controls robot arm (BBC)
• Office 2007 to gain native ODF support early next year (Ars Technica)

2008, April

• Bionic eye 'blindness cure hope' (BBC)
• Ubuntu 'reaping Linux dividend' (BBC)
• IBM races to make hi-tech memory (BBC)
• NZ teen convicted of cyber-crime (BBC)

2008, March

• Sliding into work at Google HQ (BBC)
• Virgin America uses Linux to entertain in-flight (CrunchGear)

2008, January

• Firefox over 20% in Europe (Ars Technica)
• Amateur code-breaker honoured for defeating Colossus (The Register)
• Nokia purchases Trolltech (The Register)
• Popular Broadband Router Open to VoIP Attack (The Register)
• Mystery Web Infection (The Register)
• New KDE4.0 Desktop released! (Ars Technica)
• UK Education says no to Vista and Office 2007 (Ars Technica)

2007, December

• 3D chip may push CPUs to 50GHz (Ars Technica)
• Japanese violin playing robot (Guardian)

2007, October

• Microsoft will not appeal EU monopoly fine (Register)
• Canonical releases Ubuntu 'Gutsy Gibbon' (Tech.Blorge)
• Software Freedom Law Centre - primer (Register)
• Ad dollars flood the web, but will they go far enough? (ZDNET)
• Dell: Microsoft warnings haven't hurt Linux uptake (ZDNET)

2007, September

• Red Hat sees another delay in PC Linux software (ZDNET)
• DRM troubles drive ex-Microsoft employee to Linux (ZDNET)
• French court says 'non' to preloaded MS Windows (Register)
• AMD nurtures open-source graphics (ZDNET)
• Google leaps on patent reform bandwagon (Register)
• Attackers turn Bank of India site into malware baazar (Register)
• Major Ubuntu Linux update coming (Tech.Blorge)
• Russian Business Network (Spamhaus)

2007, August

• Battery that runs on sugar (Tech.Blorge)
• PM's speech-writer awaits sentencing (WikiNews)
• Gentoo cuts key parts of itself from 'net (Register)
• 'Blue Waters' petaflop supercomputer (Tech.blorge)

2007, July

• Antique engine inspires nano chip (BBC)
• Robots that walk on water (SciAm)
• Bionic paw fitted to dog (Tech.Blorge)
• Computer takes draughts crown (Guardian)
• Web browser Firefox threatens dominance over Internet Explorer (WikiNews)
• Microsoft Windows patent will spy for advertisers (Register)
• IBM relinquishes IP for sake of open standards (Register)
• Is Ubuntu Linux ready for the big time? (Tech.blorge)
• Microsoft tries evading new GPL grasp (ZDNET)
• 500 GB DVDs! (The Register)

2007, June

• India's Kerala state goes open source (ZDNet)
• GPL version 3 is finally released (ZDNet)

2007, May

NB. If anything interesting happened in April, I must have missed it.

• Robot gunships join US Army (Register)
• Linux evolves for mobile devices (BBC)
• Snowflakes promise faster chips (BBC)
• DVD DRM row sparks user rebellion (BBC)

2007, March

• Dell computers to ship with GNU/Linux installed (BBC)
• Scots build green supercomputer (ZDNET)
• Server maker expanding double whammy family (ZDNET)
• Mega blow to Microsoft as US Government departments ban Vista (Tech.blorge)
• European Union consumer head lashes out at Apple over iTunes DRM (Tech.blorge)
• The pros and cons of Solid State Disks (Tech.blorge)
• Firefox / Explorer gap narrows (Tech.blorge)
• Robotic age poses ethical dilemma (BBC)
• Google helps terabyte data swaps (BBC)

2007, February

• Dell announces plan to sell Linux PCs (Tech.blorge) (Dropped!)
• Dell takes small steps towards linux (ZDNET)
• Intel shows off 80-core processor (ZDNET)
• Sun likes what it sees in the new GPL (ZDNET)
• Apple's Jobs calls for a DRM free world (ZDNET)

2007, January

• IBM tunes up for Jazz open source project (ZDNET)
• Vista security claim challenged (BBC)
• Keeping Vista safe and secure (BBC)
• Memory breakthrough: 100 Gb/sq cm (Tech.blorge)
• Rivals attack Vista as illegal under EU rules (ZDNET)
• Hi-def DVD security is bypassed (BBC - see next one too)
• DRM for HD DVD cracked (Tech.blorge)
• Chips push through nano-barrier (BBC)
• $100 laptop project launches 2007 (BBC)
• PDF security risk greater than originally thought (ZDNET)
• Public can purchase $100 laptop (BBC)
• Sun's Fortran replacement goes open source (ZDNET) (Sun Fortress )
• IBM code to go aloft with NASA space telescope (ZDNET)

2006, December

• Papers battle online news sites (BBC)
• Move over silicon, there's a new transistor material in town (ZDNET)
• Firefox 3 Gets First Run (ZDNET)
• IT worker charged over hacking (ZDNET)

2006, November

• UK supercomputer sets faster pace (BBC)
• Intel eyes nanotubes for future chip designs (ZDNET)
• Sun Microsystems to use GPL for Java programming source (ZDNET)
• Sun Microsystems consider GPL for Solaris operating system (ZDNET)
• DELL refunds for uninstalling Windows XP (BBC)
• Wireless power a possibility (BBC)
• Bionic legs allow soldiers to return to battlefield (BBC)
• Computer industry 'faces crisis' (BBC)
• Microsoft Office and Open Office switch (BBC)
• Bizarre Microsoft-Linux 'Battle/Partnership' (ZDNET)
• Wireless technology threatened by patents (ZDNET)
• Advance in Quantum Computing (TechBlorge)
• French Parliament dumps Windows for Linux (ZDNET)
• A Greek computer from 100BC! (BBC)

2006, October

• U.N. proposes changes to Net's operation (ZDNET)
• IBM's new chip does base-10 arithmetic! (ZDNET)
• UN debut for $100 laptop for poor (BBC) (and it runs on GNU/Linux !)
• Thousands of Brits fall victim to data theft (ZDNET)
• Future of the hard drive 'secure' (BBC)
• Security fears raised at conference (BBC)
• Microsoft 'taking security risks' (BBC)

2006, September

• Boy, three, buys car on internet (BBC)
• Internet's future in 2020 debated (BBC)
• Woman is fitted with 'bionic' arm (BBC)
• Memory chip threat to hard discs (BBC)