Playstation mania, war games and not so magic Beenz

The in demand games console which has doubtless featured on the wish-lists of a legion of soon-to-be-disappointed children this Christmas has eluded even the most driven parent after the numbers available at launch went no way towards meeting the unprecedented levels of demand. That is, until now.

Tesco will today ship in 2,500 from a secret location in northern Europe. Expecting fierce competition for the consoles, heavy security will be in place at the stores in Cardiff, Inverness, Newcastle, Peterborough and Watford where they are to be sold.

If that all sounds a little extreme for a games console then more bizarre is news, also in the Guardian, that Saddam Hussein is fanning the flames of international controversy - having bought 4,000 of the consoles. However, it is unlikely that the hirsute dictator is planning to give them away as presents, but rather more sinisterly it is reported that several Playstation 2s bundled together can perform the tasks of a "crude supercomputer powerful enough for a vast range of military uses". Sounds ominous...

Also in the Middle East is Geo Interactive Media who according to the Financial Times is this morning expected to licence its server technology to mobile phone giant Ericsson. The Israeli company develops servers that will enable video transmissions over wireless appliances and Ericsson's interest suggests such a capability will play a part in the Swedish firm's 3G offering.

Other news in this morning's papers includes a report in the Financial Times that Beenz - developer of internet payment methods - is to lay off staff after a downturn in revenue and lapsing interest in its e-currencies...