Stories of the month - February 2007

The big names of the tech world dominated February's stories - with Apple, Google and Microsoft all featuring heavily in this month's content.

But Joe Public also made an impact as the online petition against the proposed 'pay-as-you-drive' road charge scheme crashed the 10 Downing Street website which was hosting the e-petition.

silicon.com managing editor Will Sturgeon did his bit for charity - taking part in a 400km fundraising cycle ride to raise cash to provide refurbished computers to schools in the developing world. Read more about his travels here.

Stories of the month - February

Click on the links below to read the stories everyone is talking about...

Road-charging protest crashes PM's website

How recycled PCs bridge the digital divide

Minority Report: The 10 worst things about Apple

Minority Report: The 10 best things about Apple

Apple and Cisco kiss and make up

Could Vista corrupt iPods?

'Vista rip-off': UK customers cry foul over US prices

The Microsoft welcomes 'pardners' onto SaaS bandwagon

Google launches apps suite for business

silicon.com also met up with charities Computer Aid International and Computers For School Kenya to see first-hand how recycled PCs are bridging the digital divide.

Mac users were swearing into their skinny lattes as silicon.com reported on the 10 worst things about Apple - before realising the top 10 best of Steve Jobs and co column was not far behind in the two-part series.

The iPhone and iPod made it onto both lists, with the latter criticised for its dodgy battery life and general lack of longevity. Yet its impact on the MP3 market gave it enough kudos for the 'best of' list too.

And by iPhone, we mean Apple's iPhone, rather than Cisco's - the pair settled their trademark spat by agreeing to share the brand. Both companies will use the iPhone name on their respective products.

As businesses and consumers grapple with Microsoft's Windows Vista, Apple warned Windows users running its iTunes software that the OS could corrupt iPods.

Vista was also criticised for being more expensive in Blighty than the US – prompting an e-petition to be set up.

UK customers soon cried foul over US prices for other software products with many echoing the "rip-off Britain" sentiment.

Microsoft also re-emphasised its $6bn commitment to delivering software as a service and outlined plans for a partner programme this month as well as explaining why the hosted model need not be bad news for its traditional channel.

Google also made greater moves outside its familiar consumer-sphere, hoping to entice enterprises to pay $50 per user for a business version of its apps suite.