ConsumerIT - For Europe's High Volume PC Retailers, Distributors & Builders

He used to dominate PCs, but these days Bill Gates wants to reinvent far more humble everyday technologies-- the condom is the next target of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

"What if we could develop a condom that would provide all the benefit of our current versions, without the drawbacks?" the Foundation blog asks. "Even better, what if we could develop one that was preferred to no condom?"

Through the current Grand Challenges Explorations round Bill Gates offers $10000 to whoever invents the next best thing in condoms. After all, condoms are serious business-- but despite being the best way to halt the spread of HIV and AIDS, they are also "a trade-off that many men find unacceptable.”

EU regulators are looking into complaints from a number of carriers on possible antitrust violations in iDevice distribution contracts Apple draws with carriers, The New York Times and Reuters report.

According to anonymous sources a group of European carriers have already submitted information on their contracts with Apple to the European Commission, even if they still have to file a formal complaint.

The EC confirms the reports with a statement saying "“we have been contacted by industry participants and we are monitoring the situation, but no antitrust case has been opened."

The complaints involve the launch price regulation and hefty subsidies Apple commands on operators in order to offer customers discounts on smartphones in exchange of 2-year contracts. However Samsung's beating Apple as top smartphone maker appears to have eroded the iPhone maker's advantage in negotiating the best subsidies and marketing support.

AMD quietly unveils cloud gaming ambitions at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2013 with Radeon Sky, a graphics cards series designed to power game streaming services on PCs, smart TVs and mobile devices.

The lineup consists of 3 graphics cards built on Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture-- model 900 (with x2 Tahiti Pro (aka Radeon 7950) graphics processors), model 700 (with x1 Tahiti Pro chip) and the model 500 (with a Pitcairn XT (aka Radeon HD 7870) GPU).

According to AMD each Radeon Sky card handles up to x6 simultaneous HD game streams and supports a wide server range.

"Real-time gaming through the cloud represents a significant opportunity and AMD is poised to lead in this vertical thanks to our extensive graphics hardware and software capabilities," the company says. "AMD is working closely with CiiNow,G-Cluster, Otoy and Ubitus to deliver exceptional AMD Radeon gaming experiences to the cloud."

Together with GCN architecture AMD includes so-called RapidFire technology-- a combination of hardware and software providing cloud gaming partners with an open API allowing the manipulation of key hardware controls according to visual quality, latency and network bandwidth.

The company offers little more details on the initiative at GDC 2013, but it appears developers and cloud gaming providers have to enlist the hardware before customers can take advantage of its capabilities.

Go AMD Cloud Gaming

Administrators Deloitte find rescue for the UK holdings of troubled rental chain Blockbuster-- private equity firm Gordon Brothers Europe via subsidiary TS 1973 Investment Holdings.

The investors give no financial details on the "substantial investment" saving 264 stores and over 2000 jobs across the UK and the Channel Islands.

"Blockbuster has a strong brand affinity and we believe that with the right mix of new product offering, new technologies, strategic management and marketing, we can bring new life to this high street staple," a Gordon Brothers statement says. "We look forward to working with employees, suppliers, landlords and other stakeholders to make this happen."

One of a number of British high street casualties, Blockbuster entered administration on January 2013 following 24 years of operation. The video chain blames its struggles on a changing market, as well as internet-based rivals of the Netflix, LoveFilm and iTunes variety.

Recent Bloomberg rumours suggest Blockbuster will start selling mobile phones in the US. Will it start doing the same in the UK?

Go Gordon Brothers Europe Acquires Blockbuster Entertainment

Go Blockbuster is Said to Begin Selling Phones (Bloomberg)