Monday, December 10, 2001		Lens on IT

Hynix Semiconductor's chief executive Park Chong-sup speaks during a news conference in Seoul . Hynix and its U.S. rival Micron Technology jointly announced talks on a possible tie-up last week, while the South Korean firm said it was time memory chip makers cut output to support prices.

Peter Parsons of Microsoft demonstrates the Xbox and the video game "Halo" as his company announced that it's Xbox is the best-selling video game console launch on record after having sold more than 5,56,000 units in its first two weeks, according to The NDP Group, an independent source for sales and market data on the video game industry. Gamers are also buying 2.4 Xbox games with every console unit sold resulting in the highest game attach rate ever recorded for a console at launch.

 President George W. Bush looks over the shoulder of Brian Jones, a laid off computer worker, during a visit to Operation Paycheck Career Center in Orlando, Florida. Bush is in Florida to help boost the ailing tourist industry damaged by the Sept. 11 attacks on the USA At right, is assistant manager of the center Brenda Crissman.

Hong Kong arthouse director Stanley Kwan smokes in front of posters for his latest film "Lan Yu", based on an online novel that was circulating in the gay circuit in China. Kwan has incorporated some of China's touchiest taboos in this film set in the politically-sensitive Chinese capital.

— Reuters photos