NewsFactor – In the wake of the browser choice screen in Europe, Opera Software is reporting a dramatic uptick in browser downloads. The company said more than half the European downloads of Opera 10.50 have come directly from Microsoft’s choice screen since early March.

AP – Norway’s Opera says downloads of its browser have more than doubled after Microsoft Corp. was forced to give European users a choice of Web software to settle European Union antitrust charges.

Spending on outsourced IT services will grow as the economy recovers, research by industry analyst Gartner has predicted. Gartner’s survey of more than 1,000 private sector organisations showed that 85% anticipate their spending on external IT service providers (ESPs) will either increase or stay the same as the economic situation improves

AP – The European Union says some 100 million people using Microsoft Corp. software will be asked to choose between rival Web browsers by mid-May under a deal it struck with the company to settle antitrust action.

PC World – The European Commission Monday gave a conditional go-ahead for the merger of Orange UK and T-Mobile UK, owned by France Telecom and Deutsche Telekom respectively.