Nasa prepares to launch a spacecraft to Mars, where it will search for signs of past or present life.

v1.2.2 (23/08/2007)

- file load error fixed (it was due by a little try that i forgot to clear, thanks to boclodoa)

‘Web-savvy’ small businesses are twice as confident about their future prospects than those that have yet to establish an internet presence, according to a survey by web directory thebestof.

The poll (via startups.co.uk) found companies that were using the net expected to expand by an average of 41% over the next year, while firms not doing so only expected 20% growth.

Improve your online sales by improving the customer experience at your web site.

Customer reviews provider Reevoo has launched its own web offering, gathering together reviews for a range of products with the aim of providing online retailers with valuable traffic.

Amazon has confirmed plans to take on Google Checkout and PayPal with the launch of a rival payment system for etailers.

Dubbed the Amazon Flexible Payment Service (FPS), the system forms part of the etailer’s Web Services programme and allows firms to create checkout facilities with a set of developer tools.

Even if you had a spy in the heart of your competitor’s e-commerce team, you might struggle to answer this question.

It’s far from impossible that your competitors are neither appropriately recording their web traffic nor confident in which metrics to analyse.

Creative agency Fhlame  says it has achieved promising results from early tests of transactional banners - ads that allow customers to make purchases without having to click through to an online store.  

A trial campaign for satnav company Navman produced a 15%+ response rate on three motoring websites in the month up to July 10th, according to Fhlame.

Online fashion retailer ASOS has recorded some impressive results for the 12 months to March 31, 2007, and has seen sales rise by 85% over the last three months.

Year on year, ASOS reported a rise in profits of 116% to £42.6m, while pre-tax profits grew by 144% to £3.4m. In addition, its customers’ average order values increased from £39.32 to £43.80 in the same period.

US agencies get wider access to spy satellites to boost national security and disaster response, officials say.