Overnight news roundup: 24-25 September

Halo 3 is set to be released in the US - by the time you read this, there will be 14-year-old kids screaming obscenities at 45-year-olds

With everything from video game to iPhone news, Monday was quite an exciting day for tech lovers. But if you were too busy to see everything that happened, or were a bit too tired, check out what you missed...

It's a Halo world

Halo 3 is set to be released in the US - by the time you read this, there will be 14-year-old kids screaming obscenities at 45-year-olds. Don't you just love the beautiful world that is Halo?

The Globalisation Institute - a European think tank based in Brussels - has released a report that calls for an end to the 'Windows Tax'. According to the group, Windows Tax accounts for an endless stream of revenue for Microsoft that runs directly against free trade.

With Second Life taking the world by storm, it seems Google might have something up its sleeve that could rival the social networking site. According to reports, Google has surveyed students at Arizona University asking them if the secretive "My World" concept would appeal to them. Could this finally be the Second Life killer? Time will tell.

Adobe, the well-known creator of perennial favourites such as Premiere and Photoshop, has updated its more casual line of products to appeal to the less-advanced user. According to the company, Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Elements have been given a facelift that should make users proud.

Microsoft investing in Facebook?

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Microsoft may be taking a $500 million stake in the popular social networking site Facebook. Apparently the deal would push Facebook's valuation over the $10 billion mark.

If you're the kind of person who uses a flash drive on a regular basis, you'll probably know the frustration of needing to pop it into a computer to figure out how much room is left. Well, with the Corsair BCD, you can use the device's screen to see its drive and capacity without charging it for over a year. Are you happy now?

Zone Alarm, a well-known security software developer, has officially released its new 'Force Field' technology for browsers. It protects your internet surfing with multiple layers of security and can be used on any computer with just about any browser.

Apple and its iTunes service can't seem to catch a break. Just weeks after losing popular US music and television support, Apple's contract terms with the Universal Music Group has been called 'indecent' by a Vivendi Universal spokesperson. Vivendi holds a controlling interest in the Universal Music Group.