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Date

Sony Develops 1GB MiniDisc, Will Launch Music Download Store in Spring

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 8, 2004 - 4:02am.
Berlin -- Sony Europe announced on Thursday the development of a new higher-capacity MiniDisc format, "Hi-MD," which offers up to 1GB or 45 hours of recording capacity. Sony said the format will incorporate OpenMG and MagicGate copy-protection technologies, and that the first Hi-MD Walkman products will be released in the spring. Sony also announced on Thursday plans to launch Connect, an online music download store. A new unit based in Santa Monica, Calif. called Sony Connect will operate the service. Launching in the spring with a library of 500,000 tracks, the service will sell songs for $0.99 in Sony's proprietary ATRAC3 format. Songs will initially be transferable only to Sony devices, including Net MD Walkman recorders, Hi-MD Walkman recorders, ATRAC CD Walkman players and Network Walkman players, with the company eventually adding support for devices from other manufacturers. Sony said it partnered with United Airlines to offer frequent fliers the ability to redeem miles for music downloads through the Connect service.
tags: Downloads | Sony | Musics | 1GB MiniDisc |

HP to Release Branded IPod Player, Will Bundle ITunes Software on All PCs

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 8, 2004 - 4:02am.
Las Vegas -- PC maker HP announced on Thursday that it has partnered with Apple to release an HP-branded digital music player based on Apple's iPod, as well as a version of Apple's iTunes digital music store for its customers. One part of the alliance -- which will serve as a boon for Apple -- includes the provision that HP consumer PCs and notebooks will now come preinstalled with Apple's iTunes jukebox software. The HP-branded iPod will be released this summer, and will be priced competitively with similar products.
tags: HP | iTunes | Software | PCs | Branded | IPod Player |

Philips Unveils Internet-Enabled TV Set, Signs Content Deal with Yahoo

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 8, 2004 - 4:00am.
Amsterdam -- The Netherlands' Royal Philips Electronics this week unveiled a new TV set that features a wireless connection that allows it to play music, pictures and video from the Internet or PCs. The company displayed the first Internet-ready TV set -- which is not yet for sale -- at this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The company on Thursday also announced it has signed a global deal with Yahoo to develop and deliver Yahoo content via Philips' Internet-enabled TVs and home entertainment systems.
tags: Deals | Yahoo | Philips | Internet-Enabled | TV Set |

Intel Creates $200 Million Digital Home Fund

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 8, 2004 - 4:00am.
Santa Clara, Calif. -- Looking to further its efforts to converge personal computers and consumer electronics devices, Intel on Wednesday unveiled plans to create a $200 million fund that will invest in companies developing hardware and software technologies for the digital home. John Miner, the president of Intel Capital, said that the Intel Digital Home Fund is designed to "complement Intel products and accelerate development of key technologies and content which enhance and simplify the digital home experience." The new fund will invest in companies developing hardware and software, as well as connectivity and supporting technologies. Intel is hoping to cash in on wireless home networking, which will allow people to view and listen to digital content -- including music, photos and video -- on multiple networked devices.
tags: Digital Home | Intel | Fund |

WSJ: Archos Portable Movie-Copying Device May Anger Hollywood

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 8, 2004 - 3:59am.
Paris -- The Wall Street Journal on Thursday reported on how a personal media player made by a small French company called Archos can be plugged into a DVD player and record movies while ignoring embedded copyright protections, raising the possibility of a legal response from Hollywood. The Archos device uses near-DVD quality MPEG-4 video compression to record the equivalent of 160 two-hour movies to an internal hard drive; another feature enables these movies to then be transferred to a PC, where they can be shared online or burned back onto unprotected DVD. More than 100,000 units of the Archos device have already been sold worldwide.
tags: WSJ | Hollywood | Archos | Movie-Copying |

Sirius to Offer In-Car Satellite TV, Inks Deals with Audio Manufacturers

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 8, 2004 - 3:57am.
Las Vegas -- Sirius Satellite Radio, a provider of satellite-delivered digital radio programming, announced that it plans to deliver four channels of satellite TV to in-car receivers by the middle of 2005, Reuters reported. The company also announced a number of new partnerships with manufacturers that plan to release both car and home satellite radio receivers. Tivoli Audio will release several specialty home audio satellite receivers, while Niles Audio Corporation and Crestron will integrate Sirius tuners into their custom installation products. In addition, Fujitsu's Eclipse line of car audio receivers will now be Sirius compatible, with the company also releasing its own Sirius receiver. Car audio manufacturer Blaupunkt said it will release Sirius-ready satellite radios and plug-and-play receivers in the spring.
tags: Deals | Sirius | Satellite TV | Inks | Audio Manufacturers |

U.K. Education Department to Invest $45 Million in Internet "Whiteboards"

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 8, 2004 - 3:56am.
London -- The U.K. Department for Education and Skills has earmarked an extra 25 million pounds ($45 million) for new Internet and video displays called "whiteboards," which will replace schools' traditional blackboards, the BBC reported this week. Education Secretary Charles Clarke was quoted as saying that the additional funds would help educators to "meet the personal needs of every learner". Clarke also said that the new whiteboard technology would motivate students by creating a more personalised education system, the BBC reported.
tags: Internet | U.K | Whiteboards | Education Department |