Archives

Microsoft Cuts Price of Xbox Game Console by $30 to $149

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 29, 2004 - 4:08am.
Redmond, Wash. -- Confirming reports from last week, Microsoft on Monday announced a $30 price cut for its Xbox video game console in the U.S. -- from $179 to $149 -- that will take effect on Tuesday. Similar Xbox price cuts will also go into effect for Canada and Mexico, however the company did not disclose plans for other regions. Microsoft also announced discounts for its "Xbox Music Mixer" karaoke game, which will now sell for $19.99, as well as a new $29.99 price point for game titles including "Project Gotham Racing 2" and "Counter Strike." The company also noted that there are now 75,000 subscribers for its Xbox Live online gaming service for the console.
tags: Games | Xbox | Microsoft |

German Court Rules Against Unauthorized Pop-Up Ads

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 29, 2004 - 4:07am.
Cologne, Germany -- The German unit of car rental firm Hertz announced that it has won an injunction against Claira (formerly known as Gator) that will prevent the company from launching its pop-up ads for Hertz competitors on top of Hertz's own website, CNET News.com reported. Claria's software is installed alongside other programs as a way to provide those programs for free -- such as its bundling with Kazaa's file-sharing software. Hertz complained that those who have downloaded the software see unauthorized pop-up ads for Hertz competitors when users visit its German site. The Court of First Instance in Cologne ruled that Claria violated German unfair competition laws, and will face penalties of up to $302,325, or six months in jail, for each future violation of the injunction.
tags: Law | German | Pop-Up | Unauthorized |

AOL to Offer Episode of WB's "Everwood" Morning After TV Airing

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 29, 2004 - 4:06am.
Dulles, Va. -- America Online said on Monday that for the first time, it will offer a full episode of a primetime TV show online the morning after it airs on television. The promotion, for fellow Time Warner subsidiary WB Network's program "Everwood," is aimed at enabling viewers to familiarize themselves with the show's storyline and characters in anticipation of the debutof new episodes on April 5. AOL will offer an episode of the WB's "Everwood" that originally aired on Feb. 23 and will be re-broadcast tonight, exclusively on AOL for Broadband for one week beginning tomorrow. "Through this unprecedented marketing initiative, we are providing AOL for Broadband members with an exclusive and unique way to sample a full length television episode, as well as providing The WB with an exciting new way to attract viewers," said AOL Television vice president and general manager Patricia Karpas.
tags: AOL | Episode | WB's | Everwood | TV Airing |

NPD Launches Monthly Comparative CD Pricing Information Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 29, 2004 - 4:04am.
Port Washington, N.Y. -- Market research firm NPD Group on Monday announced the launch of a new CD pricing information service, PriceLab, which will collect monthly pricing information by album from all major music retailers. PriceLab will monitor the average selling price of particular albums, as well as provide information by artist, top-selling titles, retailer, channel, distributor, label and genre. The service's first findings show that the average CD sold for $13.47 at the end of 2003, a 2% reduction from the same period in 2002 and a 4% reduction in price from 2001. "Next to peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, CD pricing has been the most talked about issue in the music industry," said NPD Music president Russ Crupnick. "PriceLab gives subscribers the edge in the highly competitive, and price sensitive, music market. It allows the industry to monitor changes in pricing across the industry, and helps companies understand the impact of pricing on consumer perceptions."
tags: CD | NPD | Comparative | Information Service |

Apple Looks to Patent iPod's Graphical User Interface

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 29, 2004 - 4:03am.
London -- Apple is attempting to patent the graphical user interface utilized on its iPod digital music player, ZDNet UK reported on Monday. A patent application on the multimedia player software was published on Thursday of last week, listing its three inventors as Apple CEO Steve Jobs and Apple engineers Jeffrey L. Robbin and Timothy Wasko. The company's U.K. office declined to comment on the patent application.
tags: Apple | Patent | iPod's Graphical | Interface |

Nintendo to Ship Classic NES Titles for Retro Game Boy Advance SP

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 29, 2004 - 4:03am.
Redmond, Wash. -- Nintendo of America announced on Monday plans to release a special edition of its Game Boy Advance SP handheld video game that resembles its original NES console, as well as classic NES games for the handheld, as part of a new "Classic NES Series." The mini-NES Game Boy Advance SP will sell for $99 beginning June 7. Nintendo said it will release Game Boy Advance versions of classic NES titles including "Donkey Kong," "Pac-Man," "The Legend of Zelda," "Super Mario Bros.," "Excitebike," "Ice Climber," "Xevious" and "Bomberman."
tags: Nintendo | Releases | Titles | NES | Retro Games | SP |