Archives

Second Court Rules DVD Copying Software Illegal

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 5, 2004 - 6:46am.
New York -- A second federal court has ruled that 321 Studios' software that allows users to make copies of DVD movies violates copyright law, and ordered the company to stop selling its DVD X Copy application. Following a California federal court's ruling last month that declared St. Louis-based 321's software illegal, last night the Southern District Court of New York also ruled in favor of the Hollywood movie studio plaintiffs, who argued that the software facilitated piracy. The company has maintained that DVD X Copy allows users to make back-up copies of DVDs that are within their traditional "fair use" rights for goods they have already purchased. While the company said on Friday that it plans to appeal the rulings, it has recently released a new version of DVD X Copy stripped of its ability to defeat the encryption scheme on DVD movies -- while noting that the missing "ripper" may still be easily found elsewhere on the Internet.
tags: Law | DVD | Software | Illegal | Second Court |

Philips Fluid-based Camera Lens Functions Like Human Eye

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 5, 2004 - 6:45am.
Amsterdam -- Philips Electronics has introduced a new digital camera lens design that uses the curvature created when two liquids are manipulated by electrical currents, shaping the lens in much the same way that the human eye functions, Reuters reported. The lens can focus on objects far away or as close as 5 centimeters. Philips plans to mass produce the 3 millimeter lenses for use in tiny digital cameras, such as those used in cell phones. The company will display the new patented technology at this month's CeBit conference in Germany.
tags: Philips | Camera Lens | Human Eye |

TiVo Expects Profitability by End of 2006

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 5, 2004 - 6:44am.
San Jose, Calif. -- After adding a record 330,000 subscribers during the most recent quarter, TiVo, a provider of digital video recorders and related services, said on Thursday that it envisions turning a profit by the end of 2006. The company, which currently has more than 1.3 million subscribers, said that its growing revenue and strong cash position will allow it to invest up to $50 million in subscription acquisition, during the current fiscal quarter. "In view of these record results, acceleration in the market and the strongest cash balance we've had in three years, we believe the time is right to take advantage of the exciting growth opportunities that lie ahead of us," said Mike Ramsay, TiVo's chairman and CEO. As a result, the company, which added just over 700,000 subscribers last year, now expects that number to more than double this year, giving it nearly 3 million subscribers by the end of January.
tags: TiVo | Expects | Profitability |

Ask Jeeves to Acquire Interactive Search Holdings for $343 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 5, 2004 - 6:42am.
Emeryville, Calif. -- Shares of Ask Jeeves, a web search engine provider, surged 40% on Thursday after the company announced that it has agreed to acquire New York-based Interactive Search Holdings (ISH), a privately held online search and media company. Terms of the deal include $150 million in cash and 9.3 million shares of common stock and options, for a total of $343 million, based on Ask Jeeves' closing price on Wednesday. "This acquisition will enable us to combine Ask Jeeves' proven strengths in user experience, search technology and brand development with ISH's strengths in distribution and direct marketing," said Steve Berkowitz, the CEO of Ask Jeeves. ISH's web properties and businesses include My Way, My Search, My Web Search, iWon, Excite and the MaxOnline advertising network. The company processed about 700 million web searches in the fourth quarter, according to comScore Media Metrix. This compares to 680 million searches on Ask Jeeves' sites during the same period.
tags: Interactive | Ask Jeeves | Search Holdings |

Online Used Book Retailer Alibris Files for $25 Million IPO

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 5, 2004 - 6:41am.
Emeryville, Calif. -- Alibris, the operator of an online marketplace for used and hard-to-find books, has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a $25 million initial public offering (IPO). The company, which plans to trade on the Nasdaq under the symbol "ALBR," has not set a date for the offering. Emeryville, Calif.-based Alibris said that it plans to use the proceeds, in part, to grow its product supply and invest in its technology and operations infrastructure. The company sells more than 35 million books through a network of 5,000 independent booksellers.
tags: Internet | IPO | Book | Alibris |