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Napster Launches in U.K.; OD2 Counters With Discounted Downloads

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 20, 2004 - 7:56am.
London -- Beating rival Apple to the punch, Roxio's Napster on Thursday launched its digital music service in the U.K. Apple has said it plans to launch its iTunes Music Store in the U.K. by the end of the year. Napster's U.K. offers 500,000 tracks, a catalog the company says will increase to 700,000 over the next month. Users who subscribe to the service for 9.95 pounds ($17.67) per month will be able to download individual tracks for between 88 pence ($1.56) and 99 pence ($1.76); otherwise, a la carte downloads will cost 1.09 pounds ($1.94) and albums 9.95 pounds ($17.67) each. Napster partnered with electronics retailer Dixon's, which will promote the service in its 1,100 U.K. retail locations. In a bid to steal some of the spotlight from Napster's U.K. launch, OD2 -- currently the leading European provider of online digital music services -- announced on Thursday that it will lower the price of downloads on services it powers to an average of 50 pence ($0.89). OD2 will sell bundles of downloads that offer roughly $70 worth of music when users pre-pay for $35 of "credits".
tags: Downloads | Napster | U.K | OD2 Counters |

FCC to Examine Plan For A la Carte Cable, Satellite TV

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 20, 2004 - 7:55am.
Washington, D.C. -- The Federal Communications Commission is expected to examine the feasibility of allowing cable and satellite TV customers to pay a la carte for only the channels they want, The Washington Post reported on Thursday. Although most cable and satellite providers currently offer only deals with packages of channels, some consumer groups and lawmakers are pushing for consumers to have more of a choice, citing rising subscription prices and what they perceive to be indecent content. Several member of the House Commerce Committee have asked the FCC to make a decision about the matter within six months. The cable industry opposes the idea.
tags: FCC | Satellite TV | Cable | la Carte |

Apple Creates Separate iPod Development Division

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 20, 2004 - 7:54am.
San Francisco -- Apple Computer has created a new division that will focus on the development of its iPod digital music player, The New York Times reported. The division will be headed by senior vice president of hardware development Jon Rubinstein. The company's Macintosh development division will now be headed by Timothy Cook, head of Apple's worldwide sales and operations. "This organizational refinement will focus our talent and resources even more precisely on our industry-leading Macintosh computers and the wildly successful iPod," the company said in a statement. Apple recently announced that in the most recent quarter, sales of iPods eclipsed sales of its Mac line of computers for the first time.
tags: iPod | Apple | Development | Division |

Macrovision Wins Injunction Against DVD Copy Software Firm 321 Studios

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 20, 2004 - 7:51am.
Santa Clara, Calif. -- Macrovision, a provider of CD and DVD copy-protection technologies, announced on Thursday that a federal judge has granted its request for a preliminary injunction against 321 Studios, which distributes controversial software that can make perfect copies of DVD movies. 321 has already suffered two federal court losses in suits brought by Hollywood movie studios, which resulted in a halt to distribution of its DVD X Copy software, and subsequent release of a program that does not defeat the copy-protection software on DVDs. Santa Clara, Calif.-based Macrovision argued that 321's software violates the patent on its DVD copy-protection software when it makes an unlicensed copy of the software in the process of defeating it. U.S. District Court Judge Richard Owen's injunction is the third court order barring St. Louis-based 321 from distributing its products.
tags: DVD | Software | Macrovision | Studios | Injunction |

Sirius Launches Radio Service Over EchoStar Satellite TV Network

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on May 20, 2004 - 7:48am.
New York -- Sirius Satellite Radio, a provider of subscription-based satellite radio service, on Thursday announced the launch of a new distribution agreement with EchoStar Communications, a provider of satellite TV services. The deal makes Sirius' radio service available to more than 9.7 million DISH Network satellite television customers, the company said. Subscribers of DISH Network's premium packages now receive Sirius' music channels at no extra charge, while the remaining DISH Network subscribers have the option to upgrade their subscription packages to include Sirius.
tags: Sirius | EchoStar | Satellite TV | Radio Service |