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RealNetworks Discounts Digital Song Downloads to $0.49

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 17, 2004 - 2:43am.
Seattle -- In a bid to shake up the digital music market's pricing status quo, RealNetworks on Tuesday announced that it will, for a limited time, discount the price of song downloads from its online store to $0.49 and albums to $4.99. The discount accompanies the release of RealPlayer 10.5, which features Harmony -- technology that for the first time allows tracks purchased from Real's store to play on Apple's iPod -- which Apple has said amounts to illegal hacking. Real's "Freedom of Choice" promotion will also create an online forum to discuss digital music compatibility issues, a move endorsed by DC-based public advocacy group Public Knowledge. "Thanks to RealPlayer with Harmony Technology, consumers can now buy digital songs and play them on virtually any device of their choice, just like how CDs and DVDs work," said RealNetworks CEO Rob Glaser. "We believe Freedom of Choice is both the right thing for consumers and a crucial step in bringing digital delivery of music into the mainstream." Seattle-based RealNetworks expects the 49-cent download promotion to negatively impact its bottom line, and revised its financial guidance for the quarter to reflect a potential drop in earnings by up to $0.01 per share.
tags: Downloads | RealNetworks | Musics | Digital Song |

With Possible IPO Wednesday, Google Faces SEC Probe Into Stock Issuances

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 17, 2004 - 2:42am.
Mountain View, Calif. -- Search engine firm Google, which is in the midst of accepting bids for its potential $3.3 billion initial public offering (IPO), announced that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has launched an informal inquiry into the company's issuance of stock and options dating back to 2001. The inquiry relates to Google's revelation last week that it may have violated SEC regulations by failing to register 28 million shares and options it issued to employees and contractors. "If it is determined that we offered securities without properly registering them under federal or state law, or securing an exemption from registration, regulators could impose monetary fines or other sanctions as provided under these laws," Google said, in the SEC filing. Meanwhile, the company also asked the SEC in the filing to approve its registration statement by the end of Tuesday, meaning that Google shares may trade on the Nasdaq by Wednesday.
tags: IPO | Google | SEC Probe | Stock Issuances |

Publisher Sues to Enable Overseas Online Casinos to Advertise in U.S

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 17, 2004 - 2:41am.
Baton Rouge, La. -- A gambling news site publisher has filed suit in federal court in Louisiana, asking a judge to rule that U.S. websites should be able to accept ads for overseas online gambling sites, citing First Amendment concerns, the Associated Press reported. Plaintiff Casino City, Inc. is among several sites to have received subpoenas from the Justice Dept., asking for financial records relating to ads sold to online casinos. While online gambling is illegal in the U.S., Casino City says that ads for casinos that operate outside the U.S. and aren't legal for U.S. citizens to visit should still be able to advertise here. Recently, a class action lawsuit was filed against a number of major Web publishers, including Google and Yahoo, for accepting keyword search-based ads for online casinos on their respective websites.
tags: Internet | Casinos | U.S | Advertise |

Report: U.S. Broadband Adoption Slows During Second Quarter

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 17, 2004 - 2:40am.
Durham, N.H. -- Broadband adoption in the U.S. slowed to its lowest growth rate in a year during the second quarter of 2004, when leading DSL and cable broadband providers added only 1.7 million net new subscribers, according to data from New Hampshire-based market research firm Leichtman Research Group (LRG). Top DSL providers for the first quarter ever outpaced cable growth, adding 900,000 subscribers, although top cable providers maintain a 6.4 million subscriber advantage over DSL and a 61% overall market share. The U.S. now counts a total of 29 million broadband subscribers. "In the past year the top cable and DSL providers have combined to add over 8 million net new broadband subscribers," said LRG president Bruce Leichtman. "While the results from this quarter should not necessarily be interpreted as the beginning of a slowdown, broadband providers clearly need to focus on retaining the customers they already have in addition to acquiring new ones."
tags: Broadband | Reports | U.S | Second Quarter |

Comcast to Launch NFL Network on Digital Cable Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 17, 2004 - 2:39am.
San Francisco -- NFL Network, a media company covering the National Football League, has signed a multi-year agreement to provide its content to Comcast for use on its digital cable service. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Under the agreement, NFL Network will provide Comcast Digital Cable customers, in markets with video-on-demand service, extended highlights of each NFL regular season game, as well as access to the NFL Films library. Comcast serves 24 of the 30 NFL team markets, and is the largest cable provider in more than half of those markets, including San Francisco.
tags: Comcast | NFL Network | Digital Cable |

Mobile Entertainment Publisher Mforma Raises $19 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 17, 2004 - 2:38am.
Kirkland, Wash. -- Mobile entertainment publisher Mforma Group announced on Tuesday that it will soon close on a new $40 million round of financing, having just closed a $44 million round in June. The new round includes a first close of $19 million led by Draper Fisher Jurvetson, with participation from existing investors General Catalyst Partners and Bessemer Venture Partners. The company said additional funding will be based on pending acquisitions currently under review. Kirkland, Wash.-based Mforma was founded in 2001, and its entertainment content is now available to over 500 million subscribers through deals with 100 wireless carriers worldwide. The company will use the funds to continue its global expansion and add new geographic territories, channels of distribution, and infrastructure in high growth areas like Asia and Europe.
tags: VC | Mforma | Mobile Entertainment |

Japan's For-Side Acquires Mobile Entertainment Firm Vindigo for $36.5 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 17, 2004 - 2:37am.
New York -- Mobile entertainment and applications publisher Vindigo Studios has announced that it was acquired earlier this month by Japanese mobile content provider For-Side.com, for $36.5 million in cash. Founded in 1999, New York-based Vindigo achieved profitability in early 2004; the company has developed 20 wireless applications with partners including MapQuest, The New York Times and The Sporting News. Following the merger, Vindigo will continue to operate as an independent entity led by existing management. Japan's For-Side has a market capitalization of $1.7 billion and operations in Japan, Korea, the U.K. and the U.S. The company said the acquisition will allow it to expand its product offering both in the U.S. and abroad.
tags: Japan | Mobile Entertainment | Vindigo | For-Side |

Mobile Content Developer Digital Chocolate Raises $13 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 17, 2004 - 2:35am.
San Mateo, Calif. -- Digital Chocolate, a developer of content for mobile phones, said on Monday that it has secured $13 million in its second round of funding, led by Sutter Hill Ventures. New investor Chengwei Ventures and previous investors Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers and Sequoia Capital also participated in the round, which raised the company's total funding to more than $21 million since its founding by gaming software pioneer Trip Hawkins in 2003. Digital Chocolate has developed entertainment, problem-solving and social networking applications for mobile phones.
tags: VC | Developer | Mobiles | Digital Chocolate |

Sprint, Idetic Launch Cell Phone Streaming TV Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 17, 2004 - 2:34am.
Berkeley, Calif. -- Idetic, developer of the MobiTV live TV streaming service for cell phones, announced on Tuesday that it has expanded its partnership with wireless carrier Sprint PCS. The company said it is providing content and operations for Sprint TV -- a "basic cable" streaming TV channel for Sprint PCS Vision subscribers that launched in New York City on Tuesday. The channel features programming from NBC News, ABC News Now, FOX Sports and The Weather Channel, as well as stand-up comedy, cartoons and music. Sprint TV is currently only available on the new $399 Sprint PCS Vision Multimedia Phone MM-A700 by Samsung. Subscribers may add the Sprint TV service for an additional $9.99 per month.
tags: Sprint | Cell Phone | TV Service | Idetic |