register |
login
| search members submit a classified | request a media kit
connecting people & knowledge
ArchivesEU Objects to Name of Microsoft's "Reduced Media Edition"Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 31, 2005 - 5:08am.
Brussels -- The European Commission has moved to block plans by software giant Microsoft to name the stripped-down version of its operating system "Windows XP Reduced Media Edition." The new version will soon be released in accordance with an EU ruling requiring Microsoft to offer Windows without Windows Media Player. Under the terms of the EU ruling, however, Microsoft cannot take steps that would make the software unattractive to consumers. EU regulators say Microsoft's choice of name could dissuade many customers from buying a "watered-down" version of the product. For its part, Microsoft said it would change the name. "We had originally suggested a name, (Windows) XP Reduced Media Edition," said Microsoft spokesman Jim Desler. "While we believe that name is fully compliant (with the Commission's decision), in the spirit of compromise we have agreed to make a change in the name of the product."
RIAA Sues Another 717 Alleged Song-Swappers for Copyright InfringementAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 31, 2005 - 5:04am.
Washington -- The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced last week that it has sued another 717 alleged music file-swappers for copyright infringement. The "John Doe" lawsuits, filed to obtain the identities of peer-to-peer users from their Internet service providers, include 68 directed at individuals on 23 college campuses. "In a world that is becoming more and more connected through the wonders of digital technology, students need to understand that just because someone else’s property or creations can be obtained easily and freely without anyone seemingly knowing, there are consequences because it is stealing," said RIAA general counsel Steven Marks. The latest batch of lawsuits follows on several hundred filed by the RIAA in December, and brings the total number of individuals sued by the RIAA for copyright infringement on file-sharing services to nearly 8,500.
AOL, Time Warner Cable to Offer Joint Broadband Internet ServiceAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 31, 2005 - 5:01am.
Dulles, Va. -- America Online and Time Warner Cable, both subsidiaries of Time Warner, Inc., announced on Monday plans to develop a customized broadband offering targeted at current AOL and Road Runner subscribers. The service essentially will be a special edition of the AOL software with its content and features optimized for broadband, combined with the high-speed connectivity and content of Time Warner's Road Runner service. Under the plan, Time Warner Cable will manage the subscription billing and customer care for its services and provide a share of the subscriber revenues to America Online, which in turn will provide a share of its advertising, search, commerce and select premium services revenues to Time Warner Cable. "This new agreement aligns the strategies of America Online and Time Warner Cable in the fast-expanding broadband sector, and it will enable each business to focus on its key areas of growth," said Don Logan, chairman of Time Warner's media and communications group. The new joint offering is expected to roll out across Time Warner Cable's footprint over the next several months.
DISH Network Satellite TV Service Reaches 11 Million SubscribersAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 31, 2005 - 4:58am.
Englewood, Colo. -- Satellite TV provider EchoStar Communications announced on Monday that it has surpassed 11 million subscribers to its DISH Network service, passing Time Warner to become the third-largest pay-TV provider in the U.S. The company said it has added more than 7.6 million net new customers in the last five years; chief rival DirecTV currently claims a total of 18.9 million subscribers.
tags: Subscriptions | DISH Network Satellite TV |
TiVo Software Kit Encourages Developers to Create New ApplicationsAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 31, 2005 - 4:50am.
Alviso, Calif. -- TiVo, a provider of digital video recording hardware, software and services, announced on Monday the release of an open source software development kit (SDK) that will allow third parties to create entertainment and information services for TiVo owners. The company expects developers will create new applications such as rich music and photo services, advanced program and movie guides, sports applications, local weather info and multiplayer social games. Alviso, Calif.-based TiVo also announced a developers' contest in conjunction with the release, which will be judged by a panel that includes WIRED editor-in-chief Chris Anderson, and will award prizes such as a Segway scooter, an iPod and a Nintendo DS to the most creative entries.
Microsoft's Entertainment Unit Posts First Profit on Strong "Halo 2" SalesAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 28, 2005 - 5:28am.
Redmond, Wash. -- Microsoft said that strong sales of its "Halo 2" video game for its Xbox console helped to bring its entertainment division into the black two years earlier than expected, and more than double its quarterly profit. Microsoft's entertainment division saw revenue of $126 million for the quarter, compared with a loss of $213 million during the same period last year. Over 6.3 million copies of "Halo 2" have now been sold, generating $300 million for the company's games division, which saw a profit of $84 million compared to a loss of $397 million a year earlier. The game's sales also helped offset slightly weaker sales for its PC games and Xbox consoles. However, Microsoft investor relations manager Curt Anderson told the Los Angeles Times that Xbox shipments are already approaching targets set to be met six months from now, while noting that profitability for the company's games unit isn't expected until 2007.
Sony Revenue Drops on Weaker Sales for PlayStation 2, Other DevicesAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 28, 2005 - 5:26am.
Tokyo -- Sony Corp. said that its revenue for the quarter ended Dec. 31 fell 7.5% to $20.9 billion, citing in part sluggish sales for its portable audio players and PlayStation 2 video game console. The company said it faced parts shortages for its redesigned PlayStation 2 that caused detrimental shortages during the holiday shopping period, which were exacerbated by an effort to rapidly increase production to meet demand. While Sony's Walkman portable CD players once dominated the market, the company's portable digital music players have faltered amid its insistence on proprietary formats and the booming popularity of Apple's iPod.
Volkswagen Sues Makers of Suicide Bomber Spoof Internet AdAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 28, 2005 - 5:24am.
Frankfurt -- Automaker Volkswagen has filed a criminal lawsuit against the anonymous creators of a controversial spoof ad for its Polo car that has recently spread across the Internet, Reuters reported. The ad for the Polo, whose motto is "Small but Tough," features the car absorbing the blast from a suicide bomber's explosives detonated from within the car, parked outside a crowded café. Volkswagen and its ad agency deny having created the ad, and sued under a provision of German law that allows charges to be filed against unknown defendants, compelling prosecutors and law enforcement to then track them down. "This is an attack on Volkswagen's good name," company spokesman Hartwig von Sass told Reuters. The U.K. newspaper Guardian reported that a London-based advertising duo called Lee and Dan admit to creating the ad as a calling card for their business, were horrified by the reaction, and have since apologized.
Mobile Gaming Set to Become Most Common Wireless AppAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 28, 2005 - 5:22am.
London -- According to a new report by market analysis firm IDC, mobile gaming is set overtake ringtones by year's end to become the most common type of wireless data application. The global mobile gaming market is growing so quickly, in fact, that IDC estimates it will be a $1.4 billion industry by the year 2008. What's more, IDC predicts mobile games will soon evolve from single player, device-only game play towards virtual community gaming. The report also said the interdependence in the market would necessitate that carriers, handset manufacturers, game developers, aggregators and others would have to work together more closely to maximize revenues and accelerate market penetration.
tags: Mobile Gaming | Common Wireless App |
German Court Rules ISPs Need Not Reveal Identities of File-SwappersAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 28, 2005 - 5:19am.
Frankfurt -- The Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt has ruled that ISPs in Germany are not obligated to reveal the identities of their subscribers who are accused of copyright infringement on file-sharing services, the German newspaper Heise reported. The denial to record labels seeking to sue such anonymous file-swappers was the second such ruling delivered in Germany, in stark contrast to U.S. precedent, where courts have enabled record labels and movie studios to file "John Doe" copyright suits that compel ISPs to reveal the identities of their customers. The German court said that ISPs only supply technical access to the Internet, and aren't generally obligated to inspect the data transmitted along their networks, but must block access when they learn of illegal content.
Report: U.K. Accounts for 80% of All Online Gambling in EuropeAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 28, 2005 - 5:17am.
London -- About 80% of the total online gambling market in Europe is generated in the U.K., according to a new survey conducted by uSwitch.com. "Increased access to the Internet at home means that you can now partake in activities and pastimes that you would traditionally have to leave the comfort of your home for," said uSwitch director Jon Miller. More 18 to 29 year-olds gambled online than any other age group, accounting for 14% of the 3.9 million households that have used the Internet for gambling. uSwitch also found that British women, which account for as much as 40% of the local market, are far more likely to gamble online than women on the Continent, which account for just 5% of the European market.
Set-Top Maker Pace Micro Fined Record $849,000 for Listing ViolationAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 28, 2005 - 5:14am.
London -- After a three-year investigation, the U.K. Financial Services Authority (FSA) has fined Pace Micro, a U.K.-based TV set-top box manufacturer, a record $849,000 for breaching stock exchange listing rules. The FSA levied the fine, more than five times the previous record, after deciding Pace Micro had failed to keep investors properly updated. After a profits warning in March 2002, Pace Micro shares lost 67% of their value in a single day. The company had published interim results only two months previous. "The effect of Pace's omission from its interim announcement on January 8, 2002, was further compounded by the delay in announcing its changed expectation as to its financial performance until March 5, 2002," said FSA director of markets Gay Huey Evans. "These were clear breaches of the listing rules."
RealNetworks Narrows Quarterly Loss on Record RevenuesAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 27, 2005 - 6:21am.
Seattle -- Media delivery technology provider RealNetworks on Thursday announced that it narrowed its loss to $1 million, or $0.01 per share for the fourth quarter of 2004, on record revenue of $72.5 million -- up 34% from the fourth quarter of 2003. The company said it would have seen a profit had it not incurred $3 million in legal fees from its ongoing antitrust lawsuit against rival Microsoft. RealNetworks also said its expects to spend about $15 million on the suit during 2005, when it forecasts revenue will grow 16%-20% to between $310 and $320 million, up from the $266.7 million reported for 2004. "We are pleased to report another quarter of record revenue, driven by rapid growth in our Consumer Business, particularly games and music," said RealNetworks CEO Rob Glaser. The company said it now counts more than 700,000 subscribers to its music subscription services, up from the 350,000 reported at the end of 2003. RealNetworks' digital music services provided $21.6 million in revenue for the fourth quarter, while its revenue for its online games unit totaled $10.1 million.
Electronic Arts Lays Off 60 Game Developers at Los Angeles StudioAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 27, 2005 - 6:19am.
Los Angeles -- Video game publisher Electronic Arts has laid off 60 game developers from its Los Angeles studio as part of a restructuring, a company spokeswoman told Reuters on Thursday. The company said that the cuts come as it prepares to begin developing games for the next generation of video game consoles. Redwood City, Calif.-based Electronic Arts will not take any charges to account for severance pay or other associated fees for the layoffs, which will reduce the number of developers at EA's Los Angeles facilities to 320.
Norway's Supreme Court Outlaws Linking to Unauthorized MP3 FilesAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 27, 2005 - 6:16am.
Oslo, Norway -- The Supreme Court of Norway on Thursday upheld the conviction of a student who published a website that featured links to other sites where users could download unauthorized MP3 music files, the Associated Press reported. The student created his Napster.no site (not related to Napster) in 2001 as part of a school project, linking to 170 free music files. Norwegian record label trade group Tono and the Norway units of Sony Music, Universal Music and others then sued for copyright infringement. A lower court found for the music industry, while an appeals court cleared the student; the high court's reversal will result in the student paying $15,900 in compensation to the labels. "The supreme court decided the case based on responsibility for abetting (an illegal act)," the court said in its ruling. While no U.S. court ruling has specifically outlawed simply publishing links to third-party sites that host MP3 files for download, a high-profile case found that a man who published links to a code that can crack the anti-piracy technology on DVDs aided copyright infringement and banned such links. The Hollywood studios also recently launched a legal campaign against European operators of servers for file-sharing services like BitTorrent and eDonkey, which provide links to available files on the peer-to-peer networks.
Amazon's A9.com Launches Digital Yellow Pages With Storefront PicturesAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 27, 2005 - 6:14am.
Seattle -- Online retail giant Amazon.com announced on Thursday that its A9.com shopping search engine has launched A9.com Yellow Pages, a feature that adds digital pictures of storefronts of businesses and the ability to call the shops directly over the Internet. The project launched with a library of photos of about 20 million businesses in 10 cities, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Atlanta. The service also offers a "Block View," where users can pan left and right to view adjacent businesses on the street. "You can virtually walk down the street in any direction," A9 Chief Udi Manber told CNET News.com. "This is a way to see the yellow pages, not just read them." Amazon licensed business listings from Axciom for the project, and is using technology from eStara that allows users to make Internet-based phone calls to listed businesses.
Online Poker Firm PartyGaming Considering U.K. FlotationAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 27, 2005 - 6:12am.
London -- According to the Financial Times, U.K.-based PartyGaming, currently the largest online poker company in the world, is considering an initial public offering (IPO) on the London stock exchange. Analysts estimate that the listing would generate as much as $9.5 billion, which would make it the largest listing in London in more than three years. "PartyGaming has a leading market position, proven technology and is generating significant levels of profit and operating cash flow," said CEO Richard Segal. Segal added that his company had hired investment banks Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein and Investec to review its options, with an IPO being "one of the options" under consideration. PartyGaming runs three main brands (PartyPoker, StarluckCasino and PartyBingo) that currently account for more than half the global online poker market.
EU Launches Program to Promote Digital Content MarketAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 27, 2005 - 6:10am.
Brussels -- The European Parliament has approved a new program to encourage the development of multi-lingual content for innovative, online services across Europe. Dubbed eContentplus, the program will have a budget of more than $194 million between 2005 and 2008. The Parliament said the program would tackle fragmentation in the European digital content market and improve the accessibility and usability of geographical information, cultural content and educational material. "The Internet offers a unique opportunity for content companies to outgrow their so far mostly national markets," said EU information society and media commissioner Vivian Reding. "The eContentplus program will facilitate the production and distribution of online European content, thus stimulating innovation and creativity."
Sirius Satellite Radio CEO Denies Merger Talks With Rival XMAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 26, 2005 - 6:44am.
New York -- Following a report in The New York Post that claimed satellite radio providers Sirius and XM had entered merger negotiations, Sirius Satellite Radio head Mel Karmazin denied the rumors on Wednesday. "I have not met with the chairman or CEO [of XM], so I have no idea where any of this came from," Karmazin told reporters on a conference call. Analysts speculated that a proposed merger between the two rival satellite radio firms would not pass regulatory muster. Karmazin also denied that Sirius was trying to buy out the remainder of shock jock Howard Stern's contract with Viacom, so that he could shift to Sirius sooner than in 2006 as planned. Sirius said on Wednesday that it experienced a wider loss during the fourth quarter of 2004, as a result of high subscriber acquisition costs and expensive licenses for sports programming. The company did raise its subscriber forecast for 2005 to 2.5 million subscribers.
MPAA Files Second Wave of Lawsuits Against Alleged Movie File-SwappersAuthored by Mark Hefflinger on January 26, 2005 - 6:42am.
Los Angeles -- The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), which represents the major Hollywood movie studios, announced on Wednesday that it has filed a second round of copyright infringement lawsuits against an undisclosed number of alleged U.S. online movie file-swappers. "We cannot allow people to steal our motion pictures and other products online, and we will use all the options we have available to encourage people to obey the law," said MPAA CEO Dan Glickman. Following the example of the recording industry, which has now sued over 7,000 individuals for online piracy, the MPAA filed its first round of lawsuits against individual file-swappers in November. The group then led an international effort to go after operators of servers for file-sharing services like eDonkey and BitTorrent, leading to arrests in several European countries. The MPAA on Wednesday also released a software application, "Parent File Scan," that can be used by parents to determine if file-sharing software and copyrighted media files have been downloaded by their children. The MPAA said the software doesn't collect or report any information on users.
|
Upcoming DMW Events
Nov. 18-19, 2008 | New York www.televisionconference.com 
Jan. 9, 2009 | Las Vegas www.digitalmediainsider.com 
Feb. 25-26, 2009 | New York www.digitalmusicforum.com Events Calendar Submit a Speaker To receive event updates & announcements: 
DMW 100 Financial Index
NavigationUser loginAds |
Daily Newsletter and NetworkingLatest Top Stories
Latest Briefly Noted
Our Sponsors
PollOur PublicationsOther Ads |
Recent comments
1 day 18 hours ago
1 day 22 hours ago
1 day 22 hours ago
2 days 2 hours ago
2 days 15 hours ago
3 days 6 min ago
3 days 17 hours ago
4 days 2 hours ago
5 days 8 hours ago
5 days 22 hours ago