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Report: Record 20 Million Song Downloads Sold During Holiday Week

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2006 - 5:21am.
Los Angeles - Consumers equipped with new MP3 players and gift certificates to online music stores purchased nearly 20 million song downloads during the week between Christmas and New Year's, breaking the record for one-week digital sales, Billboard reported, citing data from Nielsen SoundScan. Prior to that week, the record was 9.5 million songs, and was set in the week leading up to Christmas. During the week following Christmas, the top 11 singles listed on Billboard's "Hot Digital Songs" chart each sold more than 100,000 downloads; hip-hop group D4L's "Laffy Taffy" took the top spot with 175,000 downloads. A total of 352 million digital song downloads were sold during 2005, a 147% increase over 2004's 142.6 million. Based on last year's post-holidays buying trends, Billboard estimated that the download market in 2006 could reach sales of between 750 million and 1 billion tracks.
tags: Downloads | Music | Reports | Record |

Google to Launch Web Video Download Store

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2006 - 5:19am.
Las Vegas - Google on Friday announced the upcoming launch of its Google Video Store, an online marketplace where creators can set their own prices for selling video downloads, while Google takes a 30% commission. The company has already lined up deals to offer video including CBS TV shows, NBA games, Charlie Rose interviews, clips from Getty Images' archive films collection and music videos from Sony BMG. CBS will sell episodes of current prime-time shows like "CSI" and "Survivor," as well as library classics such as "I Love Lucy," "The Brady Bunch" and "The Twilight Zone," for $1.99 each. NBA games will be available one day after broadcast for $3.99. Other content providers will be able to set their own prices for video content, with the option to offer programming for free. "For video producers and anyone with a video camera, Google Video will give you a platform to publish to the entire Google audience in a fast, free and seamless way," said Google co-founder Larry Page. The service will utilize Google's proprietary video player and copy-protection technology; at launch, most copy-protected programming will not be able to be transferred to portable players such as Apple's iPod or Sony's PSP.
tags: Google | Download | Web Video |

Sony CD Settlement May Chill Label's Use of Copy-Protection Technology

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2006 - 5:17am.
New York - A federal judge has given preliminary approval to a settlement between record label Sony BMG and the consumers who filed lawsuits against the company over copy-protected music CDs it sold that could damage computers. Under the settlement, Sony BMG will stop manufacturing CDs with both of the copy-protection technologies -- from First4Internet and SunnComm Technologies -- which created security leaks that could invite malicious software onto computers. The settlement also commits Sony BMG to a "detailed security review process" prior to including any copy-protection software on future CDs. Those who purchased the offending CDs will be offered replacements without digital rights management software, with some also receiving free downloads of other Sony music from services like iTunes. The label is required to inform consumers of the settlement terms and CD exchange via newspaper ads, Google ads, e-mail and other means by Feb. 15. "The settlement helps consumers finally get music that will play on their computers without invading their privacy or eroding their security," said Corynne McSherry, staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital civil liberties group that represented some of the affected consumers.
tags: Sony CD | Copy-Protection Technology |

Clear Channel Radio Station Websites Launch On Demand Music Videos

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2006 - 5:15am.
San Antonio, Texas - Clear Channel Radio, the nation's largest radio station owner, on Monday announced the launch of a beta test of a new music video-on-demand feature on 16 of its radio station websites. The service includes thousands of music videos from artists on 40 labels, including major labels Universal, Warner and EMI. The videos include a "Buy CD" link and "Share Video" feature, which lets users send e-mail links to the videos. The company eventually plans to sell 15-second video ads that will play prior to the videos. Clear Channel stations will be able to customize their video selections, by featuring specific artists and promoting their DJs' favorite picks. The music video-on-demand service will initially launch for stations in cities including Los Angeles (KIIS), New York (WHTZ), Washington, D.C. (WWDC) and Boston (WXKS). Clear Channel plans to add the program to radio station websites across the country.
tags: Radio | Music | Music Videos | Websites |

CNET Names "Best of CES" Technology Awards Winners

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2006 - 5:14am.
Las Vegas - Technology news and information publisher CNET this weekend named its picks for the best new technologies showcased at last week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Creative's $330 Zen Vision:M portable MP3 and video player, dubbed an "iPod killer," was named overall "Best in Show." The "People's Voice" winner was the Pioneer Inno, a handheld XM Satellite Radio receiver that allows recording of and storage of up to 50 hours of XM content in addition to MP3 files. Other Best in Show winners included the Pioneer BDP-HD1 Blu-ray DVD player, in the home video category; the Samsung ZX20 cell phone; and in the gaming category, Nvidia's GeForce Quad SLI graphics processor.
tags: CNET | Awards | Winners | Best of CES |

Vodafone Teams Up with Sony on New "Radio DJ" Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2006 - 5:12am.
London - European wireless network operator Vodafone announced that it has teamed up with Sony to offer a new service called "Vodafone Radio DJ". The service boasts a system that allows listeners to "train" radio channels to personal taste by pressing "like" or "dislike" buttons. Vodafone said it planned to launch the service in France, Germany, the U.K. and three other European countries over the next few months and in 20 countries worldwide by year's end. The service will offer "hundreds of thousands of songs, both current popular hits and back catalog, from the world's largest record companies," including a number of smaller independent labels.
tags: Sony | Vodafone | Radio DJ |

Report: Worldwide Digital Radio Shipments to Hit 22 Million in 2009

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2006 - 5:11am.
Scottsdale, Ariz. - Worldwide shipments of digital radios, both for satellite and terrestrial services like HD Radio, are projected to grow from 5 million units in 2004 to 22 million units in 2009, according to a report from market research firm In-Stat. Driving growth in this market will be eroding prices for digital radios, partnerships between radio makers and car manufacturers, and new and compelling content and data services, In-Stat said. Satellite radio subscribers in the U.S. now number more than 9 million, while some 600 U.S. radio stations are now broadcasting in the digital HD Radio format. "In the U.S., satellite radio is driving the digital radio market," said In-Stat analyst Stephanie Guza. "In other markets, most notably in the U.K., terrestrial digital audio broadcasting is driving it. The launch of Digital Multimedia Broadcast (DMB) services in Japan and Korea, along with increased promotional activity in Singapore, Australia and Taiwan over the next year, will drive digital radio shipments in Asia."
tags: Reports | Digital Radio | Worldwide | Shipments |

BPI: Over 1 Million Song Downloads Sold in U.K. During Holiday Week

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2006 - 5:09am.
London - According to a new report by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), music downloads in the U.K. soared during the last days of 2005, with more than 1 million tracks being bought online during the last week of December alone. The BPI said weekly digital sales over the holiday period reached 1 million for the first time ever. Sales for the year surged as well. The BPI said that more than 26.4 million tracks were downloaded in 2005, compared to just 5.6 million tracks in 2004 -- a remarkable 350% increase. "The music industry's firm line on digital music piracy, and its support for new digital music retailers has seen the digital music market grow by 350 percent in 2005," said BPI chairman Peter Jamieson.
tags: Music | BPI | Download | U.K |

Howard Stern Show Launches on Sirius Satellite Radio

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2006 - 5:07am.
New York - Radio shock jock Howard Stern on Monday debuted his new radio show on Sirius Satellite Radio. In addition to his weekday radio show, Sirius will offer two Stern-focused radio channels, one of which will be more about Howard Stern and the other more entertainment-oriented. In addition to new original shows like "Crack Whore View" and "Tissue Time with Heidi," the programming will include controversial radio host "Bubba the Love Sponge" -- who was fired by Clear Channel after racking up $755,000 in FCC indecency fines -- as a weekday afternoon host.
tags: Radio | Sirius | Howard Stern | Satellite |

Arroyo to Provide VOD Software to Charter Communications

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2006 - 5:05am.
Pleasanton, Calif. - Arroyo Video Solutions, a provider of video-on-demand delivery software, announced on Monday that it has signed an agreement to provide its software to cable TV provider Charter Communications, for a rollout of video-on-demand with subscribers in Alcoa, Tennessee. Pleasanton, Calif.-based Arroyo also provides video-on-demand software for Comcast and Time Warner Cable.
tags: VOD | Charter | Software | Arroyo | Communications |

KCRW to Launch "Morning Becomes Eclectic" Video Podcasts

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2006 - 5:03am.
Santa Monica, Calif. - NPR flagship radio station KCRW announced on Monday that it will begin offering video podcasts of in-studio performances from its "Morning Becomes Eclectic" weekday program. The free podcasts will include 40-minute live performances by unsigned, independent and select established bands who appear on the show. Currently available for download from iTunes include past performances from the bands Sons & Daughters, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and The Like.
tags: Video | Podcasts | KCRW | Morning Becomes Eclectic |

Dijji Brings Napster Ringtones Service to Alltel Subscribers

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2006 - 5:02am.
Seattle - Dijji, a distributor of mobile entertainment content, announced on Monday that it has partnered with Napster to launch the Napster Ringtones service for wireless network operator Alltel's 10.5 million subscribers. Polyphonic ringtones, master recording ringtones, voicetones and "artist shoutouts" from the Napster Ringtones library will now be available to Alltel subscribers for between $1.99 and $2.99.
tags: Music | Subscribers | Napster | Alltel | Dijji |

Virgin Mobile USA Extends Mobile Content Deal With MTV Networks

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2006 - 5:01am.
Warren, N.J. - Wireless network operator Virgin Mobile USA said on Monday that it has extended its partnership with MTV Networks, and will provide additional exclusive mobile content from MTV and Comedy Central. Under the deal, Virgin Mobile USA will become the exclusive carrier for "Total Request Live" and "Direct Effect" branded mobile content, and will continue to offer non-exclusive mobile content from other programs like "The Daily Show."
tags: Deals | USA | Mobiles | Virgin Mobile | MTV Networks |

Blinkx Adds Short Films to Web Video Index

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2006 - 4:59am.
San Francisco - Blinkx, a searchable index of Web video, announced on Monday that it has added short films from a number of providers to its index, making them both searchable and available on-demand from Blinkx.tv. Short films from the BBC Film Network, LOVEFiLM, Tiscali and World Cinema Online -- from directors including Spike Lee, Wim Wenders, Mike Figgis and Jean-Luc Godard -- will now be offered through San Francisco-based Blinkx.
tags: Movies | Blinkx | Web Video |

iWatchNow Opens Video Download Store with 3,000 Hours of Content

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2006 - 4:58am.
Santa Monica, Calif. - IWatchNow, an Internet content provider based in Santa Monica, Calif., on Monday launched an Internet video-on-demand service that offers 3,000 hours of classic TV shows, films and music videos. Offerings on iWatchNow, which may also be downloaded to video iPods, include episodes of "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "Dragnet," "Bonanza," "The Andy Griffith Show" and original "Superman" and "Popeye" cartoons. Users must first pay a $3.99 fee to download the company's proprietary video player, before accessing the 99-cent videos offered on the site.
tags: Video | Download | iWatchNow |

Sprint to Use Zingy's Mobile Movie Theater Locator

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2006 - 4:56am.
New York - Zingy, a publisher of mobile entertainment and information content, announced on Monday that Sprint has launched a location-based service that helps mobile phone users locate nearby movie theaters. By pressing the "Locate Me" button within the MovieGoer mobile application, Sprint subscribers with compatible phones will be alerted to the nearest movie theaters through GPS technology, rather than having to enter their zip code or address.
tags: Mobile | Sprint | Movie | Zingy | Theater | Locator |

ICTV, Amiga Partner for Multi-Platform Interactive TV Software

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2006 - 4:50am.
Los Gatos, Calif. - ICTV, a developer of interactive TV software and services, announced on Monday that it has partnered with Amiga, a provider of multimedia enabling technologies, to let viewers access the same interactive TV content across PCs, mobile devices and the television. San Francisco-based Amiga's software will allow interactive TV content developers to write their applications one time, while enabling support for all three platforms.
tags: Deals | TV Software | ICTV | Amiga | Multi-Platform |

Nintendo Ships "Electroplankton" Music Title for DS

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2006 - 4:48am.
Redmond, Wash. - Nintendo of America on Monday shipped its "Electroplankton" music title for Nintendo DS to retailers. Designed by Japanese electronic artist Toshio Iwai, the game enables players to compose music using embedded beats and samples created using the device's microphone.
tags: Music | Nintendo | DS | Title | Releases | Electroplankton |

CNET News.com: MediaFlo, Modeo Developing "Supercharged" Mobile TV

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on January 9, 2006 - 4:47am.
San Francisco - CNET News.com on Monday reported on two technology firms building "supercharged" mobile TV networks, Qualcomm's MediaFlo and Crown Castle International's Modeo. These "multicast" networks function more like traditional TV, transmitting signals once to many devices, as opposed to "unicast" networks from Sprint, Verizon and Cingular that provide individual transmissions to each mobile phone. MediaFlo will spend $800 million to build a nationwide mobile TV network in five years, while Modeo plans to spend $500 million to reach the top 30 U.S. markets in two years. ABI Research estimates that the mobile TV equipment and services market will reach $27 billion by 2010.
tags: Mobile TV | Modeo | MediaFLO | CNET News.com | Supercharged |