Los Angeles - Gemstar-TV Guide International (NASD: GMST) said on Monday that set-top box manufacturer Humax has signed a license agreement allowing the company to use Gemstar's interactive program guides in set-top boxes distributed throughout Europe. The license also extends to digital televisions and digital recording devices made by Humax.

Redwood City, Calif. - In the wake of the company's hostile takeover bid for rival Take-Two Interactive (NASD: TTWO), Electronic Arts (NASD: ERTS) said on Monday that Warren Jenson is stepping down as its chief financial officer. The company did not disclose a reason for the move. "It's time for me to write the next chapter in my career," said Jenson, who has served as EA's CFO since 2002 and will stay with the company to help his replacement transition into the role. The company said that it will name a successor "shortly."

New York - Financial news publisher Forbes.com on Monday announced the creation of an online ad network that will cover some 400 business and finance-related blogs. The company said that all of the blogs are vetted by Forbes.com editors for content. "There is no denying the growing importance and influence of blogs within the media landscape," said Forbes.com president and CEO Jim Spanfeller. "Forbes.com can ensure advertisers are reaching a hard-to-find and very desirable audience within safe, well-lit environments by exclusively inviting 'best of breed' business and investing bloggers to our new Business and Finance Blog Network."

Palo Alto, Calif. - Mytopia, an online social gaming community, on Monday announced a public beta launch of its service, which allows users to play casual online games with one another through their social network accounts on Facebook, MySpace, Bebo and other sites. The service is also available through Mytopia's site and via widget directories including Apple Dashboard Widgets, iGoogle Gadgets, Microsoft Vista Toolbar Widgets and Yahoo Widgets.

Los Angeles - Vivendi Games' Sierra Entertainment announced on Monday that it partnered with Yahoo to host a world premiere concert of the Paul Oakenfold-composed score to its upcoming game "The Bourne Conspiracy" at the 2008 Winter Music Conference. The concert, which will be webcast by Yahoo, will feature Oakenfold and members of the Florida Classical Symphony, as well as a special performance by Cee-Lo Green.

New York - Mobile entertainment content distributor Thumbplay announced on Monday that it will create customized mobile content stores for the websites of more than 650 local Clear Channel Radio (NYSE: CCU) stations. New York-based Thumbplay has already created mobile sites for more than 100 radio stations, which allow listeners to purchase ringtones based on songs they hear on-air.

Herndon, Va. - 4DK Technologies, the developer of a platform for delivering content to wireless devices, has raised $1 million of a projected $3 million first round of venture capital, Tech Journal South reported, citing a regulatory filing.

Redwood City, Calif. - Video game developer and publisher Electronic Arts (NASD: ERTS) announced on Monday that it has partnered with Liberty Media's (NASD: LINTA) Starz Media unit to develop an animated movie prequel to its sci-fi game "Dead Space."

Tokyo - The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has launched an investigation into potential patent infringements of Sony (NYSE: SNE) Blu-ray Disc players and the products of some 30 other companies, based on a complaint from a Columbia University professor, Reuters reported.

Washington - The U.S. Justice Department on Monday approved Sirius Satellite Radio's (NASD: SIRI) $5 billion purchase of rival XM Satellite Radio (NASD: XMSR), a deal announced more than a year ago that has been held up by regulators who said today that the combined company is not likely to harm competition or consumers. The proposed transaction still needs approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC); shareholders of both companies approved the deal in November.

Billerica, Mass. - Digimarc (NASD: DMRC), an Oregon-based provider of digital watermarking and other technologies, announced on Monday that it will sell its ID Systems business to L-1 Identity Solutions, for about $250 million.

Washington - Google (NASD: GOOG) on Monday sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), urging the agency to allow unused portions of the TV spectrum -- or "white space" -- to be used to provide wireless Internet access nationwide. "The unique qualities of the TV white space -- unused spectrum, large amounts of bandwidth, and excellent propagation characteristics -- offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to provide ubiquitous wireless broadband access to all Americans," Richard Whitt, Google's Washington telecom and media counsel, writes in the letter.

Washington - Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) and AT&T (NYSE: T), the nation's two largest wireless carriers, were the big winners in an auction for wireless spectrum that closed last week, according to information released by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Nashville, Tenn. - Guitar manufacturer Gibson has filed a second patent infringement lawsuit over guitar-replica controllers used in the video games "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band," this time suing "Rock Band" makers Harmonix, Viacom's (NYSE: VIA) MTV Networks and Electronic Arts (NASD: ERTS). Gibson also last week filed suit against a number of retailers, including Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT), for selling Activision's (NASD: ATVI) "Guitar Hero" in violation of its 1999 patent.

Madrid - Spain-based mobile entertainment distributor mmChannel announced on Monday that Savia Capital Innovacion has acquired a minority stake in the company for an undisclosed sum.

Mountain View, Calif. - Mill River Labs has raised $900,000 in seed funding for TradeVibes, a database of information on start-up technology companies, from investors including Ron Conway, Dave McClure, the Kinsey Hills Group and Felicis Ventures, VentureBeat reported.

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