Archives

Michigan Law Requires MediaSentry to Seek Investigator License

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 5, 2008 - 10:16am.
Los Angeles - The state of Michigan has passed a law that will require MediaSentry, the computer forensics company that record labels have contracted with to collect IP addresses of suspected file-swappers, to acquire a private investigator's licenses in the state, Ars Technica reports. The state had already determined in February that MediaSentry was acting as an unlicensed private investigator, but the new law could cause at least a speed bump in ongoing investigations and litigation if MediaSentry is required to seek licenses in Michigan and other states.

tags: Law | Lawsuits | Policy | P2P | Music | RIAA | MediaSentry |

Microsoft Begins Shipments of 120GB Zune to Retailers

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 5, 2008 - 10:14am.
San Francisco - Microsoft has slowly begun rolling out a new $250, 120GB model of its Zune digital media player, CNET News.com reported, citing a reader who found one on sale at a local Fry's. A Microsoft spokesman told CNET that more retailers in other regions will be receiving shipments of the new device in the coming weeks.

tags: Music | Microsoft | Retail | Zune |

AT&T Adds HD VOD Titles to U-verse Digital TV Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 5, 2008 - 10:13am.
Dallas - AT&T (NYSE: T) on Friday announced the availability of HD video-on-demand titles on
tags: VOD | TV | HD | Movies | AT&T | U-verse |

U.K. Music Magazine Clash Gets Investment for Digital Platform

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 5, 2008 - 10:12am.
Los Angeles - U.K. independent music magazine Clash said on Friday that it has received a $406,000 investment from the Scottish Government to expand is digital channels. Including the grant, the company plans to invest a total of $882,000 into its website, ClashMusic.com, which launched in January, and said it will add 18 new positions to its operation. The site is attracting over 70,000 unique monthly users while still in beta.

tags: Deals | Music | Magazines | Publishing | Investments | Clash |

AOL to Launch Shoutcast Upgrade Next Week

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 5, 2008 - 10:10am.
Los Angeles - AOL will re-launch its Shoutcast network of online radio stations next week, adding features including increased monetization, a Facebook application, and widgets that allow embedding on other social sites like Bebo, Hypebot reported. The update is part of a plan to expand tools for third-party developers on Shoutcast, which claims 500,000 daily listeners.

tags: Social Networking | Music | AOL | Shoutcast |

Sting, Tool to Appear in "Guitar Hero: World Tour"

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 5, 2008 - 10:09am.
Santa Monica, Calif. - Activision said on Friday that Sting will lend his voice and likeness as an in-game character in its "Guitar Hero: World Tour" game. Along with Sting, the company also signed metal band Tool to appear in the game, in "an all-new venue designed in collaboration with the band and highlighting the art style that has become a staple in their music videos, live shows and album artwork."

tags: Games | Music | Activision | Guitar Hero |

EA to Release "Spore Origins" Game for iPhone

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 5, 2008 - 10:08am.
Los Angeles - Electronic Arts (NASD: ERTS) said on Friday that "Spore Origins," an off-shoot version of its evolution simulation game for the iPhone and iPod touch, will be released later this month. The company further said that it currently has nine games in development for the iPhone, including "Yahtzee Adventures," "EA Mini Golf," "Lemonade Tycoon," "Mahjong," "Monopoly," "Sim City," "Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09," "Need for Speed: Undercover" and "The Sims 3."

tags: Games | Mobile | iPod | Apple | Electronic Arts | iPhone | Spore Origins |

Michael Moore to Distribute Next Film Online for Free

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 5, 2008 - 9:11am.
Traverse City, Mich. - Filmmaker Michael Moore ("Bowling for Columbine," "Fahrenheit 9/11," "Sicko") announced this week that he will release his next film exclusively online for free.
tags: Video | Movies | Politics | Blip.tv | Michael Moore | Robert Greenwald | Slacker Uprising |

BlueHaze Launches Multi-Platform Concert Community

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 5, 2008 - 8:55am.
San Francisco - BlueHaze, a music-focused media and technology start-up based in San Francisco and Toronto, this week launched its multi-platform community for concert fans.
tags: Mobile | VC | Social Networking | Music | BlueHaze |

Joost to Abandon Desktop App, Stream Video Directly to Browser

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 5, 2008 - 8:48am.
Los Angeles - Joost, the peer-to-peer streaming TV service founded by the creators of Skype, has decided to abandon its desktop client software strategy in favor of a Web-based platform with a downloadable plug-in, GigaOm reports.
tags: Video | P2P | TV | Joost |

Social Media Ad Network Lookery Raises $2.25 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 5, 2008 - 8:22am.
San Francisco - Lookery, the operator of a social network-centric ad network, has raised $2.25 million in new funding, from investors including Attractor, Holtzbrinck, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and several other partners at Silicon Valley venture firms, VentureBeat reported.
tags: Deals | VC | Advertising | Social Networking | Lookery | Attractor | Sand Hill Road |

Report: Web-Connected Game Consoles to Generate $8B in 2013

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 5, 2008 - 7:28am.
Los Angeles - Sony (NYSE: SNE), Microsoft (NASD: MSFT) and Nintendo are expected to generate over $8 billion in global revenue from online content and services for their Internet-connected game consoles, according to a report from market research firm Parks Associates.
tags: Games | Sony | Reports | Microsoft | Nintendo | Xbox Live | Parks Associates | Research |

Report: Samsung Pondering Acquisition of SanDisk

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 5, 2008 - 6:50am.
Los Angeles - Korean electronics firm Samsung is considering an acquisition of flash-based memory card and MP3 player maker SanDisk (NASD: SNDK), PaidContent reported, citing a local Korean outlet. "We are looking at various opportunities regarding SanDisk, but nothing has been decided yet," a Samsung spokesperson was quoted as saying.
tags: Deals | Acquisitions | Samsung | SanDisk | Sansa |

SanDisk logo

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 5, 2008 - 6:49am.
SanDisk logo