Brussels - The European Commission has granted an extension to Apple and the major record labels on a deadline it imposed on them to respond to allegations of anti-competitive behavior with regard to iTunes Store pricing, Billboard reported. [more..]

Port Washington, N.Y. - Children are being exposed to and adopting consumer electronics devices at earlier ages, according to a report from market research firm NPD Group. [more..]

Palo Alto, Calif. - Digital music start-up Lala.com on Tuesday announced the launch of a new Web-based service that lets users store their iTunes music libraries online for free, and stream them from any Internet-connected device. [more..]

Redwood City, Calif. - Video game publisher Electronic Arts on Tuesday announced the formation of EA Casual Entertainment, a new unit that will develop and publish casual game titles for consoles, handheld systems, mobile phones and the PC. [more..]

Bellevue, Wash. - IceBreaker, a developer of mobile social networking software, announced on Tuesday that it has raised $7.2 million in new financing, co-led by Frazier Technology Ventures and previous investor Lightspeed Venture Partners. [more..]

Darmstadt, Germany - German video game developer 10TACLE Studios announced on Tuesday that it has acquired Budapest, Hungary-based developer Stormregion. [more..]

Bellevue, Wash. - HipCricket, a provider of mobile marketing services, announced on Tuesday that it has raised $6 million in its second round of funding, which it will use for expansion of its services with the broadcast community and top brands. [more..]

Austin, Texas - FameCast, the producer of an online talent competition, has raised $4.5 million in new financing from Austin Ventures. [more..]

Schaumberg, Ill. - Motorola Ventures announced on Tuesday that it has made an undisclosed investment in Vocel, a San Diego-based developer of mobile "push" marketing technology. [more..]

Waltham, Mass. - Mobicious, a mobile content portal offering text-based services, music, videos and games, announced on Tuesday that it has secured $4 million in first round financing, from North Bridge Venture Partners and Carmel Ventures. [more..]

New York - Blip.tv, a video-sharing site focused on independently produced videos, announced on Tuesday that it has raised an undisclosed sum in its second round of venture capital financing, led by Ambient Sound Investments, the fund established by Skype's founders. [more..]

Atlanta - EyeWonder, a provider of digital video and rich media advertising technologies, announced on Tuesday that it has received an undisclosed mezzanine investment from BIA Digital Partners. [more..]

Tokyo - Japanese electronics maker Toshiba plans to put HD DVD drives in all of its laptops next year, Reuters reported on Tuesday. "The demand is there: people want to watch their favorite movies in high-definition on the road," Toshiba senior vice president Hisatsugu Nonaka said at a news conference. Toshiba shipped 9.2 million notebook PCs in 2006, while Sony, which bundles its rival Blu-ray Disc technology in the PlayStation 3, sold 3.6 million of the game consoles in the past year. [more..]

Seattle - Melodeo, a provider of music and video delivery technology for mobile phones, on Tuesday announced a new service that lets users listen to their entire iTunes library on their mobile phones. The nuTsie service works by referencing an iTunes library and then streaming the same tracks from the company's servers to a mobile phone. A free public beta is available today; Melodeo told Reuters it plans to officially launch nuTsie by September, and may eventually charge monthly or application fees, or insert audio ads. [more..]

Los Angeles - Napster and mobile developer Ericsson announced on Tuesday an agreement with Swisscom Mobile, whereby their co-developed Napster Mobile will become the Swiss carrier's exclusive mobile music service. Napster Mobile's more than 3 million tracks will be available for streaming and download by Swisscom's 4.6 million subscribers. [more..]

Sioux Falls, S.D. - LodgeNet, a provider of in-room interactive TV and broadband services to hotels, said on Tuesday it signed a new multi-year licensing agreement with NBC Universal. The deal includes on-demand HD Universal titles like "Hot Fuzz" and "Georgia Rule." South Dakota-based LodgeNet serves more than 1.8 million hotel rooms worldwide. [more..]

Tinton Falls, N.J. - Lightspeed Audio Labs on Tuesday announced the beta release of JamNow, an Internet portal that lets musicians network and collaborate in a virtual studio in real-time. JamNow allows both pro and amateur musicians to rehearse, catalog recordings, promote events, and even perform a live event online. The free beta, which runs through the summer, is available to users within a triangular region roughly outlined by Boston, Charlotte and Milwaukee; the company plans to expand the offering to include Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas later this summer. [more..]

Beverly Hills, Calif. - Online celebrity news and entertainment site No Good TV (NGTV) said on Tuesday it partnered with Microsoft on a promotion that will give celebrities the chance to challenge each other in the beta version of "Halo 3" for the Xbox 360, in advance of the game's release on Sept. 25. The in-studio face-offs will be broadcast on NGTV.com as well as on select Xbox sites later this summer.

 

Related Links:

http://new.marketwire.com/2.0/release.do?id=738503

http://www.halo3.com

http://www.ngtv.com

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Redwood City, Calif. - Electronic Arts said on Tuesday that it has partnered with international apparel retailer H&M, on a promotion that encourages fans of "The Sims" to design virtual clothing. The Sims 2 H&M Fashion Runway challenges players to design virtual clothes that will be examined by H&M designers and featured in virtual runway shows, and possibly adapted for use in a future H&M collection. The downloadable "Sims 2 H&M Fashion Stuff" pack also includes tools players can use to design their own H&M store within the game. [more..]

Monte Carlo, Monaco - Gamefederation, a provider of mobile game development and distribution technology, said on Tuesday that it has launched "pay-per-play" mobile gaming in Europe, allowing users to download a game for free and only pay when they want to play. The company partnered with India-based Jump Games to create Jump Arcade, which will launch first with Tele2 in Sweden; portals are also planned for the U.K., Germany, Finland, Norway and Denmark. [more..]