San Francisco - BitTorrent, a provider of peer-to-peer file-sharing technology, announced on Monday the launch of a legitimate download service featuring content from 35 providers including MGM, Fox, Lionsgate, Paramount, MTV Networks and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. [more..]

Los Angeles - Two young men who developed software that can cull the e-mail and IP addresses of MySpace users and allegedly tried to extort $150,000 from the company have pleaded no contest to charges of illegal computer access, the Associated Press reported on Monday. [more..]

Redwood City, Calif. - Video game publisher Electronic Arts on Monday named John Riccitiello as its new CEO, effective April 2. [more..]

Washington - About one-third of U.S. Internet users have logged on using a wireless connection, be it on a home network, in the workplace, at an Internet cafe or via their cell phones, according to a report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project. [more..]

Washington - Despite assurances from senior executives, concern is growing among employees of XM Satellite Radio about possible job cuts -- and the role of the D.C. headquarters -- should the company's proposed $13 billion merger with New York-based rival Sirius Satellite Radio pass federal scrutiny, The Washington Post reported on Monday. [more..]

San Francisco - Apple said on Monday that it will delay the release of its new Apple TV product -- a box that streams Web video and other computer content to a television -- until mid-March, Reuters reported. [more..]

New York - Sony on Monday announced plans to release a cheaper Blu-ray player early this summer, the Associated Press reported. [more..]

Dulles, Va. - Unable to woo the company's largest shareholder, AOL on Monday extended its cash offer for Sweden-based online advertising firm TradeDoubler until March 14, the Associated Press reported. [more..]

New York - Google will syndicate videos online from companies including Dow Jones & Company, Conde Nast and Sony BMG, sharing ad revenue between itself, the video provider and the site hosting the video, The New York Times reported. [more..]

New York - CBS Corporation will participate in a new $7 million round of venture capital financing for Electric Sheep, a company that develops 3D properties within virtual worlds like Second Life and There.com, Reuters reported. [more..]

Toronto - JumpTV, an Internet TV network that syndicates more than 270 news and other channels from over 70 countries, announced that it has raised about $100 million in an offering of shares on London's Alternative Investments Market (AIM). [more..]

London - Video game publisher Eidos Interactive announced on Monday that it has acquired Rockpool Games, a U.K.-based developer of mobile and casual game titles. [more..]

Irvine, Calif. - Local.com, a search engine focused on local businesses, jobs and other information, announced that it has received an $8 million private placement, from publisher Hearst Corporation's Hearst Interactive Media, and Greenway Capital. [more..]

Seattle - ImageKind, a Seattle-based site that lets artists post photography or artwork for sale that the company offers to frame for buyers, has raised $2.56 million in its first round of funding, led by publisher Holtzbrinck and Crosslink Capital, the Seattle P-I reported on Monday. [more..]

Redwood City, Calif. - ViDeOnline Communications, a company that aggregates digital media content for distribution over its network to Internet service providers, said on Monday that it has landed $12 million in a new round of funding, led by Intel Capital. [more..]

Washington - Cause, a nonprofit that provides comfort items and organizes recreation events for wounded soldiers, said it teamed with Major League Gaming (MLG) and retailer GameStop to host a video game tournament on Sunday at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. GameStop donated 10 Nintendo Wii consoles, while Major League Gaming provided technical assistance and top pro gamers to help run the tournament. "Recreation and entertainment are vital to the recovery process, and the healthy competition and the social aspects of videogaming are very beneficial to these young men and women," said Cause executive director Barbara Lau. [more..]

San Bruno, Calif. - Google YouTube and the National Basketball Association (NBA) on Monday announced the launch of a new feature on the video-sharing site's NBA Channel that lets fans upload videos of their own basketball prowess. The "Post Up the NBA" feature lets fans rate videos posted by others, with the top-rated clips to appear in a weekly playlist on the channel. YouTube said the NBA has also joined its "Claim Your Content" program, which allows the league to monitor video uploads containing copyrighted content and either remove them, or share in any ad revenue generated. [more..]

West Hollywood, Calif. - Ticketmaster announced on Monday that it has signed a league-wide deal with the National Basketball Association (NBA), making the company both the official primary and secondary ticketing provider for the league. The secondary sales deal means NBA fans who purchase tickets through Ticketmaster, but can't attend the game, can post their tickets for resale through a dedicated section on the team's website through Ticketmaster's TicketExchange service. Sellers may set their own prices, per state guidelines, while Ticketmaster will claim a transaction fee from both buyers and sellers on the service. [more..]

Los Angeles - Verse Studios, an independent game developer formed in May 2006, announced on Monday that it has commenced an external funding round and hopes to raise $500,000 over the next year. "We are really excited to be moving forward as a company, and are looking forward to talking with investors and colleagues at GDC. This round of funding will allow us to realize the initiatives that are so important to us as a gaming company, and as members of the gaming community," said Verse co-founder and CEO Travis Savo. Los Angeles-based Verse is currently at work on "Verse: Tactics," a multiplayer online real-time strategy PC game. [more..]

Palo Alto, Calif. - Azureus, a provider of peer-to-peer file-sharing software based on BitTorrent, announced on Monday a partnership with National Geographic Ventures (NGV) to offer short- and long-form programming on its network. Under the deal, NGV will initially offer video content to U.K. users of the Zudeo service, with a North American launch to follow shortly. Palo Alto, Calif.-based Azureus, which claims 140 million downloads of its file-sharing software, has also signed BBC Worldwide, Bennett Media Worldwide and Starz Media to provide content on Zudeo. [more..]

Watertown, Mass. - TNS Media Intelligence, a privately held, New York-based provider of strategic advertising information, has acquired Cymfony, a Massachusetts-based provider of market influence analytics technology. Financial terms were not disclosed. TNS said that the acquisition integrates Cymfony's expertise in tracking and analyzing the intersection of traditional and social media, such as blogs and social networks, with TNS's current line of advertising intelligence products. Cymfony was founded in 1996. [more..]

New York - Hovr on Monday announced the launch of its service that offers free, ad-supported games for mobile phones. New York-based Hovr is initially offering more than 100 game titles from 15 publishers that include embedded ads, such as "Underground Racer," "Hugo Cannon Cruise" and "Texas Holdem." The company said that it surpassed 200,000 game downloads within weeks of activating its beta site. In addition to downloading games, users can also join Hovr MobileSpace, a social network where players can interact and compete against each other. [more..]

Mountain View, Calif. - NeoEdge Networks on Monday announced the launch of its new ad-supported game service, which offers free, unlimited, casual PC games on-demand. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company said the site operates on a "per-game-hour-played" revenue structure, and will offer casual game titles from publisher partners including Blockdot, eGames and ValuSoft. [more..]