New York - U.S. music sales topped $1 billion again in 2006, while digital track sales totaled 581.9 million, up 65% from 2005, according to sales data from Nielsen SoundScan. [more..]

Las Vegas - Microsoft has announced that it sold 10.4 million Xbox 360 video game consoles in 2006, and plans to launch an IPTV service for the Internet-connected device by the end of this year. [more..]

Las Vegas - Sony Computer Entertainment America announced on Monday that it shipped more than one million PlayStation 3 consoles to North American retailers in 2006, in the six weeks after the product's launch on Nov. 17. [more..]

Las Vegas - Korea's LG Electronics on Monday introduced the first device that offers playback of both next-generation DVD formats -- Sony's Blu-ray and Toshiba's HD DVD. [more..]

New York - Digital music spending in the U.S. is expected to reach $2.5 billion in 2011, when it will account for 22% of total U.S. music spending, according to a report from market research firm JupiterResearch. [more..]

New York - Broadband entertainment site Heavy.com announced on Monday that it has raised $20 million in a new round of financing, from Polaris Venture Partners. [more..]

Rogaland, Norway - A sixteen-year-old has become the first citizen of Norway to be charged with copyright infringement for illegal file-sharing, the country's Aftenposten newspaper reported. [more..]

Arlington, Va. - Factory-to-dealer sales of consumer electronics are projected to exceed $155 billion in 2007, up 7% from last year, according to new figures released by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). [more..]

Las Vegas - RealNetworks on Monday announced a number of new deals that will expand the availability of its Rhapsody digital music service. [more..]

Las Vegas - MediaFLO, a unit of wireless developer Qualcomm, on Monday announced a series of license agreements with TV networks to add content to a new mobile entertainment service that will be offered by carriers including Verizon. [more..]

Las Vegas - Comcast, the nation's largest cable TV provider, and TiVo on Monday introduced their new joint TiVo service for Comcast digital video recorders at the Consumer Electronics Show. [more..]

San Francisco - While one in ten U.S. mobile subscribers now own music-capable phones, and nearly 20% of new phones purchased in the third quarter of 2006 had integrated music players, consumers have thus far been reluctant to use over-the-air services to download songs to their phones, according to a report from market research firm Telephia. [more..]

Reston, Va. - Online retail spending broke the $100 billion mark for the first time in 2006, with nearly a quarter of that occurring in the final two months of the year, according to a new report from comScore Networks. [more..]

London - Amobee Media Systems, a developer of mobile phone advertising technology, has raised between $15 and $20 million in its second round of venture capital financing, Israeli business news site Globes.co.il reported. [more..]

Las Vegas - TiVo announced on Monday that it has expanded the availability of its TiVoToGo service to Mac users. Through a partnership with software developer Roxio, a unit of Sonic Solutions, TiVo users will now be able to transfer their recorded shows to watch on a Mac. TiVoToGo for the Mac will be available later this month for $99. Separately, TiVo said it has partnered with Music Choice, a provider of digital music programming to cable TV providers. Under the deal, TiVo will offer Music Choice's library of music videos and original video programming to TiVo subscribers via the broadband TiVoCast service, beginning later this year. [more..]

Houston - Modeo, a unit of Crown Castle International, on Monday announced the launch of a beta test of its live mobile TV service in New York City. In development for three years, the Modeo service will deliver live video content from providers including Discovery Channel and Fox News to Modeo Mobile TV Smartphones. [more..]

Detroit - Ford Motor Company announced on Monday the launch of a new factory-installed, in-car communications and entertainment system for portable digital media players and mobile phones. The company partnered with Microsoft on Sync, which will allow drivers and passengers to control nearly any mobile phone or media player using voice commands or the vehicle's steering wheel or radio controls. The system includes both Bluetooth and USB 2.0 connectivity, and offers features such as the ability to convert text messages to speech and read them aloud. Sync will be offered on 12 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models beginning later this year. [more..]

Washington - XM Satellite Radio on Monday introduced a number of new devices at the Consumer Electronics Show, including a portable receiver that includes XM Radio reception, GPS navigation, and personalized, real-time weather information. The Bushnell ONIX 400, set to ship in the summer, can layer weather information on the screen along with aerial and satellite photos and maps. XM also introduced the XM CommanderMT, a universal satellite radio receiver that delivers XM to any FM car stereo, regardless of make, model or year. [more..]

Los Angeles - Amp'd Mobile, a virtual mobile network operator, said on Monday that it ended 2006 with over 100,000 subscribers, having added more than 70,000 new customers during the fourth quarter. The company said its average content and data revenue per user exceeds $30 per month. Amp'd users have now downloaded or streamed more than 2 million paid videos, 39% of which were Amp'd original content. Subscribers have also now streamed or downloaded more than 1 million songs, music videos, and radio streams. [more..]

Las Vegas - Sony Ericsson on Monday introduced several new Walkman phone models, including the W880 Walkman, which is slated for release in the first half of 2007. The company also debuted the W200, an entry-level music phone model that features up to 1GB of storage, which will ship in the second quarter. Sony Ericsson said that it has sold more than 15 million Walkman phones since first launching the product line in August 2005. [more..]

Las Vegas - Samsung Telecommunications America announced on Monday that it has partnered with Fox to design a limited edition "The Simpsons Movie" collectible handset. The yellow phone will come pre-loaded with exclusive Simpsons movie content; the film is slated for release on July 27. [more..]

New York - Ableton, a developer of music creation, production and performance software, announced on Monday that it has established a U.S. sales office in New York, and will assume distribution of its products in the U.S. Berlin, Germany-based Ableton's Live application is used by many electronic musicians to produce tracks and as well as manipulate them in live performance. [more..]