Berlin - German publisher Axel Springer has partnered with Philips to create a personalized TV system that lets users create channels based on their personal interests, Variety reports. The system combines Springer's TV Digital Personal program guide with Philips' Aprico software, and is expected to become available in the second half of 2008 for service providers and makers of digital video recorders, PCs and mobile devices.

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 - The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced plans to resume testing prototypes of devices designed to transmit broadband service over unused portions of the broadcast TV spectrum, the Associated Press reported.

Emeryville, Calif. - Gracenote said on Friday that it has expanded its partnership with Philips, with the two companies combining their respective content fingerprinting technologies. Through the deal, Gracenote has combined its audio fingerprinting technology with Philips' video fingerprinting technology, creating a system that content owners and service providers can use to control the use of copyrighted content.

Saltaire, U.K. - Pace Micro Technology, a maker of digital TV set-top boxes and other electronics, announced on Wednesday that it will acquire the set-top and connectivity solutions business of Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG), in a transaction valued at around $136 million.

Washington - The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), whose members include major broadcast and cable TV networks, have launched lobbying efforts against proposals to use vacant TV channels to deliver high-speed Internet access, the Los Angeles Times reported on Tuesday.

Washington - Microsoft plans to submit a filing to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Monday, that disputes the agency's recent finding that prototype devices designed to receive Internet service beamed over unused TV spectrum will cause interference, the Washington Post reported.

Washington - Several prototypes of devices that can transmit broadband Internet service over unused portions of the TV broadcast spectrum, developed by companies including Google, Microsoft and Dell, have failed a Federal Communications Commission interference test, the Associated Press reported.

Los Angeles - Electronics maker Philips on Thursday introduced a plug-in for digital media editing equipment maker Avid's products, that allow producers to add Philips digital watermarks to film, video, audio, animation and games content. Such watermarks can be used to track usage and help deter piracy.

Stockholm, Sweden - A group of companies involved in delivering television services over the Internet (IPTV), including AT&T, Ericsson, Sony, Philips and Samsung Siemens, on Monday announced the formation of a consortium that will develop an end-to-end specification for the technology.

Washington - A coalition of large technology firms -- including Microsoft, Google, Dell, HP, Intel and Philips -- have asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to allow unused TV channels ("white space") to be used for distribution of Internet access into homes and offices, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

Sunnyvale, Calif. - Intertrust, a digital rights management (DRM) developer jointly owned by Sony and Philips, announced that it has partnered with Spain-based wireless carrier Telefonica to develop and test mobile digital rights management technologies. The companies plan to trial Marlin -- a DRM system developed jointly by Intertrust, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung and Sony -- with European mobile customers in the second quarter of 2007.

Eindhoven, Netherlands - Polymer Vision, a spin-off of Philips, has announced the development of the world's first "rollable" display for mobile devices, which it plans to display at the 3GSM World Congress next week in Barcelona. While the device itself is smaller than a typical mobile phone, it features a display that can extend up to 5-inches, and then roll back and wrap itself around the outer shell of the device when not in use. Polymer Vision said it partnered with wireless carrier Telecom Italia to offer the first rollable display-enabled mobile device later this year.