Entertainment

Analysis: Free Online Games Hotter than Sex in the UK

Authored by Robin Goad on September 13, 2007 - 2:31am.
The main similarity between search behaviors in the UK and the other regions is the use of 'cheap' to search for travel and holiday products, although where Brits are looking for train tickets, Americans prefer car rentals. Cheap money in the form of insurance and loans is also popular.

Rupert Murdoch vs. Steve Jobs in DMW’s New Poll

Authored by dmw on August 13, 2007 - 11:25am.

After a tight first round last week in which Jeff Bezos, Steve Jobs, Satoru Iwata, Rupert Murdoch, and Google’s Sergey Brin & Larry Page went head to head for the title of “The Most Powerful Player Today in Media, Entertainment, & Technology,” the readers responded with resounding support for Murdoch and Jobs.  Advancing them to the final round, take our new poll and tell us what you think.  And if you think neither is worthy of the title, or if you have a strong opinion why you chose one over the other, leave a comment and let us know.  Steve Hawley had the comment of the week last week when he wrote:

Sling Media Hires MTV Veterans to Run New Group

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 30, 2006 - 2:42pm.
San Mateo, Calif. - Sling Media, a developer of digital media products, on Thursday said that it has hired former MTV executives Jason Hirschhorn and Benjamin White to run its newly created Sling Media Entertainment Group.

Media Price Comparison Search Engine Biggerboat Raises $2.5 Million

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on November 30, 2006 - 2:37pm.
Los Angeles - BiggerBoat, the developer of a comparison shopping data search engine for music and movies, has raised more than $2.5 million in its second round of venture capital financing, SocalTech.com reported.

Analysis: Google’s Q3 Profit Doubles, but at Whose Expense?

Authored by Jay Baage on October 19, 2006 - 1:35pm.
In yet another testament to the growth of search and online advertising, Google reported a 70% jump in profits and nearly doubled revenues for the third quarter. The company has already proven that it is possible to make money, big money, on selling advertising online. The next step is to apply those skills to new areas like music and video.

Weekend Read: Coffee Table Porn for the Next Generation of Playboys

Authored by Jay Baage on October 14, 2006 - 8:44am.
Adult entertainment magazines are something that people usually keep hidden away. Now publishers are trying to rebrand them into products that you can proudly display on your coffee table or on your computer desktop. Will it work? The publishers of Penthouse and Monkey think so. Now the question is, can Playboy respond to remain the king of men’s publishing, or is it too late?

First uWink Digital Entertainment Restaurant to Open in California

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 11, 2006 - 1:03pm.
Los Angeles - uWink, a company launched by Atari and Chuck E. Cheese founder Nolan Bushnell, on Wednesday announced that its first digital entertainment restaurant will open on Monday in Woodland Hills, Calif. The restaurant will feature tables with touch-screen kiosks that allow patrons to both place orders and access games, movie trailers, horoscopes and other media. Games offered will allow patrons to play with others at their own table, engage other tables, and eventually challenge guests at other uWink restaurants.

Nick Lachey Debuts Online Social Network for Celebs and Teens

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on October 5, 2006 - 2:50pm.
Los Angeles - Nick Lachey, the former boy band singer and husband of Jessica Simpson, on Thursday announced the official launch of his social networking site for teens, YFly.com. The site includes a "verification process" for validating that online celebrity profiles were created and are maintained by the actual celebrity. "We took a good look at our competition and knew we could raise the bar for online networking," said Danny Perkins, YFly.com co-founder and chief marketing officer. "We focused our attention in 3 areas; first, making the site easy to use and fast, second, developing entertaining features, and finally delivering the ultimate connection point between real athletes, actors, musicians and their fans."

The Fine Taste of Flavorpill

Authored by Scott Goldberg on October 3, 2006 - 7:48am.

There’s no shortage of information today, and for anything you’re after there’s likely to be an abundance of options.  That’s great if you want a car deal, a news story, or an airline ticket, but when it comes to entertainment, especially in large cities like New York and Los Angeles, it’s hard to sift through the B.S. and find something interesting.  For one, the listings are too often the same.  I’ve heard or read at least a hundred times in the last month that The Killers have a new album and will be playing at the Wiltern in LA on October 6 and 7.  You begin to think LA doesn’t have much happening and that its entertainment sources are becoming stale, unless of course you want to see Ashton Kutcher’s latest attempt at serious acting in The Guardian.

Borders Launches Broadband Entertainment Program Featuring Authors

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 29, 2006 - 1:57pm.
Ann Arbor, Mich. - Borders, a retail chain that sells books, music and movies, on Friday announced the launch of a new broadband entertainment program, the "Borders Book Club." The program will provide insight from authors in an open, unscripted discussion and will conclude with a sharing of some of the treats and snacks of the club members -- recipes for which will be featured on the website. The premiere episode features author Mitch Albom discussing his new book "For One More Day."

Weekend Read: Poker Brings the Media and Gambling Industries Closer

Authored by Jay Baage on September 29, 2006 - 9:36am.
gambling.comInternationally televised tournaments like “The World Series of Poker” and “High Stakes Poker” are creating new stars and a whole new media industry surrounding it. It is currently all being fueled by Internet gambling, either directly or indirectly. The British magazine Gambling.com just landed former Esquire Senior Designer Stuart Tolley as Art Director. The September/October issue features Hollywood actor Eric Bana in his first interview, since filming completed of the poker movie, Lucky You (opens March 13, 2007). In the movie, Bana plays a pro poker player pitted against his estranged father, played by Robert Duvall.

Mobile Entertainment Publisher Jamster to Distribute Disney Content

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 27, 2006 - 5:19am.
New York - Mobile entertainment publisher Jamster, a unit of VeriSign, announced on Wednesday that it has signed a deal with the Walt Disney Internet Group. Under the terms, New York-based Jamster will offer mobile content from Disney's mDisney and Starwave Mobile in the fall.

DTI Software Adds Electronic Arts Games to In-Flight Entertainment

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 22, 2006 - 11:15am.
Redwood City, Calif. - Electronic Arts announced this week that it has partnered with DTI Software, a provider of in-flight entertainment, to offer "The Sims 2" and titles from its Pogo.com casual games site for play by air travelers. Montreal-based DTI claims 62 airline customers for its in-flight entertainment software.

Sprint Debuts Free Mobile Sports & Entertainment News Service

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 12, 2006 - 1:33pm.
Overland Park, Kan. - Sprint on Tuesday introduced a free sports and entertainment programming service for its mobile subscribers. Sprint Power View will offer periodic daily sports and entertainment news updates, produced by IMG Media and Sprint, from a news desk in New York and 15 mobile camera crews filing stories on-location from across the U.S. Programs will include "NFL Game Center," hosted by broadcaster James Brown, and "U.S. Open Wrapup Report," featuring Jim Courier and Carrie Milbank. The Sprint Power View service is powered by a free Java application supplied by Palo Alto, Calif.-based mSpot.

China's Shanda Establishes Digital Interactive Entertainment Lab

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 7, 2006 - 1:12pm.
Beijing - Chinese game developer Shanda Interactive Entertainment announced on Thursday that the company and its Interjoy Technology affiliate have partnered with the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Automation, to establish a Digital Interactive Entertainment Lab.

Philips Introduces "Entertaible" Tabletop Gaming Platform

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on August 29, 2006 - 1:27pm.
Berlin - Dutch electronics firm Philips on Tuesday introduced its Entertaible tabletop gaming platform, a multi-purpose tabletop device for bars and restaurants that features advanced touch-screen technology and Internet connectivity.
tags: Games | Tech | CE | Philips | Entertainment |

Is Camp Allen and the Moguls Drifting Towards Irrelevance?

Authored by Jay Baage on July 7, 2006 - 5:45am.

Fuel up your jets, next week is the start of “Camp Allen”, the annual summer investment conference hosted by the investment banker Herbert A. Allen Jr. of Allen & Co. that caters to the crème de la crème of media, entertainment and tech managers.

Fuse to Launch New Entertainment Website

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 21, 2006 - 6:31am.
New York - Fuse, cable TV provider Cablevision's music video TV network, on Tuesday announced the launch of a new entertainment website. "Just for the F of It" will feature music, gaming and entertainment content that begins with the letter "F". Fuse said it hired Blink-182 bass player Mark Hoppus to serve as "exclusive tastemaker and MC of the site."

Sony Online Entertainment Releases 2 "EverQuest" Expansion Packs

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 21, 2006 - 6:13am.
San Diego - Sony Online Entertainment on Tuesday announced the release of two expansion packs for its "EverQuest" massively multiplayer online roleplaying games. Both "EverQuest: Prophecy of Ro" and "EverQuest II: Kingdom of Sky" are now available for download for $26.99, or at retail for $29.

VeriSign to Acquire Austrian Mobile Entertainment Firm 3United

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on February 15, 2006 - 9:29am.
Mountain View, Calif. - VeriSign, a provider of infrastructure services for Internet and telecommunications networks, said on Thursday that it will acquire 3United, an Austria-based distributor of mobile entertainment content, for approximately $65.5 million. VeriSign said that the deal will expand its portfolio of content services for communications providers in Eastern Europe. 3United distributes mobile music services, games, ringtones and other content, and has offices in Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Romania, Russia and the Ukraine. VeriSign said that it expects to close the deal by the end of the first quarter.