iPod Shuffle Clone Stirs Controversy
Taiwanese company LuxPro was asked by Apple representatives at CeBIT Friday to remove what it calls the "Super Shuffle" from its display case. To the casual observer, at first sight the LuxPro Super Shuffle looks nearly identical as Apple's recently released iPod Shuffle except for some minor changes.
Most notably absent from the Shuffle clone is support for Apple's AAC format, although it does support Windows Media with digital rights management. It also has an FM tuner, which the original Shuffle does not.
Commodore Makes Comeback with Mpet II
REVIEW Most of us who have been around technology for the better part of the last two decades will remember the name Commodore. Commodore computers were the best selling PCs of the 1980s. However, as Microsoft took center stage, the company faded away, eventually being bought by Dutch company Tulip Computers after filing for bankruptcy in 1994.
Enter a U.S. firm called Yeahronimo Media Ventures, a company which specializes in electronic entertainment. The group said last year that it planned to take the Commodore brand and make it "a worldwide entertainment concept," and the Mpet II is the first item to be shipped with that goal in mind.
180 Million Mobile Phone Users in US
The U.S. wireless phone market continued to grow at a rapid pace in 2004, ending the year with over 180 million wireless subscribers, up over 21 million from the year before. According to figures released at CTIA Wireless 2005, last year was the second best year in the history of mobile phones.
Normal phone calls are still the top use of phones in the United States; however, text messaging doubled in 2004 to 4.6 billion messages. "Today, more than 60 percent of Americans are using a wireless device to talk, send e-mail, take pictures, watch video and listen to music," CTIA CEO Steve Largent said to reporters. "It's not just a phone; it's a lifestyle tool."
AT&T to Test Wi-Max Wireless Network
Telecom giant AT&T thinks that the much-hyped Wi-Max technology may hold the key to a cheaper way of providing data lines for its business customers. The company plans to hold tests of the high-speed wireless technology in New Jersey beginning in May, and plans larger-scale commercial tests later this year.
If the tests prove successful, Wi-Max could begin to be phased in starting sometime next year. The move would save AT&T money, as it would make the data lines the company is leasing from local telephone companies unnecessary.
Microsoft Pulls Plug on MSN for Mac
Microsoft announced Friday that it is no longer supporting the Mac OS X version of MSN after May 31. The company said it will send a notice to all of its Mac-based subscribers through the next several weeks. While MSN is ending its run on the Mac, Microsoft said it still intends to support Apple's flaghsip OS and points to updates to MSN Messenger and Office:mac that are due later this year.
"Instead of accessing MSN services using the MSN for Mac OS X Internet software, customers will access MSN services and features with their preferred browser and by setting up a My MSN page as a portal to their favorite online destinations," Microsoft said in a statement.
Microsoft DRM Buy Expected to Proceed
Both Microsoft and Time Warner have decided to not proceed with a hearing over the takeover of digital rights management software company ContentGuard.
Under EU antitrust laws, a company has the right to request a hearing in front of the Commission to plead their case as to why regulators should approve a deal. The Commission will then consult with the various authorities of member nations and decides whether to approve or deny the merger or takeover.
British ISPs Must Identify File Sharers
British record companies applauded Friday's ruling in court that gave them the right to obtain the identities of people who use file sharing programs from Internet service providers. The labels were looking for the identities of 31 persons suspected of uploading large numbers of illegal files onto various P2P services.
"Today's result is a blow for illegal uploaders who believe that the law simply does not apply to them," Geoff Taylor, general counsel for the British Phonographic Industry, a music trade group, told reporters.
Microsoft Settles Streaming Lawsuit
Microsoft has settled with multimedia company Burst over allegations that Redmond used trade information obtained from several meetings with Burst to develop its own version of software to stream audio and video over the Internet.
In a statement on its Web site, Burst said that an agreement had been reached with Microsoft and both parties hoped to finalize it by the end of next week. Also, a court hearing on the matter that was scheduled to take place Thursday in Baltimore had been cancelled.
Apple Throws Support Behind Blu-ray
At CeBIT in Germany, Apple announced that it would support Blu-ray as its choice for the next generation of DVDs. Blu-ray has been locked in a battle for industry support with competing format HD-DVD since last year.
Apple will become a member of the Blu-ray Disc Association, and will hold a seat on the group's board.
AMD Turion to Compete With Centrino
AMD on Thursday released its Turion 64 processor, a notebook CPU it hopes will cut into Intel's dominance in the mobile computing market with Centrino. The processors will appear in thin notebook models from Acer, Fujitsu Siemens, and Packard Bell. According to surveys, AMD only had a 9 percent market share last year, to Intel's 86 percent.
The Turion continues AMD's familiar strategy of undercutting Intel's prices. However, the companies are taking a different approach to the market; Centrino is comprised of three separate chips while Turion is only a processor. AMD will release seven Turion models, which will cost between $189 and $354 USD each per 1,000. Comparatively, Centrino's Pentium M processor retails for $209 to $637 USD.
Motorola Postpones iTunes Phone
Motorola told reporters at CeBIT Thursday to expect several iTunes phones over the next few months. While the company originally planned to release its iTunes compatible E790 model in Europe this summer, Motorola decided to hold off after talking with mobile phone operators.
Another iTunes phone, the ROKR, is expected to be shown off in Florida in a few weeks at a music event. The ROKR was originally scheduled to come out after the E790, but it now appears that the phone will be Motorola's first to support the new iTunes feature.
Logitech to Aid MSN Messenger Video
Microsoft and Logitech extended their partnership at CeBIT Wednesday by announcing a plan to bring higher quality audio and video to the upcoming release of MSN Messenger 7.0 this spring. According to MSN, 30 million people use the audio and video functions of the service each month.
"The new capabilities we're delivering with MSN will remove barriers that in the past have prevented widespread consumer use of video and audio communications," said Junien Labrousse, senior vice president of the Video Business Unit at Logitech. "MSN Messenger subscribers will soon enjoy high-quality, fully synchronized video and audio over the Internet using tools they're already familiar with."
32,000 Victims of New ID Theft Hack
First Choicepoint revealed that the personal data of 145,000 individuals had been compromised in late February. Now, LexisNexis has disclosed that the personal information of up to 32,000 customers may have been compromised.
The break-in occurred at LexisNexis-owned Seisint, a company that specializes in creating databases from information it gets from the U.S. government. Obtained in the hack were names, addresses, and social security and driver's license numbers.
Gates Shows Off Live Meeting 2005
Bill Gates joined several high-level Microsoft executives Tuesday to herald in the next generation of its Live Meeting software that allows companies to hold long distance meetings over the Internet. Most notable among the new features in Live Meeting 2005 is the capability to launch a meeting from within the Office Suite.
"Microsoft Office Live Meeting is an important example of how the Microsoft Office System is innovating and expanding -- further empowering information workers and making them more productive and effective," said Jeff Raikes, group vice president of Microsoft's Information Worker Group.
Sony Walkman Takes On iPod Shuffle
Following last week's unveiling of MiniDisc players with MP3 support, Sony on Tuesday announced that three new Flash-based Walkman music players will hit the market sometime in April of this year. The new Walkman models sport up to 70 hours of playback time using Sony's proprietary Stamina technology.
"Users want to get straight to the music, so an uncluttered, fuss-free design with easy navigation was a key consideration when planning the new Network Walkman range," Gregory Kukolj, General Manager for Personal Audio Europe said.
Ed's Bio
Ed Oswald is a freelance journalist from the Reading, PA area. Although he has written across a variety of subjects, Ed’s passion and focus has been on technology and gadgets. His work regularly appears on tech news sites BetaNews, PCWorld, and Technologizer, and has been syndicated to eWeek, Time’s Techland blog, VentureBeat and the New York Times.
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