DoCoMo, Softbank vie for iPhone contract in Japan
Apple's hardball tactics on revenue sharing seem to be a sticking point with both companies, although moving into the market is extremely important for the iPhone's success.
With 100 million cellular phone customers and the Japanese consumer's penchant for high-end and feature-heavy phones, Japan is a key market for the iPhone to break into.
Adobe plans to float on AIR next year
The publisher plans to follow up the best revenue year in its history with a major push for its Web services development environment, in an effort to shore up Flash's chances against Silverlight.
Adobe Systems Inc. is on a roll. In its quarterly conference call last night to announce record yearly revenues of $3.16 billion, Adobe officials said it plans to make available the commercial release of its emerging AIR Web development environment next year, along with other new products.
Nintendo: Wii shortages are hurting our business
Just days after it revealed its raincheck plan for its Wii console, Nintendo came clean about recent supply shortages causing the company a lot of trouble.
The Redmond, Washington gaming company seems to have been grossly unprepared for the heavy demand its Wii console has generated among consumers. In turn, those supply issues are causing headaches among executives trying to plan the Wii's future.
Universal Music settles with XM over recording device
Satellite radio company XM's fight against the Recording Industry Association of America over receivers with the ability to record content may finally be coming to a close.
This morning, Universal Music Group becomes the first RIAA member involved with this ongoing lawsuit to have reached a multi-year agreement with XM, making its music available for recording on current and future hardware. Further, UMG withdrew itself from the RIAA's complaint against XM.
Senate leader does 180, withdraws pro-telco immunity bill
Apparently not having tested the prevailing winds before trying to pull off a launch, the Senate Majority Leader changed course and withdrew the controversial pro-telco FISA amendment from the Senate floor late yesterday.
As the Washington Post reported late yesterday, on the same day that Majority Leader Harry Reid brought to the Senate floor one version of a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act amendment bill that granted prosecutorial immunity to telecommunications companies, he withdrew the same bill in deference to another one that omits that grant.
AT&T will add more HD content to U-verse
AT&T announced today that its U-verse TV package will include eight more high definition channels, bringing the service a total of 40 HD channels.
The rollout of U-verse appears to be gaining some momentum after a period of what some would call clumsiness and lackluster uptake, especially when compared with Verizon's FiOS. AT&T re-affirmed its commitment to the all-in-one (internet, cable, phone) service last week, saying it anticipated one million subscribers by the end of 2007.
Newer, sleeker Treo comes to Verizon Wireless
Palm announced the online availability of its newest Treo today, the 755p. Will this device be a strong opening to 2008 for the company that has recently been faltering?
Palm continues its commitment to its eponymous OS with the Treo 755p, the successor to the 700p smartphone. It is available today at verizonwireless.com, and will be in VZW stores on January 7.
US to drop WTO Internet gambling objection, open new markets to EU
The Internet gambling industry was dealt another lousy hand this morning in Geneva, as trade negotiators decided they're okay with US objections to Internet gambling as long as it takes measures that could privatize the Post Office.
Under an international agreement which took effect in 2000, nations agreed to suspend tariffs against one another in order to open each other's markets to not only goods but services. This was the General Agreement on Tariffs and Services (GATS), and the US is one of the nations bound by that agreement.
Senate votes to consider FISA bill with telco immunity
A procedural hurdle that would have stopped debate on a controversial amendment to the FISA law failed in the US Senate early this afternoon.
By a vote of 76-10, the US Senate has voted to consider an amendment to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that contains a controversial provision granting telecommunications companies immunity from federal prosecution for having cooperated with the government in surveillance operations.
Act IV: Nortel drags Vonage back to court
The networking company says that Vonage is violating nine of its patents, including those related to emergency and information calls, as well as click-to-call functionality.
Just when it seemed Vonage might be able to spend the winter out of court, it finds itself dragged back in. Nortel filed suit against the VoIP provider last Friday in US District Court for the State of Delaware, seeking an injunction against it to prevent further use of what Nortel claims to be its technologies.
Alltel to convert voice to text messages
Alltel Wireless Corp. will launch a new feature on Friday that allows voice messages to be converted to SMS text messages.
The mobile company is using voice recognition software, much like that used in automated 411 lines and telephone bank services, with the aim being to provide a hands-free method of texting.
Amazon Kindle selling on eBay for over $1,000
Those wishing to receive an Amazon Kindle book reader before Christmas are resorting to auction site eBay, and paying a 200 percent premium in the process.
Despite mediocre reviews from well-known technology pundits Walt Mossberg and David Pogue, consumers are eager to get their hands on the new device. The $399 Kindle has sold out from Amazon, and the company has stopped giving estimated ship dates.
More Google users interested in cricket than iPhone, Paris Hilton
If the world's interests can truly be encapsulated by the end-of-year Google Zeitgeist rankings, then perhaps it's time for the media to re-evaluate its priorities as British sports appear to outrank some American celebrities.
Since 2001, Google has been releasing lists of search trends and patterns culled from aggregate search data, which it calls Zeitgeist. Friday we got to see what everyone has been asking about all year.
GameStop to offer rainchecks for Wii consoles
While it might not be as good as actually getting a Wii for Christmas, Nintendo and GameStop have joined forces to help consumers get their hand on one...eventually.
"Tens of thousands" of rain checks will be available through the video game retailer for those who agree to pay for the full $249 price of the popular gaming console up front. The rain check would be redeemable in January.
Ohio finds more vulnerabilities in voting systems
In another indictment of the reliability of electronic voting systems put in place since the 2000 federal elections debacle, a report released Friday shows some Ohio tallies could be rendered inaccurate using tools as simple as a magnet.
The integrity of electronic voting systems has been a key issue in Ohio, where the last two presidential elections have generated considerable controversy, and where many believe the real outcomes remain in doubt. In November 2006, Jennifer Brunner was elected Secretary of State there mostly on the promise of restoring voting integrity to the state.
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