HP to Depart Digital Camera Market
Three years ago, Hewlett-Packard announced it would revamp its digital camera lineup and invest $1 billion in research and development over 18 months to become a leading vendor. In a stunning about-face today, HP announced that it is now seeking an outside OEM to design and distribute HP branded digital cameras.
The company will continue to sell its own models through the holiday season, and then cease in the first half of 2008, when a partnership is intended to be in place. The company that will take over production has not yet been determined.
Vonage Struggles to Move Past Lawsuits
Despite its continuing legal troubles, Vonage was still able to add new customers and is on the verge of settling a suit brought against it by AT&T.
The two sides have agreed to terms in principle that have Vonage pay AT&T $39 million over five years to settle all claims. Both sides will dismiss any legal actions outstanding.
FTC Fines Six Companies Over Do Not Call Violations
The Federal Trade Commission showed that it was serious about prosecuting those who did not follow the Do Not Call list, announcing six settlements totaling some $7.7 million in fines.
Since the law was enacted in 2003, the FTC has filed some 34 cases against violators, and nearly 134 million numbers have been placed on the list. Altogether some $16 million in penalties have been collected, the largest of which was a $5.3 million fine levied on DirecTV in 2005.
Sony Updates PS3 Firmware to 2.0
Sony said Thursday that it had released version 2 of the firmware for the PS3, including the feature to remotely turn the console on and off through the remote play function. The Japanese electronics maker says that the feature now gives all users with a PSP access to content on their PS3 hard drive from anywhere, as well as the ability to create unlimited numbers of music and photo playlists. However, according to reports, the feature also requires that the cooling fan run constantly.
Other features include enhancements to the PS3 XMB interface, allowing for customization of the background and color. Additionally, an information board feature has been added that would keep users up to date on new PlayStation news, a new PlayStation Network category, and Trend Micro Web Security, which is provided free of charge until April of next year.
Microsoft + Novell at One: What's Changed for Interoperability?
It was one year ago this week that Microsoft and Novell proclaimed their historic and still controversial agreement to not hold each other responsible for using any technology the other may have created or have rights to. Whether either side actually had the legal right to claim what technology it would agree not to claim, is still a matter of debate.
Like the famous transfusion between Gene Wilder's version of Dr. Frankenstein and his monster, Microsoft appears to have gotten a part of Novell's "wonderful brain." But what did Novell get in return?
Mozilla Pulls Release Candidate of Firefox 3 Beta
A posting on the popular social news networking website Digg Wednesday morning caused Mozilla to pull the release candidate of its first beta of Firefox 3 from its servers.
On Digg, the release was reported as the first official release of Firefox 3 Beta 1, which it was not. This caused a problem for Mozilla since the release had not been properly checked by quality assurance nor had it followed the steps necessary for the beta release.
Target Removes 'Manhunt 2' From Stores
Retail giant Target has pulled Rockstar Games' Manhunt 2 from its shelves following the publicity of a violence-increasing hack discovered just one day after the game's release. The hack, which only works for illegally modified PSPs, essentially rolls back superficial changes made to the game to fit ratings criteria. The result is a clearer view of killings that already take place in the game, without unlocking any deleted or hidden scenes.
ESRB President Patricia Vance feels that the existence of this hack does not alter the "M" rating given to the game. However, Target wishes to keep its customers "comfortable with the purchasing decisions they make." Given the nature of the hack, it is safe to say that PSP users will not accidentally unlock the censored content, and purchasers of the game can feel comfortable that they got all the feces flinging, neck stabbing, and sledgehammer assailing that they expected and were more than adequately warned about.
With Toshiba A2 Gone, Best Buy Sends Buyers A3
As previously reported, sales of the $99 Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD player were brisk last week, with retailers selling over 100,000 units following a price drop that started at Wal-Mart and spread to other other outlets. However, demand was so high that the HD-A2 quickly sold out, and Best Buy is now telling customers it will send them the HD-A3 for no additional cost.
In an e-mail to customers, which explained that Best Buy will not be receiving any further HD-A2 inventory, the company said: "Because we value your business, we will be fulfilling your order with the next generation Toshiba HD DVD Player (model: HD-A3) that is replacing the HD-A2 in Toshiba's lineup of HD DVD Players." The HD-A3 launched with a retail price of $299 last month, but now can be found for $199 at some stores. Those who ordered the HD-A2 after supplies ran out, however, will receive the new unit for just $99.
Sony to Supply Advanced Student ID Cards
Blackboard Communications Systems announced Wednesday that it would be partnering with Sony to begin developing contactless identity card systems in the U.S. Blackboard designs "one-card" systems for campus transactions, bridging financial, data, access, and authentication systems into a single "network transaction environment."
The company's swipe-able card systems are in place in many academic institutions across the globe. By partnering with Sony, and utilizing its successful FeliCa system, Blackboard systems will be able to produce student identifications that work like SpeedPass and EZPay.
Ticketmaster to Sell iTunes Albums on Site
Ticketmaster and Apple said Wednesday that they had formed a partnership where digital albums of artists would be sold alongside concert tickets on Ticketmaster.com. About 700 artists including Kanye West, Keith Urban and Bon Jovi would be the first to take advantage of the tie-in on the ticketing site. As a promotion, albums sold at Tickmaster and redeemed through iTunes would be cheaper by $1 through December 29.
The promotion would compliment another that the two companies have launched at Target. A $50 iTunes card is available at that retailer, which gives a $25 credit towards a purchase at ticketmaster.com along with $25 in iTunes credits. This isn't the first time Apple has joined forces with the ticket seller: in 2005 it sold pre-sale tickets for a Depeche Mode concert alongside the band's newest album at that time.
Latest SoundExchange Royalties Offer Suggests Possible Compromise
Perhaps in anticipation of the passage of federal legislation capping the amount of performance royalties collectable from Internet and other digital audio broadcasters at 7.5% of annual revenue, the SoundExchange performance rights organization has reportedly offered one segment of that group - cable radio broadcasters - an annual royalty rate not exceeding that same amount.
Though the news has not yet formally been confirmed by SoundExchange, according to the SaveNetRadio campaign on Monday, cable radio operators were offered a performance royalties rate scale of between 7.25% and 7.5% of annual revenues, which would take effect for each year between 2008 and 2012. SoundExchange had earlier rejected a 7.5% rate when offered as a compromise to the far higher rates it suggested for Internet radio streamers last March.
Nokia, Vodafone Sign on Phone Pact
Nokia said Wednesday that it had reached a deal with Vodafone that brings some of the latest and greatest mobile phones exclusively to the carrier. The phones feature 3G connectivity, and easy access to the mobile web. Services from Vodafone are seamlessly integrated into the phone itself, such as content and instant messaging, the company said.
Wednesday's deal also carries a lot of benefit for Nokia: above and beyond the deal for the phones itself, Vodafone will also allow access to Ovi, the Finnish manufacturer's first real foray into mobile services. The phones will appear on the carrier's networks worldwide, and even on Verizon Wireless, judging by the way the company's statement announcing the deal was worded. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
New Parental Controls Limit Xbox Time
As part of a new marketing blitz to promote the Xbox 360 as a "family friendly" video game console, Microsoft on Wednesday rolled out a new feature called Family Timer, which will show up in the Family Settings Screen.
The Timer will let parents limit the number of hours their kids can play the Xbox on a daily or weekly basis. When the time limit is reached, the console will automatically shut off, ostensibly after saving the game.
Rep. Lantos to Yahoo: 'Morally, You Are Pygmies'
In a scene staged for maximum dramatic effect, complete with the mother and family of jailed dissident Shi Tao seated directly behind them, Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang and chief counsel Michael Callahan were grilled yesterday for over three hours by Rep. Tom Lantos (D - Calif.) and his House Foreign Affairs Committee.
"While technologically and financially you are giants," Chairman Lantos reprimanded them, with his face cast down and his eyes peering out like the famous promotional poster for A Clockwork Orange, "morally, you are pygmies."
Prince Targets Fans for Copyright Violations
Pop musician Prince continued his online content bulldozing with a series of legal notices sent to sites devoted to the artist, demanding that all images of, lyrics by, and "anything linked to the likeness of " the artist be removed.
Fan sites housequake.com,
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