Pricing for Today's Sponsor: $500 per day

Demographics & Circulation

Main Stories
o EU Postpones Vote on Intellectual Property Rights Law
o Beatles' Record Label, "Apple Corps," Again Sues Apple Computer
o SEC Ends Nvidia Accounting Probe, Files Fraud Charges Against Former CFO
o Publisher Simon and Schuster Puts Video Game Unit Up for Sale
o BMG to Release First Copy-Protected CD Into U.S. Consumer Market
o Microsoft Submits Video Technology to Hollywood Standards Group
o Japanese Firm to Release Game Boy Advance Videophone Accessory

> DMW Announcements: Turner Entertainment Chief to Headline at Atlanta
> Featured Ad: AD HEADLINE (Ad Text or Banner Ad below)

o Briefly Noted: EFF - DirecTVDefense.org, MLB.com - 6 million tickets,
Sigma Designs - Mediabolic, WIRED - Union Square WiFi hotspot, GameSpy -
PlanetDOOM.com, RightsLine, Disney disposable DVDs - environmental
backlash

> Marketplace: July Law & Policy Report, Game Industry Report, iTV
Chronicle, Interest-Based Navigation

Brussels -- The European Parliament this week decided to postpone a vote on a controversial intellectual property rights bill until Nov. 4. The bill, which is backed by the likes of Microsoft and eBay and contains provisions similar to those of the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act, is designed to fight piracy, yet critics claim that it would criminalize many harmless activities and undermine competition in Europe. The latest proposal has drawn a "dismayed" reaction from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) as well, although for different reasons. The IFPI thinks the current bill is not tough enough to fight the growing "epidemic of counterfeiting."
http://europa.eu.int
_____________________________________________

o Beatles' Record Label, "Apple Corps," Again Sues Apple Computer

London -- Apple Corps, a record label founded by The Beatles, has sued Apple Computer over its further encroaching into the music space with its iTunes Music Store, according to published reports. Apple Corps first sued Apple Computer for trademark infringement in 1989, and as part of the $26.4 million settlement, the computer maker agreed not to use its name or logo in connection with recorded music. The company lost another $25 million lawsuit filed by Apple Corps, when it released technology allowing external speakers to be connected to its computers. Apple released the following statement in response to the lawsuit, filed in London High Court. "Over a decade ago, Apple signed an agreement with Apple Corps, a business controlled by the Beatles and their heirs, which specified the rights each company would have to use the 'Apple' trademark. Unfortunately, Apple and Apple Corps now have differing interpretations of this agreement and will need to ask a court to resolve this dispute."
http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/top_news_item.cfm?NewsID=6886  http://news.com.com/2100-1027_3-5075721.html?tag=fd_top
_____________________________________________

o SEC Ends Nvidia Accounting Probe, Files Fraud Charges Against Former CFO

Santa Clara, Calif. -- Nvidia, a developer of graphics and communications chips popular in PC gaming applications, announced on Friday that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has concluded its investigation into the company's accounting practices. While neither admitting nor denying any wrongdoing or receiving any penalties or fines, Santa Clara, Calif.-based Nvidia agreed to an administrative cease and desist order prohibiting any future violations of certain federal securities laws. Separately, the SEC announced that it has brought financial reporting fraud charges against former Nvidia chief financial officer Christine Hoberg, related to the accounting investigation. Nvidia announced in April 2002 that as a result of the SEC probe, the company would restate financial statements for fiscal 2000, 2001 and the first three quarters of fiscal 2002. http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030911/sfth046_1.html  http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/030911/tech_nvidia_1.html
http://www.nvidia.com
_____________________________________________

o Publisher Simon and Schuster Puts Video Game Unit Up for Sale

Los Angeles -- Publisher Simon and Schuster has decided to put its video game business, Simon and Schuster Interactive, up for sale, the GameDaily Newsletter reported. In denying a report that the unit was being shut down, Simon and Schuster vice president of corporate communications Adam Rothberg told GameDaily that the company has held talks with prospective buyers for some or all of its assets. "It's a great little interactive boutique shop that has had some really good successes in all kinds of different formats, but it's not our core business," Rothberg told GameDaily. "We think that they will be a great asset in a place that has more scale in that business and can give them the full support that they need." New York-based Simon and Schuster Interactive has release a range of titles based on various licensed properties, including "Star Trek," "Farscape," "Curious George," and "Garfield," as well as original games like "Outlaw Golf." 
http://www.gamedaily.com  http://www.simonsays.com/subs/category.cfm?areaid=33&ctgyid=482
_____________________________________________

o BMG to Release First Copy-Protected CD Into U.S. Consumer Market

New York -- Major record label BMG announced on Friday plans to release its first copy-protected CD into the U.S. consumer market. Previously, the label had only used copy-protection on promotional CDs in the U.S. BMG is using Arizona-based SunnComm's MediaMax CD-3 Technology for the Sept. 23 release of Arista Records artist Anthony Hamilton's album, "Comin' From Where I'm From." The technology will allow tracks from the CD to be "ripped" onto a PC; from there, the songs may be burned three times to CD-R, and transferred to "secure" portable digital music players. BMG said that the CD "will be appropriately labeled to inform consumers of the technology and the range of uses that can be made of the product."
http://www.bmg.com
http://www.sunncomm.com
_____________________________________________

o Microsoft Submits Video Technology to Hollywood Standards Group

Redmond, Wash. -- Microsoft this week for the first time opened its video technology's source code to the outside, when it submitted its Windows Media 9 Series for approval by the Society of Motion Picture Television Engineers (SMPTE). The Hollywood standards group's approval would mean that SMPTE members could more easily adopt Microsoft's video technology for use in their editing equipment, set-top boxes and other consumer electronics. The company also on Friday announced support for its video-on-demand and technology that delivers television over broadband networks from a number of companies. Among them are European network operator Monaco Telecom, which deployed video-on-demand and IPTV services to consumers with advanced set-top boxes based on Windows Media 9 Series, and Internet service provider T-Online International AG, which also deployed video-on-demand services based on Windows Media 9 Series.
http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/030909/tech_microsoft_video_2.html  http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030912/sff018_1.html
http://news.com.com/2100-1025_3-5075335.html _____________________________________________

o Japanese Firm to Release Game Boy Advance Videophone Accessory

 Tokyo -- An accessory set to go on sale in December in Japan will turn Nintendo's Game Boy Advance handheld video game into a videophone, the Associated Press reported on Friday. Kyoto-based Digital Act Co. is planning to release the $110 Campho Advance, which includes a digital camera, earphone and microphone. The device works over an analog telephone line and can display live video of callers who also own a Campho Advance. The company told AP it currently has no plans to release the device in the U.S. http://makeashorterlink.com/?O25A552E5
http://www.digitalact.co.jp

Top

(Featured Ad content)

Pricing for Featured Ad Posting without Banner : $65 per day

Pricing for Featured Ad Posting with Banner:  $200 per day

Top

(San Francisco) Via Licensing, a unit of Dolby Laboratories that administers patent licenses on behalf of technology developers, announced on Friday the availability of proposed financial license terms for patents essential for implementation of the ITU-T H.264 and MPEG-4 Part 10 standards ("AVC Standard"). AVC is a next-generation replacement for the visual coding technologies previously specified as MPEG-4 Part 2. The group said the terms released on Friday are preliminary, and that it will work to complete final license terms at its next meeting, Oct. 8-10 in San Francisco. http://www.vialicensing.com

(San Jose, Calif.) TiVo, a manufacturer of digital video recorders that let viewers pause and record live television, announced on Friday a $50 rebate offer for its TiVo Series 2 DVRs for the holiday shopping season. The rebate will push the cost for the 40GB model of the device to $199, while the 80GB model will cost $299.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030912/sff005_1.html
http://www.tivo.com

 (San Francisco) U.K.-based video game developer Empire Interactive on Friday announced an agreement with The Beanstalk Group, the exclusive licensing agency for Ford Motor Company, that will result in the creation of "Ford Racing 2" for PlayStation 2, Xbox and the PC. The original title for Sony PlayStation sold over 500,000 units. Empire's Razorworks studio will develop the sequel, which will be distributed by Gotham Games, a unit of New York-based Take-Two Interactive, in the fourth quarter of the year.
http://us.empireinteractive.com
http://www.razorworks.com

 (Washington) XM Satellite Radio, a provider of satellite-delivered digital radio programming, announced on Friday that it appointed D. Scott Karnedy senior vice president of sales and marketing. Previously, Karnedy served as senior vice president and director of national sales for Infinity Broadcasting. http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030912/dcf003_1.html
http://www.xmradio.com

 (Helsinki) Cell phone maker Nokia on Friday announced details for its fifth annual Nokia Game 2003, an interactive adventure game featuring the company's technology that this year will be played across 35 countries in 10 languages. Last year the company counted 1 million registered players for Nokia Game. This year's challenge will feature a mobile gaming element that will only be playable on the Nokia N-Gage -- the company's hybrid cell phone/mobile gaming device due out Oct. 9 -- or else with the Nokia 3650 phone. http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/030912/125246_1.html
http://www.n-gage.com
http://www.nokiagame.com

Top

Digital Media Wire, Inc. is a news organization, publisher and events company serving the digital media industry since May 2000. Our daily newsletter is the first in a series of business intelligence publications that deliver original briefings on business, legal and financial developments shaping digital media. To subscribe for free, please click here.

Digital Media Wire, Inc. is part of the Tech Wire Media Group, an international network of publications that includes Digital Media Law Report, Potomac Tech Wire, New England Tech Wire, Southeast Tech Wire, Bay Area Tech Wire, Tri-state Tech Wire and European Tech Wire. The network reaches more than 70,000 individuals from over 70 countries each business day.

Advertising & Sponsorship
Publications, Events & Information

Executive & Editorial Team

Chief Executive Officer: Ned Sherman
VP, Marketing & Events: Tinzar Than
Editor: Mark Hefflinger

Contact Us

Questions, Comments & Suggestions
News Tips & Press Releases
Unsubscribe

Top

Copyright 2003 Digital Media Wire, Inc. All Rights Reserved.