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Main Stories
o U.K. Proposes $5.4 Billion Public-Service Internet Broadcaster
o Vivendi's Blizzard Wins Case Over Rival Battle.net Online Game Servers
o U.S. Wins Gold at 2004 World Cyber Games
o Midway Games Acquires "Area 51" Developer Inevitable for $2.1 Million
o Digital Cable Convergence Software Firm BIAP Systems Raises $11 Million
o Mforma Buys Stake in Chinese Mobile Game Developer Magus-Soft
o French Program Guide Software Firm Expway Raises $4.3 Million

o Briefly Noted: Orb Networks, Blu-ray Disc Association - JVC, Mattel Juice Box, Sony StreamMan - TeliaSonera Finland, Gizmondo - SCi Games, Audible - Charlie Rose, Seagate - Rio, Sumthing Else Music Works - "Halo 2" soundtrack, THQ - "Juiced" - "Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams" - Thomas Jane, Nintendo - "Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door," Aspyr Media - "Pitfall: The Lost Expedition," Crisp Wireless - NBC, RealNetworks - "Vote for Change" webcast, FactCheck.org, Gallup Poll - free daily webcast
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London -- Ofcom, the U.K. media and communications regulator, has proposed a 3-billion-pound ($5.4 billion) investment to create a new public-service broadcaster (PSB) that would use Internet technologies to deliver programs. "It's an inexorable fact that the delivery of content over time will move from traditional linear broadcast networks to IP networks," said Ofcom communications director Matthew Peacock. "If we're to do what the government has asked us to do, which is to maintain and strengthen PSB in the future, then we need to offer some additional stimulus over what the BBC and Channel 4 can and will do." Under Ofcom's proposal, the broadcaster, which will use Internet protocol (IP) to deliver its output over broadband, mobile networks and cable and satellite TV, would be funded with around $540 million a year under a 10-year operating license. The U.K. watchdog will accept public consultation on the matter until Nov. 24.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?K66921F79 
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o Vivendi's Blizzard Wins Case Over Rival Battle.net Online Game Servers

Los Angeles -- A federal judge has ruled that Vivendi Universal's Blizzard Entertainment video game publishing division was acting within the law when it blocked a third-party company from offering software enabling users to host their own online tournaments for its "StarCraft" and "Diablo" online multiplayer games. Blizzard runs its own in-house online game service for the titles at Battle.net. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri ruled that St. Louis-based ISP Internet Gateway's BnetD software violated both Blizzard's software's license agreements, and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The ruling prohibits Internet Gateway from further distributing its BnetD software.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?K3D921089 
http://www.blizzard.com 
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o U.S. Wins Gold at 2004 World Cyber Games

San Francisco -- The U.S. was among four countries winning gold medals at the 2004 Word Cyber Games video game tournament, which was held this past weekend in San Francisco. Organizers of the event, now in its fifth year, said that over 30,000 spectators witnessed the World Cyber Games Grand Final this weekend, which awarded over $412,000 in prize money. The Netherlands took home the greatest number of gold medals, while other first place finishers among the 59 countries represented included Korea and Germany. U.S. "Team3D" won gold in "CounterStrike: Condition Zero," while U.S. native Matt Leto took home a gold medal and $20,000 for winning the individual "Halo" game competition.
http://www.worldcybergames.com/pressinfo 
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o Midway Games Acquires "Area 51" Developer Inevitable for $2.1 Million

Chicago -- Video game publisher Midway Games, known for its "Mortal Kombat" and "Spy Hunter" titles, announced on Monday that it has acquired Austin-based Inevitable Entertainment, the studio developing Midway's upcoming title "Area 51." The company issued 218,421 shares for Inevitable -- about $2.1 million -- and also issued over 152,000 shares to Inevitable employees as retention incentives. Inevitable will be re-named Midway Studios Austin. Chicago-based Midway said the acquisition accelerates its plans to open a studio in Austin and increase its internal development resources. Inevitable's "Area 51" features Hollywood talent including Marilyn Manson and David Duchovny; it will also be the subject of an upcoming Paramount Pictures film. Separately, Midway on Monday said it shipped its "Midway Arcade Treasures 2" for PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube to retailers. The game assembles 20 classic Midway titles, including "Mortal Kombat II," "Gauntlet 2," "NARC" and "Pit Fighter."
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/041011/115209_1.html
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/041011/115450_1.html 
http://www.midway.com 
http://www.inevitable.com 
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o Digital Cable Convergence Software Firm BIAP Systems Raises $11 Million

Plano, Texas -- BIAP Systems, a provider of software that connects TVs, PCs, the Internet and Internet telephony services for cable TV companies, announced on Monday that it has raised $11 million in new financing. SCP Private Equity Partners led the investment round, purchasing $3 million in BIAP stock, while $8 million of debt was also converted into the company's preferred stock. Texas-based BIAP's software enables digital cable subscribers to create their own stock ticker, weather, sports and news feeds that are then delivered to their TV screens. "BIAP's artificial intelligence technology is now allowing cable providers to offer a user-friendly way of seamlessly connecting their subscribers' personalized digital universe to their televisions," said BIAP chairman Winston Churchill. The company will use the funds to expand its deployments on cable systems and for product development.
http://www.biap.com/press/press_releases/101104.html 
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o Mforma Buys Stake in Chinese Mobile Game Developer Magus-Soft

Bellevue, Wash. -- Wireless entertainment publisher Mforma Group announced on Monday that it has made a strategic investment in Chinese mobile games developer Magus-Soft, by purchasing the investment stake held by Siemens Mobile Acceleration. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Beijing-based Magus-Soft has developed over 80 mobile games and applications, including "Team China Soccer" and "Super League Football." The Siemens investment unit purchased its minority stake in Magus-Soft in 2002. Magus-Soft has "made major accomplishments since their founding in 2001 and today have nationwide service agreements to deliver SMS, WAP, Java, and BREW content to consumers throughout China," said Mforma CEO Daniel Kranzler. "They have developed a stellar catalog of content and a platform that supports multiple technologies and protocols."
http://www.magus-soft.com 
http://www.mforma.com 
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o French Program Guide Software Firm Expway Raises $4.3 Million

Paris -- Expway, a French provider of Electronic Content Guide (ECG) software for mobile and TV networks, announced that it has raised 3.5 million euro ($4.3 million) in venture capital from existing investors C-Source, Capital Europe, FCJE and Champagne Ardenne Croissance. New investor CDC Enterprises Innovation also participated in the round, Expway said. The company, formed in 2000 by Cedric Thienot and Claude Seyrat, said the funds would allow it to continue its commercial developments and complete its product development shift, initiated one year ago.
http://www.expway.com 

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(Union City, Calif.) Orb Networks, a provider of digital media networking technology, on Monday introduced its service that allows users to stream any digital media file stored on a home PC -- including live television, other video, music and photos -- from any device with an Internet connection. The service prevents making copies of the files or sharing them with others, and works with portable devices like a cell phone or laptop. Slated to launch in mid-November, Orb will cost $9.99 per month or $79 annually, with additional users costing $3.99 per month each.
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/041011/orb_networks_2.html

(Hollywood) Japanese consumer electronics firm JVC announced on Monday that it has joined the Blu-ray Disc Association, a trade group backing Sony's next-generation Blu-ray high-capacity DVD format. The blue-laser disc technology will hold up to 50GB of data per disc, up from current DVD capacity of 4.7GB. Sony's Blu-ray is also backed by Dell, HP, Philips, Panasonic and Fox, while the rival HD DVD format is supported by firms including Toshiba and NEC.
http://www.jvc.com 
http://www.blu-raydisc.info

(El Segundo, Calif.) Toymaker Mattel on Monday introduced its Juice Box portable media player, a color-screen video player with MP3 and photo-viewing capabilities. The $69 player, set to ship on Oct. 17, will play pre-recorded media on proprietary Juiceware cards from providers including BMG Music, Cartoon Network, 4Kids Entertainment and WWE. The Juiceware cards will sell for between $9.99 and $24.99 each. MP3s and photos may be downloaded onto the Juice Box via supported Secure Digital or Multi Media Card flash memory storage cards.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/041011/115151_1.html 
http://makeashorterlink.com/?O2B851089

(Berlin) Sony Network Service Europe announced on Monday that it has launched a new version of its StreamMan mobile music service with wireless network operator TeliaSonera Finland. The new version allows users to download songs directly to their phones, access community features like messaging and listen to personalized channels and playlists on a PC. Following the launch in Finland, Sony expects a major rollout of StreamMan to other countries throughout 2005.
http://www.sonynetservices.com

(London) Gizmondo, a unit of Tiger Telematics that is developing a handheld video game console, said on Monday that U.K.-based game developer SCi Entertainment Group will publish 12 games for the Gizmondo device. Titles will include "Conflict: Vietnam," and Gizmondo versions of games from its "Carmageddon" and "Richard Burns Rally" franchises. The Gizmondo will be released in the U.K. in the fourth quarter and in the U.S. in 2005.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041011/lnm018_1.html 
http://www.gizmondo.com 
http://www.sci.co.uk

(Wayne, N.J.) Spoken word audio content provider Audible said on Monday that it has signed an agreement with PBS talk show host Charlie Rose, to offer subscriptions and individual episodes of the program in audio format on the Internet. New Jersey-based Audible offers over 55,000 hours of spoken word content, including audiobooks, newspapers and NPR programs.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/041011/115142_1.html 
http://www.charlierose.com 
http://www.audible.com/charlierose

(Scotts Valley, Calif.) Disk drive maker Seagate announced on Monday that consumer electronics firm Rio will use its 5GB, 1-inch hard drive in the Rio Carbon 5GB MP3 player. Rivals of Scotts Valley, Calif.-based Seagate in the portable device hard drive market include Toshiba, which makes the drives powering Apple's iPod, Cornice and Western Digital.
http://www.seagate.com 
http://www.rioaudio.com

(New York) Record label Sumthing Else Music Works said on Monday that it will release the soundtrack to Microsoft Game Studios' upcoming "Halo 2" title for Xbox on Nov. 9. The "Halo 2: Original Soundtrack Volume One" CD contains symphonic compositions by Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori, in addition to rock tracks from acts including Incubus and Breaking Benjamin.
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/halo2 
http://www.nilerodgers.com

(Calabasas Hills, Calif.) Video game publisher THQ announced that it has acquired the publishing rights to the game franchise "Juiced" from bankrupt game publisher Acclaim Entertainment, and plans to release the game for PlayStation 2, Xbox and the PC in the summer of 2005. The company on Monday also shipped its "Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams" title for PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube and Game Boy Advance to retailers. The game is the sequel to the first title released under THQ's agreement with Nickelodeon to create games that may then be turned into TV shows or movies. Avalanche Software developed the console versions of the game, while THQ's internal studio, Helixe, developed the Game Boy Advance version. Finally, THQ said that actor Thomas Jane, who played the title role in the movie "The Punisher," will lend voice talent to a game of the same name currently in development for PlayStation 2 and Xbox for release in January 2005.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/041008/75870_1.html
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/041011/115462_1.html
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/041011/115356_1.html

(Redmond, Wash.) Nintendo of America on Monday announced the release of its "Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door" title for GameCube.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?E2BA53089

(Austin) Video game publisher Aspyr Media on Monday shipped its "Pitfall: The Lost Expedition" PC game to retailers. The game was developed for PC by Quebec-based Beenox and is licensed from Activision, based on their classic game for the Atari 2600.
http://www.aspyr.com 
http://www.beenox.com

(New York) Mobile content developer Crisp Wireless on Monday launched a mobile application that promotes the NBC network's fall show line-up. The service offers trivia, video clips, photos and tune-in alerts for programs including "Joey," "Las Vegas," "LAX" and "Last Comic Standing."
http://www.crispwireless.com

(Seattle) RealNetworks said on Monday that it will provide an exclusive live webcast of tonight's "Vote for Change" finale concert in Washington, D.C. Users with the latest version of the company's RealPlayer software will be able to view performances by artists including Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, R.E.M. and Bright Eyes.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041011/sfm076_1.html 
http://www.realguide.com

(Washington) FactCheck.org, the nonpartisan campaign claims watchdog site operated by the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania -- that was alluded to by Vice President Cheney during last week's VP debate -- said on Monday that the mention overwhelmed the University's servers, skyrocketing site traffic volume from 30,000 unique daily visitors to over 320,000 by Oct. 9. FactCheck.org director Brooks Jackson said the site was switched to a larger hosting provider on Oct. 7, and visitors unable to view the site recently should have no problem doing so now.
http://www.factcheck.org

(Washington) The Gallup Poll, a provider of scientific polling on current events, has launched a free daily webcast that will feature CEO Frank Newport talking about the company's latest poll results. "Our mission is to be the one place you can go, after what reporters have told you what's happening, to find out what the people are actually thinking," Newport told The Washington Post. Newport added that the company's website has signed up "several thousand" subscribers to its Gallup Poll on Demand online service, offered for $95 a year.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19290-2004Oct9.html
http://www.gallup.com 
 
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