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December 18, 2003 -- About Us | Advertise | Events | Publications | Subscribe

Main Stories
o Adobe Launches Its Own Online Store for E-Books
o Netflix Ups 2003 Subscriber Projections; Shares Jump 13%
o Unsigned Pearl Jam to Release New Single on Amazon.com
o Warner Sues DVD Copying Firm 321 Under New Euro Copyright Directive
o Video Game and Media Distributor Navarre Corp. Raises $12.5 Million


 > DMW AnnouncementsDMW Publications
 --Digital Media Law Report - November Report Available Now!
 --Game Industry Quarterly

 > Featured Advertisement:
 --MIDEMNET
 --Artisan Quality Handbags and Jewelry
 

o Briefly Noted: Garageband.com - $200K, Microsoft's SPOT wristwatches, Turbine Entertainment - "Asheron's Call," RealNetworks - Ericsson Mobile Platforms, MIDEM - Mobile Music Forum, Alpine CDA-9820XM, Kazaa - IE Music, Vivendi Universal Games - "Fight Club," Nokia N-Gage - "Ashen," Sony Online Entertainment - "EverQuest: Gates of Discord," Video game-related TV shows

 
> Job/Event/Marketplace Classifieds:
 --Sr. Sales Executive – Media, Entertainment and Aggregator
 --
President & COO - Susquehanna Technologies - Winchester, VA
 --
Senior Security Consultant
 --
Director of Engineering
 --Media Director - Greater Boston 
 --Complete Information for Department of Homeland Security
 --Get Rid of Your Old Cars - Donate To The Starlight Children’s Foundation
 


o Adobe Launches Its Own Online Store for E-Books

San Jose, Calif. -- In a surprise boost for the struggling e-book industry, Adobe Systems, a developer of desktop and Web publishing, has launched its own online store for e-books. The company partnered with Cleveland-based e-library creator OverDrive to develop the Adobe Digital Media Store, which will sell e-books as well as digital magazines and newspapers, maps and other documents in Adobe's proprietary PDF format. The store will also be accessible through direct purchase links embedded in Adobe's Reader and Acrobat 6.0 applications. Available titles will come from existing OverDrive partners including HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Random House, Time Warner, John Wiley and McGraw-Hill, as well as many independent authors and small publishers. The decision by Adobe to become an e-book retailer comes three months after Barnes & Noble decided to stop selling titles in e-book format due to sluggish sales.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/031217/175174_1.html 
http://www.overdrive.com 
http://www.digitalmediastore.adobe.com
_____________________________________________

o Netflix Ups 2003 Subscriber Projections; Shares Jump 13%

Los Gatos, Calif. -- Online DVD rental service Netflix on Wednesday raised its guidance for the number of subscribers it expects to count by the end of the year from between 1,425,000 to 1,475,000, to between 1,470,000 and 1,495,000. The company now also expects revenue of $80 million to $82 million, up from its earlier projection of from $77 million to $81 million. Shares of Los Gatos, Calif.-based Neflix leapt nearly 13% Wednesday on the news.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/031217/sfw076_1.html 
http://www.netflix.com
_____________________________________________

o Unsigned Pearl Jam to Release New Single on Amazon.com

Seattle -- Rock band Pearl Jam announced that it will release its new single, "Man of the Hour," through online retailer Amazon.com's Advantage for Music service, which provides worldwide distribution and order fulfillment to independent musicians and labels. "Pearl Jam is exploring a number of different ways to get music directly to its fans, following the recent fulfillment of its contract with Epic Records, with whom the band has not yet decided to resign," said Kelly Curtis, Pearl Jam's manager. "We have the opportunity right now to test the waters with a variety of progressive companies that are working to expand options for music fans and artists alike." Amazon said that since launching in 1995, tens of thousands of independent artists have enrolled in its Advantage for Music service. Pearl Jam's CD single for "Man of the Hour," written for Tim Burton's film "Big Fish," will sell for $5 on Amazon.com.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/031217/175085_1.html 
http://www.pearljam.com 
http://www.amazon.com/advantage
____________________________________________

o Warner Sues DVD Copying Firm 321 Under New Euro Copyright Directive

London -- The movie industry last week redoubled its legal campaign against 321 Studios, a distributor of software that lets users make exact backup copies of DVDs, when Warner Home Video U.K. sued the company for copyright infringement under the recently-enacted European Union Copyright Directive (EUCD), U.K. news site TheRegister reported. Unlike the previous suit Warner filed against 321 under a different statute, this action falls under a new law similar to the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which makes it a crime to circumvent the copyright security on devices like DVD players. St. Louis-based 321 Studios also faces a multi-party lawsuit in the U.S. filed by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and its member studios. For its part, 321 countersued the U.S. studios, asking a court to declare its software a "fair use" of copyrighted materials.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/54/34544.html
http://www.warnervideo.com 
http://www.321studios.com
____________________________________________

o Video Game and Media Distributor Navarre Corp. Raises $12.5 Million

Minneapolis, Minn. -- Navarre Corporation, a distributor and publisher of media products including video games, PC software, CDs and DVDs, announced that it has raised $12.5 million through a private placement of its stock with institutional investors. Minnesota-based Navarre's Encore game publishing unit has released titles including "Fugitive Hunter: War on Terror" for PlayStation 2; the company's other interests include niche DVD and video distributor BCI Eclipse, and an entertainment media division that distributes on behalf of record labels including Equity Music Group. Net proceeds from the transaction will be used for discharging the company's debt to Hilco Capital, and for general working capital needs.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/031216/cgtu069_1.html 
http://www.navarre.com

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 > DMW Publications:

> Digital Media Law Report
Must-read publication on legal and policy matters related to digital media. Law Report includes case summaries, news and analysis, policy updates, court filings, and exclusive interviews with legal counsel and business leaders. Published monthly. Subscriptions - Order

Available Now - November Law Report - 32 pages - Order

> G
ame Industry Quarterly
- Subscriptions - Order
The Game Industry Quarterly features news about key business, legal and finance developments impacting the game industry. Each issue includes sections on current industry research, financings, law and policy matters, game releases, business deals and other industry events.

Available Now - Q3 Game Industry Quartertly - 105 pages - Order

Past Events | Sponsorship Materials | Partners & Clients
 

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> Featured Advertisement:


> Artisan Quality Handbags and Jewelry

Marumaru offers artisan quality handbags and jewelry for the savvy and discriminating woman. We specialize in vintage silk kimono purses and offer many elegant jewelry pieces made from bamboo and coral to semi-precious stones. All of our fine products are Asian-inspired and handcrafted in Hawaii, the gateway to Asia. We welcome you. Please visit us at marumarugirl.com . contact: cara@marumarugirl.com  or michael@marumarugirl.com
 

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o Briefly Noted:

(San Francisco) Garageband.com, an online community where bands can post their MP3s for free download, announced that it has raised $200,000 in new financing from investors including new company chairman and ex-Talking Heads member Jerry Harrison. The company also said that it experienced its first month of positive cash flow from operations. Following the closure of MP3.com, San Francisco-based Garageband.com says it now boasts the largest online library of free music, with a roster of 200,000 artists.
http://www.garageband.com

(Redmond, Wash.) The first wristwatches to feature Microsoft's Smart Personal Objects Technology (SPOT ), which downloads data like movie listings and stock quotes over the FM radio spectrum, are set to appear in stores next month, CNET News.com reported. The first designs from Fossil and Suunto were initially slated for release in the fall, before Microsoft decided to extended the beta testing phase for the products.
http://news.com.com/2100-1040_3-5126505.html
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/spot/default.mspx

(Westwood, Mass.) Turbine Entertainment, an online game developer that earlier in the week announced an $18 million financing, said that it has purchased the rights to "Asheron's Call," the massively multiplayer online game it developed for Microsoft Game Studios. Massachusetts-based Turbine originally developed the concept for "Asheron's Call" in 1996 and launched the title online in 1999. "As the franchise's creator, Turbine has always felt a tremendous obligation to Asheron's Call and the people who play it," said Turbine president and CEO Jeffrey Anderson.
http://www.turbinegames.com/news/article.php?article=25

(Seattle) Media delivery technology provider RealNetworks announced that Ericsson Mobile Platforms has licensed the media engine powering its RealOne Player, the Helix DNA Client, as well as its RealAudio and RealVideo codecs. Ericsson will optimize the technology for playback of media on mobile devices using the Ericsson reference design. Seattle-based RealNetworks said that Alcatel, AT&T Research and Development, Motorola, Nortel, Openwave and Symbian have also licensed its Helix DNA Client.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/031217/sfw090_1.html
http://www.ericsson.com/mobileplatforms 
http://www.helixcommunity.org

(Paris) Organizers for the European music industry conference MIDEM announced that they will hold the first Mobile Music Forum in conjunction with this year's conference on Jan. 25. The one-day forum is targeted at mobile telephone network operators, device manufacturers, service providers, record labels and music publishers.
http://www.midem.com

(Torrance, Calif.) Car audio manufacturer Alpine has released what it says is the industry's first in-dash CD receiver with an integrated tuner that can receive satellite radio programming from XM Satellite Radio. Alpine did not announce either pricing or release details for the CDA-9820XM.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/031217/nyw062_1.html 
http://www.xmradio.com 
http://www.alpine-usa.com

(London) Kazaa file-sharing software distributor Sharman Networks announced that U.K. artist management company IE Music will use its partner Altnet's paid distribution service to promote its artist The Sweet Chap on Kazaa. The band will release six new music tracks and one music video exclusively on Altnet.
http://www.kazaa.com 
http://www.iemusic.co.uk 
http://www.altnet.com

(Los Angeles) Vivendi Universal Games has licensed the interactive rights for the movie "Fight Club" from Fox Interactive, a division of Twentieth Century Fox Licensing and Merchandising, and will release versions of a game for PlayStation 2 and Xbox in late 2004. VU Games said Woodland Hills, Calif.-based Genuine Games will develop the "Fight Club" titles.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/031217/law002_1.html 
http://www.vugames.com 
http://www.genuinegames.com
http://www.fightclubgame.com

(Helsinki) Cell phone maker Nokia said that it will release "Ashen," the third self-published game title for its N-Gage hybrid cell phone/handheld video game, in the first half of 2004. Melbourne, Australia-based Torus Games is developing the Bluetooth-enabled 3D multiplayer game for Nokia.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/031217/175252_1.html 
http://www.torus.com.au

(San Diego) Sony Online Entertainment has announced development of a new expansion for its massively multiplayer online roleplaying game, "EverQuest." "Gates of Discord" will be released in February 2004 in stores including Best Buy and Electronics Boutique, in addition to as a download from Sony Online Entertainment.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/031217/law047_1.html
http://www.gatesofdiscord.com

(San Francisco) Wired News recently reported on the slew of video game-related television programming either in development, pilot stage or currently airing on cable networks including Spike TV, MTV, Game Show Network, Discovery Channel, G4 and TechTV. UPN and Fox also have video game shows in development, with Fox having signed a deal with "The Sims" creator Will Wright to acquire any potential series based on the franchise.
http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,61627,00.html

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> Classifieds:

>Sr. Sales Executive – Media, Entertainment and Aggregator

Peppercoin, Inc. is a micropayments company that enables online merchants to sell low-priced digital goods profitably. Peppercoin was founded by world-renowned leaders in cryptographic technology from MIT whose previous ideas led to significant enterprises worth billions of dollars. By joining the Peppercoin team, you will help us perpetuate this record of success. We are looking for an experienced sales professional to sell our service and product offerings to the Media, Entertainment and Aggregator markets. The position demands knowledge of these markets and a proven ability to sell new products from early stage start-ups.  Send resume to careers@peppercoin.com  URL: www.peppercoin.com
___________________

> President & COO - Susquehanna Technologies - Winchester, VA

Susquehanna Media seeks COO for its SusQtech business unit (www.susqtech.com). SusQtech, a MS Gold Certified Partner, offers solutions to Association, Business, and Government clients utilizing the Microsoft.Net development platform. Core offerings are Content Management, eCommerce, Share Point Portal Server and eProcurement. Qualified applicants will lead team, secure new business, & manage a growth business in a solutions selling environment. Send resume and cover letter to corp.hr@suspfz.com
___________________

> Senior Security Consultant

Candidates should have 6+ years working experience in software development and security consulting. The following technical areas are of interest: security in the SDLC, J2EE, .NET, software security architectures, software design, security assessments, middleware products (e.g., Websphere), and smartcards. A Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics (cryptography interest), Security Engineering or Software Engineering required. 30% travel is required. Send resumes to janej@cigital.com  Visit http://www.cigital.com
___________________

> Director of Engineering

Clareos is seeking a Director of Engineering to lead our software product development group in the development of new products to fuel the company's expansion and growth with Fortune 500 customers. This person's objective will be to expand the engineering organization and accelerate development of our innovative data analysis platform. Send resumes to dsteinhoff@clareos.com  Visit http://www.clareos.com
___________________

> Media Director - Greater Boston

Our client is a full service Advertising Agency looking for a Media Director. This person will ensure proper maintenance and quality control for media planning and buying over multiple accounts as well as establish procedures and standards for media personnel. Proven management expertise and presentation skills required. Minimum of 8 years experience leading media teams. For consideration, please email your resume to dhorvath@pilenet.com  Please put "Media Director" in the subject line when applying. Compensation: $75,000
____________________

> Making Your Way thru the Homeland Security Maze

Small businesses wanting to do business with the government face unique challenges when entering the federal marketplace. The 2003- 2004 Directory of Homeland Security includes a detailed list of procurement information and small business government contacts for the various federal departments and agencies. Contact names, titles, phone and fax numbers and descriptions are included in the listings. The Department of Homeland Security portion of the directory has entire section titled, "Doing Business with the Department of Homeland Security." To order the 2003-2004 edition, go to: http://www.tech-directories.com/dmw.htm
___________________

> Get Rid of Your Old Cars - Donate To The Starlight Children’s Foundation

Starlight has teamed up with Car Program, LLC (www.donateacar.com) and whether your car runs or not, some parts may be sold for a donation that will help seriously ill kids. Don’t worry about DMV hassles and we can help arrange for FREE towing. Your donation is tax deductible and Starlight receives 70% of the proceeds of each vehicle. Call 877.840.7827 or visit http://www.starlight.org  Have your VIN and License number available.

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Digital Media Wire, Inc. is a news organization, publisher and events company serving the digital media industry since May 2000. Our daily newsletter delivers original briefings on business, legal and financial developments shaping digital media and read by over 30,000 executives and professionals. 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.

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