archives

o Sonicblue Seeks to License Digital Video Recorder Technology to TiVo
o Pressplay Music Subscription Service to Let Users Burn Music Onto CD
o Court Ruling Says Online Libel Qualifications Same As Traditional Media
o Microsoft Previews New "Corona" Streaming Technology
o Game Developer 3DO Raises $15 Million Through Private Placement
o Convergence Technology Firm Zeros & Ones Acquires HR Firm
o Streaming Services Firm Multicast Technologies Merges With AudioSonix
o Briefly Noted: Predictive Networks - Microsoft TV, Adobe Systems - Sonic
Solutions, AOL - MusicNet, Generic Media, Intertainer - Speedera, On2
Technologies - Picosoft - Equator Technologies, Danger - Beatnik, "Xbox
Nation," Encouraging signs - online ad market
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> Job Postings: Staff Writer, Online Ad Sales Mgr.

> Events/Services: "Third Annual Early Stage Capital Forum," "Marketing
and PR Courses Taught by Journalists," "Digital Media Wire Directory"

Full Job/Event/Services descriptions listed below "Briefly Noted" section
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o Sonicblue Seeks to License Digital Video Recorder Technology to TiVo

Santa Clara, Calif. -- Sonicblue, a manufacturer of consumer electronic
devices including the ReplayTV personal video recorder, announced on
Tuesday that it will seek negotiations to license its technology to rival
device maker TiVo. Santa Clara-based Sonicblue was recently awarded a
patent for technology covering "the fundamental concept of using a channel
guide and user specified criteria to select TV and other types of shows
for recording on a digital video recorder." "We expect licensing
opportunities to augment our product offerings and to generate substantial
revenue streams moving forward," said Sonicblue CEO Ken Potashner. The
company did not say whether or not it will pursue patent litigation
against TiVo should licensing negotiations prove unsuccessful. In a
related story, San Jose-based TiVo announced Tuesday that it has been
awarded two new patents for its own personal video recorder technology.
The first covers its method of controlling streaming media in a digital
device, allowing users to pause, fast forward, store, edit and otherwise
manipulate video stored in a cache. TiVo's other new patent covers
technology that links its product with other streaming media devices via a
network in the home.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/011211/112140_1.html
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/011211/sftu081_1.html
http://www.replaytv.com
http://www.tivo.com
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o Pressplay Music Subscription Service to Let Users Burn Music Onto CD

Milpitas, Calif. -- Roxio, provider of CD-burning software that lets users
make copies of CDs and transfer digital music onto recordable CDs,
announced on Tuesday that it will provide technology to the Pressplay
digital music subscription service. Scheduled to launch before the end of
the year, Pressplay is a joint venture between Sony Music and Universal
Music Group with distribution partners including Microsoft, MP3.com, Yahoo
and now Roxio, under the terms of the agreement announced today. It is
unclear what, if any, restrictions will be placed on consumers' ability to
burn music they download from Pressplay, if the feature will incur
additional costs, or what digital rights management technology will be
used. Since June, Milpitas-based Roxio has been working with major record
label EMI -- one of Pressplay's content partners -- to develop technology
that lets copyright holders determine the limitations on CD burning.
Recently launched Pressplay rival MusicNet does not offer CD burning
functionality and has not announced plans to do so in the future.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/011211/sftu080_1.html
http://www.roxio.com
http://www.pressplay.com
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o Court Ruling Says Online Libel Qualifications Same As Traditional Media

New York -- The New York Supreme Court has ruled that online journalists
should be given the same free-speech leeway against libel claims as their
traditional media counterparts, Wired News reported on Tuesday. The
precedent was set in a case where The Bank of Mexico sued investigative
news site Narconews.com after the site published reports linking the
bank's president with drug trafficking. "This court finds that Narconews
is a media defendant and is entitled to heightened protection under the
First Amendment," wrote New York Supreme Court Justice Paula Omansky, in
the ruling. "The nature of the articles printed on the website constitute
matters of public concern because the information disseminated relates to
the drug trade and its effect on people living in this hemisphere."
Previous case law determined that journalists should be exempt from libel
suits except where their reports are deemed malicious attacks against
their subjects.
http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,48996,00.html
http://www.narconews.com
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o Microsoft Previews New "Corona" Streaming Technology

Redmond, Wash. -- Microsoft on Tuesday previewed advancements to its audio
and video streaming technologies, codenamed "Corona," that will be added
to upcoming versions of its Windows Media technologies early next year.
The company's new video streaming technology claims to offer DVD- and
HDTV-quality video at lower bandwidths. The new audio technology will
offer delivery of 5.1 channel surround sound. Both claim to eliminate the
need for "buffering" of content, or pre-sending a certain percentage of
data before it is viewable or listenable by users, to account for
potential gaps in a stream from bandwidth constraints. Separately,
Microsoft said that 90 percent of manufacturers of chips that go into DVD
players -- including Cirrus Logic, ESS Technology, LSI Logic,
STMicroelectronics and Zoran -- will add support for Windows Media Audio
and Video over the next year. This will enable the majority of those
buying new DVD players to access Windows Media files with their DVD
player.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/011211/sftu067_1.html
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/011211/sftu068_1.html
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-8139810.html?tag=mn_hd
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o Game Developer 3DO Raises $15 Million Through Private Placement

Redwood City, Calif. -- 3DO, a developer, publisher and distributor of
interactive games, announced on Tuesday that it has raised $15 million
through a private placement of its stock. An unnamed institutional
investor purchased $12.5 million in stock, while individual investors
including Flextronics chairman Michael Marks and the family of 3DO CEO
Trip Hawkins bought an additional $3.3 million. "This financing clears the
air for 3DO and settles any concerns about our balance sheet and cash
resources," said 3DO CEO Trip Hawkins. "3DO has now raised more than $25
million in new capital this quarter, and we expect to be able to execute
our plans successfully for the foreseeable future." Redwood City-based 3DO
said it will use the new funds to develop versions of its games for
next-generation consoles and as working capital to finance inventory.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/011210/sfm114_1.html
http://www.3do.com
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o Convergence Technology Firm Zeros & Ones Acquires HR Firm

Los Angeles -- Zeros and Ones, a holding company that invests in and
operates companies focused on digital entertainment convergence, announced
on Tuesday that it will acquire Joint Employers Group (JEG), a human
resources management company, in an all-stock transaction valued at just
over $5 million. Los Angeles-based Zeros and Ones operates business units
that provide new media and digital video production services, as well as
video compression technology. The company says the transaction will give
Santa Fe Springs, Calif.-based Joint Employers Group access to software
and technology expertise, while Zeros and Ones will gain JEG's client base
as well as an expected increase to its annual revenues of about $47
million.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/011210/lam091_1.html
http://www.zerosones.com
http://www.jegonline.com
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o Streaming Services Firm Multicast Technologies Merges With AudioSonix

Fairfax, Va. -- Multicast Technologies, a provider of streaming audio and
video services, announced on Tuesday that it will merge with AudioSonix,
another provider of digital media delivery services. Financial terms of
the transaction were not disclosed. Multicast Technologies co-founder and
president Jim Junkala said that AudioSonix "had similar sales objectives,
complimentary technology, several broadcasting industry customers in
common and a new management group that offered a good fit." AudioSonix's
David Sobsey will assume the role of CEO of the combined company, which
will offer automated delivery of audio and video channels to broadcasters,
advertisers and corporate intranets. The company will be headquartered at
Multicast's offices in Fairfax, Virginia.
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day0/213452204&ticker=
http://www.multicasttech.com/
http://www.audiosonix.com
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o Briefly Noted:

(Cambridge, Mass.) Interactive TV application developer Predictive
Networks said on Tuesday that it will provide its viewer behavior
profiling software to Microsoft for use with the Microsoft TV platform.
The software will track what each viewer watches without collecting or
storing any personally identifiable information. Microsoft will then be
able to sell the user profiles collected for targeted advertising and
market research purposes. The data will also be used to recommend programs
that viewers might enjoy based on their past preference. Both The Wall
Street Journal and CNET reported on the concerns the new service may raise
among privacy advocates.
http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day0/213452477&ticker=
http://www.msnbc.com/news/670796.asp?0dm=C12PT
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-8145129.html?tag=cd_mh
http://www.predictivenetworks.com

(San Jose, Calif.) Adobe Systems, a developer of Web publishing, streaming
media and graphic design software, said on Tuesday that it has licensed
DVD authoring technology from Novato, Calif.-based Sonic Solutions. San
Jose-based Adobe will also take on a group of Sonic's core engineers to
create an Adobe-branded software program that will enable users to create
DVD-Video. Yesterday, Sonic Solutions announced a $1 million equity
investment from Japanese electronics firm Sanshin Electronics.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/011211/110101_1.html
http://www.sonic.com
http://www.adobe.com

(New York) America Online on Tuesday released the beta version of the
MusicNet digital music subscription service to its members. For $9.95 per
month, the service delivers 100 streams and 100 downloads of songs from
MusicNet partners to AOL members using RealNetworks delivery technology.
MusicNet offers songs from content providers including Warner Music, BMG,
EMI and Zomba Records.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/011211/112066_1.html

(New York) Generic Media, a developer of streaming media technology that
delivers video in a single format, announced on Monday that it has
incorporated San Diego-based wireless video developer PacketVideo's
technology into its product offering. The deal will enable Generic Media's
content partners to distribute their video on Japan's NTT DoCoMo FOMA 3G
network for cell phones and other wireless devices with video screens.
Separately, Menlo Park, Calif.-based Generic Media on Tuesday launched
trials of a live event broadcast streaming service, which it says will
provide companies the ability to broadcast events in every major format
and bit rate, and across multiple devices and platforms. Japanese
financial information network Nikkei has signed on as a customer for the
Generic Media Publishing Service, and through the service will offer video
from TV Tokyo, TV Tokyo Broadband and Nikkei CNBC.
http://www.genericmedia.com/news/pr20.html
http://www.genericmedia.com/news/pr21.html
http://www.genericmedia.com/news/pr19.html
http://foma.nttdocomo.co.jp/english/
http://www.nikkei.co.jp/stream

(Culver City, Calif.) PC-based video-on-demand provider Intertainer said
on Tuesday that it will use Speedera Networks' content delivery network
services to speed its movie, TV and music content over the Internet to
broadband-connected PCs. Culver City-based Intertainer will use Santa
Clara-based Speedera's network to deliver its subscription video-on-demand
service to the top 35 broadband markets, including New York, Los Angeles,
Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C.
http://www.speedera.com/newsroom/pressreleases/intertainer.html
http://www.intertainer.tv

(New York) Video compression developer On2 Technologies said on Tuesday
that it has partnered with Korean software developer Picosoft to develop a
low bit-rate ADSL video-on-demand set-top box. The device will use New
York-based On2's video compression technology and a chip made by Campbell,
Calif.-based Equator Technologies, and claims to be able to deliver
DVD-quality video at speeds under 1 Megabit per second. Picosoft will
begin manufacturing the box in the second quarter of 2002 for Korea ADSL
users and distribution into additional Asian markets.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/011211/112264_1.html
http://www.on2.com
http://www.equator.com
http://www.picosoft.co.kr/english/index.html

(Palo Alto, Calif.) Danger, a developer of mobile services and devices,
said on Tuesday that it will integrate wireless audio developer Beatnik's
technology that enables polyphonic ringtones, game sound effects, and user
interface sounds into its Hiptop mobile device. Palo Alto-based Danger's
Hiptop can connect to the wireless Internet for email and messaging, and
also includes a cell phone, PDA, entertainment applications and a digital
camera.
http://www.beatnik.com/general/press/01-12-11-danger.html
http://www.danger.com/products.html

(San Francisco) Publisher Ziff Davis announced on Tuesday the launch of
its upcoming print magazine title, "Xbox Nation," centered around the
recently released Microsoft video game console. The first edition of the
quarterly magazine, which will have an initial circulation of 200,000,
will be available on Dec. 11 for $5.99.
http://www.ziffdavis.com/news/index.asp?id=011211.0

(San Francisco) CNET reported on Tuesday on several encouraging signs for
the online advertising market, which has over the past year declined to
its lowest-ever levels. One indicator mentioned is the submission of
advertising budgets by a range of companies to ad placement firms, which
appear to include increased online ad spending. "We're on the bottom
couple of stairs," Salomon Smith Barney analyst Lanny Baker told CNET.
"We've probably seen the bottom, but we're going to get intimately
acquainted with it over the next six months."
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-8135041.html?tag=tp_pr

===================================================
Job Postings:
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To Post Jobs: http://www.digitalmediawire.com/jobs.html

> Staff Writer - Forbes.com - NYC

Forbes.com, the online component of Forbes Magazine, seeks a junior
reporter who has experience covering the business world, and can handle
the daily deadline grind, turning out punchy, opinionated copy on a wide
range of business and financial subjects. Experience on a daily newspaper,
wire service or Web site is a plus, as is experience covering financial
services.
Send cover letter/resume/salary history to Michael Noer: mnoer@forbes.net
______________________

> Internet Advertising Sales Manager, gantthead.com, Fairfax VA

Are you passionate about the Internet as a B2B advertising medium? We have
too many leads to pursue and need you if: you have 2+ yrs exp. selling
Internet advertising (required); BA/S degree; B2B agency/account contacts;
you can identify, pursue, and close deals. Creative, autonomous work
environment. Generous package: salary, commission, benefits.
Please send resume to: gina@gantthead.com. EOE, M/F/V/D.
For more information, see http://www.gantthead.com/Gantthead/jobs

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Events/Services Postings:
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> Third Annual Early Stage Capital Forum - January 31, 2002

Selection Committee is seeking executive summaries from technology
companies throughout the mid-Atlantic looking to raise $300,000 to
$5,000,000. Companies should submit their plans online. Hosted by DC
Technology Council in Partnership with Netpreneur, NVTC, HTM, GBTC and the
Mid-AtlanticVenture Association. To Submit plans go to:
http://www.dctechcouncil.org or Contact escf@wdctech.net
_____________________

> Marketing & PR Courses Taught by Journalists, 10% Discount - Worldwide

NEW courses: Ten Ways To Get Editors To Love Your Clients, Print Vs. Web
Publishing and How to Benefit, How To Write Press Releases For The Press
that get noticed, and The Anatomy Of Technical Publication Content - Learn
to influence IT publication content. Courses are taught by Journalists,
who share what caught their eye or made the difference! Contact
info@intellor.com or Visit
http://www.intellor.com/education/channels/?aid=8&source=ptw
_____________________

> Digital Media Wire Directory Launched

Digital Media Wire just launched the Digital Media Directory, an online
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process between buyers and sellers.

Register as a provider in the Digital Media Directory at
http://digitalmediawire.newmediary.com/dmw111301nl
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