Yahoo Search to Power Acer Systems
Yahoo said it had signed a multi-year agreement with Acer to develop a co-branded toolbar and start page for all Acer systems. In addition, Yahoo would become the default search engine on all shipped PCs. Acer is one of the fastest growing computer manufacturers in the world, and the third largest notebook manufacturer.
"Yahoo!'s world-class services and proven ability to build successful relationships make them the right choice for our partnership," Acer president Gianfranco Lanci. "What's more, their global coverage with strong local engagement perfectly match Acer's company strategy." Systems with Yahoo content pre-installed would begin shipping in October.
Skype Adds Video Support for Mac OS
Communications company Skype released a beta of its latest client for the Mac OS Wednesday, adding video support to the client that would permit cross-platform video calls. The company is only the second behind Yahoo to offer such a feature: video conferencing is notably missing from both the Mac AIM and MSN Messenger clients. As with the Windows version, video calls would be completely free.
According to Skype, the service hosts nearly 113 million users across both platforms. "Our community is made up of both Mac and Windows users," Skype product managemement director Stefan Oberg said. "We couldn't be more excited to bring these two groups together, literally face-to-face." The beta is available for download from the Skype Web site. In addition, the company said Wednesday it had also released Skype for Mac OS X 1.5 Gold.
NFL Adds Highlights, Content to iTunes
Apple said Tuesday that it had reached an agreement with the National Football League to add highlights from every game played each week to the iTunes Music Store, along with the NFL Network's GameDay, the Sunday night wrap up show produced by the league. All downloads would be $1.99 a piece, however Season Pass options would be provided for $24.99 for individual team highlights, and $19.99 for NFL GameDay.
The service will begin September 18. Sunday games would be available Monday, and Monday night content would be available on Tuesday. Along with Week 2's action, Apple said Week 1 highlights would also be uploaded. With the addition of the NFL highlights, over 220 shows are now available through iTunes, as well as 3.5 million songs, 65,000 podcasts, 20,000 audiobooks, and over 5,000 music videos,
Sony Sweetens PSP Package Deal
Looking to continue the brisk sales of its portable gaming unit, Sony said Tuesday that it would offer a new bundled package which would include a 1GB memory stick, the game "ATV Offroad Fury: Blazin' Trails," and UMD movie "Lords Of Dogtown." Previously, the company had only offered the PSP Core system, which included the AC adapter. The entire package would retail for $249.99 USD.
Up until March, Sony had offered the PSP Value Pack, which bundles the console, 32MB Memory stick Duo, AC adaptor with battery pack, and soft case with cleaning cloth for $249.99. "While the PSP system has out-sold all other next-generation gaming handhelds in the period since its launch, we expect this new offering to drive additional consumer interest and sales, particularly as the holiday shopping season approaches," SCE America marketing senior vice president Peter Dille said.
CA to Beta Test SMB Protection Suites
CA is seeking beta testers for the third generation of its Protection Suites lineup for small to medium-sized businesses. The products include antivirus, anti-spyware, backup and migration technology, with the new release adding desktop anti-spam and firewall options.
Protection Suites is targeted primarily at IT consultants for SMBs and starts with 5 user licenses. Release 3 runs on Windows 2000, XP and Windows Server 2003, and includes a Web based component for centrally managing the software. Those interested in joining the beta test can register on CA's Web site.
Phishing Sites Hit Record Numbers
Phishers targeted 154 different brands in July, a 20 percent increase from June and 12 percent higher than the previous record, the Anti-Phishing Working Group said Monday. There was some good news in the report, however, as the overall number of campaigns launched decreased to 23,670 - down almost 5,000 from the previous month. But the overall number of phishing sites increased to 14,191, also a new record.
"Criminals are spoofing the brands of smaller financial institutions, ISPs and even government agencies in an attempt to steal consumers' identity information and account passwords," APWG Chairman Dave Jevans said. "Combined with ever increasing technical sophistication, the fact is that nobody is immune from possible attack."
AOL Enhancing Search for Broadband
AOL said Friday it was beginning to beta test a new version of its search product on a limited basis, making enhancements that will benefit those users who have broadband access. The new AOL Search will "go beyond text links," the company said. It will include a redesign aimed at making information accessible on a single page, and will provide links to videos, pictures, sound clips, and localized information.
New modular functionality will respond intuitively to search queries, says AOL. For example, a search for a particular music artist will provide relevant audio and video content, or a search for a current event will provide a list of related stores on the right-hand side. Finally, users will be able to fine tune their results in real time, allowing for more relevant searches. The company said it will launch an open beta in "the coming weeks."
SpiralFrog Signs EMI for Music Service
Following an agreement with Universal late last month, advertising-supported music store SpiralFrog said Wednesday that it had reached a deal with EMI, further expanding its free download catalog. The combined song library would include artists such as Sting, Nelly Furtado, Jay Z and Kanye West, the company said.
EMI's deal would also extend to lyrics, which would be included with downloads from the service. "We are very pleased to help launch SpiralFrog," said Roger Faxon, Co-CEO of EMI Music Publishing. "It is a very exciting concept which fuses advertising with music downloads and other services to recapture consumer demand which has been hijacked by online piracy." SpiralFrog expects to launch later this year.
Circuit City to Try Mac Sales Again
Although Circuit City has tried unsuccessfully once before to sell Apple products within its stores, news surfaced Wednesday that the two companies are preparing to try it once again. Much like the Best Buy deal, a select number of Circuit City stores will carry most of Apple's computer lineup. To ensure the program's success, select employees visited the Cupertino campus to receive training on selling the Mac effectively.
Representatives for Circuit City indicate that the pilot program would last several months, after which a decision would be made on whether or not to expand the program. This differs from the first attempt in 2000, where the products were made available in all of the company's then 570 stores. The program ended a year later after Apple began opening its own retail locations.
Corel Debuts Free Photo Product
Corel aimed to break further into the consumer digital imaging market with the release of SnapFire Tuesday, which the company is marketing as a replacement for standard digital imaging software. Corel plans to offer two versions, one free and the other available for $39.99 USD. The company says most users would be well served by the free version, which offers organization, editing, and sharing features for pictures and videos.
The paid version adds enhanced editing capabilities, including some tools found in Corel's Paint Shop Pro product, as well as additional sharing features and backup options. Additionally, users of SnapFire Plus would be able to add new functionality through modular application support, the first of which is a DVD authoring plug-in. Corel SnapFire is available immediately from the program's Web site, and through select retailers.
CA Antivirus Causing Windows 2003 Crashes
Some IT administrators using CA's antivirus software in combination with Windows 2003 found out last week that the two were not playing nice together. According to an advisory, CA eTrust was mistakenly identifing a crucial Windows file as a virus and deleting it. The file, Lsass.exe, is part of Windows 2003's own built-in security measures. When deleted, it causes the operating system to crash and not reboot properly.
The error was discovered quickly on Friday and corrected before the issue caused more widespread damage. CA has since offered affected users steps to repair the damage, which is caused by the file being mistakenly identified as the Win32/Lassrv.B virus. Computers with the DAT signature 30.3.3054 are affected, while 30.3.3056 corrects the issue.
Vonage Surpasses 2 Million Subscribers
Vonage said Tuesday it had surpassed the two million customer mark, maintaining its position as the largest American VoIP communications provider. However, the company's recent disaster surrounding its IPO, along with slowing subscriber additions, have analysts saying that the company may be in for some rough times ahead.
The company ended the second quarter with 1.8 million lines of service. A UBS research report said that this represented a slowdown from 2,800 new adds per day to 2,200. Analysts have further said that competition from cable providers like Comcast, as well as smaller firms who are undercutting Vonage's prices, may begin to drag on the company's bottom line.
Matsushita Recalls 6,000 Panasonic Laptops
In the wake of two massive recalls of batteries in both Dell and Apple laptops, Matsushita has announced it is recalling 6,000 batteries in its Panasonic laptops, although for a different reason. Loose springs on the battery cover can enter the battery, which can result in overheating when dropped or mishandled. Unlike Dell and Apple, the issue is not caused by a third-party part, but rather by one that the company manufactures itself.
The batteries are made by another Matsushita subsidiary, and have nothing to do with the actual problem itself, say company representatives. According to the company, the recall effects Panasonic Let's Note CF-W4G laptops produced in April and May 2005.
LCD TV Prices Set to Fall Next Year
Both LG and Sharp announced at the IFA electronics show in Berlin this week that the cost of LCD flat-panel televisions will fall dramatically in 2007, with prices dropping 20% to 30%. The companies attribute the expected savings to overproduction and lower manufacturing costs.
Falling prices could help LCD technology better compete with plasma televisions, which have been more popular for larger displays due to their lower price tag. "Last year we saw about 30% price reductions for plasma and a little bit more for LCD," said LG head of marketing Young Chan Kim. "Next year, in 2007, we expect about the same."
Nokia Opening Store on Fifth Avenue
Nokia plans to join the likes of Apple and others by opening a flagship store in New York's exclusive Fifth Avenue shopping district. The store will be Nokia's fifth, behind Moscow, Chicago, Hong Kong and Helsinki. It will be split up into three levels, each highlighting a different portion of Nokia's phone lineup.
The first floor would be home to Nokia's entire lineup, allowing customers to explore the company's full range of devices. On the second floor, the company has created the Nseries lounge, which is Nokia's line of advanced wireless devices. This includes the company's high-end camera phones, business and music devices. Finally, the third floor is home to Nokia's top-of-the-line Vertu handsets, which feature jewel studded phones in cases made of premium metals such as gold and stainless steel. The store will open to the public on September 9, the company said.
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