Kodak Photo Service Fined for Spamming
Digital photo service Kodak Imaging Network, previously known as Ofoto, has settled charges it sent nearly 2 million unsolicited e-mails without a way to opt out, a violation of the CAN-SPAM Act. The Federal Trade Commission imposed a $26,331 penalty for the infraction, which is the total of the proceeds from the e-mail campaign.
Kodak is additionally now required to keep records and report to the FTC to ensure compliance. The CAN-SPAM Act requires that e-mail marketers give an option to opt out of unsolicited e-mails. The messages must be identified as an ad and include a vaiid postal address. The law also bars misleading subject lines or header information to conceal the identity of the sender.
YouTube Enables Mobile Video Uploads
YouTube has introduced a new feature for users of mobile phones and PDAs with video cameras that would allow uploading of videos directly to the service. Users would send videos as an attachment to a specially created e-mail address, which in turn would be uploaded to the service. The new service is free for anyone to use.
By introducing an easier way to upload mobile videos, YouTube says it would likely create a higher number of the spontaneous and candid videos the entertainment site has become known for. The site receives about 12 million unique users, and its videos are seen about 1.2 billion times per month, according to company statistics.
Time Warner Considers Wireless Bid
While it does not mean the company will end up bidding, Time Warner Cable said Wednesday that it would register with the Federal Communications Commission to participate in a wireless auction slated to begin next month. The company's chief executive Glenn Britt made the announcement at a meeting of investors, saying, "we're evaluating whether it would make sense for [us to bid on] wireless spectrum."
The auction, which begins June 29, is expected to raise some $8 to $15 billion for the federal government. The frequencies reside in the 1710-1755 Megahertz and 2110-2155 Mhz bands -- the same that are required for third-generation wireless technologies such as UMTS. Several companies, most notably T-Mobile USA, are looking at the auction to help launch their high-speed data services.
Fox Adds 16 Sitcoms to iTunes
Apple has started to sell episodes of shows from several of Fox's television networks in the iTunes Music Store. Available were hit shows "24" and "Prison Break," as well as new shows "Unan1mous" and "Stacked." The network is the last of the big four to sign on to the service, as ABC, CBS, and NBC all offer programming to iTunes users at a cost of $1.99 per download.
As well as offering current hits, Fox is also selling three classic shows, including "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Lost in Space." From FX, four programs have been added, including "The Shield," "Black. White.," "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," and "30 Days." Programming from Fox's Speed and Fuel TV networks have also appeared, for a total of sixteen new series on the service.
Intel Names New Desktop, Laptop Chips
Intel on Sunday gave a brand name to its new processors for desktop and notebook computers: Core 2 Duo. The dual-core chips were originally known by the code-names Conroe and Merom, and succeed Intel's original Core chips released earlier this year.
Although very similar, the Merom processor for notebooks consumes less energy and will use 5000 or 7000 series model numbers while the desktop Conroe chip is labeled 4000 or 6000. Intel will also issue a "Core 2 Extreme" processor for high-performance systems. No pricing or availability details have been announced thus far.
SGI Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
Six months after being delisted from the New York Stock Exchange, Silicon Graphics said Monday it has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy as part of a reorganization to bring the company back to profitability. SGI, the former king of 3D and advanced computing that was founded by Netscape backer Jim Clark, has been struggling to keep afloat for years.
In a statement, SGI said it would continue operating as usual, and hopes to emerge from bankruptcy within six months. "This is a necessary and responsible step that will strengthen the Company and foster a sustained turnaround at SGI. This milestone marks a fundamental and comprehensive change," said SGI chairman and CEO Dennis P. McKenna.
Warner Target of 14 Digital Music Suits
Even after settling with Apple's iTunes on 99-cent downloads, at least one record label is still battling elsewhere to justify the price of digital music. Warner Music Group disclosed in a quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it has been named as a defendant in 14 class-action lawsuits related to the price of digital music. Five of the lawsuits were filed in New York, eight in California, and one in Washington, D.C.
Warner said it expected all the lawsuits to be combined into one case. All cases accuse the label of colluding with other labels to artificially fix prices for digital music downloads. "The company intends to defend these lawsuits vigorously, but its unable to predict the outcome," it said in the filing. As well as the class action suits, Warner is cooperating with inquiries launched by the New York Attorney General and Department of Justice into the same topic.
Sony Begins Shipping Blu-ray Discs
Sony said Friday that it had begun the first shipments of its 25GB single layer discs, and it expected to debut a 50GB dual layer version in June. The discs include the company's proprietary AccuCore technology that offers enhanced reliability and durability, and also made it possible for Sony to offer the discs without a protective cartridge. The discs support a 2x transfer speed and a data transfer rate of 72 Mbps.
The 25GB write-once and rewritable discs will have a retail price of USD $20 and USD $25, respectively. When launched in June, the 50GB discs would retail for USD $48 and USD $60, Sony said. The company also said Friday that its Blu-ray Disc Association had recently surpassed 160 members, which plan to begin releasing the first players and PCs compatible with the format beginning this summer.
Windows Live Search to Replace MSN
Windows Live Search will be brought out of beta this summer, Microsoft has said. The change would put the site as the company's flagship search engine, replacing MSN Search, marking the official beginning of a transition to the Windows Live branding. That effort is expected to continue throughout the rest of this year.
Additionally, Microsoft on Friday launched yet another Live service, Windows Live Product Search. The offering is intended to help users search for products for sale online. According to the Web site, the service indexes items from over 100,000 sellers. Users would be able to refine searches by related terms, brands or sellers, as well as change the level of detail of the results.
Intel: Dismiss AMD Antitrust Suit
Intel asked a federal court Wednesday to dismiss a civil antitrust suit brought against it by AMD, saying the company is attempting to use domestic courts to fight Intel's foreign business strategies. Intel argues that AMD must show that the court has jurisdiction over such matters. The motion was filed in U.S. District Court in Wilmington, Delaware.
"AMD must meet the burden of establishing that this court has subject matter jurisdiction over AMD's foreign commerce claims," Intel wrote in its brief. AMD responded to Intel's claims, calling it an attempt by the larger chipmaker "to escape responsibility" and continue its unfair practices in the processor industry. Both parties have asked the court to hold a trial in 2008.
RIM Files Countersuit Against Visto
Two days after being sued by wireless e-mail patent holder Visto, BlackBerry maker Research In Motion filed a lawsuit of its own, asking a court to determine that Visto's patents are invalid. RIM was accused of infringing on four patents, one of which is already under review by the USPTO.
RIM is now seeking to preemptively invalidate the other three, which are related to remote synchronization of data. The suit from Visto comes just two months after RIM paid a $612.5 million settlement to NTP over similar patent infringement claims. Visto is currently in patent litigation with Microsoft and Good Technology as well.
Skype Betas SMS Support, Skypecasts
Internet telephony company Skype on Wednesday rolled out a new beta of its software, which adds support for sending SMS text messages to mobile phones. Version 2.5 also has a better display of rates when placing an outbound call, and video calling is no longer limited to Windows XP.
Text message fees vary based on country, but largely fall between 2 and 10 cents per message. Replying back to the Skype user is not supported, but users can get SMS replies to their mobile phones. Skype additionally previewed its new Skypecast service Wednesday, which enables customers to host and moderate 100-person conference calls.
MS Settles Second Calif. Antitrust Claim
Lawyers for several California municipalities said Tuesday that Microsoft has agreed to pay $70 million in vouchers to settle an antitrust claim, pending court approval. The suit, filed in August 2004, claimed that the Redmond company had overcharged government customers. While denying the charges, Microsoft said that it settled the case out of a desire to focus on the future. The company argued that its prices for software were fair.
The vouchers, which can be used for either new hardware or software, will be divided among California state and local government agencies. Microsoft would reimburse purchases with cash refunds, according to the settlement. The agreement is the second for Microsoft in California. Another, settled in 2003, forced Microsoft to reimburse state residents for overcharging for its Windows operating system.
Samsung's 'Origami' PC Makes Debut
Samsung on Monday announced the U.S. availability of the Q1, the company's first device to fall under the Ultra Mobile PC platform. The unit would retail for $1,099 USD, just above Microsoft's target of $599 to $999 for the "Origami" line of devices. UMPCs largely resemble a small Tablet PC with 7-inch touch screen, and run a full version of Windows XP with special software.
However, the high price limits the appeal to a small segment, say analysts. "Clearly, the goal is a toy for boys," says Jupiter Research senior analyst Joe Wilcox. "With Q1 the S isn't just for Samsung, it's for "status symbol." Everything about the Samsung Q1 is uptown." Another company, Founder, will release a UMPC model later this quarter, with a device by ASUS expected over the summer.
iTunes Songs to Stay at 99 Cents
Apple confirmed on Monday that it had reached deals with the four major labels -- EMI, Sony BMG, Universal, and Warner -- to keep prices for digital downloads at 99 cents per song. The news is a major blow for the record labels, which were attempting to force Apple to allow variable pricing in its iTunes Music Store. Apple controls nearly 80 percent of music sales online, according to recent surveys.
Analysts say some of the reason why the record labels may have backed off the variable pricing plans could be due to the ongoing investigation over price fixing by the New York Attorney General's office. Officials have accused record companies of colluding in order to keep prices artificially high. Neither Apple nor the labels have revealed the terms of the deals.
© 1998-2026 BetaNews, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy - Cookie Policy.