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cell phones continue to evolve: more options...
Moviso Introduces Thousands of Audio 'Trutones' to Carrier and Handset Partners
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 13, 2003--
Exclusive Audio Content from More Than 70 Celebrities, Tens of
Thousands of Master Recordings and Sound Effects Available and
Demonstrated at the Microsoft Booth at CTIA 2003
Moviso LLC, the leading provider of mobile media products and services in North America, today announced the launch of TruTones(TM), the latest high quality mobile media content that replaces the cell phone ring with recordings of celebrity voices, chart topping songs, sound effects and audio clips.
Moviso is the first company in North America to offer a suite of audio content for use on advanced media capable handsets, and the only company to provide the complete technology, content licensing and production services in one place for carriers and device manufacturers.
Moviso TruTones include Celebrity Voice Ringers(TM), HitTones(TM) and FX Tones(TM), each delivering a unique audio element based on a consumer's preference. The TruTones collection holds more than 70 exclusive worldwide licenses, resulting in more than 200 actual voice ringers of current and legendary stars of movie, television, sports, music and comedy. In addition, Moviso has completed licensing agreements with multiple sources of master recordings, including a major record label, for songs from rock, rap, hip-hop, country, classical and movie and TV themes. These agreements give Moviso access to tens of thousands of master recordings available as audio ringtones.
"TruTones represent the next level of personalization on mobile devices," said Shawn Conahan, Moviso's president. "This year we expect mobile phones to take an enormous leap forward in functionality, and Moviso is ensuring that mobile media and applications do the same. Using our exclusive content and products, our partners are able to offer consumers an unmatched mobile entertainment experience."
The Sounds of Hollywood Go Mobile
Moviso's TruTones collection comes in a variety of categories and content types, including Celebrity Voice Ringers, HitTones and FXTones. These new products offer scripted quotes recorded by celebrities from a wide range of entertainment media and genres, songs from movie and TV soundtracks, sound effects and audio clips.
-- Celebrity Voice Ringers: More than 70 celebrities provide their unique voices exclusively to Moviso. Celebrities include:
-- Movie/TV - William Shatner (StarTrek, TJ Hooker), Anna Nicole Smith, Adam West (Batman) and John Ratzenberger (Cheers, Toy Story)
-- Sports- Ricky Williams (Miami Dolphins), Wally Szczerbiak (Minnesota Timberwolves) and Deuce McAllister (New Orleans Saints)
-- Comedy - Kathy Griffin and Joey Kola
-- Music Artists - Vanessa Carlton, The Calling, Destiny's Child, The Baha Men, Chuck D (Public Enemy), Sammy Hagar, Isaac Hayes, Alanis Morissette
-- Models -Kylie Bax, Elaine and Diane (The Coors Light Twins), Victoria Silvstedt
Celebrities recognize Moviso TruTones as a great extension of their publicity and fan-based marketing. Actor William Shatner said, "I was really excited when I was presented the opportunity to record a Celebrity Voice Ringer for Moviso. Now my fans have a new way to connect with me, since every time their phone rings they - and everyone around them - will hear my voice telling them to pick up the phone!"
-- HitTones and FXTones: More than 10,000 licenses for master
recordings of songs and sound effects:
-- HitTones - Thousands of master recordings of famous classical,
jazz, rock, pop and R&B songs including Bye Bye Bye, Jailhouse
Rock and New York, New York
-- FXTones - More than 60,000 sound effects from leading
Hollywood sound design houses in categories ranging from the
sounds of animals and Sci-Fi to sports and automobiles.
Pricing, Availability and Capabilities
Pricing of the TruTone products will retail for between $1.50 and $2.99 per tone. Moviso is making TruTone(TM) content available to T-Mobile subscribers this spring. The company is in discussions with additional wireless carriers and handset manufacturers and will announce additional distribution outlets in the coming months. Chipsets that support TruTones include QCELP, CMX (version 2.0 and above), SMAF (MA3 chipset and above) and RMF, over-the-air support through WAP push, BREW and MMS and handset support on all Qualcomm-enabled CDMA handsets, including the Sanyo SCP 5000, Samsung A600, S105 and S205, Motorola 720 and the Danger Device.
Moviso at Mobile Tech Forum and CTIA 2003 in New Orleans
Shawn Conahan, Moviso's president, is speaking at CTIA 2003 in New Orleans on the panel titled "Music and Ringtones" at the Mobile Tech Forum on Sunday, March 16 at 5:00 p.m., and on the panel titled "Digital Rights Management" on Monday, March 17 at 3:30 p.m.
Moviso will demonstrate TruTones at the Microsoft booth at CTIA 2003. Moviso will also demonstrate the latest location-based mobile applications at the Microsoft, NextWave, PacketVideo and Sony Ericsson booths.
To request a meeting with Moviso at CTIA, please contact Allison Jones, 858-722-5616, allison@steinwinder.com.
About Moviso LLC
Moviso LLC is the leading provider of mobile media products and services in North America. Moviso is a wholly owned subsidiary of Vivendi Universal Net USA - the U.S. arm of VUNet, Vivendi Universal's (NYSE: V) Paris-based Internet and technology unit. The company delivers complete mobile media solutions to wireless carriers, device manufacturers, retailers and entertainment companies worldwide, including American Greetings, AT&T Wireless, Bell Mobility, Cingular Wireless, Rogers/AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, Virgin Mobile USA, Kyocera, Yahoo! Music, AOL, PRIMEDIA, YM Magazine, Boost Mobile, Sony Ericsson, Nokia USA, Yamaha Corp., Match.com, WildSeed, and Vivendi Universal. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles. For more information on Moviso, visit http://www.moviso.com.
Attached is a photo of John Ratzenberger (Cheers and Toy Story) recording his Celebrity Voice Ringer.
The names of companies mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners and should be treated as such. Moviso is a trademark of Moviso LLC.
Note: A Photo is available at URL: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/photo.cgi?pw.031303/bb7
gernb1, that's a very promising perspective.
MP3 Insider: It takes a village to beat the iPod
Sure, the iPod looks like a million bucks, but the hidden secret to
its success is its perfect integration with iTunes. Symbiotic
cooperation between hardware manufacturers and shareware
developers could help Windows MP3-device manufacturers
reach the same heights.
Read the column
eDigital Odyssey 1000
When it was first released, Apple's iPod was leaps and bounds
ahead of other hard drive-based MP3 players, but times have
changed. Although slightly bulkier, this portable jukebox from
eDigital has more cool features than the iPod and comes with a
better plan for dealing with battery fatigue. But is that enough for
you to make the switch?
Read the review / Sign up for product alert March 12, 2003
Eliot Van Buskirk
Senior editor
CNET MP3 Insider
I have had it with subpar MP3 player file-transfer software. After
almost four years of building MP3 players, most manufacturers
are still content to ship their hardware with software that gets in
your way and doesn't offer any extra functionality. Apple has been
the main exception; iPod's integration with iTunes is so tight that
you could bounce a quarter off of it. But I've been following a
couple of smaller companies that want to write software for your
Windows MP3 player that could put iTunes to shame. To find out
who they are and how they could change the hardware that you
already own--as well as the devices that you're considering
buying--check out this week's MP3 Insider column.
Also, don't pass up our review of eDigital's Odyssey 1000, to find
out whether it succeeds where others have failed: toppling the
iPod from its perch.
Eliot Van Buskirk
CNET MP3 Insider
Creative preps MS-based Nomad video player
By Tony Smith
Posted: 13/03/2003 at 13:12 GMT
When Apple failed to launch a video iPod earlier this year, as it had been rumoured to be planning, it disappointed many of its fans. And now it looks like Microsoft is going to get just such a device to market first.
The software giant today said it was partnerning with Creative Technology, developer of the Nomad range of MP3 players - and a company given a hefty kick up the pants by the launch of the iPod - to create a portable media playback device.
Creative will develop the device hardware, based on Microsoft 's Media2Go operating platform, developed by its embedded systems group, and built around Windows CE .NET. Media2Go was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year, but Microsoft began shipping Intel Xscale-based reference hardware today. A built-in hard drive will hold music, video and photos, and presumably there'll be an integrated LCD panel.
The actual specifications of the device have yet to be revealed, but Creative said it would hold "more than 8,000 music files, 175 hours of digital quality video or up to 30,000 photographs". Media2Go uses compression to squeeze 40GB worth of data onto a 20GB hard drive.
Incidentally, we're not quite sure what "digital quality" means - it's a bit like saying something's as blue as a blue thing. We had assumed Creative meant something comparable to DVD playback, but a trip to the Microsoft Media2Go web site reveals the truth: 175 hours of VHS quality playback. Ho-hum.
"The players will provide continuous playback of video for up to six hours and continuous music playback for up to 12 hours," says Creative.
Samsung, ViewSonic, iRiver and Sanyo have already licensed the platform from Microsoft. Creative's product is due to ship "late 2003" - in time from Christmas, presumably. So Apple has a little while yet to get its vPod out of the lab. ®
LG Electronics Chairman and CEO John Koo to Be Keynote Speaker at CTIA Wireless 2003 Show; Top LG Executive to Give Insight Into the Future of Wireless
Business Editors/High-Tech Writers
CTIA Wireless 2003
NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 13, 2003--LG Mobile Phones, a leading worldwide provider of communications equipment and solutions, will be in the spotlight at the CTIA Wireless 2003 trade show at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans March 17-19, as LG Electronics Chairman and CEO, John Koo arrives from Seoul, Korea, to be a keynote speaker at the wireless industry's annual convention.
Chairman Koo will be the guest in a dialogue with CTIA CEO Tom Wheeler on Monday, March 17, during the show keynote sessions taking place from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Mr. Koo's portion is scheduled to begin at 9:50 a.m. in Hall I of the convention center.
LG Electronics is part of The LG Group, which is ranked by Fortune Magazine as the 15th largest company in the world based on gross revenue. LG employs more than 140,000 employees worldwide and experienced gross revenue reaching $95 billion in 2002.
In his discussion with Wheeler, Chairman Koo will be giving a historical overview on the global wireless industry, discussing emerging trends in the industry and talking about new innovations in wireless multimedia services, mobile handsets and the convergence of wireless devices with home networking technologies. He will also provide a glimpse into the future of wireless in the U.S. and explain technologies currently in use in Asia that will soon be deployed in North America.
As Chairman and CEO, John Koo oversees the global operations of LG Electronics, which includes the worldwide consumer electronics, mobile handset and appliance divisions of The LG Group.
About LG InfoComm U.S.A.
Headquartered in San Diego, California, LG Mobile Phones is the North American wireless division of LGE USA, a business unit of LG Electronics of Seoul, Korea. With annual sales of $14.8 billion, LGE employs over 55,000 individuals worldwide and operates research and development, manufacturing, and sales and marketing facilities around the world. LGE was the first manufacturer to commercialize the CDMA digital mobile communication system with its support of the launch of the SK Telecom Network in Korea. LG's expertise in designing sleek, user-friendly phones has proven wildly successfully in the U.S. market, where the company's market share of all CDMA handsets has exponentially grown in just three years. Gartner recently reported that LG has claimed nearly 20-percent of the US CDMA market share for Q3 2002. LG is planning to further increase this penetration with an aggressive brand campaign and a competitive line of next generation high-speed voice and data mobile phones. More information can be found at http://www.LGmobilephones.com.
CNET Editor's rating: Editors' rating = 8.0,Very good
Design 8
Features 8
Performance 8
There is a closing high and an intraday high...
Q4 to exceed Q3 and Q1 '04 to significantly increase
revenues over the previous quarter....while news of a major airline, Hewlett Packard, Digitalway, Eclipse, and another NEW OEM deal have yet to be detailed.
What is e.Digital’s business outlook for the next 6 months?
A: Our business is improving and we are expanding each of our revenue sources: NREs, royalties, licensing, product sales, and OEM product sales. Our focus in 2003 is on increasing our branded sales of the Odyssey 1000 and licensing the Odyssey 1000 platform--including our MicroOS and VoiceNav® technologies--and derivatives thereof, video products and applications for both home and portable use, automotive audio and telematics applications, and incorporating wireless protocols into our designs for OEM customers.
We continue to cut costs. Since June 2002 we have reduced our monthly overhead by over 40%. Based on revenues recognized so far this quarter we expect revenues for our fiscal Q4 will exceed the Q3 revenues of $643,000. Based on expected increasing Odyssey 1000 sales as well as revenue derived from the Eclipse by Fujitsu Ten automotive stereo project, IFE systems, and other OEM projects and products, we expect revenues to significantly increase in the following quarter (fiscal Q1 2004).
operating expense
An expense arising in the normal course of running a business, such as an office electricity bill.
chip,
You're talking about $36,000 in dollar volume on no news. I don't think there is much to analyze here other than the world awaits a conclusion of its international headache.
Latest Quote
Last: 0.180
Close: 0.180
High: 0.190
Low: 0.175
Open: 0.180
Change: -0.01
Volume: 202,300
Bid: 0.175
Ask: 0.185
Bid/Ask Size: 5,000 / 5,000
Does Steve Ferguson present today ?? Anybody ??
With a $275K monthly burn rate and new products beginning to generate revenues, along with NRE fees from multiple new projects, I wouldn't expect there to be massive dilution at this PPS.
Remember, EDIG does not need to finance any of its manufacturing costs on these new projects beyond the O-1000.
50+,
You state, "So, for anyone who has made it all the way down here, I have just a couple questions:
Does it, or does it not, appear that HP is looking for a unique wireless headset that can be utilized in connection with more than one device, i.e., MP3 player, cell phone, combo PDA/cell phone and combo MP3 player/cell phone ??
If not, what could it be that they want us to provide ??
Why on earth would a company like HP choose e.Digital for this "unique" task when they must know full well that we`re nearly bankrupt and have a worthless patented MicroOS ver. 3.0 ??
TIA
50+/NEWe.LONG
______________________________
It does look like they have found some sort of solution via EDIG. Products have been projected to be out this calendar year so hopefully we will have answers sooner rather than later. With the recent emphasis on wireless from many of the majors, this again appears to be another sweet spot opportunity. Now, the question is will HP and "other new opportunities" take EDIG along for the ride ? Having seen Nokia's new MP3 phone, it doesn't surprise me that we will continue to see these technologies merge into the next generation product lines. With EDIG's new lean approach, just one success on any of these fronts would make a huge impact.
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EDIG e-mail~
Robert,
On the FAQ page it states, " In another development, we are working closely with a new OEM to incorporate wireless connectivity (not infrared) for other products and we expect to release more details this spring."
Is this other development through Softeq also or an entirely different deal ?
Thanks,
XXXX
____________________
Subj:
Date: 3/12/2003 10:24:05 AM Pacific Standard Time
From: robert@atcsd.com
To: XXXX
File: Unknown (1105 bytes) DL Time (TCP/IP): < 1 minute
Sent from the Internet (Details)
New deal
Nero Digital Set to Become the Next Big Standard in Audio and Video Compression
Business Editors/High-Tech Writers
CeBIT 2003
NAB2003
HANNOVER, Germany & LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 12, 2003--
Ahead Software to preview complete MPEG-4 audio and video solution encompassing full ISO/14496-2/3 compatibility, and state-of- the-art audio, High Efficiency AAC in MPEG (aacPlus).
CeBIT, GERMANY, (March 12th-19th, 2003); NAB, LAS VEGAS, (April 7th-10th, 2003)- Ahead Software, the makers of Nero, the technology leader in CD/DVD recording software, are set to preview at the forthcoming NAB exhibition, the most complete MPEG-4 audio and video compression technology available to date - Nero Digital.
Designed for optimum compatibility with the ISO/14496-2/3 MPEG-4 standard, the Nero Digital MP4 A/V codec's will have the utmost quality video coding algorithms and full High Efficiency AAC in MPEG audio.
With DVD quality at only 20% of the space, Nero Digital video codec supports the most popular simple and advanced MPEG-4 visual profiles, and can decode DivX, Xvid, QuickTime, and other MPEG-4 implementations.
The Nero Digital audio codec is built on Ahead's proven proficiency in AAC technology but goes much further with significant efficiency and quality enhancements. Now set to become a key core component of MPEG-4, High Efficiency AAC in MPEG audio, is an incomparable bandwidth extension technique allowing bit rates to be considerably reduced with no definable quality loss.
Nero Digital is the result of extensive co-development by Ahead Software and one of the World leaders in video and signal processing, Ateme of France. The audio/video codec will be available for download during Q2 2003 with turnkey solutions for Consumer Electronics manufacturers in the same time. More information will be released from the www.nerodigital.com and www.nerodigital.com/embedded web sites soon.
"It's great to see Nero Digital joining the growing amount of products that provide cutting-edge technology building on the interoperable, open standard MPEG-4 standard" said Rob Koenen, President of the MPEG-4 Industry forum.
"Nero Digital will be the World's first complete end to end MPEG-4 solution to include MPEG-4 High Efficiency AAC profile", says Ivan Dimkovic, the MPEG-4 Project leader at Ahead Software. "With its unbeatable video and audio encoding power, we are confident that Nero Digital will be best positioned to become 'the' technology leader in the ever increasing MPEG-4 market"
About Ahead
Ahead Software is the technology leader in CD and DVD recording solutions. Headquartered in Karlsbad, Germany, with a subsidiary located in Glendale, California, Ahead has a global customer base including manufacturers, OEM's, distributors and retail partners. Nero Burning Rom along with Nero Express is the World's premier CD/DVD application software. Related products include InCD, NeroVision Express, and Nero ShowTime. Nero Digital is the most complete MPEG-4 audio and video compression technology available to date, including state-of-the-art audio with MPEG-4 High Efficiency AAC.
About Ateme
Ateme is headquartered in France (www.ateme.com). It is one of the leading providers of hardware and software solutions for video and signal processing in the World. To license Nero Digital for embedded solutions, Consumer Electronics manufacturers should visit www.nerodigital.com/embedded
About M4IF
The MPEG-4 Industry Forum represents more than 100 companies from diverse industries evenly distributed across North America, Europe and Asia, addressing MPEG-4 adoption issues that go beyond the charter of ISO/IEC MPEG. Activities of the forum include an interoperability program, certification, several working groups, access to ISO/MPEG committee members, and an annual conference (WEMP-4). For more information visit: http://www.m4if.org
Ahead Software is a member of the MPEG-4 Industry Forum and takes part in M4IF's interoperability tests.
Nero(R) is a registered trademark, InCD is a trademark of Ahead Software AG. Any other product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. (C) 2003 Ahead Software. All rights reserved.
Q: Please discuss your development plans as they relate to wireless technology.
A: We are incorporating wireless communication modules into our reference designs and expect to see products combining e.Digital technology with wireless features reach the market during 2003. As part of a project announced February 19, 2003, we are working with Softeq Development Corporation to develop and deliver a headset product incorporating a unique infrared interface for OEM customer Hewlett-Packard. In another development, we are working closely with a new OEM to incorporate wireless connectivity (not infrared) for other products and we expect to release more details this spring.
Nice ! "Computer makers such as Palm Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co. are counting on new hand-held personal digital assistants with wireless connections to help pull the industry out of a three-year slump".
It remains a possibility...
Here are just some of the digital product categories we are developing reference products for:
Digital music players and jukeboxes featuring high-quality audio, multi-codec capabilities, and removable storage including: CompactFlashTM, Secure Digital CardTM, MMCardTM, MicrodriveTM, PocketZipTM and DataPlayTM digital media.
e-book and multimedia tablet platforms combining music, video, text and voice storage and playback functionality with larger displays.
Digital voice recorders with advanced digital features and infrared, cable or docking station PC connections.
Digital imaging including still and video integrated with audio in handheld products.
Cell phone audio components for playback of Internet music formats.
Set top boxes for real time streaming or down-loading of digital music in Internet formats.
In-dash car audio systems for recording and playback of Internet music formats.
In-store kiosks for recording personal mix of digital music onto removable media.
50+, some pretty cool NEW products starting to surface. Wireless, MP3/cell phones, etc, all continuing to grow into a space that continues to be defined by innovation...and EDIG's business model places them in this mix.
Looking forward to continuing developments in wireless, IFE, autoinfotainment and MP3...
Enriched consumer experience
The Nokia 3300 music phone is aimed at people who like to enjoy digital entertainment when they want. The ultimate music experience is provided through an integrated music player (MP3/AAC), an FM stereo radio and a digital recorder. The music key on the device allows one-click access to music services, while a USB connection enables the fast transfer of music files from the PC to the device. Additionally, the Nokia 3300 lets consumers play games, send multimedia messages to compatible terminals and connect to mobile services, all from the same device. The Nokia 3300 music phone working on GSM 900/1800 frequency bands, is scheduled for shipments during 2nd quarter 2003 in Europe, Africa and Asia Pacific.
It was a tough year for many...Good Guys Announces Fourth-Quarter and Fiscal 2003 Sales Results
Business Editors
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 11, 2003--Good Guys (Nasdaq:GGUY), a leading specialty retailer of higher-end entertainment electronics, today announced sales results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended February 28, 2003.
Net sales for the quarter were $229.5 million compared to $259.2 million in the same period last year, reflecting the closure of 7 stores and 8 percent decline in comparable store sales. Comparable store sales for continuing categories declined 7 percent.
For the twelve months ended February 28, net sales were $750.0 million compared to $819.7 million in the same period last year. Comparable store sales for the fiscal year declined 5 percent.
"The uncertain economic and political environment and the resulting decisions by many consumers to defer major, high-ticket purchases contributed to a lackluster start to the month of February and a very poor President's Day Weekend," said Kenneth R. Weller, chairman and chief executive officer, Good Guys. "A relatively strong December coupled with Good Guys' dramatic reductions in selling, general and administrative expenses, continued cost efficiency and containment efforts and the success of our store closing program nevertheless should enable us to achieve our goal of returning to profitability for the fiscal year just ended. However, our actual results will not be finally determined until the completion of our year-end audit, and we will issue our financial results for the year at that time."
Average transaction size, gross profit per transaction and items per transaction for the quarter increased over the year-ago period. Good Guys continued to experience strong growth in sales of digital products, including flat panel and high definition televisions, digital cameras, HD set-top boxes and wireless phones. Sales of flat panel televisions, which include plasma and liquid crystal displays, increased more than 350 percent from a year ago.
Good Guys is one of the largest specialty retailers of higher-end consumer entertainment electronics in the nation and offers a distinctive selection of fully featured digital and high-tech products, including name brand products at popular price points and higher-end brands and models not widely available at the large, national chains. Founded in 1973, Good Guys operates 72 stores in California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. For more information, visit www.goodguys.com.
To the extent this news release contains forward-looking statements, such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the successful implementation of the Company's current restructuring and store closing program, increases in promotional activities of competitors, changes in consumer buying attitudes, the presence or absence of new products or product features in the Company's merchandise categories, changes in vendor support for advertising and promotional programs, changes in the Company's merchandise sales mix, the success of the Company's modified advertising strategy, the outcome of the Company's lease renegotiation efforts, and economic conditions.
Toshiba and Intel to Advance Adoption of Wireless Broadband Hotspots Across the United States
Business Editors/High-Tech Writers
IRVINE & SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 10, 2003--
Marketing Program to Support and Complement Intel(R) Centrino(TM) Mobile Technology Offerings from Toshiba
Toshiba's Computer Systems Group (CSG) today announced it is working with Intel Corp. on a joint marketing campaign to advance the adoption of wireless broadband hotspots.
The program coincides with the forthcoming launch of Intel(R) Centrino(TM) mobile technology for notebook PCs that features built-in wireless capability. Toshiba will support the Intel Centrino mobile technology introduction with new mobile and wireless computing products on March 12.
Toshiba and Intel are working together to drive awareness of wireless broadband hotspots at public locations such as coffee shops, hotels and convenience stores. The co-marketing agreement will include direct marketing, advertising and point-of-sale materials. Additionally, the companies are performing interoperability verification on Intel's Centrino mobile technology with Toshiba's network, through Intel's Wireless Verification Program, to enhance the end users' wireless experience.
"We will strive to give our customers the most innovative mobile platforms, but we are also looking to fill the void in wireless access in public spaces," said Oscar Koenders, vice president of product marketing and worldwide product planning, Toshiba CSG. "We have an aggressive hotspot strategy and plan to wirelessly enable public locations across the country and believe that wireless technology combined with the notebook computer is a powerful and even addicting combination based on our customers' feedback."
Toshiba's Wireless Broadband Hotspot solution allows end users with Wi-Fi enabled notebooks or PDAs to connect with the access point, or hotspot to launch an Internet browser and access e-mail, surf the Web, watch streaming video or download multimedia presentations. Using Wi-Fi technology, also referred to as 802.11b, Toshiba's hotspot service makes it convenient for people who are traveling to connect to any Toshiba hotspot, reducing the complexity of data connection around the ability to gain remote access.
Intel's new Centrino mobile technology includes a mobile processor, chipset and built-in Wi-Fi capability that have been designed to work together to enable a great wireless notebook experience. The Intel Centrino mobile technology represents Intel's best technology for mobile computing and delivers an unwired computing experience while enabling extended battery life, outstanding mobile performance and thinner and lighter system designs.
"Intel and Toshiba are working together to advance wireless computing for mobile PC users by enabling broadband hotspots across the country," said Anand Chandrasekher, vice president and general manager, Intel's Mobile Platforms Group. "Our joint efforts provide business customers and consumers with the mobile computing devices and the network that enables the freedom and flexibility to wirelessly work and play."
The Toshiba Wireless Broadband Hotspot Solution is a new business opportunity that enables dealers and resellers to enter the hotspot market with little capital and minimal time. Toshiba's hotspot solution can generate revenues through connection for wireless access at each hotspot deployed by the hotspot operator.
Hotspot operators simply sell and install the hardware and conduct maintenance at the hotspot location, while Toshiba and Accenture maintain responsibility for back-end service and support to end users. Interested dealers may visit www.hotspot.toshiba.com for more information.
About Toshiba America Information Systems Inc.
Toshiba Computer Systems Group is a division of Toshiba America Information Systems Inc. ("TAIS"), a leading vendor for portable computers. In addition to notebooks, the company offers portable and wireless accessories, Pocket PCs, projectors and mobile server computing solutions for business customers under the Toshiba brand name. For more information call 800-TOSHIBA or visit the company's Web site at www.csd.toshiba.com.
With headquarters in Irvine, TAIS is comprised of multiple divisions that provide computer, communications and imaging products and services. Products include industry leading portable computers, PDAs, mobile computing accessories, servers, including communications and portable servers, storage subsystems, cable modems, digital business telephone systems, voice-mail, digital cameras, security systems, and projectors.
TAIS provides sales, marketing, services and manufacturing for its wide range of information products in the United States and Latin America. TAIS is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corp., which is a world leader in high technology and integrated manufacturing of electrical and electronic components, products and systems. Toshiba has global sales of more than $40 billion and more than 300 subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide.
About Intel
Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.
Company: MP3 tunes now can be played on cell phones
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) — A tiny company called Xingtone Thursday said it has developed technology to enable users to load digital songs onto cell phones for the first time, but admits the software may hit a sour note with the embattled music industry.
The software converts MP3 files, or compressed digital music files, onto wireless phones, which would take the current ring-tone phenomenon one step beyond providing the robotic sounding renditions of tunes currently playing on phones.
Selling ring-tones, or musical jingles on cell phones, is giving the music industry, entrenched in a prolonged sales slump, a little boost as it struggles amid a booming black market for illegal online file-swapping.
And with the ring-tone market expanding, many companies are now expanding into polyphonic ring-tones — which consist of more than just one note — as well as preparing for the time when actual songs can be played on cell phones.
Some of the world's biggest music labels, like EMI Group, have already licensed master recordings to wireless operators across Europe and Asia, which are expected to roll out services on new handsets expected to be available to consumers this spring.
But Xingtone, which employs eight people in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Amsterdam, said it has already gone live with its service that enables users to take an audio clip of a recording they own, load it through the conversion filter and deliver it to their phone.
"It's a simple choice, do people want their phone to sound like an old arcade game or a radio playing their favorite songs?" said Brad Zutaut, who currently has a clip of the Rolling Stones' hit Get off of My Cloud on his phone.
Another form of piracy?
Some recording executives said Xingtone's service, offered without any licensing from the labels, appeared to be encouraging yet another form of digital piracy.
"It's much easier for them to license the content and sell it legitimately, than to encourage thievery," said Jay Samit, president of digital distribution for EMI Recorded Music.
Zutaut said 3,000 people have already used the service, launched a few weeks ago at the company's Web site (www.xingtone.com). The service will be demonstrated publicly for the first time on Thursday night in Los Angeles at an event hosted by a wireless networking group called Unwired.
The company said phones made by Sanyo and Samsung on the Sprint PCS Group network already enable users to add MP3 songs to their handsets and that other carriers and phones are in the process of being added to the service.
Currently, wireless carriers limit clips to 30 seconds, but as soon as carriers open this restriction, Xingtone said it has the capability to send entire songs to cell phones.
Additionally, Zutaut said users are able to send their audio clips from the Web site to their friends' phones.
"If I know your phone number, I could go to the Xingtone Web site and send an audio file from that Web site to that phone number," he said. "We're being very free and open with our sign-up process."
Zutaut said that while he has only spoken to one record label, he hopes others will embrace this as an opportunity.
But he also admitted he ran the risk of angering the labels, which have gone after many Internet services like Napster and Kazaa that enabled users to swap their copyrighted material without their permission or financial gain.
"I know that we'll have licensing issues but if people take their own music and put it on their phone, it's not my responsibility," he said.
Zutaut said he sees potential revenue streams from eventually charging people to use the service, and co-branding.
None of the three major subscription providers — Pressplay, Listen.com and MusicNet — work on Macintosh computers. That leaves iPod users going to free or advertising-supported music services.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/internetlife/2003-03-06-apple-music_x.htm
re: Odyssey 1000 customer satisfaction-http://ragingbull.lycos.com/mboard/boards.cgi?board=EDIG&read=1113858
If true, that's one guy...hardly epidemic, and EDIG will likely send him a replacement unit, unlike the situation being reported from the ipod gang.
Sent, most people know what a battery and hard drive are, and that if they break down in the first year and are not replaceable, that this is not a good thing.(see ipod)
Now ask the man on the street what an ID tag is and how vital it is in his purchase of an MP3 player. And isn't the ID tag issue merely a free firmware upgrade for the Odyssey 1000 ?
The sky is blue...now lets watch these losers spend their day debating that critical issue.
What a crock. austonia = mr teatime most likely...sure, the guy buys a $349 MP3 player after doing his due diligence and then takes the time to go to a website and bash, just discovering his so called issues...lol
nice try rookie.
More products are coming to market because it is a growing market segment, as more and more turn to the "MP3" format.
Apple initially marketed to a very narrow piece of that market and had success, no wonder others have their eye on this growth market.
EDIG continues to make a name for itself with its latest line of products, most notably the Odyssey 1000.
OT maybe: Sony Ericsson Unveils Accessory for Music Lovers: the Bluetooth Music Hands-free HBM-30
Entertainment Editors/Business Editors/High-Tech Writers
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 4, 2003--Sony Ericsson today unveiled the HBM-30; a music hands-free for music enthusiasts who never want to miss a call.
Doubling as a high quality digital audio player and wireless hands-free to any Bluetooth(TM)-enabled phone, the HBM-30 is the latest addition to Sony Ericsson's leading portfolio of mobile phone accessories.
The Sony Ericsson HBM-30 is a small-sized music player for MP3 and ATRAC3, utilizing Memory Stick Duo for music storage. Through Bluetooth wireless technology, it can be connected to any Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone and in that way also be used as a handsfree device.
When a call comes in, the music will be muted and the user can choose whether to take the call or not. The display will show the name of the caller when not showing the name of the song playing.
With Sony Ericsson's innovative accessories, such as digital cameras, and music hands-free, consumers can expand the usage possibilities of their mobile phones into entertainment and imaging in a flexible way.
"Sony Ericsson has always had a leading portfolio of mobile phone accessories, ranging from the first Bluetooth handsfree to the first digital camera accessory. We now have an unparalleled offering of accessories for imaging and entertainment. As proof, Sony Ericsson last year sold more than 1.3 million digital cameras which are used together with our mobile phones," says Ulf Persson, Head of Product Business Unit Accessories at Sony Ericsson.
The HBM-30 can also be used without being connected to a phone. Consumers can easily update their music library by using the music recording function of the HBM-30, or by using a PC. For PCs without Memory Stick drive, there is a wide range of adapters. The HBM-30 comes with high quality stereo headphones from Sony and 64 MB Memory Stick Duo and will start shipping during second half of 2003.
Bluetooth products communicate by means of a radio link, eliminating the need for a physical connection via cable. Bluetooth wireless technology has been adapted by the world's leading mobile phone, computer, laptop and PDA manufacturers among others as the ideal cable replacement technology. Sony Ericsson today has the most comprehensive portfolio of Bluetooth phones and accessories. Sony Ericsson Bluetooth phones include the T68i, P800, T610 and T608.
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB offers mobile communications products for people who appreciate the possibilities of powerful technology. Established in 2001 by Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson(NASDAQ: ERICY) and Sony Corporation, (NYSE: SNE) the joint venture continues to build on the success of its two innovative parent companies. Sony Ericsson creates value for its operator customers by bringing new ways of using multimedia communications while mobile. The company's management is based in London, and has 4,000 employees across the globe working on research, development, design, sales, marketing, distribution and support.
For further information, please visit: www.SonyEricsson.com.
Any product features, specifications or statements in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking and involve risks and uncertainties. Actual product features, specifications or forward-looking statements are subject to change.
sricket,
No, but it has FM and 12 preset stations.
rstring, I got the same email from EDIG:
March 4, 2003
Dear Friend of e.Digital,
The new FL100 records directly from FM radio!
It works with PC or Mac, and it's also a digital voice recorder. Upload your personal art for display on the LCD screen.
The FL100 includes 256 MB of embedded solid-state Flash memory (enough to hold 4 hours of music), plus an expansion slot for your MMC or SD Card. Great features, great looks, and a very affordable price!
lickily, that may be appreciated by MAC users but it leaves the ipod PC crowd out in the cold.
And when clicking on the picture of the Odyssey 1000 it links you to the EDIG store off the SRS website...
http://www.srswowcast.com/about_us/WMPTechnology.Asp
Via the SRS website:
http://www.srswowcast.com/about_us/WMPTechnology.Asp
"Hardware and software products that feature WOW include mobile phones from Sharp, Microsoft's Windows(R) Media Player series software products, car CD receivers from Kenwood, as well as televisions from Sony and Sharp."
" To date, over 300 million hardware or software products have been shipped or downloaded that include the powerful WOW audio feature."
SRS NEWS !!! SRS WOW(TM) Technology Adds Audio Punch to New Portable Digital AudioPlayer From e.Digital
SANTA ANA, Calif., Mar 4, 2003 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- SRS Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: SRSL), a leading provider of innovative audio, voice and ASIC technology solutions, today announced that its patented WOW audio technology has been selected by e.Digital Corporation (OTC: EDIG) to deliver the ultimate audio experience for its premier digital audio player, the Odyssey(TM) 1000. WOW creates a natural and expansive audio experience with rich bass enhancement through Odyssey's included collapsible stereo headphones or when connected to the external speakers of a home stereo or multimedia PC system. The Odyssey 1000 is available exclusively through e.Digital at www.edigital-store.com/odyssey1000.html for $349.
According to InStat/MDR, worldwide portable digital music player unit shipments (including solid state and revolving media products) will grow from about 7.2 million in 2002 to almost 30 million in 2006. Based on e.Digital's MicroOS(TM) technology, the Odyssey 1000 plays both MP3 and Windows Media(TM) audio files and features an FM tuner and a digital voice recorder with built- in microphone.
Steve Ferguson, e.Digital's vice president of sales and marketing, said, "When designing our premier large-capacity player, the Odyssey 1000, we chose to incorporate SRS WOW audio technology because it delivers the most powerful audio experience possible in a portable entertainment product. Our customers demand the best and we are pleased to offer them the best design, the best features, and the best audio technology."
"e.Digital's new Odyssey 1000 is an example of the growing importance of delivering a high quality audio experience in portable entertainment products," said Ted Franceschi, executive vice president, marketing and sales for SRS Labs. "WOW is the ideal audio solution for this rapidly growing product segment and we are pleased to work with an innovative company such as e.Digital to deliver the ultimate in digital audio entertainment."
SRS WOW is an award-winning, patented, playback enhancement technology that improves audio dynamics and bass performance of any mono or stereo audio. It provides a stunning improvement when used with smaller speakers or headphones that are not capable of achieving a high fidelity experience, especially when the audio has been digitally compressed into formats such as MP3 and WMA. WOW is a compelling audio solution for manufacturers of mobile or portable devices, in addition to products in which speakers are located close together, such as televisions. Hardware and software products that feature WOW include mobile phones from Sharp, Microsoft's Windows(R) Media Player series software products, car CD receivers from Kenwood, as well as televisions from Sony and Sharp. To date, over 300 million hardware or software products have been shipped or downloaded that include the powerful WOW audio feature.
About e.Digital
e.Digital Corporation designs, licenses, brands, manufactures, and sells digital audio products and technologies. The company's trademarked digital audio players include the MXP(R) 100, Treo(TM) portable digital jukebox line, and Odyssey(TM) line of flash- and hard disk drive- based players. e.Digital launched WeDigMusic.com to complement its digital audio players by providing consumers with a one-stop-shop for streaming and downloading music from thousands of artists on the Web. For more information on the company, please visit www.edig.com . To shop in the e.Digital online store, please visit www.edigital-store.com .
About SRS Labs Inc.
Over the past decade, SRS Labs has become a recognized leader in the advancement of audio and voice technology. The company works with the world's top manufacturers to provide a richer entertainment experience through patented sound techniques. SRS technologies can be heard through products ranging from televisions, DVD players, and cell phones to car audio systems and computers. Through its SRSWOWcast subsidiary, the company offers hardware and software tools to professionals and consumers for the production of content featuring SRS technologies. SRS Labs' wholly owned subsidiary, ValenceTech, is located in Hong Kong and provides custom ASICs and standard ICs to top manufacturers worldwide. Based in Santa Ana, Calif., the company also has licensing representation in Hong Kong, Japan, Europe, and Korea. For more information about SRS Labs, Inc. or SRS technologies, please visit www.srslabs.com . The information on the above-referenced websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release.
For further information, please contact: Investors, Tami Yanito of SRS Labs, Inc., +1-949-442-1070, ext. 3093, tami@srslabs.com
SOURCE SRS Labs, Inc.
CONTACT: Investors, Tami Yanito of SRS Labs, Inc., +1-949-442-1070,
ext. 3093, tami@srslabs.com
redwing99-""In another development, we are working closely with a new OEM to incorporate wireless connectivity (not infrared) for other products and we expect to release more details this spring.