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E-Mail from info@treoplayer.com to Smay:
http://ragingbull.lycos.com/mboard/boards.cgi?board=EDIG&read=746424
Thank you for your inquiry. We are expecting a full product
launch toward the end of August. Unfortunately i dont think
we will be able to meet your deadline.
My E-Mail to them was to see if the treo would be in my hands by August 20th for a gift. FWIW.
The Serious Game: Fully Audacious
By Jennifer Lewis, Red Herring
August 8, 2001
http://www.redherring.com/index.asp?layout=story&channel=10000001&doc_id=1480019948&rh_s...
Every time the Beatles' song "Yesterday" is played on the radio, a complicated process ensures that the appropriate people get paid for it. Every song has at least two sets of rights. In the case of "Yesterday," Sony/ATV owns the publishing rights (the lyrics and melody), and EMI Recorded Music owns the performance rights.
In the U.S., these precious rights are divided among only five major music labels and four major music publishers. And as of today, only one company, a Chicago startup named FullAudio, has a deal with both the publishers and the labels to use their content for its online subscription service.
Back in June 2000, we selected FullAudio as one of our Red Herring 100 "Ten to Watch" because of its active interest in working with the record labels. Fast-forward to July 2001: the company has secured licensing agreements with EMI Recorded Music, EMI Publishing, and BMG Music Publishing. Three down, six to go.
RIGHTS HERE, RIGHTS NOW
Assuming that FullAudio's technology works, it is the only company that can launch a legal subscription service. This gives FullAudio an advantage over two high-profile subscription ventures backed by major record labels: MusicNet and Pressplay.
Pressplay, which is backed by Sony Music Entertainment and the Universal Music Group, a unit of Vivendi Universal (NYSE: V), and MusicNet, which is backed by BMG, EMI, and AOL Time Warner (NYSE: AOL), are still in the process of negotiating composition rights. In addition, the U.S. Justice Department has launched an antitrust investigation into the two label-backed ventures, reports The Wall Street Journal; a European antitrust investigation has been ongoing since June. Meanwhile, FullAudio, which employs 40 people, hopes to launch its subscription service in the fourth quarter.
To illustrate the complexity of this service, the company has secured recording rights for 40,000 songs from EMI Recorded Music. However, EMI Publishing owns the composition rights to only half of those songs. Therefore, FullAudio can only sell about 20,000 of those songs until it establishes licenses from other publishing houses.
FIRST AND LAST AND ALWAYS?
When FullAudio was founded in April 1999, it planned to make a hardware device to go along with its service. But instead of building the device in-house, it now plans on licensing its design platform to major consumer electronic companies, including makers of set-top boxes, digital home stereos, and PCs. FullAudio also hopes to attract the likes of Yahoo, MSN, AOL, and Excite, all of which are eyeing the digital music industry.
Unlike pay-per-download, the model both Liquid Audio (Nasdaq: LQID) and RioPort use, FullAudio's customers will pay a monthly fee. Like cable television, customers will have access to music only as long as their account is in good standing. Once they end the service, they will no longer own the music. Instead of streaming music, the company uses caching technology that allows consumers to play tracks when they're not connected to the Internet.
Although FullAudio's deal with the publishers and labels is not exclusive, it is not in the record businesses' best interest to maintain multiple relationships with numerous companies. Ultimately, there are going to be three to five players in this subscription services space. The important thing for FullAudio is that it is the first company to secure this kind of an agreement; so as long as it executes appropriately, FullAudio is clearly in it for the long haul.
How to copy a SafeAudio-protected disk?
http://www.cdfreaks.com/document.php3?Doc=48&Page=1
http://www.cdfreaks.com/document.php3?Doc=48&Page=2
http://www.cdfreaks.com/document.php3?Doc=48&Page=3
Strictly FWIW, of course.
New Recording Format To Challenge Music CDs
By Ed Sutherland, www.NewsFactor.com
Tuesday August 07 01:08 PM EDT
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nf/20010807/tc/12587_1.html
Blaming the familiar compact disc format for many of the music industry's piracy headaches, a partnership has formed to replace the ubiquitous CD with recorded media the size of a U.S. 25-cent piece.
A new format "is the only way to conclusively halt music piracy, while giving consumers the rich experience they want," said Talal Shamoon, senior vice president of InterTrust (Nasdaq: ITRU - news).
The Santa Clara, California-based digital rights management (DRM) software firm will use a new format from start-up DataPlay to secure both prerecorded and blank music audio discs, according to statements released late Monday.
Trying to Preserve the Past
Eric Scheier, a Forrester Research analyst, told NewsFactor Network that Monday's announcement is another indication that the music industry is trying to retain a distribution method that can't be preserved.
While the move makes business sense for InterTrust and DataPlay, any notion that the CD "will soon be replaced is unlikely," Scheier told NewsFactor. He said it would take another 20 years to replace CDs.
Lee Black, an analyst for music research firm WebNoize, told NewsFactor that he believes any push to replace CDs "faces an uphill climb."
Eleven Hours of Tunes
The new media can hold up to 11 hours worth of MP3s or nearly a dozen prerecorded albums with a 500 MB capacity for each disc, according to reports. Consumers will need to buy new devices, projected to cost between US$199 and $299, to play the audio discs, say sources.
The new discs -- both blank and prerecorded -- are expected to be released this fall, say DataPlay officials. Blank discs should cost between $5 and $10, with prerecorded prices on a par with CDs.
Samsung, Toshiba and SONICblue (Nasdaq: SBLU - news), which makes the Diamond Rio MP3 player, are developing devices using DataPlay's discs.
Music Labels Partner
Music labels Vivendi Universal (NYSE: V - news), EMI and BMG are partners with DataPlay.
"We are pleased to see InterTrust and DataPlay working together to create a flexible specification for delivering our artists' music and enhanced content," said Albhy Galuten, senior vice president of Universal Music Group's eLabs.
InterTrust announced on July 23rd that it would extend its rights management software to portable devices. Other players in the digital rights management arena, such as Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT - news), remain bound to the PC, according to published reports.
Portable Features
"Users can play their InterTrust-protected content in any DataPlay-enabled device," said a statement from InterTrust. "Users will be able to move the content to their desktop computers and portable devices."
Officials of the Boulder, Colorado-based DataPlay say the new discs go beyond protecting the recording labels. Consumers can record new downloaded music and even create a sort of karaoke, blending a listener's voice with a prerecorded album, said Todd Oseth, senior vice president at DataPlay.
DataPlay in June inked an agreement with data storage firm Imation (NYSE: IMN - news). The deal makes Imation the first U.S. maker of blank and prerecorded discs to adopt the new format. Imation also gained non-exclusive worldwide distribution rights for the disc.
Recent TWOMIL Agora posts:
http://www.agoracom.com/nonmemforum/msgreview.asp?id=122731&refid=0&orig=122731
Between 8-10 to 15, 2001, I expect to see eDig's 2002 1st qtr results ending June 30, 2001, to be announced. Revenue from this quarter is still going to be primarily from the Lanier/Platimum grp. product deliveries, NRE, and possibly some advance licensing fees. Just recently the Orbit via eDigital was placed on the DataPlay web sight. This is an Eastech product and still unannounced has been any licensing agreement of ET by eDigital for DataPlay products. Accordingly, this news may soon be forthcoming. (http://www.dataplay.com/jsp_files/en/whatsplaying/products.jsp?action=details )
The Eastech PR on 5-2-01 announcing an order by Intel for DAP's presumably is on schedule for August delivery. The intitial shipments of this order should generate a PR by Intel that, IMO, will include mention of eDigital. I have long believed that the eDigital reference design product is a part of this order, though eDigital was not specifically named in the 5-2-01 pr.
B&O sales locations are expecting products that will be incorporate our ref. design for the x-mas season. They are very aggressive in letting their customer base know by Sept. what their offerings will be for the Holiday season. I would look for this product to be out on store shelves in B&O locations by November. It could easily be the hottest highest demand item for x-mas 2001 at over $400+ each, which is the way B&O brings out a new line to appeal to the world's alleged elite.
Other news expected over the very near term may be:
1: Jim Collier and explanation and description of his group's efforts
2. Other JB oems signed by ET and Hango
3. Details of Intel's marketing strategies for direct and bundled DAP/PC component sales
4. Hy-tek's e-commerce, store, and catalogue clients
5. RP's explanation of 'cradle to grave' service offerings alliances
6. Other platform partners and alliances in auto, cellular, and set-top boxes
August should be an informative month and how are customers' products are reviewed and received will merit close observation.
http://www.agoracom.com/nonmemforum/msgreview.asp?id=122788&refid=122777&orig=122731
Intel is no different than other big co's.. There are teams of personnel within the co. that often don't realize there are less costly and more efficient ways of designing and manufacturing products. The Pocket Concert is a good example of such a product.
The total size of the Intel order described as 61 million dollars and 600k units is not of the size that would allow all of Intel's current dist. channels to easily manage. IMO, this suggests the likelihood that some of their customers will be heavily involved in distributing the DAP's. We've already seen Dell in distribution agreements, and it would not be surprising to also see Compaq, HWP, and even Sony move these products. Tri-gem, a Korean PC manufacturer with about 40% of the Asian pc market, has already announced their intent to work with Intel and these DAP products.
Intel's primary objective is to move out the Pentium 4's very quickly at discounted pricing to dislodge AMD's cpu line from both volume and publicity comparisons. I foresee add-on DAP's helping their customers increase Pentium 4 sales to the disfavor of AMD's Duron line.
eDig's recent low volume and stable share pricing, IMO, suggests no active sellers. How F&H gets the news of customers, contract orders, and product reviews into the media should have a great influence on share price.
I do believe there is much more to be learned about J. Collier's work and presence at eDig and that it is going to be a much more financially advantageous program than what any of us may be considering.
IBM recently did not get favorable mention in PC magazine in their support of desktop and laptop pc's. Intel does not have a well grounded customer support system for their few consumer products. Should these co's. want to improve their support infrastructures, I could see their working with eDig's J. Collier to establish an alliance with another well-known support services co. that could cover all future handheld product lines. This provides revenue to eDig as well as integrates manufacturing issues from start to finish in supporting in-the-field customer experiences.
There are many shareholders that see eDig as only a 1 dimensional company. If all unfolds as I suspect it will, we will see multiple revenue streams from engineering and design, product support services, royalties, and licensing from many different data and content delivery platforms. I see co's. like Intel, IBM, Samsung, Toshiba and others, increasingly permitting eDig to assist them in bringing technology for the consumer to an end-point deliverable product. The only co. currently doing this is Sony, but they often missunderstand the marketing side of product development and usually end up battling others for what they arrogantly perceive as their entitlement to the 'whole pie'.
http://www.agoracom.com/nonmemforum/msgreview.asp?id=122815&refid=122808&orig=122731
When you say, ''but the proclamations from FF/RP indicate that they actually believe that something will happen soon ..''
What I suspect they, as well as ardent, inquiring, phone calling, e-mailing shareholders all know is that production runs are now taking place* to be followed by packaging and shipping, reviews, and sales, etc., etc..
There is still nothing on store shelves with HDD's and multi-codec features known to the average customer looking for a brand name. IMO, that will conclude when our refs. designs under many different well known brand names start hitting the shelves this month and next.
This should all coincide with many PC manufacturers also making offerings to educate the public. There is much more to be read, heard, and digested in the next 4 to 8 weeks that will demonstrate how and with whom eDig has positioned itself.
http://www.agoracom.com/nonmemforum/msgreview.asp?id=122902&refid=122865&orig=122865
*I did not say 'production runs' were statements made by RP; however, em's from oems sent to inquiring shareholders mention DELIVERY dates in August and Sept.
Good luck to all
Copy protection rumors spark flames
By John Borland, Special to ZDNet
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/zd/20010807/tc/copy_protection_rumors_spark_flames_1.html
Consumers are up in arms over reports that record labels are using a new CD copy protection format that distorts music on copies. Trouble is no one has verified its existance.
The growing buzz over copy-protected CDs may be causing some consumers to hear double.
For several weeks, news that record companies have quietly been selling copy-protected compact discs in stores has been filtering around the Net. Although nobody has yet produced a verified copy of a CD loaded with this technology, developed by copy-protection giant Macrovision, it has produced a wave of "sightings" that have swept even to places as prominent as Amazon.com's consumer reviews.
Accusations have been flying in e-mail, mailing lists and Web sites from people who claimed to find tainted CDs, ranging from 'N Sync singles to the latest works by the Dave Matthews Band. For the last several days, Amazon's lead consumer review on the page advertising the soundtrack to the movie "O Brother Where Art Thou" has been headlined "Warning, Warning, Warning."
"DO NOT BUY THIS CD if you are going to copy it to your computer," wrote James Dunn from Mercer Island, Wash. "It contains the music distortion scheme from Macrovision...What a horrible thing to do to such beautiful music."
There's only one problem: The CD in question does not appear to have any copy-protection technology installed, according to tests by CNET News.com and others who were able to turn songs on the CD into the MP3 format without trouble.
Even as Macrovision claims success in its efforts to slip copy-protected CDs past unsuspecting music buyers, the effort is raising new doubts about the viability of products that take away consumers' ability to copy songs. Beyond ratcheting up consumer fears of purchasing distorted CDs, hackers have targeted the effort as a test of their prowess, with some already claiming success even before they've had the opportunity to test out their techniques on an actual copy-protected CD.
"I think it's a dangerous dance for the labels," said Phil Leigh, a music-retailing analyst for brokerage house Raymond James. "Consumers have long considered it their God-given right to copy (music) for personal use once they've paid for it."
Efforts to protect CDs against unauthorized copying aren't new. Record labels, leery of seeing pirated copies of works slip onto the Internet for wide distribution, have talked about the idea for years. The still-struggling Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI) was in part an effort to build standard technology discouraging copying into music and music players.
As SDMI continues to be bogged down with disagreements among labels, tech companies and consumer electronics manufactures, the recording companies have turned to other measures. BMG tested one technology in Germany designed to stop copying but pulled the experiment after the CDs proved unable to play on many ordinary CD players.
Another anti-copying technology from a company called SunnComm was added to a recent release by country artist Charley Pride. Copies of songs from this album almost immediately leaked onto the Net, but the label and SunnComm said they had originated from unprotected versions of the album. BMG said earlier this week that it would also test SunnComm's work.
The real buzz didn't start until Macrovision, a company best known for anti-piracy technology in videotapes and DVDs, said that its so-called SafeAudio technology had been selling as a test in CDs on the market for four to six months. At least one title had sold more than 100,000 copies, and close to 200,000 individual CDs had been distributed, the company said, adding that the return rate on these CDs has been no higher than usual.
That technology worked by introducing deliberate distortions into the actual audio file on CDs, the company said. While inaudible on a CD player--ordinary players have error correction technology that would effectively eliminate the flaws in the sound--these distortions would show up as annoying pops and clicks in a song that had been digitally copied to a PC hard drive.
Macrovision declined to say which CDs had been produced with the technology. Most record labels declined to comment on the technology, although BMG confirmed that it would test the product. Macrovision did not return repeated calls for this article.
Macrovision's claims of success have not placated some consumers, for whom the threat of a distorted CD is as good as subjective reality.
Meanwhile, the company's plans have drawn a line in the sand for hackers, who are already racing to see who can crack its safeguards first.
Evasion tactics
The latest twist comes as hackers claim to find ways around the Macrovision technology, declaring the labels' efforts to block copying dead on arrival.
In an article published on Dutch Web site CDFreaks.com, an analysis of the SafeAudio techniques claim that the copy protection can be evaded by using one of several CD copying techniques that have been floating around the Net for years, long before the current debate erupted.
Because no copies of the protected CDs could be obtained--and not even CDFreaks claimed to have one--this technique could not be verified. Nevertheless, the technique has now been a source of considerable debate on technical communities around the Web for days.
In the meantime, some of the companies that could be most affected by the attempts to stop consumers creating MP3 files from CDs are watching and waiting. Manufacturers that create MP3 players depend on consumers' own music collections for their sales, and to date record companies have sold few authorized, bought-and-paid-for downloads online.
But the manufacturers say they're not worried about their business yet.
"We haven't spent a lot of time thinking about this one," said Chris Schairbaum, worldwide marketing manager for Texas Instruments, which produces many of the chips that drive MP3 players. "We believed this type of technology would be introduced much sooner...It has been interesting to see how long it has actually taken to get to trial stage."
CONVERSATION WITH RP .......
http://ragingbull.lycos.com/mboard/boards.cgi?board=EDIG&read=745740
In the conversation I had with Robert Friday afternoon we covered the following topics:
"Next Generation" HDD Jukeboxes
Robert indicated that our OEM`s won`t be knocking off TREO clones, but rather producing players with many different looks and varying feature-sets. With regard to competition all I could think of to mention were the Nomad and Archos MP3 players, and he replied that although they claim to be upgradeable [to "Next Generation"], he hasn`t yet seen how this will be accomplished. I tried to get a good explanation as to why we haven`t seen any e.Digital/OEM jukeboxes yet, and he indicated that we are only now approaching the primary season for new product introductions. He further mentioned that a rollout into an unproven market represents inherent risks, particularly for our smaller OEM`s, and especially when no one really knows how well these jukeboxes will be received.
When I brought up the subject of the oft-delayed TREO, he mentioned the hiring of Jim Collier as COO, and what a welcome addition he is; we will soon be able to offer our OEM`s and licensees complete product life cycle management.
System-on-Chip
I got the impression that with regard to the digital audio players, the DSP solution is the overwhelming choice of our OEM`s and licensees. Robert did mention, however, that we are currently exploring the use of a SOC solution with a couple OEM`s, but I`m not sure if this is in connection with DAP`s, or some other application.
3G Phones
Robert mentioned that we are working on a cell phone accessory [a music plug-in, to be exact], which would obviously negate any dependency on bandwidth, and consequently, 2.5 or 3G infrastructure.
Video
Robert indicated that our involvement here is primarily in connection with the e-book platform, leaving me with the impression that video on any smaller size screen wouldn`t be too practical at this point in time.
QDX
Robert remarked that the "fit to media", while maintaining higher audio quality than MP3, is the codec`s primary feature, and its success would most likely require the endorsement of one or two of the big five record labels.
Employees
I asked Robert for the current employee count and the number of positions presently unfilled. He kinda chuckled and said "Over 40". Hey BusyBump, whasssup with that ???
After our discussion I`ve become even more convinced that we will soon see the long anticipated launch of jukeboxes, followed shortly thereafter by the Dataplay entries, and all "powered by e.Digital". I`m also inclined to believe that both of the digital audeo player platforms will be quite successful. The only question that remains in my mind is how the issues of multi-codec/DRM and transcoding will play out. Could it possibly be that the greatest competition in this soon to emerge market of "next generation" DAP`s will be that of our OEM`s amongst themselves ? Opposing fact-based views are welcome.
I`ve seen a lot of discussion regarding the Company`s financial condition, and I would like to take this opportunity to present my 2 cents worth. First of all, I can`t see where this concern about possible "dilution" is coming from. Management stated, "We believe that with the cash on hand [as of 3-31-01] and the proceeds from existing development and production contracts, we have sufficient proceeds to meet cash requirements for the next 12 months". I presume that to mean through March of 2002, and if anyone doesn`t believe that new revenue streams will start flowing before then, I`m not sure why they would be here. Furthermore, why would anyone think that on 5-14-01 Ernst & Young would stick their necks out by signing off on the Company`s audit, and not include the "going concern" clause which has been there probably forever ? Could it be that they overlooked it, or could it be that they just happened to find a drawer full of multi-million dollar contracts in various stages of completion, and all containing those dreaded NDA`s ?
Something tells me that this Company has finally reached the point whereby its bright future will soon begin to distance itself from its trying past, and the only reminder should be the $52 million in losses-carried-forward ... Sorry, Uncle Sam.
Say, MIR, sorry to interupt the remodeling, but could you give us a quick lesson on how selling patented software can be profitable ... wasn`t it you who said it`s almost like stealing ??
Hey, DABOSS, just want to say I`m glad YOU ARE still HERE ... you do have a way of painting a vision with words, and you`re one of the reasons I AM HERE ... just sad to know that others can`t see !?!
Oh, I almost forgot. I asked Robert how they were progressing on Voice Navigation, and he replied, "We`re ready to go". He quickly added, too, that some of those attending the Annual Shareholders Meeting in November would have the opportunity to give it a try !!
NEWe.LONG
Can InterTrust's discs supplant CDs?
By Gwendolyn Mariano
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
August 6, 2001, 2:20 p.m. PT
http://ragingbull.lycos.com/mboard/boards.cgi?board=EDIG&read=745731
InterTrust Technologies, a maker of digital rights management software, said Monday it has partnered with start-up DataPlay to provide secure digital media in a move to thwart music piracy by replacing the compact disc.
Santa Clara, Calif.-based InterTrust said it will place DRM formats on DataPlay-enabled devices, including blank and prerecorded discs. Such DataPlay discs can hold 11 hours of compressed music, or seven to 10 albums.
Both companies are betting that DataPlay's discs are eventually going to replace the compact disc, which has been considered to be the source of music piracy on the Web.
"This whole music piracy problem isn't going to go away until the CD dies," said Talal Shamoon, senior vice president at InterTrust. "A lot of these music subscription services and download services that have been put together...are great, but they're not an effective replacement for a new entertainment experience because CDs are still here, and CDs define the path."
The announcement comes as record labels are beefing up their efforts to provide online subscription services even as the Justice Department continues its antitrust investigation on such services. RealNetworks, BMG Entertainment, Warner Music Group and EMI Recorded Music have created MusicNet. Meanwhile, Sony and Vivendi Universal Group have formed Pressplay and will use MP3.com to create its backbone technology.
Some music labels are working with DRM providers to test methods to thwart music piracy. Last month, BMG Entertainment said it will work with security technology provider SunnComm to test copy-protected CDs.
Bryan Ma, senior analyst at IDC, said that what DataPlay is bringing to the table are small and portable discs--about the size of a quarter--that have a 500MB capacity. He added that the discs provide more files and more hours stored on one piece of media--compared with a CD that only offers one hour of music.
Ma said that while the partnership is a step in the right direction for both companies, the concept that DataPlay discs are going to replace CDs is not going to be something that will happen right away. "It's certainly a great idea, and if they've got a win with InterTrust, that certainly helps move to that end," he said. But, he added, even though it presents a solution to the labels, DataPlay and InterTrust face hurdles ahead of them.
"The problem is that we're still looking at an incredibly large installed base of CD players out there," Ma said. "You're talking about a new format trying to overtake something that is incredibly well-established today."
Ma said while InterTrust's technology has not gained widespread usage, DataPlay's devices have yet to hit the consumer market.
DataPlay expects to release its products this fall. The Boulder, Colo.-based company said its blank discs will cost between $5 and $10, and its prerecorded discs will be similar to the price of CDs.
Todd Oseth, senior vice president at DataPlay, said while consumers will need to buy a player--which will run between $199 and $299--to play the discs, the player will also play any other digital content, including videos and e-books. People can download music on the discs as well as purchase DataPlay content from retail stores.
Oseth said the benefit the discs have over CDs is that not only do they prevent piracy, but the discs also have prerecordable and writeable features. Music fans, for instance, will be able to purchase an album and record their voices as they sing along with songs on the same discs. In addition, he said, the portability of the discs will enable people to jog with them, compared with CDs that are not as mobile.
"The idea here is to make sure that the consumer has a good experience by adopting the content while protecting the content owner," Oseth said. "We try to make it so that the consumer's experience is the same as they have (had) traditionally but not dealing with stolen content."
In June, DataPlay signed a deal with data storage company Imation to be the first U.S.-based manufacturer of blank and prerecorded discs in the company's new media format.
THE IBM PERSONAL SPEECH ASSISTANT
Liam Comerford, David Frank, Ponani Gopalakrishnan, Ramesh Gopinath, Jan Sedivy
IBM Watson Research Center
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598
psg@us.ibm.com
ABSTRACT
In this paper, we describe technology and experience with an experimental personal information manager, which interacts with the user primarily but not exclusively through speech recognition and synthesis. This device, which controls a client PDA, is known as the Personal Speech Assistant (PSA). The PSA contains complete speech recognition, speech synthesis and dialog management systems.Packaged in a hand-sized enclosure, of size and physical design to mate with the popular Palm III personal digital assistant, the PSA includes its own battery, microphone, speaker, audio input and output amplifiers, processor and memory. The PSA supports speaker-independent English speech recognition using a 500-word vocabulary, and English speech synthesis on an arbitrary vocabulary We survey the technical issues we encountered in building the hardware and software for this device, and the solutions we implemented, including audio system design, power and space budget, speech recognition in adverse acoustic environments with constrained processing resources, dialog management, appealing applications, and overall system architecture.
1. INTRODUCTION
The thrust of the Personal Speech Assistant project has been to create an early example of a collaborative tool. By this we mean an inanimate instrument capable of collaboration in the same way that humans collaborate with one another. In doing so, we have explored and extended the capabilities of the existing speech recognition, synthesis and understanding technology, and the constellation of related el-ements (user interface, developer’s tools, utilities, hardware requirements, industrial design). We begin in Section 2 with a discussion of the hardware In Section 3 we review the spoken language software stack, by which we mean services associated with managing and maintaining a dialog with the user. Then in Section 4 we treat the characteristics and performance of the speech recognition and synthesis systems. Section 5 is a brief discussion of flow of control to applications, and of the appli-cations themselves. Section 6 is a summary.
2. HARDWARE
At the inception of the PSA project, speech recognition and synthesis systems required approximately 100 MIPS to operate with acceptably short latency. The latency may be considered short if a question equivalent to “Was I heard?” doesn’t arise in the user’s mind. This avoids disruptive efforts to repair the dialog by repeating the command. The processing requirements were met by a single board system designed around NEC MIPS core processors (Vr41xx), op-erated at 133 MHz. The board, now in its fourth revision, measures 60 mm by 100 mm. The card supports 8 MB of DRAM and 8MB of on-card flash memory. Memory size requirements were guesstimated early in the project, before any portion of the software stack had actually been written. Flash memory, used to store recordings, user interface description files and the PSA software stack, could be increased to advantage. Early in development, we found that the power consumed by computing and driving audio output through the speaker exceeded the capabilities of most small batteries. The current design uses an MnO2 /Li non-rechargeable battery made for photographic applications. Battery life depends upon usage. With a Palm usage model, the PSA’s battery life is measured in days. When operated in continuous
audio-out, this falls to approximately 3 hours. The unit, not including the Palm III, weighs 143 grams, of which 17 grams are battery weight. Two serial ports are provided. One is used as a communication path to a Palm III. The other duplicates the Palm cradle connection to support communication with peripherals and PC synchronization. Audio input is provided via a built in microphone (Lucent DM 1000 model M118HC), microphone amplifier, and an STLC7550 CODEC, sampling input at 11.025 KHz. The audio input filter is essentially flat from approximately 90 Hz to 5 KHz. A 25 mm speaker driven from the CODEC through a power amplifier provides audio output. A headset jack for users desiring “private” audio output is also provided.
The industrial design of the package plays a significant role in its usability. It is made to clamp firmly to a Palm III, so that the impression is created of a single, mechanically robust package. The speaker is mounted in a base-ported enclosure in order to maximize its efficiency in producing voice band signals. The microphone is modified and located to support voice operation at the distance and orientation typical of reading or writing on the Palm. This design was chosen in order to support a physical usage model that allowed normal PDA operation.
Three LEDs are visible on the front face of the PSA. These serve as microphone state (green = listening) indica-tor, a recording state indicator (green = ready to record) and a user speech volume indicator (yellow = too soft, green = OK, red = clipping). These indicators are provided to make status information immediately available to the user without using precious screen space, or requiring the user to search the screen for it.
3. THE SPOKEN LANGUAGE SOFTWARE STACK
The PSA software stack comprises an operating system (Vx-Works version 1.01), a collection of “engines” providing spoken language, communication and other services, and a dialog manager. The role of the dialog manager is primarily construction of the user interface by coordinating the operation of the service engines and utilizing data from the user interface file set. Two engines are central to the operation of the software stack. These are the speech recognizer and the text-to-speech encoder; these engines are currently available as the IBM Embedded ViaVoice product. Other engines were written specifically to meet project requirements. All project code components are designed to be portable and can be adapted to new hardware or operating systems by modifying a hardware portability layer and recompiling.
3.1. The Embedded Dialog Manager:
Philosophy The Embedded Dialog Manager (EDM) is successful to the extent that it makes the user comfortable with the spoken language interface. The conditions for this are easily recognized from personal experience with conversations that have failed. Human parties to a conversation must feel that they are being paid attention to, that they are understood and elicit a response when they speak, that there is meaning in what is spoken to them, that they can express the same request in several ways, that if understanding fails the other party will cooperate in a mutual effort to restore the conversation, and that the conversation itself may be discussed and its rules changed dynamically. Moreover, the behavior of the conversation must be varied and take into account both recent and long-term conversational history. These properties are supported in the EDM by means of its built-in properties and its collection of user interface data.
Either party, in the course of a conversation, may create utterances in four domains of discourse. The first three are (1) the content of subject of the conversation (“Tom pitched a curve”), (2) the subject of the conversation (“Let’s stop talking about baseball”), and (3) the conversational conditions (“Please speak a little louder, I’m having trouble hearing you over the game”). In a conversation between a person and a device, these correspond to addressing an application, addressing the operating system under the application (navigation), and addressing the dialog manager itself. Utterances in the fourth domain occur when two people converse and a third listens; in this case, some portion of the utterances can be intended to influence the listener. In a conversation between a person and a device, these utterances correspond addressing or launching background applications.
3.2. The Embedded Dialog Manager:
Design The user interface (UI) data collection is structured around these four domains. All applications addressed by the spoken language interface software stack provide UI data files for the EDM. UI files can be created and manipulated with any text editor. Specifying behaviors through data files that govern the dialog permits developers to build applications with a conversational interface without any specific knowl-edge of the APIs of the supporting engines.
A minimal UI file set contains a VOC (vocabulary) file; a typical set of such files will include at least one VOC file, a PMT (prompt) file and a PRF (profile) file. Multiple files of each kind can be provided for each application in order to provide both default and application-state-specific vocabularies, prompts and hardware properties. VOC files map user utterances into events that may be processed in the event loops of the VOC target. When the EDM accepts a spoken utterance for processing, the de-coded string returned by the recognition engine is used as a search key in the set of active VOC files. The search order (dialog manager VOC, target platform VOC, application VOC, background VOC), prevents any application developer from overriding the default vocabularies and damaging default functionality such as inter-application navigation. PMT (prompt) files provide a set of useful system responses for programmed events such as error conditions or acknowledgments. Well-designed prompts play an important role in creating the illusion of conversation. A PMT file is a list of sets of two elements comprising a prompt key and a prompt string. Prompt strings, which may contain references to environment variables (such as the name of the user), and to sound files, are played after composition. Any process capable of sending a message to the EDM can issue a command to play a prompt, so the same mechanism can be used by non-application functions such as low battery warnings or appointment notifications.
In a minimal prompt file, only one string is specified for each index. If one prompt is spoken to the user several times in a row, the user will perceive this as “mechanical” and grow frustrated. Three conditions arise in which more than one prompt should be specified. If the user needs to be alerted to the same condition several times, a collection of prompts of similar content may be used. A set of prompts of the same information value is called a “rotation.” The EDM can also select prompt complexity on the basis of conversational history. Repeated errors cause prompts of successively increased content (taper up) [2]. Growing user experience reduces feature prompts, down to “Ready” or a sound icon (taper down).
Properties such as voicing, power management and button properties also play a role in the user experience. These aspects of the interface are controlled by environment variables. A PRF (profile) file contains a list of variable names and values. When active, these are treated as environment variables and are used to control services, settings, substitutions in prompts, and to pass values between applications. Values in these files may be defaults or application-specific. Any application can change these values while running, but the defaults will be restored before a new application environment is loaded.
4. SPEECH RECOGNITION AND SYNTHESIS
The Embedded Speech Engine (ESE) is the smallest engine in the ViaVoice product line. The ESE is designed for medium vocabulary (up to 500 active words) speech recognition with finite-state grammars (FSG). The ESE uses the same application development tools as the ViaVoice dictation/telephony engine; however, it uses substantially less processor bandwidth and memory. The ESE is highly portable and scalable (small to medium vocabulary) and can run on any suitable 32 bit general-purpose CPU. The speech synthesis module in the ESE is a low-resource version of the one in ViaVoice desktop/telephony
.
4.1. ESE Architecture and Toolkit
The ESE uses the abstraction of services and queues. Each service (or execution unit) reads from an input queue, processes the data, and writes results to an ouput queue. At the heart of the ESE is a scheduler that examines the queues and schedules the appropriate service(s) to process data. Typically all the services run synchronously. However, the architecture also supports buffered services. For example, the ABS service, described below, works on accumulated cepstrum coefficients.
The recognition part of the ESE is built mainly from three services (FrontEnd, Labeler and Decoder), and three queues (PcmQueue, CepstralQueue, and RankQueue). The FrontEnd service reads from PcmQueue (which buffers the incoming audio), computes cepstral coefficients and writes results to CepstralQueue (which buffers the computed cepstra) The Labeler reads cepstra from CepstralQueue, computes the ranks (described below) and writes results to Rank-Queue. The Decoder reads ranks from RankQueue, finds the most likely word string permitted by the FSG and writes it out. The order of service invocation is controlled by a scheduler. The maximum size of each queue depends upon the CPU speed and expected maximum length of an utterance; the queues have to be big enough to buffer sufficient data in case the CPU cannot keep up with the incoming PCM. For the 7/11 digit string recognition task described below, with an acoustic model (AM) of 7000 Gaussians, the CPU requirements of the three services are similar. For larger grammars the Decoder takes more CPU. The speed of the Labeler is nearly independent of the size of the AM. The FrontEnd service computes standard 13-dim MFCC coefficients from 16 bit PCM, sampled at 11.025 KHz. All computations are in integer arithmetic. The FrontEnd also labels each cepstral vector as speech or silence. This decision is based on simple Gaussian mixture models for speech and silence in cepstral space. Due to the latency of speech-silence detector the FrontEnd also uses a buffer that holds a few milliseconds of cepstral data. The FrontEnd also performs adaptive mean and energy normalization. The Labeler service calculates the delta and the delta-delta coefficients, yielding a 39 dimensional feature vector.The Labeler then ranks the Gaussians in the acoustic model (AM) according to their log-likelihoods as computed on the given vector. The Labeler represents the acoustic model (typically about 7-10K Gaussians) efficiently in memory, and its algorithm is highly optimized for small footprint and high speed on RISC CPUs. The output from the Labeler is the top one hundred ranked HMM states, where each state is modeled by a Gaussian mixture. The Decoder service implements a simple synchronous Viterbi search, based on the rank likelihoods supplied to it
[3]. The associated trellis is represented in memory by arrays specifically built for the currently active grammar. The ESE architecture allows multiple services to run in parallel on the same queue. For example multiple Labelers and Decoders (with different grammars, acoustic models and so on) can run on the same cepstral data simultaneously. Moreover services like SpeakerID, SpeakerVerification, CepstralCompression, and AcousticBaseformGeneration can all read from the same CepstralQueue; thus the FrontEnd service is shared.
An important service that is provided by the recognizer is AcousticBaseformGeneration or ABS. ABS reads in the cepstral vectors that correspond to an uttered word and generates a pronunciation for it. It searches through the space of phone strings for the most likely phone string (as scored by both the recognition acoustic model, and a language model on phone strings) that could have generated the observed cepstral vectors [1]. This service permits on-the-fly creation of acoustic baseforms, for dynamic enlargement of the vocabulary The ESE toolkit has two parts: runtime code and offline utilities. The offline utilities enable users to design sets of grammars for applications, and to create the final re-locatable binary image. The image can be located in either ROM or RAM, and at any place in memory. The ViaVoice grammar compiler compiles common BNF input source and generates the HMM search graph associated with the input FSG. In addition to the compiled FSG, the binary image includes the acoustic model data, MQ400 microphones placed on the driver side seatbelt and sun-visor (or rear-view mirror). The split of data was 80/20/20 hours each at 0/30/60mph respectively.
The training data were augmented with data generated by digitally adding car noise to the 0mph part of the training corpus. The augmented training set (200 hours) was used to build the AM which has about 700 word-internal triphone HMM states, each modeled with a Gaussian mixture. The AMhad a total of about 7000 Gaussians in a 39-dimensional feature space.
The test data consisted of recordings of 100 sentences of 7/11 digit strings from 14 speakers (7 male, 7 female) at each of three speeds: 0/30/60mph. The test data were recorded on an AKG-Q400 mounted on the visor. Operating at a 15 ms frame rate, the ESE requires about 60 MIPS of CPU for this recognition task, which has an unusually broad grammar. Recognizing utterances in a simpler grammar would require less computation. The memory requirements for the digit string task are 387KB ROM and 92KB RAM. Table 4.2 shows the string error rate (SER) of the ESE on this task. Speed 0mph 30mph 60mph Avg SER (%) 2.0 6.0 9.3 5.8 Table 1. String Error Rate (SER) of the ESE on the 7/11 Digit String Recognition Task
4.2. ESE Performance
This section describes the application of the ESE to a difficult digit string recognition task in a car. The task is to recognize 7 or 11 digit phone numbers in a car. A total of 120 hours of speech data were recorded from 300 speakers. Each recording consisted of 100 sentences of read speech from one speaker at one of three speeds: 0/30/60mph. The recorded scripts contained a mix of digit strings, command-and-control strings and general English. Over twenty cars and minivans were used as data collection sites. The data were recorded simultaneously on AKG-recorded on an AKG-Q400 mounted on the visor.
Operating at a 15 ms frame rate, the ESE requires about 60 MIPS of CPU for this recognition task, which has an unusually broad grammar. Recognizing utterances in a simpler grammar would require less computation. The memory requirements for the digit string task are 387KB ROM and 92KB RAM. Table 4.2 shows the string error rate (SER) of the ESE on this task Speed 0mph 30mph 60mph Avg SER (%) 2.0 6.0 9.3 5.8
Table 1. String Error Rate (SER) of the ESE on the 7/11 Digit String Recognition Task list of place names (for example “auditorium”) can be transcribed directly into the calendar as text, or can be created in audio format and stored there as PCM. Future versions will transfer such audio files to the desktop at synchronization time, where they will be decoded by a large vocabulary recognizer, and reinserted as text into the calendar. A similar set of functions are enabled for the other PIM applications.
All these applications may also be controlled by the familiar stylus interface, in case the user prefers silent interaction. The phrase-to-phrase translator recognizes a small vo-cabulary of complete phrases judged useful to the business traveler (for instance “Good morning,” “I am lost,” “I’d like a single room,” “Please take me to this address”). These are then rendered into one of a selected list of languages, currently French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. The rendering is accomplished either through the text-to-speech system, or by playback of prerecorded utterances of native speakers. The translation is a simple mapping from one known phrase to another.
5. APPLICATIONS
The EDM was designed to be application neutral: application domain expertise is expected to reside in the application, and conversational expertise is expected to reside in the EDM and the UI data files. The EDM provides its expertise by responding to messages. The external sources of messages are the user, the application platform and the current application. When the EDM captures a user utterance, it sends the audio to the ESE, and prepares to receive back an error or a recognized phrase. On receiving the response from the ESE, if it is not an error, the decoding is found in the active VOC file collection, and its associated event and data are sent to the target application.
By these means, we have speech-enabled the Palm PIM applications (date book, address book, to do list, memo pad), and a simple phrase-to-phrase language translator. The PIM applications were made the owners of their user interface files, and events in these applications were aliased or added to respond to messages from the PSA. Provisions were also added to drive the text-to-speech and PCM playback systems from the application.
The speech-enabled date book functions include navi-gation in the calendar by day (for instance “yesterday,” “to-day,” “last Friday, “next Sunday”) and time (“8 am,” “5 pm”), readout of appointments (“next appointment,” “list appointments”), and creation of new appointments at a specified date and time. New appointments drawn from a short list of place names (for example “auditorium”) can be transcribed directly into the calendar as text, or can be created in audio format and stored there as PCM. Future versions will transfer such audio files to the desktop at synchronization time, where they will be decoded by a large vocabulary recognizer, and reinserted as text into the calendar. A similar set of functions are enabled for the other PIM applications. All these applications may also be controlled by the familiar stylus interface, in case the user prefers silent interaction. The phrase-to-phrase translator recognizes a small vocabulary of complete phrases judged useful to the business traveler (for instance “Good morning,” “I am lost,” “I’d like a single room,” “Please take me to this address”). These are then rendered into one of a selected list of languages, currently French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. The rendering is accomplished either through the text-to-speech system, or by playback of prerecorded utterances of native speakers. The translation is a simple mapping from one known phrase to another.
6. SUMMARY
This paper has described the hardware and software characteristics of the IBM Personal Speech Assistant (PSA), a handheld conversational personal information manager. The PSA is a both platform for experimentation and a demanding proving ground. In addition to the obvious challenge of performing speech recognition in the varied and often highly adverse acoustic environments where handheld devices are expected to operate, we have contended with the constraints imposed by the unit’s desired size and weight, the esthetics of creating a device that is pleasing to look at and hold, the creation of an environment that is easily modified and extended by others, and the synthesis of a complete user interface from all these elements of design and technology.Whether we have succeeded must be judged by those who use the result of our labors.
7. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We wish to thank Sabine Deligne, Ellen Eide, Paul Fern-hout, Dimitri Kanevsky, Benoit Maison, Harry Printz, Roberto Sicconi, Karl Zeeso, IBM Vimercate (now Celestica Vimercate) and IBM Voice Systems for their contributions.
8. REFERENCES
[1] S. Deligne, B. Maison and R. A. Gopinath. Automatic Generation and Selection of Baseforms for Dynamic Vocabularies Proc. ICASSP 2001.
[2] N. Yankelovich. Designing SpeechActs: Issues in Speech User Interfaces CHI’95 Proceedings.
[3] L. R. Bahl, P. V. de Souza, P. S. Gopalakrishnan, D. Na-hamoo, M. A. Picheny. Robust Methods for Using Context-Dependent Features and Models in a Continuous Speech Recognizer Proc. ICASSP 1994.initial mean normalization vector, the speech/silence detection model data and other initialization data.
Toshiba Expands Growing Line-Up of Secure Digital Memory Cards With the Introduction of a 128MB Device
NAND Flash-Based Secure Digital Memory Card Delivers Greater Storage Capacity For Audio, Video, Data and Multimedia Applications
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010806/lam019.html
IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- To meet the growing consumer demand for greater storage capacity for data, video and audio files, Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC)* today announced the introduction of a 128 megabyte (MB) Secure Digital (SD) Memory Card. The new SD Memory Card complements Toshiba Corp.'s (Toshiba) comprehensive line of solid state storage solutions which also include the CompactFlash(TM) and SmartMedia(TM) form factors, bringing original equipment manufacturer (OEM) customers a range of solutions to meet their removable storage requirements.
Designated the SD-M1280, the 128MB SD Memory Card includes two of Toshiba's 512 megabit (Mb) NAND flash memory devices, manufactured using Toshiba's 0.16-micron process technology. Designed for use in wireless and portable communications devices including personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular phones, handheld PCs, digital still and video cameras, MP3 players, car navigation systems, and electronic books, the 128MB SD Memory Card stores up to four hours of music or 40 minutes of video.
``As the cost-per-bit of NAND flash memory continues to decline, it is becoming the most cost-effective choice for a variety of applications, driving a shift in the market demand from NOR to NAND,'' said Jackie Traeumer, senior business development manager, Flash Products, at TAEC. ``With the introduction of the 128MB SD Memory Card, we are continuing to push the envelope in developing higher density solutions to meet the needs of a broader range of applications requiring greater amounts of secure file storage.''
Toshiba's 128MB SD Memory Cards leverage the company's advanced security technology to provide key enhancements over traditional flash cards such as cryptographic security, improved protection of copyrighted data, high data transfer rate for fast copy/download, and high storage capacity.
According to Gartner Dataquest, the ability to store and transfer digital information has become increasingly important over the past couple of years, due to the emergence of digital consumer products in general and of portable electronic equipment in particular. ``In 2000, the removable flash card market was worth approximately $1.3 billion,'' said Benjamin Thompson, senior analyst, Gartner Dataquest. ``Gartner Dataquest views the potential annual revenue for Secure Digital Card sales to be as high as $800 million to $1 billion by 2004, due to the substantial requirement for content protection of recordable and prerecorded media (CPRM and CPPM) in the consumer electronics marketplace.''
Technical Specifications
Part Number SD-M1280
Flash Memory Process 0.16 micron process technology
Package SD Physical Layer Spec. V1.0 Compliant
32 millimeters (mm) x 24mm x 2.1mm (LxWxH)
Power Supply Operating Voltage 2.7 volts (V) to 3.6V
Pricing and Availability
Samples of Toshiba's SD-M1280 are available now, and priced at $149 each in OEM quantities. Toshiba plans to introduce a 256MB SD Memory Card in the fourth quarter of 2001.
SD Card Background
The SD Memory Card is a revolutionary universal flash memory storage device designed to meet the security, capacity, ergonomic and performance requirements of emerging audio, video and multimedia consumer electronics markets. SD Memory Card packaging includes a new high-performance, nine-pin SD interface that enables data transfer rates of up to 2 megabytes per second (MB/s) and will eventually allow transfer rates of up to 10MB/s. The SD Memory Card is ergonomically designed for current and future devices that require reduced real estate for components while demanding increased storage space. The card is 32 millimeters (mm) long, 24mm wide and 2.1 mm thick, approximately the size of a postage stamp, and weighs two grams.
The SD Memory Card specification was defined by the Secure Digital Association (SDA), which founding members include Toshiba, Matsushita Electrical Industrial Co. Ltd. (Panasonic) and SanDisk Corporation. The SD Memory Card is designed to comply with all three levels of the Secure Digital Music Industry (SDMI) security requirements. Both non-protected (category I) and copy protected (categories II and III) material can be stored on the card. The copy-protected material can be secured either by a unique card bound identification (category II) or by an active cryptography algorithm (category III), that involves challenge/response protocols against a private key.
NAND Flash Background
The SD Memory Card is based on NAND flash memory. Toshiba is a recognized pioneer in flash technology and invented NAND flash technology in 1989. NAND flash is becoming the storage media of choice for solid state storage applications because of its high-speed programming capability, high-speed erasing, small block size, and low cost. The sequential nature (serial access) of NAND-based flash memory provides notable advantages for these block-oriented data storage applications. Toshiba's NAND flash memory products are optimized for general solid state storage, image file storage and audio for applications such as solid state disk drives, digital cameras, set-top boxes and industrial storage.
About TAEC
Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC) offers the industry's broadest line-up of semiconductor, display and storage solutions for the computing, wireless, networking and digital consumer markets. Combining quality and flexibility with design engineering expertise, TAEC brings advanced next-generation technologies to its OEM customers.
TAEC is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America Inc., a subsidiary of the $54 billion (FY 1999 recorded sales) Toshiba Corp., the second largest semiconductor company worldwide in terms of global sales for the year 2000. Toshiba Corp. is a world leader in high-technology products with more than 300 major subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide. For additional company and product information, please visit TAEC's web site at chips.toshiba.com. For technical inquiries, please email Tech.Questions@taec.toshiba.com.
SmartMedia is a trademark of Toshiba Corp.
CompactFlash is a trademark of SanDisk Corp.
For further information please contact, Suzanne Collier, scollier@bsmg.com, or Penny Capra, pcapra@bsmg.com, both of Benjamin Group/BSMG Worldwide, +1-949-260-1300, for Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc.; or Reader inquiries please publish: Tech.Questions@taec.toshiba.com
SOURCE: Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc.
InterTrust and DataPlay Announce Partnership for Protecting Portable Media
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-06-2001/0001548947&...
DataPlay Digital Media and Rights/System's Powerful New Media Platform Poised to Replace the Compact Disc
SANTA CLARA, Calif. and BOULDER, Colo., Aug. 6 /PRNewswire/ --
InterTrust Technologies Corporation (Nasdaq: ITRU), provider of the leading
trusted Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology, and DataPlay, Inc.,
developer of the universal media format for all things digital, today
announced a strategic relationship to create a portable media distribution
platform for protected content such as music. Universal Music Group, EMI
Recorded Music and BMG Entertainment are all planning to release pre-recorded
music on DataPlay digital media for use in multiple consumer electronic
devices.
InterTrust and DataPlay will create a format for DRM-based content storage
on DataPlay digital media. Consumer electronics manufacturers, including
Samsung, Toshiba and SONICblue (makers of the Diamond Rio), which are
developing DataPlay-enabled devices, will also be able to license the format.
InterTrust's recently announced Rights/System provides a secure environment
for music with a transparent user experience. Users can play their
InterTrust-protected content in any DataPlay-enabled device. Users will also
have the ability to move the content to their desktop computers and portable
devices. For content providers and consumers, this seamlessly integrates
content purchased online and content bought on DataPlay digital media.
"A standard for protected portable media is essential to create the CD's
successor," said Talal Shamoon, EVP business development, InterTrust.
"InterTrust believes that DataPlay's position with 3 of the 5 major labels and
its cutting edge format delivers a compelling consumer entertainment
experience. A ubiquitous protected format beyond the CD is the only way to
conclusively halt music piracy, while giving consumers the rich experience
they want."
"DataPlay's partnership with InterTrust reinforces its mission to provide
a new media format for consumers that maintains security and control for the
distribution of electronic content," said Todd Oseth, senior vice president of
corporate development from DataPlay. "The scalability and flexibility of
InterTrust's platform allow us to easily integrate the DataPlay solution with
any content, device or distribution method." "We are pleased to see InterTrust
and DataPlay working together to create a flexible specification for
delivering our artists' music and enhanced content," said Albhy Galuten,
Sr. Vice President, Advanced Technology, Universal Music Group's eLabs.
"Combining DataPlay's new digital media format with InterTrust's DRM
technology will give consumers the flexibility and convenience they want."
To support the DataPlay platform, InterTrust developed a special version
of its technology for portable devices, Rights/PD, and a dedicated "packager"
that places the content in a secure format. InterTrust is also adapting its PC
plug-in for music players, to enable playing and importing content from
DataPlay digital media, as well as the activation of additional content that
resides securely on the digital media -- a unique DataPlay feature.
InterTrust's Rights/System servers complete the infrastructure and allow
retailers and distributors to activate content on the digital media and send
protected content to consumers in a user-friendly fashion.
About InterTrust Technologies Corporation
Over the past eleven years, InterTrust has dramatically changed the
landscape and importance of DRM. As the first company to devise a digital
commerce network, the MetaTrust Utility, to help other businesses manage and
protect their proprietary data, InterTrust acts as a neutral third party to
ensure security and interoperability over the Internet and other electronic
devices. InterTrust's more than 40 licensees and partners include Adobe,
AOL/TimeWarner, BlockBuster, BMG Entertainment, Cirrus, Compaq, Digital World
Services, Enron, Magex, Mercurix, Mitsubishi, Nokia, Philips, Samsung, Texas
Instruments, Universal Music Group, and Wave Systems.
About DataPlay, Inc.
DataPlay, Inc. was incorporated in November 1998 to develop a Web-enabled
digital content recording and distribution media for portable Internet
appliances and hand-held consumer electronic and entertainment devices.
Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, the Company employs more than 175 people
in the United States, Singapore and Japan. Visit DataPlay on the Internet at
http://www.dataplay.com.
The statements contained in this release that are not purely historical
are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the
Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, including statements regarding
InterTrust's expectations, beliefs, hopes, intentions or strategies regarding
the future.
All forward-looking statements included in this document are based upon
information available to InterTrust as of the date hereof, and InterTrust
assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statement. Actual
results could differ materially from current expectations.
Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but
are not limited to, the factors and risks discussed in InterTrust's reports
filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
NOTE: DigiBox, the InterTrust logo, MetaTrust, and The MetaTrust Utility
are registered trademarks of InterTrust Technologies Corporation, and
TrustChip, Rights/Chip, InterRights Point, MetaTrust-Certified, Rights/PD and
Rights/System are trademarks of InterTrust Technologies Corporation, all of
which may or may not be used in certain jurisdictions.
All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks
of their respective companies or organizations.
Coby's website: http://216.206.62.141/index.htm
DataPlay partners list seems to be growing:
http://www.dataplay.com/images/en/company-partner-logos.gif
FWIW re Classic brand:
http://hardware.dmusic.com/reviews/cm415/
Figuring out the company profile for Classic was difficult, it almost appeared the company did not want to be profiled. The instruction manual and packaging gave no website or address, however in the warranty info, I found a toll-free number and that the true manufacturer is a company named Combined Luck Industries LTD. An online search for Combined Luck only turned up an import detention for a CD player (apparently not registered) one year ago.
With nothing else left, I called the toll-free number and got a message that told me to call a different toll-free number. I called the second toll-free number and to my surprise, I got a real person on the other end. He was even nice and helpful! It turns out the Combined Luck Industries is a Hong Kong based manufacturer that has been making CD players for other companies (including Classic) for 12-15 years. Classic itself is owned by Executive Marketing, a 4 year old company based in Newport Beach. Circuit City (where I bought the Classic CM415) is their largest vendor. Classic makes CD players, SRS Radios and CD burners.
http://hardware.dmusic.com/reviews/cdm193/printer.php
Starlite Marketing Ltd: Starlite is a Hong Kong company and AudioLogic is a brand name that Starlite owns. Starlite is a 31-year-old company that began manufacturing transistor radios in 1969, now manufacturing a wide range of products including CD & MP3 players, televisions, and telephones. Starlite has manufactured or currently manufactures products for large companies such as Philips, Sony, Sharp, Hitachi, Thompson, Grundig, and Daewoo.
When I called the number in the instruction pamphlet to find out more about Starlite, I got a message to call another number. In an odd twist of fate when I called the familiar looking second number, it turned out to be Executive Marketing (the U.S. front for Combined Luck Industries LTD, makers of the Classic CM 415 of my last review) and I even talked to the same representative I talked to for the Classic mp3-CD player. It turns out Executive Marketing manages U.S. affairs for AudioLogic.
WebSphere Commerce Suite for Digital Media
http://www-4.ibm.com/software/webservers/commerce/digitalmedia.html
Digital media are some of your company’s most important assets—but you can’t stack them in a warehouse or package and deliver them manually. You need a flexible, portable and easy-to-maintain solution that’s not only a digital asset management system but also a distribution system that can generate new revenue.
Media companies with growing volumes of digital assets—photos, video clips, audio files, illustrations and animated images—face new regulatory requirements and the challenge of making those assets available online. IBM WebSphere® Commerce Suite for Digital Media allows you to store, search, view, manage, collaborate, purchase, sell and download digital assets, reaching customers directly through the Internet.
This new e-commerce service offering combines industry-proven WebSphere® Commerce Suite with the capabilities of IBM Content Manager. Powered by Java™ technology, WebSphere Commerce Suite for Digital Media allows you to enrich the consumer’s experience and B2B buying interface, forging new customer relationships while strengthening existing ones. And helping to generate and increase revenues as well as your profit margins.
Features at a glance
Store and manage multimedia assets, including images, documents, illustrations, animations, audio clips and streaming video
Collaborate in realtime, and reduce cycle times and production costs, fostering teamwork and knowledge sharing
Provides user registration, with site usage preferences that will be recalled at the next login
Offers robust search capabilities, using Boolean, full text, categories, synonyms or exact phrase searches
Provides simple purchase, payment and fulfillment processing—single purchases by credit card or subscription payments
Protects your images from unauthorized use through visible or invisible watermarks, with or without embedded text overlay
Provides features such as visible or invisible watermarking and embedded text titling along with secure purchase functions. With the addition of the Electronic Media Management System (EMMS), companies can have the additional security of compression, encryption and special formatting functions to provide even more security.
Delivers digital media instant download by file transfer protocol (FTP), CD-ROM, tape or other fulfillment systems
Learn more about IBM Content Manager, EMMS and how IBM serves media and entertainment companies.
(see also http://houns54.clearlake.ibm.com/solutions/media/gdc/audio_suite.html -TR)
OT: New Cisco CTE transforms Web site content for wireless devices
http://www.ciscoworldmagazine.com/newsflash2/2001/08/01_cte.shtml
Cisco's new CTE 1400 Series Content Transformation Engine, introduced Wednesday, will automatically adapt a customer's Web site content for wireless devices such as PDAs and mobile phones.
With the new Cisco CTE appliance, set to be available later this month, all a company has to do is set rules for how standard HTML or XML Web content should be transformed for specific types of client devices (i.e., WAP phones, Palm PDAs, Pocket PCs, etc.) Once it is set up, the CTE appliance, which takes up one unit on a standard rack, will automatically convert Web site content when a wireless device seeks to access it. The CTE functions as a reverse-proxy, acting as a Web server to the client device and as a client device to the Web server.
Based on technology from WebUnwired Inc., the Cisco CTE can be easily and quickly installed into any network infrastructure without requiring any changes to existing hardware or back-end software. This is not true of software-based solutions that perform the same function as the CTE, Cisco officials said. Each Cisco CTE supports up to 10,000 simultaneous users and 1,400 concurrent active sessions per unit. Users can scale upward for increased performance and redundancy by including additional Cisco CTEs.
List price for the Cisco CTE 1400 Series Content Transformation Engine 1400 is $69,995.
'Digital dilemma' on CBS Marketwatch this weekend:
"Recording companies have spent millions to shut down Napster. But other sites still offer free music via the Web. How can recording companies turn a profit in an online industry that's expected to grow 520 percent by the year 2006? Steve Gelsi looks at the changing face of the music industry."
http://www.marketwatch.com/tvradio/default.asp?scid=1&siteid=yhoo
for air time in your area, see http://www.marketwatch.com/tvradio/weekend/schedule.asp?siteid=yhoo&dist=&
BusyBump conversation with Robert Putnam:
http://ragingbull.lycos.com/mboard/boards.cgi?board=EDIG&read=736560
Finally had sometime here in Okla. City to give Robert a call. He was his usual enthusiastic self.
Question #1. The economy is in a horrible state. Have you seen this downturn effecting our OEMs' timelines for the launch of products?
Response #1. No. The big companies are still O.K. Only much smaller companies are being effected.
Q#2. How about the computer manufacturers?
R#2. They are still very excited about bundling as a way to boost sales but they are looking for the way to get the biggest bang for the buck. Quantities are still being worked out.
Q#3. Can you say how many products we are working on with DataPlay?
R#3. We are working with multiple OEMs on a number of different products that are scheduled for launch this fall.
Q#4. How long does it usually take to negotiate a contract as with B&O and what is the usual delay between completion and announcement?
R#4. Usually several weeks to land a contract but the announcement is a different story. Sometimes many months elapse before we can announce due to various constraints.
Q#5. Has this quarter started off with decent revenues?
R#5. We will announce the previous quarter's results by Aug. 15th and, at that time, we will give some guidance about the current quarter.
Q#6. I read an e-mail from Hy-Tek which said that demand for TREO was going through the roof? Do you have the same info?
R#6. We anticipate a strong demand for TREO as well as Eastech's JB which will be launched shortly?
Q#7. I assume that means imminent revenues for Edig?
R#7. We are looking forward to that.
Q#8. Can we anticipate any new product launches or product platform announcements before the fall? The term "summer" has been used a lot. Does that translate to August?
R#8. August/ September sort of blend together as the best time of year to launch new products...back-to-school, in plenty of time to establish before the Christmas buying season. This is the timeframe that our OEMs are working in.
Q#9. There seems to be so much going on at Edig....hiring, new alliances/products/negotiations, etc. How soon will we see tangible evidence that will verify to the public and the many loyal shareholders what we have believed in for so long?
R#9. Tangible evidence is products to the marketplace and product acceptance. We are very close and are anxious to make Edig's technology and our efforts known.
Q#10. A large percentage of Nasdaq stocks are well below the $5/share entry point...many below $1/share. Do you see this as leading to a quicker listing process for Edig when the PPS exceeds $5?
R#10. Yes. We anticipate much more expeditious handling than last year. We expect more expeditious handling because, at the moment, there are many more delistings in progress than listings.
Hope this is of interest to some. For me, it is always good to get an updated feeling about Edig's progress from RP's comments.
All the best to all of you.
arkieboy1, found a little on KOEX (now renamed COEX):
http://www.coex.co.kr/english/exhibition/e_exhi01/e_calendar01.htm (2001 event calender)
http://www.newtechkorea.co.kr/english/fra_info01.htm (event slated for 7/25 - 7/29)
Those are internet content players from the "microc-cos" folks at CVC Networks: http://www.cvcn.co.kr/eng/index.htm
See also http://store.yahoo.com/zangter/cap.html (I have no explanation as to how they found their way to the EDIG website; pehaps they were smuggled in ; - )
Some geek stuff worth a read:
http://www.trl.ibm.com/projects/RightsManagement/datahiding/index_e.htm
Or vice-versa, Bosox. It'd be a simple matter to offer a free flash player or heavily discounted jukebox player in exchange for a 1 or 2 year subscriber commitment. To make the deal more attractive, supply a mini-jack to twin-RCA plugs adaptor to allow the player to be connected to home hi-fi gear.
Online Music Subscription Services Can Succeed at $5 Per Month, But Consumer Expectations Will Not Be Met
Red Herring Research Reports Limitations to Service to Achieve Profitability
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010725/nyw091.html
SAN FRANCISCO, July 25 /PRNewswire/ -- In the post-Napster era, online music subscription firms -- including MusicNet, pressplay, Napster, FullAudio -- have promised to deliver to consumers a reasonable replacement for free music downloads. According to the Red Herring Research's most recent online music report released today, consumers can be offered an affordable subscription at $5 per month, but online music firms will be forced to limit functionality, the volume of song downloads, and the selection of songs that consumers have become accustomed to via Napster.
According to the report, ``Online Music Subscription Fees: Relating Operational Costs with Potential Consumer Demand,'' 41% of online adults visiting music sites are willing to pay a monthly subscription fee for access to the music they want. At the proposed $5 monthly subscription fee, RHR estimates online music firms will have to retain subscribers for 5 months just to cover the cost of customer acquisition. At this $5 fee, the highly variable nature of bandwidth costs plays a major threat to profitability, which will ultimately result in online music providers limiting the number and volume of downloaded songs.
``The planned subscription services promise to pick up where Napster left off,'' according to RHR analyst Matt Wells. ``But there remains a great disparity between what the online music companies are capable of providing while maintaining profitability and what consumers are expecting.''
Using MP3.com and Launch Media as proxies, the report analyzes consumer interest and acquisition, delivery of online music in terms of streaming versus downloads, sales and marketing expenditures as well as bandwidth costs.
``Online Music Subscription Fees: Relating Operational Costs with Potential Consumer Demand,'' is the latest in a series of reports published by Red Herring Research regarding online music and streaming. It is available for $295 at http://www.redherring.com/research.
Red Herring Research (RHR) reports are designed to help business leaders and industry thinkers gain reliable business intelligence with a balanced blend of insightful discussion and pertinent infographics. RHR analysis addresses the information needs of senior-level managers, executives, consultants, academics, and students and is priced within a range from $95 to $750.
About Red Herring Communications
Red Herring Communications, Inc. is an integrated network of media properties connecting the people, companies and industries whose ideas and technological innovations are inspiring and reshaping the world of business. Founded in 1993, ``Red Herring'' magazine, the company's flagship platform, provides in-depth analysis and reporting on the business of technology, innovation and entrepreneurialism. RedHerring.com, Red Herring Research and Red Herring Events offer a unique blend of news, commentary, financial analysis, investor tools and access to leaders of emerging technologies and markets. A privately held company, Red Herring Communications, Inc. is headquartered in San Francisco
New Napster Chief Looks Ahead
By Noah Shachtman
10:43 a.m. July 24, 2001 PDT
http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,45504,00.html
NEW YORK -- Napster may be dead, but its new CEO proclaimed the music-swapping service will live a long time.
Appearing in public within hours of the news that he was tabbed to replace interim CEO Hank Barry, Konrad Hilbers didn't reveal much in his first day on the job.
But he told a packed hall of music and technology executives at Jupiter Media Metrix's Plug.In Forum that the "Napster brand cannot be killed."
Furthermore, Hilbers, the former chief administrative officer of BMG Entertainment and former CEO of CompuServe, said Napster is "on the track toward becoming a legitimate service ... that rewards artists and copyright holders."
But in terms of delivering any real nuggets about his plans, Hilbers came up short.
"We didn't learn much, is the bottom line," Jupiter Media Metrix analyst Mark Mooradian said.
Hilbers struck conciliatory and positive notes in front of the crowd at the New York Sheraton. The major labels that sued Napster were merely "defending their rights," he said.
It was a rather remarkable statement in that it's the first time a Napster official has conceded that the labels had a legitimate reason for filing a copyright infringement suit in December 1999. And it comes at a critical time, because Napster needs to strike deals with the record companies before it can cash in on a $50 million loan promised by the German media conglomerate Bertelsmann AG.
Without settling the copyright infringement lawsuit, Napster might eventually be forced to shut down for good.
He noted that Napster still has 800,000 users logging on every day in its severely limited state, but he's not concerned that currently Napster is down.
However, he added, it will take significant efforts to "get us to critical mass again."
Hilbers predecessor Hank Barry -- replaced virtually overnight -- will remain with the company in a reduced role, and will also serve on its board of directors. He appeared at the conference during an on-stage discussion with Jupiter's Aram Sinnreich and said that Napster's arrangements with Musicnet -- the soon-to-be-introduced Internet music subscription service backed by EMI, BMG, and AOL Time Warner -- will prevent Napster from offering songs from the investors in PressPlay, Musicnet's competitor.
"We agreed not to do direct deals with Sony and Universal for a period of time," Barry noted.
But Napster will continue to differentiate itself from other subscription efforts by providing unreleased and out-of-print material, he said.
Meanwhile, the executives masterminding the major labels' digital music subscription effort unveiled new details about their plans and offered veiled warnings to the publishers who might stand in their way.
Real Networks chief and Musicnet interim CEO Rob Glaser revealed that Zomba -- the giant independent label behind Britney Spears, R. Kelly, Tool and the Backstreet Boys -- had enrolled in the service.
Zomba will make its catalog exclusively available through Musicnet during the service's launch and will make a small, undisclosed equity investment in Musicnet, Glaser said.
Immediately afterwards, Vivendi Universal executive Edgar Bronfman Jr. said his fledgling PressPlay service will offer tunes for both streaming and download with Sony Music. Previously, PressPlay was reported to be a streaming-only service.
Bronfman also hinted PressPlay will launch in early September -- with or without the OK from the publishing arms of the record companies. To date, publishers have, by and large, been reluctant to sign up for such Internet music deals.
The major difference between PressPlay and Musicnet will be in pricing, Bronfman said.
While Musicnet's retail and portal partners like AOL and Napster will set the pricing for its service, PressPlay will offer a more standardized pricing plan because of concerns "that the continuing devaluation of music will continue unabated."
Mary, you can already buy a CVC ICP-2000 for 190,000 won at this Yahoo store:
http://store.yahoo.com/zangter/cap.html
(Other store offerings: http://store.yahoo.com/zangter/mp3rnbdkwie-ecvors-32m-.html )
jimee11 e-mail from Eastech:
http://ragingbull2.forbes.com/mboard/boards.cgi?board=EDIG&read=735650
EMAIL FROM EASTTECH -
I am an equal opportunity information provider:
ORIGINAL EMAIL
From: XXXXXX, XXX
To: 'sophia.liu@tw.eastecher.com'
Sent: Monday, July 23, 2001 10:38 PM
Subject: re: Harddrive Music JBs in the U.S.
Sophia --
I am an end-user that will be seeking to purchase your harddrive JB in the U.S. in the coming month. It has been reported to me that you will be shipping these around "late August". I have a few questions for you:
1. Will consumers be able to purchase these products, i.e. myself, or are these sample units for the stores?
2. Do these units being shipped represent "tests" so that EastTech can find any early "bugs" and fix them before a more "mass-produced" production schedule begins?
3. If #2 is correct above, could we see further delays with the introduction of the harddrive JBs in the U.S.?
4. Is CircuitCity the only store they are being shipped too?
Thank you!
Jim LaBoda
EASTTECH RESPONSE
From: ATLE-IA-Jessica
To: xxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.com
Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2001 9:31 AM
Subject: Fw: Harddrive Music JBs in the U.S.
Hi Jim,
First of all, thanks for you will decide to buy our JB.
To reply your questions.
1. Yes, our JB is open for end-users purchasing.
2. Yes, the product quality will be 100% OK. Even if we can find later bug, it can be solved by upgrade the firmware through USB port on the device. We will release lattes program on the website time to time.
3. For your information, we will start to produce 100 sets this Friday, so the delay won't be expected.
4. You can find it in Fry's & Bestbuy.
Alpine Completes Full Line of XM Satellite-Ready Products; Announces Tuner Delivery Dates
Six In-Dash Products Provide Subscribers XM Satellite Radio Services With Full Bass Engine Functionality
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010724/latu062.html
TORRANCE, Calif., July 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Alpine Electronics of America, Inc., the industry-leading manufacturer of high performance mobile electronics, announced that its XM Radio Tuner Module will be available for purchase in September. Alpine is one of the first manufacturers to bring satellite-based, radio service in-dash product to market through its give XM Ready CD receivers, and is the only manufacturer to have an in-dash, retractable LCD Mobile Multimedia Station(TM) with XM capability.
Alpine's XM Satellite-ready head units will provide consumers with in-dash products that are ready for ``plug and play'' with the XM Radio Tuner module. Alpine has already sold more than 70,000 XM Ready head units, and with the simple installation of the separate Alpine XM Tuner module and antenna, the Alpine products can receive all XM Satellite radio programming anywhere in the continental U.S. All products are also equipped with Bass Engine(TM) technology that provides user controls to customize the bass sound and the ability to customize the overall sound of their car audio system.
``We're ready to give consumers this new satellite-based radio service with XM Satellite capabilities,'' said Stephen Witt, vice president of Brand Marketing at Alpine Electronics. ``With the availability of these six products and the XM Tuner module, Alpine is set to support XM's lead market launches in San Diego, CA and Dallas, TX in September.''
XM Radio transmits radio broadcasts from its all-digital studios using commercial satellites for satellite-to-radio transmissions. As many as 100 new radio channels will be available featuring the best in music, news, talk, sports, entertainment and children's programming, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Alpine's XM Satellite Products:
-- CDA-7878 CD Receiver/CD Changer Controller -- MP3/CD-R/RW playback;
Bass Engine Pro; Suggested Retail Price: $850; Available: Now
-- CDA-7977 CD Tuner/CD Changer Controller -- MaxTune SQ tuner; BBE
processor and Versatile-Link ready; Bass Engine Plus; Suggested Retail
Price: $550; Available: Now
-- CDA-7876 CD Receiver/CD Changer Controller -- 60W x 4 V-drive hybrid
amplifier; MaxTune SQ tuner; BBE processor and Versatile-Link ready;
Bass Engine Plus; Suggested Retail Price: $450; Available: Now
-- CDA-7875 CD Receiver/CD Changer Controller -- 60W x 4 V-drive hybrid
amplifier; MaxTune SQ tuner; BBE processor and Versatile-Link ready;
Bass Engine Plus; Suggested Retail Price: $430; Available: Now
-- CDA-7873 CD Receiver/CD Changer Controller -- 60W x 4 V-drive hybrid
amplifier; MaxTune SQ tuner; BBE processor and Versatile-Link ready;
Bass Engine Plus; Suggested Retail Price: $350; Available: Now
-- CVA-1003 CD Receiver/CD Changer Controller Mobile Multimedia Station --
6.5" fully motorized monitor with dual-color LCD display; MaxTune SQ
tuner and BBE processor; Suggested Retail Price: $1,100; Available: Now
-- TUA-T020XM AiNet XM Radio Tuner Module -- Suggested Retail Price: $280;
Available: Mid-September
-- KAE-020XM Magnetic Mount XM Radio Antenna -- Suggested Retail Price:
TBD; Available: Mid-September
About XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: XMSR - news) is developing a new radio service. XM's programming philosophy is to offer an innovative mix of music, talk, news, sports, comedy and children's formats. XM's programming will be uplinked to XM's powerful satellites and transmitted directly to vehicle, home and portable radios across the country. For more information, please visit XM's web site at www.xmradio.com.
About Alpine Electronics
Alpine Electronics is one of the world's leading mobile electronics companies. Alpine is the only manufacturer specializing in mobile multimedia, an integrated system approach incorporating digital audio/video entertainment, security and navigation products for the mobile environment. With research and development facilities in Asia, Europe and the U.S., Alpine is the global leader for in-vehicle navigation systems in Japan, North America and Europe for the after-market and for OEM factory installations. Alpine Electronics is a consolidated subsidiary of Alps Electric Co., Ltd., one of the world's premier manufacturers of electronic components for computer, communications and car electronics equipment. Alpine is the Alps Group's specialized supplier of quality mobile electronics systems. Visit Alpine at www.alpine1.com to experience mobile multimedia excellence or to find the closest dealer.
SOURCE: Alpine Electronics of America, Inc.
MusicNet Announces Partnership With Zomba, The World's Leading Independent Music Label
Zomba Joins BMG, EMI and Warner Music Group to Deliver Some of the World's Best Known Artists to the MusicNet Service
Zomba Makes Equity Investment in MusicNet
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010724/sftu104.html
SEATTLE, July 24 /PRNewswire/ -- MusicNet announced today that it has added Zomba, the world's leading independent music label, to its growing list of content providers. Zomba will license its digital music library to MusicNet. Today's announcement confirms MusicNet's commitment to offering the widest range of content through its digital music subscription platform. In addition, Zomba has made a cash investment in MusicNet, and will become a minority shareholder in the company joining current MusicNet content partners, BMG, EMI and Warner Music Group. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
Zomba, which brings some of the world's top artists to the MusicNet service, will become the newest MusicNet label partner, along with BMG, EMI and Warner Music Group. Upon launch of the service, MusicNet will be the only major online music subscription-focused service offering retailers Zomba's impressive digital music collection.
``It has always been MusicNet's goal to combine the best technology, distribution and content into a single digital music platform,'' said Rob Glaser, interim CEO of MusicNet. ``Today's announcement with Zomba furthers our commitment to offering digital music consumers the broadest music selection available from the world's most popular artists. We are thrilled to offer music from both major and independent labels upon the launch of our platform.''
``We believe that online music subscription services will play a key role in the industry's future, so we are delighted to announce this new relationship,'' said Ivan Gavin, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations & Finance of Zomba Recording Corp. ``We decided to partner with MusicNet because of their strong technology, their superior content relationships and their industry-leading distribution partners. This partnership shows Zomba's commitment to participate in an extremely compelling and comprehensive digital music subscription solution.''
About MusicNet
MusicNet is the world's first legal, label digital distribution platform for streaming and downloading music. It combines RealNetworks' industry-leading Internet media delivery technology with the music catalogs of major and independent record labels -- Warner Music Group, Bertelsmann AG, EMI Recorded Music, and Zomba. As both a technology provider and a music clearinghouse, MusicNet will license its ``private-label'' platform to companies seeking to sell music subscription services under their own brands. RealNetworks and Warner Music Group formed MusicNet in the spring of 2000 as a subsidiary, and RealNetworks incubated it from its inception. MusicNet was officially announced as a joint venture between RealNetworks, AOL Time Warner, Bertelsmann AG, and EMI Recorded Music in April of 2001. MusicNet's corporate information is located on the Internet at http://www.musicnet.com .
About Zomba
The Zomba Label Group encompasses seven record labels: flagship label Jive Records, Jive Electro, Silvertone, Verity, Brentwood, Reunion and Volcano. We are home to some of the biggest contemporary pop, R&B, gospel, and hip-hop artists in the world, including Grammy Awards winners, R. Kelly and Jars Of Clay; teen phenomenon's the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, NSYNC and Aaron Carter; sultry R&B crooners Joe and Syleena Johnson; hip-hop icons Mystikal, E-40 and KRS-1; gospel legends Fred Hammond, Hezekiah Walker and Donnie McClurkin; alternative rock acts Tool and 311, and up & coming sensations Jive Jones, Nivea and Melissa Lefton. Jive Records, in particular, is known for consistently breaking the hottest acts. Additional information can be found at www.jiverecords.com .
Pioneer's XM Satellite Tuners to Hit Retail Floors in September; Pricing Announced
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010724/latu074.html
LONG BEACH, Calif., July 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Pioneer (NYSE: PIO - news), the leader in mobile entertainment products, today announced pricing for its XM Satellite tuners that will be available at retail stores in September 2001. The tuners, which work with various Pioneer head units, will allow consumers to receive 100 digital channels of programming from XM Satellite Radio. Pioneer's line of satellite tuners include:
-- GEX-P900XM Add-On Tuner; MSRP: $199. This add-on tuner requires
minimal space for easy installation.
-- GEX-FM903XM Add-On FM Modulated Tuner; MSRP: $249. This tuner
includes a small display and remote control. It can be connected to
any existing mobile FM radio.
-- DEH-P3370XM Head Unit/Add-On Tuner Package; MSRP: $399. For consumers
who want a completely new car stereo, this product includes a single CD
head unit (DEH-P3300) and the add-on tuner in a single package.
``We're excited to hear that XM is prepared to go 'live' this September,'' Keith Burnett, vice president of marketing, Pioneer Mobile Entertainment. ``Pioneer is ready to take orders from our retailers, which will ensure that these products will be on their shelves for XM's launch on September 12th. Come September, consumers will be ready to receive XM's programs.''
Pioneer's XM tuners are completely compatible with 14 new XM-ready head units introduced in 2001 and also can be used with millions of earlier Pioneer IP-Bus source units.
About XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio (Nasdaq: XMSR - news) will transform radio by offering up to 100 channels of seamless coast-to-coast, digital quality programming. With an XM subscription, consumers can listen to a wide variety of radio programming, anytime, anywhere in the country. XM launched two geo-stationary satellites earlier this year and will begin broadcasting this fall. For more information, please visit XM's website: www.xmradio.com.
About Pioneer
Pioneer Corporation is a leader in optical disc technology and a preeminent manufacturer of high-performance audio, video and computer equipment for the home, car and industrial markets. Its Vision 2005 business plan focuses on four core business domains including DVD, display technologies, Digital Network Entertainment(TM) and components. Founded in 1938 in Tokyo, Pioneer Corporation employs more than 29,000 people worldwide. Its shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PIO. Pioneer's U.S. headquarters is located in Long Beach, Calif., and its U.S. Web address is www.pioneerelectronics.com.
Reciprocal and DataPlay Take Electronic Media Distribution to New Levels of Portability, Security and Ease-of-Use
http://ny-web1.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day0/212052111&ticker=
Jupiter Media Metrix Plug.In
NEW YORK & BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 24, 2001--
Digital Clearing and Distribution Partnership Final Piece in DataPlay Strategy to Connect Retail Networks, Content Owners and Electronics Companies
Reciprocal, Inc., the provider of business infrastructure for the distribution of digital assets, and DataPlay, Inc., developer of the universal media format for all things digital, today announced an electronic media distribution agreement that will provide new levels of portability, security and ease-of-use for media companies, as well as consumers. The agreement leverages Reciprocal's services to integrate digital content across an extensive network of retailers and distributors, including Coconuts, Best Buy, Circuit City and Target.
The agreement also represents an additional direction for DataPlay, allowing pre-recorded content to be activated on a DataPlay digital media disc and making the acquisition of new content much quicker and easier than by downloading.
Reciprocal will also serve as a digital clearing service for DataPlay, processing subsequent transactions by consumers who activate content on pre-recorded DataPlay digital media.
"DataPlay has achieved industry-wide endorsements and recognition, and their understanding of the digital distribution requirements closely resembles our own, " said John Schwarz, President and CEO, Reciprocal. "Reciprocal is thrilled to provide the final link in DataPlay's strategy to connect retailers, content owners and electronic device companies in a way that is attractive to consumers. We look forward to a rewarding relationship with DataPlay that will make digital distribution easy and enjoyable for everyone."
"Reciprocal's services are the final piece in DataPlay's strategy of bringing additional content directly to consumers through a secure digital channel," said Steve Volk, CEO of DataPlay. "This supports DataPlay's mission to serve the public's hunger for pre-recorded and downloadable content while maintaining security and control from the distribution end."
"BMG has enjoyed working with Reciprocal as one of our clearinghouse service providers to make digital distribution easier for retailers as well as end consumers," said Sami Valkonen, Senior Vice President of New Media and Business Development for BMG Distribution. "We believe that the DataPlay offering is another step in the right direction in terms of delivering a highly portable, secure format to the market."
DataPlay digital media enables access to all forms of digital content across all digital devices and platforms, including music, images, documents, software, games, video and more. About the size of a quarter, DataPlay digital media are single-sided 250MB and double-sided 500MB micro-optical discs that support both user-recorded and secure pre-recorded content. One 500MB digital media can hold more than 11 hours of music downloads or five complete pre-recorded albums of CD-quality music, hundreds of high-resolution photographs, or dozens of games, and will retail for around $10.
DataPlay's strategy to penetrate the market quickly and effectively is built upon numerous strategic partnerships for developing devices and providing content for use with the DataPlay digital media. Universal Music Group, EMI Recorded Music, BMG Entertainment and Rosetta Books are currently planning to release pre-recorded music and e-book content on DataPlay digital media for use in multiple consumer electronic devices. Leading consumer electronic developers, such as Toshiba Corporation, Samsung Electronics, Olympus, Creative Labs and SonicBlue, are developing portable music players/recorders, digital cameras, PC peripherals, PDAs, portable games and other devices that will support the DataPlay format.
In January of this year, DataPlay won the Best of Show Award for Mobile Devices and Best Overall Lifestyle Product at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, an event that has built a reputation for being the preeminent venue for the industry's most promising companies and products. DataPlay was recognized for its value, usability, inventiveness and design. DataPlay also received the CES Innovations 2001 award in the Blank Media category at the show in recognition of its innovative consumer electronics product.
About DataPlay, Inc.
DataPlay, Inc. was incorporated in November 1998 to develop a Web-enabled digital content recording and distribution media for portable Internet appliances and hand-held consumer electronic and entertainment devices. Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, the Company employs more than 175 people in the United States, Singapore and Japan. Visit DataPlay on the Internet at www.dataplay.com.
About Reciprocal
Reciprocal delivers the business infrastructure for the distribution of digital assets by integrating critical functions, including e-commerce and electronic inventory management, with leading digital rights management (DRM) technologies. The Company provides comprehensive, easy-to-implement services that enable clients to realize new revenues and efficiencies while controlling digital assets and enabling a simple user experience. In partnership with other industry leaders, these flexible and scalable services address the requirements of the music, publishing, software and film industries, as well as others such as financial services and healthcare. The Company also offers strategic consulting and integration services that help content providers, distributors and websites choose and implement the solution that best fits their business needs. More than 100 companies in the Americas, Europe and Asia have selected Reciprocal as their digital distribution services provider.
OT: LawyerLong, RB has degenerated to something less than useless; at times I have to look hard to find one worthwhile bit of info in an entire day's worth of posts. This forum is far better and offers some useful features lacking at RB, such as private messaging and real time chat. If you check your mailbox here, you'll find the password to our chatroom. Welcome aboard.
OT: Optical Storage Industry Approves New MultiAudio Specification for Faster Access to Compressed Audio Files On CD
http://ny-web1.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day0/212040375&ticker=
SANTA BARBARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 23, 2001--
MultiAudio logical disc format provides faster disc initialization and improved user experience
The Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA) announced today that it has developed and approved a new specification for organizing compressed audio files on optical disc.
The intent of the new Compact Disc compressed audio specification, designated MultiAudio, is to ensure that discs with compressed files, such as MP3 or WMA, are as easy to play as standard Red Book audio CDs, whether played back on a PC or consumer electronics device. The new specification creates a Table of Contents used for retrieval, management and playback of compressed audio files and playlists by a CD or DVD consumer player.
The MultiAudio specification enables the playback device to quickly read the table of contents, bypassing the lengthy delays for disc initialization that can occur today while the player identifies all of the files on the disc. In addition, it allows playlists to be created so songs can be accessed by genre, album, artist or custom grouping created by the user.
"With today's MP3 and WMA compressed audio files, hundreds of songs can be stored on a single CD," explained Felix Nemirovsky, Chairman of OSTA's MultiRead Subcommittee. "Our MultiAudio specification provides faster access to these files while making it easier for the users to retrieve different playlists, based on the album, artist, genre, their own favorites, or the entire contents of the CD."
Revision 1.0 of the MultiAudio CD-CA specification has been unanimously approved by OSTA's voting members, and it is posted on the industry group's Web site at www.osta.org/multiaudio. The first consumer CD and DVD players conforming to the specification are expected to appear in the market beginning in third quarter 2001.
The MultiAudio logical disc format is an extension of current MP3 capability on CE devices, and provides backward compatibility with current MP3 disc players capable of playing compressed audio files stored on optical disc. To facilitate creation and display of playlists, the specification provides a standardized method of storing information regarding the track name, year recorded, performer name, composer name, songwriter name, arranger name, album name, and genre.
Additional information on compressed audio formats, with links to other industry sites can be found on OSTA's MP3 information page at www.osta.org/mp3info.
Device manufacturers who demonstrate compliance with the MultiAudio specification will be able to obtain a royalty-free license from OSTA to use the MultiAudio logo. The logo will enable consumers to recognize CD and DVD players that provide these enhanced features.
About OSTA
The Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA) was incorporated as an international trade association in 1992 to promote the use of recordable optical technologies and products. The organization's membership includes optical product manufacturers and resellers from three continents, representing more than 85 percent of worldwide writable optical product shipments. They work to shape the future of the industry through regular meetings of CD/DVD, file interchange, high performance, market development, and planning committees.
Interested companies worldwide are invited to join the organization and participate in its programs by contacting an OSTA representative at 805/963-3853, by fax at 805/962-1541 or by addressing its Web site. More information on this technology and other optical technologies used widely today is available at www.osta.org.
MiR, CVC Networks were the folks that mentioned "microc-cos" as part of their software repertoire. The Great Box outfit they contracted with has a website at http://208.55.47.72/greatbox/index.html and the players are offered at http://www.ishriek.com/players.shtml . The websites don't look especially attractive or up to date. Nothing to write home about yet, IMHO.
MWNY: Imation showcases DataPlay, FlashGO!, RipGO, more
by Dennis Sellers, dsellers@maccentral.com
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/mc/20010719/tc/mwny_imation_showcases_dataplay_flashgo_ripgo_more_1.htm...
Thursday July 19 11:01 PM EDT
Imation is shining a spotlight on its portfolio of personal storage solutions at this week's Macworld New York.
One of the more intriguing items being shown is the DataPlay digital media, a tiny optical disc the size of a quarter that has a 500MB capacity. One disc can hold up to 11 hours of digital music, more than 160 digital photos, numerous eBooks and eGames or documents, according to Kurt Schoenherr, Imation product manager. You can also mix and match what type of content to put on the disc. A blank disc is expected to retail for around US$5-$10.
Imation DataPlay digital media is designed to let users download and record digital content on a single disc and play it back on any DataPlay-enabled device, such as digital music players, e-books, portable games or digital cameras, which should be hitting stores around the fourth quarter holiday season. Other DataPlay partners are working on portable music devices and about 50 albums should debut with these players, Schoenherr told MacCentral. If 192k digital music files are used on these "albums," a 500MB DataPlay disc can hold three to four albums' worth of music, plus video clips and background information.
Though digital storage media types are proliferating, Schoenherr thinks DataPlay technology will succeed in part because some of the investors behind it are music labels. That, in itself, means lots of support for the format, he said.
"And the music labels have the power to make the technology 'cool' and appealing to lots of people," Schoenherr added.
Although in the near future DataPlay discs and devices will complement the entrenched CD player, in the long run its compact size and storage capability could position DataPlay as a replacement for the CD, Schoenher said. Another factor that could figure into the format's success is that it's one of the few technologies that can do both pre-mastering and recording, he added.
"For instance, you could replicate GPS [global positioning system] data and record personal information about a particular trip on a DataPlay disc," Schoenherr said.
Imation is also displaying FlashGO!, a USB flash memory card reader/writer that can read/write all existing flash memory card formats including Compact Flash, Smart Media, Multimedia Card, Secured Digital and MemoryStick. It will also support the IBM Micro drive when it is inserted into the FlashGO! An icon will appear on the desktop, and users can drag and drop files to it. It's due in September at an estimated price of US$79.
"What makes this device unique from other read/writers is that it works will all the formats, and can adapt for future formats," Schoenherr said. "This should be especially appealing for digital photography enthusiasts."
Also due in September is the $399 RipGO!, an MP3/CD Burn-R combo. It's a USB CD-R drive that uses 80mm CD-R (80mm is about half the circumference of a regular CD) to store and play MP3 music files. The drive has a playing time of three hours CD quality or six hours digital quality music. TanGO! offers the smallest form factor available today for MP3 music recorded on CDs, Schoenherr said. It comes with headphones and Toast software.
Imation is also highlighting its new Imation 24X CD-R media; a recordable CD designed for the next wave of high-speed CD-R and CD-RW drives. The write-once discs, available in silver, black and five neon colors, offer an increased storage capacity of 700MB of data or up to 80 minutes for audio files.
Imation's new Travan FireWire drive is also being displayed at MWNY. Available now for $499, it's perfect for use with multimedia peripherals such as video camcorders and other high-speed devices like the latest hard disk drives and printers, Schoenherr said. And, it delivers at the speed of 120MB/minute (compressed), he added. Cartridges will cost about $33 each. Bundled with Dantz Retrospect Desktop software version 5.5, the Travan FireWire 20GB Tape Drive is now compatible with FireWire-enabled Macs.
Imation will also demonstrate its expanding line of high performance CD-RW drives, including the Imation USB 4x4x6 External CD Burn-R kit. This drive kit can be installed to the Mac via a USB port or an IDE/ATAPI interface, and implements Burn Proof Technology, a technology which prevents Buffer Under Run Error and allows users to multitask while recording a CD. Additionally, the drive kit is bundled with the Adaptec software suite including Adaptec Direct CD and Easy CD Creator, and includes a blank Imation CD-R and CD-RW disc.
Want more? Okay, Imation is showing off its recently released Imation High-Speed Neon CD-RW media, a high-speed, rewritable CD, available in five neon colors, featuring 650MB of data memory, an increased recording speed of 10X and noise-free playback. Imation 4-10X High Speed CD-RW media are compatible for recording on the latest CD-RW drives which feature the High-Speed Logo. The media can be used for playback by existing multiread drives such as CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, and rewritable DVD.
Macrovision CEO Interview
(courtesy of murrayhill)
http://www.thetelecommanalyst.com/individual/010717sections/zeroin.asp
William Krepick, President and Chief Operating Officer
Interviewed by George S. Mack
At some point in your life, you may have copied some software, some music or a movie. If you've got a computer-savvy teenager in the house, then making copies of music under your roof is not a rarity. But it may not be quite as easy to do in the near future. Macrovision (MVSN) is in the business of protecting other companies' intellectual property. The Silicon Valley-based company uses its patented and copyrighted intellectual property to prevent people and illegal mass producers from making good copies from CDs, videocassettes, DVDs and even digital pay-per-view events from cable and satellite broadcasts. On June 29, Macrovision announced that four CD manufacturers are now using its new SAFEAUDIO technology. Although no major music labels have committed to the technology, the company says two major unnamed music studios are now beta-testing it. Macrovision is expected to grow revenue more than 35% this year and that much again in 2002. Between April 2 and July 6, investors who crave old-time technology growth and high margins voted with their dollars and bid up the Macrovision share price 50%. Now the stock is trading at a lofty 30 times this year's forecast revenue and close to 80 times this year's expected earnings. On July 5, I discussed the company's technology, capability and potential with President and Chief Operating Officer William A. Krepick.
[THE TELECOMM ANALYST — GEORGE S. MACK] You're obviously a software company, but of course, you're a technology company, and you could even be described as a media company. Does it all fit?
[WILLIAM A. KREPICK] Yes, but actually it's very hard to categorize us sometimes, because we haven't found any companies comparable to us in terms of our focus on protecting intellectual property. Sometimes we're categorized as a digital rights management [DRM] company, and I think there are a few companies in that space, but they don't cover the breadth of media that we do.
[GSM] Broadly speaking, you're a software company, but more narrowly speaking, DRM might be a better term.
[WAK] Right.
[GSM] I'm noting that Macrovision has been in this business for quite some time, and you have the patented standard for videocassette copy protection. How long has that been in use?
[WAK] The company actually has been in existence for quite some time, dating back to the early 1980s, and that was when we got into the business of videocassette copy protection. Subsequent to that, we came out with additional patents that could protect DVDs against being copied, as well as digital pay per view. We went public in the spring of 1997, so we've only been a public company for about four years now.
[GSM] Bill, if I bought a videocassette today, would I, in all likelihood, be able to dub it over to another tape?
[WAK] The odds are that if it was a Hollywood title — a major release — you wouldn't be prevented from copying, but it would force the recording VCR to make a horrible-quality copy. In today's market, literally every VCR being manufactured, sold or imported into the United States will react to our copy-protection signal, and you will get a bad copy. It's actually a requirement of U.S. copyright law that VCR manufacturers design and make their devices in a certain way so that they are affected by our copy-protection process.
[GSM] I have DirecTV [a unit of Hughes Electronics (GMH)], and the other evening I taped a pay-per-view movie so my wife could watch it later, and so I wouldn't have to pay for it again. It taped just fine. But I understand that you have the capability to copy-protect these signals.
[WAK] The capability is actually in the DirecTV box, but currently neither DirecTV nor any other satellite or cable operators in the U.S. are actually activating the circuit that's in the box. So today, you and anybody else can freely copy any pay-per-view program with no problem. What DirecTV and the other operators have suggested to the studios is that they are willing to turn on copy protection if the studios give them the movie releases on pay per view at about the same time they give them to Blockbuster (BBI), Hollywood Entertainment (HLYW) and other video stores. Today, pay-per-view movies on cable or satellite generally come out 60 to 90 days after they are released to the video stores.
[GSM] The cable and satellite operators are using copy protection as leverage to try and get the movies earlier?
[WAK] Yes.
[GSM] On June 29, you made an announcement that four CD manufacturer companies, with which you've had a long relationship — Toolex International (TLXAF), Eclipse Data Technologies, DCA and DaTarius Technologies — have recently adopted your SAFEAUDIO copy-protection technology. But they have all been using your SafeDisc software. Is SAFEAUDIO a better solution? Does it play across more CD players? What's the difference?
[WAK] SafeDisc is really aimed at the computer software market as opposed to the music CD market, and it's particularly aimed at the PC games segment of the software market. We have almost every major PC games company employing the SafeDisc technology today, and it does prevent one from burning a copy of a PC game and giving it or selling it to a friend. That technology has been in existence for two-and-a-half years, and we have in excess of 100 CD manufacturing plants around the world equipped with that technology. But SAFEAUDIO is designed specifically for music CDs.
[GSM] Making copies of Windows 98 or MS Office represents a huge loss for Microsoft (MSFT). Why aren't Microsoft and other software publishers routinely using this kind of technology?
[WAK] Well, we're actually talking to them about it. Microsoft already uses it on all of its PC games, and it uses it on its Encarta product. But for Microsoft's new operating system, Microsoft XP, which is slated to come out in late October, it's employing what's called enforced registration. This makes you go back to Microsoft's Web site to register the product. It hasn't adopted our solution, but obviously we're trying to sell the company on the benefits of ours. We think we've got a lot of features in ours that would make it user-friendly and would not interfere with the use of the program. Those types of companies are targets for us. We'd certainly like to sell Microsoft our SafeDisc, but we also have another product called SAFECAST, which allows you to electronically download software over the Internet, and you can further lock it to a particular PC. So we also have other products we're talking to Microsoft about.
[GSM] Why isn't there broader acceptance of this technology?
[WAK] Let's just look at the individual segments where we're involved. Look at the music segment. So far, the labels have been very, very conservative in getting involved with new technology. One of their concerns is that there will be a rather violent consumer reaction if they start copy-protecting music CDs. People feel they're entitled to make any number of copies of CDs or tracks. One of the things the music labels are concerned about is what will be the reaction if they just go ahead with copy protection. That's the first thing. Number two, they're justifiably concerned about how the technology works and whether or not someone with the original copy-protected CD might hear anything at all that might suggest any interference or artifact that might be caused by the copy protection. They are doing a tremendous amount of testing on that.
[GSM] The music labels could be blamed for artifacts or interference, whether it was true or not?
[WAK] Right. And in fact, you can go back in history to when we introduced the original videocassette copy protection, and there were many complaints that came into the studios about problems with the cassettes. The vast majority of time when it was tracked down, it was found there really wasn't a problem with the cassette, but people were actually complaining because they couldn't make a copy like they were accustomed to doing.
[GSM] You now have two major unidentified record labels beta-testing your SAFEAUDIO technology. When will we hear the results of that?
[WAK] I would hope that by the end of this year these companies would have been able to do enough testing, and that they would have put together their own internal strategy of how to deal with the issues we were just talking about. But we are operating under a non-disclosure agreement, and the labels may actually not want to announce results or the fact that they're even using SAFEAUDIO. They may just want to put it out into the market like a blind test so that nobody knows it's being used. People are less likely to complain if the only problem is that they can't make copies. So that would give the labels a better way to gauge the quality of the copy protection.
[GSM] Bill, since you can prevent piracy, will you be reimbursed on a royalty basis per number of copies sold?
[WAK] We hope so. Our business model for all our other copy-protection products allows us to get royalties per disk in the case of CD-ROM, per videocassette or per DVD. Even in the case of pay per view, we get a per-transaction royalty. In our initial discussions with the labels, we've told them that we would wind up pricing it that way. Obviously, we don't know yet what we can get. I think you could certainly make an argument that any label could see an attractive return on investment, probably at the $0.15 to $0.20 to $0.25 per-unit level. But based on our history of dealing with various rights owners — the studios on the video side and even our initial discussions with music labels — we're probably not going to be able to get that kind of a royalty. It's probably going to be $0.05 to $0.10 per CD or per album, and that depends on length of contract and minimum commitment. You can clearly make a case that the technology is that valuable. Now there are only five major music labels, and they wield a lot of power in terms of being able to negotiate tough contracts.
[GSM] Bill, how big is the piracy market?
[WAK] In music, I just saw a study done by IFPI [International Federation of the Phonographic Industry], and that organization put a number on it of about $4.2 billion. That's a combination of all types of piracy, including the illegal CD plants in mainland China, which pump out millions of disks. But I think IFPI's number for recordable CDs alone was 165 million units, which was up over two-and-a-half times since 1999. So if you figure an average of $10.00 per CD as the wholesale price that goes to the labels, then you're talking about a $1.6 billion loss. It's huge.
[GSM] Is anyone challenging your patents at this time?
[WAK] No. In every case going back to the late 1980s, we have basically brought forth the patent infringement suits and have challenged others. We have never been sued for patent infringement. We've got close to 400 patents, including international patents. In the U.S. alone, we have 50 patents issued, and we have another 45 or 50 patents pending.
[GSM] Because your business model is somewhat rare, it's hard for investors to judge the risk. In your opinion, what are the risks that Macrovision investors might face?
[WAK] Well, I think the risk is tied to our current valuation. I think we have a reasonable valuation, based on our history of growth. So I think the major risk is whether we can sustain that kind of growth across the board in our current businesses, as well as getting into new tangents and new enhancements of our current business. We've announced publicly that we're looking at 40% to 45% per year growth targets on both the top line as well as bottom line. We just need to continue to execute in each of these business areas that we're in to make it happen. So I think the investor risk is one of execution.
Global Napster Usage Plummets, but New File-Sharing Alternatives Gaining Ground, Reports Jupiter Media Metrix
While time spent using Napster in the U.S. drops 70 percent, Bodetella,
Audiogalaxy and Imesh become the latest adopted alternatives
Vivendi Universal's Edgar Bronfman, Jr., RealNetworks' Rob Glaser, AOL Music's
Kevin Conroy, Bertelsmann e-Commerce Group's Andreas Schmidt and Napster's
Hank Barry to address the technological and legal forces reshaping the music
industry, July 23-24 at Plug.In in New York City
NEW YORK, July 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Jupiter Media Metrix (Nasdaq: JMXI), the
global leader in Internet and new technology analysis and measurement, today
reports that total time spent using the Napster file-sharing application
plummeted 65 percent among home users in 14 leading wired countries, from
6.3 billion minutes in February 2001, Napster's peak month in terms of both
time and unique users, to 2.2 billion minutes in June 2001. According to
Media Metrix ratings data, unique users of the application dropped 31 percent,
from 26.4 million to 18.3 million over the same period. These figures
represent more than 85 percent of the worldwide online population and include
usage in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany,
Italy, Japan, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United
States.
But while Napster usage has plunged globally, recent U.S. data reveal the
early adoption of several new file-sharing alternatives. In May 2001, six
file-sharing applications other than Napster appeared in the Media Metrix U.S.
reports, up from five in March 2001 and up from one in January 2001.
Bodetella, a client designed for the Gnutella network, held steady at around
1.0 million unique users between January 2001 and May. Audiogalaxy, the
second most popular file-sharing application, had 978,000 unique visitors in
May 2001, up 78 percent from March 2001, the first month it was reportable.
Next was Imesh with 474, 000 unique visitors, up 11 percent from April 2001,
its first reportable month.
"Last year Napster became one of the fastest growing software applications
Media Metrix ever reported, with its U.S. user base nearly quadrupling within
six months of the application's debut into the ratings reports," said Doug
McFarland, president, Media Metrix, the online ratings unit of Jupiter Media
Metrix. "Today, the Media Metrix ratings show a wide scattering of the former
Napster audience to various other music file-sharing resources."
Napster's Rise and Fall: The Impact on the Music Industry
"The time the Napster litigation bought the labels has run out and the
grim reality is that Napster's audience is beginning to be fragmented across
many services, which will be very difficult, if not impossible, to litigate
against in the same way," said Mark Mooradian, vice president and senior
analyst, Jupiter Media Metrix. "The next generation of underground file
sharing services underscores the need for legitimate music providers, and not
just the major labels, to act promptly, putting battles over platforms and
copyrights behind them as soon as possible."
More data at http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/07-20-2001/0001537462&...
Entertainment and Consumer Electronic Storage Demands Increase, According to New Peripheral Research Report
http://ny-web1.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?day0/212010105&ticker=
SANTA BARBARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 20, 2001--The entertainment and consumer electronic storage markets are forecast to expand dramatically by 2004, according to a new report by Peripheral Research Corp. of Santa Barbara, Calif. The worldwide forecasts for handheld computers, digital still and motion cameras, GPS, set-top box, and cell phone markets will double between 2000 and 2004.
Some portion of all of these markets will use a form of semiconductor, optical or magnetic memory to store the data being recorded or held.
Of the approximate 800 million camera and consumer electronic devices to be shipped in 2004, about 5 percent will use some form of magnetic disk storage, and over 10 percent will be equipped with Flash Memory products. Many of the MP-3 products will contain the new DataPlay 500 MB optical drive.
"These are relatively new and embryonic markets, which will take storage and storage products to new levels," stated Tom Coughlin, co-author of the report. "We feel that up to 50 percent of the disk drive products could go into non-conventional storage markets by the 2005-2010 time frame," stated Dennis Waid of Peripheral Research Corp.
This new report covers handheld computers, digital still cameras, camcorders, music players, GPS systems, set-top boxes, industrial networks and digital cell phones. It is available from Peripheral Research Corp.
For more information and a copy of the summary, contact Peripheral Research Corp., 351 Hitchcock Way, B-200, Santa Barbara, Calif. 93105.
poBoy, the only Visteon Mach MP3 player currently available is this one: http://www.evisteon.com/b2c/mach_mp3c.htm
It is essentially an automotive CD head unit that can play MP3 or regular (.wav) music files from a CD. It is in competition with similar units from Kenwood, Aiwa, Clarion, etc. There have been some reports that Visteon is readying a hard-disk based head unit for release "later this year". (see http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20010104S0029 )
Phatnoise claims to be selling their branded version of the automotive jukebox at their website ( http://www.orders-phatnoise.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=001&Product_Cod... ), but I have not seen an independant hands-on review of it yet. Also, at $599, their version is not a standalone unit; it requires the user to have (or purchase) a certain type of Kenwood head unit in order for it to function in an auto.
(You might find it interesting that Bang & Olufsen (with whom EDIG has a contractual arrangement) has been working with Visteon since 1999 on automotive sound systems.)
FWIW re Archos Jukebox:
http://ecoustics.epinions.com/content_30871883396/tk_~CB008.1.15