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Siemens Selects Motorola for Next Generation MP3 Player
i.MX From Motorola Provides Robust Platform for Innovative New Player Designed To Interface with Both Mobile Phones and PCs
AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Siemens Switzerland has selected the i.MXL media extension applications processor from Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) to drive its latest consumer electronics product. With the Siemens DRM Music Player, a white-label product targeted for major mobile carrier
brands, consumers can easily download songs via general packet radio services (GPRS)-enabled mobile phones.
The DRM Music Player offers intellectual property protection through Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology, provided by SDC AG Switzerland, built into the product. This 'music over the air' concept is also one of the new key services that will be released by mobile carriers to increase revenue on GPRS networks.
"Getting to market quickly was a key priority for us," said Sven Fischer, project manager of Siemens Switzerland. "In addition to offering a high degree of integration, Motorola's i.MX processors offer one of the best levels of performance and virtually the longest battery life in the industry which is
critical for any mobile product."
"This DRM Music Player from Siemens embodies the diversity of devices that the i.MX processor family can support," said Thierry Cammal, general manager for Europe of Motorola's Wireless and Mobile Systems Group. "Siemens is delivering features that music lovers 'going mobile' demand and our i.MXL
applications processor is designed to deliver a satisfying consumer experience."
Motorola's i.MX and DragonBall(TM) processors, market leaders in the handheld applications processing segment, offer developers a wide array of integrated multimedia and communications features enabling exceptionally rapid development time to prototype and manufacture.
The i.MX family offers efficient power management to help manufacturers provide consumers a rich experience via rapid, enhanced graphics and digital audio. This "Smart Speed" approach uses design and manufacturing techniques, including a unique architecture and "doze" and "sleep" modes that translate to high performance with low power consumption even for advanced PDA applications. In addition, other integrated features of the i.MX processors, such as the multimedia extensions and video port, allow manufacturers to use a low component count in their wireless devices, reducing system design time and costs.
For more information, visit http://www.motorola.com/imx .
About the DRM Music Player
The Siemens DRM Music Player is part of an overall concept that focuses on delivering content over GPRS/UMTS to mobile devices. This comprehensive concept, which was developed by SDC AG and Siemens Switzerland together with DWS Germany, includes content pre-/processing, management (DWS), hosting (Siemens), encryption (SDC) and interfaces to various billing systems as well as end user devices (Siemens). The DRM Music Player will be launched with a large European mobile operator. It was tested in a large consumer field trial and is expected to be available to consumers starting in October 2003.
For more information on the product contact
Siemens Switzerland Ltd
Christoph Hilber, President ICP
Albisriederstrasse 245, CH-8047 Zurich
E-Mail: christoph.hilber@siemens.com
OT: Sun says more PC makers to sell machines with Java
Reuters
San Francisco, September 24
Network computer maker Sun Microsystems Inc said on Tuesday that PC makers including Acer Inc, Gateway Inc and Toshiba will start selling laptop and notebook personal computers loaded with the latest Sun Java software.
Sun, seeking to establish its Java programming language as a brand name and wrest market share from rival Microsoft Corp, said its agreements with PC makers increases the latest version of Java to 50 per cent of the PC desktop market.
Sun announced similar agreements in June with number two computer maker Hewlett-Packard Co and number one PC maker Dell Inc.
Introduced by Sun in 1995, Java is used to write software applications that run on many different types of computers, electronic devices and operating systems. Found in everything from Java smart cards to printers, computers, servers and cellphones, Java has spawned a community of three million software developers.
Santa Clara, California-based Sun has largely pitched Java as an instrument to blunt Microsoft's efforts on the Internet, handheld devices and other technology sectors.
Until recently, most PCs were shipped with Microsoft's version of the Java Virtual Machine, software needed to run programmes written in Java. Sun had filed suit against Microsoft alleging that the world's biggest software maker had altered Java to make it work best only on Windows machines.
In December, a Maryland federal judge ordered Microsoft to include Sun's unaltered version of Java in its Windows operating system. Microsoft is appealing.
Acer and Gateway agreed to ship their PC and notebooks with Java. Sun said Samsung and Tsinghua Tongfang, China's third-largest PC maker, will also ship their laptop and desktop PCs with Java.
Sun said Tsinghua Tongfang is the first to bring the latest Java software to the rapidly growing Chinese market.
Toshiba will ship its entire notebook product line with Java, and Samsung will ship a broad range of its business and consumer desktop and notebooks PCs starting in December.
OT: Self-Contained Digital Audio Player Fits into Mobile Phones; austriamicrosystems Ships Enhanced AS3520 Mobile Music Chip
HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 24, 2003--austriamicrosystems has launched the most flexible low-cost digital audio chip on the market, further strengthening its industry leadership as the IC architecture supporting the world's smallest portable music player - a position it has held for more than a year.
The enhanced version of austriamicrosystems' proven AS3520 music decoder IC includes an extended software stack, delivering a self-contained digital audio player which even fits into a mobile phone. At just one-third the component count of its nearest competitor the chip ranks in top position in terms of small board size and player production costs.
austriamicrosystems' reference player needs 30 per cent less PCB space than the smallest competing design. In addition, austriamicrosystems' external component count is 65 per cent less than its nearest competitor.
austriamicrosystems' chip not only plays the highly popular MP3 and WMA music files, it also supports the industry's most advanced AAC audio coding format - known from the highly successful Apple iPod. The AS3520 now makes this top quality ultra-compact music file format available for memory-card based music players. Currently no other single-chip player in the sub US$10 price category can play MP3, WMA and AAC as well as offering ADPCM and additional user-defined codecs, packing all these features in the same firmware pack.
The music chip's digital equaliser eliminates the acoustic restrictions of small earphones, offering rich, crystal-clear sound on the road. But thanks to the powerful internal amplifier the music does not stop at earphones. The chip can directly drive stereo speakers at up to one Watt, for listening pleasure at home, at the office desk or in hotel rooms.
Downloading music files from the computer via a certified USB 2.0 full-speed interface is straightforward. Since it is a plug-and-play solution, no driver installation is required. The player, which can be used to store data as well as music, simply identifies itself as an external storage device.
With its seamless support for FM radio and microphone input, the AS3520 player can also store voice memos or quickly record a favourite song or an important news flash from the air.
Designed for truly worldwide use, the AS3520 handles diverse character sets including Chinese, Korean and Japanese text. With a proven reference design freely available, an open software stack and local engineering support in many countries, austriamicrosystems' mobile music chips are the ideal solution for the rapid design and development of audio players, enabling music devices with rich and diverse features and functions to be brought to market quickly and economically.
The AS3520 mobile music chip comes in a 100 pin CTBGA package measuring 10x10x1.2 mm. It supports all standard sampling rates from 8 kHz to 48 kHz and is capable of playing back MP3 files at up to 320 kbps, WMA and AAC files at up to 256 kbps.
Because of its self-configuring DC/DC converter, any supply voltage between 1.0 V and 5.5 V is suitable for operation of the device. The output voltage of the linear regulators is programmable. Three separate built-in regulators are used for internal analog and digital circuitry as well as for external auxiliary devices (eg FM radio).
CPU clock rate (up to 50 MHz) and core supply voltage (down to 2.25 V) are programmable on the fly. This feature is used to automatically run the device at minimum power consumption in each functional state.
Play time is typically 10 hours when operated from a single AAA battery. Double battery configurations or Lithium batteries can be handled without additional components or protection circuits. Input sensitivity and gain control can be programmed in three ranges to support microphones as well as line input levels.
The AS3520 is available immediately and is priced at approximately US$10 per single 10,000 shipment. Discounts apply for mass volume.
About austriamicrosystems:
With headquarters near Graz, Austria, austriamicrosystems AG is one of the world's leading designers and manufacturers of highly integrated mixed signal ICs. austriamicrosystems combines more than 20 years of design capabilities, product and marketing know-how with a full service silicon foundry specialized in mixed signal, RF and HV technologies.
Operating worldwide with more than 800 employees, austriamicrosystems is organized in four strategic business units: Communications, Automotive, Industrial & Medical and Full Service Foundry.
Additional information is available on Internet pages:
http://www.austriamicrosystems.com
Electronic picture images are available on request or on Intranet: http://www.austriamicrosystems.com/07presscenter/presscenter_start.htm
Contacts
It was?
OT: SK Telecom Adopts MPEG-4 aacPlus from Coding Technologies as Standard Format for 3G Music-On-Demand and Video-On-Demand Services
SEOUL, Korea & MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 23, 2003--SK Telecom was misspelled twice as SK Telcom. Company name should read SK Telecom throughout.
The corrected release reads:
SK TELECOM ADOPTS MPEG-4 AACPLUS FROM CODING TECHNOLOGIES AS STANDARD FORMAT FOR 3G MUSIC-ON-DEMAND AND VIDEO-ON-DEMAND SERVICES; NEW MOBILE SERVICE UPDATE WILL REDUCE DOWNLOAD COSTS AND INCREASE AUDIO QUALITY FOR MOBILE HANDSETS
SK Telecom, the leading mobile service provider in Korea, and Coding Technologies, leading provider of audio compression technologies for mobile, digital broadcasting and the Internet, announced today that SK Telecom is adopting aacPlus and plans to deploy the codec into its 3G content service offerings. SK Telecom already provides Music On Demand (MOD) and Video On Demand (VOD) to over 1 million 3G subscribers in Korea. With the addition of MPEG-4 aacPlus, download costs for subscribers and operating costs for SK Telecom will go down significantly.
aacPlus, and its core technology SBR, are already widely adopted for digital broadcasting in Europe, North America, and Asia. The announcement by SK Telecom and Coding Technologies marks the first commercial deployment of MPEG-4 aacPlus into the mobile space. SK Telecom decided to move ahead with aacPlus based on MPEG standardization along with the significant cost savings and increased audio quality that aacPlus makes available to the consumer.
"As the top provider of 3G mobile services for quite some time, we have learned to always keep our customers' needs first," said WonHee Sull, Vice President/Platform R&D Center of SK Telecom. "Now that we are using aacPlus, the world's most efficient audio codec, we can provide our subscribers with even better service and cost savings."
"SK Telecom has been leading the globe in both wired and wireless broadband content services," said David Frerichs, VP and US General Manager of Coding Technologies. "Their adoption of aacPlus helps keep them at the cutting edge of price, performance, and features."
Handsets including aacPlus support are already in development with the first units shipping concurrent with the updated service rollout. This licensing deal was done in conjunction with Coding Technologies marketing partner Ezuz Japan K.K.
About MPEG-4 aacPlus
MPEG-4 aacPlus is the combination of MPEG AAC and Coding Technologies' SBR (Spectral Band Replication) technology. SBR is a unique bandwidth extension technique, which enables audio codecs to deliver the same quality at half the bit rate. SBR is a backward and forward compatible method to enhance the efficiency of any audio codec. As a result, aacPlus delivers streaming and downloadable 5.1 multichannel audio at 128 Kbps, CD-quality stereo at 48 Kbps, excellent quality stereo at 32 Kbps, and excellent quality for mixed content down to 16 Kbps mono and below. This level of efficiency fundamentally enables new applications in the markets of mobile and digital broadcast.
About SK Telecom
SK Telecom is Korea's leading provider of information and telecommunications services spanning Mobile Services, M-Commerce, overseas operations with 18 million subscribers. SK Telecom commercialized the world's first CDMA cellular service in 1996 and the first 3rd generation cdma2000 1X service in 2002. Moreover, SK Telecom unveiled the first commercial CDMA 2000 1x EV-DO service in January 2002 and holds the license for UMTS network in Korea. Recognizing the enormous potential of the wireless Internet as a new growth engine, SK Telecom continues to pursue the development and promotion of wireless Internet services. Based on the technological developments, SK Telecom launched "June," the latest and the most technologically advanced multimedia service in 2002. This innovative service allows subscribers to enjoy streaming video content such as VOD, MOD, videophones, multimedia messaging and TV broadcasting using 3rd generation technologies. For details, please visit http://www.sktelecom.com.
About Coding Technologies
Coding Technologies provides the best audio compression for mobile, broadcasting, and Internet. SBR(TM) (Spectral Band Replication) from Coding Technologies is a backward and forward compatible method to enhance the efficiency of any audio codec, putting the "PRO" in mp3PRO and the "Plus" in aacPlus. SBR is a fundamental enabler of the Digital Radio Mondiale open standard and is finalized as a core component of MPEG-4 Audio. Coding Technologies is a privately held company with offices in Sweden, Germany, and Silicon Valley. Founded in 1997 in Stockholm, the company later merged with a spin-off of the renowned Fraunhofer Institute in Germany, the inventor of MP3. Coding Technologies customers include XM Radio, iBiquity Digital, Thomson Multimedia, MusicMatch, and Texas Instruments. http://www.codingtechnologies.com
That is why it is called O-1000 PLATFORM Enough to make one PUKE..................ENOUGH!
Dell is not likely to unveil many other details about the device--or of any new products it intends to offer--during the press conference
The products are expected to ship in October or early November.
Dell to name its own hard drive-based portable MP3 player
The PC maker is set to put its name on a pair of new consumer-electronics devices, including a portable music player, in time for the holiday season.
Dell is about to crank up the jukebox.
The PC maker is preparing to unveil a new consumer-electronics plan under which it will sell two new devices, including a portable music player, under its brand name for the holidays.
Outside of computers, Dell has put its name on only a limited number of product categories, such as printers, network switches, projectors and USB storage devices. But the company, which sells several consumer-electronics products via its software and peripherals business and online store, believes that offering more such devices can help it meet revenue goals.
Round Rock, Texas-based Dell is expected to discuss its latest consumer-electronics plans during a press conference Thursday, which will also outline an upgrade of its online store and touch on new Axim handhelds.
One of its first new consumer-electronics devices will be a hard drive-based portable MP3 player, sources familiar with Dell's plans said. The player, which is expected to include a 15GB drive, will compete with others in the market, most notably Apple Computer's iPod. Dell sells the iPod on its own site and is expected to continue doing so after the debut of Dell's own player.
The products are expected to ship in October or early November.
Dell is not likely to unveil many other details about the device--or of any new products it intends to offer--during the press conference.
However, Dell is expected to reveal that it is working on a line of LCD televisions and a pair two new Axim models.
Dell's new Axims are likely to include a slimmer model, dubbed the Axim X3 and a new wireless model, while the company's LCD TVs are likely to include a 17-inch model and a 30-inch model.
The computer maker already sells MP3 players and LCD TVs, as well as printers, from other companies. Dell is expected to continue selling those products despite its own presence in those markets.
Dell representatives declined to comment for this story, but senior executives including CEO Michael Dell and President Kevin Rollins have indicated the company's interest in music players, wireless handhelds and LCD TVs several times in the past.
While Dell is likely to continue to emphasize business products such as servers and storage systems, the company sells a huge quantity of products via its software and peripherals business. Expanding sales of consumer-electronics market is another area the company can tap to further its goal of boosting revenue to the $60 billion mark over the next few years.
Although Dell will seek to mine the consumer-electronics market, it's unlikely that the company's efforts will be as broad as competitors such as Gateway, which plans 50 new products this year--most of them consumer-electronics devices.
In addition to selling its new products as standalones, Dell will likely combine them with its PCs. Dell offered a number of special consumer-electronics bundles, which included its printers and Axim handheld, for the back-to-school season and is expected to offer more for the holiday season.
Brooks Gray, an analyst with Technology Business Research, wrote in a recent report that Dell's bundling strategy will only expand in the coming years.
"There is an underlying strategy to Dell's flat screen TV initiative. As the industry has predicted for many years, the home will eventually evolve into a networked environment of consumer electronics and computing devices," he wrote. "Dell, along with many other vendors, is planning to capitalize on this trend. During the coming three years, TBR believes the company will begin to bundle more and more consumer electronics devices with its PCs and offer attractive home 'networked' solutions. Sony should be the most concerned about Dell's entry into the TV market."
Meanwhile, Dell is working on a related PC. Dell plans to offer a Media Center PC based on Microsoft's Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 software, code-named Harmony, which will come out on Sept. 30, CNET's News.com has reported.
CNET News.com's Ina Fried contributed to this report
Study: Music Piracy Will Grow for Five More Years
By Bernhard Warner, Reuters
LONDON (Sept. 22) - The ever-expanding market for pirated music will continue to haunt music executives for at least another five years, outstripping growth for the industry's own fledgling online businesses, a new study said on Monday.
The report by Informa Media said global Internet music sales, which includes sales of CDs from retail Web sites such as Amazon.com and song downloads from services such as Apple Computer Inc.'s iTunes, will reach $3.9 billion by 2008, up from $1.1 billion in 2002.
But the value of lost sales due to CD-burning and downloading free songs off so-called peer-to-peer networks such as Grokster and Kazaa will rise to $4.7 billion in the same period from $2.4 billion this year, the British research firm said.
'The reason we're so downbeat is we think the peer-to-peer problem is going to only get worse. In 2008, broadband will be prevalent around the world,' said Simon Dyson, the report's author.
The roll-out of faster broadband connections has made it more convenient for Internet users to download free music off the Web. Millions of Internet users around the globe regularly log on to the peer-to-peer network to obtain all manners of copyright-protected materials from Eminem songs to films.
The industry has responded with fee-based download services of its own, but consumer uptake has been slow.
This one-step-forward-two-steps-back scenario is hardly comforting for the major music labels which blame Net piracy for triggering a sharp decline in global music sales in the past three years.
Dyson said a host of Internet file-sharing services are now beginning to appear in languages such as Russian and Chinese, potentially dashing the industry's hopes of building a loyal customer base in these emerging markets.
'This is where the industry's growth is supposed to come from,' Dyson said.
On a positive note, online sales will account for nearly 12 percent of the entire global music market by 2008, up from 4.5 percent this year. The larger share is due to the industry's recent push to make more products available for download.
It's a rare bit of promising news for an industry that's been ravaged by new technologies.
The music trade body, the International Federation of Phonographic Industry (IFPI), reported in July the sale of pirated compact discs -- a problem that has dogged the industry for the past decade -- has more than doubled in the past three years as costs of CD-burning devices plummet.
The IFPI represents scores of independent and major music labels including EMI, Sony Music, Warner Music, Universal Music , and Bertelsmann's BMG
OT Interesting IPOD review
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue8/ipod.htm
Nothing wrong with Dell or any company announcing a new product "early". Why not inform your loyal Dell customers about your upcomong MP3 player, so they wait instead of purchasing one of the competitions models?
I belive it can be read either way.
"They use A sophisticated", which could mean this version.......or not?
The Odyssey 1000 platform is the basis for a sophisticated, hard drive-based portable jukebox featuring VoiceNav® voice navigation, built in voice recorder, FM tuner, mass storage device status and a USB 2.0 connection
Eastech Multi Billion?
http://info.singaporeexchange.com/webcorannc.nsf/482ee4bed3e77aec48256bbb00378e80/aeba149933be186d48...
From deBeer
Dell to unveil new HDD MP3 player Thursday
By Tom Krazit, IDG News Service September 19, 2003
Dell Inc. plans to announce an MP3 player based on a hard drive, and unveil two new Axim PDAs (personal digital assistants) next Thursday, according to a source familiar with the company's plans.
Dell Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael Dell will preside over a webcast announcement next Thursday in which the new products will be revealed, as well as a new online storefront, according to an e-mail invitation to journalists Thursday.
The new MP3 player will be called the Digital Jukebox, and come with a 15G-byte hard drive, the source said.
Apple Computer Inc. has received a great deal of critical and commercial praise for its iPod MP3 players, and Dell will follow its usual strategy of letting another company demonstrate a market for a particular product before entering that market itself.
OTL Northwest debuts plush wide-body aircraft
By LIZ FEDOR
Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune
September 18, 2003
- Flight attendant Kevin Kuretzky stood in the cabin of Northwest Airlines' latest addition to its fleet and showed off the troubled carrier's new investment in international travel: the Airbus A330.
Kuretzky, along with other Northwest employees, managers and executives, touted the aircraft's amenities, including lie-flat bed seats in business class and customized entertainment systems, at a media briefing last month in Detroit. Their message: Lucrative international travelers, fly us.
The purchase of 24 Airbus A330s in the next six years comes at a time when Northwest is losing millions. Even Northwest President Doug Steenland would not predict when the airline will return to profitability.
But the new plane, which lists for about $150 million, will allow Northwest to "leapfrog the competition," Steenland said, referring to rival domestic airlines.
International carriers, such as British Airways and Lufthansa, already offer similar upgrades - and many travelers have come to expect them. Northwest intends to use the new Airbuses to replace the older DC-10-30s in its fleet.
After extensive research, Northwest asked Airbus to design an interior for passengers who want to sleep or be entertained on long flights to Europe.
"From a consumer's point of view, it will offer people who fly Northwest a state-of-the-art seating that is long overdue," said Terry Trippler, a Minneapolis-based consumer travel advocate.
As the A330 fleet grows, Northwest will use the planes on London, Frankfurt and Paris routes that originate from its Detroit and Minneapolis-St. Paul hubs.
"We're at the head of the pack," Steenland said, referring to the edge that Northwest gains on its U.S.-based competitors by adding the new planes.
Flight attendant Kuretzky enthusiastically explained how to use the control consoles on the seats that can be adjusted to meet the needs of short and tall passengers. The seats also feature a leather canopy that can offer some privacy while sleeping.
In business class, the seats are 5 feet apart to allow passengers to lie flat in their seats.
Handheld devices are used to navigate the new entertainment systems, which allow passengers to choose their own movies, listen to jazz or classical music, or send an e-mail.
Northwest will be adding 14 A330-300s to its fleet, and 10 A330-200s that seat 243 people. The A330s will be used primarily in Northwest's Atlantic market, although some will serve Pacific routes.
In its effort to lure international travelers who pay premium prices, Northwest will spend $50 million to $60 million to retrofit its Boeing 747-400s with lie-flat bed seats and new entertainment systems in world business class. The 747-400s form the backbone of Northwest's Pacific fleet.
Northwest is making this large investment in its fleet after losing about $1.4 billion since 2001.
"The company has to run its business in the long-term best interests of the enterprise," said Northwest CEO Richard Anderson. Although Northwest and other airlines are attempting to cut their operating costs, Anderson said it's vital that Northwest make the strategic investments that will ensure the airline's competitive position in the future.
In an interview, Anderson stressed that there are immediate financial benefits to buying the new airplanes. "The A330-300 has 20 percent lower trip costs than the DC-10-30," he said, which includes costs such as fuel, maintenance and labor.
Anderson said that in addition to reducing its operating expenses, Northwest is acquiring the planes with favorable financing rates through Airbus.
Anderson declined to reveal how much Northwest is paying for each new Airbus A330. However, airlines typically negotiate substantial discounts for large airplane purchases, so Northwest is expected to pay much less than the $150 million list price.
Joel Denney, an airline analyst with U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, said the new aircraft allow Northwest to strengthen its ties to the "highest-margin customers."
In airline-industry parlance, the large, twin-aisle planes used for international flights are called wide-bodies.
With the A330 deal, this is the first time that Northwest is buying a wide-body from Airbus, Denney said.
Northwest previously acquired its large planes from rivals Boeing and McDonnell Douglas. "With Airbus and Boeing going at each other for the business," Denney said, the competition is yielding an extremely attractive Airbus purchase price for Northwest.
"We are agnostic," Anderson said, when it comes to expressing a preference for Airbus or Boeing. However, the Airbus fleet has been expanding at Northwest, and there now are 139 Airbus A319s and A320s in service.
Sentinel Those straw men sure fall easily LOL eom
OT: IBISES SkyMediaCenter Selected for Production Line-Fit on New An-148 Regional Aircrafts
Thursday September 18, 11:12 am ET
Product Provides Video On-Demand, Music On-Demand, Games, News, SMS Text Messaging, and Email
BREA, Calif., Sept. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- IBISES International, Inc. (OTC: IBSN - News) has received a letter of intent from InterAMI, Inc. of Kharkov, Ukraine to install and standardize their In-Flight Entertainment requirements with the SkyMediaCenter 3000 architecture. InterAMI plans to introduce the SMC-3000 A/VOD system as a standard offering for Antonov aircraft manufactured by its sister company, the Kharkov State Aviation Production Company, including the all new An-148 regional jet. Initial production estimates call for two aircraft per month ramping up to five aircraft per month.
InterAMI is the exclusive provider of aircraft interiors to Kharkov State Aviation Production Company, which is a manufacturer of Antonov aircraft in the Ukraine. InterAMI plans to also standardize on IBISES' cabin management platform, the Aircraft Service Management System (ASMS). The SMC-3000 architecture will allow An-148 passengers to enjoy video on-demand, music on-demand, games, even news, SMS text messaging and email with the new connectivity options.
The first production An-148 is scheduled to roll off the assembly line in late 2005. Initial production estimates call for two aircraft per month ramping up to five aircraft per month in 2005. The An-148 will seat up to 100 passengers and have a range of approximately 1,350 nm. Though some of these aircraft will be cargo configurations, the An-148 is slated as the replacement aircraft for the aging TU-134 aircraft and is the natural upgrade path for the recently introduced An-74TK-300. The new airplane will be sold in the CIS countries, and in Asia, Africa and in the Near East. Pricing for the An-148 is expected to start at around $10M, depending on the configuration.
Ibises International also announced this week the company has received a new contract from Garuda Maintenance Facility to install the SkyMediaCenter SMC3000CN In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity system on Sahara Airlines Boeing 737 airplanes. The new Sahara Airlines (New Delhi, India) contract will begin installations on the aircraft later this year.
IBISES International Inc. offers Internet, security, and entertainment solutions to the aviation industry.
InterAMI Inc. provides aircraft interiors design and manufacturing, design and installation of various air, water, ground and subway transportation interiors, and, in particular, VIP interiors design.
Statements contained in this release, which are not historical facts, may be considered "forward-looking statements" under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and the current economic environment. We caution the reader that such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Unknown risk, uncertainties as well as other uncontrollable or unknown factors could cause actual results to materially differ from the results, performance, or expectations expressed or implied by such forward- looking statements.
This release was issued through Major Newswire ( http://www.majornewswire.com ).
Many travelers, in order to get the lowest fare do not fly non stop. Unlike us "digger" highrollers, (LOL) transfers and layovers are the name of the game.
What would be a 3 hour non stop flight can easily turn into 5-6 hour ordeal of transfering planes and waiting for connecting flights. Our player would help these people out without breaking their budgets.
Roxio shares surge on Samsung digital music player deal
By Associated Press
NEW YORK -- Roxio Inc. shares rose sharply Wednesday after the company said it formed a partnership with Samsung Electronics Co. to make a portable digital music player for Roxio's soon-to-be launched online music service, Napster.
The new music player will be available in stores this fall, according to a press release. Roxio plans to relaunch Napster, without its original file-sharing capabilities, during the holiday season.
Napster 2.0 is expected to offer more than 500,000 songs, which can be transferred to portable devices and burned to CDs.
The Samsung devices will be cobranded and identified as "Napster compatible" on the packaging, the companies said.
Shares of Santa Clara-based Roxio closed Wednesday at $10.46, up $2.09, or 25 percent, on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
The deal is "a step in the right direction" for Napster, said Gene Munster, analyst for U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray.
Adams Harkness & Hill analyst Steven Frankel told Dow Jones Newswires that "it's a very easy link" between purchasing the music player and using Napster. However, Frankel said, it's too soon to tell if the deal will attract music fans to Napster.
"If you make (the player) truly easy to use, and if the pricing is compelling and the experience is compelling," it could bring in customers, he said.
Sony says China consumer electronics sales to surge
Reuters
Shanghai, September 18
Japan's Sony Corp said on Thursday it expects consumer electronics sales in China to quadruple to $4 billion by fiscal 2005, spurred by the launch of new hi-tech products into the market.
"We intend to achieve this through new product launches. Our sales in the first four months of this fiscal year have already risen over 50 per cent compared to the same period last year despite SARS," chairman of the board for Sony in China Hiroshi Shoda told reporters.
Sales in fiscal 2002 reached $1 billion.
Sony, the world's largest maker of consumer electronics, plans to launch eight new digital video camcorders, seven digital still cameras and seven personal computer models on the mainland this fiscal year, Shoda said.
Competition in the $100 billion consumer electronics market is heating up.
The lure is the gold mine of personal entertainment devices. Consumers continue to snap up items such as digital cameras, MP3 players, and high-definition TVs -- seen as key growth areas
Digitalway does not use it in their HD100. So why would another company have to use it?
Sentinel
Gil says it's Samsung so full speed ahead! LOL There can't be that many multi billion dollar CE companies in Asia?
IBISES Receives New Contract for Inflight Entertainment and Email Connectivity on Boeing 737 Aircraft
The New Contact is Worth Over $3 Million and is Expected to Increase in Value
BREA, Calif., Sept. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- IBISES Internationa(OTC: IBSN) announces during the 2003 World Airline Entertainment Association trade show in Seattle, Washington, the company has received a new contract from Garuda Maintenance Facility (GMF) to install the SkyMediaCenter SMC3000CN
In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) and Connectivity system on Sahara Airlines Boeing 737 airplanes.
The new Sahara Airlines (New Delhi, India) contract will begin installations on the aircraft later this year.
The model SMC3000CN offers advanced features like digital distributed video system, send-receive email, and SMS text messaging. The airline understands the true value of the SMC3000CN: non-ticket revenue generated by passengers using the service. The passengers can enjoy watching the movies while accessing their email or sending text messages with their
laptop/notebook computers that have wireless connection to the SMC3000CN on-board gateway server.
The contact award is worth over $3 million just for In-Flight
Entertainment but additional requirements have been submitted by GMF to include in-seat video (with 8.4" LCD screens) and connectivity. This contract is expected to increase in value.
Currently the airline operates with seven B737-700 and B737-800 aircraft. Based in New Delhi, India, Sahara Airlines is in the process of acquiring additional aircraft. Ibises International is looking forward to retrofit these airplanes as well.
IBISES (which stands for: Integrated Broadband, Internet, Security & Entertainment Solution,) will be able to offer passengers worldwide Internet connectivity onboard aircrafts. From SMS, Email, Broadband, IBISES is sourcing, integrating, and developing key technologies that will allow any airline to affordably offer passengers the ability to stay connected in the
air. By taking a multi-faceted technology approach, IBISES is able to tailor the solution to the needs of the airline.
The future of airline travel will include services like a flat-screen monitor which will allow you to check your e-mail at AOL or check your stockquotes over at E-trade, or shop at Amazon and bid on E-Bay. Passengers willalso be able to check out a newly released movie or watch television.Passengers can also plug in the headphones and listen to hundreds of artistsplay music. Not a couple of channels but hundreds of selections.
Picture of Digitalway HD200 HDD player 1.5GB
http://athena.tweakers.net/reviews/406/3
Link to Samsung/Napster player photo
http://www.digitmag.co.uk/news/display_news.cfm?NewsID=3225
Samsung develops MP3 player for Napster / September 17, 2003
By Martyn Williams
Samsung is working with Roxio to develop a line of portable audio players that will carry the brand names of both Samsung and Roxio's Napster service, the two companies said on Tuesday.
The first results from the partnership are expected later this year when a portable audio player is launched to coincide with the start of the Napster 2.0 service, the two companies said in a statement. Far from its roots as a centre for the trade of audio files, the second-generation service will allow people to purchase and download music from a catalogue of 500,000 songs, according to Roxio. The company is working with the five major record companies to operate the service.
The two companies didn't offer any more details of the planned players. However, on Monday a Samsung-manufactured player received approval from the US Government’s Federal Communication Commission (FCC). Along with an approval notice the FCC published pictures of the device and the preliminary user manual, which carries the Napster 2.0 logo.
The Samsung Napster YP-910 Player, includes a 20GB hard-disk drive, according to the user manual published by the FCC. The capacity is enough space to store around 5,000 average length MP3 files. That puts it on par storage-wise with mid-range Apple iPod and Creative’s mid-range Nomad Zen NX – and a third of the largest so far, Creative’s 60GB Nomad Zen.
It measures 108-x-70-x-20mm, which is roughly in-line with competing players albeit a little on the thick side, but beats both Toshiba and Apple by a long way when it comes to weight. The player weighs 60g, according to the preliminary specifications. If they are correct that makes it less than half the weight of the iPod or Zen NX, and a quarter that of the 60GB Zen.
Other features include support for both MP3 and WMA files, a USB port, and FM radio and an FM transmitter that means you can listen to songs wirelessly through an FM radio. It is this latter feature for which FCC regulatory approval was necessary.
It also includes a rechargable battery that provides enough power for up to 10 hours use, and a recording function that can be used to record from the built-in FM radio or an external device, such as a CD player, to an MP3 file, the manual said.
UK pricing and availability have yet to be announced.
The "Samsung Napster YP-910 Player," includes a 20G-byte hard-disk drive, according to the user manual published by the FCC. The capacity is enough space to store around 5,000 average length MP3 files. That puts it on par storage-wise with Toshiba Corp.'s recently announced Gigabeat MJ200 player and Apple Inc.'s new mid-range iPod and half that of Apple's high-end 40G byte iPod.
It measures 108 millimeters by 70 millimeters by 20 millimeters, which is roughly in-line with competing players albeit a little on the thick side, but beats both Toshiba and Apple by a long way when it comes to weight. The player weighs 60 grams, according to the preliminary specifications. If they are correct that makes it less than half the weight of Toshiba's new player and a third the weight of the 40G byte iPod.
Other features include support for both MP3 and Windows Media Audio (WMA) files, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port, and FM radio and an FM transmitter that means you can listen to songs wirelessly through an FM radio. It is this latter feature for which FCC regulatory approval was necessary.
It also includes a rechargable battery that provides enough power for up to 10 hours use, and a recording function that can be used to record from the built-in FM radio or an external device, such as a CD player, to an MP3 file, the manual said.
More info but not as up to date?
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6022_1-5077657.html
INFO! Samsung develops MP3 player for Napster
By Martyn Williams
IDG News Service, Tokyo Bureau
Updated: Wednesday, September 17, 2003 4:29 pm
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. is working with Roxio Inc. to develop a line of portable audio players that will carry the brand names of both Samsung and Roxio's Napster service, the two companies said Tuesday.
The announcement came a day after a co-branded Samsung-Napster hard disk drive-based MP3 player received approval from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for use in the U.S.
First results from the partnership are expected to be seen later this year when a portable audio player is launched to coincide with the start of the Napster 2.0 service, the two companies said in a statement. Far from its roots as a center for the trade of audio files, the second generation service will allow people to purchase and download music from a catalog of 500,000 songs, according to Roxio. The company is working with five major record companies to operate the service.
The two companies didn't offer any more details of the planned players however on Monday a Samsung-manufactured player received FCC approval. Along with an approval notice the FCC published pictures of the device and the preliminary user manual, which carries the Napster 2.0 logo.
The "Samsung Napster YP-910 Player," includes a 20G-byte hard-disk drive, according to the user manual published by the FCC. The capacity is enough space to store around 5,000 average length MP3 files. That puts it on par storage-wise with Toshiba Corp.'s recently announced Gigabeat MJ200 player and Apple Inc.'s new mid-range iPod and half that of Apple's high-end 40G byte iPod.
It measures 108 millimeters by 70 millimeters by 20 millimeters, which is roughly in-line with competing players albeit a little on the thick side, but beats both Toshiba and Apple by a long way when it comes to weight. The player weighs 60 grams, according to the preliminary specifications. If they are correct that makes it less than half the weight of Toshiba's new player and a third the weight of the 40G byte iPod.
Other features include support for both MP3 and Windows Media Audio (WMA) files, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port, and FM radio and an FM transmitter that means you can listen to songs wirelessly through an FM radio. It is this latter feature for which FCC regulatory approval was necessary.
It also includes a rechargable battery that provides enough power for up to 10 hours use, and a recording function that can be used to record from the built-in FM radio or an external device, such as a CD player, to an MP3 file, the manual said.
Following his 30-minute keynote, Rollins said Dell is also eyeing the consumer-electronics market. Dell would like its PCs to be the hub of the home, he said, declining to offer details about the company's plans.
Dell, which currently sells a broad range of third-party consumer electronics, printers and cameras, is expected to announce its full-on entry into the consumer-electronics market later this month. In the past, Rollins has expressed Dell's interest in offering its own versions of devices like LCD televisions and portable MP3 players
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/cnet/stories/5077520.htm
OT Intel and Sony push for home content-sharing standard
Michael Kanellos
CNET News.com
September 16, 2003, 11:25 BST
Electronics manufacturers are working together to let consumers play movie and music content from any device in their homes
Intel, Sony and a host of Japanese electronics manufacturers on Tuesday plan to propose a standard for allowing consumers to freely swap movies and music downloaded from the Internet between all the devices in their homes.
The Digital Transmission Content Protection over IP (Internet Protocol) specification is aimed at balancing the interests of consumers, who recoil against restrictions placed on how and where they can use digital content, and copyright owners, who are terrified of piracy.
The DTCP specification, embodied in home networks, would permit consumers to play downloaded music or movies on any PC or digital device in the home. However, the downloaded material can't be transmitted outside the home or copied.
"It is protection of the links within the home," said Louis Burns, co-general manager of Intel's desktop platforms group, who will discuss the proposal further in a speech on Tuesday at the Intel Developer Forum in San Jose. "There are two parties, and we are trying to put their minds at ease."
Although content downloaded from the Internet is still primarily viewed -- or listened to -- on PCs, the picture is changing. A number of manufacturers have started to sell digital media adapters, which are small boxes that link traditional televisions and stereos to PCs. Consumer electronics manufacturers also are retrofitting their products for the digital age.
"In the not-too-distant future, the TV that you buy and the DVD player that you buy will contain an access point" for network connections, Burns said.
Concurrently, PCs will become more TV-like. At the conference, Intel will show off a forthcoming all-in-one LCD (liquid-crystal display) TV-PC running Microsoft's Windows Media Centre OS.
"We did the reference design" on the Gateway PC, Burns said, meaning that Intel performed the design work. The chipmaker also will debut a set-top box using its silicon.
The companies will release a nearly complete version of the specification, in a strong indication that a final specification that can be proposed to standards bodies will come relatively soon.
Besides Intel and Sony, Hitachi, Toshiba and Matsushita participated in the development of the specification.
The Intel Developer Forum will run from Tuesday to Thursday. Among other announcements, Intel is expected to discuss a new version of its Itanium server chip, code-named Tanglewood, and unveil designs for PCs and notebooks that will appear in 2004 and 2005.
Overall, PCs will get smaller. A new motherboard design called BTX (Balanced Technology Extended) will start to hit the market next year. BTX incorporates a number of new technologies, including PCI Express, that remove a substantial portion of the volume inside PCs. For the past few years, PCs have been based on an ATX motherboard.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm eom
OT: Archos Gmini 120 and GMini 220 20GB Digital Audio Players Coming November
http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/337/C2047/
OT:Song Flies One Millionth Customer; Delta's Low-Fare Service Reaches One Million Mark after Only 5 Months in Service
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 16, 2003--Song(TM), Delta Air Lines' new low-fare service, announced today that it has flown its one-millionth customer, just five months after launching service on April 15th. Catherine Wertenberger, from Winter Park, FL, flew from Orlando International Airport to New York's LaGuardia Airport.
At a reception held today in the Song gate area at LaGuardia, Wertenberger was presented with a bag designed by Kate Spade, the exclusive designer for Song, in honor of being the one-millionth passenger, in addition to a waiting limo to whisk her to her final New York destination. Wertenberger will also receive free travel on Song in 2004.
"We are thrilled to reach today's milestone after only five short months," said Joanne Smith, Vice President of Marketing and Customers for Song. "Song is all about providing choices for our customers, and we couldn't be happier that one million customers have chosen to fly with us."
In October, Song plans to introduce the world's most sophisticated in-flight entertainment system. Song is partnering with Matsushita Avionics Systems and EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ:DISH) and its DISH Network(TM) satellite TV service to provide a complement of on-board amenities, which when fully implemented will include: personal video monitors at every seat; all-digital, satellite broadcast programming; digitally streamed MP3 programming; pay-per-view programming available on demand; multi-player interactive games that allow play between passengers; and interactive iXplor moving map program with zoom capabilities and points of interest information and connecting gate information broadcast directly to personal in-seat video monitors.
Song provides direct non-stop service between major cities in the Northeast United States and key Florida leisure destinations, plus Atlanta, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Juan. Utilizing a fleet of 36 199-seat, all-coach Boeing 757s, Song plans to offer 142 daily non-stop flights by October. Additionally, Song presently serves all three New York metro area airports - JFK, Newark and LaGuardia - the only low-fare service to do so.
All Song flights are operated by Delta Air Lines. Song tickets can be purchased by visiting flysong.com. A photo of the airport reception is available at www.wirepix/newsphotos.
So far shareholder alert only eom
Musical was the mfg of the Classic player. It was not a multi billion dollar company. Multi Billion dollar company narrows the field down a tad...don't you think?
Tinroad Exactly! Digitalway, Eastech or Maycom are not multi- billion dollar companies.....
San Diego, CA – September 16, 2003) – e.Digital Corporation (OTC: EDIG) today announced that a multi-billion dollar Asian OEM (original equipment manufacturer) has signed a royalty-bearing license agreement to manufacture e.Digital’s Odyssey 1000 Personal Digital Jukebox platform for OEM branding.
DIGITALWAY MULTI BILLION DOLLAR COMPANY? NAHHHH EOM
Sony to launch Net music service
Last modified: September 4, 2003, 1:00 PM PDT
By John Borland
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
( No mention of Windows....yet)
Sony will launch its own digital music service next year, in a project that will see its music, movie and electronics divisions work closely together, the company said Thursday.
Announced by Sony Vice Chairman Howard Stringer at an event in Paris, the service appears to be conceived as a rival to Apple Computer's successful iTunes digital music store, and as an attempt to stem its entertainment divisions' perceived losses to file-swapping services like Kazaa.
Although details remain scarce, the Sony service as described will be closely tied to the company's consumer electronics and proprietary copy protection technologies. The company did not provide information on pricing or business models, although Stringer did describe it as a download service.
Like Apple's before it, Sony's announcement of an online song sales service is part of a strategy that goes beyond simple music sales. Both companies are trying to make their hardware, from computers to digital music players, the centerpieces of digitally networked homes, and they hope that providing entertainment content directly to consumers will also drive demand for their hardware.
Sony, though, has been in a uniquely uncomfortable position that straddles the entertainment and consumer electronics world. Hamstrung in part by its movie and music divisions' fears of digital piracy, it has seen independent companies jump ahead in development and sales of digital music players, while its own copy protection-enabled devices have had only lukewarm appeal.
Earlier Sony-backed digital music efforts such as subscription company Pressplay--now a part of Roxio's soon-to-be-launched Napster--have not had close connections to the electronics division.
According to information Sony provided, the new service is being developed internally as a joint effort between Sony Music, Sony Pictures, Sony Electronics and Sony Corporation of America. The divisions have been working together on a common infrastructure for network services in the United States, and the new music service will be a part of this project.
Sony Music will provide initial content for the service, but all the major music companies are expected to participate, the company said. Sony Corporation of America will oversee the service in the United States. The service is expected to launch in the United States and Europe in spring 2004, with an earlier launch date set for Japan, the company said.
The company's electronics division will create consumer devices that are tailored to work specifically with the music service, but Sony will also license the underlying media technologies such as the OpenMG copy protection and technical interfaces to other hardware companies. Sony said the service would be available on portable music players, PCs and other audio devices.
The new service is just the latest that's expected from the consumer electronics giant in the coming years, as it prepares to turn up the volume on a broader network strategy, focusing on content that can be distributed to devices all linked to a broadband connection. Sony has touted this strategy, referred to as the "ubiquitous value network" for several years and has been developing products that can connect to a network.
Another example of Sony's networked strategy is its Cocoon digital video recorder, which is currently available only in Japan but is expected to hit the United States later this year. The DVR service is used in a Sony recorder, and subscribers can use a cell phone to remotely program the service to record shows.
With its RoomLink product, a Wi-Fi access point for sharing digital content among consumer electronics devices, Sony has also been laying the groundwork for wirelessly connecting networked devices.
By the time Sony's music service launches, many other online music services are likely to on the market as well. Apple's iTunes, currently available only for Macintosh computers and iPod music players, is slated to expand to the Windows platform late in 2003 or early 2004. BuyMusic, created by Buy.com CEO Scott Blum, is already operating. Other companies, ranging from Amazon.com to Yahoo, are expected to launch their own music stores or resell other services in the coming months
Hitachi is supplying the 1.8" Hdd. Last week RP stated Hitachi was meeting their production goals, so supply would not be a problem. As far as who the Asian company could be? I hope it is a biggee................