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Hollywood goes lightly tracking piracy
By John Schwartz
NEW YORK TIMES
When Tim Davis got caught trading songs, it made him semifamous. Davis, an artist who teaches photography at Yale, was sued by the Recording Industry Association of America last September and was featured in news articles around the world.
Since then, he has made his plight a public cause to help recoup the $10,000 he spent on his legal defense and to settle the lawsuit. He sold "Free Timmy" T-shirts and held a fund-raising party at his studio. Visitors to his Web site, davistim.com, can leave a donation in an online "tip jar." The lawsuit, he said, is "an insane kind of disproportionate response" to his musical sins.
Then there is Jeff, who trades movies online. Jeff, who lives in New York and discussed his situation only on the condition that his full name not be used, received a letter from his cable company explaining that New Line Cinema had found a copy of "Freddy vs. Jason" available for sharing through his Internet account. The letter noted that the movie industry did not know his identity but could go to court to discover it and might eventually sue him. "It gave me a little scare," he said.
There are many more music traders than movie traders, but there are many more Jeffs than Tims these days. While the recording industry has made headlines with a few hundred lawsuits, the movie industry has been sending out hundreds of thousands of threatening notices via e-mail messages each week to the people who make its products available on the Internet.
The music industry's approach has contributed to a decline in downloading but has also produced a powerful public backlash, angering millions of its customers. That is one reason, among others, that Jack Valenti, head of the Motion Picture Association of America, said that his industry would not be following the music companies' path any time soon.
"I'm not ruling out anything, but at this moment we don't have any specific plans to sue anyone," Valenti said. "I think we have learned from the music industry."
The gentler threat works, said Mark Ishikawa, the chief executive of BayTSP, a company that helps the industry track down file sharers by scanning the Internet for movies and issuing the e-mail notices automatically. Fully 85 percent of those contacted "do not come back," Ishikawa said. "We never see them again," with no headlines and no public relations blowups.
"The movie studios," he said, "are trying to prevent themselves from becoming the next music industry."
But executives at the technology companies that serve both industries say that the movie industry, while avoiding some of the record industry's pitfalls, has not yet made enough progress on other fronts to head off a Napster-like disaster.
The different approaches to the problem of copyright infringement, they say, are -- more than anything else -- about timing.
The music industry is pursuing a late, desperate, rear-guard action against an army of tens of millions of downloaders. Meanwhile, legitimate online alternatives to file trading are only now becoming established. The movie industry, by comparison, estimates that it has at least 18 months before high-speed Internet access and high-capacity hard drives make grabbing a movie almost as quick and easy as grabbing a song.
Valenti says Hollywood is doing everything it can to get ahead of the coming storm. Along with the warning letters, the movie industry is paying for consumer-education programs and technology research, and pushing for laws and regulations that executives hope will protect their wares. At the industry's urging, for example, California recently passed a law making it illegal to use a camcorder in a movie theater.
Yet experts in digital technology say Hollywood is fooling itself if it believes that its current steps will be enough, or even that they will take the industry in the right direction.
Gary Johnson, the chief executive of PortalPlayer, a company that makes the technology that helps consumer products like Apple Computer's iPod play music within the boundaries of licensing agreements and copyright law, was particularly blunt.
"We're not sure the lessons that were learned in the music industry have been picked up yet" in the world of video, he said.
The most important thing for Hollywood to do now, Johnson said, is to move faster to develop the kinds of licensing agreements and protective technology that can make digital video services easy to use and worth paying for.
Michael Maia, the vice president for sales and marketing for PortalPlayer, said: "It's all about the rights."
In other words, the biggest challenge for the video industry lies not with pirates but with bytes, cash and lawyers.
What the industry needs, technology executives say, is to look harder for tools and contracts that allow people to get the movies they want at a competitive price, rather than concentrate on actions that restrict access.
"The film industry has a tremendous opportunity in front of it, and the bar is very low," said Eric Garland, chief executive of BigChampagne, a company that tracks file-trading activity for the entertainment industries.
Movie companies can prevent the free swapping of their wares from mushrooming into a mass phenomenon, Garland said, by offering easy-to-use services with broad selection that will shape the consumer experience, instead of trying to change bad behavior after the fact.
The movie industry, he said, has to ask itself what the music industry should have asked years ago: "Why do they want to steal from us?" The answer, he said, is simple: "Because you won't sell them what they want." The technologists say that what went wrong with the music industry can easily go wrong for movie companies, too.
Steve Perlman, a longtime executive in the technology industry who co-founded WebTV, said that because music companies had resisted online trends and did not make their wares readily available, "a pirate way of accessing content became the best way of accessing content."
People seeking a legitimate way to download music found nothing much, while Napster and its offspring became magical jukeboxes in cyberspace that offered every conceivable song. "They've got to make it so the best choice is legitimate content," Perlman said.
When a movie first appears, illicit copies show up online for the taking almost instantly. "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," released on Dec. 17, is already available on several peer-to-peer services. Many videos, though, are poor-quality copies made by people who bring camcorders to a theater.
Most of the higher-quality copies come from within the industry, often copied from "screener" discs sent out during the annual awards season.
Current attempts to sell movies online, like the industry-sponsored Movielink, are still limited in selection and ease of use. But Valenti, the movie industry's powerful lobbyist in Washington, said the problems were temporary.
"We're experimenting with all of this," he said. "This isn't anything that is a finished game." Technology and selection will improve, he pledged. "There's no expectation of keeping these films in a vault."
The path to a successful service has to involve the kind of technology that protects copyright unobtrusively, said Paul Kocher, president of Cryptography Research. Kocher, whose San Francisco company helps clients in the cable and satellite industries foil piracy, said that hard-to-design but simple-to-use technologies could solve problems that might otherwise seem intractable.
"In the end, if people are stealing your stuff," Kocher said, "the technology has failed." Hand in hand with developing legal digital services, he recommends the kind of tough security that is built into satellite television equipment, so that the companies "make it not worth stealing" because the bar has been raised too high.
A cable thief, said Josh Bernoff, a principal analyst at Forrester Research, "can't say, 'I didn't realize it was wrong to climb up a pole, connect a wire, run it to my home and hook it up to my TV."'
The costs of adopting the wrong strategy will be high. Jeff, the movie swapper, says that despite his scare he has not changed his ways. He has gone deeper underground instead, renaming files so that movie titles would not be as easy to find with industry search software, he said. (Ishikawa of BayTSP said that the strategy would not work against his service, however.)
Jeff also says that he does not make his own trove of movies available to the world as readily. "I just watch them and delete them instead of leaving it out there," he said. "I don't leave the network on 24 hours a day the way I used to."
But Davis, the former song trader, has changed his habits. He dusted off his turntable, bought a new needle and started haunting the bargain vinyl bins in junk shops, where he has discovered some treasures for a dollar a record.
"I'm really very excited about it," he said, "because there isn't much new to buy out there, is there?"
lickily--re "proprietary hardware and firmware" i believe roughly translated means----
The PORTALPLAYER Audio Jukebox Platform is the industry's only integrated silicon and software solution for designing next generation entertainment products such as portable digital music devices, general audio systems and streaming audio receivers. This complete platform includes a system-on-chip (PP5002D), firmware, and a PC-based digital media manager software development kit (SDK).
Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am Rahsaan Roland Kirk
HARD DRIVES
Toshiba sets standard for small
Toshiba has developed what it believes is the smallest functional hard drive for next-generation cell phones and other portable gadgets -- a nickel-sized disk that can store two to three gigabytes of music and video.
At 0.85 inches in diameter, the Toshiba drive would beat a 1-inch model from Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, Hitachi's U.S. unit. But the Hitachi drive stores 4 gigabytes.
More commonly used hard drives, such as the 250-gigabyte ones in digital video recorders, are about 3.5 inches in diameter, Hitachi spokesman Tadashi Hisanaga said.
But demand for tinier drives is growing as manufacturers pack more features into cell phones and other networked gadgets. A 2-gigabyte drive can store about 30 hours of music but cannot store movie-length video.
portplayer provides the platform; it's not a CE retailer
"Leading consumer electronics infrastructure providers like Texas Instruments, PortalPlayer"
The Cornice 2 Gigabyte Storage Element won the Best Mobile Storage Award.
2004 Storage Visions Conference and Home Gateway Summit Announce Storage Visions Award Winners; Record Attendance at 2004 Event
2004 International CES
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 7, 2004--
Storage Tours of 2004 CES and Digital Content Techzone to Start January 8
The Third Annual Storage Visions(SM) Conference and Home Gateway Summit (SV/HG, a partner program to the 2004 CES) awards were presented to record attending crowds last night at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The awards were presented to companies advancing the state of the art in storage technologies utilized in consumer electronics, the media and entertainment industries, and to service firms that support those businesses.
David Takata, president and CEO of Engage Capital, said, "We are proud to have sponsored the conference awards. Given the host of convergence themes, Storage Visions has proven to be the one event that innovators in consumer electronics cannot afford to miss. The 2004 awards demonstrate the breadth and depth the conference has achieved in searching for best-in-breed products and services, while remaining true to its storage technology roots."
The Archos AV300 was the winner of the Best Mobile Consumer Electronics Award. The Cornice 2 Gigabyte Storage Element won the Best Mobile Storage Award. The Best Mobile Mass Storage Award was presented to Honda for its auto navigation system. The Best Enterprise Class Media Award went to Seagate Technology for the Cheetah 15K.3 146 Gigabyte disk drive. The Best Integrated Home Entertainment Award went to Sony for the PSX. Isilon Systems won the Best Enterprise Class Systems Award for its Isilon IQ.
Rio's parent company, Digital Networks North America, was the winner of the Visionary Consumer Electronics Company Award for its pioneering use of digital storage in consumer electronics products. Kasenna won the Visionary Media and Entertainment Company Award for innovation in video delivery and storage. The Visionary Services and Support Company Award went to Solectron for its history of exceptional quality and service in support of the consumer electronics industry.
In addition, the conference organizer presented three Founders Awards. The honors went to Maxtor in recognition of its advancement of ATA-based network storage and for its category-defining OneTouch personal back-up product; to Seagate for its long history of market-leading technologies and volume leadership in data storage, and in recognition of its early support of the Storage Visions conferences; and to Hitachi Global Storage Technologies for developing the Microdrive Digital Media product and for its pioneering role in the hard disk drive industry.
The 2004 SV/HG Conference addressed critical technology and market issues for the implementation of a completely digital entertainment industry. Speakers at the conference came from key companies participating in the creation of digital multimedia content -- its distribution, archiving and reception.
Conference information for the 2005 Storage Visions Conference and Home Gateway Summit as well as further information on the 2004 conference is now available on the Storage Visions website, www.storagevisions.com.
Storage Visions will be giving four storage tours of the 2004 CES exhibit floor to press and analysts between January 8-10, 2004. The storage tours will take place on January 8 at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM, and on January 9 and 10 at 11:00 AM. Press and analysts may register for these tours by sending an email indicating their interest and contact information to info@storagevisions.com.
LG, Toshiba Show Blue Laser Recorders
New devices offer high-capacity storage, but use competing formats.
Martyn Williams, IDG News Service
Wednesday, January 07, 2004
LG Electronics and Toshiba are both planning to use the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show to unveil high-definition video recorders that use next-generation blue laser technology, the companies say.
Advertisement
LG Electronics will show its LG-XBG420, a high-definition video recorder that supports both Blu-ray removable media and has a built-in 200GB hard drive, the Seoul-based company says.
The player sports an IEEE1394 interface and a DVI (Digital Video Interface) connector that supports Intel's HDCP (high-bandwidth digital content protection) system for copy-protection of content on the DVI bus. There are also built-in tuners for both conventional NTSC and high-definition ATSC broadcasts, LG says.
It's expected on the U.S. market during the third quarter of this year and is likely to be priced at under $3000, says John Taylor, a spokesperson for LG's North American unit.
This is about the same price that Sony's BDZ-S77 Blu-ray recorder sells for in Japan. At present, the Sony recorder is the only commercial Blu-ray recorder. The company has yet to announce any plans to sell the recorder outside of Japan.
Both LG and Sony belong to the nine-company group developing Blu-ray. The other companies are Hitachi, Matsushita Electric Industrial (Panasonic), Philips Electronics, Pioneer Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Sharp, and Thomson Multimedia.
High Definition DVD
Toshiba said it will show a prototype video recorder based around High Definition/High Density DVD (HD-DVD). The format is a competitor to Blu-ray and is being developed by Toshiba and NEC under the DVD Forum.
It is expected to be adopted by the DVD standards group as the official successor to current generation DVD discs although whether it or Blu-ray or another as-yet-unannounced format ultimately wins over consumers is yet to be seen.
Toshiba's device uses a recently developed optical pick-up that houses both the red laser required for current DVD discs and the blue-laser required for HD-DVD discs, as well as a common lens to allow compatibility with both formats. Also included in the prototype is a new LSI (large scale integrated circuit) chip that combines a servo controller, data signal processor, and ATAPI interface together.
Coming Soon?
Commercial launch plans for the recorder have not been announced by Toshiba and the company is unlikely to make any predictions until at least version 1.0 of the format is finalized, says Midori Suzuki, a spokesperson for Toshiba in Tokyo. Engineers are currently working on preparations for the first version of the HD-DVD format having already finalized version 0.9 of the system.
The company will also hold off on launching a product until it decides a market exists for such a device.
With high-definition broadcasting still in its early days and recorder prices hovering around the $3000 point, such machines are still regarded as niche products. But this year's CES is expected to see the launch of a wider range of compatible televisions and other products.
LG will also announce a hard drive digital video recorder that can record high-definition broadcasts. The LST-3410A has a 120GB storage capacity, which is enough for around 12.5 hours of HDTV programming according to LG, and also has IEEE1394 and DVI/HDCP interfaces. It is expected to launch in the U.S. sometime within the next three months. The price will be announced during CES.
52W HIGH: New 52-Wk High for EDIG @ $0.630 up5.88% [delayed]
Ridgeland, MS, JAN 07, 2004 (EventX/Knobias.com via COMTEX) -- This is the 1st 52 WEEK HIGH alert for EDIG in the past 7 calendar days.
The share price for eDigital Corporation (OTCBB: EDIG) reached a new 52-week high today, trading at $0.630, up $0.035 (5.88%) from its previous close of $0.595.
The Company's previous 52-week high of $0.625 was set 50 days ago on November 18, 2003.
One year ago, the Company's shares closed at $0.230. The price has climbed more than 173 percent since then.
At the time of this alert, the stock had traded 582,900 shares via 156 trades, 10.98% above it's 20day average of 525,225 shares.
This new 52-week high currently puts the stock:
21.43% above its 20day Moving Average of $0.519
26.73% above its 50day Moving Average of $0.497
37.78% above its 100day Moving Average of $0.457
???
12:18:17 0.610 1000 OTCBB
12:17:05 0.610 1500 OTCBB at Ask
12:16:58 0.600 2500 OTCBB
12:16:44 0.595 11900 OTCBB at Bid
12:15:42 0.600 700 OTCBB
12:15:38 0.600 8300 OTCBB
12:15:37 0.600 700 OTCBB
12:14:12 0.600 1000 OTCBB at Ask
12:14:00 0.600 5000 OTCBB
12:13:16 0.600 400 OTCBB
Twelve companies so far have plans to release products with the drive. RCA/Thomson, Rio and five other manufacturers will come out with MP3 players with the Cornice Storage Element (SE), and a major U.S. retailer will feature a Cornice-based player from Korea.
http://news.com.com/2100-1041-1012235.html?tag=nl
PS my guess is the korean player reference is digitalway not samsung.
http://www.mpio.com/
Company: GS Magicstor Inc.
Booth: 21104
Media Contact: summerbu@gs-magicstor.com
Phone: 86-755-83667768
Company URL: http://www.gs-magicstor.com
Press Area URL:
http://www.gs-magicstor.com/english/about-gs-c/gsxw.htm
Product description: 1" HDD offering the world's largest capacity
and super high-speed whilst using few raw materials. Our R&D Center,
based in Silicon Valley, provides a strong foundation for our
products. Our factory, with world class manufacturing facilities and
testing technologies, manned by an experienced international team,
ensures the highest quality standards.
Company description: As China's first 1" HDD manufacturer with our
own intellectual property rights, GS Magicstor Inc. boasts a strong
international presence, with offices in the United States, United
Kingdome, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and China, plus
distribution to all other major countries.
Apple Computer is using a small hard drive from Hitachi in its new iPod, as the market for mini drives heats up.
The 4GB drive, which measures 1 inch across, marks Hitachi's second major contract in the music player field. Last October, Dell came out with a music player that contained a 1.8-inch Hitachi drive.
Apple did not state which company is manufacturing the drive for the new iPods, but sources close to Hitachi confirmed it is the Japanese computing giant.
The process of elimination is also fairly straightforward on this issue, because there are only three companies with product plans in this area. Cornice, a start-up that makes a 2GB minidrive that can be found in music players from Digital Networks North America (makers of the Rio line), said it wasn't involved, and Toshiba, which manufacturers 1.8-inch drives for Apple's other iPods, won't come out with a drive in the 1-inch range until late this year.
The hard drive has emerged as one of the key components in the push to bring PC technologies to the home. Personal video recorders from TiVo and others depend on hard drives to store recorded TV programs. Samsung has shown off a small video camera that relies on a 1-inch hard drive.
The iPod has also helped popularize portable music players with hard drives. More portable music players actually depend on flash memory to store music, but flash players can't achieve the same capacity, and they feature only about 256MB, versus several gigabytes, of storage space.
Until recently, in fact, the market for small hard drives, defined as drives with a diameter of 1.8 inches or less, has been sort of a sleepy place. IBM originally designed the 1-inch drive, which it called the micro drive, in the 1990s, but it sold in low numbers. Toshiba was the first major manufacturer of 1.8-inch drives, but to date, the vast majority of the drives have been incorporated into iPods.
Last year, Hitachi and Cornice both jumped into the market. Hitachi acquired the technology when it purchased IBM's hard-drive business in 2002.
Toshiba develops DVD player that plays both today's, next-generation formats
TOKYO (AP) - Toshiba Corp. has developed a next-generation digital video disc player that can play both current and new formats, the Japanese electronics maker said Wednesday.
Toshiba has said it may start selling such players in 2005. The standard was developed with Japanese electronics maker NEC Corp. A prototype will be shown at the International CES exhibition, which starts Thursday in Las Vegas, the Tokyo-based company said in a statement.
Next-generation DVDs will be able to record five times the amount of information of current DVDs. A DVD today can record about two hours of conventional analog TV programming while the next-generation digital video disc format can record more than two hours of digital TV programming.
Japanese rivals Sony Corp., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., which makes the Panasonic brand, and Philips Electronics NV of the Netherlands are pushing another format in next-generation DVDs called Blu-ray.
Toshiba and NEC say their format called HD DVD, for ``high definition,'' can be priced cheaper than a comparable Blu-ray model because the assembly lines for current DVDs can be adapted to make the next-generation discs. That cannot be done for Blu-ray discs.
Toshiba said buyers will be able to enjoy the better image quality of HD DVDs while protecting their already made investment in a DVD software collection.
``We have achieved a major milestone,'' said Hisashi Yamada of Toshiba's Digital Media Network Co. ``We feel confident that development of HD DVD is steadily and rapidly in progress.''
Terrestrial digital broadcasting began in Japan's major cities last month, and hopes are growing among this nation's electronics giants that demand will pick up for digital TVs and next-generation DVD recorders.
Interesting IFE comments by United Airlines CEO in Sept
From rstring
PostID 304423 On Tuesday, January 06, 2004 (EST) at 8:49:37 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remarks by Glenn F. Tilton at The World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA)
September 09, 2003
Seattle, Washington
"New Realities, New Approaches in Inflight Entertainment"
By Glenn F. Tilton, Chairman, President and CEO, UAL Corp. and United Airlines
Good Morning. And thank you Mary, I appreciate that and I appreciate the endorsement of your children as well.
Today's gathering is a very, very valuable reminder, especially to me personally, that the business will not always be about financial restructuring, and that it is in fact as we said on the first day following our filing of our Chapter 11 case, it's still about the customer.
And it will always be about the customer. And, if I were to only impart one message from this podium today, it would be that, and the fact that I'm given the opportunity to remind myself of that is a very, very good thing.
It has been an extraordinary year for the industry. We do not wake up on any occasion, and this morning was no exception, without news that reminds us of the challenges of our industry. Let me just set context: in two days on September 11th, when I return, from what has been a three-week experience of constant travel I'll return to Chicago and will participate in a commemorative ceremony for those that we lost in September 11th, 2001. So imagine, contextually, standing here before you today talking about something very near and dear to your hearts and important, inflight entertainment, and returning to Chicago to lay a wreath in commemoration of those that we lost on that day.
The recurrent threat of terrorism, the war in Iraq, woke up this morning to the acknowledgement that we have a confirmed case of SARS in Singapore, all of which have a sobering and disproportionate affect on our industry. Business has been very difficult; the challenges are real. People have been buying less and people have been traveling less. And the competitive landscapes for all of our businesses are changed irreversibly, and we have to accommodate that, we have to be responsive to that as we set strategy going forward.
But there are opportunities -- and you represent them -- within these challenges, and your imagination and your creativity is going to show us, in my view, the way. They include opening up to new technologies, many of which I got a glimpse of as I did a little preview tour of the exhibition hall, and they include developing the next generation of infrastructure required to serve the evolving entertainment and information requirements of our mutual passengers.
We also have, and I think this is very important for my side of the aisle, so to speak, the opportunity and the responsibility to find new ways of working together to deliver a great customer experience at an affordable and competitive cost.
Before I get into specifics with respect to that theme, let me speak to the issue of United and the work that we are doing to create a platform that enables us to consider this agenda of yours and these challenges going forward.
We have obviously had a challenging year and we've had to rethink our operations as well as the marketplace and how we approach our customers going forward. We've had to move very quickly and very skillfully to transform the company so that we're able to compete and we really have focused on three principal areas:
One, which I know you are all very familiar with, is getting our financial house in order, as we must. We are on track to reduce our costs by some $5 billion annually by 2005. To put it in context, that represents about a third of our pre-filing operating budget.
It's been coupled with an effort to improve our competitive revenue performance relative to peers. Prior to filing, we were burning through $6 billion a day. We were cash flow positive, however, on an operating basis in the second quarter of this year, and we were generating by July three and a half million dollars of positive cash. August has also been encouraging.
Two, during that time we wanted to make sure that we also ran a very good airline, because we knew that at the end of the day, it was still all about the customer. And our customers have been loyal and they have been patient, but they can't be so forever. For the last 12 months, remarkably enough, United has had operating and customer satisfaction metrics better than United has ever experienced before. It's an extraordinary performance by our people, who would have every reason and every excuse to suggest that they're either distracted or demoralized, but they have led the way in turning in this performance.
Three, and perhaps that which gets the least attention by the media, and it really speaks to the issue of this conference, we have been determined to preserve our strategic choices. Restructure the balance sheet, restructure our debt, get our financial house in order, run a great airline, but have those strategic choices preserved so that we participate in this business going forward. We have been able to do so. We have our hub structure intact in the United States, at the end of the restructuring. We have our international route network available to us to optimize as we go forward. And we have our customer base available to us as we participate in conferences such as this one, to be able to make the strategic choices that are relevant to the marketplace of the future and to build an even greater airline than the one that we transform coming out of Chapter 11.
So we have the opportunity to focus not only on our survival but also on our ability to compete effectively across the full spectrum of competition in this business. And we're going to give ourselves the opportunity to participate in your theme and your agenda, and that's onboard innovation and connectivity.
So, while we have a lot of work to do, and we are by no means complete with respect to our restructuring, we have given ourselves the opportunity to be market ready, and we are market ready and ready to compete. We're also finding ways to launch new and strategic initiatives to help serve the inflight needs of our customers more completely, and trying now to think about how to set United apart.
Take, for example the JetConnect service that we introduced with Verizon Airfone earlier this year, that enables passengers to send and to receive e-mail from the plane and get regularly updated news, sports and weather information. Launching this in partnership with Verizon Airfone enabled us to provide the most advanced service while essentially eliminating implementation costs for our company. Both United and Verizon Airfone are sharing in the revenues. A win-win for both companies. To us, JetConnect is a prime example of the kind of up-to-date, cost effective content and service we need to provide for tomorrow's travelers.
We also think it is the type of partnership that can be a model for the industry as a whole going forward. We think it importantly responds to key developments that have converged in recent years, to make the inflight entertainment landscape very different and very challenging.
As technology becomes easier to use, more accessible and less costly, regardless of where our customers and passengers happen to be, they increasingly expect the entertainment and the information choices available to them inflight to be as instantaneous and as varied as they are on the ground.
Of course we must perform the remarkable task of making all of this possible 30 thousand feet or higher in the air while traveling at 450 miles an hour. In a tube.
At the same time, because of the proliferation of small, relatively inexpensive electronic devices passengers really don't need to rely any longer on inflight offerings for entertainment. They are certainly no longer a captive audience. We have their bodies on board, but we can't be guaranteed that we have their attention, and we've all witnessed this phenomenon. All they have to do is load up their laptops, their personal DVDs or their interactive electronic games.
We need, as a collective, to create the compelling high-quality content and new value-added business services that will compete successfully for their attention. And when they think of all of those options available to them, they need to think first of us, and they need to be convinced that we, in turn, are thinking of them.
And we need to deliver up-to-date technology to convey the message and to deliver the product. We have to find opportunities to grab our customers' focus onboard, and in a very significant way, we need to have them thinking about the experience as a pleasurable one. If we can't provide options that our customers will choose over what they will bring along themselves, we've lost the revenue and customer satisfaction opportunities, and we've lost the opportunity to differentiate ourselves.
Our offerings need to be more sophisticated and interactive, because giving our passengers greater choice and more control over content can be a huge influence on customer satisfaction and comfort, as I've said, in these difficult times.
I get to see this, as you can imagine, very, very often and I get to see it up close and personal. On my return from Narita to Chicago, as I walk our 777's, with screens and entertainment choices at every seat throughout the airplane, the contentedness of our United passengers is palpable. And, when I stop to talk to them about that, it is much appreciated. We're not simply moving them from point A to point B, we're making our expression of appreciation understood.
Of course, the economic and business environment of the last few years has left most carriers more cash constrained then they were pre-2000. Many are spending less on non-core items, not surprising, and as all of us streamline our cost structures, the trend is likely to continue. Inflight entertainment, while an important contributor to customer satisfaction, is only one of many competing priorities. It is not our core business and to the extent possible, we need to make it much less of a cost center.
We're practical, we have to strive to turn it into a revenue generating opportunity. We now have the chance to find creative new ways of working together, all of us in the room, to deliver more terrific customer experiences and even more competitive cost. We need to seize our chance to be innovative in how we approach developing and providing IFE on several levels.
One of the key areas from United's perspective is to develop the new partnerships that are going to be successful for the long term. With IFE, we think these partnerships could extend to but not be limited to:
Settling on a common standard and technology for inflight entertainment systems;
Driving down cost by harnessing the power of collective purchasing, something that would be helped along by the many alliances and partnerships in our industry;
Moving away from the model where airlines simply pay vendors for services and products, and this is potentially, in our view, the most effective approach and I want to suggest why from our perspective.
In an environment in which entertainment content companies are so hungry to get their products in front of consumers, and we all know that they are, there are tremendous opportunities here for all of us. This is particularly true given the valuable audience that United and many others carry every single day.
The future is wide open in this respect, particularly to create partnerships that sustain the needs of both carriers and vendors, and of course, all of our customers. Imagine for a moment that an interactive game developer wants to reach our audience to stimulate sales back on the ground, at home. A screen hardware manufacturer wants to extend its very valuable brand. A systems software, PC and server company has an interest in becoming, "the digital backbone of the industry," so that it can use the medium to up-sell Internet-based services to consumers. In this good and productive confluence of interests, lies a partnership opportunity in which an airline acts as the nexus, as the fulcrum or the venue, providing the audience.
In a new paradigm, perhaps this is the way that it would work:
The technology companies handle installation, maintenance, and upgrade.
A variety of sources provide video, audio and interactive content, some at a cost to the airline, some offset by barter, or by ad revenues.
And all revenue generated by paid-for services, channeled through the system, is shared by the participants.
Partnerships characterized by various combinations of co-investment, shared risk, co-responsibility and revenue sharing are a very real possibility, and they have already worked well for us in several instances. It's the most entrepreneurial approach, from our perspective, and the most likely to breed the success we need collectively for the long term.
Take the relationship that I mentioned a moment ago with Verizon and United. Verizon Airfone provides the system, they install it, they maintain it, they provide upgrades and they share the revenue with United, which in turn, provides access to a key group of potential customers on a larger scale. This kind of partnership is not typical yet for our industry, but we've seen it work before, and successfully.
For example, the arrangement with T-Mobile to install broadband wireless Internet access in our airport lounges. There are other approaches as well. Including ones such as the partnership United has with Pace Communications and Disc Marketing - outside firms that create our inflight video and audio programming.
The results, in these challenging times, have been win-win- and win again for customers, United and the vendor: award-winning programming unique to us, to United, for our customers, lower costs for us and a new, shared revenue stream for our venture partners.
When we all begin to think about our relationships in a non-linear fashion, driven in some part by the financial challenges and the realities of the industry, many more possibilities open up. Costs diminish for airlines; entertainment programming improves; and new value-added services can be introduced, creating better customer experiences and new income opportunities for us all.
For airlines, again from our perspective, the future of IFE is about balancing the needs and the comfort of the air traveler with our mandate to be even more disciplined with cost management and more entrepreneurial in terms of generating revenue.
We must be in touch with what passengers want - and they want more options and they want greater personal control. And to provide this, we need to be flexible, and we have to have affordable IFE systems and new partnerships to bring these concepts into reality.
We all know that this is an exciting time for all of you here today - it's an exciting time for IFE - because the future is uncertain, but full of promise. In the challenges we face, there are unique opportunities for creative solutions, innovative thinking and groundbreaking new projects. Tremendous time, given the momentum that we have already, to work together to build the essential new products and services to help get people flying and flying more often, once again.
Ultimately, that's the fundamental that we are seeking that leads to success.
All of us at United look forward to joining with you to bring about this brave, new future for our companies - for IFE and for airline passengers throughout the world.
It gives us the opportunity and it gives people in positions such as mine the opportunity to be reminded - it is all about the customer, and it's all about customer choice. We really do forget that at our peril. And I would like to thank all of you for giving me the opportunity to stand here before you, but also in preparation for being here, remind myself that that is indeed the case.
Thanks very much. I appreciate your time and attention.
problem is re CES and mp3 players; ipod mini will garner 90% of news and all others will share the remaining 10%; also waiting for opening of ces to announce means edig PR gets lost in the deluge of PRs announced at the same time; that being said, a substantive PR should move the pps over short term, especially if linked with a well known company
walt mossberg will just love them--IMHO
short term trading perhaps??
previously posted by emit--
Alex Diaz, Chairman
Alex Diaz joined e.Digital's Board of Directors in July 2002, and was appointed Chairman in November 2002. Mr. Diaz is Executive Vice-President of Califormula RADIO Group, whose holdings include RADIO Latina 104.5 and the classical music station XLNC1 90.7, and formerly included the popular FM stations Jammin' Z90 and Hot Country 99.3, now operated by Clear Channel Communications.
``````````````````````````````````````````````````Note bottom - formerly could imply an association link... think he still works some of their/the stations goings-on ie sites
Ibiquity Acquires Exclusive License to Command Audio's On-Demand Interactive Audio Technology for Digital RADIO
Advanced Digital RADIO Application will Enable Listeners to Receive Exciting New Services from Broadcasters and Advertisers
Columbia, MD and Redwood City, CA - August 6, 2002 - IBIQUITY Digital Corporation, the sole developer of digital AM and FM broadcast technology in the United States and Command Audio Corporation, the pioneer of broadcast on-demand interactive media technology, announced today that IBIQUITY has acquired an exclusive worldwide license to Command Audio's intellectual property and technology in the field of digital RADIO and Command Audio's other digital RADIO-related assets. The acquisition has set the stage for RADIO broadcasters to provide consumers content on-demand--from program selection via electronic guide to scanning content to pausing or saving for later listening. Advertisers will be able to develop new messages which appeal to and connect with consumers, and content providers will have new tools with which to design innovative programming. IBIQUITY has established a Redwood City, California office and has hired the former software engineering employees of Command Audio. Both companies are privately held and terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
According to Robert Struble, President and CEO of IBIQUITY, "IBIQUITY plans to integrate the Command Audio technology with our digital AM and FM system to allow broadcasters and consumers to fully leverage the revolutionary capabilities of digital RADIO. The ability for broadcasters to manage the delivery of additional advertising-supported content like news, weather and traffic information along with their current audio is a major benefit of the technology. RADIO manufacturers will be positioned to fully utilize the additional storage and multimedia capabilities in their products to differentiate the digital RADIO experience from today's analog."
"This transaction is very positive for both organizations and for consumers, broadcasters and advertisers who will benefit from services based on Command Audio's underlying intellectual property," said Don Bogue, Command Audio Chairman and CEO. "Our license agreement with IBIQUITY represents another major validation of our leadership position in on-demand media technology and intellectual property. IBIQUITY, as the leader in AM and FM digital RADIO technology development, can effectively commercialize the on-demand media capabilities developed by Command Audio for RADIO products, while we continue our licensing initiatives in the large and dynamic television arena."
In acquiring the digital RADIO assets of Command Audio, IBIQUITY Digital has secured exclusive licensing rights to all Command Audio intellectual property for all RADIO systems and products including digital AM and FM RADIO, SATELLITE digital RADIO and other digital RADIO systems worldwide. Command Audio's business now is focused entirely on licensing its on-demand media intellectual property in non-RADIO fields, such as the fast-growing market for personal video recorders in terrestrial and SATELLITE television applications.
About IBIQUITY Digital (www.IBIQUITY.com)
IBIQUITY Digital is the sole developer and licenser of digital AM and FM broadcast technology in the U.S., which will transform today's analog RADIO to digital, enabling radically upgraded sound and new wireless data services. The company's investors include 15 of the nation's top RADIO broadcasters, including ABC, Clear Channel and Viacom; leading financial institutions, such as J.P. Morgan Partners, Pequot Capital and J&W Seligman; and strategic partners Ford Motor Company, Harris, Lucent, Texas Instruments and Visteon. IBIQUITY Digital is a privately held company with operations in Columbia, MD, Detroit, MI, Warren, NJ, and Redwood City, CA.
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re Fujitsu Ten Eclipse--
The following a portion of Wolfpackvoltare's post at the CES in Jan '02:
The Eclipse was the highlight of the CES show. They had a large center booth with a car that would knock your socks off with the sound that it would put out. The audio must have been worth more than the car itself. I counted at least fifteen representatives in the Eclipse booth. In a stand alone display, approximately 9-ft. high, three sided, and right in front of the Eclipse booth, was the e.Digital Eclipse powered by e.Digital product number CD5442 that also has global positioning, voice navigation, and was Bluetooth enabled. I talked to one representative, and I guess I was to technical, so he referred me to an engineer who was working with the e.Digital's design. As he was explaining all of the features, I noticed that the voice navigation board on display was made by Pronounced Technologies (no Lucent here) and was the key component to the Eclipse commander that was total hands free with voice command that would integrate all functions of your car, lights, locks, air conditioner, radio, global positioning, and most other functions for your car. Most Eclipse radios come with an E-COM button that you push to talk with the unit, so all Eclipse models with this E-COM functions will have e.Digital inside, which is just about every Eclipse unit out there. Another feature that e.Digital has in the unit, was a WRITEBACK (patent pending from e.Digital) capabilities, where a five minute BUFFER will store music or information that you could retrieve. Let's say you hear a song from a satellite radio station, you would be able to record that song on your 10 gig storage Eclipse radio immediately. Did I say 10 gig? This will also have a 20, 40, 80 gig of storage. This unit by Fujitsu Ten and e.Digital is the newest and the most advanced system they have developed together for the after market audio systems (Can you say Toyota?). e.Digital is also supplying the software and the Bluetooth technology to this unit. I remember BACK in 1999 at the shareholders meeting when I asked if e.Digital was working with Bluetooth and Fred's comment was, "Atul Anandpura (VP, of Research and Development) would be in charge of that." Now, e.Digital products are Bluetooth enabled. You will be able to download to your car, music, or other information from your PC, as your car sits in the driveway.
regarding CES 2003--
Friday, January 10 FM gets strong reception at CES
CNET News.com
Las Vegas -- The hot new technology at the Consumer Electronics Show this year is -- FM radio?
Yup, the humble broadcasting technology, which ceased being a novelty around the time of Woodstock, has re-emerged in several new and potentially significant permutations.
Unused portions of the FM radio spectrum are Microsoft's transmission medium of choice for Smart Personal Objects Technology (SPOT), the pervasive-data concept the software giant is showing off in the form of gee-whiz wristwatches.
SPOT watches, to begin appearing on store shelves late this year from manufacturers such as Fossil and Citizen, will download sports scores, weather reports and other simple data types selected by the consumer. Data will be beamed by service providers, who will lease carrier capacity from existing FM broadcasters, and watches will automatically retrieve the signals using FM chips built into the watches. Microsoft is calling the technology DirectBand.
Roger Gulrajani, Microsoft's director of marketing for SPOT, said the software giant looked at a number of wireless technologies before settling on FM.
"It was really a matter of size and battery life," he said. "When we looked at Wi-Fi, there was just no way we could fit that into a watch ... The FM spectrum turned out to be this great, underutilized asset."
FM has the advantage of using infrastructure that's already built and can easily handle the type of tiny, continuous data downloads DirectBand will require. Instead of retrieving information on demand, SPOT devices will automatically download updated data so that fresh weather reports or news updates are displayed with one click.
"The bandwidth is pretty transparent," Mr. Gulrajni said. "To the user, it's blazingly fast, because the weather report is right there when they want to look at it."
A few issues remain to be worked out, such as exactly who will pay for and provide services using the DirectBand network that Microsoft is building. Makers of SPOT devices may provide their own proprietary services, and Microsoft might offer DirectBand services through its MSN Internet. Costs to the consumer are expected to be minimal.
Brian Halla, CEO of National Semiconductor, the chipmaker working with Microsoft to create the components for SPOT devices, says the costs for components and services are low enough that watches and other SPOT items will become impulse buys in a few years.
"The watches will be shrink-wrapped in 7-Eleven next to the Altoids, and people will get them for $20 (U.S.) with service," he said.
National is working on designs for several other SPOT devices, including a DirectBand receiver that would fit into the SecureDigital memory slot on handheld computers.
"FM is a great way to go for this kind of connectivity," Mr. Halla said. "You get much better access, and most of the network is already there."
FM radio was also big news in the automotive pavilion at CES, where IBIQUITY Digital was showing off the first car and home receivers to tap into the digital FM spectrum the company is powering.
Radio stations will be able to broadcast digital signals starting this year, using IBIQUITY-developed technology that recently received FCC approval in the U.S., much as television broadcasters have slowly begun offering digital HDTV broadcasts.
The difference is that radio broadcasters will need to spend only about $80,000 (U.S.) for the equipment needed to go digital, compared with the millions a TV station must spend to switch. As a result, IBIQUITY CEO Robert Struble expects much faster pickup for digital radio, which offers CD-quality sound and room for a host of ancillary services, such as readouts that offer detailed info on what you are listening to and options for buying CDs by the artist.
"Broadcasters are really picking up on this, because it's a small investment, and there's a real payoff," Mr. Struble said. "The biggest challenge for radio is the growing number of distractions people have -- CDs, cellphones, all sorts of digital devices for the car -- and this gives people more reasons to pay attention to radio."
IBIQUITY, which licenses technology to makers of broadcast and receiver equipment, expects that the 300 stations covering two-thirds of the United States will be broadcasting in digital by the end of this year. The first digital radio car receivers will go on sale in the second quarter of this year, with home units to follow.
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http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=455858
FUJITSU Ten and IBIQUITY Digital Ink Technology Development and Marketing Deal
Agreement Furthers IBIQUITY Digital's OEM Relationships and Hastens Advent of AM and FM Digital Radio
Detroit, Convergence 2000, (October 16, 2000) - IBIQUITY Digital, the leading provider of digital AM and FM radio broadcast technology in the U.S., and Japan based FUJITSU Ten, a leading automotive receiver manufacturer, today announced they have signed a Joint Technology and Marketing Development Agreement.
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PortalPlayer Company Profile
http://www.portalplayer.com/news/profile.htm
Building the Next Generation of Digital Audio
The best known digital audio products today are small players that allow consumers to listen to audio files recorded, compressed and then downloaded from a consumer's desktop computer. First introduced in 1998, these portable players have captured the imagination of technically savvy consumers, creating a market of millions of units per year. Today, the consumer electronics industry has recognized that these portable players are just the tip of the iceberg.
As more people gain access to high-bandwidth Internet connections, market demand for products that support digital music will grow exponentially. This growth will be based on two closely related applications, downloadable audio for personal use, and streaming audio to deliver digital radio broadcasts via the Internet. To support both applications, familiar home and car audio systems will feature digital audio capability, and entirely new classes of products that use the technology will soon begin to reach the market.
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January 10, 2003 Going digital: IBIQUITY converts 19 radio stations
Jeff Clabaugh Staff Reporter
Columbia-based IBIQUITY, which developed technology that allows traditional AM and FM radio stations to broadcast a digital signal, says Greater Media will convert all of its 19 radio stations to the format early this year.
Greater Media owns radio stations in Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia and New Jersey. Financial terms of the deal with IBIQUITY weren't disclosed.
In October, IBIQUITY got the big break it had been waiting for. The Federal Communications Commission voted to adopt the digital radio technology that it created. IBIQUITY has two potential revenue streams from its technology. Broadcasters who choose to adopt it and radio manufacturers who agree to license the technology.
Delphi and Sanyo have already signed licensing agreements with IBIQUITY. Delphi's agreement could mean that IBIQUITY-equipped radios could begin showing up in new vehicles as early as 2004.
While the technology allows for vastly improved quality of both AM and FM transmissions, it also allows listeners to continue to receive traditional radio signals without buying new equipment. Satellite broadcasters, like District-based XM Satellite Radio, are only available to customers who purchase additional equipment or vehicles already equipped to receive its signals.
In addition to digital quality broadcast signals, the technology will also eventually allow broadcasters to send out other data such as text-based information.
IBIQUITY's investors include some of the nation's top broadcasting companies, including ABC, Clear Channel and Viacom. The company was formed two years ago by the merger of Lucent Digital Radio and USA Digital Radio.
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FUJITSU Ten Licenses Digital's HD Radio™ Technology
April 3, 2003
LAS VEGAS, NV - National Association of Broadcasters Show -April 3, 2003 - IBIQUITY Digital Corporation, the sole developer of HD Radio™ technology, announced today that FUJITSU Ten Limited (TSE:6702) of Japan has licensed HD Radio technology for integration into automotive components. FUJITSU Ten's aftermarket ECLIPSE brand is one of the top five sellers in the hi-end category of aftermarket automotive receivers.
IBIQUITY Digital's HD Radio™ technology transforms today's radio experience by allowing AM/FM broadcasters to seamlessly transmit digital quality audio as well as integrated wireless data alongside today's analog-based broadcasts. HD Radio digital receivers, such as those being developed by FUJITSU Ten, will enable consumers to receive digital signals with improved audio fidelity that matches existing CD quality. HD Radio technology will also allow for the development of additional on-demand interactive audio and wireless data services.
"HD Radio technology integrated into FUJITSU Ten receivers will prove to be a powerful combination for supporting the automotive industry's desire to implement the best electronics available in the market," said Bob Struble , President and CEO, IBIQUITY Digital Corporation. "We are pleased to be working with FUJITSU Ten as HD Radio technology continues its growth as the product of choice for next generation digital radio technology."
FUJITSU Ten is a global supplier company providing a large assortment of technologically advanced vehicle electronic products to OEMs and aftermarket retailers.
About FUJITSU Ten Limited
FUJITSU Ten Limited in Kobe , Japan can be accessed through the World Wide Web at www.FUJITSU-ten.co.jp. FUJITSU Ten is a global supplier company providing a large assortment of technologically advanced vehicle electronic products to OEMs and aftermarket retailers. Its renowned manufacturing capability is also applied to its aftermarket audio system branded ECLIPSE. For ECLIPSE products, visit our web site at www.eclipse-web.com.
About IBIQUITY Digital Corporation
IBIQUITY Digital is the sole developer and licenser of HD Radio technology in the U.S. , which will transform today's analog radio to digital, enabling radically upgraded sound and new wireless data services. The company's investors include 15 of the nation's top radio broadcasters, including ABC, Clear Channel and Viacom; leading financial institutions, such as J.P. Morgan Partners, Pequot Capital and J&W Seligman; and strategic partners Ford Motor Company, Harris , Texas Instruments and Visteon. IBIQUITY Digital is a privately held company with operations in Columbia , MD , Detroit , MI , Redwood City , CA and Warren , NJ . For more information please visit: www.IBIQUITY.com.
Setting Precedent for the Next Decade: Big Battles of 2004
For starters, technology vendors apparently see consumers as easy pickings and are bringing out the big guns at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this year. Hold on to your wallets, because the number of new products and product categories expected to be announced this week is unprecedented.
Those compelling products include portable media centers (like iPods but with video), media players for cars and the home that are hard disk-based, media servers, 40" LCD flat panels (current products are 30" max), higher-resolution camera phones, and low-cost digital cameras with high resolution and burst mode that can take pictures very quickly.
...
Cornice Drives vs. Flash vs. Hard Drives
This battle is going to be ugly. Traditional magnetic hard drives have the advantage on capacity and price per megabyte of storage, but they are relatively fragile and use a substantial amount of power. Flash drives are the most robust and power efficient, but they also are the most costly by a significant margin, per megabyte, and Cornice drives fall someplace in the middle. Players based on Cornice drives, for those who are not familiar with them, come in several form factors but are typically about a cubic inch in size and can contain several GB of data.
For MP3 players, this means that in a 256-MB flash player, you get about 64 songs. In a 2-GB Cornice player, you get 1,000 songs, and in a 40-GB iPod you get a call from the RIAA asking for the deed to your house. Practically speaking, when it comes to music, anything more then 1 GB on a portable player becomes very difficult to manage. Given that all of these players now provide high-speed PC synchronization, why would you want to manage them on a player?
However, in 2004, we add video -- and a movie can occupy upward of 4 GB of disk space. So, for MP3 players, we do have a fight. But for the new class of Portable Media Centers, traditional hard drives are clearly here to stay.
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/32514.html
PowerLinx Inc. Licenses On2 Technologies VP6; Video Compression Will BeUsed In Video Security Network Devices
NEW YORK & TIERRA VERDE, Fla., Jan 5, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- PowerLinx Inc. (OTCBB:PWLX) and On2 Technologies, Inc. (AMEX:ONT) today announced that PowerLinx will use the On2 VP6 codec in its next generation digital commercial security products. PowerLinx unique, patented application allows video to be captured live and sent over power lines in AC or DC environments on any power grid.
The On2 VP6 codec will allow PowerLinx to get high quality video capture and decoding with a minimum amount of bandwidth making it substantially easier to transmit video at low data rates. Further, the use of the On2 VP6 codec eliminates royalties associated with other compression technologies.
"PowerLinx has one of the leading edge powerline technologies currently available in the world. Our relationship in the security area could well expand to other applications such as sending video from a broadband connection to a number of screens in the home. The current application certainly allows multiple cameras to be deployed over the electric grid which cuts installation and maintenance costs considerably," said Douglas A. McIntyre, On2 Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
"The On2 VP6 codec enhances a system that is already more cost efficient for security applications than anything else on the market. Initially we intend to use VP6 with our commercial and industrial PowerLinx security products which include the PowerLinx Parking Lot Surveillance System. We look forward to exploring future product launches with On2," explained George S. Bernardich III, PowerLinx Chairman & CEO.
PowerLinx will demonstrate all of its PowerLinx products including those that will incorporate the new VP6-based codec during the 2004 International CES in Las Vegas from January 8 to January 11, 2004. The products will be shown at the PowerLinx suite in the Luxor Hotel. Interested parties can make appointments by calling (727) 866-7440 x212 or (214) 738-6970, or by emailing sales@power-linx.com.
To learn more about the 2004 International CES, visit www.cesweb.org.
About PowerLinx, Inc.:
PowerLinx, Inc., www.power-linx.com, designs, manufactures and markets, among other devices, products and applications developed to transmit voice, video, audio and data either individually or any and all combinations over power lines, in AC and DC power environments, on any and all power grids. The Company has also developed and manufactures different kinds of underwater video cameras, lights and accessories for the marine, commercial and consumer retail markets.
About On2 Technologies, Inc.:
On2 Technologies, Inc., www.on2.com, originally known as the Duck Corporation, has been a leader in the design of software based compression algorithms and related products for over ten years. As the world's premier codec developer, On2 creates advanced full-motion, full-screen video compression technology that has revolutionized the industry. With our codecs, broadcast quality video (DVD) can be compressed to one megabit (.12 megabytes) per second or less.
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SeaView Video Technology (SEVU.OB) has changed its name to Power-Linx and began trading under the symbol PWLX.OB effective 12/10/03.
Yahoo quote, profile and news for SEVU/PWLX:
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=PWLX.OB
Power-Linx company web site:
http://www.seaview.com/
Options: Sign up for 'SeaView Video Technology' (SEVU) E-Mail List
Today's grocery list: milk, bread, music
By Jeanne Anne Naujeck, The Tennessean
When Mike Olsen opened his Kroger circular and saw the "Napster music card" for sale, he knew the digital era had arrived.
That the cards, which are redeemable for song downloads, are sold along with milk, tuna and eggs floored Olsen, who is president of Compendia Music Group, a Nashville-based independent record company.
"The whole idea that a prepaid card could be so ubiquitous might mean we sell more music," said Olsen. "You'd better embrace it now because the future is here."
Selling song downloads along with eggs, milk and paper products is a good sign of just how mainstream downloading became in 2003 -- and it may be a long-awaited sign of hope for the music industry.
In 2002, there was widespread gloom in the recording industry about the steady slide in CD sales and the growing problem of people sharing music free. Overall music sales were down 13.2% and record retailers such as Tower, CD Warehouse and Musicland were closing branches and filing for bankruptcy.
Then came Apple Computer, the arbiter of cool in technology. Its iTunes Music Store boasted easy, fast, cheap (99 cents a song) downloading, and its splashy product introduction positioned Apple founder Steve Jobs to be as much of a rock star as the artists with whom he posed in ads.
Rich Peluso, co-president of Chordant Distribution Group, a division of EMI Christian Music Group, said iTunes' instant success -- it has sold more than 25 million singles since its April launch -- had energized the music community in a less tangible but equally important way.
"Apple launched a phenomenal service with all artists and a consumer brand that people could trust. It got traction. When we saw millions of songs being sold, it brought back hope."
Digital music has an even greater advantage in that computer sales penetration is so high that most people already have the hardware they need to download.
"A year ago ... downloading, ripping and burning were scary terms to almost the entire U.S. population, and now they're familiar," an upbeat Peluso said. "The potential for upside on digital music is very good."
While downloading hasn't made much money yet, SoundScan reports extremely rapid growth. More than 1.4 million songs were downloaded the week ended Dec. 21, and 1.3 million the week before, the service said.
All the major record companies are offering their music on most of the well-known online stores, including country music by artists signed to their Nashville labels. An Apple spokeswoman said that more than 200 independent labels also had signed up with iTunes.
Ads for iPods offer big music gift in small package
Mon Jan 5, 9:15 AM ET
By Theresa Howard, USA TODAY
One of the biggest holiday gifts for teens and technophiles this year was one of the smallest - Apple's little white iPod, a digital music player that's 0.62 inches thick, weighing 5.6 ounces.
Consumers also snapped up gift certificates for 99-cent music downloads for the players from Apple's (AAPL) iTunes store. The certificates, sold in stores and online, come in increments of $10 to $200.
The first holiday season for iTunes - it opened for Mac users in April and for Windows in October - helped drive sales even more for popular iPods.
Overall, digital music player sales are expected to be up 67% in 2003, but the pace was accelerating. Shipments of iPods were up 140% for Apple's fourth quarter ended Sept. 27. The iPod, rolled out in 2001, has a 50% share of the market for such music players, according to market tracker The NPD Group.
The music industry clampdown on illegal online music downloads also has motivated more consumers to turn to the iPod and iTunes duo for legal satisfaction of their digital music wants. Since its introduction, iTunes has sold 25 million downloads.
"The iTunes Music Store has revolutionized the way people legally buy music online," said Apple CEO Steve Jobs (news - web sites) at the company's introduction of iTunes for Windows. Jobs and other Apple executives were unavailable for this story.
The version for Windows is just one of the many programs Apple has in place to try to make iTunes more mainstream and less "techno-stream."
It has been made available to AOL's 25 million members through a one-click registration program.
And Pepsi (PEP) is on board for a promotion that begins Feb. 1. It will give away 100 million iTunes downloads through winning redeemable codes printed on packaging for its Pepsi-Cola, Sierra Mist and Diet Pepsi soft drinks. Pepsi will introduce the promotion with Super Bowl ads.
But it's not just promotions or ease of use or a selection of 400,000 songs available from the iTunes library that have made the player and music store so popular.
A major factor in stylishly designed iPod's appeal is the "cool" factor.
Apple devoted the major chunk of its $125 million ad budget to try to reinforce that image, according to TNS Media Intelligence/CMR. And it's worked.
"Apple has been and continues to be one of the best marketed and advertised brands in the world," says Marian Salzman, executive vice president and chief strategy officer, Euro RSCG Worldwide. "Apple ads make people want Apple products now. They create a marketing mood of an inclusive, high-style, high-touch club."
After the Windows rollout, the company unveiled visually charged "Silhouette" outdoor and print ads by TBWA/Chiat/Day. The TV ads that followed show a similar black silhouette dancing energetically against bold pink, green, purple or yellow backgrounds. The iPod product, with its trademark white earphones and white palm-size box, pops out against the black and bright color.
One ad, with a hip-hop theme, is set against The Black Eyed Peas song Hey, Mama. Another, with an edgy rock theme, is set to Are you Gonna Be My Girl by Jet.
"The new ads do a terrific job of seducing and selling, of making the target turn on and want the product, now," Salzman says. "Interestingly, the ads also transcend nationality and age - they are about an Apple state of mind."
That fact was borne out in the results of Ad Track, USA TODAY's weekly consumer survey. While iPod has a somewhat narrower potential audience than many products, 19% of consumers familiar with the ads like them "a lot," about the Ad Track overall average of 21%. And 20% consider the ads "very effective" vs. the average of 21%.
The ads' appeal ranged across age groups. Though they were most popular with 25- to 29-year olds (29% like the ads "a lot"), 19% of consumers ages 50 to 64 gave them the top mark. Just 2% of those over 65 like the ads "a lot," however.
Though Apple's share dominates for now, competitors could close the gap. Among rivals, computer maker Dell (DELL) has entered the player market, in partnership with the Musicmatch store. And Sony (SNE) and Microsoft (MSFT) are expected to enter the digital music download market this year.
January 5, 2004 Cornice Ups Capacity To 2 Gigabytes
Cornice Inc., which has designed a stripped-down, compact 1.0-inch disk drive for consumer applications, said Monday that it will soon begin shipping a larger 2.0-Gbyte drive.
The Cornice Storage Element eliminates many of the components needed for more conventional hard disk drives used in laptops and in desktop PCs, such as RAM and ROM memory and dedicated connectors. The company unveiled the 1.5-Gbyte version in June of last year.
Cornice, based in Longmont, Colo., will be unveiling the new drive at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. The Rio Nitrus, Creative Labs MuVo2, the iRiver IGP-100 MP#players have already been built around 1.5-Gbyte Cornice drive; other products built around the Cornice drive include the Samsung ITCAM-9 (an MPEG-4-based miniature camcorder) and the MPIO HS100 1.5GB USB portable drive from Korean manufacturer Digitalway.
"With the highly successful introduction of Cornice's Storage Element in June of last year, it was evident that our company and its technology struck a chord within the consumer electronics community -- that reliable, low-cost, high-capacity data storage within very small electronic devices was a near-term, achievable reality," said Kevin Magenis, president and CEO of Cornice, in a statement. "The debut of this two-gigabyte device demonstrates that we are committed to supplying our customers with increasingly high storage capacities at an extremely competitive price."
Cornice said that the new 2.0-Gbyte Storage Element is shipping in volume to OEMs, meaning that products will show up on the market early next year. The company has listed the 2.0-Gbyte drive at $70 in lots of 100,000 pieces.
E.DIGITAL DROPS BRANDED PRODUCTS, PURSUES OEM
829 words
2 January 2004
Warren's Consumer Electronics Daily
Volume 4; Issue 1
English
(c) Copyright 2004 Warren Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
E.Digital has scrapped its branded Odyssey digital audio players as it embarks on an OEM-focused strategy that's forecast to boost revenue to $1.5-$2 million in the 4th quarter ending March 31 from $700,000 the previous quarter. E.Digital unveiled the Odyssey 1000 digital audio platform last Jan. featuring its MicroOS technology, 1.8'' hard drive and 2.5'' LCD. The company has tentative licensing agreements with several companies including ''a major consumer'' brand that's expected to introduce product in late spring, CEO Fred Falk told analysts in a conference call.
E.Digital was founded as Norris Communications in 1988 and was among the early purveyors of handheld storage devices with its Flashback digital voice recorder. It embarked on its retail strategy in 2001 with the Treo and Odyssey series of hard drive and flash-based digital audio players. The company began, however, to move away from retail in late 2002 as it prepared to introduce the Odyssey 1000 platform. The Odyssey personal digital jukebox was available in 15 GB ($299) and 40 GB ($399) configurations and sold through retail and e.Digital's Web site. E.Digital signed an agreement in Sept. licensing its Odyssey platform to an Asian OEM manufacturer, but the decision to halt retail sales of branded products was made ''independently'' of that, a spokeswoman said. E.Digital move was partly prompted by the introduction of OEM branded product based on its platform, she said. The spokeswoman declined to identify the OEM customer. But sources said Gateway introduced and sold online the DMP-X20 jukebox player with a 20 GB hard drive ($299) last fall based on e.Digital's technology. The Gateway device used Hitachi's 1.8'' hard drive. The first revenue from that pact with Asian OEM is expected in the fiscal 4th quarter, company officials said.
Among other tentative licensing agreements e.Digital has struck is one for a personal video player that will feature a 7'' LCD and ship next fall and a flash-based digital audio player based on the MicroOS, Falk said. The latter will contain a 1'' hard drive with a 1.5 GB capacity that was developed by Cornice. The drive, rather than being removable, is designed to sit directly on a motherboard, which cuts costs. E.Digital has been working with Cornice ''several months,'' Falk said. While Taiwanese manufacturer Digitalway and Softeq Development Corp. had earlier signed licensing pacts, neither is involved in the new agreements, a spokeswoman said. Softeq is developing a MicroOS-based digital audio product for HP that the latter expects to sell to one of its customers, e.Digital has said. In total, the licensing agreements are expected to produce annual revenue from ''several hundred thousand dollars to several millions,'' Falk said.
Also on the horizon are the first shipments of a car audio ''infotainment'' system based on e.Digital's MicroOS that will be marketed by Eclipse by Fujitsu Ten. E.Digital signed a licensing agreement with Eclipse in March 2002 and production started last fall, Falk said. Revenue from sales of the Eclipse product is expected to book in the 4th fiscal quarter. The agreement yielded an initial $30,000 in the fiscal year ended March 31, according to SEC documents.
To raise funds for continued product development, eDigital registered with the SEC to sell 23.8 million shares as part of Series D and E private placements of preferred stock made in Dec. 2002 and Nov. 2003, respectively. About 12.8 million shares were issued to noteholders in the conversion of $2 million in promissory notes. The sale of 10.9 million shares of Series E preferred stock yielded proceeds of $1.2 million for e.Digital. The largest holder of Series D preferred stock is the Jerry Polis Family Trust with 8.8 million shares; Basso Equity Opportunity Holding Fund had 1.6 million shares of Series E.
Meanwhile, Apple Computer declined to comment on Internet rumors it would introduce a $99 iPod digital audio player at MacWorld Expo, San Francisco, next week. Such a product would pit iPod against digital audio players marketed by Creative, Dell and D&M Holdings' Rio, among others. Apple, which introduced the iPod in Oct. 2001 with a 5 GB capacity, has occupied the higher end of market with models containing 10-40 GB capacities and $299-$499 pricing. Reports also have suggested Apple may be weighing introduction of so-called mini-iPods with new color or replaceable skins. Apple also is said to be considering a version of an iPod that would be capable of displaying video. Another possible scenario has Apple introducing an iPod based on Toshiba's new 0.85'' hard drive that's expected to be formally unveiled at CES next week. Toshiba is a key supplier of hard drives for the iPod, including the 1.8'' version that helped launch the product.
Jan. 05, 2004 PC makers turn to electronics
FACEOFF: SHOW IN VEGAS TO HIGHLIGHT GROWING TREND
By Sam Diaz and Dean Takahashi
Mercury News
Alvin Eskridge is impressed with the consumer electronics lineup that Gateway, the PC maker, is stamping its name on -- from MP3 players and digital cameras to DVD recorders and plasma TVs.
But he probably wouldn't buy one of those gadgets from Gateway -- or Hewlett-Packard or Dell for that matter.
``I know Sony has a reputation for reliable products,'' said Eskridge, 45, a San Jose test engineer visiting the Gateway Country store on Blossom Hill Road. ``I would choose Sony on reputation alone. I don't think the others have a reputation in that field.''
With PC sales to businesses flat and the PC turning into more of a home media center, traditional computer makers are putting their brand names on products that connect to the computer.
That has turned the already crowded consumer electronics business, a $175 billion market, into a free-for-all. The showdown comes this week in Las Vegas at the annual Consumer Electronics Show, a four-day hoopla where tech companies such as Dell and Microsoft will face off with traditional electronics companies such as Pioneer and Motorola. Dell in particular will have a much larger presence than in past years.
The challenge for the PC makers is to leverage their brand-name cachet beyond the computer. Can they convince the industry -- as well as customers like Eskridge -- that they're worthy of competing in the consumer electronics market?
Last month, Gateway exceeded its pledge to add 50 new consumer electronics products over 15 categories before the new year. Over the summer, Dell introduced the Music DJ, a hard-drive player that rivals Apple's popular iPod -- and sells for about $100 less. HP, already making a name for itself on the digital camera aisle, is on the verge of introducing its own line of TV monitors.
Compatibility
According to a December survey of 500 Americans, 47 percent of consumers would consider buying from one of the PC makers if it meant better compatibility between the computer and a new gadget such as a digital camera or MP3 player.
But consumers still aren't seeing the PC makers as reputable for bigger-ticket items. The survey, by InsightExpress, a Connecticut online market research firm, found that only 17 percent would turn to one of them for a plasma TV and 28 percent would pick up one of their digital camcorders.
``The perception is, among people in general, that if they've purchased something that's going to be loosely tied to the PC, there's comfort in purchasing it from the same vendor because it feels like it's going to work well together,'' said Doug Adams, director of marketing for InsightExpress.
Adds Chris Morgan, HP's vice president of worldwide sales and marketing, ``Consumers don't want islands of technology that they have to manage in their homes.''
Consider that the latest trends in computing involve media center PCs and wireless home networks, that allow users to link the digital photos, music and video on their PCs to living-room home entertainment systems -- the TVs, digital video recorders, gaming devices and surround sound systems.
Sales of these living-room computers are steadily growing, despite the typical complaints that consumers don't want to see their TV sets crash. And Microsoft, and its longtime partner Intel, are doing the research and development to expand the reach of the PC, making it easier to use and able to work with displays and wireless gadgets that are spread throughout the home.
``The barrier that people perceived between consumer electronics and computers is breaking down,'' said John O'Rourke, senior director of consumer strategy at Microsoft. ``Things like digital cameras are a logical extension of the PC ecosystem.''
But PC makers moving into consumer electronics will do more than allow users to easily connect a digital camera or MP3 player to a PC. This shift is also about price slashing, introducing advanced technology to the masses and using the distribution methods that helped turn the personal computer from a big-ticket item into a low-price appliance for every home.
It's what the PC makers do.
``The computer makers are used to moving much more quickly than the consumer electronics companies,'' said Rob Enderle, an analyst at Enderle Group. ``That's going to put pressure on the consumer vendors to respond.''
Winning combination
In this battle of giants, the winner will hit the right combination of cost efficiency, clever product design, brand awareness and distribution.
``It's going to come down to design, brand and where consumers feel comfortable buying these things,'' said Rick Sharp, former CEO of Circuit City and a board member at Flextronics in San Jose.
But ultimately, consumers want to know that the products they buy are worth their money.
Russ Johnston, senior vice president of marketing for Pioneer's Home Entertainment division, said his company isn't competing with entry-level, bare-bones products -- the $30 DVD players that flooded the market during the holidays, for example. But it is offering quality products with a brand reputation that spans several generations.
Dropping several thousand dollars on a plasma TV is not a spontaneous transaction, he said.
``People are nervous about spending that kind of money,'' Johnston said. ``They're arming themselves with information before they walk into a retail store. There's confusion at retail, especially during the busy seasons.''
Gateway, as an example, is displaying a handful of plasma screens in its stores but is only showcasing its brand, he said. Shoppers there may be able to compare prices but they can't do side-by-side visual comparisons of the picture quality and other features that a Pioneer screen might offer.
Still, Manuel Jackson, a laid-off mechanical designer from Livermore, said he would have no problem buying from Gateway or the others.
``I know manufacturing,'' he said. ``If you've got good components, anyone can manufacture. Just because it has a lower price doesn't mean it's less of a product. It means they were able to manufacture it cheaper.''
But can brand names simply expand across multiple categories and expect customers to accept them?
``No, they can't,'' said Microsoft's O'Rourke. ``Nike has gone from running shoes to clothing as an extension of the lifestyle brand that they have. If they were to get into televisions, that might be a stretch.''
And what happens when the playing field gets too crowded?
``There will be a great consolidation,'' said Peter Weedfald, senior vice president of strategic marketing at Samsung. ``Who needs 15 makes of TV sets?''
That's something for the consumer to ultimately decide, said Gary Shapiro, president and chief executive of the Consumer Electronics Association.
``In the history of consumer electronics, there's always been intense competition,'' he said. ``Gateway and Dell and HP bring something different to the game. It's a tough business, but they have great names and great methods of distribution.''
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The duel of the dual-layer DVD formats
By Ed Frauenheim
CNET News.com
December 29, 2003, 10:12 AM PT
URL: http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1103-5130905.html
One side of the ongoing recordable DVD format battle is expected to be first with products that nearly double the amount of data held on one disc. But that victory may not put an end to the feud.
The DVD+RW camp, which includes Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Philips, plans to put so-called "double-layer" DVD recording devices on the market by next spring. Discs on these systems are expected to hold 8.5GB, or four hours of DVD-quality video (16 hours of VHS-quality video). That's about the same amount as the DVDs studios use to issue movies.
But the so-called "dash" camp promoting the DVD-R and DVD-RW formats also is working on dual-layer recording, which involves writing data on two separate surfaces, layered like coats of paint, on a DVD. And unlike in the videotape-standard battle between VHS and Betamax, "plus" and "dash" may be able to coexist for some time to come, observers say.
"I would put my money on the plus camp" in bringing out dual-layer DVD recording first, said Pete Gerr, an analyst with research firm Enterprise Storage Group. But when it comes to the overall format struggle, "it continues to be a skirmish for as long as Pioneer wants to stay in it," Gerr said. Pioneer is a major advocate of the dash format.
"I do believe that the plus guys are going to get there first," said Robert DeMoulin, marketing manager for branded optical products at Sony Electronics. Sony, like some other manufacturers, makes DVD recorders that combine both plus and dash technology.
DeMoulin pointed out there are plenty of older dash recorders on the market. "I just don't see that the dash format is going away anytime soon," he said.
Pluses and minuses
The skirmish began a few years ago, when a group of companies did not like the recordable DVD technologies developed by the DVD Forum standards body. The DVD Forum approved formats called DVD-RAM and DVD-R, for write-once recording. Later, the DVD Forum added the DVD-RW rewritable standard for the ability to record, erase and record again on the same disc.
The dissident companies formed the DVD+RW Alliance, which put out its own technology for write-once and rewritable recording. As a result, seemingly countless recordable drives and disc media types are on the market, creating potential confusion for consumers. For example, a DVD-R/-RW drive cannot record on +R or +RW discs. In theory, discs that are recorded using +R, +RW, -R and -RW media all can be read by DVD players. But a recent government study found that DVDs and DVD drives are compatible only 85 percent of the time.
The move from single-layer to double-layer recordable DVDs, rather than resolving the fight, just extends it to another battleground.
Slow burn
Single-layer recordable DVDs--or digital versatile discs--hold up to 4.7GB and can be used to store data or up to two hours of digital video. Their popularity is growing quickly. The number of write-once recordable DVDs sold worldwide is expected to climb from 55 million in 2002 to more than 300 million this year, according to research firm Santa Clara Consulting Group.
Retail movies sold on DVDs typically come with data written on two layers. But the commercial process involves "stamping" the discs rather than burning spots with a laser, the method used by DVD writers. Dual-layer recording has not been available to the average consumer in the past. The new technology will give consumers the ability to cram much more data onto discs burned at home.
"Dual layer is a great sort of incremental turn of the technology crank," Gerr said.
Both the plus and dash groups have created prototypes of dual-layer recording technology. Neither side has an official specification, but the plus group has a more aggressive schedule. It has finished writing up the details of a dual-layer, write-once standard for recording data at up to 2.4 times the normal playback speed (2.4x).
Dual-layer DVD recorders slated for PC use are expected to emerge by spring, with dual-layer recorders targeted at the consumer electronics market available later in the year, according to Hans Driessen, global communications manager for Philips' Optical Storage division.
Dual-layer DVD-R products are slated to come out sometime next year, said Andy Parsons, senior vice president in the business solutions division of Pioneer Electronics USA. But he said dual-layer recording, no matter what the format, faces hurdles. One is the importance of fully recording both layers of a dual-layer disc, he said. If that doesn't occur, Parsons said, some DVD players might behave unpredictably, for instance by causing a momentary interruption of the program.
Speeds and feeds
Fully recording an 8.5GB dual-layer disc could increase the time needed to make a recording, according to Parsons. "That's what we're thinking about now," he said. "One must be careful not to rush things to market.
The dual-layer DVD+R specification does not require the entire disc to be recorded. Philips' Driessen said that if one layer of a dual-layer DVD+R has a recorded signal at a particular point on the disc, the other layer must have a matching signal; otherwise, a player may detect an error. For example, if one layer has 4GBs of data recorded, the other layer must have 4GB as well. But he said blank space may be left at the edge of the DVD without any playback problems.
Arranging for both layers to be recorded in equal amounts is relatively easy in the case of data files of a known size, Driessen said. When a user records a television broadcast of unknown length, however, the drive may need to add "dummy" data in order for the disc to be readable in DVD players. This could mean a finalization process of up to 25 minutes, Driessen said. "Future write speed improvements (such as 4x) will reduce this finalization time," he said.
The dual-layer DVD+R recording prototype created by Philips and media-maker Mitsubishi Kagaku Media uses focused light to mark areas on two dye surfaces stacked on top of each other. For each dye layer, reflective material sits underneath to send back light to the lens, which interprets the signal. One challenge is getting light to stop and record on the closest layer, and also to pass through it to record data on the subterranean surface.
Plus and dash can each claim victory in some regard. Sales of recordable DVD media using the plus format increased from 2 percent of the U.S. retail market in July 2001 to 55 percent in July 2003, according to market research firm NPD Group.
But the dash format has been holding steady around the world. According to Santa Clara Consulting Group, the combined factory sales of -R and -RW blank media amounted to 61 percent of the total worldwide market share in the third quarter. DVD+R and +RW blank media accounted for 37 percent, while DVD-RAM media sales made up 2 percent. Dash media's worldwide market share hovered at about 60 percent for the first three quarters of the year, according to the research firm.
The end result will likely be uneasy coexistence. Parsons said he used to think the dash forces would triumph, but no longer. The term "victory" isn't relevant anymore, he said, because the price of dual-format drives soon will be close enough to that of single-format drives that few people will choose just one format. Pioneer has shifted to drives that can work with both plus and dash formats.
"I think they're both going to coexist for a long time," he said. "There's room for everybody."
"Goodbye to the Video Store"
Economist (09/21/02) Vol. 364, No. 8291, P. 15
Anytime, anywhere video-on-demand can only be achieved through compression/decompression algorithms (codecs) that are far more advanced than current programs such as MPEG-2, and both major technology vendors such as RealNetworks and upstarts such as Pulsent are vying to create a codec standard. The upstarts, however, have an edge because they are focusing on consumer-electronics devices such as set-top boxes. MPEG-4 is ahead of other codec efforts, because it uses object-based compression to produce high-quality video images without clogging bandwidth, but tough licensing terms could be a barrier to adoption. Alternative codec technologies include Divx from Divx Networks, which began as a grassroots effort and became a highly popular format for playing mostly pirated digital media; On2 Technologies' VP5, which can stream video at 400 Kbps with near-DVD picture quality; and a mostly secret codec from Pulsent that will reportedly optimize video playback by processing each real-world object separately instead of converting foregrounds and backgrounds into grids. Meanwhile, the nonprofit Xiph.org is focusing on Tarkin, an open-source video codec designed to be continuously tweaked by programmers. Xiph.org head Emmett Plant believes that the open-source nonprofit model is more likely to lead to a codec of superior quality rather than the for-profit model. To speed up the delivery of video-on-demand, the CableLabs consortium is working on OpenCable, a cable transmission standard that will enable set-top boxes from any manufacturer to interoperate with any cable system. Successful codecs will depend on not just research and development, but marketing and the participation of cable companies. Before all this can happen, however, content providers must settle on a standard format for content delivery.
http://www.economist.com/science/displayStory.cfm?Story_id=1324695
On2 ports TrueCast set-top box software to Windows CE
Oct. 16, 2003
On2 Technologies says it has added Microsoft Windows CE to the family of client operating systems supported by its TrueCast set-top box solution.
The company says the Windows CE version is based on the same core technology as the TrueCast Player on the PC and other platforms, and that developers who are familiar with those implementations will be able to create TrueCast applications for Windows CE devices quickly and easily.
"We had a specific customer request for a set-top implementation that would run on [Windows CE] and we have decided to make this version available for other customers as well," said On2 CEO Douglas A. McIntyre.
Basic features of On2's TrueCast video client software include (*):
Developed in C with portability in mind for deployment to widely varied set-top environments and operating systems
Supports VP3, VP4, VP5, and VP6 video formats
Supports integration with many audio formats including AVC, AC3, MP3 and more.
All communication via RTSP/RTP protocols
Basic playback application available for PC environments demonstrating basic features (play, pause, ff/rew)
Can be integrated with DRM and encryption tools
(* As listed on the company's website.)
Microsoft Windows CE support for On2's video client software will be commercially available at the end of October, the company said. The software also supports set-top hardware running Linux and Wind River VxWorks.
Shanghai Jiao Tong University Licenses ARM922T Core for Advanced SoC Research
Tuesday December 23, 5:00 am ET
School of Microelectronics Becomes Second Chinese School to Join the ARM University Program
CAMBRIDGE, England, Dec. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ARM (Nasdaq: ARMHY - News; LSE: ARM - News), the industry's leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC processor solutions, today announced that the School of Microelectronics at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) has licensed the ARM922T(TM) core for advanced SoC research. As the second Chinese university to license an ARM® core under the ARM University Program, the agreement demonstrates ARM's continued commitment to advancement of electronics research in China.
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SJTU is the leading Chinese university for advanced SoC research and is responsible for designing the first Chinese owned digital signal processor (DSP), the HYSIS-No 1. Coupled with a full development platform, the DSP core can support the most advanced technology in designing complex SoCs. With this agreement, SJTU is now able to conduct advanced SoC design research to help increase the competitiveness of HISYS in the IC industry of China.
"By licensing the ARM922T core, the postgraduates and local IC engineers registered at the School of Microelectronics have access to a core with high-performance, memory management unit (MMU) which is ideal for HDTV, DTV and consumer electronics SoC research and development," said Prof Jin Chen, director of School of Microelectronics at SJTU. "Working within the ARM University Program will not only enable us to further the education of the next generation of Chinese developers, but also help contribute to the growth of the Chinese microprocessor market."
"As China increases its presence in the advanced electronics market, it is critical that developers have access to leading development and software support," said Jun Tan, president of ARM China. "Through the ARM University Program, SJTU has the ability to conduct advanced research with the same ARM development cores and tools used in today's commercial market."
The ARM University Program was established to encourage the use of ARM processors as teaching aids in universities and other higher education establishments. The University courses focus on SoC design, computer architecture, embedded systems development or general programming that can benefit from using ARM IP and development systems. For more information regarding ARM University Program, please visit http://www.arm.com/community/academy/university.html .
About ARM
ARM is the industry's leading provider of 16/32-bit embedded RISC microprocessor solutions. The company licenses its high-performance, low-cost, power-efficient RISC processors, peripherals, and system-chip designs to leading international electronics companies. ARM also provides comprehensive support required in developing a complete system. ARM's microprocessor cores are rapidly becoming a volume RISC standard in such markets as portable communications, hand-held computing, multimedia digital consumer and embedded solutions. More information on ARM is available at www.arm.com.
NOTE: ARM is a registered trademark of ARM Limited. ARM922T is a trademark of ARM Limited. "ARM" is used to represent ARM Holdings plc (Nasdaq: ARMHY - News; LSE: ARM - News); its operating company ARM Limited; and the regional subsidiaries ARM INC; ARM KK; ARM Korea Ltd; ARM Taiwan; ARM France SAS; ARM Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.; and ARM Belgium N.V.
Domestically produced EVD will go on the market and so on the next year hopefully gets rid of the patent fee puzzle Bright clever electrical appliances commerce network on December 22, 2003 The small dish machine price approaches 2,000 small dishes pieces thousand kinds of each 20 The EVD appearance, hopefully enable the domestically produced small dish machine merchant to get rid of the patent fee the puzzle.Has the independent intellectual property rights video frequency compression standard EVD (high density numeral laser video disc system) officially to appear to the last month, but its product has not actually appeared on the market, whether but related does EVD obtain the success in the market the question also unceasingly to gush out. Although so, some EVD factory still filled with the confidence expression, the related product most quickly appeared on the market in the year's end, but the piece source question already solved, after EVD3 year could become the market mainstream.EVD tertiary threshold.Last year the DVD patent fee event still came clearly into view, shoulders helps the Chinese small dish machine enterprise economical to reach as high as several million US dollars patent fees EVD to receive every year takes, nine easy childbirths industry giants composed industrial alliance gambling game EVD, hoped borrowed this to get rid of the patent difficult position.Actually, the EVD concept ³´×÷ from last July already starts, but that day start which appeared since EVD this words and expressions, concerned unceasingly appears to its all sorts of questions, specially related question and so on piece source, price and overseas giant new standard is regarded does EVD to obtain in the market the success three thresholds.Domestic electrical appliances chain-like giant country US Telegraphic Transmission and the factory has signed 20,000 intentions order forms, but at this point reporter has not seen EVD in the market. Country beautiful headquarters purchases the person in charge to indicate that, the factory has not supplied goods, estimated most early also wants the year's end to be able to appear on the market, perhaps the late some speeches need to wait till in front of the Spring Festival. Regarding the EVD market prospect, this person in charge indicated that, is opposite said to average 6,700 Yuan ordinary DVD, EVD reaches as high as 1,500 - 2,000 Yuan prices regarding the promoted affirmation difficulty, hoped the factory can measure as soon as possible produces reduces the price. Regarding the piece source question, he indicated heard the factory has already solved this problem with a Hong Kong company.Over a thousand EVD piece next year will appear on the market.Regarding many difficult problems, the factory understanding simple were many. New company's deputy general manager Fan Wenjian stated that, the product already started the quantity to produce, is very quick may appear on the market, the consumer welcome the new product very much, even requested the mail order. Regarding the piece source question, Fan Wenjian indicated that, the industrial alliance already achieved with the Hollywood 8 big movies movie-making company consistently, entrusted a Hong Kong company to manufacture the small dish piece, was very quick may appear on the market along with the small dish machine, estimated the small dish piece the market retail price about 20 Yuan, the bright annual meeting had over a thousand EVD movie to appear on the market, the rich piece source certainly was allowed to impel industrial the development.
About Digitalway
Head Office :
Digitalway Co., Ltd. Korea Design Center, 344-1 Ya¡¯tap 1-dong, Bundang-gu, Seoungnam City, Gyeonggi-do, 463-828 Korea
Tel : +82-31-788-7230 / Fax : +82-31-788-7240
U.S.A. Office :
Digitalway, Inc. PS Business Parks, 6540 Lusk Blvd. Suite C116, San Diego, California 92121
Tel : 858) 554-1300 / Fax : 858) 554-1370
Digitalway began producing digital audio players in 1998 and quickly grew to be one of the largest manufacturers in the world.
About Digitalway
Head Office :
Digitalway Co., Ltd. Korea Design Center, 344-1 Ya¡¯tap 1-dong, Bundang-gu, Seoungnam City, Gyeonggi-do, 463-828 Korea
Tel : +82-31-788-7230 / Fax : +82-31-788-7240
U.S.A. Office :
Digitalway, Inc. PS Business Parks, 6540 Lusk Blvd. Suite C116, San Diego, California 92121
Tel : 858) 554-1300 / Fax : 858) 554-1370
Digitalway began producing digital audio players in 1998 and quickly grew to be one of the largest manufacturers in the world. While building these devices for other companies to market under their own brands names, Digitalway earned a reputation for world-class quality. Now, Digitalway is developing and designing its own players. The high quality is the same. What's new is smaller, more colorful players with more memory at a lower price.
The OEM to Samsung Electronics (Yepp) and RFC (Jazpiper) made it possible to be a giant manufacturer with the quality proved. MP3 player with digital still camera (MPIO) is one of the technologies that was awarded Chang Youngsil Invention Award 2000 in Korea.
As a developer and designer, Digitalway has released MP3 players with the best technology. MP3 player, Multi Format (WMA, AAC) player, Multi language supporting player, Audio with Voice Recorder, Telephone book, digital still camera and web camera, all these product lines are only part of Digitalway¡¯s on going development.
Why Digitalway?
1. World¡¯s Strongest Cost Competitiveness
Purchasing power determines cost competitiveness.
World¡¯s biggest production ¡æ World¡¯s lowest purchasing price for parts
Good relationships with leading solution vendors
Micronas, TI, STM, Cirrus Logic, Samsung Electronics, Hitachi, Oki, Toshiba, etc.
2. World¡¯s Best Quality
Patent (No.98-40074, 98-16478) and IR52 Changyoungshil prize.
Top quality proven by buyers worldwide; Samsung Electronics (Korea), RFC
(Singapore), TEAC (Germany), BESTBUY (USA), AKAI (Japan), ADTEK (Japan) etc.,
3. Mass Production Capability
World¡¯s biggest production (over 500,000 sets) Market Proven.
Stable and concrete production capability with exclusive production contracts with
Kodenshi INT., and Myungsung Electronics. Over 100,000 production capability per
month
4. The largest and the best R & D staffs
Industry¡¯s top R & D human resources : 25 persons
Developed more than 10 models and can produce 10 products in a year
Products line-up with various functions, media audio file format-AAC, WMA Digital Still
Camera, Voice recorder, CD MP3, PDA and etc.
Company History
Establishment : July 1998
Address : Korea Design Center.344-1 Ya'tap 1-dong,Bundang-gu Seoungnam City,
Gyeonggi-do, zip code 463-828, Republic of Korea
CEO : Woo Jung Ku
Capital Stock : 4.6 Million Dollar (6 Billion KRW)
URL : www.digitalway.co.kr , www.mpio.co.kr , www.mpio.com
History
1998 Jul. Establishment of Digitalway Co., Ltd.
1998 Sep. Field application for technology and design patent
1998 Sep. (Title: Multi-media device, No. 98-40075, 98-16478)
1998 Dec. Established OEM contracts with Samsung Electronics Co.
1999 Jan. Established OEM contracts with Daewoo Co.
1999 Mar. Designated as a Venture Company
1999 Mar. (from Small & Medium Business Administration in Korea)
1999 Apr. Launched the first mass production product (MPIO-SV/Jazpiper)
1999 Apr. Participated CeBIT (Hanover, Germany)
1999 May. Launched OEM products of Samsung Electronics (Yepp-E series)
1999 Jun. Established an enterprise annex research center
1999 Aug. Launched MP3 Player supply contract with Internet Music (E-sounds)
1999 Aug. Awarded the Best Product Design (KIDP)
1999 Oct. Launched OEM products of Samsung Corporation (Fubu)
1999 Nov. Launched Digital Still Camera Module for MP3 Player
2000 Feb. Attracted 450 Million Won from KTIC
2000 Apr. Awarded with Jang young Shil IR52 Prize
2000 Aug. Launched the 2nd OEM products for Samsung (Yepp-NE series)
2000 Oct. Launched ERP SYSTEM (Samsung Data System)
2000 Dec. Designated as a Promising IT company (Ministry of information and
2000 Dec. communication) Re-designated as a Venture Company (New Technology
2000 Dec. Development Firm)
2001 May. P-CBO: 1.4 Million USD
2001 May. Patent for the technology and design
2001 May. (Title: Multimedia Device - No.98-42275, 98-16478)
Turnover
1999 : 14 Million (USD)
2000 : 34.4 Million (USD)
2001 : 46 Million (USD)
Vision of Digitalway
Development - Industry's best technology and human resources
With more than 50% of total employees are Research and Development staff. Digitalway is proud of Industry's best hardware and Software Technology and developing the best quality products only. IR52 2000 Chang Young Shil Invention Award, the first digital still camera integrating MP3 player, the first MP3P with 3D sound, World's longest battery running time (20 hours), multi language supporting LCD, and a lot more¡¦ Digitalway's developmental effort for the best will go on as it has been.
Design - Sweeps design awards of KIDP in yr 2000 and 2001-07-06
Digitalway has been released more than 10 different models including MPIO brand and other OEM products. Some of products were awarded such as 2000 KIDP's Best designed product (MPIO-SV), 2001 KIDP Good Design (MPIO-DMG), 2001 new Millennium Design Product (PIO-DMG). With customers and buyers' support, our in-house designers are trying their best to design products more convenient to use and more attractive. Digitalway is planning to release 4 different new models for the rest of this year.
Manufacturing Management - 30,000~50,000 volumes per month
Digitalway has experienced in manufacturing various products for various buyers and customers from all other countries. Different manuals in different languages, different color, box type, accessories in all different term and conditions, those are the things that Digitalway has been through to control and manage. As the largest manufacturer of digital audio player, Digitalway has outstanding know how to deal with mass production and its dedicated control.
Marketing
Not only its mass volumes but also its high quality, Digitalway is well known in the industry. With great support from OEM partners such as, REC and Samsung, Digitalway is now gearing up for own brand expansion, MPIO. As 2001MP3P market is estimated as 3 million, Digitalway is planning to enlarge productions through OEM and Co-Brand strategy as well as MPIO Brand exposure. Digitalway's turn over has grown as 12 Million USD in 1999, 34 Million USD in 2000 and 46 Million USD in 2001 expectedly.
one basic reason why no PR but webcast regarding "new" developments consisting of three words: "AGREEMENTS IN PRINCIPLE"
HH/FF--and MAIA is still shown as the contasct person
Consumer Electronics Association Recognizes PortalPlayer's
Excellence in Design and Engineering at CES 2004
Santa Clara, Calif., December 15, 2003--PortalPlayer, Inc., the the company that enabled the fast-growing music jukebox market, today announced that it has received the prestigious Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) Innovations 2004 Design and Engineering Showcase Honoree Award in the Software/Embedded Technologies category. As a winner, the company's Audio Jukebox Platform will be showcased alongside other award-winning products during the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in the Innovations Silver Exhibits, #70311, January 8-11, 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada. For those unable to attend the exhibits, award-winners can be seen by visiting http://www.CESweb.org/Innovations.
"We are honored to have the Consumer Electronics Association recognize our Audio Jukebox Platform for its superior design and engineering excellence," said Gary Johnson, president and CEO of PortalPlayer. "This award, along with our leading market share, further reinforces the significant contribution our technology has played in enabling the portable audio market over the last three years."
The PortalPlayer Audio Jukebox Platform is the industry's only integrated silicon and software solution for designing next generation entertainment products such as portable digital music devices, general audio systems and streaming audio receivers. This complete platform includes a system-on-chip (PP5002D), firmware, and a PC-based digital media manager software development kit (SDK). Based on a scaleable, fully customizable architecture, the PortalPlayer platform gives OEMs and ODMs the flexibility to build multiple versions of products from a single base design.
The leading computer and electronics manufacturers have used the PortalPlayer jukebox platforms to create this new product category of portable music devices including recent market entries: Philips, RCA, Rio and Samsung.
PortalPlayer continues its product innovation, as recently signified by the adoption of PortalPlayer platform technology in the Rio Karma, which is the first Ethernet-enabled portable audio jukebox to share music with PCs within the home network. Rio Karma is very small pocket-sized unit and connects to a dock to the audio receiver, enabling people to enjoy their complete Karma-based music library on their home stereo or computer in another room through the network.
About PortalPlayer
PortalPlayer, Inc. is personalizing digital entertainment by providing complete platforms for computer and consumer electronics manufacturers to design innovative portable products that integrate audio and photo capabilities. The company's award-winning, flexible silicon and software platform has been adopted by the majority of leading audio jukebox manufacturers worldwide by providing superior features and unmatched flexibility, and enabling rapid time to market. Founded in 1999, PortalPlayer is a privately-held company with offices in Santa Clara, California; Charlotte, North Carolina, Seattle, Washington; and Hyderabad, India.
=============================================
e.DIGITAL AND PORTALPLAYER TO CO-DEVELOP DIGITAL AUDIO PRODUCTS FOR CONSUMER ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURERS
1/10/2003 - e.Digital Corporation (OTC: EDIG) announced a development and co-marketing partnership with PortalPlayer, Inc. As a PortalPlayer Design Partner, e.Digital plans to develop new digital audio products combining PortalPlayer's single-chip integrated circuit for music encoding and playback with e.Digital's reference designs. As part of the agreement, PortalPlayer will refer pre-qualified OEM customers to e.Digital for product development using PortalPlayer's chip set.
"Researchers from IDC forecast that the digital audio market will exceed 200 million units worldwide by 2006, presenting a great opportunity for OEMs who can deliver compelling and powerful entertainment devices," said Michael Maia, vice president of marketing for PortalPlayer. "We qualified e.Digital as one of our charter Design Partners because of their ability to speed manufacturers' time-to-market and expertise in system integration, firmware development, and project management."
Fred Falk, president and CEO of e.Digital, said, "We are pleased to continue our tradition of incorporating new technologies with our MicroOS" to create useful applications and attractive products for OEM customers. Being a charter company in PortalPlayer's Design Partners Program puts us in a position to help OEM customers navigate emerging industries, determine the quickest path to product completion, and launch a number of different products with the latest features. It opens the door for revenue-producing opportunities from a broader customer base."
The PortalPlayer Design Partners Program provides a fast track to new system designs by giving OEMs access to the engineering resources and complementary intellectual property of its qualified partners, and PortalPlayer's system-on-chip (SoC) platforms, firmware, system architecture, and PC-based digital media management applications. Using PortalPlayer's platforms as a starting point, Design Partners work with OEMs to quickly and cost-effectively build differentiation into next generation products.
PORTALPLAYER TEAMS WITH CORNICE TO OFFER COMPLETE PLATFORM FOR DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT DEVICES
Cornice And PortalPlayer Enable
A New Class Of Affordable, "Pocket-Able" Devices
LONGMONT, Colo., June 2, 2003 Cornice Inc., an innovator in compact, high-capacity storage, today announced that it has been in development with PortalPlayer for more than a year to ensure that the Company's innovative Storage Element technology will be fully supported by PortalPlayer's widely deployed digital audio and video platform for consumer electronics products. Together, Cornice and PortalPlayer offer a compelling base platform for the design of low-cost, function-rich consumer devices such as digital music players and digital still camera storage accessories. Manufacturers can take advantage of the combined digital entertainment solution from Cornice and PortalPlayer immediately. Cornice And PortalPlayer: A Foundation For Consumer Electronics Innovation Together, PortalPlayer and Cornice address the design and time-to-market needs of consumer electronics manufacturers.
By carrying out a fundamental re-evaluation of how portable storage devices should be designed and manufactured, Cornice achieved the industry's lowest cost for high-capacity portable storage. By re-examining the mechanics and electronics of storage devices, Cornice was able to create an inexpensive storage solution that is compact, durable and optimized for portable electronics devices such as digital music players, digital cameras, handhelds, cellular phones, and other "pocket-able" products. PortalPlayer's platform for digital entertainment devices includes a system-on-chip, firmware, and a PC-based digital media manager application. Based on a scaleable architecture that is fully customizable, the PortalPlayer platform gives OEMs the flexibility to build multiple versions of products from a single base design. Using solutions from PortalPlayer, customers can design and develop complete product families, from player-only portable devices to digital-audio enabled encoding and playback systems for home and car stereo installation. "Having worked with Cornice for some time, PortalPlayer is excited about the value proposition Cornice brings to devices that require low-cost, portable storage," said Michael Maia, vice president of sales and marketing at PortalPlayer. "Combining Cornice's storage technology with our platform for digital entertainment devices brings a very competitive and powerful design solution for consumer electronics manufacturers." About PortalPlayer Founded in May 1999, PortalPlayer is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, with operations in Charlotte, North Carolina; Seattle, Washington, and Hyderabad, India. The company is in its third generation product platform and supports leading consumer electronics manufacturers worldwide.
About Cornice Cornice Inc. is an innovator in small, compact, low-cost, high-capacity storage that enables a new generation of pocket-able consumer electronic devices for the world's leading brand-name manufacturers. The Cornice Storage Element (SE) is durable, integrated, personal storage that brings new levels of affordability and content capacity to these devices. Early investors in Cornice include the company's founders, management team, and Texas Instruments. In August 2002, the Company received its first venture investment from CIBC Capital Partners, Nokia Venture Partners and VantagePoint Venture Partners. Privately held, Cornice maintains headquarters in Longmont, Colorado. Visit Cornice at http://www.corniceco.com/. # # #
==================================
PORTALPLAYER AUDIO JUKEBOX PLATFORM WINS INNOVATIONS 2004 AWARD
Consumer Electronics Association Recognizes PortalPlayer's
Excellence in Design and Engineering at CES 2004
Santa Clara, Calif., December 15, 2003--PortalPlayer, Inc., the the company that enabled the fast-growing music jukebox market, today announced that it has received the prestigious Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) Innovations 2004 Design and Engineering Showcase Honoree Award in the Software/Embedded Technologies category. As a winner, the company's Audio Jukebox Platform will be showcased alongside other award-winning products during the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in the Innovations Silver Exhibits, #70311, January 8-11, 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada. For those unable to attend the exhibits, award-winners can be seen by visiting http://www.CESweb.org/Innovations.
"We are honored to have the Consumer Electronics Association recognize our Audio Jukebox Platform for its superior design and engineering excellence," said Gary Johnson, president and CEO of PortalPlayer. "This award, along with our leading market share, further reinforces the significant contribution our technology has played in enabling the portable audio market over the last three years."
The PortalPlayer Audio Jukebox Platform is the industry's only integrated silicon and software solution for designing next generation entertainment products such as portable digital music devices, general audio systems and streaming audio receivers. This complete platform includes a system-on-chip (PP5002D), firmware, and a PC-based digital media manager software development kit (SDK). Based on a scaleable, fully customizable architecture, the PortalPlayer platform gives OEMs and ODMs the flexibility to build multiple versions of products from a single base design.
The leading computer and electronics manufacturers have used the PortalPlayer jukebox platforms to create this new product category of portable music devices including recent market entries: Philips, RCA, Rio and Samsung.
PortalPlayer continues its product innovation, as recently signified by the adoption of PortalPlayer platform technology in the Rio Karma, which is the first Ethernet-enabled portable audio jukebox to share music with PCs within the home network. Rio Karma is very small pocket-sized unit and connects to a dock to the audio receiver, enabling people to enjoy their complete Karma-based music library on their home stereo or computer in another room through the network.
About PortalPlayer
PortalPlayer, Inc. is personalizing digital entertainment by providing complete platforms for computer and consumer electronics manufacturers to design innovative portable products that integrate audio and photo capabilities. The company's award-winning, flexible silicon and software platform has been adopted by the majority of leading audio jukebox manufacturers worldwide by providing superior features and unmatched flexibility, and enabling rapid time to market. Founded in 1999, PortalPlayer is a privately-held company with offices in Santa Clara, California; Charlotte, North Carolina, Seattle, Washington; and Hyderabad, India.
=============================================
e.DIGITAL AND PORTALPLAYER TO CO-DEVELOP DIGITAL AUDIO PRODUCTS FOR CONSUMER ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURERS
1/10/2003 - e.Digital Corporation (OTC: EDIG) announced a development and co-marketing partnership with PortalPlayer, Inc. As a PortalPlayer Design Partner, e.Digital plans to develop new digital audio products combining PortalPlayer's single-chip integrated circuit for music encoding and playback with e.Digital's reference designs. As part of the agreement, PortalPlayer will refer pre-qualified OEM customers to e.Digital for product development using PortalPlayer's chip set.
"Researchers from IDC forecast that the digital audio market will exceed 200 million units worldwide by 2006, presenting a great opportunity for OEMs who can deliver compelling and powerful entertainment devices," said Michael Maia, vice president of marketing for PortalPlayer. "We qualified e.Digital as one of our charter Design Partners because of their ability to speed manufacturers' time-to-market and expertise in system integration, firmware development, and project management."
Fred Falk, president and CEO of e.Digital, said, "We are pleased to continue our tradition of incorporating new technologies with our MicroOS" to create useful applications and attractive products for OEM customers. Being a charter company in PortalPlayer's Design Partners Program puts us in a position to help OEM customers navigate emerging industries, determine the quickest path to product completion, and launch a number of different products with the latest features. It opens the door for revenue-producing opportunities from a broader customer base."
The PortalPlayer Design Partners Program provides a fast track to new system designs by giving OEMs access to the engineering resources and complementary intellectual property of its qualified partners, and PortalPlayer's system-on-chip (SoC) platforms, firmware, system architecture, and PC-based digital media management applications. Using PortalPlayer's platforms as a starting point, Design Partners work with OEMs to quickly and cost-effectively build differentiation into next generation products.
About PortalPlayer, Inc.
PortalPlayer, Inc. supplies consumer electronics manufacturers with complete platform solutions, including SoCs (System-on-Chips), firmware, PC-based software and access to third-party technologies. The company develops and markets advanced systems for digital audio recording and playback, using MP3 and other popular digital compression technologies. Founded in May 1999, PortalPlayer is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, with major offices in Seattle, Washington; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Hyderabad, India. The company has grown to more than 150 employees worldwide and has received four rounds of venture capital funding. Investors include Band of Angels Fund, CIBC World Markets Corp., Flatiron Partners, Investcorp International, J.P.Morgan Partners, LSI Logic Corp., Linear Technology Corporation, Portal Partners, Shamrock Capital Advisors, Techfund Capital, Thomas Spiegel, and Vulcan Ventures, Inc.
About e.Digital
e.Digital Corporation designs, licenses, brands, manufactures, and sells digital audio products and technologies. The company's trademarked digital audio players include the MXPTM 100, TreóTM portable digital jukebox line, SilhouetteTM ultra-slim MP3-CD player, and OdysseyTM line of flash- and hard disk drive- based players. e.Digital launched WeDigMusic.com to complement its digital audio players by providing consumers with a one-stop-shop for streaming and downloading music from thousands of artists on the Web. The company also offers an engineering partnership for the world's leading electronics companies to link portable digital devices to PCs and the Internet. e.Digital develops and markets to consumer electronics manufacturers complete end-to-end solutions for delivery and management of open and secure digital media with a focus on music, voice and video players/recorders, and automotive infotainment and telematics systems. Other applications for e.Digital's technology include portable digital music players and voice recorders; desktop, laptop, and handheld computers; PC peripherals; cellular phone peripherals; e-books; video games; digital cameras; and digital video recorders. Engineering services range from the licensing of e.Digital's patented MicroOSTM file management system to custom software and hardware development, industrial design, and manufacturing services. For more information on the company, please visit www.edig.com. To shop in the e.Digital online store, please visit www.edigital-store.com.
Tiny iPod competitors shipping soon
By Eliot Van Buskirk
Senior editor, CNET Reviews
(August 26, 2003)
As you might have noticed in our recent roundup of new Rio players, product review, and video on the new Rios, there's finally a hard drive-based MP3 player that's smaller than the iPod: the Rio Nitrus. Unlike this Toshiba unit (currently sold only in Japan) and the iPod, the Nitrus contains a one-inch hard drive that holds 1.5GB of music (about 375 songs), thus staking out the middle ground between flash and other hard drive-base players in terms of size, capacity, and price.
Rio isn't the only company hoping to fill the void between those two extremes; iRiver, RCA, Rio, Samsung, and Digitalway will also release 1.5GB hard drive-based MP3 players in the coming months. Users will be able to choose between the variety of designs offered by these companies, but the hard drives inside each of them will be identical, as there's only one company selling them: Cornice. Kevin Brangan, vice president of product marketing for Rio, says, "This technology allows us to fill a void that has always existed in the market...We can now offer consumers the smallest possible player, with lots of storage and awesome battery life." The trade-off, of course, is that 1.5GB holds a lot less than 30GB, but if you don't mind syncing a new 375 or so songs onto the device every week (and especially if the player makes it easy), you might not notice the difference.
The one-inch Cornice SE enables MP3 player manufacturers to integrate the drive into their designs more efficiently than they could with the one-inch IBM Microdrive.
(Click to enlarge.)
To find out how one little company in Colorado (a state that's rife with storage manufacturers) with 55 employees--many from Dataplay--was able to corner the market for one-inch MP3-player-embedded drives, I interviewed Melissa Kutrubes, the public relations manager for Cornice. Here's the abridged text:
MP3 Insider: How long has Cornice existed?
Melissa Kutrubes: Cornice has been a company since August 2000. We publicly announced our company June 2003. We wanted to wait to make a big bang until we had customers planning on putting Cornice-enabled devices on store shelves. We wanted to sell the product, not the idea.
M: Why do you think you are the only ones making one-inch drives?
MK: Currently, it is very difficult to build a one-inch drive because all of the parts are smaller and more delicate. We are lucky to have partners such as SAE that have experience in manufacturing delicate pieces. The other reason is that most companies have not been able to manufacture a working one-inch drive and be able to hit a price point that consumers (end users) are demanding. We sell our SE [storage element] for $65 each in 100,000 quantities. That price is low enough for our customers (companies such as RCA and Samsung) to design their consumer electronics at a favorable cost...For Cornice to hit this low price point, we completely redesigned the mechanics of our SE. We have 31 electrical components, compared to a miniaturized HDD that has an estimated 110 components. Our SE is an embedded product and, therefore, allows the host device to house the RAM and the ROM.
M: What capacities are you making now, and what do you intend to make in the future?
MK: We're making 1.5GB right now with plans to increase our capacity in the future.
M: How many have you sold and to whom?
MK: We expect to sell a half million this year, and our current customers that we are able to disclose to you are: Samsung, RCA (Thomson), iRiver, Rio (Sonicblue), and Digitalway.
M: I noticed that several of these players have missed their ship dates. Have there been delays? If so, what caused them?
MK: All of our customers said they would ship in Q3, and they still will.
M: How suitable are hard drives for jogging; is there any risk of damage?
MK: Our SE passes a very sophisticated jog profile.
Posted by: cksla
In reply to: None Date:12/8/2003 1:26:46 PM
Post #of 55576
TINY Hard Drives Offer Big Storage
Toshiba and others ready high-capacity, sub-1-inch drives.
Martyn Williams, IDG News Service
Monday, December 08, 2003
The growing demand for low-cost, high-capacity, and compact storage for mobile devices is pushing development of small form-factor hard drives and the first of a new generation of sub-1-inch drives should hit the market in 2004.
One of the first companies to show a sub-1-inch hard drive is expected to be Japan's Toshiba. The company plans to show a sample drive product at the CES show that takes place in Las Vegas in January 2004, it said Monday.
Toshiba wouldn't provide any further details about the drive although industry sources say that Toshiba and several other companies, including Matsushita Kotobuki Electronics Industries, are working on development of drives with 0.8-inch or 0.7-inch diameter platters. That's smaller than the CompactFlash form-factor Microdrive produced by Hitachi, which is based on a 1-inch platter, and less than half the size of the 1.8-inch drive used in Apple Computer's IPOD portable music player.
Making Predictions
"Disk drives are going into more and more applications," said Thomas M. Coughlin, president of storage market analysis company Coughlin Associates, during a storage industry conference in Tokyo in November. "Companies are looking at 1.8-inch, 1-inch, and possibly 0.8-inch or 0.7-inch drives."
His predictions for the hard drive market have 1.8-inch and smaller drive shipments reaching 3.3 million drives this year and climbing to 23.7 million drives in 2008 or, as a percentage of the overall disk drive market, from 1.4 percent this year to 5.3 percent in 2008.
The drives are expected to appear in products which require high-capacity data storage in a small form factor such as MP3 players, handheld digital video players, and other portable consumer electronics and even some cellular telephones.
Such is the demand already that Toshiba recently announced it is doubling production of its PC Card-size 1.8-inch hard drive to 600,000 units per month by March 2004. The drives can be found in Apple's IPOD, Toshiba's own Gigabeat digital music player, and some ultra-portable notebook PCs and are available in capacities from 5GB to 40GB.
First Choice
Flash memory storage is the medium of choice for many portable consumer electronics products at present, although small form-factor hard drives offer advantages in several areas over solid-state memory.
One of its prime advantages is high storage capacity at a low cost. Prices for a 1GB Microdrive begin at around $159 and the cheapest 1GB CompactFlash memory card costs $205, according to PC World's Product Finder service. The price gap widens as capacity increases with a 4GB Microdrive costing $500, or less than half that of a CompactFlash memory card of the same capacity.
At present the market for 1.8-inch and smaller class hard drives is dominated by two Japanese companies--Toshiba in the 1.8-inch space and Hitachi in the 1-inch space--but competitors are beginning to grab for a piece of the action.
Several companies are expected to launch 1.8-inch drives during 2004 and Hitachi already has two competitors in the 1-inch market space. They are Colorado-based Cornice, which brands its 1.5GB drive the "Storage Element" and is already shipping the drive to customers including iRiver and Digitalway for use in MP3 players, and GS Magicstor, a start-up disk maker based in China's western province of Guizhou.
"Hitachi has been until recently the only player in the market and we expect them to continue to be the technology leader," said Thomas Su, chief technical officer of GS Magicstor, at the same Tokyo conference. "Cornice has enjoyed some early success with a proprietary interface. But we expect many players will come into the market sooner or later. It's a matter of time."
Cost Concerns
However, while the hard drives are cheaper than flash memory the price tag for a 4GB drive still puts it out of the reach of most consumers.
"With only three companies it's hard to get economies of scale," said Su. "Consumer electronics products are very cost sensitive."
Still, the entry of Cornice and GS Magicstor has already resulted in lower prices for users. GS Magicstor's CompactFlash form factor 2.2GB drive costs $199, which is only $40 more than the cheapest 1GB Microdrive, and Cornice's non-removable drive is cheap enough that Digitalway's 1.5GB HS-100 USB drive costs $150.
Toshiba wouldn't disclose pricing details or a shipping schedule for its sub 1-inch drive due to be shown at CES.
Posted by: Sentinel
In reply to: None Date:6/14/2003 9:59:32 AM
Post #of 55574
Murgirl...You missed one VERY interesting phrase regarding Cornice, IMO. It ONLY appeared in the press release from Texas Instruments, and not anywhere else that I could find. Was it a typo or a leak? Draw your own conclusions. I happen to think they let something slip. See bold below:
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS AND CORNICE, INC. ENABLE HIGHER STORAGE CAPACITIES AND LOWER COSTS FOR PORTABLE CONSUMER ELECTRONICS
HOUSTON (June 2, 2003) -- By leveraging its expertise in storage solutions and PORTABLE consumer electronics, Texas Instruments (TI) (NYSE: TXN), today announced that it is working with Cornice, Inc. on their 1.5GB Storage Element (SE). The SE, a 1-INCH, high-capacity, embedded storage device, is designed to bring low cost storage solutions to PORTABLE consumer electronics devices such as MP3 PLAYERs, PDAs, digital VIDEO recorders and PLAYERs, and handheld gaming devices. (See www.ti.com/innovativestorage).
The Cornice SE is designed to revolutionize the capabilities and functionality of consumer devices by providing gigabytes of extremely affordable storage when compared to today´s flash memory solutions. A flash card that offers comparable capacity typically costs between $400 and $500 retail in addition to the cost of the PORTABLE device. The price of the SE enables Cornice customers to deliver their products to consumers at well under the retail cost of a similar flash-based device.
TI expertise enables innovative storage solution for PORTABLE applications
"TI brings systems expertise on multiple levels to our Storage Element. Our objective was to design a highly reliable, low cost, small form factor storage device and by leveraging their hard disk drive (HDD) and consumer electronics systems expertise, we were able to deliver a unique and innovative storage architecture," said Kevin Magenis, Cornice founder, president and CEO. He went onto say, "By working very closely with an industry leader such as TI, Cornice was able to achieve the cost, quality, and competitiveness that we needed to take advantage of the growing market for compact, high-capacity storage technologies."
TI´s chipset solution consists of a custom TMS320C2000™ platform DSP controller, SR1740 pre-amp, and SH2100 servo controller. The DSP controller performs real time signal processing for, among other things, read/write positioning, error correction and control (ECC) and buffer management in addition to providing the interface to the Storage Element. This industry unique solution incorporates the DSP on the host, not the storage device, allowing for a higher level of future integration.
The SR1740 preamp was designed with the specific needs of the 1 INCH form factor market in mind, resulting in a pseudo-differential, low power, low cost preamp that is now
offered as part of TI´s standard catalog of preamp products. Similarly, the SH2100 servo controller was specifically designed for low voltage and small form-factor applications. Containing the digital interface logic and other utility functions required in this drive, the SH2100 is a highly integrated solution that complements the rest of the chip set and turns it into a complete solution.
Innovative approach to classic HDD electronics
"Larger, desktop PC hard drives often utilize an electronics architecture that integrates around the read channel integrated circuit (IC)," said Kenneth Nesteroff, storage DSP manager, TI. "However, when Cornice targeted the PORTABLE consumer electronics market for their 1 INCH SE, they seized a prime opportunity to differentiate their electronics architecture to better meet the requirements unique to these non-PC applications. The result is a repartition of classic HDD electronics that enables a cost-effective and technologically advanced chipset solution.
TI´s programmable DSP and analog solutions for PORTABLE audio, imaging, and VIDEO encoding and decoding, provide support for the Cornice Storage Element in addition to other industry standard storage solutions. Continuing its commitment to the multimedia jukebox market, TI is addressing the primary concerns of its customers--form factor and cost," said Chris Schairbaum, business manager of PORTABLE audio and infotainment at TI. "We feel Cornice´s new Storage Element will help boost growth in the PORTABLE multimedia PLAYER market and we look forward to working with Cornice and seeing it implemented in our customers' latest products.
The Cornice Storage Element is already shipping in volume quantities and will be available in PORTABLE consumer products including Rio® Nitrus Urban and Eigen Executive PORTABLE digital audio PLAYERs, iRiver´s iGP-100 digital audio PLAYER and Digitalway´s HS100PORTABLE USB storage unit and HD200 PORTABLE music juke box beginning in early June through August.
# # #
http://focus.ti.com/docs/pr/pressrelease.jhtml?prelId=sc03113&prSection=overview