Columbian.com - Serving Clark County, WashingtonSamsung Profit Slumps on Price-Fixing Fine
Oct 14, 6:12 AM EDT
By KELLY OLSEN
AP Business Writer
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- A hefty, multi-million dollar price-fixing fine and lower chip prices took a big bite out of Samsung's third-quarter earnings, with net profits plunging 30 percent from the same period the year before, the South Korean company said Friday.
Samsung Electronics Co., the world's largest memory chip maker and a major consumer electronics firm, said it earned 1.88 trillion won, or $1.8 billion, in the three months through Sept. 30, down from 2.69 trillion won in the same period a year earlier.
The results for South Korea's biggest company by market capitalization were worse than expectations. A survey of 10 analysts by Dow Jones Newswires predicted Samsung's profit would total 1.97 trillion won ($1.89 billion).
The earnings result came a day after U.S. federal officials in Washington said Samsung will pay a US$300 million (euro250 million) fine to settle accusations it secretly conspired with industry rivals to fix prices and cheat customers.
Samsung Senior Vice President Chu Woosik told investors on a conference call in Seoul on Friday that net profit would have been higher were it not for setting aside about 200 billion won ($192 million) to pay the fine. The company last year already set aside $100 million.
"If you exclude that, net profit would have gone over 2 trillion (won)," he said.
Sales during the quarter rose 1.4 percent to 14.54 trillion won ($13.94 billion) from 14.34 trillion won a year earlier, the company said.
Prices for Samsung's mainstay businesses - chips, mobile phones and liquid crystal displays used in computer monitors and televisions - peaked in the first half of last year. Profit margins in the industry have since been eroded by a global oversupply of dynamic random access, or DRAM, chips and LCDs, and stiffer competition in the mobile phone business.
Samsung is the world's biggest producer of DRAM and NAND flash memory chips. It is the second-largest semiconductor maker after Intel Corp. and is also one of the largest makers of LCDs along with domestic rival LG.Philips LCD Co.
DRAM chips are most widely used in personal computers, while NAND flash chips are used in electronic devices such as MP3 players and digital cameras.
Prices of DRAM chips fell 35 percent from the same quarter last year, while those for NAND dropped 50 percent, according to industry analysts.
From the previous quarter, however, Samsung said the declines were far less, with DRAM prices down just 3 percent and those for NAND 19 percent lower, helping net profit gain 11 percent from the second quarter.
That and expectations of continued strong demand for flash memory chips used in products like Apple Computer Inc.'s hot-selling iPod digital music player made Samsung officials optimistic about the future.
"We see very strong momentum continuing in the NAND business," Samsung's Chu said.
While Samsung officials acknowledge supplying flash memory chips to Apple, they and the Cupertino, California-based company have remained mum on details, including how much and at what price.
The company, the world's third-largest maker of handsets after Nokia Corp. and Motorola Corp., said it sold a record 26.8 million mobile phones during the quarter, with Europe remaining its biggest market at 36 percent of the total, compared with 33 percent in the previous quarter.
"The handset market is expected to remain very strong," Chu said.
Samsung's guilty plea to a felony price-fixing charge caps a three-year investigation by the U.S. Justice Department into makers of the chips, a $7.7 billion market in the United States.
Samsung said in a statement the company "strongly supports fair competition and ethical practices and forbids anticompetitive behavior."
Two of Samsung's leading rivals - South Korea's Hynix Semiconductor Inc. and Germany's Infineon Technologies AG - earlier paid fines totaling $345 million and pleaded guilty to involvement in a scheme the government said boosted prices consumers paid for computers between 1999 and 2002.
Samsung Electronics shares closed unchanged Friday at 562,000 won ($538).
Friday, October 14, 2005
Thursday, October 13, 2005
BBC NEWS | Technology | Apple iPod sets sights on video
BBC NEWS | Technology | Apple iPod sets sights on video Apple iPod sets sights on video
By Alfred Hermida
Technology editor, BBC News website
Apple has set its sights on conquering the world of portable video with the launch of a sound and vision version of its iconic iPod.
It is looking to build on the success of its digital music player, having sold 28 million music-playing iPods since 2001.
"Because millions of people around the world will buy this new iPod to play music, it will quickly become the most popular portable video player in history," said Apple boss Steve Jobs at the launch of the device.
But the computer maker is coming late to the world of video on the go. There are several media players available from Microsoft and its hardware partners, as well as gadgets from rivals Creative and Archos.
And the Japanese electronic giant Sony recently entered the fray with its PlayStation Portable (PSP), which sports a large screen to play films on its UMD discs.
"Sony has the design skills to match its devices and, the PSP, with its added gaming appeal, could rival Apple," said Salman Momen, technology analyst at Capgemini.
Question of content
So far, portable video players have failed to make much of an impact. Many of the devices have been bulky and getting TV shows or films onto them has often proved frustrating.
While there are dozens of legitimate online music services, finding portable video is another story. Most video online is streaming media which means it cannot be downloaded, and copy protection on DVDs makes it hard to transfer the content to a portable player.
This is video as a feature on an iPod. When Apple are ready to do video, you will see something more complete and more video-focused
Nate Elliott, Jupiter Research
Instead many have turned to illegal file-sharing sites, where thousands trade copies of popular TV shows and Hollywood blockbusters.
Apple is addressing some of these shortcomings by providing more than 2,000 music videos through its popular iTunes online music store.
The deal with ABC and Disney means it can offer legal downloads in the US of TV hits like Lost and Desperate Housewives for $1.99 a day after the shows air.
"This is a learning process for Apple," said Nate Elliott, digital home analyst at Jupiter Research. "There is no mass market for portable video today and they understand that.
"That market will exist at some point in the future. It is never a bad idea to start learning about the technology and how consumers want to use video on the go, and start the relationships with the content providers."
"This isn't a video device," insisted Mr Elliott. "This is video as a feature on an iPod. When Apple are ready to do video, you will see something more complete and more video-focused. "
Familiar feel
The new iPod is thinner than previous models and sports a 2.5 inch (6.35cm) colour screen that is 320 by 240 pixels in size.
In the UK the 30GB version should cost £219 ($299 in the US) and the 60GB version £299 ($399).
"It is the first step towards what will become a proper portable video player but it is not there yet," said Graham Barlow, editor of MacFormat magazine.
"Ideally I would have liked a screen the size of the PSP. But Apple have kept the look and feel of the iPod and the screen is big enough to watch TV programmes on."
"As soon as you hold it, you have this feeling 'I want one of these', especially with the black one. The next step is to come out with different colours, especially for the female market," said Mr Barlow.
As well as launching the new iPod, Apple has also unveiled a new iMac G5 computer. It comes with a remote control and a software package called Front Row to let people use the machine as a digital entertainment hub in the home.
"For the iPod generation, the flexibility of being able to watch TV programmes on their own terms means broadcasters need to rethink what we do," said the BBC's head of new media, Ashley Highfield.
Story from BBC NEWS:
By Alfred Hermida
Technology editor, BBC News website
Apple has set its sights on conquering the world of portable video with the launch of a sound and vision version of its iconic iPod.
It is looking to build on the success of its digital music player, having sold 28 million music-playing iPods since 2001.
"Because millions of people around the world will buy this new iPod to play music, it will quickly become the most popular portable video player in history," said Apple boss Steve Jobs at the launch of the device.
But the computer maker is coming late to the world of video on the go. There are several media players available from Microsoft and its hardware partners, as well as gadgets from rivals Creative and Archos.
And the Japanese electronic giant Sony recently entered the fray with its PlayStation Portable (PSP), which sports a large screen to play films on its UMD discs.
"Sony has the design skills to match its devices and, the PSP, with its added gaming appeal, could rival Apple," said Salman Momen, technology analyst at Capgemini.
Question of content
So far, portable video players have failed to make much of an impact. Many of the devices have been bulky and getting TV shows or films onto them has often proved frustrating.
While there are dozens of legitimate online music services, finding portable video is another story. Most video online is streaming media which means it cannot be downloaded, and copy protection on DVDs makes it hard to transfer the content to a portable player.
This is video as a feature on an iPod. When Apple are ready to do video, you will see something more complete and more video-focused
Nate Elliott, Jupiter Research
Instead many have turned to illegal file-sharing sites, where thousands trade copies of popular TV shows and Hollywood blockbusters.
Apple is addressing some of these shortcomings by providing more than 2,000 music videos through its popular iTunes online music store.
The deal with ABC and Disney means it can offer legal downloads in the US of TV hits like Lost and Desperate Housewives for $1.99 a day after the shows air.
"This is a learning process for Apple," said Nate Elliott, digital home analyst at Jupiter Research. "There is no mass market for portable video today and they understand that.
"That market will exist at some point in the future. It is never a bad idea to start learning about the technology and how consumers want to use video on the go, and start the relationships with the content providers."
"This isn't a video device," insisted Mr Elliott. "This is video as a feature on an iPod. When Apple are ready to do video, you will see something more complete and more video-focused. "
Familiar feel
The new iPod is thinner than previous models and sports a 2.5 inch (6.35cm) colour screen that is 320 by 240 pixels in size.
In the UK the 30GB version should cost £219 ($299 in the US) and the 60GB version £299 ($399).
"It is the first step towards what will become a proper portable video player but it is not there yet," said Graham Barlow, editor of MacFormat magazine.
"Ideally I would have liked a screen the size of the PSP. But Apple have kept the look and feel of the iPod and the screen is big enough to watch TV programmes on."
"As soon as you hold it, you have this feeling 'I want one of these', especially with the black one. The next step is to come out with different colours, especially for the female market," said Mr Barlow.
As well as launching the new iPod, Apple has also unveiled a new iMac G5 computer. It comes with a remote control and a software package called Front Row to let people use the machine as a digital entertainment hub in the home.
"For the iPod generation, the flexibility of being able to watch TV programmes on their own terms means broadcasters need to rethink what we do," said the BBC's head of new media, Ashley Highfield.
Story from BBC NEWS:
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Apple unveils video iPod, new iMac | CNET News.com
Apple unveils video iPod, new iMac | CNET News.com
By John Borland
Story last modified Wed Oct 12 10:12:00 PDT 2005
SAN JOSE, Calif.--Apple Computer on Wednesday unveiled its long-rumored video iPod, as well as a new iMac and an updated version of iTunes that lets users buy music videos, TV shows and movies.
The iPod has "been a huge hit for us, so it's time to replace it," Apple CEO Steve Jobs said as he showed off the new video-capable MP3 player at an event here. "Yes, it does video."
The music players, which come in black or white with a 2.5-inch screen, will be available in a 30GB model for $299 and a 60GB version for $399. The new devices hold up to 15,000 songs, 25,000 photos or more than 150 hours of video, Apple said.
Apple products
Jobs kicked off the event by revealing a new iMac G5 desktop computer that will be similar to the current model but thinner. The 17-inch 1.9GHz goes for $1,299; the 20-inch 2.1GHz model is $1,699. The iMacs will come with a built-in, Webcam-style iSight camera with still and video capabilities, and a new Apple remote that lets consumers control music, photos and video from 30 feet away.
At the gathering, Jobs used the tiny white remote control like an oversize iPod Shuffle to play a Black Eyed Peas video and an "Incredibles" DVD and also to play home movies and photos.
The new lineup of features for iMac and iPod finally point the company more directly at the living-room space that Microsoft has attempted to carve out with its Media Center edition of Windows. Jobs introduced the iMac's new remote control and multimedia functions, called Front Row, saying they would enable people to experience music, video and photos "from the sofa."
However, the differences between the two platforms remain striking. Media Center PCs plug directly into a television or a television input device such as a cable TV box, allowing the devices to record television shows much like a TiVo digital video recorder, for example.
FAQ
Some details behind Apple's announcement
Following the announcement of new iMacs and a video-capable iPod, CNET News.com responds to some questions.
Many of today's Macs (and the new iPod) have a TV-out connection, but not a TV-in connection. Jobs highlighted only the ability to watch video on the iMac and iPod, without mentioning watching the programming on a television.
Indeed, for now, the video highlighted by Jobs is best suited for small screens, although Apple's software enhances the quality significantly for watching on a large screen. The 320-by-240 resolution can be expanded for a full-screen LCD (liquid-crystal display) TV or computer monitor, but will not have the quality of a DVD.
The cost of content
Then there's cost. With the new version of iTunes, unveiled five weeks after the debut of iTunes 5, consumers can buy non-burnable music videos for $1.99.
Tim Deal, an analyst with Technology Business Research, said he's unsure how consumers will take to the per-video cost.
"While I can appreciate the cool factor of portable video content, the price is a little difficult to digest," he said. "I think consumers are accustomed to seeing music videos for free from services such as Yahoo Launch and Comcast On Demand. Apple should give the videos away and charge for exclusive content only.
Related video
Steve Jobs shows off iPod with video
Music videos, Pixar short films and ABC TV shows to be sold on iTunes.
"This will, however," Deal added, "be a real boon for video podcasting and provides another distribution channel for independent content."
In addition to music videos, consumers will be able to purchase TV shows one day after their initial broadcast. Offerings will include ABC television's "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives" and the Disney Channel's "That's So Raven." It will take 10 to 20 minutes to download an episode, Jobs said. Each will cost $1.99 and will be ad-free.
Disney Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger took the stage with Jobs to introduce the sales of Disney- and ABC-owned TV shows through iTunes.
"We believe this is a breakthrough," Iger said. "This provides a great opportunity for consumers to stay connected to their favorite programs."
Six short films from Pixar Animation Studios also will be available for $1.99 each.
Apple last week sent invitations that included the words "One more thing..." Wednesday's announcements took place at the California Theatre, where Apple introduced the U2 iPod and the first color-screen iPod Photo last year.
The video iPod arrives just one month after Apple unveiled its pencil-thin iPod Nano. Company executives said Tuesday that demand for the Nano is strongly outstripping Apple's ability to supply the flash-memory-based music players.
Still a music machine
While highlighting the new iPod's video features, Jobs appeared careful to stress several times that it was still fundamentally a music-playing device, with video features added as a "bonus."
The careful language may have been aimed at avoiding a repeat of the introduction of the Photo edition of the iPod, which was not initially a top seller despite the addition of the color screen and photo features.
However, Jobs did show a new iPod ad, focused wholly on the new video features, with the tagline "Watch your music."
Sam Bhavnani, an analyst at Current Analysis, noted that the appeal of video is more limited than music. "You can't use it when running. You can't use it while working. You can't use it while driving," he said. However, downloading a TV show to use on an airplane flight, for example, will appeal to some consumers.
Apple "did a small step," Bhavnani said. "It doesn't take Einstein to know the next step is more shows. Maybe ultimately you get to where the next 'Toy Story' is going to be downloaded through iTunes."
Apple's video device isn't the first to hit the market. Studios currently market a handheld computer in Japan called the Type U that can be used to watch videos. Consumers can also watch movies (with a tiny Universal Media Disc) on the PlayStation Portable.
Intel and Microsoft designed a portable media player in 2002 that some manufacturers brought to market last year. (First it was known as Media2Go and later as the Portable Media Center.) In addition, Samsung and others have released phones that can receive TV signals, thereby allowing commuters to watch shows on their cell phones.
So far, though, portable video hasn't been a big seller. The screens on these devices are far smaller than those on TVs. Video also can sap battery life. Watching TV over cellular signals, some Korean consumers have found out, can rack up high bills. (New versions of the cell-phone televisions use a TV tuner card, rather than deliver TV over the cellular network.)
Sony executives, though, recently said sales of Universal Media Disc movies for the PSP are a little better than expected.
CNET News.com's Michael Kanellos contributed to this report.
By John Borland
Story last modified Wed Oct 12 10:12:00 PDT 2005
SAN JOSE, Calif.--Apple Computer on Wednesday unveiled its long-rumored video iPod, as well as a new iMac and an updated version of iTunes that lets users buy music videos, TV shows and movies.
The iPod has "been a huge hit for us, so it's time to replace it," Apple CEO Steve Jobs said as he showed off the new video-capable MP3 player at an event here. "Yes, it does video."
The music players, which come in black or white with a 2.5-inch screen, will be available in a 30GB model for $299 and a 60GB version for $399. The new devices hold up to 15,000 songs, 25,000 photos or more than 150 hours of video, Apple said.
Apple products
Jobs kicked off the event by revealing a new iMac G5 desktop computer that will be similar to the current model but thinner. The 17-inch 1.9GHz goes for $1,299; the 20-inch 2.1GHz model is $1,699. The iMacs will come with a built-in, Webcam-style iSight camera with still and video capabilities, and a new Apple remote that lets consumers control music, photos and video from 30 feet away.
At the gathering, Jobs used the tiny white remote control like an oversize iPod Shuffle to play a Black Eyed Peas video and an "Incredibles" DVD and also to play home movies and photos.
The new lineup of features for iMac and iPod finally point the company more directly at the living-room space that Microsoft has attempted to carve out with its Media Center edition of Windows. Jobs introduced the iMac's new remote control and multimedia functions, called Front Row, saying they would enable people to experience music, video and photos "from the sofa."
However, the differences between the two platforms remain striking. Media Center PCs plug directly into a television or a television input device such as a cable TV box, allowing the devices to record television shows much like a TiVo digital video recorder, for example.
FAQ
Some details behind Apple's announcement
Following the announcement of new iMacs and a video-capable iPod, CNET News.com responds to some questions.
Many of today's Macs (and the new iPod) have a TV-out connection, but not a TV-in connection. Jobs highlighted only the ability to watch video on the iMac and iPod, without mentioning watching the programming on a television.
Indeed, for now, the video highlighted by Jobs is best suited for small screens, although Apple's software enhances the quality significantly for watching on a large screen. The 320-by-240 resolution can be expanded for a full-screen LCD (liquid-crystal display) TV or computer monitor, but will not have the quality of a DVD.
The cost of content
Then there's cost. With the new version of iTunes, unveiled five weeks after the debut of iTunes 5, consumers can buy non-burnable music videos for $1.99.
Tim Deal, an analyst with Technology Business Research, said he's unsure how consumers will take to the per-video cost.
"While I can appreciate the cool factor of portable video content, the price is a little difficult to digest," he said. "I think consumers are accustomed to seeing music videos for free from services such as Yahoo Launch and Comcast On Demand. Apple should give the videos away and charge for exclusive content only.
Related video
Steve Jobs shows off iPod with video
Music videos, Pixar short films and ABC TV shows to be sold on iTunes.
"This will, however," Deal added, "be a real boon for video podcasting and provides another distribution channel for independent content."
In addition to music videos, consumers will be able to purchase TV shows one day after their initial broadcast. Offerings will include ABC television's "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives" and the Disney Channel's "That's So Raven." It will take 10 to 20 minutes to download an episode, Jobs said. Each will cost $1.99 and will be ad-free.
Disney Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger took the stage with Jobs to introduce the sales of Disney- and ABC-owned TV shows through iTunes.
"We believe this is a breakthrough," Iger said. "This provides a great opportunity for consumers to stay connected to their favorite programs."
Six short films from Pixar Animation Studios also will be available for $1.99 each.
Apple last week sent invitations that included the words "One more thing..." Wednesday's announcements took place at the California Theatre, where Apple introduced the U2 iPod and the first color-screen iPod Photo last year.
The video iPod arrives just one month after Apple unveiled its pencil-thin iPod Nano. Company executives said Tuesday that demand for the Nano is strongly outstripping Apple's ability to supply the flash-memory-based music players.
Still a music machine
While highlighting the new iPod's video features, Jobs appeared careful to stress several times that it was still fundamentally a music-playing device, with video features added as a "bonus."
The careful language may have been aimed at avoiding a repeat of the introduction of the Photo edition of the iPod, which was not initially a top seller despite the addition of the color screen and photo features.
However, Jobs did show a new iPod ad, focused wholly on the new video features, with the tagline "Watch your music."
Sam Bhavnani, an analyst at Current Analysis, noted that the appeal of video is more limited than music. "You can't use it when running. You can't use it while working. You can't use it while driving," he said. However, downloading a TV show to use on an airplane flight, for example, will appeal to some consumers.
Apple "did a small step," Bhavnani said. "It doesn't take Einstein to know the next step is more shows. Maybe ultimately you get to where the next 'Toy Story' is going to be downloaded through iTunes."
Apple's video device isn't the first to hit the market. Studios currently market a handheld computer in Japan called the Type U that can be used to watch videos. Consumers can also watch movies (with a tiny Universal Media Disc) on the PlayStation Portable.
Intel and Microsoft designed a portable media player in 2002 that some manufacturers brought to market last year. (First it was known as Media2Go and later as the Portable Media Center.) In addition, Samsung and others have released phones that can receive TV signals, thereby allowing commuters to watch shows on their cell phones.
So far, though, portable video hasn't been a big seller. The screens on these devices are far smaller than those on TVs. Video also can sap battery life. Watching TV over cellular signals, some Korean consumers have found out, can rack up high bills. (New versions of the cell-phone televisions use a TV tuner card, rather than deliver TV over the cellular network.)
Sony executives, though, recently said sales of Universal Media Disc movies for the PSP are a little better than expected.
CNET News.com's Michael Kanellos contributed to this report.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
BBC NEWS | Business | IPod helps Apple quadruple profit
BBC NEWS | Business | IPod helps Apple quadruple profit IPod helps Apple quadruple profit
Apple has quadrupled its quarterly profits, thanks to global sales of more than 6.5 million of its iPod music players over the past three months.
Its net profits for its fiscal fourth quarter rose to $430m (£246m), or 50 cents per share, up from $106m for the same period last year.
This beat market expectations of 36 cents a share, but quarterly turnover disappointed investors.
Although revenues rose 56% to $3.68bn, analysts had expected $3.74bn.
As a result, Apple's shares fell in after-hours trading in New York.
More iPods
Apple, which recently launched its new super-small iPod Nano, has three quarters of the entire global digital music player market.
During the fourth quarter Apple also sold 1.2 million of its Macintosh computers, a year-on-year rise of 48%.
Sales of iPods were up 220%, also compared to the same period a year earlier.
"We're thrilled to have concluded the best year in Apple's history," said Steve Jobs, Apple's chief executive.
"This is the direct result of our focus on innovation and the immense talent and creativity at Apple. We could not be more excited about the new products we're working on for 2006."
According to media speculation, Mr Jobs may on Wednesday launch yet another new version of the iPod, this time a model that can play videos.
Story from BBC NEWS:
Apple has quadrupled its quarterly profits, thanks to global sales of more than 6.5 million of its iPod music players over the past three months.
Its net profits for its fiscal fourth quarter rose to $430m (£246m), or 50 cents per share, up from $106m for the same period last year.
This beat market expectations of 36 cents a share, but quarterly turnover disappointed investors.
Although revenues rose 56% to $3.68bn, analysts had expected $3.74bn.
As a result, Apple's shares fell in after-hours trading in New York.
More iPods
Apple, which recently launched its new super-small iPod Nano, has three quarters of the entire global digital music player market.
During the fourth quarter Apple also sold 1.2 million of its Macintosh computers, a year-on-year rise of 48%.
Sales of iPods were up 220%, also compared to the same period a year earlier.
"We're thrilled to have concluded the best year in Apple's history," said Steve Jobs, Apple's chief executive.
"This is the direct result of our focus on innovation and the immense talent and creativity at Apple. We could not be more excited about the new products we're working on for 2006."
According to media speculation, Mr Jobs may on Wednesday launch yet another new version of the iPod, this time a model that can play videos.
Story from BBC NEWS:
NPR : Microsoft, Real Networks Settle Antitrust Case
NPR : Microsoft, Real Networks Settle Antitrust CaseMicrosoft, Real Networks Settle Antitrust Case
Listen to this story...
by Wendy Kaufman
All Things Considered, October 11, 2005 · Microsoft agrees to pay Real Networks $760 million in cash and other benefits to settle a long-running antitrust suit. The two companies also plan a partnership in digital music and games. Real is the maker of the Rhapsody music service.
Listen to this story...
by Wendy Kaufman
All Things Considered, October 11, 2005 · Microsoft agrees to pay Real Networks $760 million in cash and other benefits to settle a long-running antitrust suit. The two companies also plan a partnership in digital music and games. Real is the maker of the Rhapsody music service.
Sunday, October 09, 2005
DirecTV introducing new DVR tomorrow - Engadget - www.engadget.com
DirecTV introducing new DVR tomorrow - Engadget - www.engadget.comDirecTV introducing new DVR tomorrow
Posted Oct 9, 2005, 2:42 PM ET by Peter Rojas
Related entries: Home Entertainment
It’s the day TiVo hoped would never come: tomorrow DirecTV is launching a $30 million advertising campaign to introduce its new in-house digital video recorder, the R15 DirecTV Plus DVR. The DVR, which should be available before the end of the month, will be able to record up to 100 hours of programming and will cost $5.99 a month (which is the same as what they’re charging for DirecTV with TiVo); a version capable of recording HDTV should be available sometime in the middle of next year.
You’ll still be able to get DirecTV with TiVo until an agreement between the two companies runs out in early 2007, but DirecTV has already stopped all marketing TiVo to its subscribers (if you want it, you have to ask) and will almost certainly do their damnedest to convince as many people as possible to sign up for their DVR rather than for TiVo’s (dropping the monthly price a bit would probably help). This doesn’t by any means spell the end of TiVo. DirecTV users account for only a small percentage of the company’s overall revenue — they’re only making about a buck a month off of every DirecTV with TiVo subscribe, which is way less than they’re making from standalone subscribers — but this arrangement did help them pump up their subcriber base in a pretty significant way. They better hope their deal with Comcast gets rolling right quick.
Posted Oct 9, 2005, 2:42 PM ET by Peter Rojas
Related entries: Home Entertainment
It’s the day TiVo hoped would never come: tomorrow DirecTV is launching a $30 million advertising campaign to introduce its new in-house digital video recorder, the R15 DirecTV Plus DVR. The DVR, which should be available before the end of the month, will be able to record up to 100 hours of programming and will cost $5.99 a month (which is the same as what they’re charging for DirecTV with TiVo); a version capable of recording HDTV should be available sometime in the middle of next year.
You’ll still be able to get DirecTV with TiVo until an agreement between the two companies runs out in early 2007, but DirecTV has already stopped all marketing TiVo to its subscribers (if you want it, you have to ask) and will almost certainly do their damnedest to convince as many people as possible to sign up for their DVR rather than for TiVo’s (dropping the monthly price a bit would probably help). This doesn’t by any means spell the end of TiVo. DirecTV users account for only a small percentage of the company’s overall revenue — they’re only making about a buck a month off of every DirecTV with TiVo subscribe, which is way less than they’re making from standalone subscribers — but this arrangement did help them pump up their subcriber base in a pretty significant way. They better hope their deal with Comcast gets rolling right quick.
msmobiles.com - Good news for USA: MS Smartphone with built-in Wi-Fi coming to T-Mobile USA
msmobiles.com - Good news for USA: MS Smartphone with built-in Wi-Fi coming to T-Mobile USAGood news for USA: MS Smartphone with built-in Wi-Fi coming to T-Mobile USA
October 09, 2005 [MS Smartphone]
While previously some websites were claiming that certain Windows Mobile phones are coming to T-Mobile USA already in October, lately they changed the song and claim that these devices will come early next year (2006) - due to problems with Windows Mobile 5.0. These claims however were/are based on undisclosed sources from T-Mobile USA and cannot be considered anything more than rumors or can be viewed as a "sensationalism directed at attracting more visitors to the website".
Now however some real proof is available: at the website of American type approval organization - FCC - this smartphone with "T-Zones" (typical for T-Mobile) button appeared:
... and yes, it has Wi-Fi as you can see at the following screen shot:
Some highlights about this phone:
* display of high resolution: 320x240 pixels
* powered by Windows Mobile 5.0 for smartphone
* cellular: quad-band GSM - both American and both European bands supported
* Bluetooth 1.2
* Wi-Fi 802.11b
* EDGE (apart from GPRS)
* mini-USB connector (industry standard!)
* mini-SD memory card slot
The FCC testing documentation and user manuals are available here. Since FCC servers are slow, we have place a copy of this user manual on our server here (size: 3.52 MB, format: PDF).
Conclusions: while T-Mobile was releasing in Europe Windows Mobile phones under its own brand, in USA T-Mobile was rather selling other brands (like HP). It looks however that it will change and excellent Windows Mobile phones, also such as the one mentioned in this story, will be coming soon to USA too! Built-in Wi-Fi means that this phone will not only be able to use Skype but also other cellular-Wi-Fi voice solutions.
Please note: assuming enough processing power in a given device, Skype voice calls are working fine both with EDGE and UMTS - we have tested it already. They work also with CDMA-EVDO but not with GPRS. However still Skype works the best with Wi-Fi ... so having a smartphone with built-in Wi-Fi really is essential - not just for free and fast Internet browsing and file exchange...
Friday, October 07, 2005
China to Develop Its Own DVD Format - New York Times
China to Develop Its Own DVD Format - New York TimesOctober 7, 2005
China to Develop Its Own DVD Format
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 5:49 a.m. ET
SHANGHAI, China (AP) -- For the second time in two years, China has announced plans to develop its own next-generation DVD standard to break the monopoly of foreign companies and avoid paying heavy licensing fees.
If successful, the move could add a new wrinkle to the battle between HD DVD and the competing Blu-ray Disc formats over which will become the dominant new DVD standard.
The official Xinhua News Agency said the new standard will be based on but incompatible with HD DVD, which is being promoted by Toshiba Corp. and Universal Studios, as well as Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp., the leading suppliers of chips and software for most of the world's personal computers.
The Chinese standard, not expected to reach markets until at least 2008, would provide higher definition, better sound and better anti-piracy measures, Xinhua quoted Lu Da, deputy director of the government-affiliated National Disc Engineering Center, as saying earlier this week.
''With such format and related standards,'' Lu said, ''We could have our own voice in the DVD industry.''
The announcement marks China's latest attempt to leverage its manufacturing muscle to play by its own terms in the home video market. Up to 80 percent of DVD players are made in China, but makers have to cough up around 40 percent of the cost of each player to license holders, according to Chinese reports.
China began developing its own DVD standard in 1999, rolling out EVD, or enhanced versatile disc, in November 2003 with a vow to shake off dependence on foreign standards. Despite strong government backing, the initiative fizzled amid a legal battle between the technology's developer and a consortium of Chinese player manufacturers. Protoype EVD players were introduced in 2004 but never established a presence in the market.
Xinhua didn't give a name for the new HD DVD-based standard, and it wasn't clear whether it had borrowed technology from the EVD standard. No directory listing could be obtained for the National Disc Engineering Center on Friday, which was a holiday in China.
HD DVD's backers say they have made inroads with Chinese manufacturers, whose support is vital to quickly deploying the technology at a low price.
Blu-ray is backed by Sony Corp., Apple Computer Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co. and Dell Inc., along with a variety of other tech companies and studios.
China to Develop Its Own DVD Format
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 5:49 a.m. ET
SHANGHAI, China (AP) -- For the second time in two years, China has announced plans to develop its own next-generation DVD standard to break the monopoly of foreign companies and avoid paying heavy licensing fees.
If successful, the move could add a new wrinkle to the battle between HD DVD and the competing Blu-ray Disc formats over which will become the dominant new DVD standard.
The official Xinhua News Agency said the new standard will be based on but incompatible with HD DVD, which is being promoted by Toshiba Corp. and Universal Studios, as well as Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp., the leading suppliers of chips and software for most of the world's personal computers.
The Chinese standard, not expected to reach markets until at least 2008, would provide higher definition, better sound and better anti-piracy measures, Xinhua quoted Lu Da, deputy director of the government-affiliated National Disc Engineering Center, as saying earlier this week.
''With such format and related standards,'' Lu said, ''We could have our own voice in the DVD industry.''
The announcement marks China's latest attempt to leverage its manufacturing muscle to play by its own terms in the home video market. Up to 80 percent of DVD players are made in China, but makers have to cough up around 40 percent of the cost of each player to license holders, according to Chinese reports.
China began developing its own DVD standard in 1999, rolling out EVD, or enhanced versatile disc, in November 2003 with a vow to shake off dependence on foreign standards. Despite strong government backing, the initiative fizzled amid a legal battle between the technology's developer and a consortium of Chinese player manufacturers. Protoype EVD players were introduced in 2004 but never established a presence in the market.
Xinhua didn't give a name for the new HD DVD-based standard, and it wasn't clear whether it had borrowed technology from the EVD standard. No directory listing could be obtained for the National Disc Engineering Center on Friday, which was a holiday in China.
HD DVD's backers say they have made inroads with Chinese manufacturers, whose support is vital to quickly deploying the technology at a low price.
Blu-ray is backed by Sony Corp., Apple Computer Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co. and Dell Inc., along with a variety of other tech companies and studios.
Taiwan wants Google to apologize
Taiwan wants Google to apologizeTaiwan wants Google to apologize
MAP CALLS ISLAND CHINESE PROVINCE, RAISING PROTESTS
By April Lynch
Mercury News
Google's ambitious global mapping effort may push the edges of geography, but the Internet giant is learning that new maps can't escape old politics.
Taiwan is demanding that the search engine change its recently launched Google Maps, which currently displays the name ``Taiwan, Province of China'' next to a map of the island. An apology wouldn't hurt either, Taiwan's vice president told reporters Thursday. The map name is quickly raising anger throughout Taiwan, a technology powerhouse with close ties to Silicon Valley.
A Google spokeswoman says the company is reviewing the issue. The controversial name appears only on Google Maps, not other Google features, and appears because of outside data chosen to help build the map service, said company spokeswoman Debbie Frost.
By listing Taiwan as it did on Google Maps, the company has found itself in the middle of one of Asia's trickiest political problems.
Taiwan, also known as the Republic of China, separated from China in 1949 after a long civil war. The island has since been self-governed, and in the last two decades has evolved into a stable democracy with one of Asia's strongest economies.
China, however, regards Taiwan as a renegade province and says the island is part of China. It has threatened to reclaim the island by military force if it officially declares its independence. China has also pushed the international community to recognize its claims.
That stance has largely worked -- but also has its limits. Twenty-six countries still have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but the island has no seat at the United Nations. Most countries, including the United States, do not have formal relations with Taiwan but maintain close ties and urge both sides to find a peaceful solution to the stalemate.
The result is a sort of uneasy limbo for Taiwan, a balance delicate enough to be threatened by the name on an Internet map.
Google's ``information about Taiwan is totally wrong,'' said David Lu, spokesman for the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco. ``We have our sovereignty, our own territory, and 23 million people.''
The dispute goes beyond names, potentially confusing Web users who need practical information, Lu said. Someone planning to travel to Taiwan, for example, might see the map and then head to the wrong diplomatic office to apply for a visa.
``Where will they think they should go?'' Lu said. ``They come to our offices in the United States, not any consul general office of China. This is all incorrect.''
Many other maps and Web sites reflect Taiwan's delicate balancing act. The U.S. State Department's online information on Taiwan gives the island its own separate country page, while stating the U.S. position vis-a-vis both Taiwan and China. Some other online maps simply list the island as ``Taiwan'' without wading into issues of political domain.
In building Google Maps, Google relied on data from ``internationally authoritative sources,'' Frost said. While it reviews Taiwan's complaints, the company will also take a closer look at its overall map naming.
``We will be taking this opportunity to more broadly review our user interfaces and policies when it comes to labeling maps,'' Frost said.
China often pressures companies doing business there to follow its political directives, and Google plans to open a research center in China. While some groups in Taiwan have accused Google of trying to curry favor with officials in Beijing, Lu said he considered the map naming to be an error, not a deliberate decision to take sides.
``I tend to believe this is an oversight by Google,'' he said, adding that Taiwan officials based in the Bay Area have asked Google for a meeting.
Frost said the company is working to address the issue quickly. ``We have just received their letter which we are reviewing, and look forward to understanding their concerns,'' she said.
Contact April Lynch at alynch@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5539.
MAP CALLS ISLAND CHINESE PROVINCE, RAISING PROTESTS
By April Lynch
Mercury News
Google's ambitious global mapping effort may push the edges of geography, but the Internet giant is learning that new maps can't escape old politics.
Taiwan is demanding that the search engine change its recently launched Google Maps, which currently displays the name ``Taiwan, Province of China'' next to a map of the island. An apology wouldn't hurt either, Taiwan's vice president told reporters Thursday. The map name is quickly raising anger throughout Taiwan, a technology powerhouse with close ties to Silicon Valley.
A Google spokeswoman says the company is reviewing the issue. The controversial name appears only on Google Maps, not other Google features, and appears because of outside data chosen to help build the map service, said company spokeswoman Debbie Frost.
By listing Taiwan as it did on Google Maps, the company has found itself in the middle of one of Asia's trickiest political problems.
Taiwan, also known as the Republic of China, separated from China in 1949 after a long civil war. The island has since been self-governed, and in the last two decades has evolved into a stable democracy with one of Asia's strongest economies.
China, however, regards Taiwan as a renegade province and says the island is part of China. It has threatened to reclaim the island by military force if it officially declares its independence. China has also pushed the international community to recognize its claims.
That stance has largely worked -- but also has its limits. Twenty-six countries still have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but the island has no seat at the United Nations. Most countries, including the United States, do not have formal relations with Taiwan but maintain close ties and urge both sides to find a peaceful solution to the stalemate.
The result is a sort of uneasy limbo for Taiwan, a balance delicate enough to be threatened by the name on an Internet map.
Google's ``information about Taiwan is totally wrong,'' said David Lu, spokesman for the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco. ``We have our sovereignty, our own territory, and 23 million people.''
The dispute goes beyond names, potentially confusing Web users who need practical information, Lu said. Someone planning to travel to Taiwan, for example, might see the map and then head to the wrong diplomatic office to apply for a visa.
``Where will they think they should go?'' Lu said. ``They come to our offices in the United States, not any consul general office of China. This is all incorrect.''
Many other maps and Web sites reflect Taiwan's delicate balancing act. The U.S. State Department's online information on Taiwan gives the island its own separate country page, while stating the U.S. position vis-a-vis both Taiwan and China. Some other online maps simply list the island as ``Taiwan'' without wading into issues of political domain.
In building Google Maps, Google relied on data from ``internationally authoritative sources,'' Frost said. While it reviews Taiwan's complaints, the company will also take a closer look at its overall map naming.
``We will be taking this opportunity to more broadly review our user interfaces and policies when it comes to labeling maps,'' Frost said.
China often pressures companies doing business there to follow its political directives, and Google plans to open a research center in China. While some groups in Taiwan have accused Google of trying to curry favor with officials in Beijing, Lu said he considered the map naming to be an error, not a deliberate decision to take sides.
``I tend to believe this is an oversight by Google,'' he said, adding that Taiwan officials based in the Bay Area have asked Google for a meeting.
Frost said the company is working to address the issue quickly. ``We have just received their letter which we are reviewing, and look forward to understanding their concerns,'' she said.
Contact April Lynch at alynch@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5539.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Brighthand — Palm Fixes Memory Problem on Verizon Treo 650
Brighthand — Palm Fixes Memory Problem on Verizon Treo 650Palm Fixes Memory Problem on Verizon Treo 650
By Ed Hardy | Editor-in-Chief
Oct 5, 2005
Palm has released a ROM update for the Verizon Wireless version of the Treo 650.
The most significant improvement included in this update is software to make this smartphone use memory much more efficiently.
The Memory Problem
Last year, when the Treo 650 first began arriving in users' hands, they noticed a problem: it couldn't hold as many applications and files as they expected.
By Ed Hardy | Editor-in-Chief
Oct 5, 2005
Palm has released a ROM update for the Verizon Wireless version of the Treo 650.
The most significant improvement included in this update is software to make this smartphone use memory much more efficiently.
The Memory Problem
Last year, when the Treo 650 first began arriving in users' hands, they noticed a problem: it couldn't hold as many applications and files as they expected.
Pocket PC Thoughts :
Pocket PC Thoughts :: Print VersionThursday, October 6, 2005
NEWSHTC Rides High on PDA Phone Sales
Posted by Darius Wey @ 01:25 AM
"Handheld device giant High Tech Computer (HTC) is expected to see its gross margins rise from 21.7% in 2004 to 24.2% this year, buoyed by rising sale contributions of its 3G PDA phone segment, according to a recent report by Merrill Lynch. In addition, the investment bank upgraded HTC's earnings per share (EPS) projection to NT$30.38 (US$0.91) for this year, up 6% from its original estimate. Sales of the HTC Universal, the company's first 3G mobile phone based on the Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system, will account for 8% of HTC's revenues this year and 21% in 2006, Merrill Lynch anticipates."
2004 saw HTC ship 2,160,000 PDAs, 791,000 PDA Phones and 974 Smartphones. It is anticipated that by the end of 2005, there will be a 3% slide in PDA shipments, but a 340% boom in PDA Phone shipments (with Smartphones also experiencing growth at 67%). While there are other manufacturers in the industry, HTC tends to be a major player, so these statistics may help portray the current state of the Windows Mobile market. It seems this idea of convergence is sitting well with the common folk and that the death of the standalone PDA may come sooner than expected. Your thoughts?
NEWSHTC Rides High on PDA Phone Sales
Posted by Darius Wey @ 01:25 AM
"Handheld device giant High Tech Computer (HTC) is expected to see its gross margins rise from 21.7% in 2004 to 24.2% this year, buoyed by rising sale contributions of its 3G PDA phone segment, according to a recent report by Merrill Lynch. In addition, the investment bank upgraded HTC's earnings per share (EPS) projection to NT$30.38 (US$0.91) for this year, up 6% from its original estimate. Sales of the HTC Universal, the company's first 3G mobile phone based on the Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system, will account for 8% of HTC's revenues this year and 21% in 2006, Merrill Lynch anticipates."
2004 saw HTC ship 2,160,000 PDAs, 791,000 PDA Phones and 974 Smartphones. It is anticipated that by the end of 2005, there will be a 3% slide in PDA shipments, but a 340% boom in PDA Phone shipments (with Smartphones also experiencing growth at 67%). While there are other manufacturers in the industry, HTC tends to be a major player, so these statistics may help portray the current state of the Windows Mobile market. It seems this idea of convergence is sitting well with the common folk and that the death of the standalone PDA may come sooner than expected. Your thoughts?
Knee jerk impressions of Sprint's PPC-6700 Pocket PC Phone
By Vincent NguyenPublished on Today
The PPC-6700 is here and the sync factor is off the chart! I can’t remember the last time I was this excited about something that didn’t have a pulse. Before me is the PPC-6700 Pocket PC Phone sporting the new Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system and with Sprint’s high-speed EV-DO network capable of data-download rates up to 700 Kbps makes this device the hottest new communication device available on the planet. Other feature highlights includes speakerphone, built-in camera that takes good still photos and also captures videos. The 1350 mAh lithium battery suppose to keep you in business for up to 3.7 hours of continuous use.
Read more...
The PPC-6700 is here and the sync factor is off the chart! I can’t remember the last time I was this excited about something that didn’t have a pulse. Before me is the PPC-6700 Pocket PC Phone sporting the new Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system and with Sprint’s high-speed EV-DO network capable of data-download rates up to 700 Kbps makes this device the hottest new communication device available on the planet. Other feature highlights includes speakerphone, built-in camera that takes good still photos and also captures videos. The 1350 mAh lithium battery suppose to keep you in business for up to 3.7 hours of continuous use.
The PPC-6700 is powered by a 416-MHz Intel Xscale processor providing enough juice to run numerous applications such as the mobile editions of Internet Explorer, Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint with out a hiccup. The spacious QWERTY keyboard provides an excellent means of typing up important emails and the landscape view allows much more viewing area. The keyboard lives underneath the screen and easily slides out as needed. The screen automatically rotates from portrait to landscape every time the keyboard is in use. Sliding the keyboard in and out is very addictive; similar to flipping open and shutting the lid of a Zippo. I found myself sliding the keyboard in and out without even noticing it until my wife screamed at me to stop.
One last thing worth mentioning is the price. At $629.99, the PPC-6700 is on par with the Treo 650 yet more expensive than the Blackberry. I’ll go into more details on the comparisons between the PPC-6700 versus the Treo 650 and Blackberry later.
Alright, I had a chance to vent my excitement. I plan to thoroughly put the PPC-6700 through real life situational tests with emphasis on stability, performance as well as its ergonomic design. There will also be a section on Windows Mobile 5.0 as well as other pre-packaged software, connectivity, and battery life. Please check back in a few days for a full review.
Screen shots and walkthrough video PPC-6700
Samsung jumps to fourth place in 2004 consumer chip ranking, says iSuppli
Samsung jumps to fourth place in 2004 consumer chip ranking, says iSuppliSamsung jumps to fourth place in 2004 consumer chip ranking, says iSuppli
Press release; Esther Lam, DigiTimes.com [Thursday 6 October 2005]
Samsung Electronics nearly doubled its sales of consumer-electronics-oriented semiconductors in 2004, using its broad chip portfolio to vault into the market’s s top ranks, according to iSuppli.
The South Korean electronics giant in 2004 saw its consumer chip revenue expand to US$2.1 billion, up 84.2 % from US$1.1 billion in 2003. Samsung advanced to the number four rank among global sellers of consumer-electronics chips in 2004, up from 10th place in 2003. This put Samsung in the same league as the vertically-integrated, Japanese consumer-electronics powerhouses that traditionally have dominated the market, i.e. Toshiba, Sony and Matsushita Electric, which maintained their top-three positions in 2004.
Samsung is best known as a supplier of memory chips, and leads the world in sales of such devices. Indeed, much of the company’s consumer-electronics-chip revenue growth in 2004 was due to a 109.4 % rise in sales of memories to the segment, with its revenue in this area rising to US$932 million, up from US$445 million in 2003. However, Samsung also achieved robust sales growth in other semiconductor product lines, illustrating the company’s drive to become a leader in the consumer-electronics market.
Samsung’ s revenue from sales of general-purpose logic ICs for consumer-electronics products rose by 116.1 % in 2004.
Looking at the markets for chips for specific consumer-electronics products, Samsung in 2004 made strong gains in sales of semiconductors for digital television sets, digital set top boxes and digital still cameras. Samsung also held a commanding lead in sales of semiconductors for MP3 players, controlling 42.2 % of revenue due to shipments of chips for its own MP3 player line and those of other manufacturers.
Press release; Esther Lam, DigiTimes.com [Thursday 6 October 2005]
Samsung Electronics nearly doubled its sales of consumer-electronics-oriented semiconductors in 2004, using its broad chip portfolio to vault into the market’s s top ranks, according to iSuppli.
The South Korean electronics giant in 2004 saw its consumer chip revenue expand to US$2.1 billion, up 84.2 % from US$1.1 billion in 2003. Samsung advanced to the number four rank among global sellers of consumer-electronics chips in 2004, up from 10th place in 2003. This put Samsung in the same league as the vertically-integrated, Japanese consumer-electronics powerhouses that traditionally have dominated the market, i.e. Toshiba, Sony and Matsushita Electric, which maintained their top-three positions in 2004.
Samsung is best known as a supplier of memory chips, and leads the world in sales of such devices. Indeed, much of the company’s consumer-electronics-chip revenue growth in 2004 was due to a 109.4 % rise in sales of memories to the segment, with its revenue in this area rising to US$932 million, up from US$445 million in 2003. However, Samsung also achieved robust sales growth in other semiconductor product lines, illustrating the company’s drive to become a leader in the consumer-electronics market.
Samsung’ s revenue from sales of general-purpose logic ICs for consumer-electronics products rose by 116.1 % in 2004.
Looking at the markets for chips for specific consumer-electronics products, Samsung in 2004 made strong gains in sales of semiconductors for digital television sets, digital set top boxes and digital still cameras. Samsung also held a commanding lead in sales of semiconductors for MP3 players, controlling 42.2 % of revenue due to shipments of chips for its own MP3 player line and those of other manufacturers.
The China Post
The China PostMatsushita, Sharp battling in TV display technologies at electronics show(Updated 03:09 p.m.)
2005/10/6
CHIBA, Japan (AP)
The intensifying battle between the two main technologies in the burgeoning flat-panel TV market _ and their main proponents _ is crystal clear at Japan's annual electronics show this week.
In one corner of the sprawling hall, Matsushita shows off its prototype 50-inch plasma display panel that has the same brightness and clarity achieved so far only in larger models.
Sharp Corp., meanwhile, is pushing its upgraded liquid crystal display televisions that it says aren't fuzzy when viewed from an angle _ a complaint in the past.
Like the competition between the next-generation DVD formats, HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc, also being highlighted at the CEATEC exhibit here in Chiba, just east of Tokyo, the competition between display technologies is heating up with the arrival of high-definition video and broadcast.
Industry experts say people are gradually expected to start switching from conventional cathode ray tube sets, which require far more space, to flat-panel TVs.
That could be the moneymaking opportunity that Japanese electronics makers have been yearning for after seeing their profits battered in recent years from plunging prices and fresh competition from cheaper Taiwanese and South Korean makers.
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., maker of Panasonic products, has long been considered a leader in the TV industry, but Sharp is emerging as its main rival in the business _ not one-time leader Sony, which is undergoing a huge job cut program to turn around its money-losing business.
"The focus of CEATEC is the flat television," Fumio Ohtsubo, a senior managing director who oversees Matsushita's TV business, said recently. "We're always watching to monitor Sharp's operations."
The annual show, called Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies, runs through Saturday.
The two technologies _ LCD and PDP _ each have their strengths and weaknesses.
LCDs have been criticized as less accurate than PDPs in depicting fast-moving images like a soccer ball in flight.
With the latest upgrade, Sharp LCDs respond as quickly as four milliseconds, down from six milliseconds, said Sharp official Satoshi Fujioka, who was demonstrating that the LCD image of chestnuts didn't blur even when scrolled fast across the screen.
Sharp is also showing a new LCD that delivers excellent contrast even in dark places _ a feature that for now gives plasma-display panels a leg up over LCDs. Sharp plans to start offering the technology some time after April 1, targeting professional use in TV studios, where cathode ray tubes still dominate.
Its "megacontrast" technology offers contrast at 1 million to one _ meaning that the brightest spot on the screen is a million times brighter than the darkest spot, according to the Osaka-based manufacturer. LCDs more commonly offer contrast of up to about 1,500 to one, compared with 3,000 or 5,000 to one for plasma displays.
PDPs tend to use more electricity than LCDs, but Matsushita, also based in Osaka, had a display at the show at the Makuhari Messe center, with research showing that power consumption has been cut by half for next-generation PDPs.
John Yang, analyst at Standard & Poor's in Tokyo, believes it's too early to tell which companies will emerge the big winners in the display wars. So far, PDPs are likely to be more popular for larger screens and LCDs for smaller ones.
Due to their technology, LCDs are cheaper to per inch for smaller TVs _ say, smaller than 32 inches _ while PDPs are cheaper per inch for larger sets.
A 32-inch LCD typically sells for around 200,000 yen (US$1,750; €1,500), while a 42-inch PDP sells for around 350,000 yen (US$3,100; €2,600), although prices are affected by other factors such as features and when the product went on sale.
Key to winning would be cost cuts, and how companies can successfully "add value" to a product, be it wood paneling or tie-ups with content, to attract buyers who are willing to pay more, he said.
"With a supply glut next year, the market will wield out the weaker players," Yang said. "It's going to become more and more difficult to add value."
This week's exhibition is also featuring an even newer kind of flat-TV technology called SED, or surface-conduction electron-emitter display, that Japanese electronics maker Toshiba Corp. is developing with Canon Inc., a Japanese camera-maker.
Although no products are yet on the market, a long line formed at the booth, and gasps went up among the crowd at the display, which uses beam-emitting technology similar to current CRT TVs. Toshiba has said it plans to market SED TVs compatible with HD DVD next year.
2005/10/6
CHIBA, Japan (AP)
The intensifying battle between the two main technologies in the burgeoning flat-panel TV market _ and their main proponents _ is crystal clear at Japan's annual electronics show this week.
In one corner of the sprawling hall, Matsushita shows off its prototype 50-inch plasma display panel that has the same brightness and clarity achieved so far only in larger models.
Sharp Corp., meanwhile, is pushing its upgraded liquid crystal display televisions that it says aren't fuzzy when viewed from an angle _ a complaint in the past.
Like the competition between the next-generation DVD formats, HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc, also being highlighted at the CEATEC exhibit here in Chiba, just east of Tokyo, the competition between display technologies is heating up with the arrival of high-definition video and broadcast.
Industry experts say people are gradually expected to start switching from conventional cathode ray tube sets, which require far more space, to flat-panel TVs.
That could be the moneymaking opportunity that Japanese electronics makers have been yearning for after seeing their profits battered in recent years from plunging prices and fresh competition from cheaper Taiwanese and South Korean makers.
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., maker of Panasonic products, has long been considered a leader in the TV industry, but Sharp is emerging as its main rival in the business _ not one-time leader Sony, which is undergoing a huge job cut program to turn around its money-losing business.
"The focus of CEATEC is the flat television," Fumio Ohtsubo, a senior managing director who oversees Matsushita's TV business, said recently. "We're always watching to monitor Sharp's operations."
The annual show, called Combined Exhibition of Advanced Technologies, runs through Saturday.
The two technologies _ LCD and PDP _ each have their strengths and weaknesses.
LCDs have been criticized as less accurate than PDPs in depicting fast-moving images like a soccer ball in flight.
With the latest upgrade, Sharp LCDs respond as quickly as four milliseconds, down from six milliseconds, said Sharp official Satoshi Fujioka, who was demonstrating that the LCD image of chestnuts didn't blur even when scrolled fast across the screen.
Sharp is also showing a new LCD that delivers excellent contrast even in dark places _ a feature that for now gives plasma-display panels a leg up over LCDs. Sharp plans to start offering the technology some time after April 1, targeting professional use in TV studios, where cathode ray tubes still dominate.
Its "megacontrast" technology offers contrast at 1 million to one _ meaning that the brightest spot on the screen is a million times brighter than the darkest spot, according to the Osaka-based manufacturer. LCDs more commonly offer contrast of up to about 1,500 to one, compared with 3,000 or 5,000 to one for plasma displays.
PDPs tend to use more electricity than LCDs, but Matsushita, also based in Osaka, had a display at the show at the Makuhari Messe center, with research showing that power consumption has been cut by half for next-generation PDPs.
John Yang, analyst at Standard & Poor's in Tokyo, believes it's too early to tell which companies will emerge the big winners in the display wars. So far, PDPs are likely to be more popular for larger screens and LCDs for smaller ones.
Due to their technology, LCDs are cheaper to per inch for smaller TVs _ say, smaller than 32 inches _ while PDPs are cheaper per inch for larger sets.
A 32-inch LCD typically sells for around 200,000 yen (US$1,750; €1,500), while a 42-inch PDP sells for around 350,000 yen (US$3,100; €2,600), although prices are affected by other factors such as features and when the product went on sale.
Key to winning would be cost cuts, and how companies can successfully "add value" to a product, be it wood paneling or tie-ups with content, to attract buyers who are willing to pay more, he said.
"With a supply glut next year, the market will wield out the weaker players," Yang said. "It's going to become more and more difficult to add value."
This week's exhibition is also featuring an even newer kind of flat-TV technology called SED, or surface-conduction electron-emitter display, that Japanese electronics maker Toshiba Corp. is developing with Canon Inc., a Japanese camera-maker.
Although no products are yet on the market, a long line formed at the booth, and gasps went up among the crowd at the display, which uses beam-emitting technology similar to current CRT TVs. Toshiba has said it plans to market SED TVs compatible with HD DVD next year.
Forbes.com - Magazine Article
Forbes.com - Magazine ArticleApple To Unveil Video IPod
Annalisa Burgos, 10.05.05, 5:35 PM ET
In the headlines this afternoon, Apple Computer is expected to unveil a new Video iPod next week. Analysts say Apple will show off the new version of its popular digital-music player and performance upgrades to its Macintosh computers.
U.S. stocks ended lower as investors worried about inflation. The Dow plunged more than 123 points, while the Nasdaq fell 36 and the S&P 500 dropped 18.
The Institute of Supply Management said the U.S. services sector slowed, with its index at 53.3 in September, down from 65 in August. Meanwhile, the index of prices paid rose 14.3 points to 81.4, the highest level and the biggest jump for the index.
Oil prices fell to their lowest level in two months--below $63 per barrel--amid fears that the high cost of gasoline and other fuels is sapping demand.
In company news, Motorola (nyse: MOT - news - people ) is cutting 1,900 jobs. The cell phone maker said the layoffs will come from facilities in more than 20 countries.
Elsewhere, Pfizer (nyse: PFE - news - people ) got a boost after winning approval for its breast cancer drug Aromasin. U.S. regulators OK'd it for treating postmenopausal women already using the drug tamoxifen.
And on the Forbes.com Video Network, Frank Fahrenkopf, CEO of the American Gaming Association, says the gaming industry is doing all it can to help rebuild in the Gulf after Katrina.
That's it for today. Be sure to check out our special reports, and stay logged on to Forbes.com.
Annalisa Burgos, 10.05.05, 5:35 PM ET
In the headlines this afternoon, Apple Computer is expected to unveil a new Video iPod next week. Analysts say Apple will show off the new version of its popular digital-music player and performance upgrades to its Macintosh computers.
U.S. stocks ended lower as investors worried about inflation. The Dow plunged more than 123 points, while the Nasdaq fell 36 and the S&P 500 dropped 18.
The Institute of Supply Management said the U.S. services sector slowed, with its index at 53.3 in September, down from 65 in August. Meanwhile, the index of prices paid rose 14.3 points to 81.4, the highest level and the biggest jump for the index.
Oil prices fell to their lowest level in two months--below $63 per barrel--amid fears that the high cost of gasoline and other fuels is sapping demand.
In company news, Motorola (nyse: MOT - news - people ) is cutting 1,900 jobs. The cell phone maker said the layoffs will come from facilities in more than 20 countries.
Elsewhere, Pfizer (nyse: PFE - news - people ) got a boost after winning approval for its breast cancer drug Aromasin. U.S. regulators OK'd it for treating postmenopausal women already using the drug tamoxifen.
And on the Forbes.com Video Network, Frank Fahrenkopf, CEO of the American Gaming Association, says the gaming industry is doing all it can to help rebuild in the Gulf after Katrina.
That's it for today. Be sure to check out our special reports, and stay logged on to Forbes.com.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Google, Sun in Challenge to Microsoft - New York Times
Google, Sun in Challenge to Microsoft - New York TimesOctober 5, 2005
Google, Sun in Challenge to Microsoft
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 8:27 a.m. ET
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) -- Google Inc. took a step toward challenging Microsoft Corp.'s dominance of computer software with the announcement Tuesday of a collaboration agreement with Sun Microsystems Inc.
The move could lead to Google offering next-generation word processing, spreadsheet and collaboration tools that would take on Microsoft's industry-leading Office suite of software.
But for now its significance may be mostly as a symbolic shot across Microsoft's bow, signaling Google's intention of attacking the world's biggest software company head on.
Aside from a plan to offer Google's toolbar program with downloads of Java software, details of the agreement were scant. Though it could lead to a new pipeline for Sun software to millions of computers, there was no firm commitment.
Some downplayed the announcement as a publicity stunt that probably would not have occurred had Google CEO Eric Schmidt not spent 14 years of his career working at Sun under CEO Scott McNealy.
The alliance would be a boon for Sun if Google had promised to buy some of the company's sophisticated computers, but no ironclad commitments were announced.
''There really isn't much depth to this partnership,'' said industry analyst Rob Enderle.
''I think Eric is doing this as personal favor for Scott,'' he said. ''It provides a certain amount of press and visibility to Sun when there hasn't been very many positive things going on at the company.''
Sun's shares edged up a penny Tuesday to close at $4.20 on the Nasdaq Stock Market, where Google's shares fell $7.68 to finish at $311. Microsoft's shares lost 52 cents, or 2.04 percent, to close at $24.98.
As part of the agreement, Sun will offer Google's search toolbar with downloads of its free Java software, which is required to run a variety of Web-based applications and works with multiple operating systems.
The two companies, which did not disclose terms of the deal, said they also agreed ''to explore opportunities to promote'' other Sun technologies, including the freely available OpenOffice.
OpenOffice, an offshoot of Sun's StarOffice, is a leading challenger to the ubiquitous Office suite, a major cash cow for Microsoft. Both offer a word processor and spreadsheet among other applications.
''OpenOffice is already an alternative, but if Google gets involved in supporting it, that could be the thing that puts it over the top,'' said Forrester Research analyst John R. Rymer.
Neither McNealy nor Schmidt would say when or how Google might distribute Sun's software. Both said the Google toolbar option for Java downloads -- the toolbar provides quick access to Google search, spell checking and a popup-ad blocker -- is just a first step in a significant agreement.
''We only want to talk about what we're talking about here now ... we expect more,'' McNealy said.
Microsoft did not immediately comment.
OpenOffice could provide a vehicle for Google to diversify its sales, which are driven almost exclusively by online advertising. So-called office productivity software generates more than $10 billion in annual sales, estimated Citigroup analyst Mark Mahaney.
''We believe this creates a potentially interesting new revenue opportunity for Google,'' Mahaney wrote in a research note Tuesday.
The deal could eventually boost the fortunes of programs that work on multiple operating systems, eating into Microsoft's profits from its dominant Windows computing environments.
Increasingly, many of the applications that computer users value most -- such as news and weather tickers -- run as Web services independent of the operating systems on their computers.
Java is a backbone of those Web services, along with Microsoft's .NET architecture.
Since it was launched a decade ago, Java has been used to power Web-based applications, standalone programs, cell phones and other gadgets across a variety of computer operating systems.
A key component of Sun's decade-old Java, its application-running platform, was the source of one of many rifts between Microsoft and Sun over the years.
Sun first sued the world's top software maker in 1997, claiming the Redmond, Wash., company rewrote elements of Java specific to Windows. Later, Microsoft said it would yank Java entirely from its ubiquitous software.
The wrangling ended in spring 2004, when the companies surprised the world with a $1.95 billion settlement and 10-year collaboration agreement.
Both Sun and Google share the common root of Stanford University. Sun -- short for Stanford University Network -- was founded there in the 1980s, while Google got its start there in the 1990s. And one of Sun's co-founders, Andy Bechtolsheim, gave Google's Larry Page and Sergey Brin $100,000 in 1998 to incorporate their young search company.
Sun has lost $4.5 billion since June 2001, although the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company has recently started to show signs of recovery.
While Sun has been struggling, Google's fortunes have steadily risen. Though best known as a search engine, it now offers free e-mail, maps, instant messaging, video and last week announced it wants to provide free Wi-Fi to San Francisco.
------
Google, Sun in Challenge to Microsoft
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 8:27 a.m. ET
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) -- Google Inc. took a step toward challenging Microsoft Corp.'s dominance of computer software with the announcement Tuesday of a collaboration agreement with Sun Microsystems Inc.
The move could lead to Google offering next-generation word processing, spreadsheet and collaboration tools that would take on Microsoft's industry-leading Office suite of software.
But for now its significance may be mostly as a symbolic shot across Microsoft's bow, signaling Google's intention of attacking the world's biggest software company head on.
Aside from a plan to offer Google's toolbar program with downloads of Java software, details of the agreement were scant. Though it could lead to a new pipeline for Sun software to millions of computers, there was no firm commitment.
Some downplayed the announcement as a publicity stunt that probably would not have occurred had Google CEO Eric Schmidt not spent 14 years of his career working at Sun under CEO Scott McNealy.
The alliance would be a boon for Sun if Google had promised to buy some of the company's sophisticated computers, but no ironclad commitments were announced.
''There really isn't much depth to this partnership,'' said industry analyst Rob Enderle.
''I think Eric is doing this as personal favor for Scott,'' he said. ''It provides a certain amount of press and visibility to Sun when there hasn't been very many positive things going on at the company.''
Sun's shares edged up a penny Tuesday to close at $4.20 on the Nasdaq Stock Market, where Google's shares fell $7.68 to finish at $311. Microsoft's shares lost 52 cents, or 2.04 percent, to close at $24.98.
As part of the agreement, Sun will offer Google's search toolbar with downloads of its free Java software, which is required to run a variety of Web-based applications and works with multiple operating systems.
The two companies, which did not disclose terms of the deal, said they also agreed ''to explore opportunities to promote'' other Sun technologies, including the freely available OpenOffice.
OpenOffice, an offshoot of Sun's StarOffice, is a leading challenger to the ubiquitous Office suite, a major cash cow for Microsoft. Both offer a word processor and spreadsheet among other applications.
''OpenOffice is already an alternative, but if Google gets involved in supporting it, that could be the thing that puts it over the top,'' said Forrester Research analyst John R. Rymer.
Neither McNealy nor Schmidt would say when or how Google might distribute Sun's software. Both said the Google toolbar option for Java downloads -- the toolbar provides quick access to Google search, spell checking and a popup-ad blocker -- is just a first step in a significant agreement.
''We only want to talk about what we're talking about here now ... we expect more,'' McNealy said.
Microsoft did not immediately comment.
OpenOffice could provide a vehicle for Google to diversify its sales, which are driven almost exclusively by online advertising. So-called office productivity software generates more than $10 billion in annual sales, estimated Citigroup analyst Mark Mahaney.
''We believe this creates a potentially interesting new revenue opportunity for Google,'' Mahaney wrote in a research note Tuesday.
The deal could eventually boost the fortunes of programs that work on multiple operating systems, eating into Microsoft's profits from its dominant Windows computing environments.
Increasingly, many of the applications that computer users value most -- such as news and weather tickers -- run as Web services independent of the operating systems on their computers.
Java is a backbone of those Web services, along with Microsoft's .NET architecture.
Since it was launched a decade ago, Java has been used to power Web-based applications, standalone programs, cell phones and other gadgets across a variety of computer operating systems.
A key component of Sun's decade-old Java, its application-running platform, was the source of one of many rifts between Microsoft and Sun over the years.
Sun first sued the world's top software maker in 1997, claiming the Redmond, Wash., company rewrote elements of Java specific to Windows. Later, Microsoft said it would yank Java entirely from its ubiquitous software.
The wrangling ended in spring 2004, when the companies surprised the world with a $1.95 billion settlement and 10-year collaboration agreement.
Both Sun and Google share the common root of Stanford University. Sun -- short for Stanford University Network -- was founded there in the 1980s, while Google got its start there in the 1990s. And one of Sun's co-founders, Andy Bechtolsheim, gave Google's Larry Page and Sergey Brin $100,000 in 1998 to incorporate their young search company.
Sun has lost $4.5 billion since June 2001, although the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company has recently started to show signs of recovery.
While Sun has been struggling, Google's fortunes have steadily risen. Though best known as a search engine, it now offers free e-mail, maps, instant messaging, video and last week announced it wants to provide free Wi-Fi to San Francisco.
------
Print Story: South Korean parliament grills Samsung executives on Yahoo! News
Print Story: South Korean parliament grills Samsung executives on Yahoo! News South Korean parliament grills Samsung executives
Wed Oct 5, 5:07 AM ET
South Korea's parliament grilled top executives from Samsung Group over unpaid debts and allegations that the group was resisting corporate reform, lawmakers said.
Lawmakers also questioned corporate governance at the country's largest conglomerate following the conviction Tuesday of two executives for illegally handling the father-to-son transfer of ownership a decade ago.
Top Samsung Group executives, including Chairman Lee Kun-Hee, were asked to testify at the hearing.
Lee, 64, failed to appear, however. He left for the United States citing medical reasons before the parliamentary summons was issued last week and has not returned home, the company said.
Instead parliament's Finance and Economy Committee heard from other executives including Yoon Jong-Yong, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, the world's largest memory chip maker.
Lawmakers questioned them about huge debts left unpaid by the group's bankrupt Samsung Motors, a victim of the Asian financial crisis of 1997.
Samsung Group is at odds with Samsung Motor's creditors who are claiming unpaid debts estimated at 4.7 trillion won (4.6 billion dollars).
"Samsung Motor was unwilling to pay it back from the beginning," Park Young-Sun, a lawmaker of the ruling Uri Party said.
Yoon insisted in turn Samsung had no legal obligation to pay the debt.
"Chairman Lee is not legally responsible (for the debt payment). There could be an ethical responsibility, if any," Yoon said.
Yoon said creditors had tried to strong-arm Samsung into paying off the auto firm's debts by threatening to withold futher financing from the group at a time when it was weak as a result of the financial crisis.
On corporate governance, lawmakers accused Samsung of defying a government drive for reform intended to reduce cross-shareholdings and so family control over the companies.
Sim Sang-Jeong, an opposition Democratic Labor Party lawmaker, said the "cross-shareholdings among Samsung Group units should be addressed more than anything else" by the government's reform drive.
Under a 1997 law, financial units belonging to the conglomerates, or chaebol, are banned from owning more than a five percent stake in non-financial affiliates of their parent groups without government permission.
The government is drawing up amendments compelling conglomerates to dispose of all stock holdings that exceed the five percent limit in an effort to curb family control over the groups and better protect other investors.
Samsung has publicly objected to those regulations, claiming they would make it and other companies more vulnerable to hostile takeovers by foreign investors.
Two Samsung executives were convicted Tuesday of illegally handling the father-to-son transfer of ownership at Samsung Everland, the group's holding company, to bolster the family-run corporate structure.
In a 1996 stock transaction, Samsung Everland helped group chairman Lee pass on control of the empire to his son, Lee Jae-Yong.
Lee Jae-Yong bought 1.25 million Samsung Everland shares at 7,700 won per share -- far lower than the lowest trading price of 85,000 won at the time -- via an issue of convertible bonds.
Samsung Everland, an amusement park operator, controls the group through a web of ownership that includes a 19.3 percent controlling stake in Samsung Life Insurance and major stakes in other group units.
Critics say conglomerate owners have engaged in illegal intra-group transactions, transferring wealth to their offspring or manipulating share trading to avoid inheritance taxes.
Wed Oct 5, 5:07 AM ET
South Korea's parliament grilled top executives from Samsung Group over unpaid debts and allegations that the group was resisting corporate reform, lawmakers said.
Lawmakers also questioned corporate governance at the country's largest conglomerate following the conviction Tuesday of two executives for illegally handling the father-to-son transfer of ownership a decade ago.
Top Samsung Group executives, including Chairman Lee Kun-Hee, were asked to testify at the hearing.
Lee, 64, failed to appear, however. He left for the United States citing medical reasons before the parliamentary summons was issued last week and has not returned home, the company said.
Instead parliament's Finance and Economy Committee heard from other executives including Yoon Jong-Yong, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, the world's largest memory chip maker.
Lawmakers questioned them about huge debts left unpaid by the group's bankrupt Samsung Motors, a victim of the Asian financial crisis of 1997.
Samsung Group is at odds with Samsung Motor's creditors who are claiming unpaid debts estimated at 4.7 trillion won (4.6 billion dollars).
"Samsung Motor was unwilling to pay it back from the beginning," Park Young-Sun, a lawmaker of the ruling Uri Party said.
Yoon insisted in turn Samsung had no legal obligation to pay the debt.
"Chairman Lee is not legally responsible (for the debt payment). There could be an ethical responsibility, if any," Yoon said.
Yoon said creditors had tried to strong-arm Samsung into paying off the auto firm's debts by threatening to withold futher financing from the group at a time when it was weak as a result of the financial crisis.
On corporate governance, lawmakers accused Samsung of defying a government drive for reform intended to reduce cross-shareholdings and so family control over the companies.
Sim Sang-Jeong, an opposition Democratic Labor Party lawmaker, said the "cross-shareholdings among Samsung Group units should be addressed more than anything else" by the government's reform drive.
Under a 1997 law, financial units belonging to the conglomerates, or chaebol, are banned from owning more than a five percent stake in non-financial affiliates of their parent groups without government permission.
The government is drawing up amendments compelling conglomerates to dispose of all stock holdings that exceed the five percent limit in an effort to curb family control over the groups and better protect other investors.
Samsung has publicly objected to those regulations, claiming they would make it and other companies more vulnerable to hostile takeovers by foreign investors.
Two Samsung executives were convicted Tuesday of illegally handling the father-to-son transfer of ownership at Samsung Everland, the group's holding company, to bolster the family-run corporate structure.
In a 1996 stock transaction, Samsung Everland helped group chairman Lee pass on control of the empire to his son, Lee Jae-Yong.
Lee Jae-Yong bought 1.25 million Samsung Everland shares at 7,700 won per share -- far lower than the lowest trading price of 85,000 won at the time -- via an issue of convertible bonds.
Samsung Everland, an amusement park operator, controls the group through a web of ownership that includes a 19.3 percent controlling stake in Samsung Life Insurance and major stakes in other group units.
Critics say conglomerate owners have engaged in illegal intra-group transactions, transferring wealth to their offspring or manipulating share trading to avoid inheritance taxes.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Geek Zone > Sun and Google To Work In Development Together
Sun and Google to Work in Development TogetherNews : Computing, posted 5-OCT-2005 05:41
Sun and Google have signed and agreement that will see the establishment of a relationship to promote and distribute their technologies together. As part of the agreement, Sun will include the Google Toolbar as an option in downloads of the Java Runtime Environment from Java.com, Sun's showcase and portal for Java technology enthusiasts and developers. The new functionality will be available soon. Users around the Internet were however expecting something new, possibly the firm announcement of a web-based version of OpenOffice, open source productivity suite of office software competing with Microsoft Office. However the announcement only hints on future collaboration between the companies on projects like OpenOffice.org. "As a leader in free and open source software, Sun has long recognized that network innovation is vital to the evolution of the global economy," said Scott McNealy, chief executive officer, Sun Microsystems. "Working with Google will make our technologies available more broadly, increase options for users, lower barriers, and expand participation worldwide."
Sun and Google have signed and agreement that will see the establishment of a relationship to promote and distribute their technologies together. As part of the agreement, Sun will include the Google Toolbar as an option in downloads of the Java Runtime Environment from Java.com, Sun's showcase and portal for Java technology enthusiasts and developers. The new functionality will be available soon. Users around the Internet were however expecting something new, possibly the firm announcement of a web-based version of OpenOffice, open source productivity suite of office software competing with Microsoft Office. However the announcement only hints on future collaboration between the companies on projects like OpenOffice.org. "As a leader in free and open source software, Sun has long recognized that network innovation is vital to the evolution of the global economy," said Scott McNealy, chief executive officer, Sun Microsystems. "Working with Google will make our technologies available more broadly, increase options for users, lower barriers, and expand participation worldwide."
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