Daily Marauder

TECHNOLOGY

Vodafone will join its rival mobile carriers in the retail PC market as the exclusive distributor for Dell’s new Inspiron Mini 9 netbook in key European markets later this month. Available online and in Vodafone stores — as well as directly from Dell — the netbook will include built-in mobile-broadband connectivity, said Vodafone, which did not detail a price for the device. Telecomtiger.com (9/5) , Pocket-lint.co.uk (9/4)

New technology developed by The Walt Disney Co. and Electronic Arts will debut Sunday on ESPN’s “NFL Countdown,” letting in-studio commentators demonstrate possible plays with virtual football players. The application, dubbed EA Sports Virtual Playbook, could even be used in the future as a way to offer viewers fantasy replays with “what-if” scenarios. The New York Times (9/5)

Merril Hoge in ESPN’s studios in front of N.F.L. plays.

TiVo shares dropped Thursday after a Texas judge delayed a decision on whether EchoStar must pay more in damages for using TiVo technology in its “Time Warp” digital video recorders. TiVo wants $220 million in royalties and lost profit for the 18 months to cover the appeal period while EchoStar says it owes only $16 million more. Reuters (9/5)

Looking for ways to stand out in the crowded portable-computer market, Taiwan-based Asustek Computer has announced that it will offer a little something extra with its new Eee PC — free online data storage. The deal, to be rolled out globally later this year or in 2009, includes 20 gigabytes of storage for those who buy the low-cost computer. The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) (9/5)

Sony has announced a voluntary global recall of 438,000 Vaio laptops after consumer complaints surfaced about overheating. The potential problem, according to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, lies with “irregularly positioned wires near the computer’s hinge and/or dislodged screw inside the hinge.” Reuters (9/4) , Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/Associated Press (9/4)

Even when electronics are powered off, they still use a bit of juice, so Monster has introduced two lines of GreenPower products aimed at cutting off this link for PCs and home-entertainment devices. The GreenPower IR Control — on three Monster remotes — lets users cut off standby power with their remote control, and its Digital Life PowerCenters plugs into wall outlets to stop the flow of electricity. ElectronicHouse.com (9/5)

Consumers remain willing to spend money on consumer electronics — for replacing older units or buying new ones with more advanced technology — even though most homes already own those same products, according to a new report from The NPD Group. Although 85% of consumers own DVD players and sales dropped 25% in the first half of the year, NPD reports that consumers are still interested in buying upconverter units or Blu-ray players to take advantage of high-definition technology, noting that sales of DVD upconverters have risen 14% in the first half of this year. TWICE (9/4)