Daily Marauder

TECHNOLOGY

Online music service Slacker introduced the G2 Personal Radio player, allowing listeners to access 25 or 40 of the site’s 100 pre-programmed radio stations from the portable device. (Users can also program, share and export their own stations to the portable slacker player.) The radio connects to the internet using a WiFi connection. The 4GB model stores 2500 tracks and goes for $1.99 while the 8GB version holds 4000 songs and costs $249. The unit comes with a USB cable to enable transfer of personal data from PCs only. (Cynopsis 9/17)

James Bond will once again skirt danger in a souped-up Aston Martin in the upcoming “Quantum of Solace” movie. To mark the occasion, the car maker has tappedBang & Olufsenlufsen for its BeoSound surround-sound system featuring 13 speakers that are sure to blow any spy’s cover. ElectronicHouse.com (9/16)

HDTV sales in North America are continuing to climb as manufacturers balance cost and features to meet growing consumer demand. Some makers are customizing models for sale at budget retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target as more shoppers enter the market for digital TVs. CNET (9/16)

Fallout from the credit crunch and the market crash on Wall Street is beginning to affect the tech sector:

• Although there was some bounceback yesterday many tech stocks including Apple, Dell, Yahoo and Google are down 15-20% in 2008
• HP said it will eliminate over 24,000 jobs as pat of its integration with Electronic Data Systems
• Spending on IT in the U.S. will grow just 4% this year, according to revision from Goldman Sachs, a downgrade from its earlier prediction of 6% growth