Filed under: WIRELESS | Tags: Arts, Desperate Housewives, North America, SK Telecom, South Korea, Television program, The Walt Disney Company, WALL-E
In its first mobile-content deal cut outside North America, Disney-ABC International Television will distribute full-length films and TV episodes for mobiles to South Korea’s SK Telecom on an on-demand basis, Disney said. The deal, which will take effect in March, will give SK customers access to such films as “WALL-E” and “National Treasure,” as well as the hit TV series “Desperate Housewives.” Variety (2/20)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=e9526b40-a844-46b1-a9cb-8d471a671359)
Filed under: TECHNOLOGY | Tags: Consumer electronics, E-book, Financial Times, LG Electronics, Mobile phone, Reuters, South Korea, Wall Street Journal
Here’s some free fodder for your eBook reader, ladies. Pulp romance publisher Harlequin is celebrating its 60th Anniversary by giving away free downloadable books. Each registered user is entitled to 16 free downloads. (Cynopsis 2/9)
LG Electronics, a maker of cell phones and other consumer electronics, said it would seek to reduce its costs $2.2 billion this year — about 30% — amid expectations that the global downturn will drive sales down in dollar terms 20%. The South Korean company said it saw potential to grow its handset share in emerging countries and added that the company would emphasize maximizing its productivity and efficiency before cutting personnel. The Wall Street Journal (2/10) , Reuters (2/9) , Financial Times (2/9)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=8a231288-306e-4ea5-8bad-ef899e61ac00)
Filed under: TECHNOLOGY | Tags: Android, Apple, Chief operating officer, Fiscal year, iPhone, South Korea, Steve Jobs, Tim Cook
iPhones sales numbers for the first fiscal quarter of 2009 (which ran from Oct. 1, 2008 to Dec. 31st, 2008) are already in. Over the past 3 months, Apple has sold over 4,363,000 iphones. (http://www.mobilecrunch.com/2009/01/21/apple-pushed-44-million-iphones-in-the-last-quarter 1/21)
At the tail end of Apple’s quarterly earnings
conference call today, COO Tim Cook (CEO Steve Jobs, who is taking a medical leave of absence, was not on the call) noted that 17 million iPhones have been sold to date. When he was asked about the rising competition from Android, Blackberry, and Palm, Cook made an oblique threat: We approach this business as a software platform business. We are watching the landscape. We like competition as long as they don’t rip off our IP. And if they do, we will go after anyone who does. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/01/21/apples-tim-cook-warns-competitors-if-you-rip-off-the-iphone-well-go-after-you 1/21)
LG has introduced the 42PQ60D and the 50PQ60D, the former of which is a 42-inch plasma TV with a 600Hz refresh rate while the latter is a 50-inch display with a contrast ratio of 1 billion:1. Initially, the models will only be available in LG’s home market of South Korea. Electronista (1/20)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=e6cd1d4a-4889-4d25-81ac-a8df71e1daff)
Filed under: WIRELESS | Tags: AppStore, BlackBerry Bold, Handhelds, iPhone, iPod Touch, Smartphones, South Korea, Warner Bros.
In what could be the first in a wave of foreign smartphones to enter South Korea, Research in Motion’s BlackBerry Bold will launch this month on SK Telecom, the country’s largest carrier, the companies announced Tuesday. RIM won a special waiver from regulatory authorities to circumvent software mandates that has made it difficult for non-Korean companies to compete in the country, but that could change in April when a government move to abolish such a rule takes effect. 
ClipSyndicate/New York Financial Press (12/16) , The Washington Post/The Associated Press (12/16)
Prolific mobile games producer Glu Mobile launched a pair of new games for the iPhone and iPod Touch: The Dark Knight: Batmobile Game, co-published with Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, and Bonsai Blast, an original Glu title. (Cynopsis 12/17)
Return to cookie mountain indeed, because a new program called Television for iPhone
is now available and offers “50 shows from 30 channels” on demand. It’s not live TV – that would be hard – but it’s basically rehashed content CNN, CBS, and Comedy Central. (http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/12/17/tv-on-the-radioiphone 12/17)
Taxi applications on the App Store are a dime a dozen, but for the most part they’re just glorified phone directories that don’t really make it any easier to call a cab. Taxi Magic, a new app that recently went live on the App Store, is doing what the others can’t: on-demand cab service from your iPhone at the push of a button. The application connects directly into Taxi routing systems, allowing users to book cabs without ever needing to speak to an operator. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/12/16/taxi-magic-hail-a-cab-from-your-iphone-at-the-push-of-a-button 12/16)
Seattle-based outdoor gear coop REI launched a new iPhone app powered by Zumboi geared toward skiers and snowboarders. It provides up to date temperatures, snow conditions and the number of open lifts at over 1800 GPS accesses ski resorts worldwide. There’s also an e-commerce component. (Cynopsis 12/17)
AT&T has begun selling refurbished iPhone 3G handsets for $150, compared with its usual $199 price tag — with a two-year contract — for the 8GB models and $250 for smartphones with 16GB of memory. The discount is part of AT&T’s previously announced move to expand iPhone sales to its Web site for first-time customers. InformationWeek (12/16)
Vodafone and Last.fm will bring the music service’s social-networking features to selected Nokia handsets under a new partnership they announced, adding that the new application will include a function that automatically builds an online music profile for users based on their listening habits. cellular-news (U.K.) (12/17)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=5c011445-e055-4417-bc9c-140214599401)
Filed under: ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA | Tags: Blu-ray Disc, DVD, HD DVD, Microsoft, South Korea, Time Warner, Warner Bros., Yahoo
ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
Yahoo dipped
again today (as did the market in general), down nearly 9% to $10.34. That means they’ve officially destroyed $31 billion in shareholder value since turning down Microsoft’s acquisition offer earlier this year. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/12/yahoo-almost-to-10-referee-please-call-this-fight 11/12)
The woman’s cable network has launched a co-branded retail site with Shop.com. myLifetime.Shop.com features buying guides and a comparison shopping engine that allows you to drill down by department and compare prices with tax and shipping factored into your purchase. (Cynopsis 11/12)
Pic
Time Warner film studio Warner Bros. is getting out of the business of distributing DVDs in South Korea because of Internet piracy, marking the latest Hollywood withdrawal in the leading wired country. In April, Disney switched to licensing for releasing DVD and Blu-ray discs. (Iwantmedia 11/12, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122643080489917991.html 11/12)
Tapping into recession fears, Yahoo Shopping just launched a new site in beta called Yahoo Deals that lists daily deals in different categories (computers, home & garden, clothing). It also offers online coupons, notices of storewide sales, and a place to browse through digital circulars. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/11/12/in-time-for-the-penny-pinching-holidays-comes-yahoo-deals 11/12)
Superfans have elevated recent HBO and A&E viral marketing campaigns far beyond what was planned, according to this article. A&E’s “Parking Wars” game is so popular that fans want it to be expanded, and HBO’s print and convenience-store ads for a fictitious vampire drink helped it build a 6.5 million weekly viewing audience for its new series “True Blood.” Multichannel News (11/11)
YouTube is set to venture into webcasting, in an effort to take the video-sharing site’s popularity to a new level by showcasing the talent behind its most viewed videos. On Nov. 22 in San Francisco, it is launching “YouTube Live,” a show featuring YouTube “sensations” like Esmee Denters. (Iwantmedia 11/12, http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSTRE4AB40U20081112 11/12)
Music blogging ad platform Mog.com says it has tripled its traffic in less than three months citing Quantcast metrics, surpassing 3 million unique visitors a moth. The Mog Music Network is now comprised of over 200 blogs. (Cynopsis 11/12)
The U.S. military, with help from Seattle startup Delve Networks, has launched a video-sharing Web site for troops, their families and supporters, a year and a half after restricting access to YouTube. The new TroopTube site will have uploaded videos screened by a Pentagon rep. (Iwantmedia 11/12, http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20081111/ap_on_hi_te/tec_techbit_trooptube 11/11)
Universal Sports is presenting its entire 28 hours of coverage of the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games on air and online this week with 4-hour programs each night from 7 p-11 p ET. (Cynopsis 11/12)
Mny digital pundits are saying Obama couldn’t have won without the internet – you know, those series of tubes all connected together. Facebook tends to agree. The site says candidates and their campaigns used Facebook as a means of engaging with potential voters in record numbers this year:
- 5.4 million + shared that you voted with your friends on Facebook
- 15 million + users of voting age in the U.S. logged into Facebook on Election day
- 1.5 million mentioned Obama, McCain, Palin, Biden or Election on their Facebook wall
- 2.4 million joined the Facebook Election Day event to help get out the vote
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=594e1ea5-4bb8-4249-8430-71a200b47383)
Filed under: ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA | Tags: AOL, Microsoft, Myspace, South Korea, Time Warner, Warner Bros., Yahoo
ONLINE SERVICES/INTERACTIVE MEDIA
RealNetworks has suspended sales of its new RealDVD recording software after a judge’s ruling in the case, according to a message on the company’s Web site. Studios and the MPAA brought the suit arguing the DVD-ripping software violated copyright laws and contracts. Ars Technica (10/5) , Yahoo!/CNET (10/6)
Warner Brothers Entertainment is starting to release its films online in South Korea before they are released in the country on DVD, shaking up an established distribution model. The studio, which is targeting South Korea due to its high broadband penetration, may target other countries. (Iwantmedia 10/6, http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8e868a7c-933f-11dd-98b5-0000779fd18c.html?nclick_check=1 10/6)
It took iTunes nearly three years
to get to 1 billion song downloads. MySpace Music streamed a billion songs in just a few days after it launched on September 25. And while this isn’t a fair comparison (songs on MySpace are free to stream; on iTunes users were paying $0.99 each), it’s an incredible milestone. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/10/05/myspace-music-streamed-its-billionth-song-a-few-days-after-launch 10/5)
Yahoo is continuing its marathon merger discussions with AOL, sources close to the negotiations have whispered to Techcrunch, and a deal could happen as early as this month. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/10/06/aol-yahoo-merger-details-emerge-deal-could-happen-this-month 10/6)
Vudu and Netflix took steps last week toward bringing movies into more living rooms via the Internet, according to this report. “The DVD rental business, and Netflix’s DVD business, is going to grow for five to 10 years,” said Netflix spokesman Steve Swasey. “But ultimately, 20 to 25 years from now, it’s going to all be streaming.” Broadcasting & Cable (10/6)
It’s a big day for eBay and CEO Jon Donahoe. The company is laying off 10% of its workforce, or about 1,000 employees plus several hundred temporary positions. They will take a $70 million to $80 million restructuring charge around the layoffs, they said. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/10/06/ebay-spends-more-than-1-billion-to-buy-billmelater-and-dbadk-and-lays-off-10-of-employees 10/6)
Yahoo and Google say they will delay their online search advertising partnership to give the U.S. Justice Department more time to evaluate the deal. Justice Department staffers are said to be recommending that the deal be investigated further and even blocked in court. (Iwantmedia 10/6, http://kara.allthingsd.com/20081003/yahoogle-delayed 10/3)
YouTube on Nov. 22 will host a San Francisco gathering of its active users called YouTube Live — “part concert, part variety show and part party.” The event, which will be streamed live on the Web, is seen as notable because YouTube doesn’t offer live-streaming technology. (Iwantmedia 10/6, http://news.cnet.com/8301-13577_3-10056488-36.html 10/5)
Codeblack Interactive has partnered with YouTube to provide the latest sponsored programming for the nascent Google Content Network (launched with Seth MacFarlane’s Cavalcade series this summer.) Boondocks head writer Yamara Taylor has signed on to create the first series for the Codeblack channel, to be syndicated across thousands of African American-targeted sites. (Cynopsis 10/6)
NBC Universal is synergizing the syndicated television show “Access Hollywood” with its female-targeted hub iVillage.com. The iVillage entertainment section will sport an “Access”-branded module feeding news links to AccessHollywood.com and will host video from the site. (Iwantmedia 10/6, http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3ic261f4f6bfdb7bc4ef8f458ddb445bd3 10/6)
Sports and booze are taking a backseat to going online, computers and new technology among men 18 to 34, according to a survey conducted by G4, a cable network that caters to that demo. The study suggests to advertisers that while young men still remain interested in pigskin and pilsner, “it isn’t a formula you can just plug into anymore and automatically be successful,” said G4 President Neal Tiles. TVWeek.com (10/5)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=93e9f6af-39b1-47f3-9a6d-9ac301ac1e00)
Filed under: TECHNOLOGY | Tags: Apple, Hewlett-Packard, LG, New York Times, South Korea, Steve Jobs, us, Wall Street Journal
TECHNOLOGY
Amazon.com has secured exclusive content rights for its Kindle e-reader to publish a biography of the next first lady. While the books on Michelle Obama and Cindy McCain already are written and will be on sale online well before the election, Kindle will publish a version with exclusive content on the wife of the next president. The Wall Street Journal (free content) (9/11)
Citing a mixture of falling prices coupled with weak demand, South Korea’s LG Display said its third-quarter results would not meet earlier projections and offered a new estimate of a percentage rise in its LCD sales in the “mid-teens” instead of its original guidance in the “low 20s.” The world’s No. 2 LCD maker by sales is not alone: Other LCD companies have said they would decrease output because of declining prices. The Wall Street Journal (free content) (9/11)
Apple CEO Steve Jobs and other company executives and officers past and present have reached a tentative settlement in a shareholder lawsuit that alleged they received favorable stock option grants. The agreement is expected to be finalized next month. The Wall Street Journal (free content) (9/11)
AT&T has certified Qualcomm’s Gobi mobile Web technology, and the companies tapped selected notebooks from Panasonic and Hewlett-Packard for access to the broadband network, AT&T and Qualcomm said Wednesday. Within weeks, AT&T plans to launch a marketing program with the laptop companies touting the service through which certified notebooks that run on AT&T’s network will gain 3G connectivity without a USB card. infoSynch World (9/10)
Global demand for affordable mini-laptop computers is driving strong sales for notebook computers, according to the latest quarterly sales figures from the research firm IDC, which reported a 37% rise in portable-computer sales for the second quarter, compared with a year earlier. In the U.S., laptop sales grew 17.7%, while sales of desktop computers and servers fell 4%. The New York Times (9/10) , CNET (9/10)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=b09e3cce-21a1-4308-94e8-b1c369a61c5f)
