*** MP3.com sued over insurance claim
NEW YORK (AP) - MP3.com has been sued by an insurance company over
the online music company's demand for a payment of $5 million for
some of the millions of dollars in losses resulting from its
copyright violations. Westport Insurance Corp. said Tuesday in the
lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan that the San
Diego-based music company is seeking $5 million toward the $170
million it set aside for settlements. Westport refused, saying it
denied coverage because "MP3.com misrepresented its business
practices, engaged in willful violations of the U.S. Copyright Act
and entered into settlements without Westport's prior consent." In
its lawsuit, Westport asked for a judicial declaration that it is
not liable for any loss caused by the illegal acts of MP3.com. Last
year, U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff in New York ruled that
MP3.com had intentionally violated the copyrights of the music
companies when it allowed consumers to have access to unlicensed
music. The company settled with four large record companies - Warner
Music Group, BMG, EMI and Sony Music Entertainment - and arranged
licensing deals with each of them.
Full article at: http://www.infobeat.com/fullArticle?article=406340337
*** Yahoo! CEO Tim Koogle to step down
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Tim Koogle is stepping aside as chief
executive of struggling Internet bellwether Yahoo! Inc., though he
will stay on as chairman. The company also announced Wednesday that
its first-quarter operating earnings will come in at "approximately
break-even," well short of Wall Street's expectations. Full-year
results also could miss targets. Koogle, who will remain CEO until a
replacement is found, said he felt Yahoo needed an infusion of new
talent. The news followed a day of intense speculation after trading
in shares of Yahoo were halted shortly after the markets opened
Wednesday. The company had canceled an appearance at an Internet
conference in New York. Shares dropped fell $1.38 to $21 before
trading was halted on the Nasdaq Stock Market. After the news was
released, shares fell another $2.31, or 11%, to $18.69.
***Also: Yahoo, Nasdaq explain trading halt, see
http://www.infobeat.com/fullArticle?article=406340224
Full article at: http://www.infobeat.com/fullArticle?article=406340219
*** Census Bureau reports on e-commerce
WASHINGTON (AP) - In its first-ever report on e-commerce activity,
the Census Bureau found that in 1999 about one-half of 1% of all
retail sales took place on the Internet. Business-to-business deals
accounted for more than 90% of the online sales. The report released
Wednesday showed that the dollar value of e-commerce activity varied
significantly among different sectors, although almost all industry
groups were engaged in e-commerce to some degree. Twelve percent, or
$485 billion, of the total value of all manufacturing shipments were
sold electronically. Merchant wholesalers came in second at 5.3%,
and service industries - including travel services, brokerages and
publishing - had 0.6% of their sales values online. Manufacturing
companies and wholesalers have used proprietary networks - such as
the Electronic Data Interchange - that pre-date the widespread usage
of the Internet. This, the report states, is one of the reasons why
business-driven firms sell so much more online than do
consumer-driven companies.
Full article at: http://www.infobeat.com/fullArticle?article=406340301
*** EToys files for bankruptcy
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Troubled Internet retailer eToys filed for
bankruptcy Wednesday and said it will shut down its Web site by the
end of the day. The online toy seller's stock, which was last valued
on the Nasdaq Stock Market at 9 cents per share before trading was
halted last week, will officially be delisted Thursday. EToys filed
for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in
Wilmington, Del., where the company is incorporated. In its filing,
the company said that as of Dec. 31, it had assets of $416.9 million
and debts of $285 million. Company spokesman Ken Ross said Wednesday
that debts now far exceed assets on hand. He said the company has
used some of that cash for ongoing expenses and has sold much of its
inventory. In a release Wednesday, the company said it had
liabilities of $274 million as of Jan. 31 and that its liabilities
would exceed any potential proceeds from selling its assets. Last
week, the company sold its BabyCenter Inc. business to Johnson &
Johnson for $10 million.
Full article at: http://www.infobeat.com/fullArticle?article=406340286
*** Nintendo Game Boy set to hit stores
TOKYO (AP) - Nintendo Co. is out to prove that Mario doesn't need
super-sophisticated computer graphics to sell. Game Boy Advance, the
revamped version of the Game Boy portable video game machine, will
not have three-dimensional imagery but offers an extensive game
lineup and a monitor display with thousands of vivid colors. It is
set to hit Japanese stores March 21 for $82 and U.S. stores for
$99.95 on June 11. Mario, the red-capped acrobatic plumber, jumps,
runs and catches golden coins the same as ever on Game Boy Advance,
shown to reporters Wednesday in Tokyo. But the monitor can now show
32,000 colors, far more than the 56 of Game Boy Color, which came
out in 1998. The Kyoto-based company is anticipating demand for Game
Boy Advance to start at 3 million, promising initial shipments of 1
million and planning sales of 24 million in the first year
worldwide. Compared to the latest offering from rival Sony Corp.,
PlayStation2, which delivers dazzling three-dimensional images with
a powerful 128-bit processor, Game Boy Advance offers just the
basics.
Full article at: http://www.infobeat.com/fullArticle?article=406340358
*** German GM to sell cars on Internet
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - Struggling automaker Adam Opel AG, the
German subsidiary of General Motors Corp., will begin selling cars
at a discount over the Internet in an effort to pump up sales and
freshen its image, the company said Wednesday. The pilot program
will run through July 31 and offer a select range of autos at prices
up to 11% cheaper than on the showroom floor. The move is part of a
push by some automakers, including Ford Motor Co. and GM's British
subsidiary Vauxhall, to slash costs by taking car orders online.
Similar test programs elsewhere have been hindered by delivery
delays and the simple fact that people like to test drive a vehicle
before the buy. Studies have shown most customers use the Internet
to inform themselves about a vehicle before they buy, rather than
place orders online. Even Opel management board member Andrej Barcak
tried to quell big expectations for his company's project Wednesday,
saying it expects to sell only between 250 and 300 autos during the
pilot stage.
Full article at: http://www.infobeat.com/fullArticle?article=406340311
*************************************************
*** Hyundai electronics seeks $2.9 bln
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., one of
the world's leading computer chip makers, said Thursday it was
experiencing serious financial difficulty and unveiled a plan to raise
$2.9 billion by the end of 2001 to reduce debt. The South Korean won
dipped 17 won to 1,193 won to the U.S. dollar Thursday, its lowest level
in more than a year, despite the government's appeal for market calm.
Over the past 10 months, the main stock price index has fallen by half
to a little over 500. The Hyundai chipmaker said in a statement that it
will secure a $842 million syndicated loan to be managed by Citibank of
the United States. It said it will also issue $1.1 billion in corporate
bonds, sell $442 million in assets and securities, and secure $418
million through sales of bonds held by overseas units and $124 million
in fresh loans from creditor banks. Full article at: http://www.infobeat.com/fullArticle?article=404927930
*** Incubators out of favor on Wall St.
BOSTON (AP) - They were supposed to help e-commerce sites up off the
ground, nurturing them with sound advice, and then unloading them at a
profit. But these days, Internet incubators could use a hand up
themselves. Recent weeks have seen waves of dot.com closings, and
incubators - who often hold stakes in many dot.coms - are suffering:
Incubators grew by finding companies with promising business ideas but
that simply lacked a key ingredient or two - office space, or technical
or legal help, for example. They supplied the missing elements and often
invested in the new companies. Many entrepreneurs say working with an
incubator helped. Others say incubators offered them clients in other
"incubatees" and helped them acquire other companies and
recruit talent. And perhaps most importantly, they simply showed more
interest than the typical venture capitalist.But many experts say the
incubatees are kidding themselves and really got little of value. Full
article at: http://www.infobeat.com/fullArticle?article=404927893
*** Desktops are becoming studios
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Gushingly proud young couples are going
online to show off video clips of their newborn. Seniors are reading
stories via streaming video to grandchildren who live thousands of miles
away. People are even Webcasting family trips - jerky images and all.
Thanks to an onslaught of technological advances in digital video,
desktops are becoming production studios, the Internet a massive venue
for videos. It is now easier than ever - and surprisingly affordable -
for consumers to record, edit and broadcast homemade movies. A consumer
can now buy a digital video camera for $1,000, spend a few thousand
dollars more on a computer system and software and get better video-
editing capability than what $100,000 would have bought five years ago,
Worthington said. Without having to drain bank accounts or turn to
professional videographers, people can crop their creations, overlay
graphics and titles and add special effects. And with a few clicks,
budding directors can post their works online, e-mail video clips to
loved ones, or even broadcast them on the Net. Full article at: http://www.infobeat.com/fullArticle?article=404927970
*** Lernout & Hauspie co-founder quits
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - The founder of Lernout & Haupsie Speech
Products NV resigned Thursday as prosecutors announced a probe of the
Belgian company, which admitted it may have concealed information from
its auditor. The resignation of company co-founder Pol Hauspie is the
latest in a series of boardroom moves aimed at stemming a widening
scandal at the company. The company's business dealing and bookkeeping
in southeast Asia has been at the heart of an alleged scandal. Also on
Thursday, prosecutors said they had opened an investigation into the
company. The probe and management shakeup follow a slide that wiped out
more than $9 billion of the company's stock market value, and subsequent
suspension of trading on the high-tech stock exchanges. L&H makes
speech and language software used in cars, telecommunications, consumer
goods and the Internet. Full article at: http://www.infobeat.com/fullArticle?article=404927740
----------------------------------------------------
*** TheStreet.com slashes work force
NEW YORK (AP) - Struggling financial news site TheStreet.com
announced a sweeping cost cutting program Thursday that includes
slashing 20 percent of its work force, shutting down its U.K.
operation and dismantling a joint newsroom with The New York Times.
Thomas Clarke, chief executive of TheStreet.com, told investors on a
conference call that the measures would provide a "huge step" toward
the company's goal of becoming profitable by the second half of next
year. "In today's environment, companies have two clear choices:
chart a direct path to profitability or shut down," Clarke said in a
statement. "We're in this for the long haul. And to go the distance,
we must operate at peak efficiency." About half of the expected
annual cost savings of $18 million would come from the closure of the
TheStreet.com's U.K. operation, which was due to run out of money by
the end of the year. TheStreet.com owns 63% of the year-old business
and plans to buy out the other investors for $3 million in cash and
1.25 million shares in stock. Like many other Internet companies,
TheStreet.com has stumbled in trying to find a workable model for
making money from advertising and charging for content.
*** Update: Comdex light on tangible products
LAS VEGAS (AP) - With wall-to-wall prototypes and plenty of buzz
about Bluetooth wireless technology and mobile Web access, Comdex
2000 was unmistakably light on tangible new products for the here and
now. If nothing else, the annual technology extravaganza heralded the
arrival of the mobile Internet appliance, an overgrown handheld
computer shaped like a writing tablet, equipped with a touchscreen
and a wireless connection. Other noteworthy offerings included a new
palmtop computer based on the Linux operating system, a simple
software kit to connect older Palm devices to the Internet via cell
phone and a powerful portable hard drive that can store 6 gigabytes
of digital music, photos or computer data files. National
Semiconductor made perhaps the biggest splash of the show in its
debut as consumer-oriented company. The venerable chipmaker,
borrowing a page from the "Intel Inside" handbook, was showing off a
"WebPAD" line of machines based on its Geode GX1 processor made by
Honeywell, Samsung and Ericsson. Large crowds gathered continually at
the National Semiconductor pavilion, where they could play with
several models and get a glimpse at some further-off prototypes.
*** Election sparks protests online
WASHINGTON (AP) - In Florida, the presidential election won't end.
Online, the protests and humorous jabs have only begun. Internet
sites devoted to what one entrepreneur calls the "Perpetual Election"
have sprung up. They hawk "Bush Wins" newspapers and organize
demonstrations and revote efforts. Amazon.com even used a mock
"butterfly" ballot - like the controversial one in Palm Beach County,
Fla. - to peddle books, music and lawn and patio products. While the
stalemate between Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore
drags on in the courts, cyberspace again has moved with speed and
ease on the latest American fascination. Jack Kennedy, a Democrat and
circuit court clerk in Wise County, Va., created his own Web site so
voters could flood the local court with e-mails demanding a new vote
in Palm Beach County, at the heart of the disputed vote count. His
effort was born to "spontaneous outrage that Al Gore would get more
votes cast for him and still lose in the state of Florida," Kennedy
said. The site, Revotepalmbeach.com, offers a form that generates an
e-mail to the circuit court in Palm Beach County requesting a revote
there. Since the morning after the Nov. 7 election,
Trustthepeople.com has offered blank affidavits for Florida voters to
sign if they believed their ballot was confusing.
*** Encyclopedia Web site cuts 75 jobs
CHICAGO (AP) - Web-based encyclopedia Britannica.com has slashed 75
jobs from its work force in a restructuring move aimed at expediting
its move toward profitability, officials said. The job cuts, which
will reduce the company's staff by nearly 25%, will be made over the
next two weeks, mostly in the firm's Chicago headquarters. The
company plans to focus on its most popular services, which include
providing information through the encyclopedia, magazines and other
resources available on the site. It will also reduce costs by
eliminating some features developed by Britannica writers and
editors. Britannica.com's Web site was launched 13 months ago and was
temporarily shut down due to an unanticipated crush of users.
Internet surfers worldwide were attracted to the site as a way to get
the entire Encyclopedia Britannica for free for the first time. The
printed version sells for $1,250, and previously was available on the
Internet only for a subscriber's fee.
*** German Web providers get flat rate
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - Internet use via telephone lines should get
a whole lot cheaper in Germany beginning next month. Under a ruling
Thursday by government regulators, Deutsche Telekom AG must give
competing Internet service providers flat-rate access to its lines.
The new rules, to take effect in February, allow companies such as
AOL Europe to pay one fee for unlimited local access - as is the norm
in the United States - instead of paying for each incremental minute.
The shift could well spur commerce in Europe's biggest economy, which
has lagged about two years behind the United States in embracing
online commerce. Germany's telephone market is deregulated. But
Deutsche Telekom still owns 97% of the so-called "last mile," the
actual wire that connects main trunk lines with people's houses.
Therefore, people have few options but to use Deutsche Telekom when
accessing the Internet from home.
************************************************
*** Priceline plans layoffs, CFO resigns
NORWALK, Conn. (AP) - Priceline.com, the Internet-based,
name-your-own-price system for travel and other services, is cutting 16%
of its work force and said that chief financial officer Heidi G. Miller
is leaving after only eight months on the job. The Norwalk-based company
made these announcements in conjunction with its third-quarter earnings
report, in which it reported a loss of one cent per share. The results
met lowered analyst expectations. After closing at $6.84, up 65.6 cents,
in regular trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market, shares of Priceline
slipped to $5.19 during the after-hours session. Priceline said it was
laying off 87 people from its 535-member work force. The layoffs and
other changes would result in a fourth-quarter charge of about $9
million. Priceline, which started out two years ago offering
name-your-own price airline tickets, expanded into other areas,
including rental cars, home mortgages, telecommunications services, gas
and groceries.
*** Globalstar struggles to survive
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The stars never seemed to align right for
Globalstar Telecommunications Ltd., a mobile satellite phone company in
a financial free fall likely to end with a thud if management doesn't
come up with money by next summer. Globalstar's plan to sell phones that
provide great reception in remote areas by tapping into a constellation
of 48 satellites sounded good to many investors, but the business hasn't
panned out for a variety of reasons, analysts say. Part of the problem
has been poor execution by Globalstar's management, but the San
Jose-based company also has been hurt by several factors beyond its
control. The extenuating circumstances include the failure of two rival
satellite phone companies, Iridium LLC and ICO Global Communications,
which spooked consumers about the stability of a service that requires
an upfront investment of several hundred dollars. The increased range
and declining costs of cellular phones also have made satellite phones
tougher to sell.
*** Qualcomm earnings slightly ahead
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Wireless company Qualcomm Inc. reported earnings
that were slightly ahead of expectations Thursday as royalties from its
licensed technology helped make up for a slowdown in one of its major
markets that resulted in an 11% drop in sales revenue. In the three
months ended Sept. 30, Qualcomm posted net income $139 million, or 17
cents per share, compared with $136 million, or 24 cents per share, in
the year-ago quarter. Excluding one-time costs, the company earned 25
cents per share. Analysts expected earnings of 24 cents per share,
according to a survey by First Call/Thomson Financial. Revenues totaled
$635 million, down from $1.1 billion in the same quarter of 1999. Sales
were dragged down by a slowdown in the sales of Qualcomm's patented CDMA
mobile phone chip sets in South Korea after that country ended subsidies
on mobile phones.
*** Cingular swaps spectrum
NEW YORK (AP) - Cingular Wireless, the new national cell phone
company without a network in New York City, is filling part of that gap
by trading mobile phone licenses in California and Nevada for some New
York area spectrum. The swap with VoiceStream Wireless, announced
Thursday, will also give Cingular some additional spectrum in St. Louis
and Detroit. Cingular, formed last month through a joint venture between
SBC Communications and BellSouth, said the acquisition will provide
about half the wireless spectrum the company needs to serve the New York
market. The company is expected to fill the rest of its needs by bidding
in an upcoming auction of spectrum licenses by the federal government.
The deal doesn't include any money or network infrastructure, so
Cingular won't be able to make immediate use of the acquired spectrum,
which covers New York City and its suburbs, including parts of
Connecticut, New Jersey and northeast Pennsylvania.
*** Review: PlayStation2 vs. Dreamcast
NEW YORK (AP) - Is the new PlayStation2 truly the ultimate in home
entertainment? From its scarcity in stores and Sony's ad blitz, you
might think so. But better to assess the sleek, black matte video gaming
machine by sizing up the competition: The year-old Sega Dreamcast has
six times as many titles written for it to date (175), costs half as
much at $149 and has a built-in 56K modem. And this fall, Sega
introduced a $21.95-a-month online gaming service, complete with
Internet access and e-mail. The PlayStation2, meanwhile, has no modem -
only a port for an eventual network card that Sony officials vaguely
promise will become available some time in the future to be able to jack
into a high-speed broadband connection. So there's no online
PlayStation2 gaming - yet. The machine does offer other, substantial
compensations, however. The console plays CDs and DVDs in addition to
games and is equipped with two USB and one IEE1394, or FireWire, port
for eventual speedy (400 megabit-per-second) data transfers from
peripherals ranging from hard drives to digital video cameras.
****************************************
*** Shares of Microsoft hit 2-year low
REDMOND, Wash. (AP) - Shares of Microsoft fell sharply Monday,
hitting a two-year low amid concern about the future of the personal
computing market. Microsoft Corp. fell as low as $49.56 per share in
trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market before closing at $50.38, down $3.38.
The 6.3% drop was part of an overall downturn in technology stocks,
spurred by lowered earnings expectations. The Redmond, Wash.-based
software giant is expected to post earnings Wednesday that are in line
with Wall Street predictions. Analysts surveyed by First Call/Thomson
Financial predict earnings of 41 cents per share, up 3 cents from a year
ago. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570618964-81d
*** Half of U.S. homes have computers
WASHINGTON (AP) - Americans' access to computers and the Internet has
grown dramatically over the past 20 months with computers now in more
than half of all households, a new government report said Monday. The
share of households with computers rose from 42.1% in December 1998 to
51% in August of this year - a total of 53.7 million households, the
Commerce Department found in its latest survey of computer usage. The
number of households with Internet access also soared, hitting 41.5% in
August, up from just 26.2% in the previous 1999 survey. But as in past
surveys, the government found a gap with whites and people living in
cities much more likely to have computers and Internet access than
minorities and those living in rural areas. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570618622-409
*** UN: Robot sales boom
GENEVA (AP) - U.S. and European purchases of manufacturing robots
have taken off, and the buying boom could extend to robot vacuum
cleaners for the home when they are introduced later this year, the
United Nations said Tuesday. The United States bought a record 15,063
robots last year, a 39% increase over 1998, the 352-page report said. EU
sales rose 16% to just over 15,000. The survey is published by the
United Nations' Economic Commission for Europe and the International
Federation of Robotics. It said robot sales have begun to recover in
global leader Japan after a dip in the 1990s because of economic
slowdown, but that they remain slow. There are now 742,500 robots
working in industry around the world, more than half of them in Japan,
the report said. It predicted strong growth for the United States and
Europe. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570621058-e43
*** Intel unveils chip for cell phones
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Intel Corp. unveiled a chip Monday that will
allow cell phone users to hold conversations and access the Internet at
the same time. The new chip, which is not expected to hit the U.S. cell
phone market for another two years, also promises to provide smooth,
video-friendly Internet access - a significant improvement over the
limited text-only service currently available. The new, so-called flash
memory chip is being designed for the next generation of Web-enabled
cell phones, an Intel spokesman said. The chip will require less energy
and Internet access will be four times faster. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570623091-1fb
*** Verizon wireless delays IPO
NEW YORK (AP) - Verizon Wireless Inc. is postponing its initial
public offering of stock due to volatile market conditions that have
pounded the share prices of rival mobile phone companies. The planned
IPO by the nation's largest wireless provider, slated to raise up to $5
billion, is the most prominent deal yet to be put on hold because of
stormy conditions on Wall Street. Few details were revealed in Monday's
short statement from Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group, parent
companies of the Verizon Wireless joint venture they formed earlier this
year. The IPO, expected to occur by the end of the year, would have
raised money for the company to expand and upgrade its wireless network.
See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570619580-03d
*** Anonymous Internet posting not protected
MIAMI (AP) - In a ruling that challenges online anonymity, a Florida
appeals court declared Monday that Internet service providers must
divulge the identities of people who post defamatory messages on the
Internet. Critics of the ruling say it could have a chilling effect on
free expression in Internet chat rooms. The ruling comes against the
efforts of the American Civil Liberties Union to protect the identity of
eight individuals who posted anonymous missives on a Yahoo! financial
chat room about Erik Hvide, the former CEO of Hvide Marine Inc. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570618085-502
**********************************************
*** Toshiba agrees to pay government
BEAUMONT, Texas (AP) - Toshiba Corp. has agreed to pay the U.S. $33.5
million in cash and merchandise to settle a lawsuit involving
potentially defective laptop computers sold to government agencies, the
U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday. An unspecified portion of
the settlement - $23 million in cash and $10.5 million in merchandise -
comes from a $2.1 billion settlement of a similar class-action lawsuit
last January, said U.S. Attorney Mike Bradford. Toshiba has not admitted
legal liability or even acknowledged a defect in its notebook computers.
However, Bradford said the company has issued a software patch to
prevent possible malfunction by floppy disk controllers in about 60,000
Toshiba laptops the government has bought since 1998. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570554078-006
*** Clinton directs agencies on systems
WASHINGTON (AP) - The promise of new generations of handheld devices
and phones that receive high-speed video and data is bumping up against
limits imposed by overcrowded airwaves already occupied by the Pentagon
and the private sector. To ease the congestion, President Clinton
directed federal agencies Friday to determine whether existing
government and commercial users can be relocated from these frequencies
so they can be used to offer new wireless services worldwide. Clinton's
action raises the possibility that the military and some commercial
services will have to move frequencies. The Defense Department has
satellite systems and communications services already on the bands. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570555512-92c
*** Microsoft announces in-car software
DETROIT (AP) - Microsoft Corp. introduced its newest software for
in-car computing devices Sunday, as well as the industry standards it
would like to see adopted for how computers and cars swap information.
Analysts predict that by 2006, nearly 50% of all new cars - and 90% of
luxury vehicles - will have some kind of Internet capability. Dozens of
automakers and electronics companies are vying for position in the young
market. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570599465-1b9
*** Web cos. take China in stride
HONG KONG (AP) - David Vong is bullish on China's Internet. Despite
sweeping new Chinese restraints on online businesses, his Hong Kong
company is buying a Web services provider in China for $1 million and
designing a state-run Internet site. More deals are on the way. The
rules create "obstacles of course, but we planned for them,"
said Vong, co-founder of the i100 Internet services company. He's not
the only Web entrepreneur taking things in stride. The Chinese
government spelled out limits early this month on foreign ownership in
Web firms, required all Internet companies to get licenses and ordered
access providers to guard against content deemed subversive or otherwise
objectionable. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570592718-af7
*** Nevada plans to OK bets on PCs
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Nevada gaming regulators plan to allow state
residents to use computers to place sports bets, though they said Friday
they do not see the trial project as a step toward Internet wagering.
Within the month Nevada residents will be able to legally place bets 24
hours a day on baseball games, horse races and other sports using a
computer site operated by Coast Resorts Inc. But just because gamblers
can use their home PCs to put money on their favorite teams, don't
confuse this proprietary betting system with Internet gambling, said
Dennis Neilander, a member of the state Gaming Control Board. While the
state board approved the wagering communication technology this week,
Neilander said the software will undergo a 30-day field trial before
receiving the green light. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570556204-e09
*** Congress weighing Internet filtering
WASHINGTON (AP) - Four Republicans are promoting legislation that
would force schools and libraries to use Internet filtering software or
lose federal dollars intended to help buy Web access. The effort is
alienating civil liberties groups, conservatives and industry
executives. The proposal would be a boon to companies such as NetNanny
and SurfControl, whose popular filtering software schools and libraries
would have to buy. No money is provided to buy the software. Introduced
in the Senate by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Rick Santorum, R-Pa.,
the plan is attached to an appropriations bill that could get a final
vote this week. Reps. Ernest Istook, R-Okla., and Charles Pickering,
R-Miss., are behind the effort in the House. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570592414-658
******************************************************
*** Update: EU to block Vivendi, Seagram deal
PARIS (AP) - European authorities are expected to deny French
conglomerate Vivendi clearance to buy Seagram Co., concerned that
Vivendi's Canal Plus pay television unit would get preferential access
to films from Seagram's Universal studios, a French newspaper reported
Thursday. Le Monde reported that Mario Monti, Europe's top antitrust
regulator, would temporarily block approval of the $30 billion merger on
Friday. The newspaper also said Monti would launch a four-month detailed
inquiry into the deal. The deal would create a major media conglomerate
called Vivendi Universal, linking Vivendi's large TV, satellite,
Internet and wireless communications holdings with Seagram's Universal
movie and music studios. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570533713-0f7
*** Gateway posts rise in 3Q profits
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Avoiding the slump facing some rivals, computer
maker Gateway Inc. said Thursday that its third-quarter profits jumped
35% over last year. In the three months ended Sept. 30, Gateway, known
for quirky ads and faux cowhide boxes, earned $152.6 million, or 46
cents per share, compared with a profit of $113.2 million, or 35 cents
per share, in the year-ago quarter. Sales rose 16% to $2.53 billion to
$2.18 billion. The results met the consensus estimate of analysts
surveyed by First Call/Thomson Financial. Gateway's profits stand out
amid recent bad news from industry stalwarts. Intel, Dell Computer Corp.
and Apple Computer have seen their stock prices tumble in recent weeks
after warning that quarterly revenues would be below expectations. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570534245-6a6
*** Intel rival AMD tops estimates
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Chip maker Advanced Micro Devices posted its
first calendar year in the black since 1995, reporting it shattered
quarterly sales records as it made significant inroads against
arch-rival Intel Corp. in the high-end processor market. Confirming
speculation customers are flocking to its new Athlon high-performance
and Duron value-end processors, AMD said Wednesday it doubled sales of
those chips from the previous quarter to 3.6 million units in the
three-month period ended Oct. 1. The company projected its worldwide
market share would grow to about 20% by year's end. Investors seemed
pleased by the results, shares closed Thursday up 31 cents to $22.13 on
the Nasdaq Stock Market. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570533573-83a
*** Panel urges 'Net protection for kids
WASHINGTON (AP) - Local and federal governments need to spend
significantly more money to train police and prosecutors to hunt down
Internet predators in cyberspace and shut down Web sites containing
child pornography, a congressional commission recommends. In a report to
be sent to Congress next week, the commission - created to protect
children from explicit content online - also called for law enforcement
agencies to create a master list of Internet sites that contain child
pornography. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570533372-121
*** Nature Conservancy uses Internet funds
ENTERPRISE, Ore. (AP) - Helped by $5 million from the Internet
community, The Nature Conservancy has bought a large chunk of a prairie
ecosystem that once stretched across the Northwest. The conservancy used
$11.7 million to buy the 27,000-acre Camp Creek Ranch, which represents
20% of the Zumwalt prairie. The bunchgrass prairie covers 146,000 acres
overall - one third the size of Rhode Island - and is home to one of the
nation's densest concentrations of nesting birds of prey. The Nature
Conservancy has known about the Zumwalt for 20 years, but has not been
able to raise the money to buy its pieces. The Internet age has changed
all that. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570536010-0b8
*** Urbanfetch to cut consumer clients
NEW YORK (AP) - New York-based online delivery service Urbanfetch.com
will be closing its consumer operations within the next couple of weeks
to concentrate on delivering goods for corporate clients, the company
confirmed Thursday. The company said the corporate-focused service it
launched six months ago, Urbanfetch Express, is both profitable and
larger than its consumer operations in New York and London combined.
Corporate clients include Sony, Conde Nast and Ernst & Young.
Urbanfetch CEO Ross Stevens hinted on Tuesday that closing its consumer
operations was a possibility, when the firm announced that it had called
off negotiations to be acquired by its rival Kozmo.com. ###
**************************************************
*** Yahoo! shares plunge on ad warning
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Shares of Yahoo! Inc. fell nearly 21% in trading
Wednesday, even though it beat third-quarter earnings expectations,
after it warned that the ongoing fallout among other Internet
companies could affect its revenues in future quarters. Yahoo's
earnings reports are eagerly awaited by investors because the company
has consistently outperformed expectations and it is one of the few
"blue-chip" Internet firms that have turned a profit. But with many
Internet companies slashing their marketing budgets or simply calling
it quits, Yahoo is receiving increased scrutiny as a reflection of
the health of the Internet industry. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570513077-1e9
*** Motorola stock sinks 19%
CHICAGO (AP) - Motorola Inc. shares plummeted nearly 19% Wednesday
after the telecommunications giant warned that slowing growth in its
mobile phone sales will crimp earnings for the rest of 2000 and 2001.
The company informed analysts of its lowered outlook a day after
issuing a third-quarter earnings report that sent a mixed message to
Wall Street: a 66 percent leap in operating earnings but a 23 percent
drop in orders for cell phones. Schaumburg, Ill.-based Motorola, the
world's No. 2 cell phone manufacturer, said it now estimates it will
sell 410 million to 425 million phones this year - down from its
earlier projection of 425 million to 450 million. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570513588-4e9
*** Intel rival AMD tops estimates
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Chip maker Advanced Micro Devices posted its
first calendar year in the black since 1995, reporting it shattered
quarterly sales records as it made significant inroads against
arch-rival Intel Corp. in the high-end processor market. Confirming
speculation customers are flocking to its new Athlon high-performance
and Duron value-end processors, AMD said it doubled sales of those
chips from the previous quarter to 3.6 million units in the
three-month period ended Oct. 1. The company projected its worldwide
market share would grow to about 20% by year's end. Net income for
the quarter was $408.6 million, or $1.18 a share, compared with a net
loss of $105.5 million, or 36 cents per share, in the year-ago
quarter. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570513484-d00
*** Hughes reports 3Q loss
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Hughes Electronics reported a loss of $93.5
million in the third quarter, due mainly to increased investment in
new technologies. The company, a subsidiary of General Motors Corp.,
said Wednesday it had higher revenues and record growth in
subscribers to its DirecTV service. It also added $3 billion to its
books due to the sale of its satellite manufacturing business to
Boeing. Hughes, which is tracked separately from regular GM shares,
does not report earnings per share. For the three months ended Sept.
30, Hughes reported revenue of $1.69 billion, up from $1.63 billion
in the year-ago period, when it lost $34.9 million. Results from both
periods include a $5.3 million expense from GM's purchase accounting
adjustments. Shares of Hughes fell $2.40 to $26.60 in trading on the
New York Stock Exchange. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570512400-a1d
*** Internet policy critic elected
NEW YORK (AP) - The election of a longtime Internet policy critic and
a high-profile free access advocate to the board that governs the
global network could give noncommercial users more influence over the
Net's development. Karl Auerbach of Santa Cruz, Calif., and Andy
Mueller-Maguhn of Germany will join the 19-member board of the
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Their
two-year terms start next month. ICANN's decisions on such technical
but commercially charged issues as domain names will influence the
Internet's use and growth. The organization, created in 1998 to take
over naming duties from the U.S. government, is often accused of
favoring vested business interests over individuals. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570511802-68b
***Also: European Web suffix nears approval, see
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570512926-3f4
*** Report questions Silicon Valley
PALO ALTO, Calif. (AP) - Silicon Valley may become a victim of its
own success. A report released Wednesday says the sprawling area
south of San Francisco could lose its place as the world's premier
high-tech zone because of the high costs of living and doing business
here, a shortage of qualified workers and worsening traffic. While
many blue-chip technology companies such as Intel Corp. and Yahoo!
Inc. are anchored here, startups are increasingly finding more
attractive environments in other Internet clusters such as New York's
"Silicon Alley," Massachusetts' Route 128, Germany's "Silicon Saxony"
and Singapore's "Intelligent Island," the report said. See
http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570511856-724
***********************************************
*** Update: Physics prize lauds info technology
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) - The Nobel Prizes in physics and chemistry
were awarded Tuesday to six scientists who helped bring about the
Information Revolution of ever-smaller and faster personal computers,
pocket calculators, cell phones, CD players, lifelike TV screens and
Gameboys. The physics prize went to Jack Kilby, who invented the first
integrated circuit while at Texas Instruments in 1958, and two
physicists whose work contributed to satellite and cell phone
technology: Herbert Kroemer of the University of California-Santa
Barbara and Zhores Alferov of the A.F. Ioffe Physico-Technico Institute
in St. Petersburg, Russia. The chemistry prize went to Alan Heeger, 64,
of the University of California-Santa Barbara, Alan MacDiarmid, 73, of
the University of Pennsylvania and Hideki Shirakawa, 64, of the
University of Tsukuba in Japan. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570494366-d78
*** Also: Integrated circuit inventor honored, see http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570485737-dbb
*** EC is set to OK AOL-Time Warner
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - The European Commission is set to approve
the $129 billion merger between America Online Inc. and Time Warner Inc.
Wednesday on condition that links with German media giant Bertelsmann
are cut, a source said. The EC will also require that the new company
sever ties with a joint venture with Bertelsmann in France, said the
source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The merger has faced
smoother sailing since Time Warner last week dropped a separate joint
venture plan with EMI Group of Britain, which would have created a major
music company. European regulators had strongly opposed that deal. The
antitrust division of the Commission opened a probe into the proposed
AOL-Time Warner merger in June, stressing the need for an open,
competitive environment in the emerging cyber music and entertainment
markets. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570486596-002
*** Yahoo! shares fall in after hours
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Shares of Yahoo! Inc. fell 8% in after-hours
trading, even though it beat third-quarter earnings expectations, as the
company warned that the ongoing fallout among other Internet companies
could affect its revenues in future quarters. Yahoo's earnings reports
are eagerly awaited by investors because the company has consistently
outperformed expectations and it is one of the few "blue-chip"
Internet firms that have turned a profit. But with many Internet
companies slashing their marketing budgets or simply calling it quits,
Yahoo is receiving increased scrutiny as a reflection of the health of
the Internet industry. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570493792-cd0
*** IBM to build chip plant in New York
NEW YORK (AP) - IBM Corp. said Tuesday it will put $5 billion - the
largest investment in the company's history - into building the world's
most advanced chip-making plant and expanding capacity at existing
semiconductor plants. The plant, to be located 60 miles north of New
York City, is part of efforts to satisfy demand for the chips that power
Web site host and traffic-management computers and to position IBM as a
supplier of chips for portable Internet devices. The computer maker
expects to hire 1,000 people for the new manufacturing plant at the
Hudson Valley Research Park in East Fishkill. The $2.5 billion factory
is scheduled to begin operations in the second half of 2002 and reach
full production by early the following year. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570492294-32e
*** Lucent Technologies shares plunge
NEW YORK (AP) - Shares of Lucent Technologies plunged to a two-year
low Tuesday after the beleaguered producer of telecommunications
equipment warned for the third time this year that profits won't meet
steadily declining expectations. Crushing hopes for a speedy turnaround
by the former Wall Street darling, Lucent disclosed after major stock
markets closed that earnings for the quarter ended Sept. 30 have come in
below the company's previous forecasts to Wall Street analysts Lucent's
stock, which had already lost nearly two-thirds of its value since late
1999, plunged even further in Tuesday's after-hours trading. The stock,
the second-most widely held in the nation with about 5.3 million
shareholders, slid below $25 after closing at $31.375 on the New York
Stock Exchange. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570492993-101
*** Kodak invests in digital Web site
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Eastman Kodak Co. is taking a stake in a digital
photography Web site and plans to market a how-to CD with Circuit City
to boost sales ahead of the holiday shopping period. Executives at the
world's largest photography company did not disclose the amount of
Kodak's investment in PhotoAlley.com, but said the company would receive
an observer seat on PhotoAlley's board of directors and become the
exclusive print processor for the San Francisco-based company, receiving
revenue from each developed picture. See http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2570476206-1b5
*****************************************************
*** House looks at AOL-Time Warner deal
WASHINGTON (AP) - The House Commerce Committee chairman sought
answers Wednesday about conditions that federal regulators reportedly
are considering before approving the merger between America Online
and Time Warner. The deal, the largest in U.S. corporate history, is
being reviewed by the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal
Communications Commission. The FTC staff has determined it will block
the deal unless the two companies agree to share their high-speed
cable lines with other Internet providers. The FCC reportedly is
weighing a similar condition. See
*** Report: Exodus back in talks
NEW YORK (AP) - Exodus Communications has reportedly jump started
talks to purchase Global Crossing Ltd.'s Internet hosting services
for about $6.5 billion in stock. The boards of both companies were
scheduled to meet Wednesday night to discuss the acquisition, The
Wall Street Journal reported on its Web site on Wednesday. In July,
Bermuda-based Global Crossing rejected a similar offer from Exodus to
purchase Global Crossing's Web hosting business, called GlobalCenter.
At the time, Global Crossing officials felt Exodus' offer was too
low. But analysts said the landscape may have changed since then in
light of Worldcom Inc.'s $3 billion acquisition earlier this month of
Intermedia Communications Inc., which held a controlling interest in
Web hosting company Digex Inc. See
*** Priceline stock plunges 43%
NORWALK, Conn. (AP) - Shares of Priceline.com fell 43% Wednesday
after the company warned Wednesday that its third-quarter revenues
are likely to fall short of expectations. Priceline, known for its
name-your-price system for online purchases of airline tickets, hotel
rooms, rental cars and home mortgages, said third-quarter revenues
would likely range from $340 million to $345 million. Analysts had
expected revenues of approximately $360 million to $380 million.
Third-quarter 1999 revenue was $152.2 million. Shares of Priceline
fell $8.14 to $10 in midday trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market. See
*** MTVi cuts 105 jobs, shelves IPO
NEW YORK (AP) - MTV's online operation became the latest to fall in
the dot-com shakeout on Wednesday, shelving its IPO plans and firing
one-fourth of its staff, or 105 people. MTVi, which groups the Web
sites for MTV, VH1 and two other sites, Sonicnet.com and Country.com,
filed a registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission in
February to offer shares to the public. Since then a sharp downturn
in investor enthusiasm for Internet companies has led to a series of
retrenchments and closures. TV veteran John Malone owns 10% of MTVi
following a deal in May 1999 under which his TCI Music company traded
several music sites including Sonicnet in exchange for the stake. See
*** Dell slashes computer prices
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Dell Computer Corp. plans to slash prices on
some computer servers and PCs, passing on savings to consumers as
parts become less expensive. But investors hardly celebrated Dell's
announcement on Wednesday - a day many tech stocks were down - as
shares of Dell fell to a 52-week low midday on the Nasdaq Stock
Market. The stock recovered somewhat to end regular trading at
$32.44, down $1.19, or 3.6 percent. Round Rock, Texas-based Dell said
it was reducing prices on its PowerEdge servers 14 to 47%. The
servers, or computers used to host Web sites, now will sell for as
low as $1,199 to $13,000 or more. See
*** Sony PlayStation 2 delayed
NEW YORK (AP) - Sony is scaling back by half its release of 1 million
PlayStation 2 video game consoles in North America, set for Oct. 26,
because of production delays that stem from a component shortage.
However, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. said Wednesday that
it would still meet its target of shipping 10 million units of the
game worldwide, including three million to North America, in its
fiscal 2001 year, which ends March 31. Sony will ship 500,000 units
of PlayStation 2 to 20,000 stores in North America, instead of the 1
million units initially projected. The initial shipment will be
followed by 100,000 units per week. Sony said the modified schedule
will not affect availability of PlayStation 2 during the holiday
season, anticipating there will be about 1.3 million units in supply.
See
-------------------------------------------------------------
*** E-mail group proposes privacy plan
WASHINGTON (AP) - Getting "spammed" is the price of using e-mail, it
seems. As mounds of unwanted messages pile up in inboxes, hawking
anything from debt reduction to weight reduction, some large e-mail
marketing companies want to make sure four-letter words of
frustration aren't directed at them or their clients. The Responsible
Electronic Communications Alliance - a new group of 15 companies that
includes DoubleClick, 24/7 Media, Bigfoot Interactive and ClickAction
Inc.- proposed privacy standards Monday that it hopes will cut down
on Internet spam. The group presented the standards at an industry
trade show in Boston as sort of a "Good Housekeeping Seal of
Approval" for Internet direct advertisers. The plan is still in draft
form, and a final proposal will not be approved before next year. ###
*** Palm reports solid first-quarter
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Quarterly profits topped forecasts at Palm
Inc., fueled by strong demand for the new entry-level version of its
popular handheld computer and new revenues from licensing its
operating system to rival device makers. The top seller of electronic
personal organizers reported Monday that net income totaled $17.3
million, or 3 cents share, for its first quarter ended Sept. 1. In
the same period last year, Palm earned $9.7 million, or 2 cents a
share. Excluding one-time factors, operating income more than doubled
to $23.9 million, or 4 cents a share, compared to year-ago levels of
$10 million, or 2 cents a share. See
*** Fujitsu to use power-save chips
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Fujitsu Ltd. plans to announce Monday that
two of its new computer laptops being introduced in Japan in early
November will carry power-saving chips manufactured by Transmeta
Corp. The announcement by the Japanese company comes only two weeks
after Sony Corp. announced that new models of the VAIO computer
PictureBook - scheduled to reach U.S. stores in October - would be
powered by Transmeta's much-hyped Crusoe microprocessor. The Crusoe
was unveiled in January after five years of highly secretive research
and development at Transmeta, an upstart player based in Santa Clara,
Calif. The chip promises to double the life of batteries, and Sony
and Fujitsu laptops are poised to be among the first in what appears
to be a growing parade of mobile computer products taking advantage
of the revolutionary microprocessor. See
*** Red Herring, Latin sites partner
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Redherring.com, an Internet site focused on
technology and business news, is forming a partnership to have its
articles translated in Spanish and Portuguese and distributed online
in Latin America. Under the deal announced Monday with Miami-based
Punto-Com Inc., up to three Redherring.com stories will be posted
daily on www.punto-com.com, the Spanish-language site, and
www.ponto-com.com, the Portuguese site. Both sites provide news and
analysis on Latin American Internet businesses. The first articles
are to appear next month. San Francisco-based Red Herring
Communications, founded in 1993, also publishes the magazine Red
Herring. ###
*** Grateful Dead fights music pirates
MILL VALLEY, Calif. (AP) - The Grateful Dead's communal spirit is
part of rock 'n' roll lore, but the band is just as merciless as the
next capitalist when a digital pirate tries to make money off its
music. "They have always been vehement about this: If someone is
going to make money, it should be them," said Eric Doney, the Dead's
attorney. "The music belongs to the creators, not someone else." The
Dead's no-nonsense stance underscores the depths of the music
industry's anti-piracy sentiment as computer technology makes more
recordings available for free over the Internet. The laws protecting
unlicensed use of copyrighted material face another litmus test Oct.
2 when a federal appeals court is scheduled to review a ruling that
banned a music-swapping site run by San Mateo-based Napster Inc. See
*** Pagans find fellow believers online
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Amid the swirling cigarette smoke in a downtown
coffeehouse, the ancient pantheon of pagan deities comes alive,
conjured up over coffee in the conversation at two adjoining tables.
The Indiana Asatru Council, a group of modern pagans who worship old
Norse deities and a smattering of other gods, has gathered for its
weekly meeting. Between drags off cigarettes, the talk meanders from
Thor - the lightning-wielding god of thunder - to the mysteries of
the universe and then to the Internet, the medium that's helping this
tiny religious community to grow. Not long ago, most pagans preferred
to keep their beliefs secret, fearful of the public's mistaken belief
that they are devil-worshippers. There were no coffeehouse meetings
for them. See
**********************************************
*** Intel warning highlights problems
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Giant computer chip maker Intel Corp.'s
plans to remake itself into a new-world Internet parts supplier have
been tripped up by old-world problems of profits and production. Amid
signs the world economy is slowing, Wall Street now is questioning
whether Intel and other bellwether companies can be nimble enough to
keep the good times going even during the bad. Under the leadership
of chief executive Craig Barrett, Intel's stock had been basking in
the glow of plans to transform the 32-year-old company from the PC
components business to a supplier of Web-enabling parts for
everything from the hot handheld computer market to large computer
servers and cellular phones. See
*** PC sales growing, but prices down
NEW YORK (AP) - Intel's stock woes this past week notwithstanding,
personal computer sales are still growing in the United States -
though unit prices are getting lower. Unit sales of PCs to dealers
are expected to reach 16.8 million this year, up from an estimated
14.9 million in 1999, according to the Consumer Electronics
Association. Meanwhile, dollar volume on PCs is expected to rise to
$16.8 billion this year from $16.4 billion in 1999 - a dip from the
previous year's $16.6 billion, the trade association says. The
average PC price is projected to be $1,000 this year, compared to
$1,500 in 1995. However, PCs are facing a new kid on the block:
Internet appliances, which are expected to cost less than half as
much as PCs and whose proliferation could force PC prices even lower.
See
*** First wireless virus reported
BEAVERTON, Ore. (AP) - A company that produces antivirus software for
computers says it has discovered the world's first virus that targets
the increasingly popular wireless hand-held computers. Although
computer viruses have become common, including last spring's virulent
"Love Bug" virus, reports of viruses infecting the smaller personal
digital assistants, or PDAs, had previously proved unfounded. This
time, however, "this is not a false alarm," said Vincent Gullotto,
director of McAfee.com's Anti Virus Emergency Response Team in
Beaverton, which found the virus Thursday night. The so-called Palm
OS/Phange virus did not appear widespread, Gullotto said. Palm OS is
the operating system used by roughly 79% of the world's hand-held
computers. It has wireless technology that can connect to the
Internet or to networks. See
*** Motorola, palm ally on 'smart phone'
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Motorola Inc. and Palm Inc. are teaming up
to develop a "smart phone" for early 2002 release that will serve as
a wireless Internet device, phone and personal organizer. The latest
heavyweight alliance in the race to combine wireless and Web in a
single gadget was to be announced Monday as the top names in
technology and electronics gather for the Personal Communications
Industry Association's GlobalXChange conference, this week in
Chicago. Details on the Motorola-Palm device were sketchy, though
both companies envision a color display larger than the screen on
current Web-enabled phones, but smaller than the 3-inch by 4-inch
displays featured on today's Palm organizers. See
*** 1-Stop gov't Web site debuts
WASHINGTON (AP) - Want to track your Social Security benefits? Need
to apply for a federal student loan? Having trouble surfing the
Internet to find the nearest veterans hospital? Want to reserve a
campsite at a national park? Now, Americans can do all these things
by logging on to a single U.S. government Web site:
http://firstgov.gov. The one-stop Internet site
consolidates 20,000
government Web sites - some 27 million web pages - into one. Rather
than digging through the Social Security Administration's Web site to
print out a form to track retirement benefits, or entering their
salary information to calculate it themselves securely, users can go
straight to FirstGov to easily see all the government transactions,
shopping and more they can do online. See
*************************************************
*** One-stop gov't Web site debuts Fri.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Want to track your Social Security benefits? Need
to apply for a federal student loan? Having trouble surfing the
Internet to find the nearest veterans hospital? Want to reserve a
campsite at a national park? Beginning Friday, Americans can do all
these things by logging on to a single U.S. government Web site:
http://firstgov.gov. President Clinton will explain how the site
works in an Internet address Friday afternoon The one-stop Internet
site consolidates 20,000 government Web sites - some 27 million web
pages - into one. The new site allows Internet users to search for
government information by topic, rather than by agency. It also is
designed to reduce the time Americans now spend traveling to
government offices and waiting in line. The site was developed, at no
cost to taxpayers, by a team led by Internet entrepreneur Eric
Brewer. He's chief scientist at Inktomi Corp., a software developer
and marketer in Foster City, Calif. The government will pay $165,000
a month to maintain the site, which can search a half a billion
documents in less than one-quarter of a second and handle millions of
searches a day. The White House Web site ranked near the bottom among
federal Internet destinations, Brown University researchers said.
*** Clinton: Bring tech to disabled
FLINT, Mich. (AP) - President Clinton got a close-up demonstration
Thursday of technology that's helping people with disabilities
connect to cyberspace: computers that let people read books online in
Braille, send e-mails with a gaze of their eyes or translate Web
pages aloud. Clinton flew to Michigan, a battleground state in the
presidential election, to announce actions that his administration,
private companies, universities and organizations are taking to make
sure more of the millions of Americans with disabilities can join the
digital economy. The White House said 17.3 million Americans have
severe disabilities. See
*** Intel warns on 3Q expectations
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Intel Corp. Thursday warned that its
third-quarter revenues will be significantly below Wall Street's
expectations, sending tremors throughout the high-tech industry. The
news sent shares of Intel down $12.92, or 21%, to $48.06 in
after-hours trading. Intel finished the regular trading session on
the Nasdaq Stock Market at $61.48, down $1.58. The stocks of several
other high-profile companies also got caught in Intel's downdraft.
The Santa Clara, Calif.-based chip maker said its revenue for the
period ending Sept. 30 will range between $8.5 billion and $8.7
billion, about 3% to 5% higher than second-quarter revenue of $8.3
billion. Industry analysts had been expecting third quarter revenues
of $9 billion to $9.1 billion, or 9% to 10% higher than the second
quarter. See
*** Not all prefer to go online
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The head of the Texas AFL-CIO understands
technology's benefits for future generations of workers. But Joseph
Gunn's personal office is void of computers, and he would rather let
his wife and staff surf the Internet on his behalf. "To some degree I
feel bliss in being ignorant," said Gunn, 69, one of millions of
Americans saying no to Net life. A study released Thursday by the Pew
Internet and American Life Project found that more than half the
American adults who don't currently use the Internet have little or
no desire to get online. They are America's Netless by choice, and
their lack of interest suggests it will take a lot more time than
many had thought before the United States becomes a fully connected
nation. See
*** AT&T to test new Web-TV system
NEW YORK (AP) - AT&T Corp. will use cable TV software from Liberate
Technologies for a trial run with interactive television, a decision
that comes soon after Microsoft warned of delays in a competing
system for AT&T. The pilot program will be introduced in an
undisclosed market late this year, AT&T said Thursday in a statement.
If the pilot is successful, the companies expect to introduce
interactive TV services commercially. The new relationship marks a
big gain for Liberate's technology platform in the convergence of the
Internet and television, a long-talked about frontier that has picked
up steam with the recent introduction of AOLTV by America Online.
Liberate's software adds online capabilities such as e-mail, chat,
shopping and Web browsing to any TV in the house. See
*** Regulators want Internet choices
WASHINGTON (AP) - Pressure is mounting on America Online and Time
Warner to formalize their pledge that consumers will have choices in
how they get future generations of Web service. Both companies have
said they will give Internet providers other than AOL access to Time
Warner's high-speed cable systems. That would mean a consumer
subscribing to super fast Web connections offered by Time Warner
could select from multiple online providers. But regulators from the
FTC and FCC - both of which are examining the mammoth deal - want to
see that commitment strengthened. Sources have said that the FTC
staff will block the deal, unless the companies promise to allow
competing Internet companies onto their cable systems. See
************************************************
*** German Internet tax plan blocked
BERLIN (AP) - Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Monday ruled out a tax
on Internet use that critics said would stifle the development of the
Web in Germany, Europe's biggest economy. In a speech to business
leaders, Schroeder quashed a new Finance Ministry rule floated last
month to tax businesses every time employees use company computers
for private Internet surfing. "Private use of the Internet in the
workplace is tax-free," he said at the World's Fair in the central
town of Hanover. And people who use their own personal computers to
log onto the Internet for work are entitled to tax breaks, he said.
Telecommunications and computer firms had criticized the government
for the tax plan, arguing that it would be a bureaucratic nightmare
that would discourage many people from becoming familiar with the
Internet. Still, the government will push ahead with new rules to
protect intellectual property rights, Schroeder said. See
*** Sun Microsystems buys Cobalt
PALO ALTO, Calif. (AP) - Sun Microsystems Inc. said Tuesday it is
buying Cobalt Networks in a $2 billion stock deal, a move designed to
strengthen the company's entry in the server appliance market. Sun is
a leading maker of high-end servers that power corporate networks and
Web sites. The stock-for-stock merger, however, means Sun plans to
expand into the growing arena of server appliances, which are geared
to specific tasks and are typically less expensive. Mountain
View-based Cobalt Networks, Inc. is a leading supplier of server
appliance products. Under the deal, Sun said each Cobalt common share
will be converted into half a share of Sun stock. The acquisition is
expected to be completed by Dec. 31. See
*** Web broadcast venture shuts down
NEW YORK (AP) - Pseudo Programs Inc., which had been broadcasting 10
hours a day of Web-based interactive programming from its New York
studio, has turned itself off after running out of cash. Pseudo sent
all of its 175 employees home Monday when negotiations stalled with
some potential buyers of the company, CEO David Bohrman said Tuesday.
Pseudo, a pioneer in pairing live video with the interactive power of
the Internet, is continuing to talk with suitors. But its run may
have ended for good, Bohrman said. The shutdown of Pseudo continues
the shakeout of unprofitable Web-based entertainment ventures. Recent
casualties also included Pop.com, backed by Steven Spielberg and
other big names, which was supposed to Webcast video, animation and
other programming. It was closed earlier this month before even
getting started. See
*** Yahoo! switches book partners
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Yahoo! Inc. is ending its partnership with
Amazon.com Inc., the top online seller of books, and creating a much
larger link with Amazon rival barnesandnoble.com. Until Monday, a
search for a topic on Yahoo!, the world's most popular Internet
portal, resulted in not only a list of appropriate Web sites but also
a link to books on that subject available at Amazon.com. Starting
Tuesday, the suggested vendor will be barnesandnoble.com, which is
majority-owned by New York-based Barnes & Noble, the No. 1 book
seller in the United States, and German media giant Bertelsmann AG.
See
*** Personal TV recorders offer ad tool
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - The companies that are revolutionizing the
way people watch television, letting them zip past commercials at the
push of a button, are still giving marketers a chance to catch
viewers' attention. TiVo and ReplayTV, leading competitors in the
nascent industry of personal video recorders, plan to let advertisers
preload commercials and promotional material in their devices
starting this fall. TiVo's subscribers, however, will not be forced
to watch the preloaded material: They can opt to play the promotions
or not. ReplayTV subscribers will also get to choose whether or not
to watch the commercials. The new marketing tool could be significant
in an age in which cable television and VCRs - and now also personal
television recorders - have all drastically cut the amount of time
couch potatoes spend watching ads. See
************************************************
*** FBI investigates missing laptop
SAN DIEGO (AP) - Authorities tried Monday to determine if the
suspicious disappearance of a laptop computer belonging to the chief
executive officer of Qualcomm Inc. was a simple case of thievery or
an act of economic espionage. The FBI has begun an investigation at
the request of Qualcomm executives, said a spokeswoman for the
bureau's Los Angeles office said. Qualcomm declined to comment on the
investigation. The San Diego-based company is a leader in wireless
technology - a boom market of the burgeoning telecommunications
revolution - with $3.9 billion in revenues last year. It designs and
produces chips for wireless communications devices and holds hundreds
of patents whose royalties provide it with the bulk of its earnings.
See
*** GM starts Internet car sales
DETROIT (AP) - General Motors Corp. is expanding its online shopping
services to enable consumers to check vehicle inventories and get a
guaranteed "e-price," allowing customers to complete all but the
final steps of a vehicle purchase on its GM BuyPower Web site. A
dealer would handle the final purchase paperwork, the company said
Monday. A pilot program starting the first week of October will cover
the seven Oldsmobile dealers in the Minneapolis, Minn. area. In
August, Ford Motor Co. and its 4,200 Ford Division dealers announced
a similar program, set for launch in California within weeks. The
automakers' Internet sales systems are a response to the growing
popularity of online vehicle sales programs, seen as a threat to the
traditional dealer-automaker relationship. See
*** Dell pushes on with Internet plan
ROUND ROCK, Texas (AP) - Dell Computer Corp. has created a division
to oversee its data storage products and systems businesses and has
begun selling two new servers, computer hardware used to host Web
sites. Dell announced plans for the new division and computer
hardware on Monday. In April, the company that made its fortune
selling personal computers said it would begin focusing on
Internet-related services and equipment by increasing support
services, expanding into wireless products and investing in startup
companies. Dell's storage business grew 70% in the last 12 months,
with overall sales approaching $1 billion annually. Dell's overall
sales in that time were $28.5 billion. See
*** Costco, Yahoo! in free net deal
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Costco Wholesale Corp., owner of a chain
of warehouse stores, is teaming with Yahoo! Inc. and another company
to provide free Internet access for Costco's 25 million members in
the U.S. As part of the deal announced Monday, Costco and Yahoo! will
set up a co-branded Web site with information on deals at Costco and
a link to costco.com, the company's e-commerce site. Costco will be
promoted on several Yahoo! pages and featured on Yahoo! Shopping. The
Internet access will be provided by Spinway Inc. Costco customers
will be able to begin using the Internet access after picking up a
free CD-ROM at stores or downloading software from costco.com.
Costco, based in Issaquah, Wash., operates 237 warehouse stores in
the U.S. and a total of 332 worldwide. The stores are designed for
small-to-medium-sized businesses but also serve individual customers,
or members. See
*** Germany won't tax Internet
BERLIN (AP) - Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Monday ruled out a tax
on Internet use that critics said would stifle the development of the
Web in Germany, Europe's biggest economy. In a speech to business
leaders, Schroeder quashed a new Finance Ministry rule floated last
month to tax businesses every time employees use company computers
for private Internet surfing. Telecommunications and computer firms
had criticized the government for the tax plan, arguing that it would
be a bureaucratic nightmare that would discourage many people from
becoming familiar with the Internet. Still, the government will push
ahead with new rules to protect intellectual property rights,
Schroeder said. Many companies are upset with plans to levy a tax on
the makers of equipment such as high-speed modems and CD-burners that
can be used to copy protected material. The proceeds would go to
rights holders such as pop stars and authors. See
*********************************************
*** CEO's PC, possibly secrets, vanish
IRVINE, Calif. (AP) - The personal portable computer of Qualcomm
Inc.'s chief executive officer, which apparently contained valuable
company secrets, disappeared from a hotel conference room moments
after he addressed a national business journalists' meeting. Irwin
Jacobs left the computer unattended on a podium or an adjoining table
in the Hyatt Regency-Irvine ballroom on Saturday for 15-20 minutes
when he stepped down to talk to a small group after addressing about
90 members of the Society of American Business Editors and Writers.
Jacobs told people at the conference that the IBM laptop, which he
had used for a slide show-type presentation focusing on Qualcomm's
wireless telecommunications technology, contained proprietary
information that could be valuable to foreign governments. See
*** DSL leaves some customers fuming
NEW YORK (AP) - The ads are all over: Get high-speed Internet through
your phone line! Baby Bells and Internet service providers are
pushing digital subscriber lines, or DSL, as the way to get the home
connected. What the ads don't say is that DSL installation fails in
many cases, leaving customers fuming. At its best, DSL is an elegant
technology that speeds up Internet downloads more than 10 times
compared to a dial-up modem, yet leaves the phone line free for
regular calls. And it's offered at a price many are willing to pay
for a fast onramp to the Internet: typically $40 to $60 a month after
a setup fee of $100 to $300. See
*** Online research ethics lacking
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - Don't get too comfortable with your online
support group. A researcher may be lurking, recording your
outpourings in the name of science. In fact, a researcher posing as a
member of the support group may be posting comments simply to observe
the reaction from participants. As more researchers turn to the
Internet for behavioral studies, there is growing concern about the
potential harm to online users unaware that they have become research
subjects when they discuss diseases, marital problems and sexual
identity crises. Online research ethics - specifically, the lack of
any meaningful guidelines - was one of the chief topics of discussion
this week at the inaugural meeting of the Association of Internet
Researchers. See
***
Also: Researchers looking at Internet, see
************************************************
*** Oracle's 1Q earns more than double
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Oracle Corp. shook off the departure of its
second-ranking executive and rode the continuing demand for its
Internet software to more than double its profit for its first
quarter. The Redwood Shores-based software giant recorded a $501
million profit, or 17 cents per share, for the three months ended
Aug. 31, up from $237 million, or 8 cents per share, in the year-ago
period. The results from both quarters include investment gains and
losses. Analysts polled by First Call/Thomson Financial forecast
earnings of 13 cents per share. See
*** Napster rails against industry
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Napster Inc., the song-swapping software company
battling the recording industry in federal appeals court, says major
record labels maintain a "chokehold" on current music sales avenues.
Traditional methods of developing musical acts and marketing them
widely through traditional channels are firmly under the thumb of a
select few companies, not including Napster, the Redwood City,
Calif.-based company said in the brief filed late Tuesday. The
Recording Industry Association of America's copyright infringement
case against the Napster is scheduled for arguments Oct. 2 before the
9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The RIAA holds that a federal
district judge was correct in ruling that Napster fostered copyright
infringement. See
*** Software maker Abobe's profits soar
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Adobe Systems Inc.'s third-quarter results
easily soared past Wall Street expectations Thursday as demand for
Web publishing software boosted profits 39%. For the three months
ended Sept. 1, Adobe earned $78.3 million, or 61 cents per diluted
share. In the same period last year, Adobe posted a net profit of
$57.1 million, or 44 cents per diluted share. Analysts had expected
Adobe to show a per-share profit of 52 cents in the third quarter,
according to a survey by First Call/Thomson Financial. Revenue for
the three months was $328.9 million, up from $260.9 million a year
ago. It was the fifth consecutive quarter in which the company has
achieved record revenue results, the company said. See
*** SEC warns on 'pre-IPO' fraud
WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal regulators are seeing a number of
securities sales online or by Internet companies, claiming to offer
"pre-IPO" stock to give investors a jump before the firms go public.
They have charged some of the companies with fraud and are warning
investors to be wary of such investments. In a related action
Thursday, the Securities and Exchange Commission announced it had
reached a settlement with 1stBuy.com Inc., a company that operates an
Internet retail site, and its founder, who agreed to pay a $25,000
civil fine. The regulators alleged that they raised some $3.8 million
from 1,200 investors nationwide by making false and misleading
statements about an IPO, or initial public offering of stock, and by
referring to the offering as a "pre-IPO." See
*** Artisan launches new Web unit
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Artisan Entertainment, the distributor of last
year's hit "The Blair Witch Project," is forming a new unit to
oversee its Internet projects and invest in new media companies.
Artisan Digital Media will direct the company's film promotion and
e-commerce efforts, the company said Thursday. It will also oversee
marketing of its films and other projects over the Internet. It was a
clever, grassroots Internet marketing campaign that created buzz for
"Blair Witch" and showed the power of the Web for generating an
audience for films. Since then, most major studios have begun to use
the interactive features of the Web to promote movies. See
*** Web sites for kids criticizes law
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - While federal officials work out the kinks of
implementing a law aimed at protecting children from online
pornography, at least one major Web site for kids is saying the
measure is hurting its legitimate business. Steven Bryan, CEO of
Zeeks.com, said Wednesday the costs of complying with the 1998 Child
Online Protection Act are simply too high. Zeeks.com, the 15th most
popular entertainment site for children according to Media Metrix
Inc., will pull its e-mail and chat-room services Oct. 1. and try to
make up for the predicted 20% loss in traffic with additional games.
COPA requires commercial Web sites to obtain "verifiable parental
consent" before any child under 13 participates in any interactive
activity such as e-mails or chat rooms. See
**********************************************
*** Apple releases operating system
PARIS (AP) - Apple Computer chief Steve Jobs on Wednesday released a
long-awaited public test version of OS X - an ambitious upgrade of
the Macintosh operating system. It's out with the familiar linear
windows that have long organized computer screens. The new system has
sleek graphics, colorful on-screen buttons and sliding windows that
make for easier computing, the company said. "It's unlike anything
you've ever experienced on a Mac before," Jobs told an audience of
more than 3,700 at the opening of the Apple Expo in Paris. A public
test version of the OS X - the X stands for 10 - went on sale
Wednesday in English, French and German at the Paris trade show and
Apple's online stores for $29.95. See
*** Inktomi buys Internet broadcast co.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Inktomi Corp. is adding to its toolbox of
technology that powers some of the Internet's most popular sites with
its planned $1.3 billion purchase of online broadcasting company
FastForward Networks. Inktomi believes the Web broadcasting
technology developed by privately held FastForward will give it a leg
up in the race to deliver the type of live high-quality video and
audio that will attract more traffic to Web sites and ultimately
generate more revenue. The acquisition continues Inktomi's evolution
from one of the Internet's pioneering search engine companies to a
diversified networking business. Internet broadcasts so far largely
have been unsuccessful. See
*** Personal Web data theft flourishing
WASHINGTON (AP) - Bank account search: $249. Available around the
country. Takes 10-18 business days. Ads like this on the Internet are
proliferating, experts say, despite a 10-month-old federal law
prohibiting use of deceptive techniques to get people's personal
financial data from banks. Such techniques, notably "pretext
calling," in which people misrepresent themselves to obtain the
private data of others from banks and other financial institutions,
are flourishing, congressional testimony showed Wednesday. Pretext
callers often pose as law enforcement agents, social workers,
potential employers and other figures of authority. See
*** Bill Gates arrives in India
NEW DELHI, India (AP) - Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates arrived to a
red carpet welcome Wednesday for a brief visit to India to join in
celebrations to mark 10 years of his software firm's operations in
the country. Security was tight when the world's richest man landed
at New Delhi airport on his private jet. Microsoft officials had kept
his arrival schedule a secret, but scores of people had gathered at
the airport to greet the software magnate. During his 24-hour visit,
Gates is expected to announce a new alliance with India's emerging
information technology giant, Infosys Technologies. He will also be
meeting Indian officials as well as reviewing development projects by
the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in the country. See
*** Barnes&Noble to buy Fatbrain
NEW YORK (AP) - In a sign of further consolidation in e-retailing,
Barnes & Noble.com announced Wednesday that it will pay $64 million
to acquire Fatbrain.com Inc., the third largest bookseller in
professional and technical titles. Under the terms of the deal,
Barnes & Noble.com will acquire Fatbrain.com in exchange for $4.25
per share for all the outstanding shares of Fatbrain.com.
Fatbrain.com will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Barnes &
Noble.com. The transaction involves 75% stock in Barnes & Noble.com
and 25% cash for each Fatbrain.com share, Barnes & Noble said. See
/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
*** Fed Web sites fail to measure up
WASHINGTON (AP) - Congressional investigators say a huge majority of
federal Web sites fail to measure up to the Federal Trade
Commission's standards for Internet privacy, including the FTC's own
site. At the behest of Republican legislators, the General Accounting
Office graded 65 of the government's most popular World Wide Web
sites on the basis of four principles: adequate notice of practices,
choice to give or not to give information, access to change personal
information and assurance that information is secured properly. The
report found that only 3% of federal sites pass. Rep. Dick Armey,
R-Texas, who requested the report, said government Web sites have all
kinds of personal information about the public that should be held to
a higher standard than commercial information that companies glean
when customers visit their sites. See
*** New digital music player rocks on
NEW YORK (AP) - It looks like a portable CD player and it plays
music, but that's only half the story. Or, to be more precise, one
150th of the story. When it hits stores Sept. 18, the Nomad Jukebox
will be the first portable music player with its own hard drive,
allowing it to carry music equivalent to the contents of 150 CDs in a
neat package weighing less than a pound. That's right, you read it
right the first time. The aptly named Jukebox carries a whole library
of music. You can play the songs in any order and make your own
playlists. The Jukebox is perhaps the most exciting gadget yet to use
the digital music technology known as MP3. See
*** Microsoft CEO: politics altered
SEATTLE (AP) - The chief executive officer of Microsoft Corp. said
Tuesday that the federal antitrust case against his company has
altered the way Microsoft approaches politics, including
contributions to candidates. President and CEO Steve Ballmer,
speaking at a luncheon for the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce,
was hit with the question from an audience member about the Justice
Department's suit against the company and whether it's had an effect
on political contributions. In May 2000, a federal judge ruled in
favor of the Justice Department, which had sued Microsoft, alleging
antitrust violations. The judge ordered Microsoft to be broken into
two separate companies. Microsoft appealed the case, which is
currently before the U.S. Supreme Court, which can take the case or
send it back down to the U.S. Court of Appeals. See
*** Group: Re-evaluate school computers
WASHINGTON (AP) - Billions of dollars spent on school computers and
Internet connections deliver little long-term benefit and could be
better spent on more teachers and other improvements, a group
critical of technology in the classroom said Tuesday. "We've gone
down this highway of bringing computers into elementary schools with
so little debate, and spending such huge sums," said Joan Almon, a
former Baltimore kindergarten teacher and head of the U.S. branch of
Alliance for Childhood. The alliance, an international partnership of
educators, doctors and psychologists based in College Park, Md.,
wants a "time-out" from policies that emphasize computers as an ideal
educational tool for toddlers, preschoolers and elementary school
students. Many experts say there is little direct evidence tying
computer use and higher school achievement. See
*** Corning jumps into DNA chip market
CORNING, N.Y. (AP) - Using a high-volume manufacturing process,
Corning Inc. is swooping into the business of making microarrays -
