Pac-Man First Game Character to Get Own Rose Parade Float

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

Santa Clara, Calif. – Namco Bandai Games America said on
Friday that Pac-Man will be the first video game character to receive its own
float at the 122nd Annual Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena on New Year’s
Day. The float will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the iconic game, as
well as the release of a new Pac-Man title for the Wii. The float will stand
55-feet tall and include ghost characters Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde.
Pac-Man will be standing atop floral arrangements holding his birthday cake.

 

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/23jomwn

http://www.namcobandaigames.com

Broadcasters to Offer Mobile TV Service to 40% of U.S. by 2012

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

New York – Mobile Content Venture (MCV), a mobile TV-focused
joint venture between 12 major broadcasters, said on Friday it aims to be to
offer mobile TV service to 40% of the U.S. population by late 2011.

The group
has committed to upgrade TV stations in 20 markets in order to deliver live
video to portable devices.

In 2011, MCV expects to offer the mobile video service in
the following markets: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San
Francisco, Dallas, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Houston, Detroit, Tampa, Phoenix,
Minneapolis, Orlando, Portland, Cincinnati, Greenville, West Palm Beach,
Birmingham, and Knoxville.

MCV added that it’s working with manufacturers to
ensure devices supporting its platform are available in the second half of
2011.

 

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/2by7wy7

Cable TV Provider Cox Launches Cellular Network Service

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

Atlanta – Cox, the nation’s third-largest cable TV provider
with 6.2 million total customers, on Friday announced the launch of a wireless
network service, initially available in just three areas with a total of 1.5
million residents.

The "Unbelievably Fair" service from Cox Wireless
launches in Orange County, Calif.; Hampton Roads, Va.; and Omaha, Nebr.; the
Associated Press notes the company has also spend $550 million for wireless
spectrum in Atlanta, New Orleans, San Diego, Las Vegas, Kansas and New Mexico.

The
service will be offered to Cox customers, who will receive free premium
entertainment cable TV channels, or other incentives for signing up.

One unique
feature is MoneyBack Minutes, where Cox will pay customers up to $20 cash back
per month for unused wireless minutes.

 

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/2fhs7uq

http://tinyurl.com/3xk2qoz
(AP)

http://www.unbelievablyfairwireless.com

eMusic Adds Major Label Songs, Shifts to Variable Track Pricing

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
1

*A correction was made to this story.

New York – Digital music service eMusic has implemented a
new variable pricing structure, offering individual albums and tracks sold at varying prices. The switchover
comes as eMusic adds 250,000 new tracks to its service from Universal Music,
and new tracks from fellow major labels Sony (NYSE:  SNE) Music and Warner Music (NYSE:  WMG) — but also
in the same week that prominent independent labels Domino, Merge and Beggars
Group announced they would exit eMusic.

The indies cited eMusic’s new relationships
with the major labels as a key factor in their decisions.

Under the new eMusic
pricing structure, tracks will range in price from 49 cents to 89 cents; customers must still pay a monthly subscription fee starting at $11.99 in order to gain access to a la carte downloads at those price points.

PaidContent notes that about 80% of the service’s 10
million tracks will be priced at 49 cents; the higher price point is likely to
be utilized by the major labels.

*Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that eMusic had ceased using a subscription model in implementing the new pricing structure.  

 

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/269a8yp
(PaidContent)

http://tinyurl.com/2gxrnwp (DMW previous coverage)

http://www.emusic.com

RIAA Asks Judge to Kill Resurrected LimeWire File-Sharing App

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

San Francisco – The Recording Industry Association of
America (RIAA) has asked a federal judge to appoint a "receiver" to
ensure that file-sharing software provider LimeWire complies with an injunction
that it disable distribution of its software, CNET News.com reported. While
LimeWire complied with the initial court order, halting distribution of its
file-sharing client a day after the injunction was handed down in October, a
rogue version of the application surfaced weeks later.

A "secret"
development team released "LimeWire Pirate Edition" earlier this
month, TorrentFreak reported.

In its filing, the RIAA alleges this software was
created by an individual who is "either formerly or presently a Lime Wire
employee," and asked the court to compel LimeWire to aid its investigation
into who is distributing LimeWire Pirate Edition.

The RIAA adds that, "defendants
have demonstrated in no uncertain terms that they either will not or cannot do
what the injunction commands."

 

 

Related Links:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20023365-261.html

http://tinyurl.com/2f62cg8
(DMW previous coverage)

Report: Amazon in Talks to Invest $100 Million in LivingSocial

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

Washington – LivingSocial, the startup behind the
"Daily Deals" social shopping service, could be about to land a major
investment from Amazon.com (NASD: AMZN), according to a report in VentureBeat.

Citing a
source close to one of LivingSocial’s backers, the blog reported that Amazon is
in talks to possibly invest $100 million in the company, which already has
raised $49.2 million since March.

VentureBeat said such a deal would make sense
for Amazon, which is still a bit player in the high-margin daily offers market,
which also includes such players as GroupOn and new entrant AOL.

LivingSocial
currently has 10 million subscribers in more than 100 markets, and in the past
few weeks has acquired New York-based social adventure company Urban Escapes
and expanded into Australia with a $5 million investment in Jump On It.

The
company’s investors includce U.S. Venture Partners, Grotech Ventures,
Lightspeed Venture Partners and Steve Case’s Revolution.

 

Related Links:
http://venturebeat.com/2010/11/18/livingsocial-amazon-com-rumor

http://www.livingsocial.com

Aspiro Sells Mobile Entertainment Business in Finland

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

Stockholm – Aspiro, a provider of TV and music streaming
services in Europe, said on Friday that it will sell its remaining mobile
entertainment business in Finland to Exsol Oy.

The purchase price was about
$137,000, plus an earn-out minimum of $273,000 over a two-year period.

Aspiro
is also divesting its mobile entertainment operations in Norway, Sweden and
Denmark.

"We are streamlining our operations and focusing mainly on
streaming services in music, television and video, as well as business
solutions in the Mobile Solutions area. We see very high growth potential in
the future and it is therefore positive that we can focus even more on our core
business," said Aspiro CEO Gunnar Sellæg.

 

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/23o4hjo

http://www.aspiro.com

Plastic Jungle Raises $10 Million for Secure Gift Card Exchange

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
1

San Jose, Calif. – Plastic Jungle, the developer of a
secured gift card exchange, said on Thursday it has raised $10 million in its
third round of funding, led by Jafco Ventures.

Previous backers Shasta
Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, Bay Partners and First Round Capital also
participated.

San Jose, Calif.-based Plastic Jungle’s marketplace and payment
applications allow consumers to sell unredeemed gift cards for up to 92% of
their balance, as well as buy gift cards at up to 30% off.

Users of the site
have the option to convert their gift cards into cash or online balances to use
for purchases.

The company expects to transact more than $10 million in gift
card value in 2010, making it the largest marketplace of its kind.

 

Related Links:
http://www.plasticjungle.com

Social Shopping Service Fashism Gets $1 Million

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

New York – Fashism, a social shopping Web and mobile
service, has raised $1 million its first round of venture capital financing,
led by A-Grade Investments, a fund created by actor Ashton Kutcher.

Other
backers included Highline Venture Partners; SV Angel; Vast Ventures; Rick Webb;
Kutcher’s wife, Demi Moore; and "Project Runway" reality TV show judge
Nina Garcia.

Launched in September — during New York Fashion Week — New
York-based Fashism lets users upload fashion photos and solicit feedback from
the online community.

The site counts 40,000 registered users and is serving about
1 million monthly page views.

 

Related Links:
http://tinyurl.com/25cga4c
(N.Y. Times)

http://www.fashism.com

U.K.'s TV Everywhere Invests in IP Protection Firm KLipcorp

By
Mark Hefflinger
-
0

London – TV Everywhere, a U.K.-based TV technology
development and investment firm, announced that it has invested in KLipcorp, a
provider of copyright monitoring and enforcement services.

The amount of the
investment was not disclosed.

KLipcorp serves customers including the Football
Association, IMG and the PGA, using a combination of technical and legal
techniques to track and remove content from unauthorized distribution.

 

Related Links:
http://www.tveverywhere.co.uk

http://www.klipcorp.com

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