COLUMBUS, Ohio — A force as insidious as Dracula is quietly sucking a nickel of every dollar's worth of the electricity that seeps from your home's outlets.
Insert the little fangs of your cellphone charger in the outlet and leave it there, phone attached: That's vampire electronics.
Allow your computer to hide in the cloak of darkness known as "standby mode" rather than shutting it off: That's vampire electronics.
The latest estimates show 5% of electricity used in the United States goes to standby power, a phenomenon energy efficiency experts find all the more terrifying as energy prices rise and the planet warms. That amounts to about $4 billion a year.
The percentage could rise to 20% by 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Ohio DVD player International Energy Agency US Department of Energy Dave Walton
In California, lawmakers passed a proposal last year — dubbed the Vampire Slayers Act — to add vampire electronics labels to consumer products, detailing how much energy a charger, computer, DVD player, PlayStation, microwave or coffee maker uses when on, off or in standby mode.
"It's something people don't know about," said Dave Walton, home ideas director for Direct Energy, a utility and energy services company that has one of its four main offices in Dublin, Ohio.
The issue is particularly pressing in Ohio, the nation's No. 1 emitter of toxic air emissions — mostly from electricity production at the state's coal-fired power plants. Walton said skyrocketing energy costs mean everyone should worry about the vampires in the house.
The International Energy Agency has estimated standby energy use by vampire electronics at 200 to 400 terawatt-hours a year. The entire country of Italy consumes about 300 terawatt-hours of electricity each year, according to the agency.
Picture any appliance that displays a clock while otherwise idle, such as a microwave oven, coffee maker or DVD player. They constantly consume little bits of energy.
"About 40% of the electricity being used to power your home electronics is consumed while they are in that standby mode," Walton said. "If you just focus on that piece, you will be making a big step."
Ditto for things that charge, such as cellphones, PDAs, toothbrushes or portable tools, some of which trickle a charge even after the device that's charging is at capacity.
Some chargers halt the flow of current when it's not needed, which should happen automatically with chargers for lithium-ion batteries. If you're uncertain, Walton advises unplugging chargers when not in use.
He recommends hooking up your home computer system, including accessories like a printer or scanner, to a single power strip that can be easily switched off each night. He advises shutting off the other vampires too, though the inconvenience of resetting the clocks, channels and timers on those devices each morning will discourage most people.
The government-backed Energy Star program, coordinated jointly by the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, identifies appliances that consume less energy.
If one in 10 American homes used only appliances endorsed through the program, the Energy Department estimates, it would reduce U.S. carbon emissions by the same amount as planting 1.7 million acres of trees.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Apple targets iPhone resellers
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Apple Inc. no longer accepts cash for iPhone purchases and now limits sales of the cellphone to two per person in a move to stop people from reselling them.
The new policy started Thursday, said Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris. Before then, there was no cash restriction and the purchase limit was five per person.
"Customer response to the iPhone has been off the charts, and limiting iPhone sales to two per customer helps us ensure that there are enough iPhones for people who are shopping for themselves or buying a gift," Kerris said. "We're requiring a credit or debit card for payment to discourage unauthorized resellers."
More than 1.4 million units of the hybrid cellphone-iPod have been sold since it debuted on June 29, according to Apple. It is expected to be a hot gift for the holidays.
Apple thinks some people already have purchased multiple iPhones to resell, including those looking to modify, or "unlock," the phones so they work on networks other than Apple's carrier partner in the United States, AT&T Inc.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Apple Apple Computer Getty Natalie Kerris Tim Cook
Apple estimates that buyers of 250,000 of the iPhones sold so far intended to unlock them, Apple's chief operating officer Tim Cook said in a conference call with analysts this week.
Apple's attempts to prevent that "unlocking" activity, which included a software update that blocked the workarounds hackers had developed, have frustrated users — and sparked two lawsuits.
The new policy started Thursday, said Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris. Before then, there was no cash restriction and the purchase limit was five per person.
"Customer response to the iPhone has been off the charts, and limiting iPhone sales to two per customer helps us ensure that there are enough iPhones for people who are shopping for themselves or buying a gift," Kerris said. "We're requiring a credit or debit card for payment to discourage unauthorized resellers."
More than 1.4 million units of the hybrid cellphone-iPod have been sold since it debuted on June 29, according to Apple. It is expected to be a hot gift for the holidays.
Apple thinks some people already have purchased multiple iPhones to resell, including those looking to modify, or "unlock," the phones so they work on networks other than Apple's carrier partner in the United States, AT&T Inc.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Apple Apple Computer Getty Natalie Kerris Tim Cook
Apple estimates that buyers of 250,000 of the iPhones sold so far intended to unlock them, Apple's chief operating officer Tim Cook said in a conference call with analysts this week.
Apple's attempts to prevent that "unlocking" activity, which included a software update that blocked the workarounds hackers had developed, have frustrated users — and sparked two lawsuits.
Monday, October 29, 2007
NBC, Fox launching video site Hulu.com
LOS ANGELES — NBC and Fox are set to launch an advertising-supported online video site that hosts programming from varied entertainment companies in a bid to seize viewers from Google's YouTube, the broadcasters said.
A test version of the site, Hulu.com, goes online Monday, with plans to premiere a final version in a few months, company officials said.
The site, developed by News Corp. and NBC Universal, a unit of General Electric, offers free viewing of full-length films and TV episodes, supported by advertising.
It will host programming from the two networks, as well as TV shows and films from Sony and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
"Consumers identify with shows and films," rather than networks, Hulu chief executive Jason Kilar said. "When you aggregate great content together, it makes things easier for the user."
FIND MORE STORIES IN: TV NBC Fox News Corp Youtube Daily Show James Mcquivey
Hulu's debut comes amid tensions between entertainment companies and popular online video sites, such as YouTube, where unauthorized clips from shows often appear.
Viacom, which owns Comedy Central, MTV, VH1 and many other cable channels, is suing YouTube for $1 billion, claiming massive copyright infringement of clips from popular shows, including "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." YouTube has said it follows copyright laws by removing protected video upon request.
Hulu will legally offer hundreds of episodes of current shows such as NBC's "30 Rock" and Fox's "The Simpsons," as well as older shows such as "Lou Grant" and "Lost in Space."
Its movie offerings will consist of films that have already been edited for television broadcast, which will contain short ads online in the places where they would appear on TV.
The shows will be available at Hulu.com, as well as on distribution partner websites such as AOL, MSN, MySpace, Yahoo and Comcast.
It will also provide viewers with tools that let them embed full episodes on their own blogs, websites or personal profile pages. Users would also be able to select short clips from shows, such as Jay Leno's monologue on "The Tonight Show," and e-mail a link to the content to friends.
The services give Web users unprecedented flexibility to legally republish copyright content, observers said.
"The technology they've put together on this short notice is not only adequate, it's also better than most of what else is out there," said James McQuivey, a TV and media technology analyst for Forrester Research. "I think they have moved a couple of steps forward compared to their competitors in the industry."
Hulu will offer some premium content not available on NBC or Fox's own websites in a move at odds with some other networks that have tried to direct viewers to their own online content.
Walt Disney's ABC, for instance, sells downloads of its shows on Apple's iTunes but streams free episodes mainly on ABC.com.
McQuivey said Hulu's model could be preferable to advertisers, who generally favor strategies that make popular content widely available.
"Advertisers want more opportunity to put ads next to prime-time hit shows," he said. "If they had kept the content on NBC.com or Fox.com, it would have limited the number of people who would see it."
But McQuivey said Hulu faces a number of challenges, such as the expense of hosting content and delivering it to a potential audience of millions.
Those expenses will only grow as the site finds itself having to offer content in high definition to make it look better on large-screen televisions, McQuivey said.
A test version of the site, Hulu.com, goes online Monday, with plans to premiere a final version in a few months, company officials said.
The site, developed by News Corp. and NBC Universal, a unit of General Electric, offers free viewing of full-length films and TV episodes, supported by advertising.
It will host programming from the two networks, as well as TV shows and films from Sony and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
"Consumers identify with shows and films," rather than networks, Hulu chief executive Jason Kilar said. "When you aggregate great content together, it makes things easier for the user."
FIND MORE STORIES IN: TV NBC Fox News Corp Youtube Daily Show James Mcquivey
Hulu's debut comes amid tensions between entertainment companies and popular online video sites, such as YouTube, where unauthorized clips from shows often appear.
Viacom, which owns Comedy Central, MTV, VH1 and many other cable channels, is suing YouTube for $1 billion, claiming massive copyright infringement of clips from popular shows, including "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." YouTube has said it follows copyright laws by removing protected video upon request.
Hulu will legally offer hundreds of episodes of current shows such as NBC's "30 Rock" and Fox's "The Simpsons," as well as older shows such as "Lou Grant" and "Lost in Space."
Its movie offerings will consist of films that have already been edited for television broadcast, which will contain short ads online in the places where they would appear on TV.
The shows will be available at Hulu.com, as well as on distribution partner websites such as AOL, MSN, MySpace, Yahoo and Comcast.
It will also provide viewers with tools that let them embed full episodes on their own blogs, websites or personal profile pages. Users would also be able to select short clips from shows, such as Jay Leno's monologue on "The Tonight Show," and e-mail a link to the content to friends.
The services give Web users unprecedented flexibility to legally republish copyright content, observers said.
"The technology they've put together on this short notice is not only adequate, it's also better than most of what else is out there," said James McQuivey, a TV and media technology analyst for Forrester Research. "I think they have moved a couple of steps forward compared to their competitors in the industry."
Hulu will offer some premium content not available on NBC or Fox's own websites in a move at odds with some other networks that have tried to direct viewers to their own online content.
Walt Disney's ABC, for instance, sells downloads of its shows on Apple's iTunes but streams free episodes mainly on ABC.com.
McQuivey said Hulu's model could be preferable to advertisers, who generally favor strategies that make popular content widely available.
"Advertisers want more opportunity to put ads next to prime-time hit shows," he said. "If they had kept the content on NBC.com or Fox.com, it would have limited the number of people who would see it."
But McQuivey said Hulu faces a number of challenges, such as the expense of hosting content and delivering it to a potential audience of millions.
Those expenses will only grow as the site finds itself having to offer content in high definition to make it look better on large-screen televisions, McQuivey said.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
With earnings up 23%, Microsoft cites 'Halo' effect
Microsoft (MSFT) registered a sharp rise in financial results Thursday, propelled by brisk sales of its Vista operating system, Office 2007 software suite and Halo 3 video game.
Investors sent Microsoft shares up more than 12%, or $3.94, to $35.93 in early trading Friday, a new 52-week high.
The software giant said earnings increased 23% in its fiscal first quarter, to $4.3 billion, or 45 cents a share. Revenue climbed 27% to $13.8 billion.
In the year-ago quarter, Microsoft earned $3.5 billion, or 35 cents a share. The results beat analyst forecasts of 39 cents per share on sales of $12.6 billion, according to a poll by Thomson Financial.
It was Microsoft's best first quarter since 1999, when Microsoft's Windows 98 operating system was launched in Japan and several European countries.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Microsoft Revenue Vista Halo Office 2007 Colleen Healy
Colleen Healy, general manager of Microsoft's investor relations, attributed hearty sales growth to "strong, diversified product offerings."
The business unit responsible for Vista hauled in $4.1 billion in quarterly revenue — the same amount generated by the unit that makes Office 2007. Vista and Office 2007 began selling in January.
Roger Kay, president of researcher Endpoint Technologies Associates, says a bump in multiyear agreements indicates Vista is quickly gaining favor with corporate customers. Sales of Halo 3, the latest installment of Microsoft's shoot-'em-up game, and the Xbox 360 consoles that Halo is played on, contributed heavily to a $165 million profit for Microsoft's entertainment and devices division.
"There was an outstanding Halo effect," says Charles King, an analyst at researcher Pund-IT.
Microsoft also increased guidance for its fiscal year. It expects to earn $1.78 to $1.81 per share on revenue of $58.8 billion to $59.7 billion. "We're kissing $60 billion (in revenue) for the fiscal year," Healy says.
The results come a day after Microsoft trumped Google (GOOG) to acquire 1.6% of social-networking website Facebook for $240 million.
Investors sent Microsoft shares up more than 12%, or $3.94, to $35.93 in early trading Friday, a new 52-week high.
The software giant said earnings increased 23% in its fiscal first quarter, to $4.3 billion, or 45 cents a share. Revenue climbed 27% to $13.8 billion.
In the year-ago quarter, Microsoft earned $3.5 billion, or 35 cents a share. The results beat analyst forecasts of 39 cents per share on sales of $12.6 billion, according to a poll by Thomson Financial.
It was Microsoft's best first quarter since 1999, when Microsoft's Windows 98 operating system was launched in Japan and several European countries.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Microsoft Revenue Vista Halo Office 2007 Colleen Healy
Colleen Healy, general manager of Microsoft's investor relations, attributed hearty sales growth to "strong, diversified product offerings."
The business unit responsible for Vista hauled in $4.1 billion in quarterly revenue — the same amount generated by the unit that makes Office 2007. Vista and Office 2007 began selling in January.
Roger Kay, president of researcher Endpoint Technologies Associates, says a bump in multiyear agreements indicates Vista is quickly gaining favor with corporate customers. Sales of Halo 3, the latest installment of Microsoft's shoot-'em-up game, and the Xbox 360 consoles that Halo is played on, contributed heavily to a $165 million profit for Microsoft's entertainment and devices division.
"There was an outstanding Halo effect," says Charles King, an analyst at researcher Pund-IT.
Microsoft also increased guidance for its fiscal year. It expects to earn $1.78 to $1.81 per share on revenue of $58.8 billion to $59.7 billion. "We're kissing $60 billion (in revenue) for the fiscal year," Healy says.
The results come a day after Microsoft trumped Google (GOOG) to acquire 1.6% of social-networking website Facebook for $240 million.
Nintendo won't cut price of the Wii
TOKYO — Fresh off bumper earnings, Nintendo ruled out a price cut for its smash-hit Wii video game console Friday and announced the company will being selling the Wii in China next year.
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata also unveiled a gift-giving feature that will allow users to send each other games over the Internet, boosting the Wii's network offerings.
Profits at Nintendo have surged on the runaway success of the Wii and the portable Nintendo DS machine in North America, Europe and Japan, forcing Sony and Microsoft to slash console prices in a desperate catch-up bid ahead of the holiday season.
Iwata said the company was struggling to meet demand of the Wii and a price cut was out of the question. The Wii sells for $249.99 in North America, 249 euros in Europe and 25,000 yen in Japan — all less than Sony's PlayStation 3 or Microsoft's XBox 360.
"We're still focusing on how to meet booming demand," Iwata said Friday. "We're absolutely not considering a price cut." He said Nintendo was ramping out 1.8 million Wii consoles per month but that a supply crunch was inevitable during the Christmas sales.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: China Sony Nintendo Playstation North America Wii Microsoft's Xbox Wiis Satoru Iwata
Nintendo's confidence ahead of the critical Christmas shopping season reflects the Wii's strength in a three-way battle of current generation video game consoles against the PS3 and Xbox 360, as well as the continued popularity of the handheld DS console.
The maker of Pokemon and Super Mario games has chosen a different strategy from Sony and Microsoft, wooing novices with low-cost and user-friendly machines unlike the more expensive consoles of its rivals.
With its wandlike remote control for fishing, golfing, tennis and other video games, Nintendo's Wii console has won over fans from young children to rehab patients.
Sony's top-line PlayStation model, with an 80 gigabyte hard drive, now costs $499 in the U.S., down from $599. A new low-end model with a 40-gigabyte drive will go on sale Nov. 2 for $399.
Microsoft's Xbox 360 costs $350 in the United States.
The company has also won a following for the DS console — which stands for "dual screen" — with a lineup of low-cost, casual software like Nintendogs, Brain Age and Nintendo Cooking.
Nintendo shipped about 3.9 million Wii units around the world in the last three months, bringing the total since its launch last year to 13.2 million units. The company has sold 53.6 million DS consoles.
Iwata said it was banking on the Wii Fit game due out later this year in Japan to buoy future sales. The game allows players to weigh themselves, check their balance and play fitness games like yoga, hula hoops and ski jumping.
Nintendo also unveiled a function Friday that allows users to send each other games over the Internet using the Wii's shopping channel.
With a few clicks, a user will be able to select a game to send as a gift to another user online, Iwata said. When the recipient accepts, the Wii automatically launches the shopping channel and begins the download.
"We think this will be a breakthrough in encouraging customers to spread news of fun games word of mouth," Iwata said. "We also hope to spur more users to connect their Wiis to the Internet," he said.
Looking ahead, Iwata said the company would start selling Wiis in China next year, opening up a previously untapped market for the Kyoto-based company.
"We barely have enough Wiis to meet global demand this year. But next year, we can bring the Wii to China," Iwata said.
Nintendo still needed to work with Chinese games developers to craft games suited to the market there, Iwata said.
He declined to give a sales target, but said Nintendo's "future potential there is huge."
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata also unveiled a gift-giving feature that will allow users to send each other games over the Internet, boosting the Wii's network offerings.
Profits at Nintendo have surged on the runaway success of the Wii and the portable Nintendo DS machine in North America, Europe and Japan, forcing Sony and Microsoft to slash console prices in a desperate catch-up bid ahead of the holiday season.
Iwata said the company was struggling to meet demand of the Wii and a price cut was out of the question. The Wii sells for $249.99 in North America, 249 euros in Europe and 25,000 yen in Japan — all less than Sony's PlayStation 3 or Microsoft's XBox 360.
"We're still focusing on how to meet booming demand," Iwata said Friday. "We're absolutely not considering a price cut." He said Nintendo was ramping out 1.8 million Wii consoles per month but that a supply crunch was inevitable during the Christmas sales.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: China Sony Nintendo Playstation North America Wii Microsoft's Xbox Wiis Satoru Iwata
Nintendo's confidence ahead of the critical Christmas shopping season reflects the Wii's strength in a three-way battle of current generation video game consoles against the PS3 and Xbox 360, as well as the continued popularity of the handheld DS console.
The maker of Pokemon and Super Mario games has chosen a different strategy from Sony and Microsoft, wooing novices with low-cost and user-friendly machines unlike the more expensive consoles of its rivals.
With its wandlike remote control for fishing, golfing, tennis and other video games, Nintendo's Wii console has won over fans from young children to rehab patients.
Sony's top-line PlayStation model, with an 80 gigabyte hard drive, now costs $499 in the U.S., down from $599. A new low-end model with a 40-gigabyte drive will go on sale Nov. 2 for $399.
Microsoft's Xbox 360 costs $350 in the United States.
The company has also won a following for the DS console — which stands for "dual screen" — with a lineup of low-cost, casual software like Nintendogs, Brain Age and Nintendo Cooking.
Nintendo shipped about 3.9 million Wii units around the world in the last three months, bringing the total since its launch last year to 13.2 million units. The company has sold 53.6 million DS consoles.
Iwata said it was banking on the Wii Fit game due out later this year in Japan to buoy future sales. The game allows players to weigh themselves, check their balance and play fitness games like yoga, hula hoops and ski jumping.
Nintendo also unveiled a function Friday that allows users to send each other games over the Internet using the Wii's shopping channel.
With a few clicks, a user will be able to select a game to send as a gift to another user online, Iwata said. When the recipient accepts, the Wii automatically launches the shopping channel and begins the download.
"We think this will be a breakthrough in encouraging customers to spread news of fun games word of mouth," Iwata said. "We also hope to spur more users to connect their Wiis to the Internet," he said.
Looking ahead, Iwata said the company would start selling Wiis in China next year, opening up a previously untapped market for the Kyoto-based company.
"We barely have enough Wiis to meet global demand this year. But next year, we can bring the Wii to China," Iwata said.
Nintendo still needed to work with Chinese games developers to craft games suited to the market there, Iwata said.
He declined to give a sales target, but said Nintendo's "future potential there is huge."
Friday, October 26, 2007
Nintendo's profit soars on success of Wii, DS games
TOKYO — Nintendo said Thursday profits more than doubled in the six months to Sept. 30 on the roaring success of its hit Wii and Nintendo DS game consoles.
The Japanese manufacturer of Pokemon and Super Mario games said its group net profit surged to 132.42 billion yen ($1.16 billion) in its fiscal first half from 54.35 billion a year earlier.
Group sales also more than doubled to 694.80 billion yen ($6.07 billion) from 298.82 billion yen, with 78% of sales booked overseas.
The strong results spurred Nintendo to raise its profit forecast for the year through March to 275 billion yen ($2.40 billion), up from the 245 billion yen it forecast in July. Sales are forecast to rise 10% to 1.55 trillion ($13.55 billion).
The earnings underline the Kyoto-based company's success in a three-way battle of video game consoles against Sony's PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360. Nintendo's U.S. arm is based in Redmond, Wash., as is Microsoft.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Tokyo Nintendo Wii Nintendo Entertainment System By Itsuo Inouye, AP
With its wandlike remote control for fishing, golfing, tennis and other video games, Nintendo's Wii console has won over fans from young children to elderly rehab patients. Nintendo has announced a further lineup of Wii accessories: a floor pad for exercise and dancing, a steering wheel for driving games and a gun-shaped "zapper" for shooting.
The company shipped about 3.9 million Wii units around the world in the last three months, according to numbers announced Thursday, bringing the total since its launch last year to 13.2 million units — 5.5 million in North America, 3.7 million in Japan and 4.0 million elsewhere. Nintendo said it expects to sell a total of 17.5 million Wiis during the fiscal year.
Nintendo's impressive comeback in recent years is also due to its lineup of low-cost, casual software — the sort of games anyone of any age can quickly learn to play.
Titles like Nintendogs, Brain Age and Nintendo Cooking have propelled sales of the portable DS, which stands for "dual screen," making it the most popular of the current generation of consoles.
Nintendo has already sold 53.6 million DS consoles, and sales are still strong. Unit sales in the last six months — 13.35 million units — rose 32% from the same period last year. The company said it expected to sell 28 million DS units in the year ending March.
Nintendo shares, one of the best performers among major Japanese listings, added 1.3% to 69,800 yen ($610.01) before earnings were announced.
The Japanese manufacturer of Pokemon and Super Mario games said its group net profit surged to 132.42 billion yen ($1.16 billion) in its fiscal first half from 54.35 billion a year earlier.
Group sales also more than doubled to 694.80 billion yen ($6.07 billion) from 298.82 billion yen, with 78% of sales booked overseas.
The strong results spurred Nintendo to raise its profit forecast for the year through March to 275 billion yen ($2.40 billion), up from the 245 billion yen it forecast in July. Sales are forecast to rise 10% to 1.55 trillion ($13.55 billion).
The earnings underline the Kyoto-based company's success in a three-way battle of video game consoles against Sony's PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360. Nintendo's U.S. arm is based in Redmond, Wash., as is Microsoft.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Tokyo Nintendo Wii Nintendo Entertainment System By Itsuo Inouye, AP
With its wandlike remote control for fishing, golfing, tennis and other video games, Nintendo's Wii console has won over fans from young children to elderly rehab patients. Nintendo has announced a further lineup of Wii accessories: a floor pad for exercise and dancing, a steering wheel for driving games and a gun-shaped "zapper" for shooting.
The company shipped about 3.9 million Wii units around the world in the last three months, according to numbers announced Thursday, bringing the total since its launch last year to 13.2 million units — 5.5 million in North America, 3.7 million in Japan and 4.0 million elsewhere. Nintendo said it expects to sell a total of 17.5 million Wiis during the fiscal year.
Nintendo's impressive comeback in recent years is also due to its lineup of low-cost, casual software — the sort of games anyone of any age can quickly learn to play.
Titles like Nintendogs, Brain Age and Nintendo Cooking have propelled sales of the portable DS, which stands for "dual screen," making it the most popular of the current generation of consoles.
Nintendo has already sold 53.6 million DS consoles, and sales are still strong. Unit sales in the last six months — 13.35 million units — rose 32% from the same period last year. The company said it expected to sell 28 million DS units in the year ending March.
Nintendo shares, one of the best performers among major Japanese listings, added 1.3% to 69,800 yen ($610.01) before earnings were announced.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Leopard, Apple's new Mac operating system, hits all the right spots
When Steve Jobs unleashes Mac OS X Leopard on Friday, Mac fans and others considering an Apple computer for the first time will have questions. Is the new Leopard operating system worth the $129 upgrade price? Is it the reason to splurge for a new Mac?
Long before Leopard pounced onto the scene, I rated OS X superior to Windows for most consumers. With Leopard, Apple's operating system widens its lead aesthetically and technologically. Whether the sixth major release of OS X in as many years puts a dent in Microsoft's dominant market share is another matter entirely.
Moreover, people who need Windows at least some of the time can take stock in the fact that Boot Camp is included in Leopard; Boot Camp is the Apple program that lets anyone with an Intel-based Mac run Windows XP or Windows Vista. You'll still have to buy a copy of Windows.
Also, Boot Camp still doesn't let you run the two operating systems simultaneously. And at year's end, Boot Camp will no longer be available as a free beta program to people who don't upgrade to Leopard; you're fine if you already installed Boot Camp.
I migrated to Leopard from the last OS X version, Tiger, without pain on a MacBook laptop and my own iMac desktop; there's mercifully none of the software driver and other hassles associated with a Windows operating system upgrade. Leopard was pre-installed on an iMac that Apple provided for testing. Apple says Leopard has more than 300 new features in all. Here are highlights:
Time Machine
The Time Machine feature automatically backs up your computer on an (optional) external hard drive. From then on, recovering lost files is — thanks to beautiful special effects — like flying back in time.
Say you're peering at your inbox through Time Machine. You can see what the same inbox looked like days or weeks ago, to restore any missing e-mail. You can move the mouse along a visual timeline to land on a specific date. Or you can use Spotlight search to find where and when a file last existed.
It took many hours, and at least one hiccup, to back up a packed iMac. I received an "unable to complete backup" error message before I was successfully able to complete the job overnight.
Time Machine captures hourly backups up to the past 24 hours. Daily backups are kept for 30 days and replaced by weekly backups. Once the space on your hard drive is exhausted, the oldest weekly incremental backup will be deleted.
You can use Time Machine to restore your entire Mac or to migrate files and settings onto a brand-new machine. For security reasons, you can make sure specified files do not get backed up.
Cool video chat
Really slick video conferencing through iChat has been part of OS X for several years. Leopard makes it more fun and useful. The fun part comes from dozens of Photo Booth special effects. These can make your face twirl or stretch or appear as if it were shot through an X-ray or thermal camera.
You also can digitally superimpose a chat background with pictures or videos. Choices include a rollercoaster and the Eiffel Tower.
A feature dubbed iChat Theater lets you display files during the video conference, including photo slide shows with music and presentations. With permission, you can remotely control a buddy's computer desktop to collaborate on a project. You can hear but no longer see the person you are chatting with; you can display only one desktop at a time.
Pretty e-mail
Leopard includes more than 30 stationery templates in its Mail program, covering baby announcements, party invitations and more. An integrated photo browser makes it easy to drag your own pictures onto template place holders.
You can also create and organize Notes and To-Dos inside Mail.
Another handy feature: Mail can detect addresses, phone numbers and dates inside a message. Roll the mouse over these, and a little menu lets you quickly create contacts or appointments.
Through selected RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds, you can search for topics of interest and have them routed to updated Smart Mailboxes.
As before, you can use Apple's Mail program with your own e-mail accounts.
A dandy desktop
Macs are as much about style as substance. The quick-launch icons on the three-dimensional Dock — a strip of programs and other icons — now reflect off the surface. To tidy up your desktop, you can create collections of icons called Stacks for programs and files you often access. The contents of Stacks can be fanned out in an arc or displayed as a grid.
The Finder program in OS X is where all your files, programs and disks are managed — kind of like Windows Explorer on a PC. With Leopard, the Finder borrows a neat trick from iTunes: namely, Cover Flow. Now, you can rapidly ruffle through your stuff inside Finder the way you look at album art in iTunes. You can peer through multipage documents and even play movies in Cover Flow.
Another useful new feature, called Quick Look, lets you view a document (even full screen) without opening a separate application to do so.
If you join the $100-a-year .Mac online service, you can access your machine remotely through the Back to My Mac feature. You use another Mac running Leopard. I was able to use the feature at times but also ran into snags trying to remotely connect from a computer in a hotel and from USA TODAY offices in Virginia to a Mac in New Jersey. Apple says it is possible that firewalls may well block such a feature; the company plans to give instructions to corporate tech administrators and Internet service providers on how to allow the service through their networks.
Lastly, you can carve your Mac desktop into customizable areas known as Spaces. To reduce clutter, you can arrange these mini desktop Spaces to include only the programs needed to tackle the project at hand.
Clipping a widget
You can highlight and copy any portion of a Web page inside the Safari browser and turn it into a live Dashboard widget. For example, you might copy a train or bus schedule and know it will be updated if the timetable changes.
These and other features should satisfy new and old Mac fans. Leopard is one cool cat.
Long before Leopard pounced onto the scene, I rated OS X superior to Windows for most consumers. With Leopard, Apple's operating system widens its lead aesthetically and technologically. Whether the sixth major release of OS X in as many years puts a dent in Microsoft's dominant market share is another matter entirely.
Moreover, people who need Windows at least some of the time can take stock in the fact that Boot Camp is included in Leopard; Boot Camp is the Apple program that lets anyone with an Intel-based Mac run Windows XP or Windows Vista. You'll still have to buy a copy of Windows.
Also, Boot Camp still doesn't let you run the two operating systems simultaneously. And at year's end, Boot Camp will no longer be available as a free beta program to people who don't upgrade to Leopard; you're fine if you already installed Boot Camp.
I migrated to Leopard from the last OS X version, Tiger, without pain on a MacBook laptop and my own iMac desktop; there's mercifully none of the software driver and other hassles associated with a Windows operating system upgrade. Leopard was pre-installed on an iMac that Apple provided for testing. Apple says Leopard has more than 300 new features in all. Here are highlights:
Time Machine
The Time Machine feature automatically backs up your computer on an (optional) external hard drive. From then on, recovering lost files is — thanks to beautiful special effects — like flying back in time.
Say you're peering at your inbox through Time Machine. You can see what the same inbox looked like days or weeks ago, to restore any missing e-mail. You can move the mouse along a visual timeline to land on a specific date. Or you can use Spotlight search to find where and when a file last existed.
It took many hours, and at least one hiccup, to back up a packed iMac. I received an "unable to complete backup" error message before I was successfully able to complete the job overnight.
Time Machine captures hourly backups up to the past 24 hours. Daily backups are kept for 30 days and replaced by weekly backups. Once the space on your hard drive is exhausted, the oldest weekly incremental backup will be deleted.
You can use Time Machine to restore your entire Mac or to migrate files and settings onto a brand-new machine. For security reasons, you can make sure specified files do not get backed up.
Cool video chat
Really slick video conferencing through iChat has been part of OS X for several years. Leopard makes it more fun and useful. The fun part comes from dozens of Photo Booth special effects. These can make your face twirl or stretch or appear as if it were shot through an X-ray or thermal camera.
You also can digitally superimpose a chat background with pictures or videos. Choices include a rollercoaster and the Eiffel Tower.
A feature dubbed iChat Theater lets you display files during the video conference, including photo slide shows with music and presentations. With permission, you can remotely control a buddy's computer desktop to collaborate on a project. You can hear but no longer see the person you are chatting with; you can display only one desktop at a time.
Pretty e-mail
Leopard includes more than 30 stationery templates in its Mail program, covering baby announcements, party invitations and more. An integrated photo browser makes it easy to drag your own pictures onto template place holders.
You can also create and organize Notes and To-Dos inside Mail.
Another handy feature: Mail can detect addresses, phone numbers and dates inside a message. Roll the mouse over these, and a little menu lets you quickly create contacts or appointments.
Through selected RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds, you can search for topics of interest and have them routed to updated Smart Mailboxes.
As before, you can use Apple's Mail program with your own e-mail accounts.
A dandy desktop
Macs are as much about style as substance. The quick-launch icons on the three-dimensional Dock — a strip of programs and other icons — now reflect off the surface. To tidy up your desktop, you can create collections of icons called Stacks for programs and files you often access. The contents of Stacks can be fanned out in an arc or displayed as a grid.
The Finder program in OS X is where all your files, programs and disks are managed — kind of like Windows Explorer on a PC. With Leopard, the Finder borrows a neat trick from iTunes: namely, Cover Flow. Now, you can rapidly ruffle through your stuff inside Finder the way you look at album art in iTunes. You can peer through multipage documents and even play movies in Cover Flow.
Another useful new feature, called Quick Look, lets you view a document (even full screen) without opening a separate application to do so.
If you join the $100-a-year .Mac online service, you can access your machine remotely through the Back to My Mac feature. You use another Mac running Leopard. I was able to use the feature at times but also ran into snags trying to remotely connect from a computer in a hotel and from USA TODAY offices in Virginia to a Mac in New Jersey. Apple says it is possible that firewalls may well block such a feature; the company plans to give instructions to corporate tech administrators and Internet service providers on how to allow the service through their networks.
Lastly, you can carve your Mac desktop into customizable areas known as Spaces. To reduce clutter, you can arrange these mini desktop Spaces to include only the programs needed to tackle the project at hand.
Clipping a widget
You can highlight and copy any portion of a Web page inside the Safari browser and turn it into a live Dashboard widget. For example, you might copy a train or bus schedule and know it will be updated if the timetable changes.
These and other features should satisfy new and old Mac fans. Leopard is one cool cat.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
BlackBerry makes it easier to see Facebook
TORONTO (Reuters) — BlackBerry maker Research In Motion has launched Facebook software designed especially for its smartphones to make it easier for users to browse the popular social networking website.
T-Mobile USA has been chosen as the first carrier to provide the new software to its customers, RIM said on Wednesday.
The application will let users receive Facebook notifications and messages automatically and scroll through them quickly, just like the e-mail service for which the BlackBerry is already well known. Users can also read and compose messages even while off line, RIM said.
The feature that lets users upload photos to Facebook will also be integrated with the BlackBerry's camera and photo management software, RIM said.
RIM has been expanding its offering of so-called "lifestyle applications" like games and multimedia in a bid to attract more retail users to the traditionally business-focused BlackBerry.
T-Mobile USA has been chosen as the first carrier to provide the new software to its customers, RIM said on Wednesday.
The application will let users receive Facebook notifications and messages automatically and scroll through them quickly, just like the e-mail service for which the BlackBerry is already well known. Users can also read and compose messages even while off line, RIM said.
The feature that lets users upload photos to Facebook will also be integrated with the BlackBerry's camera and photo management software, RIM said.
RIM has been expanding its offering of so-called "lifestyle applications" like games and multimedia in a bid to attract more retail users to the traditionally business-focused BlackBerry.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Microsoft cuts Xbox 360 price in Japan
By Yuri Kageyama, Associated Press
TOKYO — Microsoft is slashing Xbox 360 prices in Japan by about 13% as the price war among video game consoles heats up around the world ahead of the key year-end shopping season.
The Xbox 360 console will sell in Japan for 34,800 yen ($304) beginning Nov. 1, down from 39,795 yen ($348), the U.S. software maker's Japan unit said Monday in a statement.
A more basic version of the machine now selling for 29,800 yen ($261) will go for 27,800 yen ($243), according to Microsoft.
Last week, Sony cut the price of its PlayStation 3 game console in the U.S. It had already announced similar price cuts in Europe and Japan.
The top-line PlayStation model, with an 80 gigabyte hard drive, now costs $499 in the U.S., down from $599. That effectively eliminates the lower-end model, which has a 60-gigabyte drive and sold for $499. A new low-end model with a 40-gigabyte drive will go on sale Nov. 2 for $399.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Japan Microsoft Sony Xbox Nintendo Playstation Wii Microsoft X Box Super Mario
The big winner in game consoles recently has been Nintendo with its Wii machine, which has a wandlike remote.
Nintendo, the Kyoto-based manufacturer of Pokemon and Super Mario games, has not announced any price cuts for the Wii, which is already cheaper than Xbox 36o or PS3.
The Wii now sells for $250 in the U.S. and 25,000 yen ($219) in Japan. The Xbox 360 costs $350 in the U.S.
Nintendo has chosen a different strategy from Sony and Microsoft, with their more expensive machines, and has been trying to woo novices with brain teasers, sport games and virtual pets, instead of the usual shooter and role-playing games.
Since Wii went on sale late last year, Nintendo has shipped 9.3 million units around the world, with supplies barely keeping up with demand. By the end of this fiscal year in March 2008, Wii global shipments are expected to reach 22.3 million.
So far, Sony has sold 5 million PlayStation 3s. The game console went on sale late last year in Japan and the U.S. and in March in Europe.
Microsoft has sold 11.6 million Xbox 360 machines in the last two years.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
TOKYO — Microsoft is slashing Xbox 360 prices in Japan by about 13% as the price war among video game consoles heats up around the world ahead of the key year-end shopping season.
The Xbox 360 console will sell in Japan for 34,800 yen ($304) beginning Nov. 1, down from 39,795 yen ($348), the U.S. software maker's Japan unit said Monday in a statement.
A more basic version of the machine now selling for 29,800 yen ($261) will go for 27,800 yen ($243), according to Microsoft.
Last week, Sony cut the price of its PlayStation 3 game console in the U.S. It had already announced similar price cuts in Europe and Japan.
The top-line PlayStation model, with an 80 gigabyte hard drive, now costs $499 in the U.S., down from $599. That effectively eliminates the lower-end model, which has a 60-gigabyte drive and sold for $499. A new low-end model with a 40-gigabyte drive will go on sale Nov. 2 for $399.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Japan Microsoft Sony Xbox Nintendo Playstation Wii Microsoft X Box Super Mario
The big winner in game consoles recently has been Nintendo with its Wii machine, which has a wandlike remote.
Nintendo, the Kyoto-based manufacturer of Pokemon and Super Mario games, has not announced any price cuts for the Wii, which is already cheaper than Xbox 36o or PS3.
The Wii now sells for $250 in the U.S. and 25,000 yen ($219) in Japan. The Xbox 360 costs $350 in the U.S.
Nintendo has chosen a different strategy from Sony and Microsoft, with their more expensive machines, and has been trying to woo novices with brain teasers, sport games and virtual pets, instead of the usual shooter and role-playing games.
Since Wii went on sale late last year, Nintendo has shipped 9.3 million units around the world, with supplies barely keeping up with demand. By the end of this fiscal year in March 2008, Wii global shipments are expected to reach 22.3 million.
So far, Sony has sold 5 million PlayStation 3s. The game console went on sale late last year in Japan and the U.S. and in March in Europe.
Microsoft has sold 11.6 million Xbox 360 machines in the last two years.
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Monday, October 22, 2007
AT&T makes Napster music wireless
By Michelle Roberts, Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO — AT&T is making Napster's entire music catalog of more than 5 million songs available for wireless download starting early next month.
The service, which AT&T is unveiling Monday, will expand the company's over-the-air download offerings beyond the independent music it offered through eMusic.com and allow it to compete with offerings from rivals Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel.
San Antonio-based AT&T has not yet announced which devices will work with the new music service.
The new service will not work with Apple's iPhone, which is tied to Apple's iTunes service and allows users to load music only from their computers or when they're connected to a Wi-Fi network, not through a cellular signal.
"Where we're really focused is getting a broad set of music offerings for consumers," said Robert Hyatt, executive director of premium content for AT&T.
SAN ANTONIO — AT&T is making Napster's entire music catalog of more than 5 million songs available for wireless download starting early next month.
The service, which AT&T is unveiling Monday, will expand the company's over-the-air download offerings beyond the independent music it offered through eMusic.com and allow it to compete with offerings from rivals Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel.
San Antonio-based AT&T has not yet announced which devices will work with the new music service.
The new service will not work with Apple's iPhone, which is tied to Apple's iTunes service and allows users to load music only from their computers or when they're connected to a Wi-Fi network, not through a cellular signal.
"Where we're really focused is getting a broad set of music offerings for consumers," said Robert Hyatt, executive director of premium content for AT&T.
SanDisk unveils TakeTV player
SanDisk introduces the promising and simple Sansa TakeTV player today -- a simple thumb drive that lets you lift video off your computer and play it on your TV.
SanDisk also wants to help you find stuff to watch. So it is simultaneously unveiling a beta version of Fanfare, its new online video distribution platform. The site will have both paid and free content, and SanDisk hopes it will eventually be a place you can go to catch up on all your favorite shows. For now, there's limited fare from CBS (e.g. CSI: Miami, "Survivor-Fiji"), Showtime (Fat Actress, Brotherhood), as well as content from Smithsonian Networks, TVGuide, The Weather Channel and the Jaman movie service.
SanDisk is best known as the inventor and world's largest supplier of flash data memory storage cards. Only Apple sells more portable digital music and video players than SanDisk's Sansa line of portable devices -- a lot more, of course.
With TakeTV, SanDisk is set to compete with Apple and others in another emerging digital battleground — the business of lifting video content off a computer and onto a television.
The gadget consists of a small (roughly 4½-inch tall, 1½-inch wide) USB stick onto which you drag and drop video files from a PC, just as you copy files onto a regular flash drive.
After doing so, you slip the stick into a cradle you connect to your TV (via either a "Composite" or "S-Video" connection). And then you hit play on the simple TakeTV remote control, which is revealed only after pulling the stick apart.
A 4 gigabyte TakeTV version (offering about 5-hours of video playback) costs $100; an 8GB, (10 hour) version fetches $150. TakeTV can't handle high definition content at this early stage. Out of the gate it supports the MPEG-4, DivX and xVid video formats.
Stay tuned for announcements from other content partners—and a hands-on review by yours truly.
By Edward C. Baig
SanDisk also wants to help you find stuff to watch. So it is simultaneously unveiling a beta version of Fanfare, its new online video distribution platform. The site will have both paid and free content, and SanDisk hopes it will eventually be a place you can go to catch up on all your favorite shows. For now, there's limited fare from CBS (e.g. CSI: Miami, "Survivor-Fiji"), Showtime (Fat Actress, Brotherhood), as well as content from Smithsonian Networks, TVGuide, The Weather Channel and the Jaman movie service.
SanDisk is best known as the inventor and world's largest supplier of flash data memory storage cards. Only Apple sells more portable digital music and video players than SanDisk's Sansa line of portable devices -- a lot more, of course.
With TakeTV, SanDisk is set to compete with Apple and others in another emerging digital battleground — the business of lifting video content off a computer and onto a television.
The gadget consists of a small (roughly 4½-inch tall, 1½-inch wide) USB stick onto which you drag and drop video files from a PC, just as you copy files onto a regular flash drive.
After doing so, you slip the stick into a cradle you connect to your TV (via either a "Composite" or "S-Video" connection). And then you hit play on the simple TakeTV remote control, which is revealed only after pulling the stick apart.
A 4 gigabyte TakeTV version (offering about 5-hours of video playback) costs $100; an 8GB, (10 hour) version fetches $150. TakeTV can't handle high definition content at this early stage. Out of the gate it supports the MPEG-4, DivX and xVid video formats.
Stay tuned for announcements from other content partners—and a hands-on review by yours truly.
By Edward C. Baig
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Next big thing: satellite TV in cars
DETROIT (AP) _ As their average commute time rises, Americans are making their vehicles increasingly homelike, with cushy seats, multiple zones of climate control and DVD players. So it's no surprise that the next big thing in vehicle accessories is satellite television.
''People want the same entertainment and services they have at home in their car,'' said Chris Watson, a spokesman for Rhode Island-based KVH Industries Inc., which first introduced satellite TV in vehicles two years ago. ''It really is becoming an extension of the living room.''
Cadillac is now offering KVH's TracVision satellite system as a dealer-installed option on its Escalade sport utility vehicle, an industry first. GM is considering prewiring its SUVs for satellite TV starting with 2007 models, Watson said.
This summer, Avis Rent A Car began offering TracVision on Hummer H3 rentals in Phoenix as part of a test program.
It takes about three hours for a dealer or electronics retailer to install satellite TV on vehicles already equipped with flip-down screens for DVD players or navigation systems. With the TracVision system, a 3-foot-wide circular antenna is affixed to the top of the vehicle, and a cable is inserted through the roof. The antenna is about 5 inches high.
Screens can be placed all over the vehicle, including the dashboard, headrests and the trunk, where some tailgaters are now installing large-screen TVs. A few sports stars and celebrities have as many as six screens in their vehicles, Watson said.
But the most popular location for the screens is the ceiling in the middle of the back seat, Watson said. Forty-five percent of sport utility vehicles produced for the U.S. market this year have those screens in them, Watson said.
Once the system is installed, viewers can watch more than 140 channels through DirecTV. Vehicle owners can continue to use navigation systems or DVD players on their screens.
Safety advocates question whether the technology is just one more dangerous distraction. Already, 40 states have banned drivers from putting video screens in a place where they can see them, although there are exceptions for navigation systems.
''Drivers need to be reminded that driving is a very complex task requiring full attention,'' said Col. Jim Champagne of the Governors Highway Safety Association, which has said it's not encouraging use of the technology.
Watson said KVH installs a kill switch that will automatically turn off the TV in the front seat when the vehicle starts moving. Headphones also are available for viewers so the TVs are less distracting to the driver, Watson said.
''We do not encourage people to have video screens operating where the driver can see them,'' Watson said.
Watson wouldn't say how many satellite TV systems have been installed in vehicles, and a spokeswoman for Cadillac didn't have figures immediately available. But the consulting company Frost & Sullivan has estimated that 3 million vehicles will have satellite TV by 2011.
Right now, the cost is prohibitive for many consumers. TracVision costs $2,295, and customers pay extra for DirecTV access. If they get DirecTV in their homes, installing it in their vehicles costs $4.99 a month. It's $41.99 a month if they don't get DirecTV.
So far, TracVision is most popular in Florida, Texas and California, where there are long stretches of open road. The satellites don't work as well in urban areas where tall buildings often block the signals.
Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
''People want the same entertainment and services they have at home in their car,'' said Chris Watson, a spokesman for Rhode Island-based KVH Industries Inc., which first introduced satellite TV in vehicles two years ago. ''It really is becoming an extension of the living room.''
Cadillac is now offering KVH's TracVision satellite system as a dealer-installed option on its Escalade sport utility vehicle, an industry first. GM is considering prewiring its SUVs for satellite TV starting with 2007 models, Watson said.
This summer, Avis Rent A Car began offering TracVision on Hummer H3 rentals in Phoenix as part of a test program.
It takes about three hours for a dealer or electronics retailer to install satellite TV on vehicles already equipped with flip-down screens for DVD players or navigation systems. With the TracVision system, a 3-foot-wide circular antenna is affixed to the top of the vehicle, and a cable is inserted through the roof. The antenna is about 5 inches high.
Screens can be placed all over the vehicle, including the dashboard, headrests and the trunk, where some tailgaters are now installing large-screen TVs. A few sports stars and celebrities have as many as six screens in their vehicles, Watson said.
But the most popular location for the screens is the ceiling in the middle of the back seat, Watson said. Forty-five percent of sport utility vehicles produced for the U.S. market this year have those screens in them, Watson said.
Once the system is installed, viewers can watch more than 140 channels through DirecTV. Vehicle owners can continue to use navigation systems or DVD players on their screens.
Safety advocates question whether the technology is just one more dangerous distraction. Already, 40 states have banned drivers from putting video screens in a place where they can see them, although there are exceptions for navigation systems.
''Drivers need to be reminded that driving is a very complex task requiring full attention,'' said Col. Jim Champagne of the Governors Highway Safety Association, which has said it's not encouraging use of the technology.
Watson said KVH installs a kill switch that will automatically turn off the TV in the front seat when the vehicle starts moving. Headphones also are available for viewers so the TVs are less distracting to the driver, Watson said.
''We do not encourage people to have video screens operating where the driver can see them,'' Watson said.
Watson wouldn't say how many satellite TV systems have been installed in vehicles, and a spokeswoman for Cadillac didn't have figures immediately available. But the consulting company Frost & Sullivan has estimated that 3 million vehicles will have satellite TV by 2011.
Right now, the cost is prohibitive for many consumers. TracVision costs $2,295, and customers pay extra for DirecTV access. If they get DirecTV in their homes, installing it in their vehicles costs $4.99 a month. It's $41.99 a month if they don't get DirecTV.
So far, TracVision is most popular in Florida, Texas and California, where there are long stretches of open road. The satellites don't work as well in urban areas where tall buildings often block the signals.
Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Top 20 in Christian Music
10/15/2007
1 Casting Crowns / East To West (Beach Street/Reunion/Provident)Hall, Herms THE ALTAR AND THE DOOR - Album Info
2 MercyMe / Bring The Rain (INO)MercyMe COMING UP TO BREATHE - Album Unfo
3 Aaron Shust / Give Me Words To Speak (Brash)Shust WHISPERED AND SHOUTED - Album Info
4 Lincoln Brewster / Love The Lord (Integrity Label Group)Brewster LET THE PRAISES RING - Album Info
5 Steven Curtis Chapman / Miracle of the Moment (Sparrow/EMI)Chapman, Bronleewe THIS MOMENT - Album Info
6 Chris Tomlin / Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) (sixsteps/EMI)Traditional, Tomlin, Giglio SEE THE MORNING - Album Info
7 Brandon Heath / I'm Not Who I Was (Reunion/Provident)Heath DON'T GET COMFORTABLE - Album Info
8 David Crowder Band / Everything Glorious (sixsteps/EMI)Crowder REMEDY - Album Info
9 Rush of Fools / When Our Hearts Sing (Midas)Davis, Huguley, Willis RUSH OF FOOLS - Album Info
10 Natalie Grant / In Better Hands (Curb)Daddario, Hardwell, Gravitt NATALIE GRANT - Album Info
11 Caedmon's Call / There Is A Reason (INO)Osenga, Goodgame OVERDRESSED - Album Info
12 Building 429 / You Carried Me (Word-Curb)Roy IRIS TO IRIS - Album Info
13 Newsboys / In Wonder (Inpop)Knott, Furler, Taylor GO - Album Info
14 Point of Grace / How You Live (Word-Curb)Morgan HOW YOU LIVE - Album Info
15 Daughtry / Home (RCA)Daughtry DAUGHTRY - Album Info
16 Echoing Angels / Coming Back To Life (INO)Peevy, Wilbanks YOU ALONE - Album Info
17 Matt Redman / Beautiful News (EMI/CMG)Redman BEAUTIFUL NEWS - Album Info
18 Andrew Carlton / Jesus Hold Me (Bakertown)Carlton I KNOW BETTER - Album Info
19 Big Daddy Weave / Every Time I Breathe (Fervent)Weave, Cloninger, Farren EVERY TIME I BREATHE - Album Info
20 Mark Schultz / 40 Days (Word-Curb)Schultz, Glover BROKEN & BEAUTIFUL - Album Info
1 Casting Crowns / East To West (Beach Street/Reunion/Provident)Hall, Herms THE ALTAR AND THE DOOR - Album Info
2 MercyMe / Bring The Rain (INO)MercyMe COMING UP TO BREATHE - Album Unfo
3 Aaron Shust / Give Me Words To Speak (Brash)Shust WHISPERED AND SHOUTED - Album Info
4 Lincoln Brewster / Love The Lord (Integrity Label Group)Brewster LET THE PRAISES RING - Album Info
5 Steven Curtis Chapman / Miracle of the Moment (Sparrow/EMI)Chapman, Bronleewe THIS MOMENT - Album Info
6 Chris Tomlin / Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) (sixsteps/EMI)Traditional, Tomlin, Giglio SEE THE MORNING - Album Info
7 Brandon Heath / I'm Not Who I Was (Reunion/Provident)Heath DON'T GET COMFORTABLE - Album Info
8 David Crowder Band / Everything Glorious (sixsteps/EMI)Crowder REMEDY - Album Info
9 Rush of Fools / When Our Hearts Sing (Midas)Davis, Huguley, Willis RUSH OF FOOLS - Album Info
10 Natalie Grant / In Better Hands (Curb)Daddario, Hardwell, Gravitt NATALIE GRANT - Album Info
11 Caedmon's Call / There Is A Reason (INO)Osenga, Goodgame OVERDRESSED - Album Info
12 Building 429 / You Carried Me (Word-Curb)Roy IRIS TO IRIS - Album Info
13 Newsboys / In Wonder (Inpop)Knott, Furler, Taylor GO - Album Info
14 Point of Grace / How You Live (Word-Curb)Morgan HOW YOU LIVE - Album Info
15 Daughtry / Home (RCA)Daughtry DAUGHTRY - Album Info
16 Echoing Angels / Coming Back To Life (INO)Peevy, Wilbanks YOU ALONE - Album Info
17 Matt Redman / Beautiful News (EMI/CMG)Redman BEAUTIFUL NEWS - Album Info
18 Andrew Carlton / Jesus Hold Me (Bakertown)Carlton I KNOW BETTER - Album Info
19 Big Daddy Weave / Every Time I Breathe (Fervent)Weave, Cloninger, Farren EVERY TIME I BREATHE - Album Info
20 Mark Schultz / 40 Days (Word-Curb)Schultz, Glover BROKEN & BEAUTIFUL - Album Info
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)