Guinness World Record was set for fastest music-video production ever, Microsoft said Thurs. Company said British band Electric Soft Parade used Windows Movie Maker feature of new Windows XP to produce and edit camcorder video in 3 hours 48 min. Video was recorded on Oct. 25 XP launch for broadcast over Internet.
Cambridge Display Technology (CDT) signed agreement licensing its polyfluorene light-emitting polymer (LEP) technology to Dow Chemical for use in faster development of organic light-emitting displays (OLEDs). CDT has had similar license agreements in place with Dupont.
Proven success of statewide sales tax holidays should serve as inducement to Congress to pass nationwide tax holiday bills quickly, CEA Vice Chmn. Kathy Gornik told House Small Business Committee Thurs. She said “significant portion” of sales in those states wouldn’t have happened without tax relief: “During statewide tax holidays in [Pa.] and [S.C.], sales of electronics jumped between 60 and 80%… Roughly a quarter of those surveyed reported that their purchases during the sales holiday were ‘unplanned purchases.'”
As handheld PCs rush to add integrated wireless technology, models with core data storage features will shift in next year to mid to low end of market, industry sources said. Emergence of integrated wireless features has been spotlighted by Handspring’s new Treo handheld, mono version of which is due Jan., to be followed by color model in March-April. Palm also has set sights on integrating wireless technology, but product plans remain unclear following company’s decision to postpone product until 2002. Microsoft also is pursuing wireless path, but it has tabled until spring its plans to introduce Pocket PC models in Europe with General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) technology.
New version of DivX video compression released Thurs. runs 78% faster than previous edition when used with Intel Pentium 4 it was designed for, developer DivXNetworks said. MPEG-4-based DivX 4.11 version provides 720x480 pixel real-time encoding and decoding, developer said. Codec creates near-DVD quality video at up to 7 times greater compression than DVD-Video’s MPEG-2, and enables downloading of full-length feature movie in 30 min. or less through broadband connection -- www.divx.com/divx.
Gemstar TV Guide International and EchoStar, Pioneer and Scientific Atlanta will square off at International Trade Commission (ITC) Dec. 3 in 10-day trial on Gemstar’s allegations that 3 other companies infringed on patents covering its interactive program guide (IPG). ITC has power only to issue injunction barring sale of infringing product, but its ruling, expected by March, is likely to weigh on separate patent infringement suit Gemstar filed against same companies that’s pending in U.S. Dist. Court, Atlanta, Gemstar CEO Henry Yuen told analysts in earnings conference call late Wed.
Konami of America said it shipped more than one million copies of eagerly-awaited PS2 game Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty to N. American retailers.
BAM! Entertainment said its registration statement for IPO of 5 million shares of common stock was declared effective by SEC. Shares are being offered at $8 per share. Common stock of San Jose, Cal., game maker is being listed on Nasdaq as BFUN. Company said it also granted underwriters option to buy additional 750,000 shares to cover overallotments, if any. Jefferies & Co. is lead mgr. of offering and Morgan Keegan & Co. co-mgr.
Comparison of movie film and high-definition video footage was scheduled for L.A. Thurs. night. “Cinematographers’ Test” entailed shooting identical scenes on 35mm motion picture film and HD 24-fps progressive scan video, projected side by side in 3 35 mm print. Point of test is to show differences in how 2 media render nuances in color, contrast, texture, focus and other characteristics, sponsor Kodak said. Sony contributed HD camera and camcorders for shooting by 3 professional cinematographers, and converted their HD images to film -- www.kodak.com/go/motion.
Blockbuster is donating videos to entertain troops involved in campaign against terrorism. Retailer said it was providing 3,600 videos to 30 USO centers overseas, 6 locations in U.S. and aircraft carrier U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt. Donation includes VHS movies, DVDs, DVD players.