Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) started shipping NCAA Final Four 2002 for PS2 from its 989 Sports development team.

Electronic Arts (EA) began shipping 4 games based on novel Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Games -- for Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Color, PC and PlayStation -- will be on store shelves Fri. -- same day as Warner Bros. film version of novel reaches theaters throughout U.S. Seattle-based Amaze Entertainment’s Griptonite Games and KnowWonder studios developed Potter games for GBA, GBC and PC, while London-based Argonaut Games developed PlayStation title. EA also is developing Potter games for next-generation consoles. Redwood City, Cal., company said those titles would ship next year. Separately, game maker said it had updated its official Agent Under Fire 007 Web site. Updates include sneak peak at 3 new levels in upcoming Bond game: Fire and Water, Forbidden Depths, Poseidon. Game went gold late last week and was to start shipping Tues.

CEA seeks simplified testing of TV X-radiation in petition for rulemaking submitted last week to Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Proposal asks FDA to amend methods TV manufacturers use to confirm compliance, but doesn’t ask agency to change amount of X-radiation sets can emit. CEA wants to reduce govt. and manufacturer administrative costs of testing and certification process “made unnecessary by modern transistorized circuitry,” it said. Current FDA rules require manufacturers to test each new family of sets for X-radiation and submit detailed report. Complex testing and reporting method was necessary in 1960s when TV technology and set manufacturing were in infancy, CEA said, but “set design has improved to… eliminate most of the components that could fail and result in excessive X-radiation.” Recent survey of manufacturers found level of emissions from TV sets hadn’t approached that of naturally occurring background radiation -- about 1/5 of FDA limit -- in last 20 years, it said. “During the last 2 decades television set manufacturers have voluntarily reduced X-radiation emissions to levels well below the FDA’s limit and it is time the regulatory process caught up with technology,” CEA spokesman said.

Office Depot CEO Bruce Nelson adds chmn. post Dec. 30, replacing David Fuente, who has been nonexecutive chmn. since July 2000 and will remain a dir… Frank Ingriselli, ex-Texaco Technology Ventures, named consultant to Energy Conversion Devices… Grayson Hoberg, ex-Earthlink, appointed CFO, iBlast.

Losses continued for Cablevision’s N.Y. metro area CE retail chain The Wiz in 3rd quarter ended Sept. 30. But Cablevision CEO James Dolan told analysts in conference call Tues. “we are determined to bring the loss down in 2002” and reducing Wiz loss “has been and will continue to be of paramount importance as the 2002 budget is finalized.”

Electronics industry and state and local regulators reached “key” understanding on financial model for management of used CE products at meeting of National Electronics Product Stewardship Initiative (NEPSI) Nov. 8-9 in Boston, said regulators involved in initiative. “The significance of last week’s meeting was that the industry agreed to take the focus away from a taxpayer or ratepayer model,” said Sego Jackson, principal planner for Snohomish County, Wash. NEPSI came up with “road map” for agreement to be on table by Sept., said Scott Cassel, dir. of Mass.-based Product Stewardship Institute.

THQ shipped Xbox version of snowboarding game Dark Summit. PS2 version is to follow Nov. 27.

Activision teamed up with Pacific Sunwear and Spin magazine for Shaun Palmer’s Classic Car Give-Away promotion. Contest is being held through Nov. 23. Grand prize will be vintage Cadillac. Consumers can register for contest online at www.pacsun.com. Separately, Santa Monica, Cal., game maker said upcoming Mat Hoffman’s Pro BMX 2 for PS2 would incorporate live bike-riding action footage. Title is to ship in spring.

Composer Jeremy Soule is creating soundtrack for role- playing game The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Rockville, Md., game maker Bethesda Softworks said. Soule recently completed score for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone game. Title is scheduled to ship for PC and Xbox in spring.

EM Holdings (EMH) proposed buying beleaguered eMachines for $117 million, in move that would put PC maker in hands of major supplier and shareholder. EMH’s 78?-per-share bid, 156% premium over average stock price in last 30 days, was proposed to eMachines board in late Oct., but not made public until SEC filing late Nov. 9. It expires Wed. and, if accepted by board and approved by shareholders, could be completed by year-end, said Lap Shun Hui, CEO of eMachines shareholder/supplier Korea Data Systems (KDS) provided EM Holdings with $5 million in initial capital. Hui and EMH own 1.8 million shares (1.26%) of eMachines outstanding common and KDS 19.8%. eMachines stock closed last week at 43?, down 5?.