InFocus and OEM partners Toshiba and Runco were expected to release specs today for new line of retail-oriented front projectors based on Texas Instruments’ Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology. DLP-based projectors are expected to be delivered in Nov. at $4,999. Projectors, which will have single 0.8” DLP chip, will have 848x480 and 800x600 resolution for widescreen and conventional formats, 400:1 contrast and 1,000 lumens. InFocus, which also supplies light engine, is expected to build projectors at Ore. factory. It primarily will market own brand to custom installers, while Toshiba offers product to larger retailers. Toshiba is said to have discussions with Best Buy in recent weeks about carrying product, but no deal has been finalized. Best Buy officials weren’t available for comment. Other manufacturers have unveiled new front projectors using TI’s 2nd generation chip, but at higher prices. Sim2 Seleco USA recently showed model that will retail for $14,999, price drive largely by sealed box design, glass optics and inclusion of Sage’s Faroudja deinterlacing technology.

NPD Group started new toy and videogame market information service, NPDFunworld, Mon. New Web-based service (www.npdfunworld.com) enables on-demand access to marketing information by Port Washington, N.Y., company. NPD said site was “customizable” and “available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.” Features include “ClientCenter,” electronic library of information including access to full NPD reports and presentations. Site also includes 3rd-party content, feeds, links. NPDFunworld is 3rd marketing information portal started by company, following NPDFashionworld and NPDFoodworld. Company said it also would open NPDTechworld portal providing marketing information for technology industry, but didn’t provide specific date.

Fifty-eight percent of households with PC cite games/ entertainment as number one use for computer, Yankee Group’s annual Technologically Advanced Family survey said. Games/entertainment trailed online services/Internet access (76%) but topped personal/household finances (30%). Report said 93% of households that owned PCs now had Internet access, adding that online population also was becoming more experienced. Of PC owners with Web access, 83% have been online for more than one year, 40% for 1-3 years, 43% for more than 3 years, report said. Yankee Group Internet Mkt. Strategies Analyst Lisa Melsted said “results indicate that a vast majority of consumers are incorporating the online channel into their daily activities, ranging from providing entertainment content to tracking household finances.” She added: “As online consumers become more experienced, the opportunity for service providers to develop value-added services, content and applications to address consumers’ needs will continue to expand.”

Nam Tai Electronics, blaming worldwide economic slowdown, said 3rd quarter net income slid 12% to $3.7 million from $4.2 million year earlier, despite 4% rise in sales to $59.6 million from $57.2 million. Nam Tai, which took $5.5 million charge in 2nd quarter for write-off of assets and provisions for slow- moving raw materials, ended quarter with $40.1 million cash. It also has invested $15 million in designing and building new STN LCD production line in China that will mainly produce panels for mobile phones marketed under own and Vtech brands, company said.

There was no shortage of videogame promotions in Sun. retail circulars. Most intriguing was CompUSA spotlighting its new “game fixx” online Web site, www.gamefixx.com. Site already is taking Xbox preorders without need for deposit by customer. Like its online competitors, site is selling console only as part of pricey bundle. In this case, consumer must buy console with 2 first party games, one 3rd party game, 2 accessories. Minimum cost of any bundle that can be selected is $479.94. Site said Mon. “we will be shipping on a weekly basis” once system starts rolling out Nov. 15 in N. America “and will make every effort to ensure delivery prior to Christmas.” Company also said it planned to start taking preorders for GameCube but didn’t say when. Nintendo game system is scheduled to ship in N. America Nov. 18. Meanwhile, Best Buy announced $5 discount on all Game Boy Advance (GBA) software titles in stock. Chain, which sells GBA titles for $29.99 and $39.99, also promoted online preorder campaign for PlayStation 2 (PS2) videogame Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex at BestBuy.com; game is to ship Thurs. N.Y. metro area CE chain The Wiz promoted 10% discount offer on any 2nd software title when consumer buys either PS One or PS2 and one game. Toys “R” Us is offering free The Mummy Returns DVD movie to consumers who buy PS2 game of same name at $59.99.

San Jose, Cal., game maker Bam! Entertainment filed amended registration statement with SEC Mon., changing terms of its IPO. Company said it now planned to offer 4 million shares of common stock at $8-$10 per share instead of 3.5 million at $12-$14 proposed in Sept. 4 SEC filing.

NPD Group started new toy and videogame market information service, NPDFunworld, Mon. New Web-based service (www.npdfunworld.com) enables on-demand access to marketing information by Port Washington, N.Y., company. NPD said site was “customizable” and “available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.” Features include “ClientCenter,” electronic library of information including access to full NPD reports and presentations. Site also includes 3rd-party content, feeds, links. NPDFunworld is 3rd marketing information portal started by company, following NPDFashionworld and NPDFoodworld. Company said it also would open NPDTechworld portal providing marketing information for technology industry, but didn’t provide specific date.

At our deadline there was no explanation or reaction to astonishing $500 price cut that headlined debut of Panasonic DVD- RAM recorder at Best Buy, N.Y. area chain The Wiz and other retailers last weekend. New DMR-E20 deck hit street at $999.99 - - steep cut from $1,495.99 MSRP Panasonic announced at June preview. Surprise change came just as rival format Philips DVD+RW and Pioneer DVD-RW decks wended way to market at $2,000 and $2,800 MSRP, respectively (Pioneer has said recorder should street at $2,500). Explanation for pricing change hadn’t been received from Panasonic, Philips or Pioneer by our deadline. Blank discs for DMR-E20 were advertised as $14.99 for write-once DVD-R media and $34.99 for 3-pack of rewritable DVD-RAM blanks -- each in line with what Panasonic forecast this summer.

Proposed sale of Hughes Electronics, owner of DirecTV, to EchoStar for $26 billion may augur change in retail distribution. DirecTV, which has 10.3 million subscribers, had dominated retail sales largely because of incentive package it offered dealers who agreed to sell service exclusively. Dealers that also sold EchoStar received less support from DirecTV in terms of funding for promotions. EchoStar, whose largest retailer was Sears, also sold Digital Sky Highway (DISH) service through independent chains including P.C. Richard in N.Y.C. and Sight ‘n Sound in Oklahoma City. It, along with Sears, sued DirecTV in 2000, alleging violations of antitrust law, and both cases are pending. EchoStar has 6.4 million subscribers.

Interplay Streaming Games rental Web site -- https://interplay.streamtheory.com/home -- was started by game maker Interplay and streaming delivery service provider Stream Theory. Web site streams PC games direct to consumers who have broadband capability at monthly cost of $5.99 per game. Cal Morrell, pres. of game maker’s Interplay.com online division, said his company had “been working with Stream Theory for over a year and we're impressed both with their technology and the acceptance we have received from our fan base.” He said Stream Theory’s “security features and gamer experience gave us a high level of confidence to rent games, [including MDK2], Fallout and Virtual Pool series, on our own Web site.” Gamers who use streaming service use 1.9 MB Stream Theory Player on their PC. Companies said “because the software is streamed to the users’ desktop, there is no installation, no downloading and no uninstalling of files” so “users can simply play the game without having to worry about the game affecting their desktop settings or hard drive.”