Westwood Studios opened www.Be-A-Renegade.com life-style Web site featuring commentary, news, pop culture-based humor, reviews.

Microsoft displayed unaccustomed candor with news media at Thurs. news conference in London to introduce Windows XP operating system. Event at London’s Royal Festival Hall was far cry from Microsoft’s previous Windows policy of beginning with loud party but taking no questions. Instead, as in prelaunch briefings, executives went out of way to be responsive. Despite that, new operating system already had shown clay feet -- such as incompatibility with Disney’s recently released Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs DVD.

Standout titles at Electronic Arts (EA) game showcase in N.Y.C. this week included Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 for PS2. EA spokesman told us title, currently in pre-alpha stage of development cycle, was scheduled to ship next spring. He said Need for Speed was key franchise from company’s EA Games division and it spent time evaluating capabilities of PS2 before developing title for system. Objective, he said, was to gain “photo realism” with cars featured in game. Title features more than 20 licensed vehicles from car makers including Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche rendered with more detailed graphics than had been possible in past. Cars in game, he said, are about 60% complete at this point. Other titles at game showcase included Cel Damage, debut title for Xbox next month that will ship in mid-Dec. for GameCube. Also spotlighted were Command & Conquer Renegade for PC (Feb. 12), Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone for Game Boy Advance/Game Boy Color/PC/ PlayStation (Nov. 16, day and date with feature film of same name), James Bond 007 in Agent Under Fire for PS2 (Nov. 17), Motor City Online (Oct. 30), NBA Live 2002 for PS2 (Oct. 30) and Xbox (Dec. 4), Knockout Kings 2002 for PS2/Xbox, Sid Meier’s Sim Golf for PC (late Jan.-early Feb.), The Simpsons Road Rage for GameCube (Dec.), PS2 (Nov. 20) and Xbox (Nov. 13), The Sims Hot Date for PC (Nov. 13), SSX Tricky for GameCube (Dec. 4), PS2 (Nov. 13) and Xbox (Dec. 18), Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2002 for PC/PS2 (mid-Feb.).

Ubi Soft Entertainment said its PC game Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon reached Gold Master Status and would ship Nov. 13 at $49.99. Title was developed by company’s Red Storm Entertainment studio.

Digimarc expanded suit against Verance alleging infringement of 6th newly issued patent (6,307,949) on “core watermarking techniques.” Digimarc CEO Bruce Davis said Patent Office continued to grant additional patents on “fundamental” Digimarc inventions that “are being misappropriated by Verance.” Verance has said suit “continues a pattern of behavior by Digimarc reflecting an apparent belief that, because of its inability to compete based on technology in the marketplace, litigation is its best strategy.”

Infinite Ventures will ship what it’s billing as “the first interactive live-action horror game on DVD-Video” in Nov. Game - - Dracula Unleashed -- will be available online at www.draculaunleashed.com. Purcellville, Va.-based independent production company said it was “in discussions with a number of companies about worldwide retail distribution.” Company said it acquired rights to Dracula Unleashed from Viacom in 1997, along with rights to Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective. Infinite said titles, originally developed by ICOM Simulations, were released on CD-ROM in early 1990s. Digitally remastered version of Holmes title was released on DVD-Video in 1999. Infinite Pres. Eugene Evans said DVD owners “have come to expect depth through bonus content” and “we're taking that expectation to unmatched levels by creating a fully interactive mystery game” that consumers would use more often than typical DVD-Video movie.

Legislation to mandate management of end-of-life consumer electronic products hasn’t gained traction in states because of expectations raised by govt.-industry initiative to develop voluntary program to dispose of products in environmentally aware way, according to state regulators. But that could change if sustainable models for management of waste electronics aren’t evolved soon, state officials said. About 25 states and local govts. are involved in National Electronics Product Stewardship Initiative (NEPSI) that’s seeking to reach agreement to avoid patchwork of state and local regulations.

Pace Micro Technology announced new version of its IP-based set-top box. New version of DSL4000 is designed to allow telecom service providers and IP broadband network operators to offer interactive TV services. Box has enhanced Internet browser capability, expanded printer support, standard teletext and DVB subtitling capabilities, ability to support multiple languages, especially for countries in Far East. New product will be available next month.

Autosound industry was represented at Window’s XP preview Wed. in N.Y. when Aiwa America announced first car stereo CD/receiver to use Microsoft’s Windows Media Audio (WMA) for playback CDs with compressed music files. Company last year was first to introduce car decks with MP3 playback, which also is incorporated in new CDC-MA01 that ships next month at $349.95. Using WMA or MP3 compression, consumers can transfer several hours of music from PCs to blank CDs for mobile playback. Despite greater compression ratio that makes WMA files just 1/3 size of MP3 files, Microsoft has said audio quality is same. Other features of top-shelf CDC-MA01 include 4-channel amp at 50 w per channel, motorized front panel that flips down and away to expose CD slot -- and retracts to disguise player with plain black panel when car’s ignition is turned off. It also has front panel input jack for other music sources, such as cassette player or flash-memory portable. Soundfield-shaping processor adjusts stereo imaging for driver’s position at touch of single button. Aiwa package also includes steering-wheel-mounted wireless remote control for in-dash player.

Pegasus Communications and DirecTV, whose acrimonious split over programming distribution pact triggered series of lawsuits, reached agreement on new seamless marketing deal, SEC filing said. New pact “preserves” Pegasus’s right to sell premium services Cinemax, HBO, Showtime and The Movie Channel to its customers, filing said. DirecTV sells services from several of its satellite frequencies, filing said. Also part of revised pact is sports programming and local TV channels. Pegasus will continue to retain 10-20% of revenue tied to those programming packages and be responsible for sales, marketing, billing and customer services, it said. DirecTV has right to terminate agreement on 90 days’ notice.