LG.Philips is expected to introduce new line of 17W, 23W and 30W LCDs at LCD/PDP International show in Japan later this month. LG.Philips, which has previously marketed 28”, will lead line with 30W that has 1,280x768 resolution, 450:1 contrast ratio, 450 candelas. Smaller 17W, which ships in Dec., has 1,280x768 resolution and 400 candelas, while 23W has 1,920x1,200.
Toysrus.com will start selling Video Game Enhancer (VGE) from Nuwave Technologies in time for holiday season, companies said Wed. VGE is Nuwave’s proprietary videogame console accessory that video enhancement technology company says visibly improves graphics of videogames when displayed on TV. Company says patented integrated circuit chip technology of VGE adjusts black level, chroma, clarity, intensity, luminance, noise reduction. VGE is compatible with all major consoles, including Microsoft’s Xbox, Nintendo’s systems, Sega’s Dreamcast, Sony’s PlayStation platforms. Nuwave said VGE was being sold in more than 2,300 retail locations in U.K. and U.S. including Electronics Boutique, Gamestop, J&R Music & Computer World.
Hit from Sept. 11 attacks on Thomson Multimedia 3rd quarter revenues was about 150 million euros ($135 million), company said Wed.
U.S. computer and video game industry raised $1.5 million Tues. night at annual “Nite to Unite -- For Kids” charity dinner. Money was raised for various charities. Interactive Digital Software Assn. (IDSA) said it was donating additional $500,000 to organizations working to aid victims of last month’s terrorist attacks. At event, late Sega Corp. Pres.-Chmn. Isao Okawa was posthumous recipient of IDSA’s Champion Award and Sega of America donated $50,000 in his honor to IDSA Foundation. Microsoft Chmn. Bill Gates also announced Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation would contribute $200,000 to IDSA Foundation in memory of Okawa. Co- chairs of event were Capcom Entertainment Pres.-CEO Bill Gardner, Microsoft Chief Xbox OFficer-Senior Vp Robbie Bach, Nintendo of America Exec. Vp Peter Main, Sega of America Pres.-COO Peter Moore.
As EchoStar reportedly lined up $5.5 billion in financing for its bid to buy Hughes Electronics, Hughes reported 3rd quarter net loss widened to $227.2 million from $93.8 million year earlier. Loss includes $65 million charge on 2% work force reduction. EchoStar executives declined comment at our deadline on financing reports. Hughes also took $212 million noncash charge for revaluation of its SkyPerfecTV investment in Japan. Overall revenues rose to $2.1 billion from $1.6 billion year ago.
Bam! Entertainment will publish Reign of Fire for Xbox. Title is based on action film of same name from Walt Disney Studios and Spyglass Entertainment starring Matthew McConaughey and Christian Bale, scheduled to be released theatrically next summer. Game, already being produced at U.K. development studio Kuju Entertainment, is to ship next fall.
DTS Entertainment set Nov. 20 street date on DVD-Audio release of Queen’s A Night at the Opera ($24.97). Disc will feature 5.1-surround remix of entire album and original 1975 music video of Bohemian Rhapsody released in 5.1 multichannel audio for first time. Remix was created by Elliot Scheiner and album’s original producer Roy Baker.
Electronics Boutique (EB) revised its earnings estimate for 3rd quarter ending Nov. 3. Computer and videogame chain based in W. Chester, Pa., said although it still expected to report year- over-year improvement in income, result would wind up being at low end of previously announced estimate of 11-14? per share. Company posted 6? per share profit for same quarter year ago. EB said it expected to report 3rd quarter sales would fall below estimates but with better-than-expected gross margins due to enhanced operating efficiencies and benefits from expansion of its preowned videogame business. Chain said comparable-store sales would “be in the negative single-digit range” after “delays in consumer purchases attributable, in part, to the events on and after September 11.” EB Pres.-CEO Jeffrey Griffiths said mall traffic was “not at last year’s level [but] appears to be improving and we remain optimistic that the last few weeks of October, a traditionally robust sales period, will be strong.” But he said it was “difficult to gauge the continued impact of recent events on consumer spending.” EB, he said, still expected “videogame market will grow more than 25% annually over the next few years.” Griffiths said “a number of software title introductions were delayed to late in the quarter or have been shifted by publishers from the 3rd to the 4th quarter.” He said that would coincide with U.S. rollouts of GameCube (Nov. 18) and Xbox (Nov. 15). Griffiths also said sales of PlayStation 2 console had “been particularly strong in Australia and Europe since Sony’s price reduction in late September.” Meanwhile, shares in U.K. Electronics Boutique dropped Wed. after U.S. EB sold its 18% stake (66.4 million shares).
Promotional and educational campaign for DVD Forum- sanctioned DVD-RAM and DVD-RW video recording formats will be outlined at briefing by Recordable DVD Council during Comdex PC show. Event is scheduled for Mon., Nov. 12, 2-4:30 p.m., Las Vegas Hilton’s Ballroom G.
Theatrical posters from 1977’s Star Wars: A New Hope will be available for $19.99 at Suncoast and Media Play video chains to coincide with this week’s DVD debut of recent Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.