ROUNDUPS
In the papers 23 December
23-12-2004
by Sylvia Leatham
HMV plans music downloading service | Deutsche Telekom to make more job cuts
The Irish Times reports that Microsoft is set to release a version of its Windows software that does not have Media Player pre-installed. Read the full story as reported by ElectricNews.net on Wednesday.
The Irish Independent reports that ComReg has ordered Eircom to reduce local loop unbundling charges. Read the details of the story on ElectricNews.net.
The paper also notes that record store HMV has announced plans for a new music downloading service. The group is teaming up with Microsoft to develop software and hardware for the service, due to be launched in the second half of 2005. HMV will invest around STG10 million in setting up the service.
According to the Financial Times, German telecoms firm Deutsche Telekom reportedly wants to cut up to another 10,000 jobs in 2006-2007 at T-Com, its fixed-line unit, as part of a continuing effort to lower labour costs. DT's labour costs currently total about EUR3.3 billion per quarter for its 250,000-strong staff. The new job cuts have yet to be formally agreed.
The paper also says that memory chipmaker Micron Technology has reported a rise in quarterly net income, fuelled by an improved market for PCs. Earnings in the company's fiscal first quarter rose to USD154.9 million, or USD0.23 a share, compared to a year-earlier profit of USD1.1 million, equivalent to break-even on a per-share basis. Net sales rose 14 percent to USD1.26 billion.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Time Warner Cable is planning to launch a new feature that will allow TV viewers to re-start programmes from the beginning at any point during the broadcast. Time Warner Cable hopes to test the "Start Over" in at least one market next year.
The paper also reports that broadband access in the US rose 15 percent during the first half of 2004 to a total of 32.5 million lines, the Federal Communications Commission has said. That figures is down from the 20 percent rise registered during the second half of 2003. Year-over-year, high-speed internet use rose 38 percent, the FCC said.
Caped Koala Studios has built a virtual world for kids, combining education and social networking 