News Corp. Announces Online Video Plans

Fox Interactive Media (FIM) and Twentieth Century Fox announced a multi-year agreement to provide feature films and television shows on a download-to-own basis across the FIM network. IGN Entertainment will be the first FIM property to offer a selection of on its Direct2Drive site in October 2006 with additional FIM properties including MySpace.com to come.Initially, FIM will offer films from Twentieth Century Fox including new releases, made-for-TV movies, direct-to-video releases and select content from the Twentieth Century Fox film library...

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Tiscali UK Acquires HomeChoice IPTV Service

Tiscali and Video Networks International agreed to integrate their UK market operations. Under the deal, Video Networks International Ltd (VNIL) would contribute 100% of their UK operations - Video Networks Ltd (VNL) - into Tiscali UK Ltd, fully owned subsidiary of Tiscali SpA, in exchange for an interest in Tiscali UK. As a result, Tiscali SpA would control 88.5% of Tiscali UK, while VNIL would own 11.5%.Following this integration, Tiscali UK will...

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AOL Acquires Userplane for Community Networking Software

AOL has acquired Userplane, a provider of community networking software with Web-based chat and instant messaging tools. Financial terms were not disclosed.Userplane - originally founded in 2001 by Michael Jones, Nate Thelen and Javier Hall - has licensed its chat technology to more than 100,000 Web sites and online communities, and has a presence in more than 25 countries. Key customers include MySpace.com, Honda, Date.com, Spark, IGN, Tagged, Red Bull, Marvel Comics, and others. Userplane's wide network of online communities includes social...

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AMIMON Raises $14 Million for Wireless HDTV Chipset

AMIMON, a start-up with offices in Herzlia, Israel, Santa Clara, California and Tokyo, has raised $14 million in a second round of private venture funding for its chipset solution that allows flat-panel televisions and multimedia projectors to wirelessly interface to all HDTV video sources.AMIMON's wireless high definition interface (WHDI) technology enables wireless transmission of uncompressed high-definition video streams in the 5GHz unlicensed band. Equivalent video data rates of up to 3Gbps (including 1080p) are achieved using 40 MHz of bandwidth...

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Logitech Introduces VoIP Speakerphone-Headset-Mouse-Keyboard

Logitech introduced its "EasyCall Desktop" -- a combination of a mouse, keyboard, headset and speakerphone optimized for VoIP. The EasyCall Desktop's full-duplex speakerphone includes Logitech "RightSound" Technology, which eliminates echoes for headset-free Internet phone calls. The speakerphone acts as the control center for the Internet calling experience, with volume up and down, mute, call pick-up, and call hang-up buttons. The product also...

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Ciena Upgrades Pseudowire Capabilities on Edge Switching Platform

Ciena introduced key enhancements to its pseudowire emulation edge-to-edge (PWE3) and advanced Ethernet interworking capabilities on the DN 7000 Series FlexSelect Multiservice Edge Switching and Aggregation Platform. The enhancements address carrier applications such as migrating DSL aggregation from ATM to Ethernet, delivering access technology-agnostic Layer 2 MPLS VPNs and consolidating 2G/3G TDM, Ethernet, and ATM-based wireless backhaul onto a converged radio access network (RAN). These upgrades enable Ciena's DN 7000 to provide support for...

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Cisco Unified Wireless Network Receives FIPS 140-2 Validation

Cisco Systems' Unified Wireless LAN Controllers and Access Points have received National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 level 2 validation of its IEEE 802.11i WLAN security architecture.Cisco said it has been working closely with the Department of Defense (DoD) in defining requirements to enable higher levels of security and interoperability in wireless solutions. By meeting these cryptographic security standards with FIPS validation, the Cisco Unified Wireless Network meets another...

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NFC Forum Targets Wireless Near Field Communications

The NFC Forum, an industry association backed by HP, MasterCard, Microsoft, Nokia, NEC, Panasonic, Renesas, Philips Electronics, Samsung, Sony, Texas Instruments and Visa among others, announced the publication of its first four specifications. NFC technology is a short-range, standards-based wireless connectivity technology that will allow consumers to perform safe contactless transactions, access digital content and connect electronic devices with...

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Axiom Offers Tools for Managing IP VPN over Juniper Infrastructure

Axiom Systems introduced a packaged solution that speeds the creation, configuration and management of secure virtual private networks over Juniper Networks' routing platforms.The combined AXIOSS and Juniper solution brings together the different processes, systems, departments and technologies involved in the design, creation and delivery of IP VPN services.AXIOSS for IPVPN for Juniper Networks provides a design environment within which workflow process, inventory models and Juniper network interfaces involved in the provisioning of end to end...

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Occam Completes Interoperability Testing with Siemens Softswitch

Occam Networks has completed interoperability testing of its BLC 6000 System broadband loop carrier (BLC) with the Siemens SURPASS hiQ 8000 softswitch. The two products interoperate via the Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP), a client-server protocol that provides a direct IP connection between the Siemens SURPASS hiQ 8000 softswitch and the Occam BLC in distributed network architecture. The companies said using MGCP rather than GR-303 or TR-08 provides more control over subscribers and saves service providers facilities cost; equipment cost...

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CopperCom Names New CEO

CopperCom, a supplier of Class 4/5 switching solutions for the IOC and CLEC markets, announced the retirement of Mike Myers, its president and CEO. Julian Thomson, CopperCom's chief operating officer, will assume the role of president and CEO, effective immediately. http://www.coppercom....

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Sales of Consumer Electronics Continues Robust Growth

Total factory-to-dealer consumer electronics sales are expected to reach $140 billion in 2006, an eight percent growth over 2005, as shown in figures released today by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) in its semi-annual U.S. Consumer Electronics Sales and Forecasts Report. Some highlights:Display technologies continue to be the front runner in the CE industry with revenues reaching $19 billion in 2005 and expected to exceed $22 billion in 2006.High resolution DVD players in both Blu-ray and HD-DVD formats entered in the market place...

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Verizon Adds Multi-room DVR to FiOS TV

Verizon introduced a new Home Media DVR featuring multi-room capability that enables up to three simultaneous viewings of programs recorded by the device without requiring customers to set up a complex home network or buy extra equipment. The recorder is bundled with Media Manager, a new feature that lets customers access photos and music from their personal computer and play them on their entertainment center. In the multi-room DVR configuration,...

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Beijing's Public Security Bureau Deploys Strix Wireless Mesh Network

Beijing's Public Security Bureau has deployed Strix's Access/One Network Outdoor Wireless Systems (OWS) and Indoor Wireless Systems (IWS) to provide mesh networking throughout the Xicheng district, which has a population of 800,000. This is the first phase of a city-wide Strix deployment for the Bureau, which is responsible for many aspects of public security, including crime, security violations, anti-terrorism activities, and emergency command communications. Silicon Star, the Strix strategic partner and master value-added distributor (VAD) in...

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MobiTV Names New CTO

MobiTV announced the appointment of Kay Johansson as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Johansson joins MobiTV from Popwire, a former Ericsson company, in Sweden where he served as CTO for the last six years, where he led the licensing, product strategy and development of mobile and broadcast media applications and technologies. Popwire's customers include Apple Computer, ABC, MTV, BBC, CTIA, Ericsson, Microsoft, Vodafone, 3 and other industry leaders.http://www.mobitv....

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Alcatel Boosts ADSL Density in Litespan Remote Cabinets

Alcatel announced a significant increase in ADSL capacity for its Litespan-2000 remote cabinets, providing the density necessary to offer ADSL services to 100% of the subscribers served by Litespan remote terminals. The upgrade applies to both new and existing Litespan-2000 and Litespan-2012 remote cabinets. The Litespan LSC- 2016 cabinet can now support up to 2,016 combined POTS and ADSL lines from a single cabinet.http://www.alcatel....

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AT&T Builds Global IP VPN for TRW Automotive

AT&T was awarded a two-year, multimillion-dollar contract by TRW Automotive Holdings to provide an IP VPN integrating 170 TRW locations in 25 countries across five continents. TRW, a global leader in automotive safety systems, is one of the world's top producers of automotive braking, steering and suspension systems as well as a leading supplier of occupant safety systems for inflatable restraints, seat belts and steering wheels. The new network runs on AT&T's MPLS backbone.http://www.att....

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