Napster, the erstwhile music industry bad boy, has struck a distribution deal with three major record labels that plan to launch a music subscription service this summer. The agreement between Napster and the members of MusicNet is the biggest step Napster has taken so far toward legitimacy. MusicNet is a venture between record label owners AOL Time Warner, Bertelsmann and EMI, as well as Seattle-based RealNetworks, whose software allows users to listen to music and watch video via streaming technology over the Internet. The deal makes Napster the third distribution partner for MusicNet, joining AOL RealNetworks and America Online. The MusicNet subscription services is slated to be available to consumers by late summer.
Eircell's 3g Warning: Eircell's chief executive has urged the Department of Finance and the Office of the Director of Telecoms Regulation to resolve the outstanding issues concerning the awarding of 3G licences. Stephen Brewer warned that a final decision on fees and conditions surrounding the awarding of licences is critical for the mobile phone industry in Ireland. He added that the company was in favour of mobile virtual network operations.
Big Blue River: Riverdeep has formed a strategic alliance with IBM aimed at expanding interactive learning solutions for schools worldwide. According to market reports, the alliance comes into effect immediately and aims to offer Web-based, interactive learning courseware. The alliance includes ongoing development and technology co-operation between the two companies, including co-development of future enhancements to the IBM "Learning Village" - a key component of IBM's e-business for Schools portfolio.
Parthus's Bluetooth: Parthus Technologies' Bluestream platform has achieved Bluetooth version 1.1 qualification from the Bluetooth Special Interest Group. The Irish designer of computer chips for wireless devices said 1.1 qualification has several important updates to the previous Bluetooth standard, including "improvements to ensure interoperability between different Bluetooth devices".
Intel Ok: Intel executive vice-president Paul Otellini has predicted that the semiconductor giant should be able to ride out the current sector slump without making further job cuts. "We feel comfortable with the measures we have introduced," he said in an interview with the Financial Times Deutschland.
PC Power: Tomorrow Compaq and Oracle present a joint one-day conference in the Mansion House, Dublin focusing on how companies can fully realise the potential of technology. The conference will feature leading international experts who will cover topics including the Human Genome project and the role of technology in scientific and business innovation.
Marine Web: Want to follow an Arctic tern as it travels from pole to pole across the globe? Want to take a tour of scenic Strangford Lough, online? Or do you simply want to get to grips with environmental designations? The Strangford Lough Information Network gives you the chance. Its website, www.strangfordlough.org, is a gateway to a fascinating world and is well worth a visit.
MS TV: Microsoft has launched its bid to carve out a share of the fledgling interactive television market with the commercial roll-out of the world's first broadband set-top boxes. Interactive television, offering Internet access and online services through TV sets, is expected to generate billions of dollars in revenue worldwide in coming years. Portugal's TV Cabo became the world's first cable company to deploy advanced set-top boxes running Microsoft's new TV software. Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer described the launch as "a landmark day" for interactive TV because it introduced innovative technology which can expand the market and provided a new source of revenue for the software powerhouse.
Net Regulation: Turkey's parliament has passed a law subjecting the Internet to the same restrictions as print media but it abandoned plans to require official permission to set up a website. The law provides for fines of up to $85,000 for websites that publish "untrue news, insults and similar material".
Science Fact: Science education may have taken a step towards a brighter future following the launch of the Institute for the Advancement of Science, Technology and Economics (IASTE) - an Irish online education resource. www.iaste.com provides teachers and students with free access to an interactive education experience that aims to radically alter the way students learn.
Retiring Early: Lucent Technologies the struggling telecommunications equipment maker which recently abandoned merger talks with France's Alcatel, is to offer early retirement packages to more than 10,000 employees as part of its effort to cut costs.Lucent said it will offer the buyout package to more than 10,000 US management employees - ranging from entry-level clerical workers to mid-level executives - who are eligible for retirement, or close to it.
Less Excitement: ExciteAtHome is planning to close its websites and media operations in France, Germany and Spain in July as a result of the weak Internet advertising environment. The California-based Internet company, which has failed to keep up with the top portals, said it would shut the Excite-branded websites and local operations in France, Germany and Spain as well as sites operated from the European headquarters in London but directed at several other European markets.