Sony Corp. slashed the price of its current PlayStation 3 by $100, or 16.7 percent, and introduced a high-capacity model in an effort to spur sales of the struggling video game console. Starting Monday, the current 60 gigabyte model will cost $499, down from $599.

The Japanese electronics maker also said it is introducing a new version of the PlayStation 3 with a bigger hard drive for storing downloaded content such as video games and high-definition movies.

The new PS3 increases the system’s storage capacity to 80 gigabytes from 60 gigabytes and also includes a retail copy of the online racing title "MotorStorm," a company spokesman said. It will be priced at $599.

The larger capacity machine won’t be available in the United States and Canada until August.

It plays into the company’s upcoming strategy of eventually offering downloaded high-definition movies, video games, movie trailers and demos, Sony spokesman David Karraker said.

Karraker said further details on high-def movies for download would be released at a later date.

The announcement comes two days before the E3 Media & Business Summit in Santa Monica, Calif., where dozens of industry heavyweights including Sony rivals Microsoft Corp. and Nintendo Co. are expected to show off their latest games and related products.

Sony has said it sold 3.6 million PS3s in the fiscal year ending March 31 and expects to sell another 11 million in the current fiscal year. Microsoft said in its most recent quarterly earnings report filed in April that it had shipped 11 million Xbox 360s.

Nintendo, meanwhile, claims it has sold nearly 6 million Wiis worldwide as of March 31, and more than 40 million Nintendo DS handhelds. The company has predicted it will sell another 14 million Wiis and 22 million additional DS systems by the end of the current fiscal year.

The Wii and PS3 were released within days of each other late last year. Microsoft had a head start in the current generation of consoles, having launched its Xbox 360 in 2005. Last week, the software company announced an extension of the warranty due to the high number of systems suffering from hardware failure, also called the "red ring of death."

In April, Microsoft began selling a version of its Xbox 360 with a 120-gigabyte hard drive and a souped up high-definition video connection. Called Xbox 360 Elite, the black-colored system sells for $479.99.

Xbox gamers who already own the $399.99 20-gigabyte model can buy a snap-on 120-gigabyte hard drive for $179.99.

Karraker said Sony would use the E3 show to focus on two areas: ways to increase the number of consumers who own PS3s and other products such as the PlayStation Portable handheld system, and expanding the system’s library of available games.

He said Sony would be releasing 100 new video games during the current fiscal year, including 15 titles that are exclusive to the PS3 such as the hack-and-slash action title "Heavenly Sword."

DETROIT - Coming soon to a minivan near you: Satellite television. DaimlerChrysler AG’s Chrysler Group on Thursday announced limited satellite TV service for its 2008 Dodge and Chrysler minivans and several other models, continuing its plan to turn the family cruiser into a living room on wheels.

The company, which invented the minivan, is teaming with Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. to bring three channels — Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network — to the next generation of minivans, as well as the 2008 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Dodge Magnum, Jeep Commander and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Chrysler said it has the channels exclusively through the 2008 model year, after which Sirius can offer it to other partners.
The feature comes with a price tag, though. It costs $470 and will be packaged with Chrysler’s rear seat entertainment system and Sirius Satellite Radio. The cost includes the first year of service, after which the TV channels will cost $7 per month, plus the satellite radio fee of $12.95 per month.

It’s possible that in the future, more channels and even full satellite service could become available, but for now, it’s limited by bandwidth allocated to satellite radio, said Frank Klegon, executive vice president of product development for Chrysler.
Sirius, he said, has figured out how to send a limited TV signal within the airwaves allocated to satellite radio. "I think there’s certainly some potential in the future for expansion of additional channels," he said. Klegon also said satellite TV is the latest step in a continuation of information technology moving from home to vehicle.

But Tom Libby, J.D. Power and Associates’ senior director of industry analysis, questioned whether people would be willing to pay for it. His company recently found that the average new vehicle price has passed $28,000. With the initial cost plus the monthly bills, he wonders whether the feature might only appeal to high-end customers.

Still, he said the feature would be attractive for people who travel with children, and it will help Chrysler differentiate its minivans in an extremely competitive market. "Any advantage they can get, they’ll try to use," he said.

Sirius spokesman Patrick Reilly said the new TV service would have no effect on the company’s audio programming. However, he declined to say how many more channels, if any, Sirius would have the capacity to transmit. "We’ve got the three channels we want there," Reilly said. "We’re programming it for the demographic of the back seat, which is children, and in the cars that will carry it." The TV service has been in the works for several years, and Sirius has demonstrated it at trade shows in the past.

Sirius’ satellite radio rival, XM, is exploring backseat video with its automotive partners but has no plans for an announcement, spokesman Chance Patterson said. "As soon as there is a market opportunity, we will take it under consideration," Patterson said.

Oppenheimer & Co. analyst Thomas Eagan said the video should help Sirius grow its subscriber list, but could have the potential of causing a glitch in Sirius’ plans to combine with its rival XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. Sirius and XM have been blocked from merging under licenses granted to them a decade ago, but the companies argue that there are now many forms of competition for audio entertainment, including MP3 players, Internet radio as well as terrestrial radio. "My concern is that one consequence could be that regulators could define the market more narrowly and conclude that broadcast radio is not a competitor," leading them to block the proposed combination, he said.

Chrysler and Sirius ran a demonstration of the service Thursday morning in New York’s Times Square. In a Dodge Grand Caravan, the TV system easily was able to switch channels, with a slight delay, and delivered good quality sound and pictures. The driver or front-seat passenger can switch between the TV service, Sirius satellite radio’s audio service as well as regular AM and FM radio via a small video screen installed in the dash. That system, which also includes a navigation service and a hard drive for playing music from MP3 files, is called the MyGIG. The vehicle has three screens — two 8-inch screens for the rear-seat passengers, and the smaller screen in the dash.

Having the Sirius TV service installed in the vehicle requires an additional antenna in order to improve reception, and also a separate video tuner in addition to the satellite radio tuner for audio signals. It also works on a screen in the dashboard, but don’t think for a minute that you’ll be able to watch SpongeBob while driving. For safety reasons, the TV channels won’t show up in the front unless the vehicle is in park.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. said on Tuesday it will begin selling a new version of its Xbox 360 console that transmits high-definition video and comes with a larger hard drive in its latest effort to position the video game machine as a digital media hub.

Microsoft’s new Xbox 360 Elite, with a 120-gigabyte hard drive and High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port, will be available on April 29 in the United States and Canada for $479.99. The hard drive on the new machine is six times bigger than the current high-end Xbox 360 model, which retails for $399.

Microsoft said the Elite hard drive has space to hold a library of arcade games and thousands of songs, as well as high-definition TV shows and movies downloaded from the company’s Xbox LIVE online service. "Today’s games and entertainment enthusiast has an insatiable appetite for digital high-definition content," said Peter Moore, corporate vice president for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. Microsoft said it will sell the Elite alongside existing Xbox 360 systems and it will offer the detachable 120 gigabyte hard drive for $179.99.

MULTIFRONT WAR

Microsoft released the Xbox 360 a full year ahead of Sony Corp.’s new PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Co. Ltd.’s Wii, grabbing an early lead in the new, three-way video game console war. The Xbox 360 and PS3 are also battling on the home entertainment front with each shooting to take control of the digital living room.

Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter said Microsoft is making a play for a niche market. "Very few consumers will care," he said, noting that most gamers can probably get by with a 20-gigabyte hard drive while owners of pricey high-definition televisions are still a small percentage of the overall audience.

Sony’s PS3 includes a next-generation, high-definition, Blu-ray DVD player that is slowly gaining popularity with movie buffs. Microsoft did not put a competing high-def DVD player in its console, but with the Elite, the world’s biggest software maker is making its own assault on the living room.

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates said earlier this year it would offer an Xbox 360 that would double as a set-top box for Internet Protocol TV, or IPTV. Telephone carriers and cable companies provide set-top boxes to pipe high-definition movies and television into homes.

Executives at Sony, whose $600 high-end PS3 has racked up fewer sales than the Xbox 360 and Wii, said Microsoft’s new console does not seem to address any consumer need. "We’re scratching our heads. They’re fragmenting their product offering and fragmenting their consumer base," said Peter Dille, a Sony Computer Entertainment America senior vice president of marketing, who said Sony has no current plans to increase the size of its 60 gigabyte hard drive.

TOKYO - The Japanese broadcaster Fuji TV sued former dot-com luminary Livedoor on Monday for $292 million in damages over losses it absorbed after buying a stake in the since disgraced Internet portal company. The lawsuit, filed by Fuji Television Network Inc. in Tokyo District Court, seeks compensation for the loss in value of nearly 134 million Livedoor shares the Tokyo-based broadcaster bought in 2005 for 44 billion yen ($373 million) as part of an alliance.

Fuji took a substantial loss when it later sold the shares to Livedoor’s new partner, Usen Corp., for about 9.5 billion yen ($80.5 million). Livedoor Co. shares plunged after the company was raided by prosecutors last year, its top executives were arrested on charges of securities laws violations, including falsifying earnings, and the shares were delisted.

Earlier this month, the Tokyo District Court found Livedoor founder and former Chief Executive Takafumi Horie guilty of securities laws violations and sentenced him to two and a half years in prison. Horie has appealed the decision. Six other senior company officials have also been convicted on charges of securities laws violations.

Last week, the Tokyo District Court fined Livedoor 280 million yen ($2.4 million) — the largest fine ever in corporate Japanese history for violating securities laws. Its subsidiary Livedoor Marketing was fined 40 million yen ($338,000).

Livedoor has been trying to revive its business under new management, although its credibility has been damaged. Its new management has said it may sue Horie and other former managers for damages. Company officials were not immediately available for comment on the Fuji TV lawsuit.

The tough fines and prison terms being doled out to those at the center of the scandal are sending a strong message to companies that the government is taking a harder line against white collar corporate crime.

The Livedoor case has also prompted calls for clearer laws about stock trading as well as heavier penalties for falsifying earnings reports. Horie is widely perceived as having tested the legal loopholes and limits of Japanese securities laws.

James Post, management professor at Boston University, said the recent moves in Japan show an effort to crack down on cheating, but said Japan needs to show how restrictions will be enforced. "Reasonable rules create level playing fields where each person has a chance to succeed," he said. "Japan’s business community has a stake in showing positive stories of honest, successful entrepreneurs to offset the damage of Livedoor."

In a separate lawsuit, about 3,600 individual investors have sued Horie and Livedoor for damages, saying they were duped into buying falsely valued shares. Horie had been a celebrity for his gutsy takeover attempts and flamboyant lifestyle and had drawn a large number of individual investors to buy shares in the Internet company.

What’s Going Down2Night.com
Seattle, San Francisco and Tri-Cities,WA among first to have Local Nightlife Broadcast by Text Message

(Seattle, WA)—March 16, 2007 – Have you and your friends ever wondered: “What are we doing tonight?” Seattle start-up Down2Night.com seeks to answer that question. Down2Night www.Down2Night.com is a free service that broadcasts SMS text message notification of a users favorite local nightlife venues they choose, on the days they choose.

Down2night.com launched this week with Seattle, San Francisco, and Tri-cities, WA for the alpha version. Rollout into other major cities across the nation will follow as popularity and feedback pour in. 

Down2Night.com is after the mobile social networking industry officially introduced in 2001, and has since exploded into a $3.45 billion dollar industry in the US alone.

Mark Michael/CEO and Daniel Rust/Chief Architect both in their early twenties co-founded Down2Night.com. They agree that down2night’s primary users will be the 18 to 35 year old professional crowd.

“This market segment is the most mobile-savvy group having SMS messaging experience, while also being the individuals that spend the most time and money attending musical events, and visiting clubs, lounges, and other nightlife establishments says Mark Michael CEO/Co-founder.”

Many of the notifications will also include specials, discounts, or coupons providing free or reduced rates for products, services, or cover charges with just the presentation of a text message.

The expected promotion in each city is planned to include discounts at local nightclubs, lounges and eateries, and a public "Launch" party, along with more conventional advertising.  

"With down2night, the user and establishments contribute event(s) or messages into the system and have it available to their peers/patrons online within minutes; using this dynamic portal, the event information broadcasted to the public can always be accurate and up to date," explained Rust.

Future enhancements will allow someone traveling to Las Vegas to temporarily sign up for that city and receive notification of special events at their favorite casinos, nightclubs and performances.

–###–

Contact:
www.Down2Night.com “What’s Going Down 2 Night?”
a Synapse Corporate Solutions, LLC Company

• Current Seattle Venues: 103
• Current San Francisco Venues: 173
• Current Tri-cities Venues: 22
• Improved Navigation
• Mashup with Yelp (http://www.yelp.com) showing snippets of the last 5 reviews added
• Browse and view what other "spots" users have subscribed to
• "Map My Spots", which is a Google Maps mashup of your "spots" shown visually on a map
• Mash up/Integration section for XML Feeds
• Embeddable flash widget to display your favorite "spots" on your MySpace profile, blog, or personal web site
• See who has subscribed to the same spots you have
• RSS feed of the top events going down in your city
• RSS feed of events going down at your "spots"
• Select what days of the week you want to be notified via text message
• Receive one text message at 3pm on each day you have selected, listing your spots and what events are going down on that night
• Add new events at your "spots"
• Vote on current events at your "spots"
• Subscribe to your favorite nightlife "spots" (i.e. clubs, bars, lounges, and venues) in your city
• Live search of the "spots" in your city
• View how popular a "spot" is based on the number of subscribers, events, and messages
• Add messages and discussion about "spots"
• Upload an image to represent you on the down2night site

By MAY WONG, AP Technology Writer

Listen Up! PopMatters and Mercora Announce Exclusive Label
Promotion Program

Pop Culture Site Partners with Social Radio Network to Market Recording Artists and Drive Music Sales

Chicago, IL and Santa Clara, CA – February 5, 2007 – PopMatters, the leading independent cultural criticism magazine on the Web, and Mercora, Inc., the world’s largest social radio network, today announced the launch of Listen Up!, an exclusive program for music labels to increase promotion and publicity for their artists at www.popmatters.com and www.mercora.com.

Music labels participating in the launch include Kill Rock Stars, Ninja Tune, Thrill Jockey, Vanguard, Warp, World’s Fair, Sugar Hill, Definitive Jux, Yep Roc, and Record Collection. PopMatters and Mercora are partnering to bring independent music label artists to a global audience.

Under terms of the partnership, PopMatters and Mercora will showcase artists and music labels will receive premier streaming media placements within PopMatters editorial content, in the PopMatters media center, and in Mercora’s music channels that reach over one million users worldwide. Music labels invited to participate will also receive revenue through SoundExchange®.

“We are pleased to join this exclusive program with PopMatters and Mercora,” said Jeff Waye, label manager for Ninja Tune. “By participating in Listen Up!, we can introduce our artists to new music fans and drive revenue growth in online and offline music stores worldwide.” In fact, Mercora partners have demonstrated increases in online music store sales by as much as 30 percent or more.

Music labels participating in the launch feature recording artists such as Aesop Rock, Allison Moorer, Amon Tobin, Blues Traveler, Califone, Coldcut, Deerhoof, Dolly Parton, Edwin McCain, EL-P, Grizzly Bear, Harvey Danger, Herbalizer, Hot Hot Heat, J Dilla, Joan Osborne, Kristin Hersh, Linda Ronstadt, Macromantics, Marah, Midlake, Mindy Smith, Mr. Lif, Mouse on Mars, Murs, Nick Lowe, Nickel Creek, Paul Weller, Roots Manuva, Sloan, Squarepusher, The Apples in Stereo, The Reverend Horton Heat, The Robert Cray Band, The Walkmen, Tortoise, and many more.

“We are delighted to partner with Mercora to drive greater awareness, promotion, and sales for music labels and recording artists,” said Sarah Zupko, editor and publisher, PopMatters. “Through integration with editorial content, PopMatters readers can enjoy a rich user experience with the ability to read reviews and listen to music simultaneously.”

In its more than seven-year history of publishing smart and edgy cultural criticism, PopMatters has become one of the Web’s most prestigious cultural sources and foremost cultural tastemakers, especially within the 18-34 demographic. PopMatters has more than 1.2 million unique monthly readers and more than 15 million monthly pageviews and these figures are increasing each and every month.

Since its inception in 2003, Mercora has been a positive force in the online music space. The social radio network enables new music discovery and drives purchase behavior by providing online users with the ability to search, find, and listen to music from the world’s largest legal catalogue. Music on the Mercora network is 100 percent programmed by users who gain instant access to over 100,000 music channels streamed in CD-quality, over three million unique tracks, and 200,000 individual artists across all music genres. Music fans can discover new music for free and purchase downloads, ringtones, CDs, and tickets from Mercora’s advertising and commerce partners.

About Mercora, Inc.
Mercora’s mission is to create the world’s largest social radio and music network by cataloging and organizing the world’s music and audio content and make it universally searchable and legally listenable for everyone. Mercora (www.mercora.com) is headquartered in Santa Clara, CA.

About PopMatters
Founded in 1999, PopMatters, the #1 independent cultural criticism magazine on the web, is international in scope and dedicated to documenting our times and promoting cultural understanding. PopMatters cultivates smart writers from the world-at-large, recognizing that creative, compassionate intellectuals reside in all levels of society, in all types of societies, and it values their ability to provide intelligent, entertaining cultural criticism in the form of thoughtful essays, interviews, and reviews. PopMatters is content is syndicated both nationally and internationally by McClatchy-Tribune. View PopMatters at www.popmatters.com.Pop Culture Site Partners with Social Radio Network to Market Recording Artists and Drive Music Sales