US-TECH Summary
America Movil braces for iPhone shortage in Brazil
SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Mexico's America Movil (AMXL.MX) is set to start selling Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) iPhone in Brazil on Friday but does not expect to have enough of the hugely popular devices to meet demand, an executive at the company's Brazilian unit said on Thursday. Claro, America Movil's (AMX.N) Brazilian unit, received an initial lot of just 30,000 iPhones from Apple. It had hoped to receive a much larger number since more than 100,000 subscribers had already signed up for the phone by late July.
Studios and theaters seen announcing digital deal soon
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney, Paramount, Twentieth Century Fox and Universal are soon expected to announce a long-sought $1.1 billion digital cinema deal that Hollywood hopes will boost attendance, cut costs and enable more 3-D viewing, sources close to the deal said on Thursday. The studios declined to comment, but sources with knowledge of the talks said the deal to help co-finance the upgrade for a group of movie chains was virtually complete, with an announcement expected within days or weeks.
FCC to review Sprint plan for vacating airwaves
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. federal communications regulators said on Thursday they would review the latest plan by Sprint Nextel Corp (S.N) to vacate a key section of the airwaves for public safety use. The cell phone company has fought with regulators over the issue, which centers around the timing of when the company is required to vacate a section of the airwaves.
IPTV subscriptions to grow 64 percent in 2008: Gartner
LONDON (Reuters) - Worldwide subscriptions to Internet-based television platforms are on track to reach 19.6 million subscribers in 2008, a 64 percent increase, according to analysts at Gartner. Revenue from worldwide Internet protocol television is forecast to reach $4.5 billion, up 93.5 percent from a year earlier, with Western Europe boasting the largest number of IPTV subscribers and North America the largest market for IPTV revenue.
FCC proposes easing wireless spectrum bids
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday proposed halving the minimum opening bid on a piece of valuable wireless spectrum, but several commissioners expressed doubt that the plan would work, after an earlier auction failed to attract industry interest. The five-member FCC approved a draft proposal, subject to public comment, devised by agency Chairman Kevin Martin, cutting to $750 million a prior $1.3 billion minimum bid and easing other requirements.
Google phone wins cheers but told could be better
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nice try with the new phone, Google. Better luck next time. That's what some seem to be saying about Google Inc's (GOOG.O) first foray into the world of cell phones. But while it may not attract long lines like Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) iPhone, it offers much to those looking to use their phones for more than talking. So what's it like? The G1, which is made for Google by HTC Corp (2498.TW) and sold by Deutsche Telekom AG (DTEGn.DE) unit T-Mobile, actually resembles an older handset -- the Sidekick, a soapbar-shaped phone also created by G1 designer Andy Rubin, the father of Google's Android mobile operating system. It has touch-screen controls, and a miniature computer keyboard that is uncovered by sliding the screen out.
Dell to grow faster than industry: CEO
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Dell (DELL.O), the world's second biggest computer maker, expects to grow faster than other companies in the business, Chief Executive Michael Dell told a news conference on Thursday. "You will see Dell grow faster than the rest of the industry in Europe and in the world," Dell said.
MySpace finally rolls out music site with all labels
NEW YORK (Reuters) - News Corp's MySpace, the world's largest social networking site, on Wednesday unveiled a long-expected joint venture with all four major music companies in a bid to compete with Apple Inc's market-leading iTunes store. MySpace Music is designed to win fans with a mix of unlimited free music, comprehensive music catalogs, concert tickets, merchandising and other entertainment features.
Visa plans applications for Google, Nokia phones
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Visa Inc (V.N) plans to offer services to phones powered by Google Inc's (GOOG.O) Android including alerts when your credit card has been used. The credit card network also said in October, No. 1 mobile phone maker Nokia (NOK1V.HE) would start selling the 6212 phone, which users could wave at an electronic reader to make payments and use for remote payments and money transfers.
LittleBigPlanet turns gamers into creators
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A new videogame allows players to conjure up their own design ideas and create playable content that can be uploaded and shared. And gamers can do it from the privacy of their own home with Sony Computer Entertainment America's LittleBigPlanet.