Business and Industry News

Wi-Fi/Cellular convergence could hurt traditional phones
Dual-mode phones that switch seamlessly between cellular and Wi-Fi networks could encourage more consumers to cut the cord and go all wireless, according to this analysis. San Francisco Chronicle (10/9)

Movie studio adjusts high-def DVD sales projections
Warner Home Video scaled back its Blu-ray and HD-DVD hardware and software sales forecast, noting that consumers spent about half of what it earlier forecast through September. The company pinpointed the lack of hardware availability as the cause of the revised results. CE Pro (10/10)

Consumers call shots in digital world, exec says
Modern technology puts consumers in charge of what they want to see and when, according to Anne Sweeney, co-chair of Disney Media Networks and head of the Disney-ABC Television Group. "Nobody can predict the future of the digital business because the viewers will drive that," Sweeney said at MIPCOM in Cannes, France. Yahoo!/Agence France-Presse (10/9)

Study: Casual games attract both young and old
Nearly 150 million people play casual games on their PCs regularly and half this audience consists of people 50 years and older, according to a new study conducted by casual game maker PopCap Games. The study also found that women are a driving force in this market. E-Commerce Times (10/10)

TVWeek’s Q-and-A with ABC’s Anne Sweeney
In this interview with TVWeek, Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney explains how the company worked out a deal to sell video content on Apple Computer’s iTunes store. TVWeek.com (subscription required) (10/10)

Product companies turn to microsites
Advertisers, particularly large ones, are turning to microsites as an alternative to trying to grab consumer attention through the television, according to a new report from JupiterKagan. "Thirty-four percent of advertisers planning to use microsites intend to use consumer-created content in their overall marketing efforts," the report says. E-Commerce Times (10/10)

Other News

Voy TV goes online rather than on cable
Mediaweek | 10/10

Survey: More than a third of U.S. college campuses have Wi-Fi
USA TODAY | 10/10

Technology Update

Car companies consider gesture recognition technology
A desire to simplify the driving experience has emerged amid concerns about the potential for distraction to operate increasing numbers of car devices. Gesture recognition technology, which utilizes in-cabin cameras to recognize and respond to a signals given by the driver, is leading the trend. Engineer Live (free registration) (10/10)

Opera releases browser for Nintendo DS
Opera Software introduced in Europe a specialized browser for the two-screen Nintendo DS that will allow users to either surf the Web using the device’s fit-to-width mode for quicker results or the DS mode, which makes use of thumbnails and an overview of a Web page. E-Commerce Times (10/10)