DVD Forum canceled conference scheduled for Dec. 5 in Marina Del Rey, Cal. Group said that was owing to travel restrictions at many member companies in wake of Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and ensuing security threats. DVD Conference USA will be rescheduled for May, in conjunction with DVD Forum’s Steering Committee meeting. Date and location haven’t been decided -- 310-967-2980.
Palm reportedly is weighing splitting into 2 publicly traded companies while continuing plan to create subsidiary for operating system (OS). Separation process, expected to begin in Jan., could take form of spinoff to shareholders, IPO or investment by 3rd party, said Palm Acting CEO Eric Benhamou, who last week replaced Carl Yankowski. Plan is for Palm to be split into 2 companies, each with own stock ticker symbol and investors, Benhamou told CNET News.com Wholly owned subsidiary based on Palm’s operating could be established by year-end, he said. Separation of companies is one of several measures that Palm has taken in response to problems encountered earlier this year including sharp rise in inventory and corresponding plunge in hardware prices. While changes could have been made sooner, Palm board preferred slower approach that involved bringing in David Nagle from AT&T and former Gateway Exec. Todd Bradley to head up new Solutions Group that will be responsible for OS business. Meanwhile, Palm was expected to begin new TV and online ad campaign designed in part to focus on uses of expansion slots embedded in m500, m505 and m125 handheld PCs that allow users to plug in digital camera, memory and other modules. Along those lines, Palm m500, m505 and m125 will be packaged with mail- in program offering consumers free 16 MB Panasonic secure digital (SD) expansion card and $250 worth of coupons for expansion products. Promotion runs through Jan. 7. Three TV ads, which were created by San Francisco-based AKQA, are expected to run so 75% of target market will see commercials average of 7.5 times throughput span of campaign. Ads are Palm’s first TV appearance since its $100 million “Simply Palm” campaign in late 2000.
Take-Two Interactive’s game Grand Theft Auto 3 for PS2 was top-rented videogame in week ended Nov. 4, Video Software Dealers Assn. (VSDA) said Thurs. Title generated $870,000 in week for cumulative total of $1.48 million, VSDA said. Meanwhile, entering top 5 at #2 was Activision’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 for PS2, which took in $620,000 in its first week. Only top 5 title in week not for PS2 was Activision’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 for Nintendo 64 at #4 with weekly earnings of $250,000 for $2.97 million total to date. Rounding out top 5 were Capcom’s Devil May Cry at #3 ($350,000 for week, $1.09 million total) and Midway’s Spy Hunter at #5 ($220,000, $1.38 million). Only game to drop out of top 5 from week ago was Madden NFL 2002 for PS2 from Electronic Arts.
Ronald Unkefer relinquishes Good Guys CEO post to Pres. Kenneth Weller but will remain chmn… Ron Richie, Pixtech board member, named interim CEO, replacing Dieter Metzger, who died earlier this year of heart attack… Appointed at Palm’s new Solutions Group: Glenn Cross, ex-Sun Microsystems, joins as vp- sales and enterprise business development; Steve Manser, ex- Propel Software, joins as vp-worldwide product engineering.
Transition to next-generation videogame console systems will be completed this holiday season, and outlook for next 3 years is robust. However, “execution is key” to fast adoption of GameCube and Xbox and continuing growth of PlayStation 2 (PS2), as “product slippage or the release of poor quality games can be extremely costly at this stage” of industry’s development.
Charter said it selected Microsoft TV software platform for deployment of its interactive TV (ITV) services to one million customers over next 7 years. Charter, cable company that has deployed advanced ITV offerings in St. Louis in field trial using Microsoft TV software on Motorola DCT-5000 set-top boxes, said it would expand service early next year. Company said it first would offer e-mail, Internet browsing and content from ITV company digeo Inc., including on-demand local and national news, weather, sports, games, entertainment and shopping. It said test would include streaming media, with other services such as interactive programming, video-on-demand and interactive TV guide to be added later. “Using a DOCSIS [Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification] modem integrated into a digital set-top receiver, we will be the first to deliver an interactive TV service that incorporates Internet-based streaming audio and video and Flash animation,” Charter Exec. Vp. Steve Silva said.
THQ started shipping game Tetris Worlds, developed by Blue Planet Software, for PC. Version of title for GBA already started shipping, Calabasas Hills, Cal., game maker said, adding PS2 version will follow this holiday season, followed by GameCube version “in early 2002.”
Ubi Soft Entertainment said it would ship Disney’s Tarzan Untamed and Batman: Vengeance for GameCube in time for rollout of Nintendo’s new console system Nov. 18.
EA Sports started shipping Madden NFL 2002 for GameCube and NASCAR Thunder 2002 for Xbox. NFL title now is available on 7 game platforms, game maker said, and Game Boy Advance (GBA) version will follow Nov. 19.
Integration of newly acquired MB Quart and Audio Innovations is proceeding on plan, Rockford Corp. executives told financial analysts in conference call Wed. to discuss 3rd quarter financial results.