Virgin Entertainment Group selected IBM NetVista Kiosk for new in-store digital preview system. Online system enables Virgin Megastore customers to preview more than 250,000 CDs, 11,000 DVDs and 7,000 console videogames before deciding what to buy. Preview is initiated by customer by scanning product’s bar code at Web-enabled kiosk. Virgin said it developed new system in-house with touch screen kiosk technology from IBM, along with server and client software technology from Microsoft and entertainment data from Muze and Video Pipeline. Remote ordering and access to exclusive Virgin content and products will be added to kiosk functionality “soon,” Virgin said. Company said it was setting up 20 of new kiosks at its Times Sq. Megastore in N.Y. and 15 in Boston Newbury location. Virgin said MegaPlay system “was piloted in Dallas and Los Angeles over the summer with astounding success.” Company said research “revealed that the kiosks developed in-house were occupied almost 2/3 of the time and we were getting 32,000 page views a week.” N. America Virgin Entertainment Group Information Technology Vp Jan De Jong said system was “first stage in an ongoing initiative to integrate” company’s “Click and Bricks” operations.
Mobliss made Wireless Jumble game available via Nextel Online Internet Wireless Service of Nextel Communications. Seattle-based wireless media company Mobliss created Pervasive Marketing Program that includes Multi-Player Gaming Engine. Wireless Jumble is version of puzzle that appears in more than 600 newspapers in U.S. each day. Mobliss Pres. Brian Levin said Jumble was “most popular branded game for wireless devices.”
“Surround Comes of Age” is theme of 3rd annual Surround Conference and Technology Showcase Dec. 7-8 at Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills -- www.surroundpro.com.
Sega joined growing list of companies throwing support behind digital wireless communications service provider Qualcomm’s Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless (BREW) applications platform. But it was unclear at our deadline Mon. precisely what Sega’s plans were on BREW. Qualcomm also said it signed nonbinding memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with Japanese phone makers Hitachi, Panasonic, Toshiba. Specifics of those deals weren’t explained either, but it seemed likely that manufacturers were looking to add BREW compatibility into new handsets. Qualcomm said BREW offered developers, OEMs and carriers complete, end-to-end solution for wireless applications development, device configuration, application distribution, billing and payment.
Music-based game Rez from Sega will ship for PlayStation 2 in Jan. Title was created by Sega’s United Game Artist (UGA) development studio and its pres., Tetsuya Mizuguchi.
Westwood Studios is giving away more than 180 prizes through Nov. 16 -- 9 prizes each weekday -- to Yuri’s Revenge tournament ladder players. Prizes include Web cameras and Westwood merchandise, Electronic Arts publishing division said.
Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) streamlined its rating application process to enable game publishers to use single form to apply for ratings for online- and platform-based titles. ESRB Pres. Arthur Pober said new application process would translate into “less paperwork and a lower administrative burden for everyone.” Starting Oct. 31, all rating applications must be submitted by publishers on new forms available at ESRB Web site, www.esrb.org. ESRB also announced its new rating application packet included revisions to “Terms and Conditions” agreement between ESRB and game publishers. Changes, ESRB said, reflect recent changes in its enforcement system and clarify rights and responsibilities of publishers receiving ESRB ratings.
J&R Music and Computer World reopened its store in N.Y.C. Mon., having been closed since World Trade Center attack on Sept. 11. On day of WTC attack, cloud of black soot blew through doors and settled inside DVD players and PC hard drives, company said. Rescue workers also opened some doors and set up triage center that got little use. All 300,000 sq. ft. feet of retail space, housed in several buildings, are less than one-quarter mile from WTC. Workers spent much of last month replacing about 3,000 sq. ft. of carpet, painting walls, vacuuming ash from 5 escalators and cleaning credit card terminals and cash registers. Privately held J&R, with 650 employees and revenue of more than $300 million, lost millions in sales while store was closed, industry sources said. It offset some of lost sales by continuing to operate small satellite store near Columbia U. and catalog and warehouse operations in Maspeth, N.Y. In ads trumpeting reopening, all DVDs and music CDs were on sale and T-shirts featuring American flag and letters “NYC” were being offered free with $50 purchase plus $1 donation to Twin Towers Fund. Reopening will include ribbon cutting Thurs. featuring N.Y.C. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
Downloadable plug-ins for Microsoft’s Windows XP will permit PC users to play DVDs and copy MP3 files to blank CDs with Windows Media Player, developer InterVideo said Tues. Xpacks are available for online purchase at www.intervideo.com.
Film and TV actor Joe Pantoliano, who appears on HBO’s The Sopranos, will be in episode 4 of Electronic Arts’ (EA) online game Majestic. Pantoliano will play blackballed investigative journalist Tim Pritchard. For his work on EA’s game, Pantoliano spent 2 days filming and one day in studio to record voice mail messages that Majestic players will receive, game maker said.