Epson reduced price of its PhotoPC 3100Z digital still camera $200 to $599. Three-megapixel model incorporates company’s Print Image Matching technology that Epson said allowed user to produce “best possible prints by ensuring that digital cameras and printers work perfectly together.” Digital Print Order Format function allows photographer to “mark” images on memory card by scrolling through images on LCD panel. As photos are viewed they can be selected for printing by pressing button on camera, once for single print or multiple times for more than one. Camera and Stylus Photo 785EPX ink jet printer -- reduced last week by $50 to $199 -- were company’s first products to feature that technology.
Problems continued mounting Tues. for Sirius Satellite Radio, which announced resignation of CEO David Margolese. Meanwhile, another senior executive confirmed company would miss its Dec. commercial launch target.
FCC’s new DTV Task Force should make cable role in transition its top priority, CEA Pres. Gary Shapiro said. CEA said critical DTV issues include cable interoperability, competitive retail market for cable set-tops, HDTV programming. CEA projected consumer investment in DTV products would reach $5 billion by year end, and said sales of DTV sets and monitors would top one million units by end of year, 2 million by end of 2002.
“System-on-chip” device that adds PVR capability to set- top boxes was announced in sample quantities by STMicroelectronics as part of its Omega line of decoders. Company said new capabilities of its STi5514 device allow for low-cost implementation of PVR hard-disc recording in set-top boxes and other “convergence” components. It said new device was backward-compatible with predecessor ST-5512, of which more than 8 million have been shipped.
Electronic Arts updated its recently opened James Bond 007 in… Agent Under Fire Web site. Game of same name is to ship Nov. 13.
Frustrated by reluctance of high-tech industry chiefs to testify at upcoming hearing on copy protection and digital rights management standards, Sen. Hollings (D-N.C.) has told 3 trade associations he expected them to help him obtain witnesses.
At our deadline, Amazon.com was planning once again to offer Xbox bundles for presale Monday for limited time between 3 and 5 p.m. E-tailer said: “Based on the previous presales, we expect the limited time to be very brief.” When Amazon and its online partner, Toysrus.com, started preselling Xbox bundles in early Sept., they said they sold out of initial allocation within 30 min. As part of trend, Amazon/Toysrus.com and other major online retailers are selling next-generation game consoles only online as part of pricey bundles that also feature software and extra controller. All-Star and Premier packs they are selling are priced at $499.99 each. Microsoft’s console on its own will have $299 price.
Toys “R” Us revised guidance for its 3rd quarter ending Nov. 3, saying results would fall below previous expectations largely because of Sept. 11 terrorist attacks combined with what CEO John Eyler called “an extremely challenging economic environment.”
Two new DualCam digital cameras will ship from Logitech in U.S., Canada and Europe next month. ClickSmart 310 at $79.95 and 510 at $149.95 combine functionality of digital still cameras and Internet video cameras and can be used attached to or detached from PC. Swiss peripheral maker said ClickSmart 510 featured 640x480 VGA sensor that allowed for still image resolution up to 1.3 megapixels. It comes with automatic strobe flash, built-in microphone, 8 MB SmartMedia memory card, self-timer, SmartMedia port. Card can store up to 480 still images or 90 sec. of video, Logitech said. ClickSmart 310 features CIF 352x288 sensor that company said also allowed for still image resolution up to 640x480. It can store up to 160 still images and 15 sec. of video captured away from PC. Included are protective lens cap and self-timer. When attached to PC, each model can be used in conjunction with Logitech’s Web camera software. Each of cameras runs on 4 standard AAA batteries.