The global effort to set ultrawide broadband (UWB) standards is winding down but it’s unlikely to result in total harmonization, several key players said. The U.S. has completed its work, and Europe and Japan are expected to adopt standards by March. But lingering concerns over interference with other spectrum users -- and the lack of a unified standard -- could slow uptake, experts said.
The global effort to set ultrawide broadband (UWB) standards is winding down but it’s unlikely to result in total harmonization, several key players said. The U.S. has completed its work, and Europe and Japan are expected to adopt standards by March. But lingering concerns over interference with other spectrum users -- and the lack of a unified standard -- could slow uptake, experts said.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued the final results of its antidumping (AD) duty changed circumstances review of certain softwood lumber products from Canada.
The PS2 version of Madden NFL 06 from Electronic Arts (EA) was again the top-rented videogame in the U.S., according to Rentrak’s preliminary Home Video Essentials data for the week ended Oct. 16. In its 10th week, the SKU earned another $340,000, Rentrak said. EA had 3 other SKUs in the top 10: NBA Live 06 for PS2 at #2 (up one in its 4th week, $300,000), NCAA Football 06 for PS2 at #6 (up one in its 4th week, $200,000) and the Xbox version of Madden at #8 again in its 10th week ($190,000). No new games made the top 10. Activision had 3 SKUs in the top 10: Ultimate Spider-Man for PS2 at #3 (up one, 5th week, $250,000), X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse for PS2 at #7 (up 2, 5th week, $190,00) and the Xbox version of the latter at #10 (up 4, 4th week, $150,000). Midway Games had 2 SKUs in the top 10: The PS2 and Xbox versions of Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks at #4 (up one, 5th week, $240,000) and #9 (up one, 5th week, $160,000), respectively. Ubisoft’s Far Cry Instincts for Xbox moved up one to #5 in its 14th week ($230,000)… EA’s The Sims 2 Nightlife Expansion Pack became the best-selling PC game in the U.S. during Sept., its first month available, according to NPD Group data. World of Warcraft from Vivendi Universal Games was again #2 and Atari’s Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 was again #3. EA had 3 other SKUs in the top 10: Battlefield 2 at #4 (down 3 from Aug.), The Sims Deluxe at #7 (up one) and The Sims 2 at #8 (down 2). The only other 2 new games in the top 10 were Sony Online Entertainment’s EverQuest: Depths of Darkhollow Expansion Pack at #9 and THQ’s Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War Winter Assault Expansion Pack at #10.
Rent-Way said its 4th-quarter operating income would be below forecasts due to fewer-than-expected rental contracts and hurricane-related costs. The chain said its preliminary 4th-quarter core rental revenue was about $121.6 million, up 5% from a year ago. Shares of Rent- Way, which touched a year low of $6.11 on Wed., fell 2 cents to $6.44 in afternoon trading on the N.Y. Stock Exchange. Rent-Way’s losses for property damage from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were about $2 million, the chain said. This excludes the effect of insurance recoveries, which the firm pegs at $1.5-$2 million, in coming months, it said. Same-store core rental business revenue rose about 1.4% in the 4th quarter compared with the year-ago quarter.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued its preliminary results of a changed circumstances antidumping (AD) duty review of large newspaper printing presses and components thereof, whether assembled or unassembled (LNPPs), from Japan.
The Entertainment Software Assn. (ESA) and VSDA lived up to their promise Mon. as they filed a lawsuit in U.S. Dist. Court, San Jose, Cal., to overturn a law that would make it illegal for retailers to rent or sell violent videogames to minors under 17 years old. The act cleared the Cal. legislature Sept. 8 and signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Oct. 7 (CED Oct 12 p9).
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued its preliminary results of the following antidumping (AD) and countervailing (CV) duty administrative reviews:
The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) has posted to its web site updated official textile and apparel import data from the Department of Census for August 2005.
The Entertainment Software Assn. (ESA) and the Video Software Dealers Assn. lived up to their promise Mon. as they filed a lawsuit in U.S. Dist. Court, San Jose, Cal., to overturn a law that would make it illegal for retailers to rent or sell violent videogames to minors under 17 years old. The act cleared the Cal. legislature Sept. 8 and signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Oct. 7. Named as defendants were Schwarzenegger, Cal. Attorney Gen. Bill Lockyer (D), Santa Clara County Dist. Attorney George Kennedy, San Jose City Atty. Richard Doyle and Santa Clara County Counsel Ann Miller Ravel. The ESA and VSDA said they were named because they will have to enforce the law if it’s enacted as part of each’s “official capacity.” The suit asked the court to “issue a declaratory judgment that the act is void,” issue a preliminary injunction and a permanent injunction against the defendants to stop them from enforcing the act. The groups also seek “general and equitable relief as [the court] deems fit and proper,” along with legal costs and attorneys’ fees.