Contact Center Solutions Industry News

TMCNet: AP Technology NewsBrief at 6:39 p.m. EST

[December 01, 2009]

AP Technology NewsBrief at 6:39 p.m. EST

(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Murdoch: Media must get readers to pay for onlineWASHINGTON (AP) _ To thrive in the digital age, media companies need to persuade consumers to pay for news online by providing compelling information in any form they want, News Corp. Chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch said Tuesday. Murdoch said the future is promising for publishers that can adapt to the ongoing migration of audiences and advertisers to the Web. Key to survival, he said, is giving consumers what they want how they want it _ be it on a computer, mobile device or e-reader _ and then charging for it, as his company already does with The Wall Street Journal.

Gift Guide: A focus on HD video, at many pricesIt's easier than ever to shoot high-definition video. You can do it with traditional-style camcorders, of course, but also with cameras that also are designed to take still photos _ from high-end "digital SLRs" to cameras that slip into your shirt pocket. I've got recommendations in all three categories _ listed here from least to most expensive. All of these record HD video and have "HDMI" output connections that let you view your masterpieces on an HD display.

Michael Jackson tops Web's search charts in 2009SAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Michael Jackson's stunning death made him the Internet's biggest star this year. The quest to find out what happened to Jackson in his final hours on June 25 and celebrate his legacy elevated the late entertainer to the top of the Internet's search charts for 2009. On Yahoo, it ended singer Britney Spears' four-year reign on top.

Black Friday LCD-TV prices down 22 pct, sales upNEW YORK (AP) _ Decisive price cuts are helping to lift sales of LCD flat-panel TVs after Thanksgiving, research firm iSuppli Corp. said in a new report. ISuppli said promotional prices are 22 percent lower than before Black Friday, the traditional start of the holiday shopping season. ISuppli estimates 6 percent more TV sets will be sold during a seven-day period that began on Black Friday compared with the same period last year.

GE, Vivendi deal paves way for NBC sale to ComcastPHILADELPHIA (AP) _ General Electric Co.'s agreement to buy out the portion of NBC Universal it doesn't already own paves the way for the sale of a controlling stake to Comcast Corp. in a deal that promises to reshape the entertainment industry. GE has reached a tentative agreement to buy out French media conglomerate Vivendi SA's 20 percent stake in NBC Universal, a person with knowledge of the talks told The Associated Press late Monday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the negotiations were private and the companies' agreement has not yet been formalized.

Don't bet newspapers will get rich shunning GoogleSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ There's an intriguing idea floating around the media: Microsoft Corp. wants to undercut Google so badly in Internet search that it might pay newspapers to withhold their content from Google. Just don't count on that turning into a lucrative plan for newspapers.

Gift Guide: Adventures in the video game aisleThe video game aisle can be intimidating for aspiring Santas who haven't touched a joystick since "Pong." But it has something for everyone: riveting solo adventures, online multiplayer battles and fun-for-the-whole-family social games. Here are some of the best picks for this holiday season. ___ GPS cell phone apps challenge standalone devicesKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) _ The growth of cell phones with global-positioning technology is making life uncertain for the makers of personal navigational devices that help drivers figure out where they are and where to go. Manufacturers of standalone GPS products will have to move quickly and smartly to transform their dumb map readers into intelligent devices that can provide a host of services such as traffic avoidance.

Online retailers rev up deals to keep up momentumNEW YORK (AP) _ Retail Web sites kept amping up the deals Monday, the first day after Thanksgiving weekend's strong online sales, to try to maintain the momentum. Meanwhile, a research firm that tracks business at stores reported tepid sales and customer traffic for Friday and Saturday that confirmed a so-so start to the season for the bricks-and-mortar world.

Text-a-Tip programs allow tipsters to help policeBOSTON (AP) _ A mother in Boston tells police her 8-year-old boy was shot to death in their apartment by gunmen in hooded sweat shirts during a home invasion. Officers later receive a text message from an anonymous tipster that leads them to a much different conclusion: the boy's 7-year-old cousin accidentally shot him while the two boys were playing with a loaded 9 mm handgun.

(c) 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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