Japan Computer Industry Scan articles from October 2006

Japan Computer Industry Scan archives from October 2006

Matsushita, Kadokawa, TBS to set up firm to sell e-books.
October 2, 2006... OSAKA, Sept. 26 Kyodo Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., publisher Kadokawa Group Holdings Inc. and Tokyo Broadcasting System Inc. said Tuesday they will jointly set up a firm to sell electronic books next Monday. At the time of...

FEATURE: ATTN KWS SUBSCRIBERS: photo advisory.
October 2, 2006... TOKYO, Sept. 28 Kyodo A feature story on Araki, headlined, ''Exhibition of Araki photos in Belgium evokes strong reactions,'' and sent earlier, is accompanied by three photos, which are available via e-mail. Call+81-3-6252-8318...

LEAD: Sony unveils plans to recall certain lithium-ion batteries globally.
October 2, 2006... NEW YORK, Sept. 28 Kyodo (EDS: ADDING SONY'S ANNOUNCEMENT) Sony Corp. said Thursday it will recall certain lithium-ion batteries for notebook personal computers on a global basis in response to complaints of overheating by some PC...

FOCUS: Preparation under way for start of full-scale digital radio broadcasting.
October 9, 2006... TOKYO, Oct. 3 Kyodo Preparations are under way for the inauguration of full-scale digital radio broadcasting that will not only provide listeners with high quality sound but also distribute songs now available only on cell phones as well...

CORRECTED: FOCUS: Preparation under way for start of full-scale digital radio broadcasting.
October 9, 2006... TOKYO, Oct. 3 Kyodo Preparations are under way for the inauguration of full-scale digital radio broadcasting that will not only provide listeners with high quality sound but also distribute songs now available only on cell phones as well...

REFILING: FOCUS: Preparation under way for start of full-scale digital radio broadcasting.
October 9, 2006... TOKYO, Oct. 3 Kyodo Preparations are under way for the inauguration of full-scale digital radio broadcasting that will not only provide listeners with high quality sound but also distribute songs now available only on cell phones as well...

Justsystems to enter antivirus software mart with Russian software.
October 9, 2006... TOKYO, Oct. 3 Kyodo Justsystems Corp., a word-processing software maker, said Tuesday it will break into the antivirus software market on the strength of the exclusive marketing right in Japan of Russian Internet security software. ...

Napster Japan to begin Asia's 1st flat-rate online music service.
October 9, 2006... TOKYO, Oct. 3 Kyodo Napster Japan Inc., under the wing of Tower Records Japan Inc., said Tuesday it will become the first in Asia to launch a flat-rate Napster online music distribution service -- at 10 p.m. the same day. The service...

Toshiba investing in Polish unit of LG Philips LCD.
October 16, 2006... TOKYO, Oct. 10 Kyodo Toshiba Corp. said Tuesday it has agreed with South Korea's LG Philips LCD to invest some 5.5 billion yen in the South Korean firm's Polish unit producing liquid crystal display panels. The deal will allow Toshiba...

NEC Electronics unveils chip for use with Blu-ray, HD DVD formats.
October 16, 2006... TOKYO, Oct. 10 Kyodo NEC Electronics Corp. said Tuesday it has developed a semiconductor compatible with two different DVD disks -- Blu-ray Disc promoted by a group of companies led by Sony Corp. and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. and...

FOCUS: Video-sharing websites becoming explosively popular.
October 16, 2006... TOKYO, Oct. 11 Kyodo Free Internet sites such as ''YouTube'' where anyone can post video for household or mobile phone use are becoming explosively popular around the world. But TV broadcasters say their programs are often shown on...

CORRECTED: NEC Electronics unveils chip for use with Blu-ray, HD DVD formats.
October 16, 2006... TOKYO, Oct. 10 Kyodo NEC Electronics Corp. said Tuesday it has developed a semiconductor compatible with two different DVD disks -- Blu-ray Disc promoted by a group of companies led by Sony Corp. and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. and...

Sony to release new digital Walkman music players, stereo sets.
October 16, 2006... TOKYO, Oct. 12 Kyodo Sony Corp. said Thursday it will start releasing on Oct. 21 five types of new digital Walkman music players and three types of component stereos that enable music to be download from an online service without the...

Matsushita system lets multiple robots carry blood samples.
October 23, 2006... OSAKA, Oct. 17 Kyodo Matsushita Electric Works Ltd. said Tuesday it has developed a system in which a group of up to 10 robots work together to transport blood samples at a lab for clinical trials. The system, which was developed on...

Universal Music sues Sony's video-sharing website.
October 23, 2006... NEW YORK, Oct. 18 Kyodo Universal Music Group has filed a damages suit against video-sharing website operator Grouper Networks Inc. under the umbrella of Sony Corp. for allowing users to share music videos and other copyright material...

Music fans prefer iPod to MD players: survey.
October 23, 2006... TOKYO, Oct. 18 Kyodo Music fans prefer Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod and other portable players that store digitized music on internal hard disks or flash memory devices to mini disc-based players, according to results of an Internet...

Apple confirming whether iPod shipped in Japan carry virus.
October 23, 2006... TOKYO, Oct. 19 Kyodo Apple Computer Inc.'s Japan unit is confirming whether its iPod portable digital music players carry a computer virus following the discovery of such infection abroad, an official at the subsidiary said Thursday. ...

2ND LD: Softbank Mobile unveils new fee system on number portability launch.
October 30, 2006... TOKYO, Oct. 23 Kyodo (EDS: ADDING SON'S COMMENTS, DETAILS) Softbank Mobile Corp. unveiled a new rate structure Monday, featuring a 2,880-yen monthly flat-rate for basic cellphone services and free calls between its users during most of...

TBS to create classic music radio channel using digital technology.
October 30, 2006... TOKYO, Oct. 25 Kyodo TBS Radio & Communications Inc. will create a new radio channel concentrated on classic music broadcasts next spring using the digital technology enabling high-quality sound transmission, its president said...

Softbank Mobile lowers cellphone handset prices.
October 30, 2006... TOKYO, Oct. 26 Kyodo Softbank Mobile Corp. announced an additional sales campaign Thursday to win customers from its rivals by cutting mobile phone prices for new subscribers and those who renew their handsets. ''Currently, many users...

Nintendo's net profit soars 48.4% on portable video gadget sales.
October 30, 2006... TOKYO, Oct. 26 Kyodo Nintendo Co. said Thursday its group net profit in the April-September period shot up 48.4 percent to 54.35 billion yen on strong sales of Nintendo DS portable video game handsets, as well as of a range of software...

LEAD: Sony-made battery in Fujitsu PC sends out sparks: Fujitsu.
October 30, 2006... TOKYO, Oct. 27 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATING) A lithium-ion battery pack manufactured by Sony Corp. and installed in a Fujitsu Ltd. notebook computer was found to have sent out sparks Tuesday, causing a minor burn to its user's hand, a Fujitsu...

Softbank Mobile reinstates suspension of applications.(Brief article)
October 30, 2006... TOKYO, Oct. 29 Kyodo Softbank Mobile Corp. on Sunday afternoon reinstated a temporary suspension of sign-up and cancellation applications for its mobile phone services at its outlets, due to concerns that a growing number of applications...