US-TECH Summary
"Call of Duty" game shoots to make history
SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK - Forget the buzz over the next "Twilight" film or James Cameron's "Avatar." The biggest entertainment hit of the holiday season may come on Tuesday, when "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" hits stores. The video game published by Activision Blizzard Inc <ATVI.O> is the most highly anticipated of the year, winning accolades from gaming blogs and Wall Street analysts alike. But it also arrives at a time when the weak economy is punishing sales across the video game industry.
Internet censorship seen liable to WTO challenge
GENEVA - Censorship of the Internet is open to challenge at the World Trade Organization as it can restrict trade in services delivered online, a forthcoming study says. A censorship case at the WTO could raise sovereignty issues, given the clear right of member states to restrict trade on moral grounds -- for example, by blocking access to child pornography websites.
Court orders Beatles songs to be taken off website
LONDON - London-based record label EMI has won an injunction against music website BlueBeat.com which it said was selling Beatles songs without its permission. A federal court in Los Angeles has issued a temporary restraining order against the site after EMI, the Beatles' record label, took legal action against it on Tuesday.
Louvre plays home to Apple's first French store
PARIS - Computer giant Apple Inc <AAPL.O> will open its first French store beneath the Louvre museum on Saturday just two weeks after Microsoft <MSFT.O> opened a theme cafe to promote its Windows 7 software. Although Microsoft had a head start promoting its new Windows operating system in France, Apple has placed its first store in a prized position in the bowels of the Louvre museum's "Carrousel" shopping center.
Microsoft CEO sees Yahoo partnership outside U.S.
TOKYO - Microsoft Corp <MSFT.O> Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said on Thursday the company's search engine partnership with Yahoo <YHOO.O> would not be limited to the U.S. but would be introduced around the world, once it gets regulatory approval. Earlier this year Microsoft and Yahoo signed a 10-year global Web search partnership to challenge Google Inc <GOOG.O>, a pact that U.S. and European antitrust regulators are evaluating.
Beatles remasters heading to USB
LONDON - The Beatles remasters are coming out on a limited-edition apple-shaped USB drive in time for Christmas, marking the first time the Fab Four's catalog has officially been sold as digital files separate from the CDs. The USB version of all the albums will be released on December 7 in the U.K. and December 8 in North America. The USB is available for pre-order at the online Beatles store, priced at $279.99.
U.S. regulators mull changes to phone access rules
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Federal Communications Commission on Thursday said it was mulling whether changes are needed to regulations governing access to telephone lines largely controlled by telecom giants. In many areas throughout the United States, only one telecom firm maintains the special access lines that connect to individual businesses. The vast majority of lines are controlled by Verizon Communications Inc <VZ.N>, AT&T Inc <T.N> and Qwest Communications International Inc <Q.N>.
Intel in talks with India's ITI for jv: report
MUMBAI - Intel <INTC.O>, the world's largest chip maker, is planning to participate in bids invited by Indian state-owned telecom equipment maker ITI Ltd <ITEL.BO> to set up joint ventures, the Business Standard reported on Friday. ITI intends to be a minority partner in the proposed joint ventures with a 26 percent stake according to the bid proposals, the newspaper said.
Verizon to sell HTC Android phone for $99.99
NEW YORK - Verizon Wireless said on Thursday that it would sell an HTC Corp <2498.TW> phone based on Google Inc's <GOOG.O> Android system for $99.99, potentially putting pressure on smaller carrier Sprint Nextel Corp <S.N>. The device Droid Eris, which goes on sale November 6, is very similar to HTC's Hero phone, which Sprint currently sells for $179.99, according to Sprint's website.
Walmart.com offers top 10 pre-order DVD movie titles at $10
NEW YORK - Wal-Mart Stores Inc <WMT.N> is offering its top 10 pre-order DVD movie titles at just $10 and free home delivery on its entire assortment of DVD and Blu-ray titles in another move to win holiday sales. Walmart.com said on Thursday the offer includes popular movie titles such as "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince", "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" and "Julie and Julia".