Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 03 Issue 08
Volume 3, Issue 8 Atari Online News, Etc. February 23, 2001
Published and Copyright (c) 1999 - 2001
All Rights Reserved
Atari Online News, Etc.
A-ONE Online Magazine
Dana P. Jacobson, Publisher/Managing Editor
Joseph Mirando, Managing Editor
Rob Mahlert, Associate Editor
Atari Online News, Etc. Staff
Dana P. Jacobson -- Editor
Joe Mirando -- "People Are Talking"
Michael Burkley -- "Unabashed Atariophile"
Albert Dayes -- CC: Classic Chips
Rob Mahlert -- Web site
With Contributions by:
To subscribe to A-ONE, send a message to: dpj@atarinews.org
and your address will be added to the distribution list.
To unsubscribe from A-ONE, send the following: Unsubscribe A-ONE
Please make sure that you include the same address that you used to
subscribe from.
To download A-ONE, set your browser bookmarks to one of the
following sites:
http://people.delphi.com/dpj/a-one.htm
http://www.icwhen.com/aone/
http://a1mag.atari.org
Now available:
http://www.atarinews.org
Visit the Atari Advantage Forum on Delphi!
http://forums.delphi.com/m/main.asp?sigdir=atari
=~=~=~=
A-ONE #0308 02/23/00
~ DSL Packages Rising?! ~ People Are Talking! ~ Web Bills Revisited!
~ Microsoft Pays Bristol ~ NBA Shootout 2001 ~ SegaNet Un-Civil War!
~ 733MHz Power Mac Ships ~ "Fear Effect 2"! ~ "Cookies" or No?!
~ Napster To Charge Fees ~ Dial-up Modem Not Dead ~ Sony Defends PSX2!
-* Bluelight.com Unveils Limits *-
-* Telecom's Biggest Goal: More Speed! *-
-* Mediator Negotiating Deal In Napster Case! *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
It's been another one of those weeks, folks. If I seem out of sorts and not
my usual sarcastic or joking self, I have my reasons. And to "complicate"
things, I've been sick all week with a nasty cold, the weather has been
downright cold here, and the job has been stressful. And those were the
better events of the week! I wish things were better and I could go off on
a tangent voicing my opinions of Microsoft's latest tactics regarding their
antitrust case appeal. Or, the variety of ways the "free ISP" companies are
looking at to entice their userbase to pay fees. Or, will the legislature
finally pass some bills to protect our online privacy and fight spam? And
possibly a few other interesting and burning topics that we're presented
with these days.
But, I don't have the energy or enthusiasm to sit here and focus on them
this week. Bear with me, and it will pass.
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
compiled by Joe Mirando
jmirando@portone.com
Hidi ho friends and neighbors. Well, old man winter hasn't released his
grip on the northeast yet. I hadn't really expected to have winter done
and over with so quickly, but a few warm days had me thinking about how
nice it would be to move on to spring early.
Actually, I like the cold weather. I've always been more comfortable
with the temperature a little low rather than a little high. There's
just something about a cold crisp morning, the special kind of silence
as a light snow falls in the evening (notice that I said "a LIGHT
snow"). Some people fuss and fret about the low temperatures, but my
feeling is, "Heck, you can always throw on another blanket".
Of course, you have to deal with the snow, the never-ending potholes,
and the complete idiots who seem to have forgotten what driving in the
snow is like even though they've lived here their entire lives. Then
there are the heating bills, the burst pipes, the going outside early
to let the car warm up, and the slight feeling of cabin fever that
begins to set in by the end of winter. I can deal with those, I just
don't particularly look forward to them.
I guess that everything really is a trade-off, and you've got to both
pick and choose and take what you get. That's probably a good
description of life in general. Of course, winter will give way to
spring. In life, it never ends. There's always choice, and there's
always a lack of it. Yet somehow we muddle through, doing what needs to
be done and sometimes even finding some unexpected enjoyment along the
way. Take it while you can get it, folks.... there's another choice
waiting for you right around the corner.
Now let's get on with the news, hints, tips, and info from the UseNet.
From the comp.sys.atari.st NewsGroup
====================================
Bret Kellihan asks:
"Has anyone written a TCP/IP stack for the ST systems? What about
clients like telnet, ftp, and www?"
John Banbury asks Bret:
"Where have you been? Look for STING or STIK2 on ftp sites such as
chapelie.rma.ac.be "
Ken Kosut asks for help with a Falcon RAM upgrade:
"I recently had some problems installing a WB Systemtechnik
RAM board on my Falcon.
I took the board to another electronics shop for a 2nd opinion.
The electronics technician examined the board.
He said the board was extremely well made and that
The "tighter - prong like connectors" are a much better connection.
He said the problem could be remedied with a new connector.
WB Systemtechnik emailed me. They wanted pictures or schematics.
I tried to do a schematic, but I don't think that is going to
do it.
I don't have a digital camera. I'd like to try to scan
the damaged part in and use Scanedit+ to show him where the
problem is.
I think this file gets saved in .IMG format. Can I just email WB
Systemtechnik this file? Or do I have to convert it?
BTW - this part cannot be found in just any electronics store. The
technician said He's never seen a connector like that."
Peter West asks Ken:
"Can't you take a normal photo and send it snail-mail? It may need a
supplementary close-up lens on the camera. You can then circle the
problem with a highlighter."
Derryck Croker adds:
"It's normal to compress files to ZIP or LZH format before sending, but
for graphics it's more usual to change the format to GIF - the result
is compressed by virtue of the format, and is more readily viewable by
the receiver.
Since you're trying to get a problem sorted out,that solution seems to
be the best."
John Garone asks about modem speed:
"Although I can connect at 115,200 there are a lot of "time-outs"
as compared to 57,600 which results in more continuous downloads.
This happens with NG and Web downloads. I suspect it may be a setting
in StinG's default.cfg
Any thoughts?
Running the following:
C-LAB Falcon MKI / Seagate 1g / SupraExpress56k / CAB 2.8 /
Newsie .961/ STinG 1.26 / Dialer 1.17 / HSMODEM7 PKG. / NVDI 5.01
I recently purchased a Phantom SE (and yes, I sent Ctirad his money).
I have'nt installed it yet but am wondering if the Phantom will aid
the Falcon modem port!"
Jo Even Skarstein tells John:
"Maybe. My Speedres-card (18/36MHz, later modified to 20/40MHz) didn't
help much though. This is a software-problem, and can only be avoided
with significantly faster hardware (unless the software (driver) is
replaced). I suggest you use 57k6 instead of 115k2, or at least don't
use the mouse while online."
John tells Jo Even:
"Some improvement has been made here by changing the MSS to 1484 in
Sting's default.cfg and MTU to 1524 in the Dialer. The latter of which
I accidently found was changed by my ISP from 1500. A difference of 40
was recommended by Ronald Andersson. Still plenty of time-outs though!
I'm thinking of replacing the chips in the modem circuit some day to
see if that helps also (last resort)."
Jeff Armstrong asks about MiNT stability:
"Hey everyone. I've been wanting to use a couple of new MiNT
applications that require MiNT kernels above 1.15.5. However, as I
understand it, that was the last "stable" release and the newer
kernels are betas. Am I correct in this assumption? If so, are the
newer kernels more stable?"
Martin Byttebier tells Jeff:
"1.15.5 is indeed the last public release. I've been using 1.15.10b for
quite some now without any problem. So far it's the most stable kernel
I've used."
Jeff tells Martin:
"Ok, I downloaded the Mint 1.15.10b kernel from www.freemint.de. I am
running the 030 kernel on my TT. Now I'm attempting to use Geneva on
top of it (which doesn;t even seem that stable on top of 1.15.5, BTW).
I renamed Mint030.prg Mintnp.prg to disable memory protection, but
apparently that doesn';t do squat. At bootup, Mint said memory
protection was enabled. Then later on, well into the driver loading
procedures, I get memory violations that halt the system.
Now I'm sure Geneva (and MultiTOS, which is what I may switch back to)
both need memory protection disabled. How do I go about doing this
with the new 030 kernel?"
Konrad Kokoszkiewicz tells Jeff:
"Not sure about Geneva, MTOS works with memory protection enabled.
Although without mp it is stabler.
Hold down left shift while booting MiNT then press
"y" as an answer to the question which appears."
Mike Freeman adds:
"Mint with Geneva can be quite temperamental, especially when it comes
to AUTO folder order, what programs are running, etc. It took a bit of
trial and error to figure out exactly what to do to get a stable
system. It does run usably stable, though, if you have it set right.
Try disabling all AUTO and ACC programs and Mint extensions except the
bare essentials needed to run Geneva and Mint (i.e. only Mint in the
AUTO folder, and only the MINT.CNF file in the MINT or MULTITOS folder,
and only use the MINT.CNF file that came with Geneva - save your old
one under a different name). This *should* be pretty stable. From
there, begin adding AUTO programs one at a time. If anything becomes
unstable, then adjust the running order, testing it before Mint, after
Mint, and before/after other programs that might interfere. If it still
doesn't work, the program's not usable with this setup. Once you've got
a good basic AUTO setup, add ACC programs one at a time, then Mint
extensions one at a time, then editing the MINT.CNF file with your
personal preferences/file paths, etc. It worked on my system. I hope it
works for you! It's not a fun process, but it's sometimes the only way.
I couldn't get version 1.15.10b to even make it through the boot process
without bombs. I'm sticking with 1.15.5 for now."
Martin Byttebier adds:
"As far as I know, since 1.15.10b renaming the prg name to
enable/disable Memory protection does not work. There is a special
bootmenu, provoked by holding down the shift key during the boot
process in which one can switch off/on memory protection. Maybe that's
your problem.
Furthermore 1.15.10b has an build in RAM-disk. Are you using a RAM-disk
like for instance fnramfs.xfs? If so delete it. It clashes with the
build in RAM disk."
TJ Andrews asks about cookies and CAB:
"I've been fumbling around with the demo version of CAB 2.7 for a while
now (BTW, does anybody know where I can get the full English version of
2.7 or 2.8 in the US?), and I just don't have a clue as to how I should
set my cookie options. I've heard a lot of things about cookies, some
good and some bad, and it's hard to know what to do, or why I should do
it.
To review, the CAB options about accepting cookies are:
Always
Never
Always ask
Store but don't use
I've been using the last one, for lack of a good reason to use either of
the first two absolutes. The third option isn't very attractive, because
I've heard that some sites are very persistent in offering cookies until
they're accepted. I just didn't want to be bothered. Now I'm beginning
to wonder if that's really the way to go.
Can anybody explain the advantages and disadvantages of each option?"
Dan Ackerman tells TJ:
"Always
Good... never have to worry about turning cookies on.
Bad. A lot of internet ad servers will compile more and more
information about you. Making it easier to target you for marketing
etc. So far courts in the US have ruled it's their data.
Never
What I generally use unless I hit a site where I need cookies then
I enable them. In reality it's only a portion of the total number of
web sites that really need cookies. Many will request them though.
Always ask
Very annoying as many sites like to give you cookies via the
banner ads. So you will get prompted a lot. This is the setting I
generally use when I have cookies on though. As I said on the previous
one, many sites will ask to give you a cookie, so every time a banner ad
is hit you can almost always expect to be prompted.
Store but don't use
Pointless, and to be honest I've never tested to see if in reality
this is any different from Always for the next session. If it does
work separately then it could be of use if you were curious about what
cookies you were being sent but didn't really want to work with them.
However you could see problems if you don't want to have cookies on all
the time.
This comes in with CAB assuming that you will always want to use a
cookie that you have accepted in the past.
If you are purchasing something or dealing with an online group or
email list then you will probably want to have cookies. Many sites
that like to do things via cookies will still work without them. In my
opinion being more on the side of a privacy nut, I use the absolute
never 90% of the time.
I hope that explained them from my perspective. Many will disagree
though."
Chris Simon adds:
"In general, cookies are benign and harmless. They simply store
information about yourself that the site may want to refer to later
when you revisit or go to another page. "Information about yourself"
might sound sinister, but all this amounts to is personalised
information, such as your name, your preference settings for a
particular site etc. Nothing that the site couldn't obtain normally
anyway, but just wants to 'remember you' for your next visit.
Also, some dynamic web pages use cookies to store session variables
between pages, like global variables within a program. Web
connections are 'stateless', i.e. when you go to the next page in a
web site, that page invokes a new connection and has no idea that
you've gone to it from a previous page. Sessions variables allow
information to be passed from page to page, e.g. you may have 'logged
on' to a web site - a session variable stores this fact so that you
don't have to log on to each individual page.
In other words, I would go for the Always option. It allows web sites
to work properly and saves you the hassle of confirming it each time."
Stephen Moss asks a pretty good question about the order in which
accessories are run:
"I know that Auto folder programs run in the order in which they were
placed in the folder, but if I you were to have more than 6 accessories
on your root drive which 6 would be loaded?, the first six by filename
or by order as in the Auto folder.
This has never been a problem for me but I was just curious to know if
anyone has tried it and what happened."
Peter Schneider tells Stephen:
"The first six by physical order, I think. The same as with the AUTO
folder.
But there were solutions to overcome that problem. IIRC, there was a
multi accessory that would load more than 6, by Antic Software
(Charles Johnson?).
And CHAMELEON was able to replace a loaded ACC with an other one."
'Mark' adds:
"I would imagine physical order in the 'FAT' rather than by name, date
or whatever (just like the auto folder). There are programs about that
remove the 6 ACC prog limit."
Well folks, that's it for this week. Tune in again next week, same
time, same station, and be ready to listen to what they are saying
when...
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
=~=~=~=
->In This Week's Gaming Section - 'Fear Effect 2'! 'Quake 3 Arena'!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 'NBA Shootout 2001'!
Sony Defends PlayStation!
And more!
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Eidos' Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix Arrives in Stores
Eidos Interactive announced that its hard-hitting action title Fear Effect
2: Retro Helix will arrive in stores beginning February 21 for the
PlayStation game console. Developed by Kronos Digital Entertainment, Fear
Effect 2: Retro Helix is the prequel to the original critically-acclaimed
Fear Effect video game. The game's timely plot centers around four main
characters' attempts to save mankind from a mysterious threat originating
within human DNA.
``The Kronos team has dedicated itself to creating an incredibly impressive
addition to the Fear Effect franchise," says Sean Amann, Marketing
Director of Eidos Interactive - US. ``Fear Effect 2 provides gamers with a
seamless gameplay experience, balancing intense action, engrossing
storyline, gorgeous anime-style characters, and challenging puzzles."
Fear Effect 2 begins when the video game's main characters are hired to
acquire separate items for unknown purposes. The cast includes Hana
Tsu-Vachel, a beautiful assassin; Rain Qin, an unparalleled beauty wrapped
around a dark secret cipher; Royce Glas, a master operative in the field of
counter intelligence; and Jakob ``Deke" Decourt, a cold blooded killer who
perceives life as a trivial highway to obscurity paved in dull gray and
numb. What starts out as a routine infiltration and retrieval assignment
for the adventurers spawns a chain of bizarre events that forces our
unlikely heroes to put aside their differences and unite their skills to
save the world from impending doom.
Featuring stunning 3D-rendered environments and cinematic-style camera
manipulation, Fear Effect 2 takes gamers on a journey across the globe,
from mystical locations in China to New York City's back streets. Gamers
confront an all-new cast of enemies, each designed and programmed to take
full advantage of the environment in which they dwell. The Fear Effect team
each have unique fighting styles to combat enemy attacks. For example,
Hana's specialty is the judo kick while Deke masterfully executes a spiked
brass knuckle hand attack. Other artillery available in each player's
arsenal include the charge-based Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP), a variety of
pistols, submachine guns, a flame-thrower, and other character-specific
weaponry. Fear Effect 2's newly-implemented true 3D control scheme allows
for customizable navigation within the game.
Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix is backed by a nationwide print and online
advertising campaign. The campaign, targeted specifically towards mature
gamers, will run exclusively in men's lifestyle magazines, gaming
publications and web sites. Eidos has also created a dedicated Fear Effect
2: Retro Helix web site located at www.feareffect.com. Fear Effect 2: Retro
Helix is rated 'M' for Mature by the ESRB.
It's Time for NBA Fans to Lace Up Their High Tops
as 989 Sports Announces The Arrival of NBA
Shootout 2001 for the Playstation2
Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) Inc. announced that NBA ShootOut
2001 from the 989 Sports development team is now available in stores,
marking the first installment of the ShootOut franchise for the
PlayStation2 computer entertainment system. Designed to provide gamers with
the ultimate NBA basketball experience, NBA ShootOut 2001 features
stunningly detailed graphics, exciting true-to-life gameplay and a
revolutionary new network-quality game presentation that blurs the
distinction between game and on-the-court basketball action. NBA ShootOut
2001 also comes complete with a variety of camera angles provided by
twenty-two cameras, play-by-play commentary from New Jersey Nets
broadcaster Ian Eagle, extensive rosters including veteran and rookie
players from all 29 NBA teams, authentic NBA playbooks, real NBA arenas,
and the ability to play in the NBA All-Star Game, Playoffs and NBA Finals.
NBA ShootOut 2001 for the PlayStation 2 takes a videogame franchise that
has always been graphically impressive to new levels of realism. With a
newly designed game engine that operates at 60 frames per second, gamers
will be treated to state-of-the-art ball, rim and collision physics. Arenas
are designed perfectly to mimic their real-life counterparts and, when
combined with flawless floor graphics for every NBA team, NBA ShootOut 2001
presents an NBA environment that is unparalleled.
``Sony Computer Entertainment America is delighted to offer the most
realistic pro basketball game on the market, NBA ShootOut 2001," said Ami
Blaire, director of product marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America
Inc. ``Working within the expansive capabilities of the PlayStation 2, the
989 Sports development team produced an amazing end-result. The detailed
graphics and improved gameplay make the latest version of ShootOut the best
yet and we are confident that fans of the franchise and new gamers will all
agree."
To complement the enhancement of the game's graphical elements and
contribute to the highest level of realism, controls have been made more
intuitive in order to equip gamers with superior responsiveness and
control. Franchise-exclusive features including Advanced Dribbling Control,
Touch Shooting and Auto Defend put one-touch control at the gamer's
fingertips, making it easier to maneuver players and execute special moves.
Leveraging the power of the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system,
NBA ShootOut 2001 also offers a significant hike in the volume of
motion-captured animations. More than 1,000 authentic NBA moves and over 50
signature dunks have been motion-captured by incorporating the moves of NBA
stars such as Jason Kidd of the Phoenix Suns. Player models have been
designed with 18 times the clarity of their PlayStation counterparts,
including height, weight, body style, texture-mapped faces, head shapes and
skin tones. Team specific playbooks with over 450 plays have been created
in cooperation with some of the NBA's top players, including Chris Webber,
Charles ``Bo" Outlaw and Jerry Stackhouse. Also, for the first time in the
history of the NBA ShootOut franchise, animated referees will be calling
the game from the floor.
NBA ShootOut 2001 for the PlayStation 2 Key Features:
-- Exclusive Match-Up & Deny, Read & React A.I. -- This means you'll need
to "show up for the game". The artificial opponent now knows how to
better manage passing, fouls, timeouts and the clock
-- Icon Passing -- Pick your passes and get the ball to a specific
teammate. Work the D or get the ball outside for the open three
-- Touch Shooting -- Refine your touch by using the touch shooting meter
to control the accuracy of your shot
-- Advanced Dribbling Control -- Ball control is key -- new special moves
include the spin, between the legs, crossover and behind the back
-- Signature Dunks -- More than 50 signature dunks including the
two-handed, between the legs, cradle, and tomahawk jams
-- Hot Streaks -- Hit three in a row and you are in the zone. Miss too
many and you could struggle to make a lay-up
-- Create Player -- Utilize player ratings to create an all-world talent
or design a player to reflect your own characteristics
-- Comprehensive Statistical Analysis -- Stats for teams, individuals,
league leaders, standings, and comparison charts for teams and players
help you to realize your strengths and weaknesses and let you know how
you match up against the rest of the league
-- Extensive Roster Management -- Edit your starting lineup, trade players
or release and sign free agents to build your own power dynasty
-- Six Game Modes -- Exhibition, Season or Playoffs in Simulation and
Arcade modes, each with four levels of difficulty
-- Extensive In-Game Options -- Control every aspect of the game from
quarter length to fatigue, touch shooting, player ID, and auto replays
The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rates NBA
ShootOut 2001 ``E" for ``Everyone."
Capcom's Onimusha Warlords Delivers On the
Playstation 2 Promise of Advance Graphics,
Technology and Gameplay
Capcom announced Onimusha Warlords for the PlayStation 2 computer
entertainment system will go on sale March 14, 2001 in North America.
Onimusha Warlords fulfills PlayStation 2's promise to deliver the most
advanced graphics, state-of-the-art technology and incredible gameplay.
Onimusha Warlords is the first video game to truly showcase a higher
standard that consumers expect in the PlayStation 2. It is the most
technically advanced video game ever conceived and was honored with the
distinction of being named ``Best of Show" at the SIGGRAPH 2000 Computer
Animation Festival. Onimusha Warlords is an epic saga of 16th century Japan
inspired by the battle scenes of famed Japanese director Akira Kurosawa.
Onimusha Warlords is currently enjoying phenomenal success in Japan having
released on January 25 and shipping nearly 900,000 units to date with sell
through of more than 700,000 units. This epic masterpiece is supported by a
North American multi-million dollar marketing campaign includes TV
advertising that begins March 16 and runs six weeks. With the support with
a multi-million dollar marketing campaign and achieving record sales in
Japan, Capcom predicts Onimusha Warlords will be must own for PlayStation 2
owners. Onimusha Warlords is rated ``M" for mature audiences by the
Entertainment Software Rating Board and carries a suggested retail price of
$49.95.
``What a phenomenal way to usher in Capcom's epic PS2 masterpiece," said
Bill Gardner, president and CEO, Capcom Entertainment. ``The Capcom team
has done a tremendous job of creating and marketing a stunning game that
could only be brought to market with the power of the PlayStation 2. The US
will launch Onimusha in March with the backing of a multi-million dollar
marketing campaign that will reach consumers via television, radio, print,
retail and online. The success Onimusha has enjoyed in Japan we can only
hope to eclipse here in America."
Gardner went on to add, ``This is certainly not the first time Capcom has
achieved sales records in the company's 21 year history. The most notable
and perhaps best example is when the original Resident Evil game for the
original PlayStation sold more than a million units worldwide in less than
six months. Some credit Resident Evil for driving PlayStation hardware
sales. The expectation is for Onimusha to do the same. That tremendous
achievement five years ago seems to pale in comparison with the achievement
Onimusha is certain to obtain in 30 days in Japan alone. We believe this is
a 'must-have' game for PlayStation 2 owners and expect them to come out in
droves to get their hands on the most incredible PS2 game of all time!"
Onimusha Warlords takes place in a world of darkness and magic, when power
hungry warlords battle for control of Feudal Japan. One brave Samurai,
Samanosuke, boldly volunteers to rescue the kidnapped princess Yuki, but
even Samanosuke does not realize the desperation of this mission. An entire
legion of demon warriors stands between him and his mission to avenge the
princess.
The Siggraph ``Best of Show" award was bestowed to Onimusha Warlords for
the five minute opening movie animation created using an optical motion
capture system to ``film" six samurais battling simultaneously. Onimusha's
other motion picture quality production values include, a script written by
Flagship, the company who penned the story lines for the Resident Evil
series; a 200-piece orchestra who performs the original musical score; and
famed Japanese actor Takeshi Kaneshiro as the lead character. Onimusha:
Warlords takes advantage of the power of the PlayStation 2 by delivering
finely detailed character graphics created at 10,000 polygons per
character.
SegaNet Wages 'Un-Civil War' With Quake III Arena,
Marking the First Online Console Tournament Ever
SegaNet Partners with TeamSphere Interactive to
Enhance the Online Gaming Experience While
Establishing Ongoing Tournaments for Online Gamers
Strap on your boots, it's battle time! Today, SegaNet announced ``Un-Civil
War," the first in a series of online console tournaments. From February
22 through April 2, players using Quake III Arena for the 128-bit, Internet
ready Sega Dreamcast will be able to experience a tournament like no other.
Players can register at www.sega.net/tournaments.
``There's nothing more gratifying than seeing your name in lights and no
one knows that better than Quake players," said Skip McIlvaine, director
of business development, Sega.com. ``Quake tournaments are a legacy in the
PC world, now console gamers can finally get to the heart of online
gaming."
The Un-Civil War consists of two competitions -- the time flexible ``Open
Ladder" and the fixed event schedule of the ``Main Tournament."
Open Ladder is an open-ended and persistent competition where there are
four weeks of online play with points being awarded for match wins and
losses. Players don't need to commit to a fixed event schedule in advance
and can play as little or as much as desired. They will be ranked on the
basis of points to determine the top weekly finalists who will then advance
to the Main Tournament. The Open Ladder will be held on SegaNet servers for
SegaNet subscribers, SegaNet trial members and Sega.com Society members.
Even after the final prizes have been awarded, players can continue to
battle for supremacy through an ongoing ranking system that will determine
the best of the best Quake III Arena players.
Within the Main Tournament, competition is not taken lightly. Players must
adhere to a fixed schedule in the competition for top prizes. The events
begin with four, 32-player, preliminary tournaments divided according to
different geographic regions within the United States. After the one-week
preliminaries, the top finishers from each of the four tournaments will
compete in the national finals during the last week of the event. The Main
Tournament will be held exclusively on SegaNet servers for SegaNet
subscribers only.
The top three winners of the Main Tournament will receive a one of a kind,
completely customized blue and orange Sega Dreamcast engraved with the
winners' names and their championship titles. All winners will also receive
a ``SegaNet Championships" T-shirt, have endless bragging rights and will
be listed on Sega.net for gamers everywhere to see. For official contest
rules and guidelines, players can visit www.sega.net/tournaments.
In order to bring the Un-Civil War tournament to online gamers, SegaNet has
teamed up with TeamSphere Interactive. Utilizing TeamSphere's Eventricity
software, SegaNet can bring the best possible head-to-head tournament to
the Quake III Arena enthusiast and casual gamer alike. The Eventricity
content and community tools will help streamline player registration,
player seeding, automated match results, and automated bracket updates.
SegaNet is bringing gamers the world's first ever online console
tournament. Let the battle begin.
Sony Moves To Defend PlayStation
Sony Corp.'s video game unit promised more games and a connection with
Japan's hit Net-linking cell phone service Wednesday to defend its
PlayStation 2 machine, a money-losing business that has dragged Sony
profits.
Sony Computer Entertainment president Ken Kutaragi said his business will
pick up soon when shipments start catching up with demand, especially in
the United States and Europe, where the consoles are in short supply.
Sony is also banking on linking up with ``i-mode," the cell phone Web
service from NTT DoCoMo, hoping to tap into the 19 million i-mode users in
Japan.
A cord to link the i-mode phone to the game console allows users to browse
i-mode sites - such as colorful graphics, restaurant guides and train
schedules - as well as edit and read e-mail on a bigger TV screen linking
with PlayStation. The cable will start selling March 29 for 3,500 yen
($30).
``This is a new form of communication entertainment," Kutaragi told
reporters.
A parts shortage has crimped shipments of PlayStation 2, which went on sale
in March in Japan and before Christmas in the United States.
Sony's video-game business - once the star of the Sony group - lost about
13 billion yen ($112 million) in the third quarter ending in December,
largely on the cost of launching the new machine. Software sales remained
flat.
But Masahiro Ono, analyst with UBS Warburg Dillon Read in Tokyo, was
optimistic about the future for PlayStation 2.
``It's gotten over all the initial bumps of hardware production," Ono
said. ``It's not likely to run into too many risks from now on."
So far, Sony has sold 8.16 million PlayStation 2 machines - 4.4 million in
Japan and 2.1 million in the United States. Kutaragi targeted 20 million
worldwide sales for fiscal 2001.
Sony also promised to address the business' other problem - the lack of
exciting games to enjoy on the super 128-bit machine.
``PS2 titles are going to be coming out at a fantastic pace," Kutaragi
said.
In Japan, 370 additional game titles will come out for the fiscal year
beginning in April. There are 188 games so far. Sony would not give figures
for U.S. games.
Sony also plans to offer superfast links using optical fiber in Japan in
alliance with game-software makers Sega Corp. and Namco at retail outlets
and amusement parks starting this winter to lure game fans to Net-linking
PlayStation 2 games.
Sony also announced Wednesday it will offer copyright protection and other
networking technology to Japanese software companies and service providers
as it begins to offer Net games in July.
Sony plans to start selling a hard-disk drive attachment for playing Net
games on the PlayStation 2; the company has yet to set a price and sales
plans in the United States are undecided.
Potential copyright problems have been a major reason why Sony has
postponed offering Net links for PlayStation 2.
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
Mediator Negotiating in Napster Conflict
A mediator appointed by the judge in the Napster case has been negotiating
a deal to allow the popular online music-swapping service to survive
without violating copyright laws, according to a published report.
An appeals court last Monday upheld a July 2000 ruling by U.S. District
Judge Marilyn Hall Patel, who found Napster guilty of copyright
infringement. Patel appointed former federal judge Eugene Lynch as a
mediator between Napster and major record companies, the article in the
Feb. 26 issue of Newsweek magazine said.
Napster declined to comment on Sunday, citing legal constraints.
Lynch has already held one negotiating session in an attempt to settle the
dispute and has scheduled another meeting, Newsweek said. Patel said last
week she believes a compromise could be reached between the parties.
The Feb. 12 decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals could lead to
the shutdown of Napster, which allows the free swapping of music over the
Internet.
Napster may already be coming to a resolution that would keep it afloat. On
Friday, interim CEO Hank Barry announced that Napster and a unit of German
media giant Bertelsmann AG had developed a membership-based model that
would allow music files to be transferred from computer to computer.
Napster, developed by 19-year-old college drop-out Shawn Fanning, lets fans
swap songs for free by trading MP3 files, a compression format that turns
music on compact discs into small computer files.
Napster Planning Fees Starting in Summer
Outlining plans to transform itself into a fee-based service, Napster said
that it intends to start charging users this summer to exchange music files
online. And the company said it has proposed giving $1 billion over five
years to record companies, including the major record labels that sued
Napster after accusing it of abetting copyright infringement.
Napster said it is contemplating charging users a fee between $5.95 and
$9.95 to download an unlimited number of music files, and may charge an
additional fee for users who want to transfer the files to their own
compact disks.
But the business model depends on several factors, including whether
Napster users will be willing to pay, whether the company will be able to
build the technology to securely transfer files, and whether the record
companies will go along.
The details of Napster's proposals came a week after the United States
Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit here affirmed a lower-court ruling
that the online service aids and abets the infringement of copyrights. The
appeals court has sent the case back to the lower court to fashion an
injunction that will prevent Napster from being used to exchange
unauthorized, copyrighted material.
While the music industry has celebrated the ruling as precedent-setting,
it remains under pressure to offer an alternative to users' mass exchange
of music files online.
Record industry analysts said Napster's latest proposal might not be the
prescription the record companies are looking for. Under the proposal, the
five major companies would split $150 million annually, with the portion
to each company determined by what percentage of their works are exchanged
by Napster users. An additional $50 million a year would be split among
independent music companies and artists. "We are putting a concrete offer
on the table," Hank Barry, Napster's chief executive, said, adding that
Napster has been discussing such a proposal in general terms with the
record companies since last summer. He said he is going public with the
details, including specific dollar figures not previously discussed with
the record companies, to publicize the company's position.
"If Napster is shut down," he said, "it's because, even though our users
are willing to pay, the record companies don't want to take their money."
But record company executives and analysts said that the amount of money
is insufficient and that before any negotiation can begin, Napster must
comply with court orders and stop permitting the exchange of copyrighted
material.
The proposal "doesn't solve the immediate problem," said Richard D.
Parsons, co-chief operating officer of AOL Time Warner. He added that as
the record industry's $35 billion to $40 billion in annual sales could be
threatened by Napster, the $1 billion proposal "does not strike me as
being in the ballpark."
Michael B. Nathanson, a record industry analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein
& Company, agreed that the figure is a drop in the bucket for record
companies. The companies, he said, "are probably going to want more money
up front."
At a briefing here today, Mr. Barry disclosed the specifics of the
proposal along with Andreas Schmidt, president and chief executive of
Bertelsmann E-commerce; Shawn Fanning, Napster's founder; and Thomas
Middelhoff, the chief executive of Bertelsmann.
The companies signed a deal last year under which Bertelsmann, the German
parent company of BMG records, agreed to invest in Napster in exchange for
Napster's transforming itself into a for-pay service.
"As business people, it makes all the sense to keep this community alive,"
said Mr. Schmidt, who along with Mr. Middelhoff urged other record
companies to join forces with Napster.
"If Napster died, it would be against consumer needs and it would be a big
defeat for the music industry," Mr. Middelhoff said.
Among the details Napster said it is contemplating is two-tier pricing. In
addition to a premium service that would allow users to exchange music on
an unlimited basis, Napster is considering a basic service where users
could exchange a limited number of files each month, for a monthly fee
between $2.95 and $4.95, Mr. Barry said.
Rick Ballenger, 18, a music education major at Northeastern State
University in Oklahoma, said he had downloaded 300 songs from Napster. But
he said he would not pay for the service, because once Napster started
charging, there would be less music available as users opted for other,
free services.
"I feel that Napster will be a limited source of music when a charge is
applied," Mr. Ballenger said in an instant message exchange. "It's only a
matter of time before other programs are available."
But Rachel Martin, 12, of St. Thomas, Ontario, said she would be happy to
pay a $10-a-month fee. "I would rather pay $6 to $10 a month for all the
music I want," she said, "than to pay $20 for a CD with only around two
songs on it I like."
Internet Bills Get Second Look In Congress
When it comes to Internet bills in Congress this year, you could say it's
deja vu all over again.
In a recent flurry of activity, members of the House and Senate have
introduced bills targeting Internet taxation, online gambling, spam and
Internet privacy. The catch is that they are for the most part virtually
identical to bills that fell short of passage last year.
What has changed? Well, the bills' sponsors believe the ubiquity of the
Internet in our daily lives. Last year most of these bills cleared the
House only to fall short in the Senate, a more deliberative body where
with filibuster rules one needs 60 out of 100 votes to move most
legislation.
With new tech-savvy senators such as former RealNetworks executive Maria
Cantwell of Washington and former tech investor Jon Corzine of New Jersey,
along with a more active Senate Internet Caucus led by Senators Conrad
Burns and Patrick Leahy, the hope is that this year the Senate won't see
Internet bills face the same fate as so many dot-coms in 2000.
The greatest time pressure is on proponents of extending the current
moratorium on taxes targeting the Internet. The current moratorium expires
in October, and its sponsors have renewed last year's failed effort to get
an extension.
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Christopher Cox, R-Cal., have together
introduced bills in their respective houses that would extend the
moratorium for five years, permanently ban Internet access taxes and
encouraging states and localities to streamline their sales taxes so that
online merchants could more easily collect them.
"Chris and I want to continue the e-commerce boom we've gotten from our
ban on discriminatory taxes, and make sure Internet access is never
subject to an arbitrary tax scheme. We also want to extend an olive branch
to the states" who fear the loss of sales tax receipts, Wyden said.
Sen. Robert Smith, R-N.H., has introduced two bills on Internet taxes, one
calling for another five-year moratorium, the other calling for a
permanent ban. The latter approach has been favored in the past by Senate
Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., but is vigorously
opposed by states.
A bill that would have banned most forms of online gambling sponsored by
Sen. John Kyl, R-Ariz., and Rep. Robert Goodlatte, R-Va., last year fell
just short of becoming law. With online gambling sites growing at an
explosive rate, however, many in Congress still would like to pass
legislation on the subject.
Already introduced is a bill by Jim Leach, R-Ia., the vice-chairman of the
House Financial Services Technology Subcommittee and former chairman of
the full committee. The bill, similar to one he introduced last year,
would target financial institutions to prevent credit from being used in
online gambling.
The bill by Kyl and Goodlatte took a legal approach and went after the
online sites themselves, via the Internet servers that hosted their
offerings.
"We're going to give it another try," Goodlatte said last week, promising
a reintroduction soon.
Spam continues to drive Internet users crazy, and it drives politicians
crazy as well because it's hard to craft effective legislation that
doesn't run afoul of First Amendment concerns.
Still, Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., fresh off a tough re-election fight
for a second term, has reintroduced her anti-spam bill. That bill passed
the House overwhelmingly but died in the Senate. In its final form it was
combined with a bill by Rep. Gene Green, D-Tex., who has already
reintroduced his bill.
Of course, one issue is already drawing a flurry of attention, as well as
legislation.
"Privacy is going to be a huge issue" this Congress, Rep. Tom Davis,
R-Va., predicted last week.
So far, House and Senate leaders have not lined up behind any particular
legislation, but that isn't stopping bills from being introduced. Perhaps
the most prominent one so far comes from Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Cal., whose
district includes Silicon Valley. Her bill lays out a formula that's
growing in popularity among those seeking a compromise approach on privacy
legislation. In her bill, a Web site operator could not use any personal
information on a visitor unless a privacy policy was posted and the
visitor was given a chance to opt out of having the information divulged.
Congress is in recess this week, but upon its return the leadership of the
key committees as well as the House and Senate leadership offices are
expected to begin identifying which Internet-related bills will be placed
on the fast track for passage.
Microsoft To Pay Bristol Technology
Microsoft will pay Bristol Technology an undisclosed amount to settle years
of legal wrangling over Bristol's claim that Microsoft was trying to crush
competition, the two companies said Wednesday.
Microsoft had previously been ordered to pay Bristol $1 million for unfair
trade practices and $3.7 million to cover Bristol's legal fees. Both
companies said that under the confidential agreement they will discontinue
litigation against each other.
``It settles everything," Bristol spokeswoman Marybeth McGuire said.
Microsoft spokesman Jim Cullinan said the company would attempt to vacate
the earlier rulings.
Lawrence Sullivan, a law professor at Southwestern University in Los
Angeles said he didn't see a basis for vacating the rulings and thought it
unlikely the court would take that action.
``That's a cosmetic ambition by Microsoft," he said, ``but I wouldn't
expect that it would happen."
The settlement comes less than two weeks before a federal appeals court is
to hear Microsoft's latest challenge of the court-ordered breakup of the
company.
Federal antitrust investigators are also looking into whether Microsoft's
investment in Corel Corp. reduces competition in the market for word
processing and spreadsheet applications. The financially ailing
Ottawa-based company makes WordPerfect and other software for the competing
Linux operating system, an open-source platform that competes with
Microsoft Windows.
Microsoft has settled several lawsuits in the past year or so. In January,
the Redmond, Wash.-based software giant settled a 1997 lawsuit by Sun
Microsystems Inc. that alleged Microsoft infringed upon a licensing
agreement to use Sun's Java programming technology. In January 2000,
Caldera Systems, which had accused Microsoft of killing its competing
operating system, settled its antitrust lawsuit for an undisclosed sum.
Bristol sued in 1998, claiming Microsoft was trying to crush competition by
preventing access to its source code, or software blueprint, for Windows
NT.
Bristol, based in Danbury, Conn., makes a software product called Wind/U
that allows programs written specifically for Windows to be converted to
run on computers with different operating systems, such as UNIX. Prior to
the suit, the companies had an agreement that allowed Bristol to see part
of the source code for an earlier version of Windows NT.
In July 1999, a federal jury ruled in favor of Microsoft on other antitrust
claims but found Microsoft had committed a deceptive act that violated the
Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act. The jury awarded Bristol just $1 on
that claim.
In August, U.S. District Court Judge Janet C. Hall increased the award to
$1 million, saying a $1 penalty against a company like Microsoft was not
sufficient to fully deter Microsoft from similar conduct in the future. In
November, the same judge ordered Microsoft to pay Bristol $3.7 million to
cover legal fees.
BlueLight Illuminates Limits To Free Net Service
BlueLight.com on Wednesday unveiled the changes to its Internet access
service, which include limiting customers' free Web access time and
charging a fee for additional usage.
As previously reported, San Francisco-based BlueLight, the Internet arm of
Kmart, said it would drop its free, unlimited Internet access model and
move to a different strategy that included a fee-based system.
Beginning March 1, the company will give its customers the option of
choosing between two tiers of service. BlueLight's roughly 6 million
customers will be able to choose from a basic package that gives them 12
hours of free Internet access per month or a premier package that gives
them 100 hours of Internet access for $9.95 a month.
As part of the new plan, BlueLight's Internet service provider customers
also can get a month of free Internet access for a limited time by
purchasing an item at BlueLight's e-commerce site. Shoppers will be able
to earn more free months for every $50 they spend before taxes and
shipping costs for an order totaling over $100. BlueLight's e-commerce
site sells everything from clothing to toys, books, CDs and jewelry.
BlueLight, which entered the free ISP business after acquiring certain
assets from the now defunct Spinway.com, has joined a growing trend of
companies that have recently ditched the no-cost model. Many companies
have said the free ISP model is not a viable business.
Last December, Web portal AltaVista shuttered its free Internet access.
The company's parent, CMGI, terminated its free ISP holding, 1stUp.com.
Another popular free ISP, Juno Online Services, has recently struggled
with its free model, and last November imposed some restrictions on heavy
Internet access usage.
BlueLight, which also provides Internet access to businesses, recently
ceased providing free online services to retailers Costco, Barnes&Noble.com
and Spiegel.
When the service launches next month, BlueLight's subscribers will have the
opportunity to be automatically enrolled in the basic service. At that
time, customers can choose to upgrade to the premier service.
Speed Still Telecom's Biggest Goal
Five years ago, a law was passed to relax the government's hand in
regulating communications - from radio to cable to telephone - and let
competition work to cut prices and usher in new services. The government
still regulates, perhaps less than before, though some argue that
innovation is bogged down in red tape and inertia.
While Republicans are now in control, the aim remains to get services such
as high-speed Internet access more quickly to consumers. A recent FCC
report found that cable TV companies raised monthly rates for programming
and equipment by 5.8% last year.
The government stopped regulating most cable TV services nearly two years
ago, following a directive of the 1996 law. The commission's new chief,
Michael Powell, believes that when the government loosens its hold on
companies, new players can come into the market.
Ultimately, consumers determine whether new enterprises succeed or fail, he
says. The government might free up other sectors, too, such as the wireless
industry. Those companies face a ceiling on how much airwaves space they
can control in a market. They want that lifted and say they need greater
room to offer consumers wireless Internet access and video, and other new
services.
The Dial-up Modem Ain't Dead Yet
A new modem standard increases the upload speed of data transmissions and
allows a data call to be put on hold.
There will be plenty of waves for analog modems to surf, thanks to a new
dial-up modem standard and U.S. Robotics' plans to bring one of the first
boards to the beach.
U.S. Robotics announced Wednesday that it has completed testing of modems
based on the new V.92 standard, ratified late last year by the
International Telecommunication Union. The modem chipmaker plans to ship
products by the end of the first quarter.
The new standard increases the upload speed of data transmissions, allows
a data call to be put on hold to take an inbound voice call and shortens
the time it takes to make a connection.
It also should help ensure that the industry is not standing over the
grave of dial-up technology.
"There is still a lot of room for the acceptance of dial-up modems," said
Roger Kay, an analyst at IDC. "A majority of home and small offices are
still and will continue to get online through dial-up modems."
Recent figures from Gartner suggest that dial-up modems will be around for
a while. Data from the research firm indicates that 55 percent of all
people getting online will be doing so through dial-up connections even by
the year 2004.
The reasons are simple, according to Amy Helland, an analyst at Cahners
In-Stat.
Analog dial-up modems are the only truly ubiquitous method of getting
online, she said, because all someone needs is a phone line and because
with no additional service fees or set-up procedures, as with DSL or cable
connections, it's also the easiest.
"The horse hasn't made it to the glue factory just yet," said Kevin Lacey,
a director of product development at U.S. Robotics, referring to the life
expectancy of analog dial-up modems.
The venerable modem maker itself last year got a new outlook on life when
it re-emerged from the corporate fold at networking company 3Com, in a
joint venture involving 3Com, Accton Technology and NatSteel Electronics.
It named Van Andrews, a former Gateway executive, as CEO in July.
The V.92 standard allows someone online to place a data transmission on
hold to take a voice call, then re-establish the data transmission without
losing the connection. ISPs will likely determine how long a call can be
placed on hold. Rob Thomsen, a product line manager at U.S. Robotics,
expects that hold times most likely will be two minutes.
The standard also shortens the time it takes to get a connection by
storing information about the phone line. Each time a dial-up connection
is made, the modem undergoes a training sequence to determine the most
efficient route to connect to the ISP's server. By remembering that
information, it should take about half as long to establish a connection.
Probably most significant for dial-up modems users is the ability to
adjust transfer speeds. Under the V.90 standard, the best-case scenario
for data transmissions from the server to the client is 56kbps, and from
the client to the server is 33.6kbps. Under the V.92 standard, upstream
transmission of data, from client to server, can be as fast as 48kbps.
U.S. Robotics will allow modem users to set their modems to favor either
the downstream or upstream transmission or to balance the two.
U.S. Robotics also will offer V.90 modem owners a free software upgrade to
the V.92 standard by the end of the month. External modems using the V.92
standard will available off the retail shelf by the end of the first
quarter for just over $100. PC Card versions will hit the streets within
the next three months.
Cahners In-Stat's Helland expects ISPs to upgrade their servers to the
V.92 standard gradually over the next three months.
Top-Dollar DSL
After vanquishing most of their competitors, the coast is clear for
regional Bells to raise rates for broadband services over Digital
Subscriber Lines.
SBC Communications is first out of the chute, quietly boosting standard
residential Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) packages that sold for $40 per
month last fall to $50.
Market experts predicted others will follow and prices will keep rising,
forcing some hard choices for telecommuters who rely on connections to the
home office via the turbocharged copper phone lines.
At the end of 2000, there were 2,429,189 DSLs in service, according to
telecommunications research firm TeleChoice. By the end of 2004, there
will be more than 17 million, the firm predicted.
Over the past few years, the Federal Communications Commission has
promised consumers choice and competition in broadband services, but
nothing that it did was enough for many DSL competitors to survive against
dominant regional Bell telecommunications powerhouses.
"The strategy for telcos in DSL has been to destroy the competition," said
Alan Tumolillo, senior vice president at Probe Research. "That may seem
bad in terms of regulations, but the people in Washington don't care."
The surviving regional Bells - BellSouth, Qwest Communications
International, SBC and Verizon Communications - convinced regulators that
their chief competitors for high-speed Internet access are the cable
companies. Cable-modem access costs about $40 per month.
In the last six months, many competitive residential DSL providers have
either gone bankrupt, sold out or ended the DSL portion of their
businesses, leaving consumers in many U.S. regions a single choice for DSL
service: the local phone company. The competitive fallout has opened the
door for price hikes.
TeleChoice analyst Eric Rasmussen said the law of supply and demand is at
work. "There will always be some competition, but a year ago, you had a
lot of different DSL providers in every market," he said. "Now Flashcom is
out, Jato [Communications] is out and HarvardNet is out. Those are a
couple of pretty big providers that are no longer out there, so why not
raise prices a little?"
Rising prices may force customers to back off their bandwidth spending.
"If they raised the price, would I still continue?" asked David Lechler,
western U.S. manager at Canadian video-over-DSL company iMagicTV. "I would
probably drop some bandwidth to save a bit on price." In his Denver-area
home, Lechler uses residential DSL service from Qwest for e-mail, Web
access and connection to his corporate network in St. John, New Brunswick.
The Bells and smaller DSL providers are facing up to the need - or the
opportunity - to make money on the service, which has been offered in
promotional packages for as little as $20 per month.
"I can only tell you that the margins are very, very small in DSL," said
Russ Saito, a product manager at Verizon. "If you want to provide the
service, you'd want to provide it at a higher cost, but the market isn't
there for it."
Carriers aren't necessarily interested in selling everyone DSL. When
customers order a second phone line for dial-up Internet service, the Bell
can collect $20 per month from the line, plus possibly $20 per month as an
Internet service provider. The phone company can also sell add-on
services, such as call waiting, call forwarding, and local and
long-distance charges. This could all add up to more than $40 per month
for the Bell, with much less overhead than it incurs for DSL.
Eric Moyer, director of marketing at competitive DSL provider Covad
Communications, said regional Bells, as well as competitive providers,
created immense demand for DSL by keeping the prices so low. Once they
realized they couldn't satisfy those demands and create any meaningful
revenue, it was time to raise the prices and only serve those customers
willing to pay a premium.
"They're probably realizing it's a little more expensive than they once
thought," Moyer said. "They realized those price levels were not something
they could sustain."
Probe's Tumolillo said the Bells saw DSL as a way to get bandwidth hogs
who wanted to download fat images and files off of the telephone network.
But they didn't anticipate the demand. Hiking prices may be a way to get
the $40 monkeys off their backs. "For most carriers, each DSL subscriber
that comes on is cash-flow negative for three years."
The Bells used low introductory rates to lure a critical mass of
customers. That allowed their suppliers to ramp up production and pass on
volume discounts on equipment.
Qwest still advertises a $20-per-month introductory package, but customers
have to pay another $18 for Internet service, and they don't get an
always-on connection. "We are interested in increasing our footprint - in
increasing the number of subscribers," spokesman David Goldberg said.
Some carriers may continue to shoulder discounted services because they
can see revenue-generating potential in future add-ons. "There are going
to be a lot of value-added services that providers can offer if they have
a lot of DSL customers out there," Rasmussen said.
IMagicTV's Lechler predicted that eventually there will be enough
DSL-based services to warrant the increased prices. "It will be able to
use a part for the Web and a part for television and a part for voice," he
said.
The cable industry stands to benefit from DSL price hikes. "DSL is
available in many more places than any other competitor to cable
service,"
said Mike Luftman, vice president of corporate communications at Time
Warner Cable. "If raising their prices makes our service look more
attractive to customers by comparison, then that's good for us."
Souped-up Power Mac Leaves The Gate
Apple Computer said it has started shipping the 733MHz Power Mac, its
top-of-the-line desktop machine that includes a SuperDrive capable of
reading and writing both CDs and DVDs.
The new Power Mac, which Apple announced at last month's Macworld Expo in
San Francisco, helps Apple narrow the megahertz gap between its computers
and those that use Intel processors.
Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple had said the new Power Mac would ship in
February.
Despite Monday's announcement, supplies of the $3,499 systems are expected
to be extremely tight. Apple executives have said demand is expected to be
higher than supply throughout this quarter for the high-end machine, which
also comes with Apple's new iTunes and iDVD software.
The start of shipments comes on the eve of this week's Macworld Expo
Tokyo, where Steve Jobs is expected to announce new iMacs, most likely
including rewritable CD drives.
Apple is counting on the new models to help boost sagging sales. The
company lost $247 million in its most recent quarter as it slashed Mac
shipments in an effort to whittle down 11 weeks' worth of inventory that
had piled up on the shelves of retailers and distributors.
The effort succeeded in halving the inventory to a more normal five and a
half weeks, Apple said last month. However, sales appear to have not
picked up much in January. According to new figures from PC Data, Apple's
sales in U.S. retail stores were down 60 percent last month from the same
period a year earlier. Apple's overall sales, including mail order, were
down 40 percent in January, year over year.
Salomon Smith Barney analyst Richard Gardner said in a report Tuesday that
sales in Europe have been the only bright spot for PC sales but noted that
just 20 percent of Apple's sales come from Europe.
=~=~=~=
Atari Online News, Etc.is a weekly publication covering the entire
Atari community. Reprint permission is granted, unless otherwise noted
at the beginning of any article, to Atari user groups and not for
profit publications only under the following terms: articles must
remain unedited and include the issue number and author at the top of
each article reprinted. Other reprints granted upon approval of
request. Send requests to: dpj@atarinews.org
No issue of Atari Online News, Etc. may be included on any commercial
media, nor uploaded or transmitted to any commercial online service or
internet site, in whole or in part, by any agent or means, without
the expressed consent or permission from the Publisher or Editor of
Atari Online News, Etc.
Opinions presented herein are those of the individual authors and do
not necessarily reflect those of the staff, or of the publishers. All
material herein is believed to be accurate at the time of publishing.
