Technology News

Free news on Net fails as business model for traditional news outlets: nsiders
MONTREAL - Media industry insiders are acknowledging that offering free news on the Internet has failed as a business model for traditional journalism outlets. Karen Dunlap, head of the Poynter Institute, says advertisers are not buying spots on news sites in the way newspapers and broadcasters once hoped.
      

Easing foreign ownership rules to help Canada's satellite industry: report
MONTREAL - The federal government's plan to ease foreign ownership restrictions in Canada's satellite industry would level the playing field for domestic players, DBRS says. "This would remove an inherent inequality for operators like Telesat, whereby foreigners are permitted to operate satellite services in Canada, while Canadian satellite operators remain subject to foreign ownership restrictions," the Toronto-based credit-rating agency says in a research note.
      

Exfo to boost presence in wireless testing business with Finnish acquisition
QUEBEC CITY, Que. - Exfo Inc. (TSX:EXF) says it will increase its presence in the global market for wireless network testing with the acquisition of NetHawk Oyj, a Finnish company. The Quebec City-based company will pay euro37.3 million cash, or about C$53.5 million at current exchange rates, for NetHawk.
      

Justice Department, Federal Communications Commission promise tough review of Comcast-NBC deal
WASHINGTON - Federal regulators are pledging rigorous reviews of Comcast Corp.'s proposed purchase of NBC Universal to ensure that it would not stifle competition or harm consumers. Christine Varney, the Justice Department's antitrust chief, and Julius Genachowski, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, offered no indication at a hearing Thursday of what the outcome of those reviews could be.
      

Chinese minister insists Google obey the law or 'pay the consequeces'
BEIJING - China's top Internet regulator insisted Friday that Google must obey its laws or "pay the consequences," giving no sign of a possible compromise in their dispute over censorship and hacking. "If you want to do something that disobeys Chinese law and regulations, you are unfriendly, you are irresponsible and you will have to pay the consequences," Li Yizhong, the minister of Industry and Information Technology, said on the sidelines of China's annual legislature.
      

After 3 rejections, global Internet agency reopens discussion on '.xxx' address for porn sites
NAIROBI, Kenya - A global Internet oversight agency is reopening discussions about whether to create a ".xxx" domain name as an online red-light district where porn sites can set up shop away from the wandering eyes of children and teenagers. Parents would be able to use the system to help block access to porn sites, though because its use would be voluntary, the ".xxx" suffix wouldn't keep such content entirely away from minors. Religious and other anti-porn groups worry that ".xxx" would legitimize porn sites, and the proposal has already been rejected three times since 2000.
      

Palm, struggling in turnaround, may find innovative smart phones and software are not enough
SAN FRANCISCO - Last year, Palm thought it had all the pieces for a turnaround in the market it pioneered: A new CEO known for making the iPod a household name, a sleek new smart phone called the Pre and fresh, intuitive operating software. Instead, the company is in danger of going the way of its 1990s Palm Pilot, making it the latest innovator to learn that great technology and an accomplished leader don't guarantee success.
      

Sony takes aim at Japanese rival Nintendo in unveiling new motion controller
TOKYO - Sony has a new message for Nintendo Wii gamers: Come join us. The Japanese maker of the PlayStation 3 unveiled Thursday its highly anticipated motion controlling system, as it takes aim at Nintendo's dominance in the gaming sector. With the "PlayStation Move," Sony hopes to lure gamers who have outgrown Nintendo, which launched the Wii in 2006 and became the first to introduce motion-detecting controllers.
      

Summary Box: Struggling Palm may find strong technology, accomplished leader not enough
PALM'S PROBLEM: As smart phones have gotten more popular, Apple Inc.'s iPhone and Research In Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerrys have benefited while Palm has fallen behind. ITS SOLUTION: Sleek new phones, fresh operating software and a new CEO who helped Apple make the iPod a household name. But while the products have gotten positive reviews, consumers have been slow to pick them up.
      

Quebecor says it won't rush to market with its new wireless business
MONTREAL - The head of Quebecor Inc.'s cable TV and cellphone division said Wednesday the company won't rush to market with its wireless service, especially after seeing the struggles of some recent new entrants into the Canadian cellphone arena. Quebecor (TSX:QBR.B) has learned some lessons about being properly prepared, especially when it comes to network reliability, said Robert Depatie, president and CEO of Quebecor's Videotron division.
      

Amazon.com says move into Canada would create jobs, could lower shipping prices
TORONTO - Amazon.com Inc.'s proposal to open a Canadian distribution centre could bring jobs and lower prices to Canadians, the U.S. web retailer says. Paul Misener, Amazon's (NASDAQ:AMZN) vice-president of global public policy who has been meeting with government officials, says a Canadian distribution centre would provide a benefit to the country.
      

I4i says U.S. court reaffirms its victory over Microsoft in patent dispute
MONTREAL - Software company i4i says it has another legal victory over Microsoft Corp. in its patent infringement dispute. I4i said Wednesday a three-member panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has again affirmed a lower court decision in its favour involving technology in some versions of Microsoft's Word program.
      

Cable, satellite TV operators ask for government intervention in fee dispute with broadcasters
The most recent showdown left millions of Cablevision Systems Corp. customers around New York without an ABC station at the start of the Academy Awards. About 15 minutes into the show, a scrolling announcement told viewers that a tentative agreement had been reached.
      

Wind Mobile a 'cautionary tale' for other new cellphone players to enter market
MONTREAL - Wind Mobile launched its new Canadian wireless business before it was ready and hasn't been able to attract significant customers, a "cautionary tale" for other new cellphone players, a report says. Market research and technology firm SeaBoard Group said Wind Mobile's customers have had network problems and have been unable to buy the company's mobile phones or pay their monthly bills online. "I think what we've seen is a launch in haste," SeaBoard managing director Iain Grant said in an interview on Tuesday.
      

Judge certifies class-action lawsuit against Microsoft Canada
VANCOUVER, B.C. - A British Columbia judge has certified a class-action lawsuit against Microsoft that alleges the software giant engaged in anti-competitive behaviour that enabled it to charge higher prices for its products. Justice E.M. Meyers concluded in a ruling released Monday that Vancouver-based Pro-Sys Consultants, which is leading the plaintiffs in the case, has met requirements for certification for the lawsuit to proceed as a class action.
      

Google looks to be 'cloud-computing' rainmaker for other online business services
SAN FRANCISCO - Google Inc. will sell the online services of other business software makers in an effort to fill its own product gaps and persuade more companies to rely on applications piped over the Internet. The online store that was announced late Tuesday marks another step in Google's crusade to convert the world to "cloud computing," the idea of running applications in Web browsers instead of installing them on individual hard drives. The information entered in the programs also is stored in data centres run by third parties such as Google.
      

Cisco to introduce new heavy-duty Internet router, freshening up product line
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Cisco Systems Inc. announced Tuesday that it is upgrading one of its biggest pieces of networking hardware, a router that's used to power the most trafficked parts of the Internet backbone. Routers play an important role as the Internet's traffic cops, shunting packets of data to their destinations. Those placed at the Internet's backbone - the main arteries for traffic - need the most capacity given the amount of data passing through. These machines are known as core routers, and Cisco competes in this market with Juniper Network Inc., which has updated its products more recently than Cisco.
      

Global TV market share at a glance
Global market share for TV manufacturers in the fourth quarter of 2009, according to DisplaySearch, part of the NPD Group:
      

Prestige Telecom to buy Quebec firm that specializes in towers for telecom carriers
MONTREAL - Prestige Telecom Inc. (TSXV:PR) says it intends to buy a Quebec-based company that builds and maintains towers for the Canadian wireless telecommunications industry. Prestige said the addition of Majetel Inc. would expand its capabilities and workforce. Majetel employs 45 people and operates in Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick while Prestige has more than 950 employees in nine provinces.
      

Sony to launch 3-D TV sales in June as part of competitive industrywide push
TOKYO - Sony Corp. said Tuesday it will start selling 3-D televisions in June, joining a competitive industrywide push to convince consumers to embrace the technology for their living rooms. The Japanese electronics giant, known for its PlayStation 3 game consoles and Bravia flat-screen TVs, will offer its fully capable 3-D TV model in four sizes this summer.