Newspapers count cost of online readership

Newspaper websites need to recruit as many as 100 online readers to compensate for the loss of just one reader of their print version, according to a US media strategist. Vincent Crosbie, a senior associate at Borrell Associates, told the World Newspaper Advertising Conference & Expo that the discrepancy is down to the relative amounts of advertising revenue that online and traditional readers attract. 'As more and more people shift their news reading from print to online, the newspaper industry must dramatically increase its online advertising revenues or die,' he said, noting that some US newspapers may already have lost the battle. ...more

Apple goes LCD and cuts 22 inch price

Apple has officially abandoned old-style CRT displays in favour of LCD flat-panel devices. As we reported three weeks ago, Apple will now only sell LCD flat-panel displays. Last night the company replaced its 17 inch CRT display with the 17 inch Studio Display that boasts an impressive 1280x1024 resolution, completing a range that includes the 15 inch Studio Display and the 22 inch Cinema Display. ...more

Microsoft takes on Symantec with OneCare Live

Microsoft has officially launched its OneCare Live security software package in the United States. Retailing at a suggested price of $49.95, an annual subscription to the service can cover up to three PCs. ...more

Wi-Fi Hotspots: Am I hot or not?

Allied Business Intelligence (ABI) predicts that WiFi hotspots will grow globally to more than 160,000 locations by 2007, from approximately 28,000 this year. It's good news all round according to ABI, despite issues yet to be tackled such as the finer points of billing and fixing up roaming agreements: 'There are some terrific opportunities for operators to start bundling services, offering consumers a more data intensive usage model, as well as a more compelling package of benefits and value,' says Tim Shelton, ABI's Director of Wireless Research. The report: 'Wi-Fi Public Hotspots - Business Case Analysis through Deployment and Subscriber Forecasts' claims that 'there is tremendous momentum building, but this should not be mistaken for over-hype, as many players in the market are facing the reality of commercial deployments'. ...more

Nokia's LoudEye buy prompts Napster rise

Napster's share price shot up yesterday as investors anticipated that the struggling digital music service may be ripe for a high-price takeover, following Nokia's acquisition of Loudeye for $60 million. The phone maker is hoping that the purchase of Loudeye will enable it to take a significant share of the rapidly growing market for music on mobiles. Loudeye, which acquired UK digital music pioneer OD2 in 2004, operates 60 services in over 20 countries Anssi Vanjoki, executive vice president and general manager, Multimedia, Nokia, said that the company aims to begin delivering its new music service to Nokia device owners during 2007. ...more