Intertainer launching broadband VOD in Europe
Intertainer will form a joint venture with Freedomland, an Italian new media company, to launch an Internet protocol video-on-demand service in Europe. The joint venture, to be called Intertainer Europe, will be modeled after Intertainer’s U.S. broadband VOD service. Intertainer Europe, which will feature a mix of American and European-produced content, will be 51 percent owned by Freedomland and 49 percent owned by Intertainer. The service will be headquartered in Italy and distributed in more than 40 countries, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
Microsoft rolls out $99 TV Internet system
Microsoft TV introduced a new low-cost Internet receiver that will allow people to access the Internet from their TV sets using a wireless keyboard or remote control. The new receiver, which is manufactured by Thompson’s RCA brand, will let users of the MSN TV service surf the Web, e-mail, chat and exchange instant messages. The receiver is available for $99 at Best Buy and Circuit City stores.
SONICblue updates ReplayTV device
SONICblue’s latest ReplayTV model hit retail stores last week. The ReplayTV 4500 series includes all the features of the ReplayTV 4000 design and adds the ability to use an analog modem connection over standard phone lines and a redesigned software package. SONICblue also announced a new pricing plan ranging from $449.99 to $1,749.99, depending on how many hours of recording capacity the unit has. The ReplayTV 4500 series is available at Good Guys, Amazon, The Wiz and Tweeter.