AMD shares up after deal to sell unit to Broadcom

NEW YORK

Shares of Advanced Micro Devices Inc. climbed Monday after the chip maker struck a deal to sell a money-losing unit that makes chips for digital TVs.

The stock added rose 12 cents, or 2.1 percent, to $5.93. The stock, which has been pummeled in recent months, has ranged from $4.05 to $14.73 over the past year.

AMD said it would sell the TV unit to Broadcom Corp. for $192.8 million in cash as part of a move to focus on its core operations.

AMD accounted for the TV unit and a cell phone chip unit as discontinued in the second quarter, and took an $876 million writedown to their value. Both units came along with AMD's purchase of graphics-chip maker ATI Technologies in 2006.

Deutsche Bank analysts led by Bob Gujavarty said the sale "may modestly improve AMD's prospects for profitability," but estimate that the business only recorded a small loss.

"AMD should be more focused company, but now is even more dependent on the fortunes of the PC market for revenue," the analysts wrote.

AMD is a distant second to Intel Corp. in the market for computer processors.

From : http://www.businessweek.com/

AMD clears another hurdle

MALTA - The Malta Town Board has set zoning in place to allow Advanced Micro Devices to build up to three nearly 1 million-square-foot computer chip plants in the Luther Forest Technology Campus.

Monday night's unanimous vote clears the way for the town Planning Board to review specific site plans for the park, if and when the expected $3.5 billion project is officially proposed.

Town and AMD officials worked for six months to write the specific zoning changes requested by the company.

A public hearing that began on Aug. 11 was concluded before the vote Monday night.

Three citizens spoke before the vote. Each was optimistic that the projected 1,400 jobs would be created by the AMD project.

But concerns about environmental hazards and increased traffic on town roads were also expressed.

Carol Henry, chairwoman of the Community Response Board, said her committee was concerned about construction trucks on local roads. and that once the plant is built, that emergency workers be properly trained and conduct drills to prepare for any problems that might arise.

Carol Marotta, a member of the Stillwater Planning Board, said she was worried about chemical emissions from the plant as well as increased traffic during and after construction.

"We should all think positively, but stay vigilant," she said.

Members of the Town Board said they are very excited about the prospect for the computer chip manufacturing industry and the opportunities it could bring.

Councilwoman Sue Nolen recalled more than six years of meetings and tours of the park.

"I'm happy today is the day [of the vote]," she said. "Our children will be able to get jobs here and I'm pleased to say yes [to the zoning]."

Councilwoman Tara Thomas also mentioned the jobs that would be created and that she has witnessed the loss of local jobs over the years.

"I've seen too many childhood friends move away to find work," she said.

Matt Jones, lead attorney for AMD, said all prospects for the project look good.

"We're in the position to advise AMD that all impediments have been resolved," he said.

Steve Groseclose of AMD said the zoning approval, "gives the foundation for us to move forward to build this facility. This will have an impact on Malta for generations to come."

In addition to the potential for jobs on the technology campus, local leaders have said thousands of other jobs will come to the area as support businesses.

On Wednesday, AMD Executive Chairman Hector Ruiz is scheduled to make his first visit to the Luther Forest Technology Campus.

The visit is in part to thank local officials for their work reviewing plans for the factory, as well as for Ruiz to see first-hand the progress that has been made in preparing the park.

The internal road system within the 1,350-acre campus in Malta and Stillwater is currently under construction, as is a Saratoga County water system that will supply the proposed plant with manufacturing water from the Hudson River.

From : http://www.dailygazette.com/

Nokia Rolls Out Pair Of N Series Smartphones

Nokia (NYSE: NOK) announced a pair of smartphones that it said balance a mobile professional's business needs with robust multimedia functionality.

The Nokia N85 has a sliding form factor and sports a 2.6-inch OLED screen that can display up to 16 million colors. This should provide users with a rich, vibrant canvas to surf the Web, watch videos, or play videogames.

Users of the N85 will be able to check e-mail and browse the Internet through the built-in Wi-Fi or through the HSDPA 3G capabilities. The 3G connection can be used with the built-in GPS to provide turn-by-turn guidance, as well as location-based searches.

Additionally, Nokia is emphasizing the video, music, and gaming abilities of its latest handset. The smartphone can play multiple codecs, has a built-in FM tuner, and will come preloaded with 10 games from the company's N-Game platform. Users will be able to store videos and music on an included 8-GB microSD slot.

The N85 also has a 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and a dual LED flash. The smartphone measures in at 4.1 by 1.9 by 0.6 inches and weighs about 4.5 ounces. The N85 will cost about $666 before taxes or subsidies, and it is expected to ship in October.

The N79 handset will have similar features to the N85, but the company hopes to draw style-conscious customers with it. The handset has a candy bar form factor and is compatible with the company's swappable Xpress cover plates in multiple colors and styles.

The N79 also has integrated Wi-Fi, 3G network capabilities, and built-in GPS. The handset will also have a 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and a dual-LED flash. Users can geo-tag photos as well as upload them to online sharing sites like Flickr.

Nokia's N79 will have multimedia functionality with 24-hour music playback battery life, and Nokia will include a 4-GB microSD card for users to store their media. The N79 measures in at 4.3 by 1.9 by 0.5 inches and weighs about 3.4 ounces. It will cost about $518, and the company expects to begin shipping it in October.

From : http://www.informationweek.com/

Nokia N79 - Powerful fusion of technology and style

Espoo, Finland - Nokia today unveiled the Nokia N79, the latest addition to the Nokia Nseries range that combines intelligent and customizable design with a fully-loaded multimedia computer. Behind its sleek exterior, the Nokia N79 is a technology powerhouse. It offers a full range of multimedia experiences including integrated navigation, music with FM transmitter, high-speed connectivity, superior web browsing, at least 10 pre-loaded N-Gage games and an advanced 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics. The Nokia N79 is expected to begin shipping in October 2008, with an estimated retail price of EUR 350, before taxes and subsidies.

Corporate news announcement processed and transmitted by Hugin ASA. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Espoo, Finland - Nokia today unveiled the Nokia N79, the latest addition to the Nokia Nseries range that combines intelligent and customizable design with a fully-loaded multimedia computer. Behind its sleek exterior, the Nokia N79 is a technology powerhouse. It offers a full range of multimedia experiences including integrated navigation, music with FM transmitter, high-speed connectivity, superior web browsing, at least 10 pre-loaded N-Gage games and an advanced 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics. The Nokia N79 is expected to begin shipping in October 2008, with an estimated retail price of EUR 350, before taxes and subsidies.

"The Nokia N79 packs cutting-edge technology into a compact design - a characteristic of the iconic Nseries - that allows people to discover, create and share their passions with others," said Juha Kokkonen, Director, Nokia Nseries. "It has been designed for those who want a device that is as appealing as it is powerful and comes with interchangeable covers that have automatically matching screen themes. This balance of performance and style means that it is a powerful and defining step forward from the popular and very successful Nokia N72 and Nokia N73."

Perfect for the style conscious, the Nokia N79 comes with Xpress-on smart covers that are available in five cool colors: Light Sea Blue, Espresso Brown, Olive Green, White and Coral Red. A combination of three of these comes with each Nokia N79.

The convergence of photos, music and navigation in the Nokia N79 combines with high-speed 3.5G HSDPA and Wi-Fi to make it quick and easy to share experiences on websites, blogs or online communities.

Experience new discoveries The innovative technology packed into this colorful offering means that accessing a rich pool of services to further enhance individual experiences is seamless. Log on to online communities like Friendster, Flickr or YouTube or click through to Nokia services such as the Nokia Music Store, N-Gage, Nokia Maps and Share on Ovi, an online service that enables consumers to share personal pictures and videos from their mobile devices.

The 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, dual LED flash and video light captures sharp, clear images and video that can be edited immediately, without the need for a PC. Images can also be geotagged to specific locations. What's more, the Nokia N79 comes packaged with a 4 GB microSD memory card that makes it possible to store around 3,000 songs, approximately 2,500 pictures and up to four hours of DVD-quality video clips that can be organized by albums or tags and uploaded directly to Share on Ovi or third party services. The addition of a sliding lens cover helps protect the top-quality lens when not in use.

Nokia Maps makes it easy to explore and navigate new surroundings by accessing more than 15 million points of interest (POI). In-built A-GPS providing turn-by-turn navigation - for walking or driving - comes with a three month integrated license on the Nokia N79.

A Friendster widget will also be made available for the Nokia N79 via the WidSets service. This will allow people to browse Friendster friends' profiles, view and post shoutouts, upload pictures taken with their handset, and browse their own and friends' photo albums. All this enables more effective communication with friends while away from a computer using the Nokia N79. New users can even register for Friendster directly on their device via a link to Friendster's mobile site (m.friendster.com), create an account, and instantly begin participating in the Friendster global community.

To ensure each device is as distinctive as its user, customizable features are available at the Nokia Download! store, a one stop personalization shop, already embedded in Nokia Nseries devices. It lets consumers create a unique experience for themselves by offering easy access to a multitude of popular ringtones, branded entertainment content, the latest in mobile gaming and dynamic applications for personalizing mobile devices to the user's own preferences.

Notes to editors: A full list of Nokia N79 features is available at http://events.nokia.com. For more information on the Nokia Music Store and compatible devices, please visit http://music.nokia.com.

About Nokia Nseries Nokia Nseries is a range of high performance multimedia computers that delivers unparalleled mobile multimedia experiences by combining the latest technologies with stylish design and ease of use. With Nokia Nseries products, consumers can use a single device to enjoy entertainment, access information and to capture and share pictures and videos, on the go at any time. www.nseries.com

About Nokia Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation and growth of the converging Internet and communications industries. We make a wide range of mobile devices with services and software that enable people to experience music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games, business mobility and more. Developing and growing our offering of consumer Internet services, as well as our enterprise solutions and software, is a key area of focus. We also provide equipment, solutions and services for communications networks through Nokia Siemens Networks.

About Friendster With more than 75 million members worldwide, Friendster is a leading global online social network. Friendster is focused on helping people stay in touch with friends and discover new people and things that are important to them. Online adults, 18 and up, choose Friendster to connect with friends, family, school, social groups, activities and interests. Friendster prides itself in delivering an easy-to-use, friendly and interactive environment where users can easily connect with anyone around the world via www.friendster.com or m.friendster.com from any Internet-ready mobile device. Friendster has a growing portfolio of patents granted to the company on social networking, with more expected over the next several months. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Friendster is backed by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Benchmark Capital, DAG Ventures, IDG Ventures and individual investors. For more information, visit: www.friendster.com.

About S60 S60 software built on Symbian OS is the world's leading smartphone software, and is licensed by some of the industry's foremost mobile device manufacturers. More than 150 million S60 devices had been shipped by all licensees by January 2008. The flexibility of the S60 software allows for various hardware designs and software configurations, as evidenced by the multitude of S60 devices already available on the market. Through its award-winning user interface, extensive support for new mobile services and the innovation potential for partner solutions, the S60 provides an open and scalable business opportunity for mobile operators and 3rd party developers. For further information and news about the S60 and the S60 community, please visit www.s60.com.

From : http://www.ad-hoc-news.de/

Sony introduces wireless keypad

Sony introduces wireless keypad




For PlayStation 3 fans who want to do more than mash buttons when playing games on the console, Sony Corp. is introducing a wireless keypad that can be attached to the system's controller for typing and Web browsing.



The Bluetooth-enabled keypad, available in November, is intended to make it easier to chat during multiplayer games. Currently players talk to each other over headsets with microphones. Gamers tired of inane banter from their peers may welcome the ability to communicate through typing instead.



Another feature is a button on the keypad that will let users turn it into a touch pad and use the entire surface as a mouse by sliding their finger over the surface. This, Sony says, will make it easier to browse the Web using the console.


There is already a wireless "ThumbPad" ($30) available for the PS3 from Mad Catz Inc., but this is a first from Sony itself.

Sony also will begin selling an enhanced PSP Oct. 14 for $200 as part of a bundle with "Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters," a game whose two heroes embark on an intergalactic search for a kidnapped girl. Another bundle with the new PSP and a 4-gigabyte memory stick will be available for the same price in November. The standalone system will cost $170 and is due out by the end of the year.

Intel, Yahoo join on Net TV concept

Hoping to plant their flags on the screens of Internet-connected television sets, Intel Corp. and Yahoo Inc. unveiled a new project Wednesday to populate those screens with tiny programs called widgets.

It would let people to do things like check their stock prices or peruse their photos all while watching TV.

In a screen shot provided by the companies, a baseball game airs on the main part of the screen while various programs, like a personalized Flickr photo gallery and a menu of on-demand movie rentals, run in a strip along the bottom of the screen. Intel and Yahoo are working with more than a dozen other companies to build and eventually deliver such widgets, including Blockbuster Inc., Comcast Corp., the Disney-ABC Television Group and MTV.

Credit : http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/aug/26/ld6fctechbits26/

Sony Partners With Wi-Fi Network For PSP Access Points

TOKYO -- Sony Japan has partnered with global wi-fi network provider Fon in order to provide more than 44,000 access spots for PSP users in Japan.

The free service launched this past Friday, and lets PSP owners access an official site where they can download content like demos, themes, and more.

To celebrate the launch, the service is currently offering a downloadable PSP theme based on Dissidia Final Fantasy, Square Enix's upcoming PSP fighter.

But you know what this really means: players of Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G will no longer need to find one of those wi-fi PlayStation Spots at game stores (pictured) in order to download their fresh new dungeon downloads.

From : http://blog.wired.com/games/2008/08/sony-fon-launch.html