Microsoft "Halo: Reach" sales hit $200 million on 1st day
By Antoni Slodkowski and Sachi Izumi
TOKYO - Microsoft said its new videogame "Halo: Reach" had racked up $200 million in global sales on its launch day, building strong momentum for the November debut of the Xbox 360 maker's new gaming system.
"Halo: Reach," the latest in the blockbuster "Halo" series, is a key title for Microsoft heading into the holiday shopping season when it and archrivals Nintendo and Sony Corp clash with new products and look to reverse a recent sales slump in the $60 billion game industry.
Phil Spencer, vice president of Microsoft Game Studios, said a lack of blockbuster games was to blame for the industry slowdown, and the success of "Halo: Reach" would support Xbox 360 console sales for the world's biggest software maker.
"We feel really good about where the 'Halo: Reach' numbers are," he told Reuters on the sidelines of the Tokyo Game Show, adding that the number of gamers who played "Reach" on Xbox Live, its online system, had topped that of "Halo 3," the previous title in the series, without providing figures.
"What 'Halo: Reach' numbers tell me is gamers are there. They are willing to buy the great experiences when they come out. In fact, that we are exceeding 'Halo 3' numbers out of the gate tells me that the industry is in a healthy state."
Spencer said the $200 million figure made "Reach" the biggest launch of any game or movie this year. "Halo 3" garnered more than $300 million globally in its first week. First-day global sales for "Halo 3" were not available.
"Reach," a prequel to the main "Halo" narrative, pits players against murderous aliens in a variety of settings, and provides better graphics, more complex fighting scenarios and new ways of playing with others online.
The "Halo" franchise has sold more than 34 million copies in its nine-year history, boosting the popularity of Microsoft's Xbox console.
The series has grossed nearly $2 billion in sales over its lifetime. The game is made by Bungie and Microsoft owns the rights to the franchise.
The basic version of "Reach" costs $60, with special editions priced at $80 and $250. Microsoft is also selling a special Xbox console plus the new version of the game for $400. An Xbox normally costs $200 or $300 depending on memory size.
Microsoft will begin selling its "Kinect" full-body motion-sensing game system from November 4, while Sony launched its "Move" motion-controlled gaming system on September 15.
Nintendo will sell a new version of its DS handheld device that can play games and show movies in 3D without glasses sometime before March 2011.
But Microsoft's Spencer was cautious about the outlook for 3D games.
"I really think 3D has to move along as a creative medium. Right now it's more of a soft medium and it kind of wears out," he said. "But in the long run, we are believers in 3D."
GoDaddy.com puts itself up for sale: report
SAN FRANCISCO - Internet domain name registry GoDaddy.com has put itself up for sale, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
The privately held company could fetch more than $1 billion in an auction, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.
GoDaddy has hired investment bank Qatalyst Partners, the Journal reported. Private equity firms are expected to bid.
The company declined to comment.
GoDaddy is the world's largest domain name registrar. The company was founded by Bob Parsons in 1997, and says it has more than 43 million domains under management.
The company posted revenue between $750 million and $800 million in 2009, the report said.
GoDaddy has made a name for itself by running racy television ads to promote its brand, some of them featuring race car driver Danica Patrick.
Former HP boss may move to Oracle
WASHINGTON (AFP) - – Former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Mark Hurd, who resigned last month following a sex scandal, is in talks to join US software giant Oracle, the Wall Street Journal said on its website.
Citing people familiar with the matter, the Journal said Hurd, who left HP on August 6, is in negotiations to join the firm as a top executive but a position has not been confirmed.
The CEO position at Oracle is unlikely to be changed, however, as the man who founded the company in 1970, Larry Ellison, also remains in the top post and is its largest shareholder, the Journal said.
Hurd, 53, resigned last month after former marketing contractor Jodie Fisher accused him of sexual harassment, amid claims he hid the affair through filing false company expense reports.
Oracle, a business software giant that rivals HP's market share in that field, is almost as profitable as HP, earning 6.1 billion dollars in the last fiscal year compared to HP's 7.7 billion dollars in the same time period.
LOS ANGELES - Craigslist.com has dropped its "adult services" listings, which have become the target of U.S. state attorneys general who say the much-visited online classified ad site is not doing enough to quash prostitution.
Last year, Craigslist replaced its "erotic services" ads with a new "adult" category it said would be closely screened.
The move came after a masseuse who offered her services on Craigslist was killed and a client was charged with her murder. The man charged in the case committed suicide last month in a Boston prison cell.
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is co-leading a group of states attorneys general looking into the company's efforts to purge illegal ads from it site.
The private company could be earning $36.3 million or more a year from prostitution and human trafficking, Blumenthal said at the time, citing published reports.
In a May blog post, Craigslist Chief Executive Jim Buckmaster wrote that "... Craigslist has gone beyond fulfilling its legal obligations, far beyond classifieds industry norms, has more than lived up to any promises it made, and working together with its partners is in fact a leader in the fight against human trafficking and exploitation."
Company spokespeople could not immediately be reached for comment on Saturday.
Craigslist has said it had donated all revenues from its "erotic services" listings to charity. When it switched to its "adult services" listings last year it said it would make no commitment to how those revenues would be used.
The online site says it is used by over 50 million people in the United States, with over 20 billion monthly page views.
Buckmaster has claimed Craigslist is unfairly targeted for its adult services advertisements while those posted in major newspapers are ignored.
EBay Inc is a part owner of Craigslist but the two companies are currently fighting over eBay's true stake. EBay paid about $32 million for a 28.4 percent stake in Craigslist in 2004, but later accused the company of diluting its stake.
EBay and Craiglist are awaiting a ruling in that matter from the Delaware Chancery Court.
WASHINGTON (AFP) - – Former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Mark Hurd, who resigned last month following a sex scandal, is in talks to join US software giant Oracle, the Wall Street Journal said on its website.
Citing people familiar with the matter, the Journal said Hurd, who left HP on August 6, is in negotiations to join the firm as a top executive but a position has not been confirmed.
The CEO position at Oracle is unlikely to be changed, however, as the man who founded the company in 1970, Larry Ellison, also remains in the top post and is its largest shareholder, the Journal said.
Hurd, 53, resigned last month after former marketing contractor Jodie Fisher accused him of sexual harassment, amid claims he hid the affair through filing false company expense reports.
Oracle, a business software giant that rivals HP's market share in that field, is almost as profitable as HP, earning 6.1 billion dollars in the last fiscal year compared to HP's 7.7 billion dollars in the same time period.
US-TECH Summary
Intel to buy Infineon's wireless ops for $1.4 billion
FRANKFURT - German chipmaker Infineonhas agreed to sell its wireless unit to Intel for $1.4 billion, enabling the U.S.chipmaker to boost its presence in the smartphone market. The cash transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2011, Infineon said in a statement on Monday.
Google acquires social networking startup Angstro
SAN FRANCISCO - Google Inchas acquired Angstro, a startup that sorts news and information across social networks like Facebook, a spokesman for the leading Web search provider said on Sunday. Palo Alto-based Angstro has developed applications to find photos on Facebook, combine Caller ID with LinkedIn profiles and other tools for Twitter, according to the company's website.
Online video key to Disney, Time Warner Cable row
NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES - The growing availability of popular TV shows on the Web is at the heart of ongoing contentious programing fee negotiations between Walt Disney Coand Time Warner Cable Inc , according to a person familiar with the discussions. If the agreements are not in place before midnight on Wednesday, millions of homes in major cities like New York and Los Angeles could see their local ABC broadcast, ESPN channels and some Disney channels go dark.
Dell says assessing 3PAR offer after HP trumps bid
NEW YORK - Dell Inc said on Sunday it was assessing its bid for 3PAR Incafter the data storage company's board of directors late on Friday said Hewlett-Packard Co's $2 billion offer was a "superior proposal." The Fremont-California based 3PAR had also notified Dell Inc of its intention of terminating its merger agreement. Dell has three business days to match HP's offer under its merger agreement with 3PAR.
Iraq says sale of donated U.S. computers legal
BAGHDAD - Computer equipment worth $1.9 million which the U.S. military says was a gift for Iraqi schoolchildren but was auctioned off for less than $50,000 was sold legally, Iraq's customs authority said Sunday. The U.S. military said Friday $1.9 million worth of computer shipment bought by the U.S. government, which should have gone to schools in the southern province of Babil, was auctioned by a senior Iraqi official for less than $50,000 at Iraq's main port Umm Qasr.
Nokia, Siemens confirm NSN investment talks: report
LONDON , the Financial Times said on its website on Sunday. Company executives told the newspaper that both partners were committed to completing a turnaround before considering their options after their joint venture ends in 2013.
Paul Allen's firm sues Silicon Valley giants
SAN FRANCISCO - A company linked to Microsoft Corpco-founder Paul Allen is suing 11 major corporations, including Apple , Google and Facebook, accusing them of infringing on technology patents. Interval Licensing is asserting four patents against a cluster of defendants, including also AOL , eBay , Facebook, Netflix , Office Depot , OfficeMax , Staples , Yahoo and Google's YouTube, according to the suit.
RIM looks forward as India, other challenges loom
TORONTO - Research In Motion, its global growth and its secure-email niche challenged by both rivals and governments, is preparing for a long fight it may yet lose on a shifting battlefield. The Canadian company's BlackBerry smartphone was once a byword for safe corporate communication.
India may extend deadline on BlackBerry security row
NEW DELHI - India may extend an August 31 deadline in its standoff with Research In Motionover access to Blackberry data, if the Canadian firm says it has a solution and asks for time, a government source said on Friday. India says it wants the means to track and read Blackberry's secure email and instant messaging services that officials fear could be misused by militants and anyone trying to create political instability.
HP raises 3PAR offer to trump Dell again
NEW YORK - Hewlett-Packard Coraised its offer for 3PAR Inc to $2 billion, once again topping Dell Inc's bid and showing it had plenty of ammunition in a bidding war for the data storage company. HP's offer on Friday of $30 per share was the latest in a week-long volley of escalating bids, and came less than 3 hours after Dell announced 3PAR had accepted its bid of $27 per share, which matched HP's previous offer.
Google acquires social networking startup Angstro
SAN FRANCISCO - Google Inc has acquired Angstro, a startup that sorts news and information across social networks like Facebook, a spokesman for the leading Web search provider said on Sunday.
Palo Alto-based Angstro has developed applications to find photos on Facebook, combine Caller ID with LinkedIn profiles and other tools for Twitter, according to the company's website.
"The struggle for open, interoperable social networks is still only just beginning," Angstro co-founder Rohit Khare said in a blog post last week.
Google, which runs the top search engine in the United States with more than two-thirds of the market, did not disclose the terms of the agreement.
The Angstro deal underscores the importance to Google of social networks in an increasingly competitive Internet search arena which it dominates.
Last week, Google launched a website for users who want to sift through news, comments and other information on the Internet in real time, letting them follow conversations on social network hubs like Facebook and Twitter in one place.
Microsoft has also announced partnerships with Twitter and Facebook to provide real-time search results.
The buying of Angstro follows acquisitions by Google earlier this year of small startups like Plink, which makes visual search engines, and video broadcaster Episodic.
By Antoni Slodkowski and Sachi Izumi
TOKYO - Microsoft said its new videogame "Halo: Reach" had racked up $200 million in global sales on its launch day, building strong momentum for the November debut of the Xbox 360 maker's new gaming system.
"Halo: Reach," the latest in the blockbuster "Halo" series, is a key title for Microsoft heading into the holiday shopping season when it and archrivals Nintendo and Sony Corp clash with new products and look to reverse a recent sales slump in the $60 billion game industry.
Phil Spencer, vice president of Microsoft Game Studios, said a lack of blockbuster games was to blame for the industry slowdown, and the success of "Halo: Reach" would support Xbox 360 console sales for the world's biggest software maker.
"We feel really good about where the 'Halo: Reach' numbers are," he told Reuters on the sidelines of the Tokyo Game Show, adding that the number of gamers who played "Reach" on Xbox Live, its online system, had topped that of "Halo 3," the previous title in the series, without providing figures.
"What 'Halo: Reach' numbers tell me is gamers are there. They are willing to buy the great experiences when they come out. In fact, that we are exceeding 'Halo 3' numbers out of the gate tells me that the industry is in a healthy state."
Spencer said the $200 million figure made "Reach" the biggest launch of any game or movie this year. "Halo 3" garnered more than $300 million globally in its first week. First-day global sales for "Halo 3" were not available.
"Reach," a prequel to the main "Halo" narrative, pits players against murderous aliens in a variety of settings, and provides better graphics, more complex fighting scenarios and new ways of playing with others online.
The "Halo" franchise has sold more than 34 million copies in its nine-year history, boosting the popularity of Microsoft's Xbox console.
The series has grossed nearly $2 billion in sales over its lifetime. The game is made by Bungie and Microsoft owns the rights to the franchise.
The basic version of "Reach" costs $60, with special editions priced at $80 and $250. Microsoft is also selling a special Xbox console plus the new version of the game for $400. An Xbox normally costs $200 or $300 depending on memory size.
Microsoft will begin selling its "Kinect" full-body motion-sensing game system from November 4, while Sony launched its "Move" motion-controlled gaming system on September 15.
Nintendo will sell a new version of its DS handheld device that can play games and show movies in 3D without glasses sometime before March 2011.
But Microsoft's Spencer was cautious about the outlook for 3D games.
"I really think 3D has to move along as a creative medium. Right now it's more of a soft medium and it kind of wears out," he said. "But in the long run, we are believers in 3D."
GoDaddy.com puts itself up for sale: report
SAN FRANCISCO - Internet domain name registry GoDaddy.com has put itself up for sale, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
The privately held company could fetch more than $1 billion in an auction, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.
GoDaddy has hired investment bank Qatalyst Partners, the Journal reported. Private equity firms are expected to bid.
The company declined to comment.
GoDaddy is the world's largest domain name registrar. The company was founded by Bob Parsons in 1997, and says it has more than 43 million domains under management.
The company posted revenue between $750 million and $800 million in 2009, the report said.
GoDaddy has made a name for itself by running racy television ads to promote its brand, some of them featuring race car driver Danica Patrick.
Former HP boss may move to Oracle
WASHINGTON (AFP) - – Former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Mark Hurd, who resigned last month following a sex scandal, is in talks to join US software giant Oracle, the Wall Street Journal said on its website.
Citing people familiar with the matter, the Journal said Hurd, who left HP on August 6, is in negotiations to join the firm as a top executive but a position has not been confirmed.
The CEO position at Oracle is unlikely to be changed, however, as the man who founded the company in 1970, Larry Ellison, also remains in the top post and is its largest shareholder, the Journal said.
Hurd, 53, resigned last month after former marketing contractor Jodie Fisher accused him of sexual harassment, amid claims he hid the affair through filing false company expense reports.
Oracle, a business software giant that rivals HP's market share in that field, is almost as profitable as HP, earning 6.1 billion dollars in the last fiscal year compared to HP's 7.7 billion dollars in the same time period.
LOS ANGELES - Craigslist.com has dropped its "adult services" listings, which have become the target of U.S. state attorneys general who say the much-visited online classified ad site is not doing enough to quash prostitution.
Last year, Craigslist replaced its "erotic services" ads with a new "adult" category it said would be closely screened.
The move came after a masseuse who offered her services on Craigslist was killed and a client was charged with her murder. The man charged in the case committed suicide last month in a Boston prison cell.
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is co-leading a group of states attorneys general looking into the company's efforts to purge illegal ads from it site.
The private company could be earning $36.3 million or more a year from prostitution and human trafficking, Blumenthal said at the time, citing published reports.
In a May blog post, Craigslist Chief Executive Jim Buckmaster wrote that "... Craigslist has gone beyond fulfilling its legal obligations, far beyond classifieds industry norms, has more than lived up to any promises it made, and working together with its partners is in fact a leader in the fight against human trafficking and exploitation."
Company spokespeople could not immediately be reached for comment on Saturday.
Craigslist has said it had donated all revenues from its "erotic services" listings to charity. When it switched to its "adult services" listings last year it said it would make no commitment to how those revenues would be used.
The online site says it is used by over 50 million people in the United States, with over 20 billion monthly page views.
Buckmaster has claimed Craigslist is unfairly targeted for its adult services advertisements while those posted in major newspapers are ignored.
EBay Inc is a part owner of Craigslist but the two companies are currently fighting over eBay's true stake. EBay paid about $32 million for a 28.4 percent stake in Craigslist in 2004, but later accused the company of diluting its stake.
EBay and Craiglist are awaiting a ruling in that matter from the Delaware Chancery Court.
WASHINGTON (AFP) - – Former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Mark Hurd, who resigned last month following a sex scandal, is in talks to join US software giant Oracle, the Wall Street Journal said on its website.
Citing people familiar with the matter, the Journal said Hurd, who left HP on August 6, is in negotiations to join the firm as a top executive but a position has not been confirmed.
The CEO position at Oracle is unlikely to be changed, however, as the man who founded the company in 1970, Larry Ellison, also remains in the top post and is its largest shareholder, the Journal said.
Hurd, 53, resigned last month after former marketing contractor Jodie Fisher accused him of sexual harassment, amid claims he hid the affair through filing false company expense reports.
Oracle, a business software giant that rivals HP's market share in that field, is almost as profitable as HP, earning 6.1 billion dollars in the last fiscal year compared to HP's 7.7 billion dollars in the same time period.
US-TECH Summary
Intel to buy Infineon's wireless ops for $1.4 billion
FRANKFURT - German chipmaker Infineon
Google acquires social networking startup Angstro
SAN FRANCISCO - Google Inc
Online video key to Disney, Time Warner Cable row
NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES - The growing availability of popular TV shows on the Web is at the heart of ongoing contentious programing fee negotiations between Walt Disney Co
Dell says assessing 3PAR offer after HP trumps bid
NEW YORK - Dell Inc said on Sunday it was assessing its bid for 3PAR Inc
Iraq says sale of donated U.S. computers legal
BAGHDAD - Computer equipment worth $1.9 million which the U.S. military says was a gift for Iraqi schoolchildren but was auctioned off for less than $50,000 was sold legally, Iraq's customs authority said Sunday. The U.S. military said Friday $1.9 million worth of computer shipment bought by the U.S. government, which should have gone to schools in the southern province of Babil, was auctioned by a senior Iraqi official for less than $50,000 at Iraq's main port Umm Qasr.
Nokia, Siemens confirm NSN investment talks: report
LONDON , the Financial Times said on its website on Sunday. Company executives told the newspaper that both partners were committed to completing a turnaround before considering their options after their joint venture ends in 2013.
Paul Allen's firm sues Silicon Valley giants
SAN FRANCISCO - A company linked to Microsoft Corp
RIM looks forward as India, other challenges loom
TORONTO - Research In Motion
India may extend deadline on BlackBerry security row
NEW DELHI - India may extend an August 31 deadline in its standoff with Research In Motion
HP raises 3PAR offer to trump Dell again
NEW YORK - Hewlett-Packard Co
Google acquires social networking startup Angstro
SAN FRANCISCO - Google Inc has acquired Angstro, a startup that sorts news and information across social networks like Facebook, a spokesman for the leading Web search provider said on Sunday.
Palo Alto-based Angstro has developed applications to find photos on Facebook, combine Caller ID with LinkedIn profiles and other tools for Twitter, according to the company's website.
"The struggle for open, interoperable social networks is still only just beginning," Angstro co-founder Rohit Khare said in a blog post last week.
Google, which runs the top search engine in the United States with more than two-thirds of the market, did not disclose the terms of the agreement.
The Angstro deal underscores the importance to Google of social networks in an increasingly competitive Internet search arena which it dominates.
Last week, Google launched a website for users who want to sift through news, comments and other information on the Internet in real time, letting them follow conversations on social network hubs like Facebook and Twitter in one place.
Microsoft has also announced partnerships with Twitter and Facebook to provide real-time search results.
The buying of Angstro follows acquisitions by Google earlier this year of small startups like Plink, which makes visual search engines, and video broadcaster Episodic.
