Digital Entertainment

May 08, 2008

More Static for Sirius-XM Deal

The FCC is under pressure to force stiffer restrictions on the satellite radio providers but Sirius and XM have very little leeway.

May 05, 2008

Dish's Solid, Meat-and-Potatoes DVR

The satellite TV provider's ViP722 might not be as feature-packed as TiVo, but it does all of the DVR basics very well.

April 24, 2008

A Clearer Picture for Flat-Panel TVs

Sound legend Dolby and rival THX are offering new ways to bring those images into much sharper focus. Question is, will manufacturers bite?.

April 17, 2008

Lonely Girl Duo Gets VC Funds for EQAL

Miles Beckett and Greg Goodfried are creating an online studio that will be equal parts TV studio and social networking site.

April 11, 2008

TiVo's HD DVR Steals the Show

The affordable, standalone digital video recorder proved a big hit with this reviewer. Too bad it only works with cable.

April 04, 2008

The Record Labels' Digital Future

Even as they cut a deal with MySpace for online music, the record labels are looking at other ways to make money online.

March 28, 2008

How iTunes Subscriptions Could Succeed

Apple should take its digital music business a step further by creating a home audio system, complete with an iTunes subscription option.

March 25, 2008

Sirius and XM Get the Justice Go-Ahead

The Justice Dept. has cleared the satellite radio services' merger, but opponents are likely to appeal to the FCC, which has yet to weigh in.

March 21, 2008

Smoothing the Way for Web Video

Live streaming video still has its fair share of hiccups, but the industry is working to ensure the supply of bandwidth keeps up with demand.

March 20, 2008

Unlimited Tunes from Apple? Not So Fast

Rumors of a new music service appear to be just that, but with iPod sales slowing and competition growing, now may be the time to pursue such a plan.

March 10, 2008

Facebook CEO Admits Missteps

At SXSW, Mark Zuckerberg says the social network has yet to achieve its grand ambition. Plus, the lesson of the Beacon controversy.

March 07, 2008

SXSW: Where Tech Mingles with Music

At this year's Interactive Conference, exhibitors from Facebook to Animoto will vie for the kind of buzz Twitter earned last year.

March 06, 2008

Al Gore's Convenient IPO

CurrentTV's parent is launching a public offering whose terms, though sweet for the company's high-profile founder, may be inconvenient for investors.

March 03, 2008

Mobile TV's Weak U.S. Signal

The mobile media revolution has yet to take off, as MediaFlo and similar video services have failed to attract many subscribers.

February 28, 2008

Let's Rewrite the Rules for Kids' Media

Forty years after the debut of Sesame Street, it is once again time to rethink the way we expose kids to media.

February 27, 2008

The Truth About DVRs

Wondering why you can't buy a digital video recorder without also signing up for TiVo or a specific cable service?.

February 26, 2008

EA's Game-Making Play for Take-Two

CEO Riccitiello's bid for the owner of the Grand Theft Auto franchise dovetails nicely with his strategy for a reinvigorated Electronic Arts.

February 25, 2008

Malone: DirecTV Is (Almost) a Done Deal

The Liberty Media boss expects regulatory approval for the acquisition soon, and he's gearing up for an assault on Comcast and Time Warner.

February 21, 2008

Panasonic's High-Value High-Def TV

It may not have all the inputs and settings of higher-priced models, but the 50-in. plasma 50PZ77U delivers excellent color for a reasonable price.

February 21, 2008

Letting Gamers Be Developers

Microsoft is inviting the 10 million members of its Xbox Live online community to create games for the platform.

February 20, 2008

R.I.P., HD DVD

Blu-ray has won the high-def war. But with challenges from low-end DVD players, digital distribution, and more, a new battlefield is forming.

February 08, 2008

An Open Letter to Steve Ballmer

I know you want to make your mark on Microsoft, but you should stop trying to be all things to all people. Take a tip on focus from that other Steve.

January 30, 2008

Tuning Into Digital TV

Lots of folks are confused about exactly how the February, 2009, conversion to digital broadcasts will affect them. Here's what you need to know.

January 28, 2008

Verizon's Fourth Quarter Connects

The communications company is optimistic about the future of its FiOS and other services. But a sagging stock indicates investors may not be so confident.

January 21, 2008

HBO Joins the Movie Download Derby

The Time Warner unit is launching HBO on Broadband, allowing consumers to watch movies and its pay-TV shows on the Web for "free".