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The FCC is searching for a bidder to provide free broadband service in the 1.9 GHz- 2.1 GHz bands. FCC chair Kevin Martin said Friday that the service would include built-in content filters. Martin calls for the smut-free service to be accessible by half of the US population in four years and 95% by the time its license is up for renewal.
ABC and NBC have teamed with COX to develop an alternative to the digital video recorder. The offering, dubbed “My Primetime,” allows viewers to watch television shows on demand without the ability to utilize the fast-forward button. FOX has also signed on with COX to be a part of “My Primetime”, which the networks hope will boost advertising revenue.
OMNIVISION has developed a sensor that can fit more pixels on a microchip. OmniVision, the world’s largest supplier of image sensors for camera phones, expects to have 8-megapixel sensors in high end handsets in 2009. The sensor, which has the potential to create high quality digital images in a thinner unit, could make grainy cell phone images a thing of the past.
VODAFONE CEO Arun Sarin will resign. Sarin will step down from his position at the world’s largest mobile provider after Vodafone’s annual meeting July 29th. Sarin, who greatly expanded Vodafone’s operations during his five years as CEO, will be succeeded by his deputy Vittorio Colao.
SAMSUNG announced that it has started purchasing chipsets from INFINEON. In the past, Samsung has acquired chipsets, a key component in mobile handsets, from QUALCOMM. A senior official at Samsung noted that Infineon’s chipsets are more than 20% cheaper than Qualcomm’s and their quality isn’t far behind.
AMAZON, APPLE and RIM top Business Week’s annual InfoTech 100 poll. The poll sorts through the financial records of over 30,000 publicly traded companies and ranks the tech players in four categories: shareholder return, return on equity, total revenues, and revenue growth. Amazon was the winner this year with the lowest aggregate ranking.