If you are having trouble viewing our video player, check out MediaBytes on YouTube.
MICROSOFT (NASD: MSFT) will enlist JERRY SEINFELD for a new advertising campaign. The campaign seeks to divert attention from the popular “Mac vs. PC” commercials and universal panning of Windows Vista. Microsoft will spend $300 million on the campaign, which will also feature Bill Gates.
APPLE (NASD: AAPL) was slapped with a lawsuit over defective 3G iPhones. Jessica Alena Smith of Alabama filed the suit claiming that the 3G iPhone’s performance is subpar, with dropped calls and slow speeds replacing supposed high speed net use and a broader network. Due to widespread complaints from users all over the country, a motion has been filed to upgrade the lawsuit to Class Action status, as tens of thousands of customers could be adversely affected by the flakey iPhone.
YAHOO (NASD: YHOO) and INTEL (NASD: INTC) are teaming to bring widgets to television sets. Intel recently revealed a “system on a chip” that would provide set-top boxes and digital TV’s with interactive applications. The widget system is scheduled to roll out in 2009, with widgets from companies like Blockbuster, eBay and Twitter, among others.
INTEL (NASD: INTC) has developed technology that can wirelessly recharge gadgets. The chip manufacturer will demonstrate its magnetic field technology at its Developer Forum today, which can reportedly deliver 60 watts of power from 2-3 feet away, using only 25% of the power in transmission. Intel envisions a system where you can place your laptop on your counter and have the counter recharge the battery, without any wires.
In other news, YAHOO (NASD: YHOO) has beaten NBC (NYSE: GE) in Olympics coverage on the web 8 of 11 days since the games started. All this despite NBC having the exclusive rights to video from Beijing.
The FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION has approved a potential ELECTRONIC ARTS (NASD: ERTS), TAKE-TWO INTERACTIVE (NASD: TTWO) merger, paving the way for a deal.
The DISH NETWORK (NASD: DISH) got its stock rating cut by an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co, who believes the satellite provider will lose even more customers in the next quarter.
And finally, today is the day IAC (NASD: IACID) will spin off the Home Shopping Network, Interval Leisure Group, Ticketmaster and Tree.com.