Stand-off expected in Blu-ray HD DVD battle

Neither Blu-ray nor HD DVD are likely to achieve a dominant position as the market for high-definition DVDs takes off, according to an industry analyst. Screen digest, the self-styled pre-eminent source of business intelligence, research and analysis on global audiovisual media, says that both will coexist until combi-format equipment become cost-effective and eventually dominates, mirroring the current market for recordable DVDs 'Given the vested interests on either side, we believe that the most likely outcome at present is.. ...more

Borland warns of loss on Q1 earnings

Software developer Borland has warned the markets that it expects to post a loss for the first quarter of 2003. The warning comes ahead of the full results which are expected at the end of April The company says it expects revenue for the first quarter to be in the range of $72 to $75 million, an increase of 26 per cent to 31 per cent over revenue of $57.1 million reported for the first quarter of 2002, but below the company's previous target of $77 - $83 million. ...more

The price of junk mail counted in billions

The worldwide cost of junk mail is estimated to be €10bn (£6.2bn) a year, according to a recent European Commission study. The report estimates that every day approximately half a billion personalised ad mails fill up the inboxes around the world, and the figures are calculated against connection costs for the time it takes to read or delete them. ...more

Instant digital printing for Polaroid

The company that is synonymous with instant cameras today announced two new digital printing technologies that would bring Polaroid into the digital 21st century. Codenamed "Opal" and "Onyx", the printing platforms are integral to the company's digital strategy and sees Polaroid moving away from the silver halide film that provided a foundation for its non-digital products. "The Opal and Onyx technologies will revolutionize how we move digital images from pixels to prints," said Gary T. ...more

Google shares plunge

Have the fortunes of Google peaked? Amid widespread criticism of its dealings with China and under pressure from various publishers over its caching of content, Wall Street has now turned a beady eye on the company's valuation. The company saw a double-digit fall in the value of its stock yesterday following comments by its chief financial officer, George Reyes, who dampened expectations of rapid growth in the future. Rallying from a 13 per cent dip, the shares closed the day seven per cent lower. ...more