E-Commerce News: Business

Internet Archive Wins David-and-Goliath Privacy Tussle With FBI

Thursday - May 8, 2008

The Internet Archive revealed Wednesday that the FBI dropped an effort to secretly obtain information about the online activities of one of the digital library's users. The Archive revealed that it had been served a National Security Letter by the FBI last year about one of its patrons. The San Francisco-based nonprofit organization prevailed after enlisting the help of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the American Civil Liberties Union. [More...]

Defunct TorrentSpy Slammed With $110M Judgment in MPAA Suit

Thursday - May 8, 2008

A federal judge in Los Angeles has awarded the MPAA $110 million in compensation from Valence Media, operator of the now-defunct file-sharing Web site TorrentSpy. U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper ordered Valence Media to pay $30,000 for each copyright infringement of nearly 3,700 movies and television programs that were downloaded. The MPAA took TorrentSpy to court in February 2006. [More...]

Best Buy Buys Its Way Into Europe via Carphone Warehouse

Thursday - May 8, 2008

Best Buy, the biggest U.S. electronics retailer, is paying $2.1 billion for a 50 percent stake in Europe's largest cell phone retailer, the companies announced Thursday. The Carphone Warehouse will place its 2,400 U.S. and European stores in the new joint venture. The deal also includes the Web and direct businesses of The Carphone Warehouse, the insurance operations, and its airtime reselling businesses. [More...]

America Movil to Hawk iPhone in Latin America

Thursday - May 8, 2008

In another step in the worldwide march of Apple's iPhone, the top mobile phone operator in Latin America said Wednesday that it has inked a deal to bring the multimedia gadget to more than a dozen countries starting later this year. America Movil said it plans to bring the iPhone to all of its Latin American operations but didn't offer more details about the arrangement. [More...]

Digital Shift Upends Warner Music in Q2

Thursday - May 8, 2008

Warner Music Group, whose artists include R.E.M., Madonna and Green Day, said Thursday that higher costs and a shift to digital music resulted in a wider second-quarter loss, and it suspended dividends. Shares tumbled more than 20 percent, or $1.87, to $7.18 in morning trading. For the period ended March 31, the New York-based recording company reported a loss of $37 million, or 25 cents per share. [More...]

Optimizing the Contact Center as a Profit Center

Thursday - May 8, 2008

Traditionally, the contact center has been a cost center. However, with the contact center transforming into a profit center, the selling of products and services has emerged as an opportunity for the center to improve agent and customer interaction. Yet the challenge will be balancing customer satisfaction goals and driving profits. [More...]

Apple's Board: Still Room for Schmidt?

Thursday - May 8, 2008

Until now, having Google chief executive Eric Schmidt sit on Apple's board of directors has made a lot of sense. Google, the world's largest Web-search engine, is one of the most influential companies in technology. Google has been incredibly supportive of Apple's flagship computer, the Mac, and has developed a lot of software for Apple's music-playing iPhone. [More...]

Kids in Second Life: Does Danger Lurk?

Thursday - May 8, 2008

Second Life is no place for kids, a Republican congressman declared Monday. U.S. Representative Mark Kirk has sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission requesting a consumer alert warning about the dangers of Second Life, which he charges could expose kids to child predators and registered sex offenders. [More...]

Cablevision Shells Out $500M for Sundance Channel

Wednesday - May 7, 2008

Cablevision Systems is buying the Sundance Channel, a cable network founded by Robert Redford, for $496 million, the New York-area cable TV company announced Wednesday. The Sundance Channel will become part of Cablevision's Rainbow Media programming division but will continue on as a distinct network. Rainbow also includes the independent movie channel IFC, AMC and WE tv. [More...]

Gates: We Don't Need No Stinking Yahoo

Wednesday - May 7, 2008

A few days after the seeming culmination of its failed bid to acquire Yahoo for $47.5 billion, Microsoft appears to be contemplating an entirely new Web 2.0 strategy: a partner-free, organic approach to besting Google. The news was delivered by none other than Chairman Bill Gates: "Now at this point, Microsoft is focused on its independent strategy." [More...]

'Grand Theft Auto' Gets Away With Half a Billion Dollars

Wednesday - May 7, 2008

Take-Two Interactive Software is reporting record-setting sales of $500 million for "Grand Theft Auto IV," with more than 6 million units sold in just one week. "We knew 'Grand Theft Auto IV' would break new ground in terms of the player's experience. ... Now, it has broken sales and rating records as well," said Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two's chairman. [More...]

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