Articles by Clare Saliba

In a bid to help e-tailers avoid some of the snafus that marred last year's holiday shopping season, FedEx announced Monday that it will be revamping its Internet-based package return system to streamline the process for customers and businesses As part of the delivery and transportation giant's NetReturn upgrade, which will be available in Novembe...

Targeting consumers who do not yet own a PC, Microsoft Corp. and low-cost computer manufacturer eMachines announced Monday the roll-out of an Internet device that will enable access via the software giant's MSN network The new device has been named "MSN Companion." Although similar Internet-only appliances have failed to find widespread success, Mi...

A federal grand jury on Thursday handed down the first criminal charges in a major Silicon Valley securities case, indicting the former top European sales executive at Informix Corp., according to published reports Walter Konigseder faced 11 counts for his alleged role in the accounting fraud scandal that caused the stock of the Menlo Park, Califor...

The National Research Council released a report Wednesday recommending that the U.S. regulate the Web carefully but sparsely, that a flat tax be levied on e-commerce and that low-income families receive vouchers to help them get connected The scientific panel, which serves as an informal advisor to the U.S. Congress, said that while the Internet is...

Despite consumer concerns over potential lapses in Internet security, 51 percent of Americans believe that most home mortgages will be handled online by 2005, according to a study released Wednesday by financial services giant Fannie Mae The company, which surveyed over 1,600 home owners and renters, also found that many potential home buyers view ...

After months of political wrangling, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill Tuesday that would significantly boost the number of high-tech visas issued to skilled foreign workers With a 96-to-1 vote, the election-year legislation would provide almost 600,000 new visas issued under its H-1B program, which permits immigrants to live and work ...

The 23 year-old California man who allegedly orchestrated last month's "Emulex hoax" was indicted by a federal grand jury on Thursday, according to published reports Mark Jakob, a student at El Camino Community College near Los Angeles, faces 11 criminal counts of securities and wire fraud for an audacious stock market scheme in which he is said to...

Although currently a blip on the e-commerce radar screen, smart cards and other digital payment methods are likely to start gaining a share of the market now dominated by magnetic strip credit cards, according to a study by ActivMedia Research The report, "Real Numbers Behind E-Transactions, Fraud & Security," predicts that credit cards, which now ...

Although court rulings may eventually seal the fate of popular music-swapping services, advertising spending at online music sites spiked significantly in the weeks following a federal judge's landmark shutdown order against Napster, according to a study released Thursday by Media Metrix traffic researcher AdRelevance Prior to the ruling, advertise...

Priceline.com, the name-your-own price Internet service, said Wednesday its third quarter revenues will fall short of Wall Street forecasts Although analysts were predicting revenues of $360 million to $380 million (US$), the company said it expects revenues of $340 million to $345 million. Priceline blames the shortfall on slumping sales of airlin...

Adding another wrinkle to the thorny debate over Internet privacy, Predictive Networks, a developer of targeted cross-network advertising and marketing, announced Tuesday that it has secured $45 million (US$) in a third round of funding Following a recent flurry of accusations that they are prying into the surfing and purchasing habits of consumers...

Despite mounting evidence that Web auctions provide a fertile ground for fraud, sellers continue to open new auctions and bidders continue to ante up, according to a study released Monday by Greenfield Online In a survey of over 4,000 Web users, the research firm found that the level of participation in online auctions -- such as those found on eBa...

In a bid to ward off U.S. government regulation, a coalition of online marketing heavyweights announced plans Monday to propose standards meant to ease consumer concerns about spam and online privacy The recently-formed Responsible Electronic Communications Alliance (RECA) is comprised of industry leaders, including DoubleClick, 24/7 Media, ClickAc...

Universal Music Group (UMG) has entered into a non-exclusive licensing agreement with Loudeye Technologies to digitally store and encode its entire U.S. catalog of audio and music titles Loudeye said that it will initially begin streaming 30- and 60-second audio and video sample clips from selected Universal properties. The company eventually plans...

According to reports published Thursday, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has tentatively recommended approval of the $183 billion (US$) merger of America Online, Inc. (NYSE: AOL) and Time Warner, Inc. (NYSE: TWX) -- given the companies unequivocally agree to meet conditions for loosening control of Internet access This recommendati...

Dell Computer Corp. (Nasdaq: DELL) announced Wednesday that it will be entering the business-to-business (B2B) arena with a new online marketplace targeting small and midsize businesses The exchange, dubbed Dell Marketplace, will allow customers to purchase Dell PCs, notebooks, servers and related information technology equipment, as well as office...

Digital security plans and copyright infringement lawsuits will not stop the strides being made by file sharing sites such as Napster, according to a new report released Tuesday by Forrester Research In fact, the study predicted that the record industry will lose $3.1 billion (US$) in potential sales by 2005, in large part because of an increase in...

Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG) announced Monday that it has invested in Digimarc (Nasdaq: DMRC), a digital watermark developer, in a bid to meet the growing demand for the emerging technology. Digital watermarking allows an undetectable digital code to be permanently embedded within multimedia content such as music and videos as well as printed material. The codes carry information pertaining to copyright protection and data authentication.

Aiming to grab a larger segment of the e-commerce market, America Online rolled out a new shopping tool Monday that integrates consumer product reviews and comparative pricing The Web giant's shopping hub, Shop@AOL, has undergone key navigational changes and now features an enhanced personalized interface. In addition, the redesign provides special...

The majority of online ticket sales will be generated from independent travel agencies and not from sites directly connected with the major airlines, according to a study released Monday by International Data Corp. (IDC) Although Web sites run by airlines currently account for more than half of all online ticket sales, their share will fall below 5...