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Coraline
A 3D spectacular for the kids? 4,232 reads

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BT plans music subscription service
Competing with Sky 6 August 2009 13:47 GMT
BT is reportedly in early discussions with execs at all four major labels to try and build a legal music subscription service to rival the vague plans that Sky says it has about a similar initiative.

Sky says that it's reached agreements with EMI and Sony Music,...
Orange music goes DRM-free
Operator revamps audio offering 10 July 2009 9:58 GMT
Orange has followed Vodafone in announcing it will offer digital rights management-free music downloads in what it says is a "major refresh" of its music portal.

Orange will sell DRM-free music downloads from Universal Music, EMI Music and a number of independent...
Universal buys film rights to "Asteroids"
Yes, the 1979 Atari title 3 July 2009 12:01 GMT
Reuters is reporting that movie producer Universal has just acquired the movie rights to 1979's arcade smash hit "Asteroids", following a four-studio bidding war.

Matthew Lopez, the chap behind "Race to Witch Mountain", will be writing the script. It's billed...
Virgin Media to offer Universal Pictures' "PictureBox"
More video-on-demand 29 June 2009 9:18 GMT
Virgin Media has announced it is extending its video-on-demand offerings with the launch of PictureBox, in association with Universal Pictures.

From July, the PictureBox service will be available for £5 per month and provide a selection of recent and library...
Virgin and Universal announce all-you-can-eat MP3 downloads
In return Virgin promises to cut-off filesharers 15 June 2009 12:40 GMT
Music lovers are cautiously eyeing up a deal that's just been announced between Universal Music Group and Virgin Media. The former's catalogue is going to be available DRM-free to Virgin's customers for a monthly subscription fee.

The fee hasn't been announced,...
EA announces Army of Two movie project
Bourne Ultimatum screenwriter to pen script 27 October 2008 12:52 GMT
Electronic Arts has announced that a deal has been signed with Universal pictures to create a movie based on its popular third person shooter, Army of Two.

The film is to be adapted by Scott Z Burns, the screenwriter behind The Bourne Ultimatum, and is set to...
Rare Hendrix and Marley performances now online
Join the Kinks, Iggy Pop and others in Wolfgang's Vault 5 June 2008 11:22 GMT
Rare recordings by both Bob Marley and Jimmy Hendrix are now available online.

The vintage performances are now available to buy through specialist music site Wolfgang's Vault following on from a deal between its founder, Bill Sagan, and Universal Music Group.
Apple announces same-day iTunes movies
Goes day-and-date head-to-head with DVD 1 May 2008 15:08 GMT
We'd heard it was to be the case via a rumour, but it is now so for American consumers - Apple has announced that new movie releases from both major film studios and independent studios are now available for purchase on the iTunes Store on the same day as their DVD release....
Comes with Music service to cripple Nokia?
Reports suggest phone company facing massive bill 29 April 2008 12:28 GMT
Reports are suggesting that Nokia has bitten off more than it can chew with its coming later this year "Comes with Music" service.

While the service has won the support of the big music labels including Universal Music and Sony BMG (and possibly EMI some time...
BT Vision and Universal launch PictureBox
Video on demand service for subscribers 18 April 2008 14:31 GMT
BT Vision has announced its first subscription movie package, "PictureBox", an on demand service which allows viewers to watch films whenever they want.

The PictureBox service will launch on 5 May and provide a selection of current and library feature films...
"PluggedIn" major music video site launches in States
10,000 videos from three of the major labels 17 April 2008 15:13 GMT
A new video music website has been launched into beta by the music industry in the States, called PluggedIn.

The site offers over 10,000 high resolution music videos by major names, as well as music news, blogs, photos, artist profiles and social networking...
Universal's Blu-ray movies to be announced
Former HD DVD backer's summer releases revealed 17 April 2008 10:19 GMT
Universal Studios, the main backer of the now defunct high-def HD DVD format, will soon release all its new videos on the victorious Blu-ray rival at the same time as its standard DVDs, says The Hollywood Reporter.

The studio is due to announce its program...
VIDEO: Today's big stories on Megawhat TV NEWS
Catch up with the tech news web tv show 19 March 2008 19:18 GMT
Switch on Megawhat TV now for the biggest stories of the day from the world of gadgets and technology.

In the headlines today - is Apple going to offer unlimited access to iTunes; Facebook confirms the Instant Messenger rumour; LimeWire offers a DRM-free service;...
Universal to stop making HD DVD movies
"It is time to turn our focus to Blu-ray" 20 February 2008 9:24 GMT
Not at all surprising considering that HD DVD's main backer, Toshiba, has decided to discontinue the format, Universal, one of the few studios to publish HD DVD films is going Blu-ray.

"The path for widespread adoption of the next-generation platform has finally...
Today's big stories on Megawhat TV NEWS
Catch up with the tech news web tv show 28 January 2008 19:30 GMT
Switch on Megawhat TV now for the biggest stories of the day from the world of gadgets and technology.

Today's news is dominated by the record labels as music chiefs decide to have a go at internet service providers over illegal music downloads. Also in the...
2007: A year in review, July
Universal snubs iTunes; Microsoft says sorry over Xbox failures and Sony hits the headlines 29 December 2007 9:00 GMT
The spats and squabbling in June looked set to continue into July with news that the Universal Music Group, the world's biggest music corporation, had told Apple that it would not renew its annual contract to sell music through iTunes.

Universal, which is said...
Universal and Nokia announce free music for phones
"Comes With Music" will "stimuate" market 5 December 2007 9:19 GMT
The world's largest music group, Universal, and Nokia have announced they will offer free 12-month's of access to Universal's music for Nokia music phones owners from the second half of 2008.

The "Comes With Music" service will differ from rival packages on...
Toshiba sees both HD formats co-existing
"Like petrol versus diesel at the pumps" 21 November 2007 10:40 GMT
Toshiba has likened the high-def format war to buying petrol at a service station in the latest spat over who will win the battle for the high-def living room.

"The HD DVD Blu-ray battle is like petrol versus diesel at the pumps", Mike Eves, retail marketing...
Universal confirms "no plans to support Blu-ray"
We sit down with Ken Graffeo from Universal to talk next gen format war 5 November 2007 10:49 GMT
As the next generation format war between Blu-ray and HD DVD continues to rumble on, Pocket-lint sat down over email with Ken Graffeo, excutive vice president, HD DVD Strategic Marketing for Universal, the only studio to singularly back Toshiba's HD DVD format from the start....
Rumour: Warner Music will not renew long-term iTunes contract
May follow Universal in a month-to-month deal 26 October 2007 11:48 GMT
Following Universal's dramatic decision to not renew its long-standing, long-term iTunes contract with Apple, The Washington Post is reporting that another major label may do the same.

The rumours suggest that Warner Music is considering following its rival...
Universal to sell singles on USB drives
And other major labels to follow 18 October 2007 9:17 GMT
In another attempt to stop the rot in the music industry, Universal Music, the world’s biggest music company, is to release singles on USB memory sticks this month, The Times reports.

The company will charge around £4.99 for USB singles starting on October...
Universal planning iTunes killer
"Total Music" service free to the consumer 15 October 2007 6:42 GMT
BusinessWeek is reporting that Universal is planning a true iTunes killer service to launch in the States that will be called "Total Music".

After recently refusing to renew long-term contracts for Universal content to be sold through Apple's online store,...
Spielberg statement: No plans to release films on HD DVD
Universal's slide showing movies was a "mistake" 9 October 2007 12:12 GMT
A spokesperson for Steven Spielberg has moved quickly to quash rumours, started by Universal Studios Japan, that several Spielberg classic were to be released on HD DVD format.

An HD DVD presentation given at the CEATAC event in Japan last week showed a slide...
Microsoft announces HDi logo to appear on HD DVD products
Players and discs to get interactive platform sticker 20 September 2007 16:02 GMT
Microsoft has announced that its trademarked HDi logo will soon appear on all Toshiba HD DVD players.

In addition, Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment will include the HDi logo on packaging for HD DVD movie titles beginning...
gBox to launch - a Google and Universal backed music service
99 cent DRM-free downloads from world's largest music label in association with the world's biggest search engine 13 August 2007 9:40 GMT
An Associated Press news report appears to solve the mystery of the thought to be coming soon Google music service.

The forthcoming offering is not going to be a direct Google music store, but a standalone, Google and Universal backed website called gBox.