• DirecTV launches ScoreGuide iTV feature
By Traci Patterson
ScoreGuide, a new on-screen feature of DirecTV’s program guide, has launched, enabling DirecTV subscribers to track scores and start times of major sporting events.
ScoreGuide displays a lineup of sporting events in progress, as well as upcoming daily and weekly events. ScoreGuide also provides DirecTV channel numbers associated with each of the events and allows customers to tune to those specific channels.
DirecTV offers other advanced television features and services, including NFL Sunday Ticket SuperFan, Mega March Madness and NASCAR HotPass services.
• NDS licenses Gemstar EPG patents
By Brian Santo
NDS Group has purchased from Macrovision a multi-year license for the latter’s electronic program guide (EPG) patents.
The license to Macrovision’s Gemstar patent portfolio allows NDS to offer EPGs to customers in certain countries not specified by either party.
• 3 Motorola WiMAX products certified
By Brian Santo
Motorola said the WiMAX Forum has certified two of its customer premises equipment (CPE) devices and one WiMAX access point, all operating in the 2.5 GHz band.
The approved products are a data-only device (CPEi 25150), a combination data and VoIP unit (CPEi 25750) and the WiMAX Access Point (WAP) 25600.
Motorola previously received approval of another WiMAX access point, the WAP 25400, in June 2008.
• Qualcomm posts Q2 loss on legal settlement with Broadcom
By The Associated Press
SAN DIEGO (AP) – Qualcomm says a legal settlement with rival chip-maker Broadcom Corp. weighed its results to a loss in its fiscal second quarter. The San Diego-based company says it lost $289 million, or 18 cents per share, during the three-month period ended March 29. That compares with a profit of $766 million, or 47 cents per share, during the same period last year.
The latest quarter includes a charge of $748 million for the Broadcom settlement. The settlement calls for Qualcomm to pay $891 million over four years. The two companies have been embroiled in patent disputes for four years.
Excluding special items, Qualcomm posted a loss of 3 cents per share in the latest quarter. Its revenue slipped to $2.46 billion from $2.6 billion. Analysts expected profit of 41 cents per share on revenue of $2.35 billion. Analyst estimates typically exclude special items.
• Siemon debuts plug-and-play fiber optics
By Brian Santo
Siemon has introduced a new and expanded line of high-performance MTP plug-and-play fiber-optic cabling products capable of supporting network transmission rates of 10-, 40- and 100 Gbps.
The Siemon system includes new low-profile MTP to LC or SC modules, MTP pass-through adapter plates and an extensive offering of pre-terminated MTP to MTP and MTP to LC cable assemblies.
Newly designed to be lightweight, low profile and easier to install, Siemon modules feature 12 fiber MTP connections at the rear of each module, providing up to 24 LC or 12 SC connections in the patching field via simple snap-in mounting within standard Siemon RIC and FCP fiber enclosures and VersaPOD vertical patch panels.
