September 07, 2006, 2:22 PM PDT
Amazon launches Unbox Video Downloads
Posted by: James Kim

It's official. I just checked the Amazon.com/Unbox URL for the nth time and finally, the new movie store/service is online. The service, which launches just a few days before the Apple "It's showtime" media event (where an iTunes movie service will likely debut), offers both movie purchases and rentals in the WMV format (downsized movies for portable devices such as the Creative Zen Vision come in the AMZN file format). The Unbox video store includes thousands of TV shows and movies, including recent feature films such as V for Vendetta ($13.87), The Family Stone, and Walk the Line ($19.95). TV shows (most available for $1.99) include Laguna Beach, Prison Break, CSI-Miami, and 24.

Amazon has reportedly made deals with most major studios (minus Disney), and the service won't work on Macs nor will it work with iPods. You'll need to download the Amazon Unbox video player to watch any video, and you can't burn a watchable video to DVD as you can on CinemaNow and Movielink. For a limited time, you'll get a credit for $1.99 (the price of a TV show) the first time you use the service. Check out more FAQs here. Stay tuned for our full review.

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September 07, 2006, 10:55 AM PDT
BMW recruits Clear Channel to offer live traffic service as standard on '07 models
Posted by: Kevin Massy

So the age of standard real-time navigation begins. BMW and Clear Channel Radio announced this morning that they have struck a deal to provide live traffic data to the navigation systems in select nav-equipped 2007 model-year BMWs. According to Clear Channel, the service, which will be provided by its Total Traffic Network, will be free of charge and will run for the lifetime of all equipped vehicles. Models that will feature the service include the X5, M5, M6, and other 3-, 5-, and 6-series BMWs.

Although Acura has been offering XM NavTraffic on its flagship RL model since 2005, the service is subscription based. Today's deal between BMW and Clear Channel throws down the gauntlet to other automakers who want to compete in the increasingly cutthroat and cutting-edge car tech market.

Source: Clear Channel via Autoblog

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September 07, 2006, 10:32 AM PDT
CNET Asia reviews Creative Zen Vision:W
Posted by: Jasmine France

We're set to meet with Creative on Monday, September 11, to get our hands on a reviewable Zen Vision:W, but it looks like our cohorts over at CNET Asia beat us to the punch--maybe it's already for sale over there? Or perhaps Creative's Asian PR has easier access to finished products than its stateside counterpart. Whatever the case, if you just can't wait for an in-depth W review, you don't have to. You can read it here.

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September 07, 2006, 9:53 AM PDT
Razr V3i launches (finally)
Posted by: Kent German

Good news, music fans: the Motorola Razr V3i has arrived at Cingular Wireless at long last. We had a few false starts over the last month with the phone's debut being postponed just days before its official launch, but now it's on sale for $299 or $249 with service. As promised, support for Apple iTunes is onboard along with a 1.3-megapixel camera, a speakerphone, a TransFlash card slot, voice recording and dialing, multiple messaging and e-mail options, and quadband world phone support. And of course, it's encased in the slim Razr form factor. Silver seems to be the only color available now, but more options may follow.

Cingular also introduced the Samsung SGH-C417. Behind an unassuming design is a VGA camera, Bluetooth, a speakerphone, and quadband world phone support. The C417 is $79 or $49 with service.

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September 07, 2006, 6:21 AM PDT
Microsoft confirms Word 2000 flaw
Posted by: Robert Vamosi

After a zero-day attack earlier this week in which vulnerable Windows 2000 systems running Word 2000 were exposed to Trojan horses, Microsoft has confirmed the existence of a new flaw in Word 2000, although it is still under investigation. In Microsoft Security Advisory #925059, the software giant suggests one attack scenario where victims are lured to a Web site hosting an infected Word 2000 document for download. As a workaround, Microsoft suggests opening unsolicited Word documents with the Microsoft Word Viewer 2003 instead. The free viewer, available here, is not vulnerable.

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