TechLuver.com

London — Mar 07, `08 — The BBC has launched a version of its iPlayer video on demand service for the Apple iPhone and iPod touch.

It is the first time the service has been available on portable devices.

The iPhone and iPod touch are able to stream shows from the iPlayer website over wi-fi networks. The iPhone cannot stream BBC video over the cell network. A BBC developer said that the corporation was currently working on other versions of the iPlayer for “many more” devices.

The software currently comes in two versions - a program which allows users to download programmes to their Windows PC and a streaming version on the web available to all users.

The version for iPhone and iPod touch users will allow streaming over a wi-fi connection. However, the EDGE mobile network used by the iPhone is too slow for streaming video. More at BBC.

Cape Canaveral, Florida — Mar 07, `08 — Preparations are on track for Tuesday’s 25th flight to the International Space Station, said NASA test director Steve Payne during today’s STS-123 Countdown Status Briefing, the first for the mission.

The launch remains on schedule for 2:28 a.m. EDT on March 11.

The orbiter’s aft compartment was closed Wednesday night and the payload bay doors were closed for flight early Thursday morning.

NASA managers decided to fly using the secondary backup system in low-power mode after a problem surfaced with a high-power amplifier on one Ultra High Frequency (UHF) radio. The backup system meets all of the flight safety rules required for flight.

Some pre-launch activities this weekend will include loading supercold propellants after the pad is cleared at about 11 p.m. Saturday night. After the pad opens again on Sunday morning, the shuttle will get an engine check, the external tank will be inspected and the crew’s gear will be stowed inside the orbiter.

The Rotating Service Structure surrounding and protecting the shuttle will be retracted at 6 a.m. EDT Monday for Tuesday’s launch.

“We have no other issues to report,” Payne said. “The systems are clean, it appears it’s going to be a good day for us and Endeavour and her crew are ready to launch.”

The weather outlook, according to Todd McNamara, shuttle weather officer, is looking very good for Tuesday. There will be a high-pressure system over Central Florida and there’s only a 10 percent chance that weather will prohibit launch. More at NASA.

Tokyo, Japan — Mar 07, `08 — Consumer electronics maker Pioneer Corp said it would fall into the red for the fourth straight year on costs to scrap production of plasma displays as it rethinks its strategy in the cut-throat flat TV market.

Pioneer is expected to now turn to Panasonic brand maker Matsushita Electric to supply it with panels for its plasma TVs, thereby allowing it to focus on design and marketing and save on production costs.

Pioneer is the world’s fifth-biggest plasma TV maker, but it has been struggling to compete with larger rivals such as plasma industry leader Matsushita and LG Electronics, which can leverage economies of scale.

“This move will allow us to transform our business model for displays from vertically integrated, capital-intensive operations to a leaner business model geared to making value-added product proposals,” Pioneer said in a news release. More at Pioneer (in pdf).

CUPERTINO, California —Apple on Thursday, March 06, previewed its iPhone 2.0 software, scheduled for release this June, and announced the immediate availability of a beta release of the software to selected developers and enterprise customers.

The iPhone 2.0 beta release includes both the iPhone Software Development Kit (SDK) as well as new enterprise features such as support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync to provide secure, over-the-air push email, contacts and calendars as well as remote wipe, and the addition of Cisco IPsec VPN for encrypted access to private corporate networks.

The iPhone SDK provides developers with a rich set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and tools to create innovative applications for iPhone and iPod touch. Starting today, anyone can download the beta iPhone SDK for free and run the iPhone Simulator on their Mac. Apple today also introduced its new iPhone Developer Program, giving developers everything they need to create native applications, and the new App Store, a breakthrough way for developers to wirelessly deliver their applications to iPhone and iPod touch users.

With the iPhone SDK, third party developers will be able to build native applications for the iPhone with a rich set of APIs, including programming interfaces for Core OS, Core Services, Media and Cocoa Touch technologies. The iPhone SDK will allow developers to create amazing applications that leverage the iPhone’s groundbreaking Multi-Touch user interface, animation technology, large storage, built-in three-axis accelerometer and geographical location technology to deliver truly innovative mobile applications.

Apple has licensed Exchange ActiveSync from Microsoft and is building it right into the iPhone, so that iPhone will connect out-of-the-box to Microsoft Exchange Servers 2003 and 2007 for secure over-the-air push email, contacts, calendars and global address lists. Built-in Exchange ActiveSync support also enables security features such as remote wipe, password policies and auto-discovery.

The iPhone 2.0 software supports Cisco IPsec VPN to ensure the highest level of IP-based encryption available for transmission of sensitive corporate data, as well as the ability to authenticate using digital certificates or password-based, multi-factor authentication. The addition of WPA2 Enterprise with 802.1x authentication enables enterprise customers to deploy iPhone and iPod touch with the latest standards for protection of Wi-Fi networks.

Pricing & Availability
Apple plans to release the final iPhone 2.0 software, including the iPhone SDK and new enterprise features, as a free software update for all iPhone customers by the end of June. Third party applications created for the iPhone will also run on the iPod touch, and iPod touch users will be required to purchase a software update to run these applications. The free beta iPhone SDK is available immediately worldwide and can be downloaded at developer.apple.com/iphone/program.  More at Apple.

New York, NY- March 07, `08 – CBS RADIO and AOL today announced a ground breaking partnership whereby CBS RADIO will power AOL Radio, combining two of the largest online radio networks and giving millions of listeners unlimited and free access to the most diverse lineup of programming available. Additionally, the two companies will work together to create a number of product enhancements including a new player, as well as complete support for the Mac.

Once the AOL Radio’s stations are integrated into its operations, CBS RADIO will drive advertising sales for AOL’s more than 200 award winning stations in addition to its own online streams of more than 150 radio stations and custom channels.

A brand new state of the art player developed by CBS RADIO and incorporating all the favorite features AOL listeners are accustomed to, and more, will be launched this spring.

The new player will allow audiences to toggle between stations; view song titles, album information and link to websites featuring the current artist being streamed; access favorite stations via presets, rate and share songs with family, friends, and coworkers; purchase individual songs, albums and concert tickets; and link to a host of additional web content, including photos, videos, promotions, contests, news headlines, sports scores, trivia, and concert information, among other topics. More at AOL.