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News in Brief

CINRAM has announced the appointment of Steven G Brown as president and chief executive officer of the company effective 15 June 2009. Brown is a veteran of the contract manufacturing sector, having worked for many years as CEO of a significant supplier to the major North American and European automobile manufacturers.

THE CHINESE press reports that Philips Blu-ray players will come to the market in July priced around Yuan2000 (€210) at the same price point as the Chinese-developed CBHD player. As the top DVD seller in Beijing, Philips is actually the first company to research Chinese Blu-ray consumption. “We are hoping to target more low-middle-end consumers, so we will introduce a BD player at a cheaper price than other foreign brands,” says Li Pufa, a Philips sales manager at Gome.

ACCORDING to a recent report, MOD Systems and former consultant and board member Warren Lieberfarb (the 'Godfather of DVD'), have announced the settlement of their pending litigation. The dispute was said to have been a legal debate over money, and how much MOD was supposed to owe Lieberfarb for consultancy services, following his appointment in 2006 as vice chairman. MOD Systems supply retailers with self-serve kiosks for downloading music and movies to portable devices and SD memory cards.

MACROVISION Solutions Corporation will formally change its name to Rovi. The Rovi brand is part of the company’s new brand identity that includes a new corporate visual design. Macrovision will continue to operate under the Macrovision name until the annual meeting of stockholders being held on 15July 2009, at which time the name change will be considered for approval.

THE CONSUMER Electronics Association's (CEA) Video Systems Committee today announced the launch of a new working group, R4 WG16. The new working group will address issues with 3D technology including investigating and drafting standards for 3D glasses. A recent CEA study, 3D TV: Where Are We Now and Where Are Consumers, showed that more than 26 million households are interested in having a 3D content experience in their home.