Inmarsat’s revenue for the second quarter reached $684 million, up from $683 million in the same period last year. Its mobile satellite service revenue increased 1.4 percent from $363 million last year and maritime revenue reached more than $200 million, an increase of nearly 13 percent, it said. MSS business growth was “fueled by continuing strong subscriber take up and the benefits of pricing initiatives,” Inmarsat said. Overall growth in maritime data revenue resulted primarily from the impact of pricing initiatives, “in particular as a result of the elimination of volume discounts” that were available for older services and the implementation of price changes in FleetBroadband service. Maritime voice was down 11.7 percent from about $47 million last year. This is largely due “to the impact of voice price reductions implemented in April 2011 and the ongoing effect of voice to email substitution that we record as data revenues,” Inmarsat said. Land mobile services were affected by the ongoing decline in revenue from government users and reduced military activity in Afghanistan, the company said. Inmarsat also said it installed more than 30,000 FleetBroadband terminals and more than 65,000 active IsatPhone Pro terminals.
The Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District said it completed a draft EIS/EIR for the Eagle Rock Aggregates Terminal Project at the Port of Long Beach. The proposed project would include dredging, land-based wharf improvements, and the installation of truck scales and conveyor system. Construction is estimated to take 5 months. The proposed project site is at Berth D-44 on Pier D in the Port, currently owned by L.G. Everist, Inc., but to be leased to Eagle Rock Aggregate. Copies of the environmental impact statement are at http://www.polb.com/ceqa. Further information: John Markham, 805-585-2150. A public hearing on the DEIS/EIR and project is set for 6 p.m. Aug. 22 in the City of Long Beach City Council Chambers, 333 W. Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach, Calif.
Roku has landed agreements with 10 CE brands to develop products compatible with its new USB-based $50 Roku streaming stick, Roku said. Element Electronics, GlobalVue International, Haier, Hitachi, Best Buy’s Insignia, Mitsubishi, Onkyo, Integra, Oppo and Tmax Digital will deliver “Roku-compatible” TVs and some will bundle the stick with the set, Roku said. The device ships in the “coming weeks,” it said. The stick has Wi-Fi, memory, a processor and a Mobile High-Definition Link connector to plug into a TV’s HDMI port to access Roku services. Roku recently raised $45 million from several investors, including News Corp. and BSkyB, giving the company funding into 2013 that will support its international expansion, a Roku spokeswoman said. News Corp. And BSkyB each have part ownership in the broadband streaming service, but their specific stakes won’t be disclosed, the spokeswoman said. News Corp Chief Digital Officer Jon Miller was added to Roku’s board, which expanded to seven members, the spokeswoman said, but BSkyB didn’t get representation on the Roku board. Menlo Ventures and Globespan Capital Partners, both of which participated in an $8 million funding round last August, also made new investments, Roku said. Roku has now raised $67 million since its founding, including an $8.4 million round in 2009. In addition to supporting Roku’s international expansion, the new funding round will help defray marketing costs for the holiday selling season, the Roku spokeswoman said. Roku is available in Canada, Ireland and the U.K. The Roku spokeswoman declined comment on plans for new international markets.
Silicon Image boosted its 2012 forecast on shipments of products bearing Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) connectors to 175 million units from 100 million in its previous forecast because of growing demand in China, where suppliers Huawei and ZTE are among its customers, CEO Camillo Martinez said on an earnings call.
Trade via surface transportation between the U.S. and North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 8.3 percent higher in May 2012 than in May 2011, totaling $83.8 billion, unadjusted for inflation, said the Transportation Department's Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Adjusted for inflation and exchange rates, the May 2012 total was $60.7 billion in 2004 dollars, up 11.7 percent from May 2011.
Sharp’s newly introduced 90-inch LCD TV has found its way into 150 Best Buy Magnolia Home Theater (MHT) locations and 50 hhgregg stores, bypassing many specialty retailers that traditionally have served as launch pads for high-end products, retail executives said.
Barnes & Noble’s Nook hit the bargain bin Friday, landing on Internet bargain website Living Social’s nationwide deals page at a 15 percent discount. The 8GB Nook, advertised along with offers for Fanatics sports merchandise, a 1-year subscription to “Zoobooks” and a 5-week Virtual Nerd online math boot camp, was cut $30 from $199 in a 2-day deal. By mid-afternoon, 1,733 had been sold, a tracker on the webpage said. According to the “fine print,” all sales are final and the purchased Nooks are not eligible for return. Barnes & Noble was also hawking the 16GB version of the Nook on its own website, shoving a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card to shoppers who bought a $249 Nook by Sunday. Meanwhile, the competing Google Nexus 7 tablet, promised by Staples to be in stores by the end of the month (CED July 10 p5), seemed hard to come by in an Internet search Friday. Staples listed both the Nexus 7 for $199 (8GB) and $249 (16GB) on the website, but noted the devices were “in store only on special order.” Google’s own Play website said the Asus-built devices are “coming soon.” Interested shoppers were directed to add their names to a list for upcoming emails about availability. B&HPhoto.com, which began taking orders for the 16GB Nexus 7 earlier this month, said the device was backordered until Sept. 1.
Barnes & Noble’s Nook hit the bargain bin Friday, landing on Internet bargain website Living Social’s nationwide deals page at a 15 percent discount. The 8GB Nook, advertised along with offers for Fanatics sports merchandise, a 1-year subscription to “Zoobooks” and a 5-week Virtual Nerd online math boot camp, was cut $30 from $199 in a 2-day deal. By mid-afternoon, 1,733 had been sold, a tracker on the webpage said. According to the “fine print,” all sales are final and the purchased Nooks are not eligible for return. Barnes & Noble was also hawking the 16GB version of the Nook on its own website, shoving a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card to shoppers who bought a $249 Nook by Sunday. Meanwhile, the competing Google Nexus 7 tablet, promised by Staples to be in stores by the end of the month, seemed hard to come by in an Internet search Friday. Staples listed both the Nexus 7 for $199 (8GB) and $249 (16GB) on the website, but noted the devices were “in store only on special order.” Google’s own Play website said the Asus-built devices are “coming soon.” Interested shoppers were directed to add their names to a list for upcoming emails about availability. B&HPhoto.com, which began taking orders for the 16GB Nexus 7 earlier this month, said the device was backordered until Sept. 1.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is in the process of "implementing common practices and streamlined procedures for customs processing and regulatory compliance, and expanding, harmonizing, and automating trusted traveler and trader programs," said Deborah Meyers, director of Canadian affairs at DHS, in written testimony July 30. Meyers testified at a House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence field hearing titled “Beyond Borders: Are the Department of Homeland Security’s International Agreements Ensuring Actionable Intelligence to Combat Threats to the U.S. Homeland?”
CBP announced the location and agenda for next meeting of the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations (COAC), Aug. 15 at 1 p.m. (PDT) in Seattle. Online registration for webcast and in-person participation is available through Aug.12, said a notice in the Federal Register July 30.