Canada announced the establishment of Binational Port Operations Committees at eight Canadian airports that provide a U.S. preclearance service. According to Public Safety Canada, these committees will facilitate legitimate cross-border trade and travel and promote collaboration on overall port management, and also facilitate the existing 20 committees established at land border ports. In addition, each committee has developed an action plan that includes specific initiatives to improve border management and efficiency that looks at enhancing both countries’ ability to jointly address operational issues that impact both sides of the border, and facilitate communications during events.
Infofree.com said it will soon have more than 102 million cellphone numbers available as part of its database, which it sells to marketers. “As more people and businesses are dropping land lines, cell phones are the wave of the future,” said founder Vin Gupta. “Infofree will be the first database company to get 102 million cell phone numbers appended to its business and consumer databases."
Organizers of the IFA show Aug. 31-Sept. 9 are unfazed by Berlin authorities’ sudden decision not to open the sprawling new Berlin Brandenburg Airport southeast of the city, spokeswoman Nicole von der Ropp told us. The airport was to have opened June 3, but the debut was scrapped until March 17, 2013, because inspectors refused to approve interim fire safety measures planned at the airport until problems with the planned permanent system could be fixed. IFA organizers strongly touted Berlin Brandenburg’s opening at a media event mid-April. In early June, Berlin’s outdated Tegel Airport “will die,” replaced by “Europe’s newest airport, with two runways and 76 additional nonstop international flights connecting Berlin,” they said then (CED April 17 p5). Major airlines have announced they plan to rebook the additional flights through Tegel. IFA organizers think the Berlin Brandenburg Airport delay will have “no great impact” on the show, “except that we unfortunately cannot land at the new airport with more modern ambiance and service,” von der Ropp said. “Otherwise we are very pleased that the expanded range of flight connections which were scheduled for [Berlin Brandenburg] are now available in Tegel. In this respect, we benefit as announced. Since fire protection is a high safety factor, a shift was inevitable, but of course the safety of our attendees is of highest priority.”
The satellite industry, government and military entities are working toward mitigating and managing space debris from satellites. While satellite operators have obligations for operating satellites and deorbiting satellites at the end of their lives, industry and U.S. and foreign governments are still addressing the need for a solution to prevent debris from accumulating, and for increased collaboration among nations operating in space, government agencies and satellite operators said.
Japan sales of the 3DS soared to 101,100 units from 55,200 the prior week (CED June 4 p11), likely helped by strong demand for Square Enix’s latest Dragon Quest Monsters game, according to Media Create data for the week ended June 3. The 3DS remained the country’s best-selling videogame system by a wide margin as its installed base there grew to an estimated 6.1 million. The PS3 repeated as the No. 2 hardware system, sales flat at 14,800. The PSP was again No. 3, sales dipping to 10,500 from 10,600. The PS Vita again came in fourth, sales improving to 7,600 from 6,700. Its Japan installed base grew to an estimated 717,700. The Wii remained No. 5, sales slipping to 5,800 from 6,100. The Xbox 360 repeated at No. 6, sales falling to 2,700 from 3,100. The PS2 was again No. 7, sales improving to 1,100 from 1,000. The DSi LL remained No. 8, sales improving to 700 from 600. The DSi remained last, sales flat at 400. Square Enix’s Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry’s Wonderland 3D for the 3DS easily became Japan’s best-selling videogame in its first week, moving 513,200 copies. The PS3 version of Capcom’s Dragon’s Dogma, the prior week’s No. 1 videogame SKU, dipped to No. 2 in its second week, sales tumbling to 83,000 from 302,000. The 360 version of that game fell to No. 15 from No. 4 the prior week, as sales tumbled to 4,400 from 29,000. Nintendo’s Mario Tennis Open for the 3DS dipped one to No. 3 in its second week, sales falling to 41,500 from 101,600. It was another strong week for the 3DS on the software chart and the platform again had more titles in the top 10 than any other system, with six. It was also a strong week for Nintendo as publisher, with five games in the top 10. Its Mario Party 9 for the Wii inched up one to No. 4 despite sales dipping to 19,600 from 20,800. Its Super Mario 3D Land for the 3DS moved up three to No. 7, sales growing to 10,000 from 9,900. Its Fire Emblem: Awakening for the 3DS fell two to No. 9, sales dipping to 9,700 from 14,600. And its Mario Kart 7 for the 3DS moved up four to No. 10, sales growing to 7,800 from 7,600. Conversely, it was another poor weak for the PS Vita. Not a single game for Sony’s new handheld system made the entire top 50. Sega’s Samurai & Dragons, the only Vita game on the chart the prior week, fell out of the top 50 this time.
Lawmakers hammered the FCC over the costs and burdens that telecom carriers for tribal communities face when seeking waivers to the commission’s USF reforms. The barrage came at a hearing held Friday by the House Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs. Subcommittee Chairman Don Young, R-Alaska, was particularly critical of the commission’s high-cost order, which he said will lead to the eventual demise of the carriers that serve rural and tribal America. The FCC said that they did not agree with Young’s “characterization."
The inflection point to reach the billion-unit sales target the LED industry has staked for 2014 is the $10-$15 light bulb, said David Biven, Cirrus Logic director-product marketing, energy products. While there are products on the market at that price point now, “they're not very good,” he said on a call with investors.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:
Senate Indian Affairs Committee members urged FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn to consider how proposed reforms of the Universal Service Fund could negatively affect rural and native communities, during a hearing Thursday. In particular, lawmakers took issue with the hurdles and cost of the FCC’s waiver process for telecommunications companies that cannot adjust to the USF reforms.
LOS ANGELES -- The 3DS is continuing to sell “very well” and, in its first 14 months, has performed better than the DS did in the same time frame when it launched, Nintendo of America (NOA) spokesman Charlie Scibbeta told Consumer Electronics Daily at E3. The DS went on to be the best-selling videogame system of all time, he said. But the 3DS got off to a rocky start last year, with sales only picking up after an $80 price drop in the U.S. (CED July 29 p6).