For years, disposable cameras have been a magnet for last-minute photographic whimsy, encouraging all manner of embarrassing pictures from weddings and other social events. Watch out: There's now a disposable video camera.
The $30 pocket-sized digital video cameras are able to capture up to 20 minutes of video and sound.
CVS stores, which has exclusive rights to sell them, will process the camera for $13 and return a DVD; users also can e-mail video and video greeting cards.
Pure Digital Technologies developed and designed the camera with just three buttons. One starts and stops recording, another is used to play back video and the third deletes recorded segments.
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Away from analog: Federal regulators moved up the deadlines for manufacturers to make mid-sized television sets capable of receiving digital signals. The next-generation technology provides sharper images and more programming options.
The Federal Communications Comission voted 4-0 to require that televisions with screens from 25 to 36 inches in diameter be capable of receiving both digital and traditional analog signals by March 1.
The lack of digital-capable television sets has been a major impediment to Congress' tentative deadline of December 2006 to complete the transition from traditional analog TV signals to digital. The 1997 law setting that deadline permits it to be extended in any market until 85 percent of the homes have a digital TV.
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Trouble again: BlackBerry maker Research in Motion will take court action against NTP after hitting an impasse in finalizing a patent dispute settlement, reopening a legal battle investors had been told was wrapped up.
RIM, which helped popularize mobile e-mailing with its thumb-operated BlackBerry, said in a statement it will ask the court to enforce the settlement terms.
RIM agreed to pay $450 million to end a patent dispute with NTP, in return for the right to continue its BlackBerry-related business.
"NTP refuses to honor its obligations under the term sheet and finalize the definitive documents. As a result, an impasse has been reached with respect to the settlement," the company said.
RIM said it is reviewing any potential accounting implications of the impasse and said it is holding settlement payment until the matter is resolved.
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New Niku: Computer Associates International said it has agreed to acquire Niku, a provider of information technology management and governance software, for $350 million in cash.
Under terms of the transaction, Computer Associates said it would pay $21 per share for Niku, which represents a premium of 27 percent over Niku's closing price.
The acquisition would give Computer Associates, one of the world's largest business software companies, a foothold in information technology governance, which is expanding faster than the overall software industry.
The company said the acquisition would slightly reduce earnings in fiscal 2006, but add to earnings in fiscal 2007. The deal is expected to close within three months, pending regulatory and shareholder approval.
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Compiled by David Cohn. AP and Reuters contributed to this report.
