media player

A new BlackBerry with the best features of its brethren has been born. On Wednesday, Research in Motion announced the BlackBerry Bold 9700, which it described as having "cutting-edge engineering and premium finishes."

The new smartphone, available from AT&T and T-Mobile beginning next month, is T-Mobile's first 3G BlackBerry. It is intended to replace the original Bold, now a year old.

Intel, the world's largest chip maker, filed an appeal Wednesday challenging the European Commission's record EUR 1.06 billion fine and ruling in May that it had abused its dominance in computer processors by offering rebates to computer makers who used more of its chips.

"We believe that our policies and practices have always been legal and aboveboard," said Robert Manetta, an Intel spokesman in London. "That is why we are taking our case to court."

Amazon.com is making major strides in the e-book market, but another Internet giant seems poised to offer some healthy competition. Google is planning to enter the e-book market with a program that would enable publishers to sell digital versions of their latest titles directly to consumers, according to The New York Times.

Microsoft's Zune is evolving, the company said Tuesday. One branch of that evolution is a new generation of the portable media player, Zune HD, which will incorporate a built-in HD radio receiver, high-definition video output, an organic light-emitting (OLED) touchscreen, Wi-Fi and a Web browser. The new model will be available in the fall.

The other evolutionary branch is that Zune will become a "a premium partner" in the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace. Microsoft said the first slot in the user interface of the marketplace will be Zune's, with a catalog of TV shows and films.

The new and flourishing category of netbooks is also becoming a breeding ground for new computer operating systems. The Google-backed, Linux-based open-source Android mobile platform has been moving into netbooks from smartphones, and on Tuesday Intel announced a new beta version of its Linux-based Moblin operating system for netbooks and other mobile devices.

Portable media players are almost essential for any music, video or photo fan -- which could be just about anyone on your holiday gift list.

Whether you're looking for a tiny player that can fit in a back pocket or something with a larger screen and memory capacity for watching videos, there are plenty of reasonable options.

Here is a sampling of what is out this season:

Microsoft Zune ($139-$250)

All eyes were on Research in Motion Friday as the BlackBerry Storm rolled out across the United States with Apple-like fanfare. The phone is available exclusively through Verizon Wireless.

The smartphone boasts an innovative touchscreen that actually depresses slightly when the screen is pressed. That means the user can feel the screen being pressed and released with a gentle "click," similar to the feeling of a key on a physical keyboard or a button on a mouse. The "clickable" touchscreen gives the user positive confirmation that a selection has been made.

The Storm is coming Nov. 21. Verizon Wireless announced that Research in Motion's "clickable" touchscreen BlackBerry Storm will be available online and at its retail stores on that date for $199.99 after a rebate.

The $50 rebate will require a two-year commitment. The Storm has been generating a significant amount of media buzz -- and, according to Verizon, customer interest -- because of unique features that Verizon and RIM hope will provide some shelter against Apple's popular iPhone 3G.

'Tactile Click Response'

RIM on Tuesday introduced the BlackBerry Bold smartphone through its carrier partner, AT&T. Analysts say the device is poised to become the mobile-phone maker's flagship corporate product.

The BlackBerry Bold smartphone offers several ways for business consumers to connect, including global 3G capabilities, built-in GPS and Wi-Fi. The phone also comes preloaded with AT&T Navigator, YellowPages.com Mobile, selections from the AT&T Mobile Music service, and popular video clips from its CV service.

Research In Motion and its U.S. carrier, AT&T, are being careful to avoid the problems Apple had with its launch of the iPhone 3G.

In May, the Ontario, Canada-based company said the BlackBerry Bold 9000 would go on sale in the summer. What it didn't mention was that the phone would be available only outside the United States.

Since August, RIM has announced the availability of the Bold 9000 in a slew of countries, including Taiwan, Bahrain, Japan, Indonesia, India and Serbia, but release in the U.S. is being delayed to complete further testing, according to the company.