Archive

Copyright law has some muscle in this country, enough to fend off even young Shawn Fanning and his highly innovative music file-sharing service. Emotions are running high regarding this issue, but when all is said and done, how will anyone really dispute Napster's defiance of copyright law? Th...

The Internet is fast becoming a mecca for drug traffickers who use it to unlawfully peddle controlled substances, the United Nations' International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) said Wednesday in its annual report. The report said that some online pharmacies "explicitly" advertise that they pr...

With record sales undermined by staggering losses, Internet grocer Peapod.com has issued a warning that it would run out of cash by the end of the year if it does not secure additional financing. The e-tailer posted record fourth quarter sales of $US23.7 million in its earnings report issued We...

Vivendi Universal and Sony Music, two of the most dominant players in the music industry, said Thursday they will soon compete directly with Napster by launching a digital music site of their own. Known as Duet, the site will be based in San Francisco, California and offer both subscription and...

In a bid to increase its international market share, eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY) announced late Wednesday that it has signed an agreement to purchase European online auctioneer iBazar S.A. in an all-stock deal estimated to be worth up to US$112 million. "This deal is a tremendous step forward for eBay,...

Illustrating the extent of evolution that online business is facing, a report released Wednesday by IDC found that the number of private corporate Web portals might eventually surpass the number accessible by the public via the Internet. "There are only so many portals that are going to make it ...

It seemed like the perfect solution for overworked, time-deprived 21st century consumers -- online grocers to the rescue. Even a year ago, the revolutionary prospect of selling perishables and food online held promise. But a year online is like a day in conventional time, and what a difference ...

Dot coms don't need unions. In fact, there are few sectors in the modern economy that do any more. As if to prove a point, e-commerce companies saddled with the potential burden of carrying union employees on their backs are getting shoved into the shakeout blender even faster than their non-uni...

Sun Microsystems (Nasdaq: SUNW) was down US$1.81 at $20.44 Wednesday morning following reports that Merrill Lynch & Co. downgraded the stock because of concerns that the slowing economy could hurt demand for the Sun's products. Merrill analyst Thomas Kraemer reportedly downgraded the Palo Alto,...

General Motors (NYSE: GM) announced Wednesday that it has inked a deal with Autobytel.com to test an online shopping system that will show consumers the cars available for purchase in their area. GM said the trial run, which is slated to begin May 1st and run for 90 days, will provide the compa...

VA Linux Systems (Nasdaq: LNUX) fell US$1.59 to $5.66 in morning trading Wednesday, after the software maker reported a loss for the fiscal second quarter and announced a planned restructuring -- including approximately 139 job cuts and a charge to third-quarter results. Chief executive officer La...

BlueLight.com unveiled a new online shopping reward program Wednesday that will provide free Internet access to its online shoppers. Starting March 1st, BlueLight will offer shoppers the opportunity to get free monthly Internet service as a reward for buying products through its shopping site. ...

Raising questions about the Internet's ability to sell tickets to major international events, technical problems on the official site of soccer's 2002 World Cup have left fans in the co-host countries of Japan and Korea unable to order tickets online for the championship of the world's most popu...

Home delivery of groceries and other sundries ordered online will endure, according to industry observers, but some leading Internet providers might not, unless they can adapt to marketplace demands and find offline partnerships to become profitable. Yankee Group analyst Christine Loeber told th...

FairMarket (Nasdaq: FAIM) rose to US$2.41, up 53 cents, after the company, which provides so-called "dynamic pricing" services to retailers, said its clients will be able to sell their wares directly over the eBay marketplace. FairMarket said the deal will let merchants, manufacturers and distribu...