■ Flash memory
Intel about to raise prices
Intel Corp, which is trying to generate more revenue from communications chips, plans to raise prices on flash memory products by as much as 40 percent as demand for cellphones rises. The world's largest chipmaker will increase prices by 20 percent to 40 percent across its line of flash memory chips beginning Jan. 1, spokesman Tom Beermann said, confirming a report on the DigiTimes.com Web site. Flash memory is used to store information in cell phones and other handheld devices. "The price increases are being driven primarily by demand for cell phones and other devices that use flash memory," Beermann said. Intel is trying to counter slowing growth for personal computers by getting more sales from chips used in other types of electronics.
■ Amazon.com
CDNow services offered
Amazon.com Inc, the largest Internet retailer, said it had struck an agreement with Bertelsmann AG's BeMusic unit to provide services for CDNow, a Web store that sells recorded music and movies. Amazon.com spokeswoman Kristin Schaefer said the company wouldn't announce other details of the agreement at this time. The Financial Times reported that Amazon.com will take over running the day-to-day operations of CDNow, with Bertelsmann retaining ownership of the brand name and the Web site. Closely held Bertelsmann, Germany's largest media company, has been scaling back its Internet ventures under new Chief Executive Gunter Thielen.
■ Insurance
Bush signs legisalation
President George W. Bush said legislation he signed yesterday to shield the insurance industry from catastrophic costs of future terror attacks is vital to the war on terror and to US economic security. "Terrorism insurance will help get America's hardhats back on the job, create new jobs for America's workers and spur billions in new investment in construction projects all across the country," Bush said after Congress gave final approval to the measure. "This bill comes at a critical time, as commercial construction is at a six-year low."
■ Deep Fritz 7
Program to be marketed
Computer chess program Deep Fritz 7 can be pretty intimidating. Analyzing 3 million moves a second, it made world champion Vladimir Kramnik sweat to barely win a draw -- and it can crush ordinary players like bugs. But, for less than 100 euros (US$100), fearsome Fritz will be your friend. The program, marketed by the tiny Hamburg firm ChessBase GmbH, has taken up the mantle dropped by giant IBM's discontinued Deep Blue project, which made history in 1997 by defeating world champion Garry Kasparov. There's one big difference between Deep Fritz and Deep Blue: Fritz aims to make money as well as history. Retailing at 99.90 euros (US$99.90) for the top version, it's a commercial product aimed squarely at ordinary people who want to play better chess. The successive versions of Fritz have sold around 500,000 CD copies since 1987, as the 18-employee company has carved out a dominant position in the esoteric market for advanced computer software. It says it sells about 90 percent of chess software in the German market, and dominates among leading professionals.
Agencies
NO-LIMITS PARTNERSHIP: ‘The bottom line’ is that if the US were to have a conflict with China or Russia it would likely open up a second front with the other, a US senator said Beijing and Moscow could cooperate in a conflict over Taiwan, the top US intelligence chief told the US Senate this week. “We see China and Russia, for the first time, exercising together in relation to Taiwan and recognizing that this is a place where China definitely wants Russia to be working with them, and we see no reason why they wouldn’t,” US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told a US Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing on Thursday. US Senator Mike Rounds asked Haines about such a potential scenario. He also asked US Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse
INSPIRING: Taiwan has been a model in the Asia-Pacific region with its democratic transition, free and fair elections and open society, the vice president-elect said Taiwan can play a leadership role in the Asia-Pacific region, vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) told a forum in Taipei yesterday, highlighting the nation’s resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges. “Not only can Taiwan help, but Taiwan can lead ... not only can Taiwan play a leadership role, but Taiwan’s leadership is important to the world,” Hsiao told the annual forum hosted by the Center for Asia-Pacific Resilience and Innovation think tank. Hsiao thanked Taiwan’s international friends for their long-term support, citing the example of US President Joe Biden last month signing into law a bill to provide aid to Taiwan,
China’s intrusive and territorial claims in the Indo-Pacific region are “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive,” new US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo said on Friday, adding that he would continue working with allies and partners to keep the area free and open. Paparo made the remarks at a change-of-command ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, where he took over the command from Admiral John Aquilino. “Our world faces a complex problem set in the troubling actions of the People’s Republic of China [PRC] and its rapid buildup of forces. We must be ready to answer the PRC’s increasingly intrusive and
STATE OF THE NATION: The legislature should invite the president to deliver an address every year, the TPP said, adding that Lai should also have to answer legislators’ questions The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday proposed inviting president-elect William Lai (賴清德) to make a historic first state of the nation address at the legislature following his inauguration on May 20. Lai is expected to face many domestic and international challenges, and should clarify his intended policies with the public’s representatives, KMT caucus secretary-general Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) said when making the proposal at a meeting of the legislature’s Procedure Committee. The committee voted to add the item to the agenda for Friday, along with another similar proposal put forward by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). The invitation is in line with Article 15-2