Neowin.net

Hoping to put its butler services in constant contact with Web surfers, Ask Jeeves on Monday will announce the release of a new tool bar that gives people a direct line to its searching features.

The company is the latest dot-com to add a tool bar to its offerings as it competes for customers and revenue in a down economy.

People who download the free tool bar will be able to get to Ask Jeeves' offerings from any Web page. Features of the bar include :-

• Search Ask: Access Ask Jeeves' search results from anywhere on the Web.
• Search AJ Kids: Search only kid-friendly Web sites using the Ask Jeeves for Kids search engine.
• Search News: Search the latest news headlines.
• Search Dictionary: Look up word definitions online.
• Search Market: Get financial information and stock quotes for specific companies.
• Search Weather: Get up-to-the minute forecasts with the click of a button.
• Search Events: Search for local entertainment, events and more by simply entering in a movie title, type of food, club, etc.
• Highlight: Highlight your search terms as they appear on the page in upto six colors.
• Email this page to a friend: Email any Web page to a friend with a click of the button.
• JeevesLinks: Conduct online research more efficiently by tracking and saving your searches for access at a later time
• It is also possible to customize the appearance and features of the tool bar.

News source: CNet News
View: Ask Jeeves Press Release - July 29, 2002
Download: Ask Jeeves Toolbar (Requires Windows 98/ME/NT/2k/XP AND Internet Explorer 5.x or above)

The ACCC had intervened to support Sydney PlayStation retailer Eddy Stevens after he was sued by Sony for installing code-breaking chips in consoles and selling them.

In a separate case that has yet to be judged, Sony has also accused Stevens of selling pirated PlayStation games.

PIRACY

The electronics giant argues that regional coding, under which it sells different consoles to three geographically exclusive zones, prevents piracy.

But Justice Ronald Sackville of the Federal Court said Sony failed to prove that the regional coding was simply aimed at copyright protection, and that mod chips were therefore in breach of copyright legislation.

Sony Computer Entertainment Australia said it had the right to appeal and was in discussions with its parent company.

"We're obviously very disappointed," managing director Michael Ephraim told Reuters.

Ephraim lashed out at the ACCC for what he said were "misleading" and "distorted" comments to Australian consumers about competition and regional coding.

He said PlayStation 2 games sold in Australia at the same price as in the United States and at up to 20 percent less than in Britain.

The court case was purely about piracy, he said.

"Piracy is a major problem," Ephraim said.

Citing independent surveys, he said the cost of piracy to Australia's A$680 million (US$367 million) a year computer games industry amounted to A$50 million per annum.

Pirated PlayStation 1 games sell on the black market for as little as A$5 compared to a retail price of up to A$49 while PlayStation 2 games can be bought for around A$30, against the normal retail price of around A$100.

The Sony executive said that rather than being designed for commercial motives, regional coding came about because of different television formats in Australia and the United States.

Furthermore, he said there was nothing in the court ruling that allowed consumers to legally play back-up copies, as suggested by ACCC chairman Fels.

"There is no such thing as an authorized back-up copy," Ephraim said. "The copyright act makes it clear that making back-up copies of games is illegal."