Best Buy has announced that its anticipated CinemaNow-based online video download service launch will happen later this month, giving users a chance to buy or rent movies and TV episodes.

The large retailer is moving into a crowded market currently dominated by Amazon and Apple and to a lesser degree by streaming services such as Netflix's Watch Instantly and Vudu, which was recently acquired by Wal-Mart.

The store is based on Sonic's CinemaNow service, and will be built right into devices sold in-store under the Insignia brand. Devices range from DVD and Blu-ray players to HDTV sets.

The service will also be built into the same devices through other manufacturers later in the year.

When the service launches, Best Buy says it expects to have thousands of new releases, indie films, catalog films and TV eps available. Some of the titles will be available on the same day as their DVD counterpart.

Check the site here: http://www.cinemanow.com/

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Microsoft has sued Salesforce.com this week, claiming the company has been actively infringing on nine of the software giant's patents.

The complaint is significant as it targets patents relating to customer-relationship management (CRM), which is the bread and butter of SalesForce's business.

Microsoft is seeking for an injunction on the features used in SF's software that infringes on the their patents.

Salesforce, which launched in 1999, "sells subscriptions to Internet business software that runs marketing campaigns and tracks sales leads." The company is in direct competition with Microsoft's Dynamics program in the CRM market.

"More and more, we're seeing Dynamics compete with Salesforce in deals," adds Ray Wang, an analyst with Altimeter Group. "Long term, Salesforce and Microsoft are on a collision course for all enterprise software."

Salesforce had about $1.3 billion in sales last year.

Responds the CRM company: "The resolution of this claim is not expected to have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, but it could be material to the net income or cash flows or both of a particular quarter."

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According to VG247, Sony will finally reveal its plans for PlayStation Network premium subscriptions at the upcoming E3 event in June.

The site says they have been assured by sources that nothing in the premium subs will impact the current fee aspects of the service, and the subscriptions are completely optional.

The service will cost under "£50 per year," notes the site.

As an added bonus, all users of the premium subscription will receive a fee PSN game each month, from a choice of up to four that change each month. After a few months, if you count the free games as money back to yourself, you break even on the subscription.

One of the expected new features is an unlimited streaming music app similar to Spotify.

As for cross-game chat? That will be a free update for all users, not part of the paid sub. When it will be released is a different matter.

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Ubisoft, the games publisher behind the new "always on" DRM, has disappointed investors this week, reporting an almost 18 percent slide in revenue for the fiscal year.

For the year, the company posted sales of $1.1 billion, and a net loss of $54 million.

The loss was mainly due to increases in R&D, which rose to $376 million, up 36 percent year-on-year.

Ubi says its top selling game was Assassin's Creed II (which uses the controversial DRM) and moved 9 million units since launch.

Additionally, Ubi saw its market share in North America rise to 6.8 percent from 5.3 percent last fiscal year. Despite the growth, the overall market, which remains in turmoil, has not helped with ongoing sales, concedes CEO Yves Guillemot: "The global economic crisis had a pronounced impact on the video game industry in 2009, which contracted by nearly 10 per cent year-on-year. Ubisoft's sales were hit particularly hard, falling 18 per cent over the full year despite a stabilisation in the second half of the year, when figures came in on a par with the corresponding period of 2008-09. This overall contraction in sales, combined with additional write-downs recorded for games already launched as well as for upcoming releases, led to a €60 million operating loss."

Despite significant backlash for their DRM scheme, Guillemot sees a strong 2010-2011 fiscal year: "We forecast a return to profitable growth in 2010-11 with positive cash flow generation, driven by a games line-up that is more closely tailored to growth segments and based on strong franchises.We also expect to see the first concrete results from our investments in on-line games and services. Lastly, the upcoming launches of new consoles, including Natal and Sony Move, should enable us to capitalise on the technology investments that we have undertaken in recent years and re-energize the casual games segment. At the same time, we will continue to reorganize our studios and enhance our development teams' productivity."

Sales saw the biggest dip in Europe, with a 49 percent drop year-on-year.

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OnStar has announced today that it has teamed with Google to develop new features to be used in Chevy Volt mobile app.

The app will get its first public showcase at the upcoming Google I/O conference tomorrow in California, where OnStar will show off the Android-leveraged application.

Adds OnStar pres Chis Preuss: "While OnStar will never lose sight of our core focus on safety and security, this relationship is an example of how we're evolving our leadership position in connected vehicle technology. What we're talking about today is only the beginning."

The current Chevy Volt app will get a new "navigation" tab, which will pinpoint the car's location via Google Maps. Then, just like on Android smartphones, users can voice search for destinations and have OnStar turn on turn-by-turn directions.

Additionally, the app will have the following features:

* Charge status display – plugged in or not and voltage (120V or 240V)
* Flexibility to "Charge Now" or schedule charge timing
* Display percentage of battery charge level, electric and total ranges
* Ability to manually set grid-friendly charge mode for off-peak times when electricity rates are lowest
* Send text or email notifications for charge reminders, interruptions and full charge
* Display miles per gallon, electric only miles, and odometer readings
* Shows miles per gallon, EV miles and miles driven for last trip and lifetime
* Remotely start the vehicle to pre-condition the interior temperature

Notes Tony DiSalle, Chevrolet Volt marketing director: "These two new features add to the suite of mobile application features for Volt that give Volt owners a personal connection to their car. Connecting customers to their cars is one way we're using technology to provide value and a real useful benefit to the Volt owner."

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MySpace has taken steps this week to combat Facebook, the behemoth social networking site plagued by criticism over its privacy settings.

The once-extremely-popular site will simplify its own privacy settings over the coming weeks, giving users the "option to select one privacy setting for all information in their profiles, which often include a user's name, birthday, interests and photos."

Profiles can be made public to everyone, MySpace friends only, or MySpace users over 18 only.

Previously, the settings for different sections of their profile were scattered, including the separate controls for privacy on their photos, comments and friend's lists.

Taking a jab at Facebook's recent plights, MySpace Co-President Mike Jones says: "Given all the noise in the industry, we want to get out and state a clear position so that our users understand that we take privacy very seriously."

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Spotify, the popular music streaming service available in Europe, has announced today the launch of two new variations of the service, Spotify Open and Spotify Unlimited.

"Unlimited" gives users "round-the-clock," ad-free access to Spotify for €5 a month. Unlike the more expensive "Premium" version, you will not be able to move files to your smartphone or play in offline mode at all. You will need to be connected to the Internet at all times to play the tracks.

Premium is £9.99 per month, however.

"Open" is completely free, but also lacks most of the options of the other variations, including some that are even included in Spotify "Free," which is free but requires an invite to sign up.

Spotify Open lets anyone sign up and receive 20 hours of streaming per month, with no other obligations. You will hear ads, just like in the Free version, however.

You can see the full comparison sheet here:

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Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) has written today in their official blog that the PlayStation 3 will soon be getting the MUBI movie streaming service.

The service has a large range of independent, classic and international films and will be available on the console "this autumn."

MUBI was announced first at the Cannes Film Festival and will include "festival gems, classics, famous independent releases and art-house flicks" from such famous directors like Quentin Tarantino, Gus Van Sant and the Coens.

When it launches later this year in the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Iberia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux, Australia and New Zealand there will be over 300 films available.

"PlayStation is about great entertainment, from games to content, delivered straight to the living room or enjoyed on the go. Today this ranges from VidZone, the free on demand service music service, through to PlayTV where you can watch, record and rewind live TV at your leisure. MUBI offers the perfect independent counterpoise to our box-office blockbuster, hi-def, video delivery service, catering for the tastes of an ever broader customer base. Add in PS3's DVD and Blu-ray disc player and we have the perfect ticket for film lovers," says SCEE president Andrew House.

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Google has announced that it will purchase Global IP Solutions, a company with technology delivering voice and video over IP.

The move has prompted rumors that the company is trying to add video conferencing to the Android operating system.

GIPS is known for their "high-quality, real-time audio and video streaming via IP," and has been licensing the technology over the years to companies as big as Samsung, Yahoo, AOL and Nortel for their video/video chat services.

The Android video chat rumors began last month when GIPS rolled out its first product that was intended to help developers add video chat to Android phones and tablets.

The search giant will pay $68.2 million for the company, which is a large 27.5 percent premium over the company's closing share price. In January the company said it had a possible buyer and shares have surged 60 percent since.

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