Dell could pre-install Google

Dell and Google are evaluating a partnership in which the Google Toolbar, Google Desktop Search and a Google-designed Dell home page are included on new Dell PCs.

CNet News reports that the companies are mulling a three-year partnership that could bring as much as $1 billion in revenue to the PC maker for letting Google install its software on Dell machines.

Sony has become the first major studio to put a price tag on the new Blu-Ray discs, which will become available in the US later this year, says Reuters.

Catalogue Blu-Ray disc titles will wholesale for $17.95, about the same as DVDs when that format hit the market in 1997. New-release Blu-Ray discs will wholesale for $23.45, a premium of 15%-20% over what suppliers were charging for new theatrical DVDs.

Benjamin Feingold, president of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, noted that at the dawn of DVDs in 1997, most movies initially were released on rental-priced videocassettes. "The premium is for a way better format and to remind retailers that at the time we launched DVD, VHS was selling for $55 wholesale in the first window," Feingold said.

Capcom`s Resident Evil 4 picked up awards for video game of the year and best action video game at Ziff Davis Media Game Group`s annual 1UP Awards in San Francisco yesterday, reports Reuters.

Best adventure game was Shadow of the Colossus (Sony Computer Entertainment), best fighting/wrestling game was Soul Calibur III (Namco), best massively multiplayer game was Guild Wars (NCsoft), the best online/multiplayer game went to Battlefield 2 (Electronic Arts) and best puzzle game was Lumines (Ubisoft).

Other awards included: best racing game: Mario Kart DS (Nintendo), best role-playing game: Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (Square Enix), best shooter game: Call of Duty 2 (Activision), best sports/extreme sports game: Madden NFL 06 (Electronic Arts), best strategy/simulation game: Civilization IV (2K Games), and most innovative game: Nintendogs (Nintendo).