Search platform in T-Mobile deal

Seattle's Medio Systems plans to announce today it will provide T-Mobile USA's search platform that helps subscribers find mobile content, such as ringtones, movie times, business listings and other content, on the phone.

In April, the Bellevue wireless carrier had picked InfoSpace, also of Bellevue, as its search provider. T-Mobile said Friday that InfoSpace continues to be "a valued search-services partner."

The Medio search service is already live on most T-Mobile phones, at the top of the portal called t-zones.

T-Mobile and Medio didn't disclose its business arrangement, and for now, said the service doesn't feature ads.

Melodeo

Mobilcast service expands in U.K.

Melodeo, which develops podcast software for the mobile phone, plans to announce today it has launched its service in the United Kingdom with 3, a wireless operator.

With the launch, Melodeo's Mobilcast service will be available to almost 4 million subscribers in the U.K., joining more than 40 million in North America, where the Seattle company has arrangements with Cingular Wireless, Alltel Wireless and Rogers Wireless.

$11 million raised in venture capital

BioPassword is expected to announce today it has secured $11 million in venture capital.

The Issaquah company's software authorizes or denies access to computers by the way people type.

RRE Ventures joins existing investors Citrix Systems, Ignition Partners and OVP Venture Partners in the third round, which will be used for product development, sales, expansion and operations.

To date, BioPassword has raised $24.5 million and has 40 employees.

Consumer Electronics Show 2007

Inrix

TeleNav agreement calls for traffic data

Inrix, which provides traffic information in the U.S., plans to announce today an agreement with TeleNav of Santa Clara, Calif.

The Kirkland company will provide traffic data to TeleNav for its mobile-phone-based Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation service. The announcement is expected at the International Consumer Electronics Show.

TeleNav separately announced availability of its TeleNav Traffic product, which monitors traffic and proactively alerts users of slowdowns and incidents along their routes. By request, it will also reroute users.

TeleNav Traffic is available on some Sprint wireless phones.

LG Electronics

High-def player for dual formats

LG Electronics will begin selling a dual-format high-definition player designed to call a truce in the war between rival DVD formats.

The model BH100, dubbed "Super Multi Blue," will play discs in the Blu-ray format, backed by a group led by Sony Corp. LG is a member of the Blu-ray consortium.

It will also play discs in the rival HD DVD format, which is backed by a Toshiba-headed consortium.

But while it will display the full range of interactive features contained on Blu-ray discs, such as menus that appear while the film is playing, it will not play similar interactive elements contained on HD DVD discs.

The player was unveiled Sunday at the Las Vegas show. It will sell for $1,199 when it becomes available in early February.

Treo smart phone finally goes on sale

After disappointing delays in the U.S., Palm and Cingular Wireless will begin selling a highly anticipated smart phone today that runs on a worldwide network.

The Palm Treo 750 is aimed at executives, sales people and other "mobile professionals" who travel to foreign countries and still use e-mail, the Web and their cellphone.

It will be sold at Cingular Wireless stores and online for $400 with a two-year contract and mail-in rebate. Plans will begin at $40 per month.

Palm launched the phone in Europe in September. Executives blamed the U.S. delay on carrier-certification issues.

Sony

Shipment goal met for PlayStation 3

Sony said Sunday it overcame early production delays to meet a goal of shipping 1 million PlayStation 3 machines to the U.S. in 2006.

It diverted parts meant for its Blu-ray DVD movie players to game consoles after a shortage of diodes limited PlayStation supplies, said Jack Tretton, Sony Computer Entertainment's U.S. president.

Separately, Sony said it will equip most of its televisions this year with an Internet connection for viewing videos from the Web. The company announced partnerships with Time Warner's AOL and Yahoo!

Compiled from Seattle Times staff, The Associated Press and Bloomberg News