Technology briefs for April 17

Technology briefs for Apil 17.

| Published: April 17, 2012 Comment on this article

Tech Bytes

Studio joins walmart program

LOS ANGELES — DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc., the maker of “Shrek,” “Madagascar” and “Kung Fu Panda,” is teaming up with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to help people convert their old DVDs into an online movie library. Jeffrey Katzenberg, DreamWorks' chief executive, says that the new “Disc to Digital” service will help consumers adapt to technological change. The service launched Monday at Walmart stores nationwide. DreamWorks joins five other participating studios: Viacom Inc.'s Paramount, Sony Corp., Comcast Corp.'s Universal, News Corp.'s 20th Century Fox, and Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Bros. Consumers who bring in physical DVDs and Blu-ray discs can pay $2 per disc to be able to access the movies through Wal-Mart's Vudu online movie service.

Ticket seller set to expand

LOS ANGELES — ScoreBig, an Internet startup that sells cut-rate tickets to sporting events and concerts, is trying to get bigger. The name-your-price discounter is lifting the invitation-only restriction on its website on Monday and is launching an app for iPhones that highlights deals of the day in local markets. The app will work in San Francisco and Los Angeles at first, to be followed by New York. The Los Angeles-based company launched its website in October 2010 with the goal of helping teams and concert promoters sell some of the 40 percent of tickets that go unsold for most events. It's like Priceline for live events. Because it requires fans to bid on tickets, the site helps event managers avoid the embarrassment of slashing prices publicly to fill stadiums.

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