CSI creator’s plans for a digital empire

Anthony Zuiker will always be known as the creator of “CSI,” but he’s also the author of the “Level 26” thriller series. Now he’s bringing the two worlds together. 

On the Oct. 14 episode of “CSI,” the forensic investigators will square off against Sqweegel – the “forensic proof” serial killer from Zuiker’s books. Ann Margaret guest stars in the episode.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Nintendo 3DS won’t arrive until 2011

So much for a holiday surprise from Nintendo. 

The company today announced launch details for the 3DS, its upcoming handheld gaming platform that lets users play games in stereoscopic 3D without the need for special glasses. Japanese consumers will be the first to get their hands on the system – starting Feb. 26. U.S. and European gamers will have their chance in March.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Tivo, Roku join the Hulu Plus posse

Hulu seems to be making noises that it could be nearing the end of its beta period on its Hulu Plus service. The company has announced another pair of set-top boxes that will begin carrying the service soon. 

Tivo has signed on with the company to bring Hulu Plus to its Premiere DVRs in the coming months, and all Roku streaming media players will begin carrying it this fall.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Blackberry gets into the tablet computer race

Research in Motion, the company behind the Blackberry, is still fighting Apple tooth and nail in the smartphone market – and it’s not planning to cede the tablet space to the company, either. 

The company today unveiled its Playbook tablet, a 7-inch 9.7mm-thick device that’s due early next year in the U.S., with plans for an international roll-out in the second quarter of 2011.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Disney loses its Interactive head

Steve Wadsworth, president of Disney’s Interactive Media Group – the division overseeing video games, online virtual worlds and the company’s mobile efforts – has resigned after an 11-year tenure with the company. 

The departure leaves a vacuum at one of the company’s most important – but often troubled – divisions.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Verizon CEO: Cable TV at risk

The growing threat of Web video distribution is one the cable industry needs to pay closer attention to, according to the CEO of Verizon. Ivan Seidenberg, at a Goldman media conference in NY, told attendees he doesn’t expect future generations of customers to have any interest in buying cable bundles. 

“Young people are pretty smart. They’re not going to pay for something they don’t need to,” he said. “Over the top is going to be a pretty big issue for cable.”

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Consumer electronics: The App effect

The advent of the app era has certainly changed how people view their phones, but its real impact has been less on telecommunications – and more on the electronics industry. 

A new study by Deloitte, released today, finds that mobile apps actually aren’t a key driver on smartphone sales, but they do play a big role in people’s decision-making when they’re looking for something like a gaming console or GPS.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Warner Bros. vs. Apple

Don’t expect to see “The Big Bang Theory” or “Smallville” among Apple TV’s rentals anytime soon. 

Warner Bros., the studio behind those and several other hit shows, is among one of the highest profile holdouts for the service – and recent comments by CEO Barry Meyer would seem to indicate the company has no plans to change its mind soon.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Halo: Reach players have been very, VERY busy

In less than four days, “Halo: Reach” made an enormous impact on Xbox Live. 

Bungie Studios has put out a roundup of some “Reach” statistics from the first week of play. And if you thought that $200 million in sales in the first 24 hours was impressive, you ain’t seen nothing yet…

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Hackers bring down MPAA, RIAA sites

If you had trouble accessing the Web sites for the MPAA and RIAA earlier today, you’ve got 4chan to blame. 

The infamous Internet imageboard (and hangout of film piracy advocates) launched a coordinated DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) attack on the industry sites Monday – allegedly in a retaliatory move for the trades’ moves to squash filesharing Websites.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog