Last week, iFire Technology, a subsidiary of Westaim, announced it has entered into a $25 million strategic partnership agreement with TDK for technology collaboration and production of iFire-based flat-panel displays. iFire claims to be developing an inorganic electroluminescent display technology, with applications targeting consumer markets and the automotive display sector.

Last week, CBS and Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America (MDEA) announced that they have entered into an agreement by which MDEA will sponsor high definition coverage of the semi-finals and finals of the 2001 US Open Tennis Championships. It is the third consecutive year MDEA has sponsored CBS's HDTV coverage of the US Open. According to CBS, this year's coverage will feature the HD primetime broadcast of the Women's Final on Saturday evening, September 8.

In addition to the predictable numbers generated by megabuck-grossing films like The Matrix and Titanic (see related story), we figure that SGHT readers might also be interested in what's at the opposite end of the list. After rummaging around, we discovered the website for The Amazing World of Cult Movies, self-described as "the Internet's definitive reference source for the celebration of alternative cinema."

The Linux operating-system movement appeared to have taken a leap forward last week with the announcement of Indrema, a new consumer-electronics company specializing in open-source digital products for home entertainment. Using the Linux operating system, enhanced by a set of open-source multimedia standards such as the Direct Rendering Infrastructure, the new OpenStream video architecture, and Mesa 3D compatible graphics components, Indrema says it plans to "turn the consumer-electronics industry on its head."