PARIS (June 16, 2008) — Organizers of the annual Cartes Congress (now the Cartes & IDentification Congress) plan a number of innovations for the 2008 show, which is scheduled for November 4 through 6 at the Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Center here. The event will focus on e-transactions and ID management, and will focus on the dynamic United States market. Japan was the nation of honor last year… [full story]

PRINCETON, NJ (June 2008) — Heartland Payment Systems Inc., based here, has completed its acquisition of the network services business of Alliance Data Systems Corp. for $77.5 million. The parties’ definitive agreement for this acquisition was previously announced on May 5…[full story]

CHICAGO (June 12, 2008) — A recent article in the Fort Myers, FL, The News-Press publicized one operator’s unscrupulous behavior. National Automatic Merchandising Association president and chief executive Richard Geerdes responded by sending a letter to the editor to set the record straight about the industry’s professionalism and integrity...  [see letter here]

ORBA LINDA, CA (June 26, 2008) — Pacific Brokerage Co., based here, and Burdette Beckmann (Hollywood, FL) announced that they will merge their organizations effective July 1. This partnership and Burdette Beckmann's recent purchase of the vending division of California-based Elite Associates mark Burdette's entry into the West Coast market… [full story]

CAMBRIDGE, MA (June 18, 2008) —Akamai Technologies Inc. reports that faster download speeds are being achieved in managing more than eight terabytes of monthly traffic on Ecast’s network. Two years ago, Ecast Inc. tapped Akamai to boost delivery speeds of its digital music catalog and rich media advertising, eliminating uncertainties about peak bandwidth demands… [full story]

LONDON (June 18, 2008) — Entertainment companies hoping to drive growth over the next five must accommodate dramatic changes in devices, markets and consumer behaviors by striking strategic business alliances, according to a report released today by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The report underscores the importance of continuing to extract revenues from traditional business segments while emerging technologies continue to solidify their consumer position… [full story]

SAN JOSE, CA (June 6, 2008) — Jim DeRose has exited Global VR after three years as president and chief executive officer, and almost as long as chairman. GVR’s board named executive vice-president of operations Ken Bayer new president. Patrick Imeson, managing director of Black Diamond Financial Group, GVR’s financial backer, assumes chairman responsibilities… [full story]

ALBANY, NY (June 27, 2008) — Major legislation repealing a 21-year-old discriminatory law, which forbids free games or time on amusement machines, has passed both houses in New York state and is on its way to the governor. If signed into law, New York’s trade could experience a boon… [full story]

NEW YORK CITY (June 3, 2008) — For the second consecutive year, TouchTunes Corp. will be the official sponsor of the U.S. Air Guitar Championships. The celebrated counterculture event will be staged in 20 U.S. cities, at which the company will showcase its digital jukeboxes and promote mytouchtunes.com… [full story]

Anyone following the news these days might be forgiven for concluding that no one is able to say, with certainty, just what is going on. Veteran commodities traders differ widely in their assessments of the role that speculation plays in keeping petroleum prices high despite falling demand, and on the worldwide runup in food cost… more by Tim Sanford

The industry’s ongoing argument over “how many shows is the right number” has intensified lately. The whole debate reminds me of a key exchange from a classic war film. “The Battle of Britain” takes place in the summer of 1940. Nazi bombers are flying across the English Channel every day, bombing London to hell as part of the softening-up process before a planned German invasion… more by Marcus Webb