Nortel Networks Corp. may be fending off its creditors under court protection, but its once proud name will still be prominent as a sponsor of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

The company, as a third-tier sponsor, has a comparatively small role as a “supplier” of gear to carry all the voice, video and data traffic for the Games, worth an estimated $15-million.

It has already delivered on most of its commitment, and the final pieces will be in place by May, Nortel told the Vancouver Organizing Committee Wednesday.

With its commitment fulfilled, Nortel retains full rights to use the Olympic brand to promote its name and gets access to tickets to major events and good hotel rooms.

Nortel's financial woes, however, may tarnish the Olympic brand, said Lindsay Meredith, a marketing professor at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, a Vancouver suburb.

The latest in television technology was on display this past weekend at the annual Consumer Electronics Show, with super-thin screens, 3-D imagery, wireless connections and ultra-sharp picture quality.

Too bad most of us can't afford it.

All this state-of-the-art TV technology -- much of it not yet available -- is extremely expensive, a serious consideration for many buyers in these recessionary times.

But it's fun to dream. Besides, prices for new consumer electronics almost always plunge when (and if) they become popular. Four years ago, a 46-inch LCD TV -- then considered exotic -- retailed for about $10,000. Now you can pick one up for about $1,000.

Coming up with ideas for new digital products and services is hardly difficult in this world of rapid technological development and increasing access to computers and the network.

Anyone with a vague grasp of the capabilities of internet-connected devices should be able to think of two or three innovations over an overpriced latte, in their nearest 'third space' coffee shop.

Having ideas may be easy, but deciding which to pursue and turning them into reality is difficult work with a low likelihood of success.

There's a lot of support for entrepreneurs in business, and the recent announcement that 35 UK companies will be going to the South by South-West interactive conference in Austin, Texas as part of government-sponsored 'Digital Mission' is a good demonstration of how to help growing companies.

Around the country, Americans bracing for hard times are quickly discovering that high-tech bling maybe something they can live without.

In a recent online survey by Forrester Research, more than 60 percent of respondents said the limping economy makes it less likely for them to purchase a handheld video player, a satellite radio, a smart phone, a video game console or a portable GPS.

"It doesn't matter which category you are talking about, people are evaluating potential purchases with a careful eye," said Charles Golvin, a Forrester analyst.

ESS Technology Announces World`s First VoIP Single-Chip Solution to Embed Two SLICs and Ethernet Switch.

ESS Technology, a leading provider of high performance audio/video solutions, today announced the ES9701 as the newest member of its VoIP product line. First in the industry to embed two Subscriber Line Interface Circuits (SLICs) and an Ethernet switch, the ES9701 brings the highest integration and lowest bill of materials to consumer VoIP adapters and IP phone applications. The ES9701 includes all the necessary processors and peripherals for full-featured VoIP phone applications:

* 32-bit RISC processor for the operating system, control and signaling