HAWAII

Isle firm launches new game

Honolulu-based Tetris Online Inc., a developer and publisher of electronic entertainment, announced yesterday the launch of “;Tetris Party,”; the newest game of Tetris, for Nintendo's downloadable games service, WiiWare. The game is available from the Wii Shop Channel for 1200 Wii Points.

“;Tetris Party”; features 18 game modes and offers single-player and multiplayer variations of Tetris.

Tetris Online is the exclusive online licensee of the Tetris Company LLC for all rights to the Tetris game in North America and Europe.

Bankoh licenses online service

Bank of Hawaii will implement software by Atlanta-based technology company Online Banking Solutions to provide secure file exchanges between the bank and its customers through the Web, a desktop connection or secure FTP.

The M-Secure Banking Suite utilizes an encryption algorithm with a 448-bit key used in combination with a user ID and one-time password generated with the user's private PIN.

Separately, ACI Worldwide Inc., a provider of software for electronic payment systems, said yesterday that Bank of Hawaii has renewed its commitment to ACI Enterprise Banker. Along with the renewal, the bank will roll out new capabilities to its business customer base.

ACI Enterprise Banker allows financial institutions to package products and services for different markets and customers from a single platform.

Paparazzi firm to expand in Hawaii

Buzz Foto LLC founders Brad Elterman and Henry Flores are expanding their business to Hawaii and are looking for experienced paparazzi for the Honolulu and Maui markets. Recruitment will start in Honolulu on Saturday and Sunday. Interested parties should e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Buzz Foto is an international paparazzi photo agency based in Los Angeles.

Longs combining Hawaii ads

Longs Drug Stores Corp. is now combining its Wednesday and Sunday full-page print ads in Hawaii's newspapers.

Signs in the windows at Hawaii's Longs Drugs stores informed customers that as of Sept. 21 it was combining both days' ads into just one on Sundays, which would be good for the entire week.

The coupon books, however, still will come out as usual once a week.

Walnut Creek, Calif.-based Longs operates 526 retail pharmacies, 39 of which are in Hawaii.

Separately, CVS Caremark Corp. of Woonsocket, R.I. announced yesterday it expects to close its $2.7 billion purchase of Longs by the end of the month after Longs shareholders approved the buyout.

NATION

Circuit City may shut some stores

CHICAGO » Electronics retailer Circuit City Stores Inc. may close at least 20 percent of its stores to shore up its finances and avoid filing for bankruptcy protection, according to a published report yesterday.

The Wall Street Journal said the nation's second-largest consumer electronics chain was considering closing at least 150 locations and slashing thousands of jobs to avert a Chapter 11 filing. Closing dozens of stores would allow the retailer to liquidate $350 million in inventory that could be used to pay real-estate costs, including leases on abandoned sites. Spokesman Jim Babb said the chain wouldn't comment.