Mr. Niles, 36, followed chip makers and computer makers for Lehman, the world's fourth-biggest securities firm by capital.
The Nasdaq, buoyed by gains in circuit makers and computer chip manufacturers, rose 17.73 points, or 0.96percentto to 1,860.13.
Some device makers and computer manufacturers have been lukewarm to the concept, arguing that the expense and effort it requires would not prevent Hollywood's material appearing on the Internet.
Japanese camera makers and computer printers made toast out of Polaroid, Xerox and Eastman Kodak.
In this period of turmoil, domestic software makers and computer service businesses are safe bets.
NIIT LTD., New Delhi, a software maker and computer training company, said it had bought Osprey Systems, Charlotte, N.C., a provider of management software services, for $3 million in a bid to increase sales.
The video chat software maker and computer hardware manufacturer are teaming up to develop a set-top video phone solution.
To conserve battery life, chip makers and mainstream computer manufacturers long focused on reducing the power used in laptops' central processing units, or C.P.U.'s.
Stocks rose yesterday, led by semiconductor makers and other computer-related issues, as investors bet that technology shares would weather a slowing economy.
navigation-device maker Garmin and computer manufacturer Asustek Computer are joining forces to make phones based on global positioning satellite technology, which is what powers Garmin's navigation devices.
