Transplant Jaw: Will 3D Printers Lead to Innovation in Surgical Procedures?

  • Here’s an application you may not have envisioned for 3D printers…
  • BBC News reports that an 83-year-old woman with a chronic bone infection has become the first to receive an artificial jaw implant constructed using 3D printing technology.
  • Doctors in the Netherlands performed the surgery last year using a jaw comprised of thousands of printed layers of titanium dust that were heated and fused together by a laser. Once designed, the jaw only took a few hours to print.
  • “Technicians say the operation’s success paves the way for the use of more 3D-printed patient-specific parts,” reports BBC News. “The team said that it expected similar techniques to become more common over the coming years.”

Facebook Launches Widescreen Photo Viewer that Includes Ads

  • Facebook is launching a widescreen photo viewer similar to the Google+ lightbox overlay.
  • “Rolling out gradually to Facebook users, the social network is launching a new version of the photo viewer that allows pictures to be displayed at a significantly larger resolution than previous designs,” reports Digital Trends. “On a typical 15-inch laptop, pictures display as large as 960 pixels wide and 720 pixels tall.”
  • The new interface brings photos to the entire screen and features a space on the right side where users can like, share or comment. Facebook is also adding advertisements and sponsored stories underneath the comments.
  • “Seeing how this is the first major new feature to come out of the social network since the IPO announcement, the inclusion of the ads within the new photo viewer is likely indicative of Facebook’s efforts to monetize the site more effectively,” suggests the post. “While the ad placements are currently static when clicking through pictures within the album, Facebook could alter the ad rotation frequency to change upon each new picture and drastically increase ad impressions.”

Super Bowl Sets Records for TV Broadcast and Most Streamed Game Ever

  • Sunday marked the first live stream of the Super Bowl, which drew more than 2.1 million users (according to data provided by Omniture and mDialog).
  • This sets a record for the most viewers of any single game online, NBC Sports said. Users screened more than 78 million minutes on NBCSports.com and NFL.com.
  • “The Super Bowl XLVI live stream exceeded our expectations in every way,” said Kevin Monaghan, SVP of business development and managing director digital media at NBC Sports Group. “Increasingly, sports fans are looking to digital coverage as a complementary ‘second screen’ experience, and we delivered on that promise with unprecedented robust coverage.”
  • Football fans viewed “1,838,812 on demand clips and were heavy users of the feature that allowed them to switch camera angles, with user-generated camera switches totaling 1,835,676,” reports Broadcasting & Cable.
  • The TV audience also set a new record for the most-watched television program in U.S. history with 111.3 million.

Netflix Kickstarts Original Programming this Week with Lilyhammer

  • Netflix began airing its first original series this week, “Lilyhammer” with actor/musician Steve Van Zandt portraying a gangster on the run in Norway.
  • According to Ted Sarandos, Netflix content chief, the investment in original programming “is part of an emerging strategy to keep and win subscribers,” reports TheWrap.
  • “The more you watch them, the more you love the service,” says Sarandos. “The more [subscribers] we retain, the more you tell your friends about it. Shows like this, when they’re done really well, lead to a lot of watching and a lot of consumer engagement.”
  • Netflix has released all eight episodes of “Lilyhammer” for instant streaming at once; the second season is in development.
  • The service is also prepping a second original series, the David Fincher-produced “House of Cards” starring Kevin Spacey.
  • Additionally, Netflix has exclusive streaming rights to the new fourth season of “Arrested Development,” slated for 2013.

AOL Announces it Will Launch Huffington Post Live Streaming Network

  • AOL’s Huffington Post announced it plans to create a 100-member newsroom to produce a video-news channel.
  • The company says it will feature 12 hours of live content, five days a week. The new streaming network is expected to launch later this year.
  • Plans include a highly interactive site that involves the audience more than we’ve seen in the past, including programs called “Defend Your Comment” and “Write the Headline.”
  • The news channel will include a live stream of comments posted via Facebook, Twitter and the website. Other AOL entities, such as TechCrunch and its Patch sites, are also expected to contribute content.
  • “Founding editor Roy Sekoff, who will be leading the network, described the programming as a series of live and interactive clips covering everything from entertainment to politics,” reports SocialTimes.

Apple iTV Rumors Fueled by Cable Company Talks and Best Buy Survey

  • Apple is reportedly in talks with Canadian TV providers discussing plans to launch its rumored iTV product.
  • “Partnerships between Apple and pay-TV providers would be both good and bad for consumers,” suggests TIME. “Working with a cable company means getting lots of content, which Apple can then offer through a simple interface, potentially with iPhones, iPads and Siri acting as remote controls.”
  • “On the downside, cable companies aren’t likely to give up their old business model of making subscribers pay for unwanted bundles of channels,” adds the article.
  • Apple may need to integrate apps and Web-based content in order to get deals, as opposed to the rumored a la carte alternative.
  • Some analysts are also suggesting the TV may emphasize user-generated videos created with iPads and iPhones for a YouTube-like model.
  • In a related story, CNET reports that a recent Best Buy customer survey asks whether consumers would be willing to spend $1,499 for an Apple-branded 42-inch HDTV.
  • “That’s up three times as much as current 42-inch models; could it be worth the price?” asks the article. “The survey describes a product that’s essentially a 1080p HDTV with iOS built in, including app and iCloud support; a camera and microphone for some kind of user interaction; and integration with other iOS devices, including using an iPad or iPhone as a remote.”

Apple TV to Livestream Paul McCartney Concert Tonight for Free

  • Apple will host its first live stream tonight on Apple TV, featuring a free live performance from Paul McCartney promoting his new “Kisses on the Bottom” album.
  • Could this be a preview for how Apple plans to challenge traditional TV on the Web?
  • “The company ‘announced’ via a banner on iTunes that the stream would take place at 7pm PST on February 9 both on iTunes (for Mac and PC) as well as the Apple TV — the first livestream of its kind for Apple’s set-top box,” reports Ars Technica. “This isn’t the first time Apple has streamed live (usually music-related) content via iTunes, but it will be the highest-profile and the first available to Apple TV users.”
  • Ars Technica suggests Apple will be watching its viewer numbers as this event may serve as a test for the company possibly challenging traditional TV delivery methods.
  • “There has been buzz that Apple might try to launch its own TV subscription service, while others believe Apple is more likely to begin allowing third-parties to create ‘apps’ for the Apple TV that will let them stream their own live content with ads,” according to the post.

Social Advertising: Facebook Continues to Dominate, Mobile Ads on the Rise

  • According to a recent report from Strata, a provider of ad systems for media buyers and sellers, Facebook continued to dominate the social media advertising sector with 89 percent of advertisers planning to incorporate the social network into their clients’ campaigns.
  • Facebook is followed by Twitter at 39 percent, YouTube at 36 percent, LinkedIn at 21 percent and Google Plus at 18 percent.
  • Strata reports that mobile advertising rose 39 percent from Q3 to Q4, with 83 percent of agencies targeting the iPhone.
  • “Many advertisers are confident that their business and the economy will return to a strong period by midyear. That sentiment, coupled with strong numbers from the political race, provides an overall positive barometer for advertising in 2012,” explained John Shelton, president and CEO of Strata.
  • In a related story posted by The Next Web, Hitwise reports that Facebook accounted for 1 in every 5 page views during January, adding that the average visit time was 20 minutes.
  • “The scary part is that as more people start setting up their Timeline on Facebook, the time on site will increase even more…If that trend continues, people will literally spend hours of their time just giving Facebook every piece of data they have on themselves,” suggests TNW.

Panasonic Launches Two New Rugged Compact Consumer Cameras

  • Panasonic has announced two new compact cameras designed for rugged conditions.
  • “The baby of the two is the Lumix TS20, a slimline 16.1-megapixel camera that also offers 720p video recording, is waterproof to 5 meters, shockproof to 1.5 meters, dustproof and even freeze-proof to temperatures as low as 14 degrees F/-10 degrees C,” reports Digital Trends.
  • The Lumix TS4 is Panasonic’s “top-of-the-line” rugged digital camera, priced at $399 (available in March).
  • “For this you get a 12.1-megapixel Leica DC Vario-Elmar lens with a 4.6x optical zoom, plus the advanced LSI Venus image processing engine,” explains the post. “The TS4 offers 1080p video recording, a panorama mode and a cool time-lapse setting for recording something changing over a longer period of time.”
  • Digital Trends asks if this is the direction camera manufacturers should take in order to differentiate their compact cameras from the new crop of smartphones that feature improved camera capabilities. “While there are several rugged smartphones — the Motorola Defy for example — they don’t offer the same degree of camera performance as the TS20 or TS4. [Last week] Sony also announced several new compact cameras, choosing to upgrade the sensors and software without increasing the prices.”

Vizio Releases Price and Availability of First Ultrawidescreen HDTV

  • As promised during January’s CES, Vizio is getting ready to launch its new line of ultrawide LCDs.
  • Vizio’s XVT 3D CinemaWide LCD TV will start at $3,499 for the 58-inch HDTV model (50-inch and 71-inch models are also scheduled).
  • The new set will feature “its trademark 21:9 aspect ratio (compared to a traditional HDTV’s 16:9) and 2560×1080 resolution,” says Engadget. “It also has an array of specs, measuring the 120Hz Edge LED lit screen at 56.7-inches wide by 29-inches high and 1.8-inches deep.”
  • Good news for college basketball fans: Vizio says the first set will launch prior to March Madness.
  • The post includes a 1-minute video promo for Vizio CinemaWide HDTV.

Reuters Announces New Social Dashboard for Journalists and Readers

  • Reuters has launched a new social media dashboard called Social Pulse for following its reporters and providing readers with social data.
  • “The new tools…connect readers directly with journalists, rank CEOs in social media based on their ‘influence,’ track online discussion of top public companies and pull together the outside content being shared with Reuters’ staff,” reports Advertising Age.
  • “We really wanted to highlight the great work our journalists are doing on Twitter, so we built a directory that lets users find our reporters, bloggers and editors by category and location so you can drill down to business journalists in India or tech writers in the UK,” explained Alex Leo, director of new products at Reuters.
  • Sharing content and following reporters on Twitter have become must-have features for news outlets, but Reuters hopes its new Social Pulse tools will provide more than that by powering editorial products.
  • “Our audience is made up of sophisticated news users, who are not just interested in what’s trending on Twitter but how social can inform their business lives. We set out with the goal of using social media in a way they would find both innovative and addictive,” Ms. Leo said.

Social Media: Marketers Look to Revitalize Branding and Engagement

  • Wildfire Interactive surveyed 700 marketers and found that 97 percent say social media marketing delivers positive results for their brands.
  • According to the survey, 88 percent said social media helps boost brand awareness, 85 percent cited an increase in customer engagement, and 58 percent said social tools generate sales and partnerships.
  • “It has opened up this whole public communications channel, where we can get great feedback,” said Lindsay Tiles, director of corporate public relations at Charles Schwab. “We’re trying to get people out of the mindset that social media is just for pushing your messages out. It is about communicating, but it’s also about listening.”
  • “While marketers look at the overall benefits of social media, they are also drilling deeper to determine the value of Facebook fans in particular,” suggests eMarketer. “Among respondents to Wildfire’s survey, 44 percent said Facebook fans are valuable because they help with new customer recruitment. Additionally, 18 percent said Facebook fans have higher conversion rates and another 18 percent noted that they make more frequent purchases.”
  • “Of those surveyed, 24 percent said they measure the ROI of social media by looking at increases in revenue,” adds the article. “Additionally, 38 percent said they count increased ‘likes,’ comments and interactions on Facebook.”

Next-Gen Television and Beyond: Understanding 4K Resolution Technology

  • CNET provides a helpful overview of 4K resolution technology and what we should expect for future TVs. “As if LED and 3D TV weren’t confusing enough, 2012 and beyond will bring an HDTV technology called 4K. It’s being heralded as the next high-def, and manufacturers are already lining up to bring you products.”
  • The article is quick to point out consumer 4K content is not yet available, but that doesn’t stop the industry from describing the technology as “the last resolution you’ll ever need.”
  • “Though there are several different standards, ‘4K’ in general refers to a resolution of roughly 4,000 pixels wide and about 2,000 pixels high,” reports CNET. “That makes it the equivalent of four 1080p screens in height and length.”
  • The article addresses Digital Cinema, 4K standards in theaters and the home, the potential for an improved 3D experience, and expectations for the future of 4K.
  • CNET concludes: “Even with reference-quality native 4K material, however, a 4K-resolution TV or projector won’t provide nearly the visible improvement over a standard 1080p model that going from standard-def to high-def did. To appreciate it you’ll have to sit quite close to a large screen — sort of like being in the front few rows of a movie theater. But whether it’s 4K or 8K, you can bet that manufacturers haven’t run out of cards when it comes to trying out the next ‘must-have’ feature in the coming crops of televisions.”
  • The post also includes a video report from CES: “TV technologies that you’ll want next.”

Micron Technology CEO Steve Appleton Dies in Idaho Plane Crash

  • Steve Appleton (51), chairman and CEO of memory chip maker Micron Technology (which makes products under the Lexar and Crucial brands), passed away Friday after his plane crashed at the Boise Airport in Idaho.
  • “According to the Idaho Press, Appleton was flying alone in ‘an experimental fixed wing single engine Lancair’ aircraft. Just after takeoff from Boise Airport, Appleton told air traffic controllers that he needed to return,” reports Digital Trends.
  • He announced he was turning back to land, just before losing control of the aircraft and crashing.
  • Appleton began at Micron in 1983 and was named CEO in 1994. At 34, he was the third youngest CEO in the Fortune 500.
  • “He lived life to the fullest, and while he enjoyed great success in business and in life, he never lost his intensity or his drive,” said Idaho governor Clement Otter.
  • Mark Durcan, Micron’s president and chief operating officer, will take on Appleton’s responsibilities until the company’s board of directors appoints a successor.

FCC Application Suggests Google is Testing Entertainment Device

  • Google has requested permission from the FCC to test a new “entertainment device” in the homes of some of its employees in four cities over the next six months.
  • According to an FCC application Google submitted in December, the device would be Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled.
  • Google asked to test 252 devices between mid-January and July in Mountain View, CA; Cambridge, MA; New York and Los Angeles.
  • “While details of what the actual device is aren’t included in the application, it almost certainly has something to do with Google TV,” reports VentureBeat. “Using the data transfer process described in the application, the device could be a way for people to grab video content from the Internet and distribute it to all the other mobile devices.”
  • The posts includes the full description from the FCC application.