Virtual advertising is making its way into re-runs.
An episode of “How I Met Your Mother” (that originally ran on CBS in March 2007) recently aired in syndication featuring a magazine cover that mentions a new movie, “Zookeeper.”
The Kevin James comedy that appears in the four-year-old episode premieres today.
The digital ad is an example of “virtual advertising” that inserts messages into video that wasn’t originally there — not a new technology, but perhaps an interesting approach for repurposed content.
The article includes links to images before and after the digital insertion.
According to a recent Nielsen study, the average iPhone user commits twice the average amount of time to playing mobile games as compared to other mobile gamers, suggesting that iOS may have the most engaged gaming audience.
The study also indicates that 93 percent of app customers have paid for games in the last 30 days.
The average iPhone owner spent 14.7 hours playing games during the month, while the average Android owner spent 9.3 hours (the overall average for smartphone gamers is 7.8 hours/month).
The report explains that consumers are typically more willing to spend money on games than other types of apps.
Nielsen breaks down the leading categories of most popular apps for Q2 2011 in the following order: Games, Weather, Social Networking, Maps/Navigation/Search, Music, News, Entertainment, Banking/Finance, Video/Movies, Shopping/Retail, Dining/Restaurant, Sports.
After weeks of speculation, Verizon Wireless has announced it will no longer offer customers unlimited data service plans, but will instead introduce service tiers at varied price points.
Verizon joins AT&T and T-Mobile in offering tiered service models. Sprint Nextel remains as the only major carrier to offer an unlimited data plan.
Verizon’s current unlimited data model is $30 on most plans. Moving forward, customers will get a maximum of 2GB/month for that price. Customers who use up to 10GB will pay $80/month.
Customers with an existing unlimited plan will be grandfathered in and will not have to change to a tiered plan, but any change in service will terminate the unlimited data plan.
ETCentric contributor Phil Lelyveld comments: “It will be interesting to see if this becomes a competitive differentiator among services, and whether consumers hit the limits and start caring about limits on their wireless data plans.”
UK researchers led by the University of Exeter have created a prototype 3D printing technology that creates custom objects in chocolate.
Similar to how plastic and metal models are created with 3D printing, the research team hopes that consumers will soon be able to create custom designs on their computers and then “print” the designs in “three dimensional chocolatey form.”
The biggest challenge has been finding a way to successfully manage accurate heating and cooling cycles required to work with the delicate substance.
“By combining developments in engineering with the commercial potential of the digital economy we can see a glimpse into the future of new markets – creating new jobs and, in this case, sweet business opportunities,” explains ESPRC’s chief exec Professor Dave Delpy (ESPRC is managing the project).
Amazon announced several notable enhancements to its Cloud Drive and Cloud Player service this week.
The Cloud Player is finally available for the iPad and has been optimized for Safari (joining existing apps for the Android phone, Android tablet, Mac, and PC).
New customers who register for the annual $20/20GB plan will receive unlimited space for music tracks.
Cloud Drive users can also store all of their previously Amazon-purchased MP3s for free.
A collection of Hollywood studios and guilds this week announced the formation of “Creative America,” a non-profit grassroots organization intended to fight piracy that threatens creative jobs.
Creative America intends to provide a unified voice for some 2 million Americans who work in film, television, and other creative fields and believe, “that halting the looting of America’s creative works and protecting jobs must be a national priority.”
Members of the coalition include: AFTRA, CBS, DGA, IATSE International, NBC Universal, SAG, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox, Viacom, Disney and Warner Bros.
The coalition supports a new bill before the U.S. Senate, which would allow the Department of Justice to pursue pirates overseas.
The group aims to provide IP protection and related information through its website and social networking entities such as Facebook and Twitter.
Paramount Pictures recently issued a cease and desist order to a 3D replicator of “Super 8” cubes.
Todd Blatt, an engineer from Baltimore, replicates interesting devices and props he sees in movies (such as the cubes from Paramount’s “Super 8”), sends the digital models to 3D printer Shapeways, and then sometimes sells the resulting metal or plastic models to fans online.
New fronts in copyright law are developing as digital tools increasingly encroach on the physical world. Emergence of low-cost 3D printers and software will continue to push these issues.
From a copyright viewpoint, this case illustrates how 3D printers will possibly impact product licensing the way the MP3 codec impacted the music industry.
This may raise some interesting near future questions regarding how film props will need to be legally classified (especially in terms of patent, copyright and fair use laws).
Rovio, creator of the game app “Angry Birds,” is planning the next step for its popular IP: a feature-length motion picture.
The expanding franchise has already proven successful with plush toys, iPhone cases, a Mattel board game, a cookbook, and an interesting tie-in with 20th Century Fox’s feature film, “RIO” (Rovio launched mobile game “Angry Birds Rio” to coincide with the film’s release).
In order to facilitate its next steps, Rovio has acquired Finnish animation studio Kombo and has attached former Marvel Studios chairman David Maisel as special advisor.
Based on the global popularity of the app and the “emotional connection” that gamers experience during play, Maisel sees continued success for “Angry Birds” as an entertainment brand.
The annual iTunes Festival kicked off Friday in England, streaming select performances live in HD to iPads and iPhones for those who downloaded the free app.
The event is scheduled for 31 consecutive nights at the Roundhouse in London.
Paul Simon was the first artist to take the stage. Additional headliners include Coldplay, Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance, Foo Fighters, Jimmy Eat World, Moby and more.
Apple funds the event by recording the live sets and selling them exclusively on iTunes.
Wired suggests an alternative business model: “But it makes me wish more festival organizers would do this the other way around — free recordings of the gigs you paid to see at festivals. Or perhaps a handful of free tracks to choose from an entire festival’s lineup, with the complete collection put on sale. There’s no better live recording than one created during the night you attended.”
The Olympus PEN series extends its successful Micro-Four-Thirds lineup to include upgraded technology in its higher-end models in addition to the new pocket-cam and entry-level E-PM1.
The E-P3 is the new flagship PEN that “brings the series up to DSLR quality with new sensor and processor technology.” Features include a 3-inch 614K pixel OLED touchscreen, 2-1/4000 second shutter speed, and 12.3-megapixel Live MOS sensor. The E-P3 will be available in August for $900.
The most notable addition to the E-PL3 is “its tilting, 3-inch, 460K pixel LCD display,” and like the E-P3 includes 3D capability. It also includes a 12.3-megapixel Live MOS Image Sensor, that “addressed some of the low-light issues holding back former PEN units.” Price and availability have not been announced.
The pocketable six-inch E-PM1 — designed for consumers who have outgrown their point-and-shoots — promises a simplified UI for beginners, 12.3-megapixel MOS, and 3-inch LCD display, but no tilt or touchscreen. Again, price and availability have yet to be announced.
ETCentric reported earlier in the week that social networking site MySpace would be sold to Irvine-based advertising firm Specific Media for $35 million in cash and stock.
Although News Corp. has claimed that its Google ad deals helped curb MySpace losses over the recent years, others suggest a darker picture.
The sale of MySpace for a mere 6 percent of its original $580 million purchase price may be yet another chapter in a disappointing tale, one which started with a failed attempt to build an all-service media empire.
Ars Technica suggests that when considering the entire picture, including the operating losses over the years, the MySpace acquisition may have cost News Corp. well over $1 billion (read the article for a breakdown of the math).
Specific Media, with Justin Timberlake as a backer, is expected to focus on music for MySpace’s new direction.
Only 2 percent of U.S. homes will have a 3D TV by year’s end, and the market is expected to only improve slightly to 5 percent penetration in 2012.
However, SNL Kagan reports that these figures will jump to 21 percent in 2015.
Internet-enabled TVs are currently more popular, projected to go from 14 percent penetration this year to 51 percent in 2015.
The report also concludes that a lack of 3D content has been a problem thus far, but growing interest in 3D sports and films should help sustain the technology in the future.
Social blogging network Tumblr announced the release of its Tumblr iPhone 2.0 mobile app this week.
According to Digital Trends: “Users can now manage multiple Tumblogs, reply to messages and save drafts — important functionality that was completely lacking from the first version.”
Another positive addition includes the ability to sign up directly through the mobile app, rather than on the Web.
Digital Trends offers a positive review and suggests: “If you’re on Tumblr (and have an iPhone), definitely download this app right now.”
