An experimental program called New Cinema premiered in New York City recently and could very well represent a new wave of theater experience at the intersection of art, cinema and interaction. Each work-in-progress within the program, “however small, seems to hint at some larger idea about how interactive software could dramatically alter — maybe even outright replace — cinematic storytelling as we currently know it,” writes The Verge. Continue reading New Cinema Experiments with Next Generation of Filmmaking

In his State of the Union address Tuesday evening, President Obama proclaimed, “now is the time to reach a level of research and development not seen since the height of the Space Race.” Obama is pushing a variety of new energy and technology initiatives, including a network of high-tech manufacturing hubs and a new Energy Security Trust designed to redirect oil and gas revenue to fund tech research that will address our dependency on oil. Continue reading President Obama Announces New Energy and Tech Initiatives

Livestream has released a software-based equivalent of its Studio HD500 all-in-one video switcher, which provides another mobile option for roving broadcasters. The production switcher handles up to five live HD output feeds and a real-time, multi-view preview for live transitions and audio mixing. The Studio software is not restricted to its own Web platform, so streams can be shared to Ustream, Akamai, YouTube Live and others. Continue reading Livestream Releases Software-Based Live Video Switcher

Netflix announced a partnership with DreamWorks Animation this week to create an original cartoon series, to debut on the streaming service in December. The premise will be based on DWA’s upcoming “Turbo,” a movie about a snail who gains the power of super speed. “The Netflix spinoff will be called ‘Turbo: F.A.S.T.,’ which stands for Fast Action Stunt Team,” reports The New York Times. Continue reading Netflix and DreamWorks Reach Deal for New Cartoon Series

Netflix bought the original drama “House of Cards” in 2011, committing to two seasons of the then not-yet-filmed show directed by David Fincher and starring Kevin Spacey. The purchase also earned the streaming company headlines as it placed Netflix into a high profile role typically occupied by the likes of HBO. But while Netflix claims its online programming to be commercial free, it is not without advertising. Continue reading Heavy Product Placement for Commercial-Free Online TV

Speaking at the D:Dive Into Media conference, Erik Huggers, corporate vice president and general manager for Intel Media, confirmed the rumors that Intel will be making moves into the set-top/TV provider business. “We have been working for around a year now to setup Intel Media — it’s a new division that includes a lot of people from outside of the company,” explained Huggers. Continue reading Intel Plans to Offer Internet-Based TV Streaming Product

Apple CEO Tim Cook gave the keynote address at the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet conference on Tuesday and indicated that the Apple ecosystem is still growing. He explained that Apple has now paid out $8 billion to developers, up $1 billion from earlier this year. Cook also discussed the company’s continued focus on retail, competition in the smartphone sector, the need for tablets of varied sizes and the importance of software and services. Continue reading Tim Cook on Expansion of Retail and the Apple Ecosystem

Will this actually be the year during which mobile payments take off? “Both Gartner and Forrester have made strong predictions of mobile growth, with Forrester recently saying that the U.S. mobile payments market will hit $90 billion by 2017, a 48 percent compound annual growth rate from the $12.8 billion spent in 2012,” reports ReadWrite. The article highlights four indicators that suggest this might really happen. Continue reading Commerce: Will 2013 Finally Be the Year of Mobile Payments?

Jim Silver, editor in chief of timetoplaymag.com, estimates that more than 90 percent of the “so-called app toys that were trotted out last year sold poorly,” reports the Wall Street Journal. But toy companies are still trying to make it work, begging the question: “why have a hybrid, combining some aspect of a tablet with an actual physical toy or game, when a tablet alone will do?” Continue reading Sales of Physical Toys Impacted by Rise of Tablets and Apps

Comcast is acquiring General Electric’s 49 percent stake in NBCUniversal. Teamed with Comcast’s initial 51 percent acquisition two years ago, the new $16.7 billion deal will result in the cable operator’s full ownership of the film and television giant. Comcast is taking a bold gamble, particularly when considering the uncertain direction of the entertainment industry in the midst of digital change and the growing success of services from the likes of Netflix and Amazon. Continue reading Comcast to Buy Rest of NBCUniversal from GE in Early Sale

Charlie Ergen, chairman and co-founder of Dish Network, gave an hour-long keynote interview at this week’s D:Dive Into Media conference in Dana Point, California. While the discussion addressed Ergen’s take on topics such as the future of wireless and the potential of a la carte programming, host Peter Kafka focused on the Dish Network’s Hopper and the controversy surrounding ad-skipping technology. Continue reading Dish Chairman Discusses Hopper, Programming and Wireless

Hulu Plus in Japan plans to premiere an upcoming movie via its streaming site prior to the film’s theatrical release. “Sougen no isu (A Chair on the Plains)” will be available February 19th on Hulu, four days ahead of its launch in theaters. However, the film will only be available on the site during a three-hour window for the first 1,000 viewers. Those not quick enough to access the full-length stream will be able to watch trailers and clips. Continue reading Hulu Plus in Japan to Stream Film Before Theatrical Release

Peter Kafka questioned Yusuf Mehdi, senior vice president of Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business, to kick off this year’s D:Dive Into Media conference in Dana Point, California. Alongside Mehdi was Nancy Tellem, corporate vice president at Microsoft LA Studios, and both were questioned about the company’s Xbox and how it is transforming from a gaming console into an entertainment hub. Continue reading Microsoft Talks Transition of Xbox into Entertainment Hub

At the D:Dive Into Media conference, Anomaly Productions showcased its interactive storytelling technology. The company published a graphic novel called “Anomaly” last year, both as a hardcover book and a standalone app for iOS, Android, Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook devices. The company also released a companion app for the printed version, that provides readers with extra material. Continue reading Anomaly Showcases Augmented Reality for Graphic Novels

Condition One, the augmented reality app backed by Mark Cuban that lets users view videos from a 180-degree field of vision, just released its version 2.0 and Business Insider is “more impressed than ever.” The company, led by Academy Award nominated storyteller Danfung Dennis, launched an updated version that is “filled with cool new ways to watch video, particularly full high-def videos filmed with GoPro or RED epic cameras,” according to the article. Continue reading Condition One Releases Version 2.0 App for Interactive Video