Best Buy reportedly plans to release its own Android-powered tablet called the Insignia Flex next month, priced from $239 to $259.
“The Insignia Flex is intended to go toe-to-toe with Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD tablet, Google’s Nexus 7, and a slew of other Android tablets from Google and Samsung,” reports Reuters. “A smaller and less expensive version of Apple’s popular iPad tablet is expected to be unveiled next week.”
Best Buy’s in-house brand Insignia recently shared some info on the tablet via its Facebook page. The brand has been used in the past to offer less expensive options for HDTVs and Blu-ray players.
“The Insignia Flex is based on Google Inc’s Android software, which also powers Samsung’s tablets, and features a dual-core 1GHz processor, 9.7-inch screen and 10-hour battery life,” notes the article. “It will also feature a camera for video conferencing and weigh in at about 1.45 pounds.”
According to a source close to the matter, the Insignia Flex will go on sale on November 11 exclusively through Best Buy.
Smartphone owners used apps to watch an average of 6.9 minutes of video content each day on their phones in August, according to NPD DisplaySearch.
The figure represents an 86 percent jump from the previous year, but still trails other activities such as gaming and social networking.
“We expect usage to increase in step with 4G networks and devices, better form factors (larger screens), and more compelling apps,” NPD’s Linda Barrabee wrote in a blog post.
NPD DisplaySearch also points out that the diagonal size of displays for multiple devices continues to increase, with the exception of mobile PCs. The research firm predicts a 38 percent increase in mobile phone screen size between 2010-2013.
“Average sizes are expected to fall from 13.6-inches to 12.2-inches between 2010 and 2013 in the mobile PC segment, and if Microsoft’s new Windows 8 OS makes the splash in tablets the company seems to be hoping it will with the Surface and third-party offerings, that number could go even lower as 10-inch devices flood the market,” reports TechCrunch.
YouTube was able to provide 8 million simultaneous live streams of Felix Baumgartner’s record-breaking leap from space.
It was record-breaking for YouTube also. “That number blows away YouTube’s previous peak of 500,000 concurrent streams, which it hit this summer during the Olympics, as well as last year during the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton,” reports AllThingsD.
“It doesn’t take much imagination to envision YouTube doing this kind of stuff, at this scale, on a regular basis,” notes the article. “Which would mean the Web finally has a chance to rival TV when it comes to serving up live events with huge audiences — one of TV’s last remaining advantages over the Internet.”
But it’s likely to be a slow shift. First of all, there aren’t many live events, aside from awards shows and significant sporting events, that millions of people want to watch at once. And in regards to those types of events, TV companies have those rights locked up for years to come.
In the meanwhile, YouTube will continue to live stream events small and large, hoping to build upon its recent successes.
Juniper Networks and Forrester Research surveyed 150 senior IT executives to help analyze how trends in cloud computing and big data have affected enterprise networks.
The survey found that 58 percent of respondents had to upgrade their network hardware because of increased demand from cloud services.
Mobile device usage also rose as a result of cloud services, as 47 percent of respondents indicate that more employees have begun bringing devices to work.
“The complications for networks have grown past the point where you can simply add more bandwidth and hope for the best,” writes AllThingsD. Eighty-six percent of those surveyed said they could not start new services or support business demand because of an overmatched network.
The main takeaway from the report is that networks are now often under too much demand.
Networks can no longer just add more bandwidth when they struggle, but rather need to “be built with overarching business objectives in mind, with teams that are usually separate — security, manufacturing, quality control — getting more intimately involved with building the network than they have been before,” explains AllThingsD.
4G LTE is changing the landscape of mobile video, as increased bandwidth allows users to watch videos with greater ease. “Mobile video is quickly becoming a mass consumer phenomenon, much as digital photos were earlier in the smartphone adoption cycle,” suggests Business Insider.
The mobile video audience has grown 77 percent to 36 million over the last two years. While the U.S. smartphone industry is largely established, the global industry is still growing rapidly.
“4G subscribers in the U.S. are 33 percent more likely to watch a video on their smartphones than the average mobile user” according to a new report from BI Intelligence. As 4G LTE expands across the nation, mobile video consumption will continue to grow, suggests the report.
The larger screens on new smartphones are also more conducive for video viewing, and are expected to contribute to the rise of mobile video.
But the BI Intelligence report indicates that as consumers demand more bandwidth for mobile videos, carriers could start limiting data either through tiered plans or high data costs. This could reduce the growth of mobile video.
Since Facebook went public, it has been under significant pressure to accelerate its revenue growth. This led Facebook to launch its own mobile advertising network, which Business Insider says could “dramatically increase the amount of money media and tech companies are able to make in the next decade.”
Many Web publishers can create targeted advertising because they can track cookies on Web browsers. But mobile presents a more difficult challenge, as iPhone browsers do not download cookies.
This leads mobile applications to follow an outdated model. Advertisers do not like to spend money when they do not know specifically who they are targeting, the result of which could impact the mobile advertising business.
But the Facebook advertising system could solve these dilemmas. When Facebook users connect to mobile, Facebook can use the username to cross-reference with the version of the user. This means Facebook can transfer the cookie-data to its mobile entity.
This development could also help users, argues Business Insider, because app developers will have more money, and will be able to create better applications.
It looks like the pricing for Microsoft’s upcoming Windows RT Surface tablet will start at $500 — with a TouchCover keyboard case available for an additional $100.
“The pricing and specifications of the new Surface tablets were briefly revealed at Microsoft’s online store today on a page that was quickly pulled,” reported Digital Trends on Tuesday.
“The 32GB version of the ARM-based Surface tablet running Windows RT (a version of Windows 8) will set you back $500,” notes the post. “The 64GB version with the black TouchCover keyboard case will set you back $700.”
The TypeCover keyboard will reportedly be offered for $130, while the $100 TouchCovers will be available in a range of colors. The new tablets are expected to go on sale immediately following the scheduled Windows 8 event on October 25.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft has ordered 3-5 million Surface tablets for the fourth quarter. “That’s reportedly on a par with the numbers Amazon and Google ordered of the Kindle Fire and Nexus 7 respectively, but way below the 10 million iPad minis that Apple has supposedly ordered,” notes Digital Trends.
Samsung has unveiled its new lineup of Windows 8-powered desktops, laptops and what is being called “Smart PCs” (essentially laptop-tablet hybrids).
The ATIV Smart PCs run from the 500T model ($650 without the detachable keyboard) to the $1,200 Pro 700T. “Samsung did not reveal any tablets running Windows RT, but we expect that might come later this year and cost less than the ATIV Smart PC 500T,” reports VentureBeat.
“The Smart PC is a new category driven by innovation and UI, with Windows 8 as the linchpin,” explains Tim Baxter, head of Samsung America consumer electronics.
“Tablets and smartphones are ushering in a new era of computing mobility,” he told reporters. “New categories will arise as a result of this.”
Samsung’s new $450-$1,400 laptops include the 13- and 15-inch Series 9 Premium Ultrabook, 15-inch Series 7 Notebook, 13.3-inch Series 5 Ultra Touch (with touch screen) and Series 3 Notebook. The Series 5 and Series 7 all-in-ones range from 21.5- to 27-inches.
The post includes a breakdown of all the announced offerings and an accompanying photo gallery.
Samsung has signed a deal with Spotify that will allow direct music streaming from Samsung TVs for consumers with premium subscription memberships.
“The deal will give Samsung a new way to promote its televisions; Spotify, meanwhile, hopes the arrangement offers a new incentive for consumers to pay for its subscription service rather than use its advertising-backed, free-of-charge offering,” reports the Wall Street Journal.
The partnership comes as numerous tech companies are entering the growing music-streaming market.
“Digital-music sales, including both streaming and downloads, are expected to soon overtake sales of physical CDs as the main source of revenue for music labels and publishers,” explains WSJ.
Transitioning customers to pay for the subscription service may become more important to Spotify since its ad sales growth is reportedly slowing.
Samsung E-series sets will include a software application that enables streaming via Spotify. The application will first be available to owners of Samsung TVs in the UK, France, Germany and Scandinavia. The company plans to expand the service to its Blu-ray players and home theater systems by the end of 2012.
“Last year Samsung launched its own music service, called Samsung Music Hub, but analysts say the deal with Spotify may signal that Samsung may now realizes how hard it is to ink music streaming deals with record labels,” notes the article.
Modern editing software can confuse directors by giving them too many choices, argues Academy-Award winning French editor Francoise Bonnot, who has worked with Julie Taymor, Roman Polanksi and Michael Cimino.
Final Cut Pro and Avid allow editors to compile multiple versions of scenes, but Bonnot says this can impede storytelling, as the different versions serve only to confuse the narrative structure of the film.
“Nowadays people who haven’t started out working with film don’t take the time to think about what they’re doing. I refuse to do three, four or five different versions. If you give a director so many choices, often the director loses his way,” she says.
While Bonnot criticizes what she sees as “the American way” of filmmaking, she also questions the French premise that the director has complete power over the editor. “Editing is collaboration,” she explains. “Sometimes you will see a French film where the director has fallen in love with the shot and refuses to cut it.”
She believes editing needs to effectively splice together a sequence of events. “Each sequence has a beginning, middle and end. The trick is to get as late into the sequence as possible rather than lose it completely,” she says.
Bonnot also emphasizes that editing should not draw attention to itself, and that the best editing will not be noticed.
Twentieth Century Fox’s “Prometheus” is performing well for home video, “as the studio’s vigorous promotion of a lower-cost, purchase-only early window sparked a notable number of first-time digital buyers and previous renters to own the sci-fi thriller for $14.99,” reports Variety.
The three-week online presale of the film did not deter others from purchasing it in physical form. Sales of Blu-ray were still significant in its first days on the market.
“But the statistic Fox finds most encouraging — as should all studios amid the evaporating disc market — is the uptick in digital purchases by first-time downloaders and habitual renters, who would normally watch for roughly $5.99 per title,” notes the article.
“Data from Fox’s three largest providers shows that some 30 percent of ‘Prometheus’ download customers were either newbies (about 17 percent) or previous renters,” according to Variety.
“Prometheus” was made available via online retailers including iTunes, YouTube, Amazon and Google Play. Additionally, it was offered on gaming consoles and marks the first Fox title to be made available on UltraViolet.
Twentieth Century Fox will release the 2004 Will Smith sci-fi film “I, Robot” next week on Blu-ray 3D.
The release will make history as the first title to be remastered in 3D exclusively for the home market. The studio indicates additional library titles will be converted for Blu-ray re-release in 3D.
“Using the new JVC Kenwood 2D3D workstation — technology that was developed in collaboration with Fox and first previewed in public last winter at the Hollywood Post Alliance Technology Retreat — Fox is in the process of converting a ‘handful’ of additional titles, though the studio declined to name them,” writes Carolyn Giardina for The Hollywood Reporter.
Launching a successful 3D market for the home will require additional content, but the cost of 3D conversion can average $30,000-$100,000 per minute, according to some estimates.
“While Fox isn’t commenting on the cost for using the new JVC technology, Ian Harvey, senior VP, advanced technology at Fox, indicated that it is less than other techniques and services that Fox has explored,” reports Giardina.
However, Harvey is not promoting the conversion technology for new productions. “They should still shoot new films in 3D,” he suggests. “There are still issues on any conversion. It is not like ‘Avatar.’”
At a press conference last week in New York, eBay introduced “eBay Now,” a same-day delivery service, along with a new logo and website redesign featuring an improved search engine and item pages. According to TechCrunch, “it looks a lot like Pinterest.”
With eBay Now, customers can order from their mobile devices with selected partners, such as Toys R Us or Target.
Devin Wenig, president of eBay, said the company is more focused on mobile than ever. And it’s working: “eBay’s mobile apps have been downloaded more than 100 million times so far in 2012. For comparison, eBay has around 100 million active users,” writes TechCrunch.
“If it’s the product they want they should be able to get it anywhere, anytime,” says Wenig.
“Nowhere has mobile adoption been more stunning than in our business,” adds Richelle Parham, CMO of eBay North America. About 2 million items per week were sold through mobile apps in July.
Even as Best Buy attempts to talk down the effects of “showrooming,” the company is looking to step up its competition with online retailers like Amazon by matching prices.
Around 40 percent of Best Buy shoppers leave the store empty-handed, and the company hopes to increase the close rate this holiday season. Details of the price-matching program have yet to be established though, and some products may be excluded.
While both Best Buy and Toys R Us deny the severity of showrooming, Walmart has embraced the trend.
“Let’s be the best showroom,” Walmart CEO Mike Duke says. “Let’s be the best place where customers want to go and get the experience.” The retail giant is working on a same-day delivery service for this holiday season, available to customers in select markets.
“Research on showrooming suggests that while only a fraction of shoppers use mobile phones in stores to compare prices, many do go home and check what competitors are charging online,” reports the Wall Street Journal. “A survey by retail consultancy AlixPartners this summer found that in the prior 12 months, 33 percent of respondents — and 43 percent of electronics buyers — bought something online after checking it out in a store first.”
Big chains have caught a small break as Amazon is now required to charge sales taxes in some states.
“Aware that they need to adapt aging business models to the realities of mobile- and computer-aided shopping, [big chains] don’t want to overreact or lose sight of what made them successful — that is, selection and service,” explains the article.
Acer has unveiled a portion of its Windows 8 line-up with two all-in-one PCs and a pair of monitors featuring 1080p touchscreen displays.
The company announced its 27-inch 7600U and 23-inch 5600U high-end desktop computers, both with 1080p displays that include a tilt mechanism for reclining at an 80-degree angle.
“They also boost a super-thin design that is no more than 1.4 inches thick,” reports Digital Trends. “A 10-point capacitive touch screen is available on select models.”
The 7600U will include a Core i5-3210M processor, 8GB of RAM, Nvidia GT 640M GPU and Blu-ray drive. The 5600U will have similar offerings, minus the discrete graphics solution and Blu-ray drive. Both include HDMI, USB 3.0, Bluetooth and 802.11 a/b/g/n.
“Pricing for the 5600U starts at $1,149 with a touchscreen or $999 without,” notes the post. “The premium 7600U starts at $1,899 and will only be available with a touchscreen.” The 5600U will be available for the Windows 8 launch, while the 7600U will debut in late November.
For those solely interested in a touchscreen display, Acer will release two displays with 1080p resolution and 10-point capacitive touch panel with IPS technology. Additional features include built-in speakers, USB 3.0 ports, VGA, DVI and HDMI.
“Pricing on the 23-inch T232HL starts at $499 while the 27-inch T272HL starts at $699,” explains the post. “These prices could prove very competitive if image quality is on par with other IPS monitors.”