New App Streams Paramount Movies via Xbox 360 Gaming Console

By Rob Scott
June 14, 2012

• Paramount Pictures and Microsoft launched an app this week that enables Xbox Live Gold members to stream movies through their gaming console.
• The app acts as a “go between” according to CNET, as it requires users to purchase or rent movies through Paramount’s website before it can be streamed to the Xbox 360. Users must also have Paramount and UltraViolet accounts in order to stream the content.
• Earlier this year, Paramount began offering digital movies from its website via UltraViolet. The new joint app will provide a simple means of getting those movies onto TV sets.
• “Last month, Amazon Prime service made a deal with Paramount for access to its movies. And just a week later, Amazon Instant Video partnered with Xbox introducing another app that lets subscribers play movies from Amazon’s Instant Video service,” notes the post. “This comes as Xbox 360 already has apps for HBO Go, Comcast, Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, and ESPN.”

Netgear NeoTV Pro Streaming Player Adds Intel WiDi Technology

By emeadows
June 13, 2012

• Netgear is “supercharging” its NeoTV 200 device that originally arrived late last year by adding Intel’s WiDi technology, “enabling you to wirelessly span your laptop’s display onto the biggest screen in your house,” reports Engadget.
• According to the company’s press release, the NeoTV Pro is the world’s first streaming player to use Intel’s WiDi tech.
• The player offers Netflix, Hulu Plus, Vudu, YouTube and Pandora, and is controllable with a remote or through a smartphone app. It enables users to instantly stream full 1080p and surround sound to their TVs.
• “The hardware remains otherwise unchanged, packing the same 300Mbps Wi-Fi, Ethernet, optical out and HDMI,” explains the post.
• The NeoTV Pro streaming player (NTV200S) is currently available for $69.99.

Antitrust Probe Launched Involving Cable Companies and Online Video

By Dennis Kuba
June 13, 2012

• The Justice Department is examining whether cable companies are hampering competition from online video providers. Specifically, it is looking into Comcast’s data caps which limit the amount of data subscribers can download.
• Comcast has set caps which impact how users view online video from services such as Netflix and Hulu. Moreover, it has favored its own Xfinity online video service by excluding its use from the caps.
• This may violate a provision not to “unreasonably discriminate” against competitors agreed to in Comcast’s acquisition of NBCUniversal. Comcast has said Xfinity is treated differently because it uses a private network instead of the public Internet.
• The investigation is additionally looking into whether requiring a cable subscription to view online video may be considered anticompetitive.
• “The Justice Department also is investigating the contracts that programmers sign in order to be distributed on cable systems,” reports the Wall Street Journal. “Some contracts include so-called most-favored nation clauses, which make programmers give the biggest cable companies the best price they are offering anywhere, among other conditions. The Justice Department is questioning whether there are legitimate business reasons for such terms or whether they are intended to stop programmers from experimenting with other forms of online distribution.”

Canon to Launch EOS Rebel T4i this Month: First Touchscreen DSLR

By Rob Scott
June 12, 2012

• Canon has announced its EOS Rebel T4i, the next iteration of the company’s T3i DSLR. According to Digital Trends, Canon has outfitted the T4i “with some stunning new video capture capabilities as well as a barrier-breaking feature, the touchscreen display.”
• Highlights of the new camera include a 3-inch, 1.04 million dot resolution LCD touchscreen; 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor; ISO 100-12800 (expandable to 25600); 9-point all cross-type AF system; and high-speed continuous shooting up to 5fps.
• We’ve seen touchscreens featured on point-and-shoot cameras and mirrorless Micro Four Thirds systems, but this is the first DSLR to include the technology (this could potentially open the door to mobile OS integration, enabling quality cameras to interact more directly with apps).
• “The electronic-static touch-panel is the most advanced that Canon has released to date with multi-touch capabilities allowing photographers to use familiar gestures such as ‘pinch-to-zoom’ and ‘swiping’ to scroll between pictures,” the company said in its press release.
• The Rebel T4i will launch the end of June starting at $850 (body only).

Microsoft Teams with Britannica Online: Can Bing Compete with Google?

By David Tobia
June 12, 2012

• Microsoft and Encyclopedia Britannica have joined forces in an attempt to make Bing a smarter search engine.
• The partnership hopes to deliver “relevant information in a more organized way to help you find what you need more quickly and get stuff done,” says Franco Salvetti, principal development lead of Bing.
• “The search engine’s answer feature tries to provide users with a snippet of useful information related to their questions and keywords without having to visit a webpage,” reports TechCrunch. “Results from Encyclopedia Britannica will now feature a thumbnail and some useful facts about the topic (as well as links to Wikipedia, Britannica, Freebase and — for those who don’t like to read — Qwiki).”
• The posts suggests Microsoft’s plans are similar to the goals of Google’s Knowledge Graph project, but notes that “Google’s project is far more complex and ambitious.”
• “Indeed, in some ways this partnership with Encyclopedia Britannica feels like a poor man’s version of Google’s project,” comments TechCrunch. “Google’s Knowledge Graph knows about 500 million entities and how they relate to each other. While it’s probably not quite fair to compare this directly to Britannica Online, its worth noting that the old-school encyclopedia features ‘just’ 120,000 articles.”

Samsung Teams with Gaikai to Bring Cloud Gaming to Smart TVs

By Rob Scott
June 12, 2012

• Gaikai’s cloud gaming platform — which enables gaming on multiple devices — will soon be integrated with Samsung TV sets. The platform is already used on Facebook and LG TVs.
• “Called Samsung Cloud Gaming (SCG), it’ll be available via the Smart Hub on Samsung 7000 series and up Smart TVs in the U.S. this summer,” reports Engadget. “The technology powering SCG is the same as what’s behind LG’s service, but Sammy’s customized the UI to suit its sensibilities.”
• The alliance has been in development for nine months. “Samsung’s buying dedicated bandwidth from Gaikai’s 24 data centers on a per-device basis, with Gaikai handling overflow traffic while it builds out its network to meet increased demand as needed,” notes the post.
• According to the press release, Samsung will soon begin accepting signups for the beta of SCG for its Smart TVs.
• Engadget has included a 3-minute video demo featuring games being played on a Samsung TV.

WWDC: Apple Keynote Highlights 10 Compelling Features of iOS 6

By Rob Scott
June 12, 2012

• Apple’s new iOS will be available this fall, with a focus on convenience and accessibility. Much more than a simple operating system update, iOS 6 brings some 200 new features to touch-based mobile computing. Wired takes a look at the top 10 key improvements.
• Digital assistant Siri has additional functionality in areas such as real-time sports information, dining (including integration with Yelp and OpenTable), and movies (through a partnership with Rotten Tomatoes).
• Users can post comments, photos, maps, and more to Facebook across the iOS ecosystem. “For instance, you can like apps on the App Store, as well as movies, music, and TV shows in iTunes,” notes Wired. “You can also post photos from Camera Roll, share a map from the Maps app, or share a webpage from Safari.”
• Apple’s Maps replaces Google Maps and will include turn-by-turn navigation, traffic information and 3D photographic rendering with Flyover.
• The Do Not Disturb feature holds messages, alerts, texts and phone calls. However, users can make exceptions for important individuals or emergency situations.
• Safari can cache webpages to enable offline reading and offers “smart app banners” for mobile versions of websites. Shared Photo Streams allow users to share photos across iOS and Mac devices (including Apple TV) using iCloud.
• Mail updates include pull-to-refresh for new messages, VIP notifications, and access to password-protected Microsoft Office documents. A new iOS app called Passport centralizes access to tickets, boarding passes, and coupon apps. “Such apps include Fandango (for movie tickets), Starbucks (for your Starbucks card), and United Airlines (for boarding passes),” explains the article.
• And the final feature to be highlighted: Guided Access provides fullscreen single-app mode for children and institutions like museums and schools.

Google Acquires Quickoffice, Hopes to Bolster Mobile Document Experience

By David Tobia
June 8, 2012

• Google acquired mobile productivity software suite Quickoffice this week in an undisclosed deal intended to bolster Google’s transition from computers to mobile devices.
• Quickoffice is “most popularly known for its Android and iOS document-editing applications,” reports AllThingsD. Users often use the software to edit Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint documents from mobile devices.
• “Quickoffice has an established track record of enabling seamless interoperability with popular file formats, and we’ll be working on bringing their powerful technology to our Apps product suite,” wrote Alan Warren, Google’s engineering director, in a company blog post.
• “Quickoffice has a strong base of users, and we look forward to supporting them while we work on an even more seamless, intuitive and integrated experience,” he added.

E3: Nintendo Announces the Wii U, Gamepad and New Content Partners

By Rob Scott
June 7, 2012

• At the E3 Expo in Los Angeles this week, Nintendo unveiled its new Wii U console and Wii U Gamepad. According to Nintendo: “at its core, Wii U changes gaming, how you interact with your gaming friends, and it changes the way you enjoy your TV.”
• Nintendo’s Reggie Fils Aime announced during the keynote that new partners will provide content to the Wii U, including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Video, and YouTube.
• The Gamepad features a pressure-sensitive touchscreen and directional pad. It will also include an NFC reader/writer and a gyroscope/accelerometer, as noted earlier by ETCentric. The new controller enables viewing of multiple screens — on the TV and the Wii U Gamepad.
• This two-screen group play gaming experience could be the prototype for a new in-theater gaming and socializing experience. It could also create a new category of “third location” places in competition with Starbucks and other coffee shops.
• “The company is also introducing MiiVerse, which Nintendo refers to as a Main Street for gamers,” reports TechCrunch. “Each of your friends will be displayed there in avatar form, and you’ll be able to share screen images, send text messages, and display your recent scores within the bubble hovering above your Mii.”
• The Wii U is expected for a holiday release. No pricing information was provided.

HBO GO: Programming Now Available to Subscribers on Kindle Fire

By emeadows
June 7, 2012

• HBO continues to add more devices and platforms that support its HBO GO service. The latest to get the app is the Amazon Kindle Fire.
• Now owners of the Fire who pay for the traditional HBO cable service also have access to the content digitally. The free HBO GO app allows users to access all of the network’s original programming, along with licensed movies.
• “For HBO, the latest app release is just part of a larger strategy of getting on as many devices as possible, enabling subscribers HBO GO from tablets and mobile devices, as well as on streaming boxes and connected TVs, and last but not least, on PCs through their Web browsers,” reports TechCrunch.
• “By doing so, HBO hopes to give viewers a reason to keep paying for the cable network on top of their basic cable subscriptions.”
• The post includes a 30-second promotional video.

Corning Unveils Flexible Paper-Thin Willow Glass for Electronic Devices

By Rob Scott
June 7, 2012

• At the Society for Information Display’s Display Week show in Boston this week, Corning unveiled Willow Glass — a strong and flexible glass that the company plans to use for OLED and LCD displays in smartphones and other wireless devices.
• Corning claims the new technology will enable devices that are lighter, thinner and possibly less expensive to manufacture.
• “Corning expects Willow Glass will eventually lead substrates to be manufactured ‘roll-to-roll’ instead of ‘sheet-to-sheet’ — similar to how newspapers are printed,” explains Engadget.
• The cousin to Corning’s Gorilla Glass, the new ultra-thin glass can withstand heat up to 930 degrees Fahrenheit, and could potentially lead to the production of curved displays that could be wrapped around a device or structure.
• “Corning Willow Glass is formulated to perform exceptionally well for electronic components such as touch sensors, as well as leveraging glass’s natural hermetic properties as a seal for OLED displays and other moisture and oxygen-sensitive technologies,” notes the press release.
• In addition to CE devices such as smartphones and tablets, the technology may be used for other applications including solar cells and lighting.
• The Engadget post includes the Corning press release and a brief video demo.

Sony Exec Claims 1,000 Pre-Orders for New Super Slow Motion Camera

By emeadows
June 6, 2012

• Sony revealed its NEX-FS700U Full HD super slow motion camcorder at that NAB Show in April and since then has accepted nearly 1,000 pre-orders, according to one Sony executive.
• The new camera, scheduled to be available in late June, is priced at around $10,000 and captures footage at up to 960 frames per second.
• “The camcorder supports full HD quality at 120 and 240 frames per second in a 16 or 8 second burst mode respectively,” writes Carolyn Giardina for The Hollywood Reporter. “Its 480 fps and 960 fps at reduced resolution are available.”
• “The NEX-FS700U uses a new 4K Super 35 CMOS sensor, and Sony said it is planning a future firmware upgrade aimed at enabling the camera to output 4K bitstream data over 3G HD-SDI when used with an optional Sony 4K recorder,” notes Giardina.

Third Party Developers Seek to Monetize Sharing Service Pinterest

By Rob Scott
June 5, 2012

• Developers are building on top of Pinterest in an effort to feed consumer and brand needs and monetize the site’s growing popularity.
• The interest has sparked competitors such as Fancy (iOS app with “buy now” functionality that recently reached one million users) and third party applications including ShopMyPins (simple bookmarklet that enables users to shop online when they see something they like on Pinterest).
• Related services include PinShoppr, Pinerly and Curalate (the latter two offer analytics for brands).
• “The whole conversation revolving around Pinterest and Pinterest-types and their ability to turn this new, visual, viral thing people have taken to at an astounding rate into a viable e-commerce model doesn’t end at proprietary applications though,” notes Digital Trends. “Third party developers are well aware that there’s an opportunity for them to be a part of this Web evolution as well.”
• Should Pinterest be creating its own new features? “I think Pinterest is kind of going through a similar thing that Twitter went through when they were growing explosively and I really think they are focusing on the right thing,” responds Apu Gupta, Curalate CEO and co-founder. “You have to make sure the wheels stay on the bus before you do other things.”

Nuance Integrates Rovi Entertainment Database as Part of Dragon TV

By Dennis Kuba
May 29, 2012

• Nuance Communications announced it has licensed Rovi’s extensive entertainment database with plans to incorporate it into Dragon TV.
• “Dragon TV is Nuance’s voice and language understanding platform for set-top boxes and connected TV devices,” explains the press release.
• The collaboration will enable cable TV and connected CE device users to access Rovi-indexed content using voice commands.
• According to the release: “The result is the ability to simply speak to change the channel, and browse, bookmark and search for content on both live and On Demand TV programming.”
• Examples include: “Find comedies with Adam Sandler,” “Show me information on ‘The Big Bang Theory,'” and “Who plays Chuck on ‘Gossip Girl?'”
• “Consumers want easy to use and simple ways for discovering entertainment that doesn’t require a remote control with as many keys as a keyboard. Voice brings this capability,” said Corey Ferengul, EVP of product management and strategy at Rovi.

Personalized Video News: NewsLook Announces Free iPad App

By Rob Scott
May 25, 2012

• Streaming video news service NewsLook has launched a free iPad app that allows users to create personalized video channels that feature curated news content from more than 50 worldwide sources.
• “Our NewsLook iPad app offers unprecedented personalization and engages users by greatly streamlining video search and discovery, enabling them to weed out unrelated content and get just what they want, from trustworthy sources,” said Fred Silverman, former CBS producer and current CEO of NewsLook.
• According to the press release, sources include the Associated Press, Bloomberg, and Reuters — and users can customize channels based on interests such as “sports, politics, lifestyle, fashion, art, and entertainment.”
• “NewsLook curates and publishes 150 videos daily in real-time and maintains a vast archive of over forty thousand videos,” notes the release. “This content is also available across a variety of platforms like Sony BIV and Google TV as well as via seamless syndication.”