As part of Variety’s Entertainment Summit, industry leaders were asked about the future of media.
Included on the panel: Darcy Antonellis, president, Warner Bros. Technical Operations; Chris Cookson, president, Sony Pictures Technologies; Ed Leonard, CTO, DreamWorks Animation; Arnaud Robert, SVP Technology, The Walt Disney Company.
On content over technology: Consumers should not have to think about technology. The focus should not be on the device but on creating and providing access to great content. UltraViolet, as one example, was created to enable a connected experience — seeking to make technology transparent, cross platform and optimized for the device.
On mobile platforms: Mobility is a way to engage consumers and build a deeper relationship. Adapting to mobile platforms is an extension of cross platform support. Studios are evolving to support multiple screens. The challenge is how to provide the best experience.
On user interfaces: Unlike before when studios created the UI for videocassettes and DVDs, today content aggregators are creating them. We’re moving towards collaborative interfaces developed with partners.
On social media: It’s an opportunity to create a dialog with the consumer. We can create a community around movies. It’s becoming woven into everything we do.
On innovation: Innovation is accelerating and studios are tapping the skills of all their employees. You don’t have to be an engineer to have a great idea that becomes a new service or product.
Connected TV has taken center stage, and at this CES we are seeing production model TVs equipped with Intel’s WiDi capability out of the box.
WiDi, or wireless display, extends the laptop to the television screen.
Intel introduced the technology in 2010, but it’s just now beginning to bear fruit, with a multitude of WiDi-ready devices coming to market, including all new ultrabooks and models from 100 different OEMs.
It will also be enabling WiDi on Intel-chip tablets and phones. Intel is only now entering those markets, and was showing at its booth pre-release Lenovo tablets and phones.
Samsung and Sharp are among the manufacturers shipping sets with built-in WiDi, as is AT&T on its U-verse boxes, and consumers can expect “Intel WiDi” badges to become as ubiquitous as “Intel Inside.” Adapter boxes that retrofit existing sets hit retail last year for $100.
Connectivity-wise, WiDi is also going to be used to connect computer-to-computer, or computer-to-phone. Intel is emphasizing the creation of an optimized Android SDK for the Intel chip architecture, which should result in a number of interesting mobile apps.
A technology demonstration showed how music could be transferred from a Blu-ray player to a set-top box simply by human touch.
Each of the devices is network enabled and includes electronic capacitors.
When a person — who also carries with them a digital identifier such as a smartphone — touches one of the devices the human body itself completes the circuit. Personal content stored in the cloud is downloaded to the hardware.
“Ultimately, we are the network,” said Ericsson CEO Hans Vestberg in his first ever CES keynote. He estimates there will be 50 billion connected devices on networks by 2020.
“We see a change in how we communicate — from always having our communicator in our hand and having to find ways to link it to things — to becoming more human using proximity, touch, eyes and voice,” explained Keith Shank, Ericsson director of advanced technologies. “We need to be able to link not just a few devices, but all connected devices regardless of the vendor’s ecosystem.”
The Cube, by South Carolina-based 3D Systems, is a $1299 MSRP 3D printer for the home that will be on the consumer market in 3-5 months.
The USB and Wi-Fi enabled device is available for pre-order on the Cubify.com beta site.
ABS plastic used in printing will be sold for $50/bag. A 2-inch wide printed watchband, for example, uses about $3 of plastic and prints in under three hours.
Cubify.com will offer consumers downloadable templates that they can combine and modify, so they don’t have to learn 3D modeling from scratch.
The site also offers a 3D printing service for those who opt not to purchase the Cube.
Motorola’s new 4G Droid Razr Maxx for Verizon is built for longevity, with 21 hours of talk time — or the streaming of eight movies — before the unit needs to be recharged.
The company unveiled the phone at CES, just hours before Intel announced Motorola as one of the first mobile providers that had agreed to use its Atom chip (however, the Droid Razr Maxx will not be using the Intel chip).
The 3300mAh battery just about doubles the industry average (roughly 1700-1900mAh).
At 8.99mm the Maxx is slightly thicker than the 7.11mm of the prior version.
Other specs remain largely unchanged: a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display, dual-core 1.2GHz processor and Android Gingerbread 2.3.5 (upgradeable to Android’s next gen Ice Cream Sandwich).
Motorola is also touting Motocast, an app the company describes as a “personal cloud,” allowing mobile devices to access content on a home or work PC. Both the Droid Maxx and the Droid XY Board tablet feature Motocast. An IR transmitter on the Board enables it to control the television.
In August, Google announced its intent to purchase Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion.
From a 5.5-pound, 20-inch portable LCD TV that runs on batteries — to an 8K home cinema super-screen that offers 16x the resolution of HD, Sharp heads into its 100th anniversary year with guns loaded.
While the 85-inch 8K (7680×4320) prototype is on display, there’s no ship date yet. However, consumer product marketing officer Mark Viken says it’s definitely headed for the home.
Sharp’s splashiest ready-for-market offering is an 80-inch 3D LCD TV. The 1080p Wi-Fi display features Sharp’s Quattron technology and 240Hz to virtually eliminate blur.
Connected TV: Sharp announced that all new 60-inch class and larger AQUOS models will come equipped with Wi-Fi enabled SmartCentral for full-screen Web browsing and access to popular apps.
The company also introduced the free Beamzit app, which will allow TVs to share content from iOS or Android devices.
Sharp jointly developed with I-cubed Research Center the ICC-4K LED TV, which “intelligently” up-scales from HD to 4K, providing four times 1080p resolution.
Portability: The AQUOS Freestyle is a line of slim and light HD sets from 20- to 60-inches. The Wi-Fi enabled Freestyles are designed for “plug-into-a-wall-socket-and-play” capability.
Energy-sustainability: Sharp’s 80-inch AQUOS TVs cost just $22 per year to operate, according to the company.
At its press conference, Panasonic announced the new ruggedized Toughpad will complement last year’s Toughbook, and will be useful for people using tablets in harsh environments.
MyLink, developed in partnership with GM, is a hands-free voice activated automotive environment and media control system that will be in the 2013 Malibu and later in the Chevy Equinox and Volt.
The company says 2012 will be the year 3D breaks through; 93 plasma TV models and 40 LCD TV models will be 3D.
Panasonic will continue to sponsor DirecTV’s n3D programming.
Panasonic has partnered with NBC/Universal to produce 200 hours of 3D programming for the 2012 Olympics, including both the opening and closing ceremonies.
The new Panasonic Z10000 dual lens 3D video camera can shoot close-ups as near as 18-inches.
Panasonic introduced a dedicated portable Skype communications device.
Connectivity: 90 percent of Panasonic’s 2012 products will be Web enabled in some way, so content and online resources are key to their success.
NPR has debuted an app designed specifically for Ford SYNC AppLink, the voice-activated platform that works by connecting smartphones to vehicles.
The deal is interesting on two fronts: as a case study in how traditional content “networks” might make their products available a la carte — and for Ford’s hands-off positioning as third-party technology enabler that is facilitating cool uses for smartphones while leaving it largely to the handset manufacturers to upgrade and maintain the platform environment.
Ford AppLink allows developers to create in-vehicle mobile applications that assume unique functionality when Android, iPhone and Blackberry devices are docked to the dashboard via USB. Android devices also work via Bluetooth.
Ford’s apps feature a variety of sports, information and financial programming.
NPR is “one of the most popular features on iTunes, accounting for 7 out of 10 downloaded podcasts,” according to the network’s Kinsey Wilson.
Ford’s SYNC Services launched in 2009, providing voice-activated access to a cloud-based network of information including traffic, news, sports, weather and more. In 2010 Ford added SYNC AppLink — allowing smartphone-equipped customers access to a growing number of popular apps.
Where to see it: North Hall, Grand Lobby, Lower Level 2230
NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang focused Monday’s CES press conference on the new line of devices utilizing the Tegra 3 processor, stressing the variety of mobile solutions companies have to offer individual users with different needs and expectations.
Billed as a quad-core device, the Tegra 3 actually has five CPUs. The fifth processor, or “ninja” core as it’s affectionately called by its creators, provides the key to the new variable symmetric processing.
Huang said the processing makes it possible to maintain or increase computational power while maintaining low power consumption.
The company also demonstrated its prism display technology that enables devices to maintain image fidelity as backlights are dimmed to save power through a reprocessing of each individual pixel’s brightness and color.
The company unveiled another new feature of the Tegra 3, Direct Touch, where the ninja core is used to directly sample data at roughly triple the rate of a traditional capacitive touchscreen.
Huang highlighted Tegra 3’s support of Android Ice Cream Sandwich as well as the new OS’ ability to unite the development process and user experience across platforms, from mobile phones to tablets and ultrabooks.
Half of Samsung Smart TVs will offer 3D in 2012. Product line highlights include a 55-inch Super OLED TV and ES8000 LED TV.
TVs will come in sizes as large as 75-inches with thin bezels. The company also previewed voice control and a gestural interface for its display technology.
To future proof its TVs, Samsung announced plans to offer an evolution kit that would allows users to add new features and increase performance.
New feature “All Share Play” is designed to allow content to move seamlessly across devices.
Samsung Mobile launched the Galaxy Note 4G-enabled smartphone with 5.3 inch HD AMOLED screen and “SPen” control; and 4G LTE-enabled Galaxy Tab 7.7, a new tablet that the company suggested could be used as a universal remote.
In digital imaging, the company launched Samsung Smart cameras and camcorders with Wi-Fi.
Samsung will also offer a technology demo of a 4K TV.
Wormhole Switch from J5create is a single USB cord that enables Windows and Apple computers to exchange files. There is also a version that connects Windows machines with Android platforms.
No software is required; the cord — priced at $24 to $39 — does it all.
Data transfer rates are USB 2’s standard 4.8 gigabytes per second, “so file size is limited only by the size of the hard drive. You can drag and drop a 1 terabyte file,” a company rep explained.
The Wormhole Station accomplishes the same thing via a docking device that also enables multiple units (like tablets and iPads) to share a keyboard.
Where to see it: Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase, LVCC Grand Lobby
Tobii Technology’s eye-tracking system enables you to control your computer with just a look.
After calibrating on your eyes, the Swedish company’s “gaze interaction” technology moves the cursor to the screen location where you are looking.
However, you still have to press the touchpad or click the mouse to trigger an action.
At CES, the company is demonstrating software connected to Microsoft’s Windows 8 so that attendees can demo its capabilities with games, Word documents and more.
Tobii plans to make the system available to the professional market — CAD, artists, etc. — in a year, and to the consumer market in two years. The company also has medical applications in mind for the technology.
Samsung’s new inTouch enables wireless Internet connectivity for HDTV sets at 1080p, allowing users to view YouTube, Hulu and other online content in big screen splendor.
The tiny Android device connects to a TV via a single HDMI cable (no software required) and syncs to the home Wi-Fi network.
It features a built-in camera and microphone for multi-user 720p Skype videoconferencing on a grand scale.
Comes with mini keypad that company reps are touting as a much easier browser interface than a remote control.
Expected to ship in March, priced at $199.
SlashGear has a 1-minute video demo from CES Unveiled.
Where to see it: Central 12004; Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase, LVCC Grand Lobby
At CES, Broadcom will demonstrate system-on-a-chip components to build an Android-based set-top box that would feature DVR functionality from EchoStar and wireless “place-shifting” from Sling Media.
The new system would deliver OTT services alongside cable channels and, according to ReadWriteWeb, “could be the formula behind the phrase, ‘Goodbye, TiVo.'”
STB features expected to be demonstrated at CES: Android-based apps ecosystem enabled through a partnership with Myriad Group (maker of the Alien Vue), 3D environment for graphical on-screen program guides, built-in videoconferencing, interactive supplemental content (“similar to the BD-Live content on Blu-ray movie discs, by way of Adobe AIR for the Digital Home”), the ability to utilize expanded bandwidth to receive up to six simultaneous HD channels, and faster channel changing and scanning ability via a Broadcom standard called FastRTV.
“Existing OTT program services such as Google TV and Roku are already being integrated into Alien Vue; and to that end, Roku today announced its own partnership with premium channel Showtime for a kind of ‘previewing app’ for premium content,” notes RWW.
