In an effort to boost slumping home video sales, Hollywood studios are turning to the classics. Films such as “Rebel Without a Cause” (1955), “Cleopatra” (1963) and “Funny Girl” (1968) are scheduled for rerelease on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Amid a nearly decade-long drop in home video sales of new movies, largely due to rental options such as Netflix and VOD, demand for catalog titles has held up better. Continue reading Consumer Demand for Classic Films on DVD and Blu-ray?

Swedish-based video-on-demand firm Voddler has launched LiveShelf, which the company describes as the world’s first legal film storage and sharing service. It is currently available to users in Scandinavia and Spain, with expansion into Europe and Russia expected shortly. The product combines digital locker technology with file sharing, allowing users to invite friends to stream their legally acquired films via the Internet. Continue reading Voddler Launches Legal Movie Storage and Sharing Service

Many were perplexed when Intel revealed it would launch a TV service. But the company, along with other giants such as Apple, Google and Microsoft have wrestled for years with how to become TV providers amidst a market ripe for disruption. And as the pay TV landscape continues to shift, with new emerging social and mobile opportunities, tech companies are well-positioned to step in and exploit. Continue reading Slumping PC Sales: Will TV Service be the Answer for Intel?

According to fourth quarter estimates released this week by the NPD Group, Apple’s iTunes continues its stronghold with a 63 percent unit share of the U.S. market for digital music downloads. Amazon.com’s MP3 store held second place at 22 percent. Notably, the NPD “Annual Music Study 2012” indicates that eight out of 10 consumers downloaded digital albums or tracks during the fourth quarter from iTunes. Continue reading After a Decade, iTunes Continues its Market Dominance

Google is following Apple’s example as it is looking to develop more apps for Google Glass. The company released guidelines for developers on Monday, but with limitations, as the company wants more control over what apps are created for the cloud-based “Glassware.” With these limitations, developers cannot sells ads or use third parties to collect and sell data, in addition to other restrictions. Continue reading Developers Face Initial Restrictions for Google Glass Apps

Online music startup Shuffler.fm is expanding with the launch of its own online music video service. ShufflerTV curates popular videos from leading online music magazines and blogs to provide users with continuous streaming music videos via individual stations. The new system also allows users to skip songs, preview what’s next on their playlists, subscribe to stations, and share favorites through social media including Facebook and Twitter. Continue reading Shuffler.fm Launches New Online Music Video Channels

The video entertainment business is facing disruption as online services such as Netflix, Hulu and YouTube continue to shape media consumption. What if the unavoidable disruption isn’t actually the worst thing for the industry? Some see digital disruption to mean a complete replacement of traditional models, while others see an array of opportunities made possible by expansion of the video business. Continue reading Digital Disruption Could Create New Opportunities for Video

Twitter launched a standalone music app this weekend for a handful of “influencers.” The app, expected to be publicly available in a week, uses technology from music discovery site “We Are Hunted.” The Australian startup has been working with the social media giant to create an app called “Twitter Music,” which suggests music based on which accounts a user follows, and offers new tracks from favorite artists and up-and-coming musicians. Continue reading Twitter Music: New App Powered by We Are Hunted Site

Soap operas “One Life to Live” and “All My Children,” which ABC cancelled in 2011, will have a digital revival starting later this month when they return online. Production company Prospect Park licensed the soaps from ABC and plans to launch new episodes via Hulu Plus, iTunes and its own Online Network. The revamped shows are said to have more provocative content in order to attract a younger, contemporary audience. Continue reading Cancelled Soap Operas Return as Online Only Programs

Reed Hastings announced on his Facebook page yesterday that Netflix subscribers viewed 4 billion hours of video during the first quarter. Media analyst Richard Greenfield of BTIG Research suggests that subscribers are viewing an average of 87 minutes of streaming content per day via the video-on-demand service, up from 79 minutes in June 2012. “Netflix is now likely the most-watched cable network,” said Greenfield. Continue reading Netflix CEO Says 4 Billion Hours of Video Streamed in Q1

During Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam’s speech at the NAB conference on Tuesday in Las Vegas, he noted that roughly half of the traffic on Verizon’s mobile networks currently involves video. And by 2017, Verizon expects that percentage to grow to two-thirds. Is this the average trend across mobile consumption or is Verizon an exception? The answer may lie in LTE. Continue reading Verizon CEO Says LTE is Steering Rise in Mobile Video

Akamai is aiming to get the second screen experience right. It demonstrated its Hyperconnected Living Room concept at NAB in Las Vegas, showcasing a dual-screen experience that pushes out on-demand movies and other streaming content to a user’s slate right when they would expect to see it. It is a contrast to other such services that tend to lag and provide content later than desired. Continue reading NAB 2013: Akamai Demos Hyperconnected Living Room

Aereo is really stirring the broadcast cable pot these days. In a radical announcement made during NAB in Las Vegas, News Corp. President Chase Carey said the company would consider converting its Fox broadcast network into a pay TV channel in response to the Aereo legal dispute. Broadcasters have taken Aereo to court over its service that basically enables users to rent small antennas to record free-to-air channels. Continue reading NAB 2013: Fox Could Turn to Pay TV if Aereo Ruled Legal

According to Ad Age, the Intel Media TV Service has all the components that consumers want. The interface is beautiful, the remote is simple and the cloud-based DVR doesn’t require anyone to hit “record.” Algorithms are built in to learn what users like and recommend new content, it syncs easily with social networks, there is effortless co-viewing with distant friends, it works on mobile devices and more. Continue reading Intel Stands to Reinvent Cable TV with Media TV Service

Microsoft is planning to reveal the details of its new Xbox gaming console during an event on May 21, several weeks before the E3 video game conference. The console, code-named Durango, reportedly features a processor from chipmaker AMD along with new graphics enhancements. As part of its initiative to make the Xbox a hub for all entertainment, the company plans to sell its Mediaroom IPTV business to Ericsson. Continue reading Details for New Xbox to be Revealed at Microsoft Event