TechNewsWorld

Sony's vision of the borderless entertainment environment won't be for everyone -- at least not initially.

"There is a group of consumers we call digital natives -- they're the youngest consumers that grew up in a world of Internet access and smartphones -- that would love to pay for an immersive experience," Brett L. Sappington, director of research for Parks Associates, told TechNewsWorld.

For mainstream consumers, a US$30,000 to $40,000 projector is out of reach, he n ...read more

Almost all entertainment devices entering the home now have connectivity capabilities. These connected TV devices include smart TVs, gaming consoles, streaming video media devices such as a Roku or Apple TV, and Blu-ray players.

Currently, more than 50 percent of U.S. broadband households have at least one consumer electronics home entertainment device that streams video and is connected to the Internet. Among consumers, the prevalence of connected devices varies by age, wit ...read more

While several titles will be released on both platforms, a number of games are system exclusives and will drive interest for gamers.

"Historically, titles have been a primary driver for game console adoption," said Brett Sappington, director of research at Parks Associates. "Even with all of the feature announcements, anticipation of the games available on the new platform will be crucial for market success."

The momentum for the next-generation of consoles is stronger t ...read more

Competition heated up in the OLED TV market Tuesday as Samsung announced it was shipping its first production model using the technology and that it would sell for US$8,999.

That price will choke most TV shoppers, but it's being hailed as a new low price point for displays sporting the state-of-the-art technology. The only other OLED TV in the market sells for $15,000 and is made by Samsung's arch rival LG.

Anticipating comparisons with the new 55-inch Samsung model, LG ...read more

We've got Sony's upcoming PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One. Just recently, we've got Ouya as well. The latest additions to the video game console arena? Google and possibly even Apple, according to reports. Bottom line? "From a hardware standpoint it is going to be messy," predicted Brett Sappington, director of research at Parks Associates.

Google's Android and Apple's iOS are both popular gaming platforms already, of course, but on mobile devices including handsets a ...read more

The M2M (machine-to-machine communications) industry is undergoing a period of fundamental change and significant growth.

Encouraged by declining chipset and sensor costs, manufacturers are increasingly embedding their products with wireless connectivity. Mobile operators and key players in industries as diverse as automotive, oil and gas, and healthcare all have a strong interest in pursuing this growing market.

M2M Health Market Drivers

In the healthcare industry, ...read more

By the end of 2012, 60 percent of U.S. broadband households owned at least one app-enabled consmer electronic device. With connected device ownership at mainstream levels, there is a solid foundation for app development and rapid growth in app economies.

Of the primary devices used to access apps, smartphones have the highest penetration rates. Since 2010, however, newer app platforms such as tablets and smart TVs have experienced notable growth. Tablet adoption increased 20 ...read more

Any hopes of price-sensitive consumers that Intel would make their TV watching cheaper were dashed by the chipmaker at the conference. "This won't be a value-priced service," IDC's Ireland observed. "Consumers won't be subscribing to it because it's half the price of Comcast."

Unlike much content on the Internet, people have shown a willingness to open their wallets for video, said Brett L. Sappington, director of research for Parks Associates. "Intel sees video as the kingm ...read more