Bloomberg BusinessWeek

Fueling the interest in monitoring aging relatives remotely are some compelling demographics. By 2020 about 45 million Americans will be caring for 117 million seniors, spending on everything from food delivery to safety and health monitors. Research by the AARP and consultants Parks Associates found that caregivers will spend an average of $509 annually for each person they tend to by 2021, a 69 percent increase from 2016. That number is only likely to rise. 

From the artic ...read more

The technology industry is captivated by titans fighting over voice-activated home speakers. The war among Amazon, Google and Apple is technology's newest frontier, but it's also pretty small potatoes. People might spend a few billion dollars this year on computer-assisted speakers such as the Amazon Echo, based on forecasts from research firm Parks Associates.

The big-ticket fight on the tech frontier is happening not in happy homes bathed in WiFi but in the cold, warehouse ...read more

Sony has also been trying to make the PS4 a set-top box. Channel packages for its PlaySation Vue streaming-TV service start at $30 a month in some places and include programming from U.S. broadcast networks and cable favorites such as ESPN, the Food Network, and HBO. Sony said on Oct. 27 it will make Vue, which is accessible on its consoles as well as devices from Amazon.com, Google, and Roku, available on its high-end TVs.

These diversification efforts are far from guarante ...read more

The revamp aims to invigorate viewer interest in Sling TV amid a growing roster of online video services, including forthcoming offers from Apple Inc. and AT&T Inc. Dish doesn’t disclose its Sling subscriber count, though Macquarie Capital USA Inc. analyst Amy Yong estimated it at about 500,000, according to a report in mid-December. Market researcher Parks Associates lists it as the 10th largest by subscribers among online video services.

From the article "Dish Gives Sling ...read more

Game consoles are already the most widely used video streaming devices. About three-quarters of console owners use video apps at least once a week, according to market research firm Parks Associates. But the consoles are losing ground to cheaper streaming devices. New products, including the Amazon (AMZN) Fire TV, even allow users to play lightweight video games.

From the article "PS4 vs. Xbox One, Year Two: The Forces Shaping the Console War" by Joshua Brustein.

If Amazon’s product rivals Chromecast in sales, Jeff Bezos will likely be more than satisfied. Google sold about 3.8 million Chromecast players last year, tying Roku as the bestselling brand in the streaming media player market, according to market research firm Parks Associates. Although its sales have slowed this year, Google’s player accounted for 20 percent of sales last quarter and has supplanted Apple TV as the market’s second-most popular brand. Amazon’s Fire TV accounted ...read more

Roku would seem well-positioned to change that. Its boxes are the biggest dedicated media-streaming devices in the U.S., accounting for 44 percent of the industry’s sales, according to Parks Associates. Apple TVs (AAPL) made up 26 percent of sales. Roku owners are also more likely than Apple TV owners to use their devices for over-the-top services such as Netflix. Televisions potentially hold greater appeal because they integrate the cable and Internet viewing experiences. On th ...read more

Once content is created, consumers -- many of whom jumped on the HD bandwagon only a few years ago -- will have to upgrade cable boxes and possibly streaming plans. Netflix has been streaming a handful of movies and television shows using the upgraded technology, but its help center warns consumers they will need an HD Streaming plan and an Internet connection of 25 megabits per second or higher.

Dallas research Parks Associates predicts 4K Ultra HD will take over 80 percent ...read more