Blog articles from 02/2009

Ericsson will launch Connected Home Gateway software at Spain's Mobile World Congress later this month. Consumers can then use their mobile phone or laptops to interact with their computers, TVs and/or media players. This allows the sharing of photos and videos without even being home. By being the main multimedia outlet, the Connected Home Gateway acts as a single service-delivery platform and allows remote management for service provisioning and maintenance. As a single point...

CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit examines new opportunities in broadband, video services, digital media, CE --- International research firm Parks Associates announced today the topics and preliminary list of speakers for CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit , March 31, 2009, in Nice, France. This executive event addresses the new strategies for service and technology providers, media companies, and manufacturers in creating new entertainment and communications solutions. Summit...

This week, Google demonstrated PowerMeter , a home energy consumption prototype Web application. Using smart meter technology allows consumers to decrease energy usage by appliance. Rather than working through utility companies, like other smart grid companies, Google is striving to make home energy data available in real time. To help gain popularity, Google is developing partnerships with hardware manufacturers, utility companies, and government entities. By building a custom...

In a logic move, UK-based Bluetooth technology provider CSR locked in a merger agreement with battered GPS receiver chip maker SiRF. SiRF counts many portable navigation device makers—GARMIN, TomTom, Mio—as customers. But as these customers increasingly looked for additional suppliers with integrated solutions, SiRF’s order volume dropped, along with its stock price. In late 2007, SiRF tried to enter the mobile GPS chipset market with the acquisition of Centrality, but the plan...

The Congress finally agreed to a delay in the mandatory switch over until June after much debate and heartache to the likes of Verizon, AT&T and Qualcomm. However, in yet another turn in events, more expected than unexpected, the broadcast stations have decided to switch over to pure digital transmission much sooner than the mandated date in June. 40% of the local broadcast stations i.e. 2 in out every 5 have expressed their intention to switch as soon as possible. The major factor...

Residential energy management research addresses market opportunities, initiatives, and consumer preferences -- The market for residential energy management will increase significantly over the next four years due to increased consumer demand and new government and industry initiatives. The number of U.S. households with a smart meter will grow to over six million by 2012, according to Parks Associates. The international research firm recently announced its new research...

Israel-based medical diagnostic device and system maker Aerotel introduced GeoSKeeper, a new telecare safety monitoring system, to the market this month. Aerotel partners with GEBOA SA, a Switzerland-based security system distributor, to market the product under the brand AlarmTouch™ GPS in Europe. The solution is actually an enhanced personal emergency response system (PERS) with an embedded quad-band GSM/GPRS modem, a built-in speakerphone, and an active GPS receiver. If the wearer...

Parks Associates is a media partner for the Social Networking World Forum . The Social Networking World Forum will take place from March 9-10, 2009 in Olympia, London. Its the perfect event for professionals to learn and discuss the future development of social media. Featuring key speakers from social networking publishers, advertising agencies, industry analysts, software developers and equipment manufacturers, pay-TV and network service providers, mobile operators, the...