Blog articles from 12/2010

After years as a bit player in entertainment, Netflix Inc. is being eyed for a new role by Hollywood: industry hulk. The Silicon Valley company has successfully expanded its mail-order DVD rental service to delivering video online. Meantime, the rise of Internet-connected TVs and disc players means that Netflix's electronically streamed movies and TV shows are reaching living rooms, not just computers.All that poses a potential threat to the traditional way consumers watch...

U.K. electronics retailer Richer Sounds is now selling a 22-inch Sony HDTV with a PlayStation 2 built in. According to its Twitter feed, the retailer started offering the product to its customers last week. It sells for 200 pounds, or about $300. Dubbed the Sony Bravia KDL-22PX300, the set sits atop the built-in PlayStation 2 . The HDTV boasts 4 HDMI ports, 3 USB ports (although two of them are USB 1.1), and two Ethernet connections. The set itself features a 1,366x768...

Technicolor wants to be sure 3D is comfortable to watch. With that in mind, the company has introduced a 3D Certification program aimed at broadcasters and network service providers, to ensure that 3D material meets minimum quality requirements before it is delivered to consumers. The foundation of the service, dubbed Technicolor Certifi3D, is an in-house developed 3D analysis software tool. Technicolor's new 3D analysis software was developed by its Research and Innovation...

Sony, Nikon and SanDisk have developed a new specification for CompactFlash memory cards that promises photographers the ability to continuously shoot high-quality RAW images, they said Tuesday. The proposed new format, which doesn't yet have a name, supports data transmission at up to 500MBps, the three companies said in a joint statement. This is roughly three times faster than CF6.0, the latest version of the CompactFlash-card format that was announced in mid-November. The new...

Yet another company, GameString, is about to launch a cloud gaming service. According to their website, it will give gamers access to 3D games on their browsers as well as the possibility to share gameplay with other people on the Web. OnLive is already on the market with a solution that enables players to access games remotely through PCs or proprietary micro-consoles. Gaikai, another company that offers cloud-based gaming, wants to revolutionize game advertising by offering...

Microsoft Corp is about to jump back into the TV game. Only this time, it may aim at cable, satellite and phone companies.The software powerhouse has held talks with TV networks to create a new subscription-based TV service on its Xbox gaming console that would rival efforts by Google Inc , Apple Inc and Netflix Inc , sources told Reuters. Microsoft's latest explorations after investments in MSNBC and WebTV come as efforts to redefine living room entertainment have...

As the rise of tablets threatens its low-cost laptop business, computer maker Acer Inc. unveiled plans to begin selling tablets that run either Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc. software. The Taiwan company said it will release three touchscreen tablets next year. The first, based on Microsoft's Windows platform, will have a 10.1 inch screen and be released in February. The company will also release two tablets using Google's Android platform in April, one with a 7-inch screen and...

* Personal clouds and digital lockers * Internet security, particularly for mobile devices. Location trackers, GPS, etc. Companies such as Lookout * TV Everywhere on the consumer electronics device. Think of the Virgin Media/TiVo announcement from 12/1/10 or LG Electronics and Orange in France. We will see a ton of service provider announcements regarding their premium video services on connected TV devices. * Many companies showcasing ways to bring Web content to the TV:...