"OTT" articles

2008 was full of all kinds of Web TV and Web CE announcements, about which I dutifully blogged as I could. I think that 2009 will include some similar focus, where not only premium Web video is made available, but also stripped-down Internet applications (a.k.a. "widgets"). So, what's the outlook for the CE industry in 2009? The Web TV Market The challenge for HDTV manufacturers is how to differentiate and add value to their displays in a rapidly-maturing...

Following up their Widget Channel announcement at the Intel Developer Forum in August, Intel says that it will show prototype devices at CES. Intel also expects to announce new partnerships with content and service providers for The Widget Channel. The company also will introduce services "moving beyond just leisure and entertainment and television," said Genevieve Bell, an Intel fellow who specializes in studying user interaction with technology. I'd expect to see lots...

Despite putting together a nice product with a great interface, VUDU has struggled to define itself. Is it the consumate video-on-demand box? The adult content box ? The high-end installer box? A Blu-ray challenger? With today's release, it looks like VUDU wants to take on the cable company. It launched VUDU RIA (Rich Internet Application) platform, a standards-based platform that brings Web-hosted rich applications and services to consumer appliances. VUDU has created an...

Verizon's FiOS TV service has a couple of new features, one of which I tried over the weekend with good success. The Remote DVR feature allows users to manage and schedule DVR recordings from any Internet-connected computer. This feature was slick! Subscribers must have the Home Media DVR feature (allowing multi-room DVR functionality and access to music and photos from home computers at any TV with a set-top box). To initiate the feature, I just had to go to FiOS TV Central...

Last week, the Journal had a review of some of the consumer electronics products that can access Netflix Internet video content at the TV. They looked at the Roku player, the Xbox 360, and the LG Blu-ray player. Looks like the Roku player came out on top. The Xbox's loud fan annoyed the reviewer (and the game controller was not the optimal control) and the LG Blu-ray player apparently had issues with dropped home network connections.

For all the talk of wireless HD and questions surrounding the pros and cons of Wi-Fi, 5 GHz, 60 GHz, and UWB solution, Western Digital has offered up the WD TV HD Media Player. Basically, USB drives, digital cameras, camcorders, and portable media players that can be recognized as mass storage devices can be plugged into this device and then played on the TV. Western Digital announced this product on Monday with this press release.

I saw at least one order-the-pizza-from-the-TV demonstration at last week's TelcoTV conference, so I thought it was interesting that the theory has now become a reality, at least with TiVo and Domino's Pizza. The companies announced today that they have introduced a service to give broadband connected TiVo subscribers the ability to order pizza for delivery or pick-up, and track delivery timing.

Parks Associates will be hosting the workshop Business Cases for Emerging Video Services at TelcoTV 2008 on November 11. TelcoTV , November 11-13, the Anaheim Convention Center, is the premier event for the exploration of a comprehensive entertainment convergence strategy. The workshop addresses the business case for emerging video services, including multichannel television and broadband video. Parks Associates forecasts that by 2012, almost 33 million U.S. households will...