Category: Technology

MUMBAI: United Film Organizers (UFO) Moviez, a subsidiary of Apollo International Ltd, is in the process of raising venture capital (VC) funding of $25 million (Rs 1.13 billion).

The company plans to spread its digital cinema network to 2,000 screens by 2007-08, for which it is going to invest Rs 3 billion. UFO has already invested close to Rs 800 million and its digital system runs across 550 theatres.

UFO has mandated Ernst & Young to arrange the VC funding. “We are in talks with a few VCs. We will be raising $25 million. We have already pumped in around Rs 800 million. The balance will come from debt and internal accruals,” UFO Moviez CEO Sanjay Gaikwad tells Indianteleviievision.com.

Apollo International holds 60 per cent in the company while 25 per cent is with the founder-promoters (including Gaikwad) and initial investors. The balance 15 per cent is held by Singapore-based DG2L Technologies. “After receiving the VC funding, all of our shareholdings will get diluted proportionately. We will know the new shareholding structure only when we finalise our VC partner,” says Gaikwad.

UFO installs the digital equipment at cinema theatres which cost Rs 1.7 million. Theatres using the UFO digital system do not have to pay for the equipment but are charged Rs 450 per show. The company uses Mpeg 4 digital cinema solutions.

“We plan to increase the fee to Rs 525 per show. We also expect the usage of digital systems in the theatres whiere we have installed them to go up from 60 per cent to over 90 per cent as the business matures,” says Gaikwad.

UFO has competitors like Adlabs and Essel Group‘s E-City Digital Cinemas. “We expect our revenues to touch Rs 2 billion by 2008-09,” says Gaikwad.

MUMBAI: The World Economic Forum has announced 47 Technology Pioneers for 2007.

MobiTV, which works in the area of mobile and broadband television and music services, has been selected.

The Technology Pioneers were nominated by venture capital and technology companies. The final selection from 225 nominees was made by a panel of leading technology experts appointed by the World Economic Forum. Technology Pioneers 2007 are invited to attend the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum to be held in Davos, Switzerland from 24-28 January 2007.

MobiTV is responsible for leading the convergence of television and music content across the mobile and personal computing markets. The service has more than one million subscribers and offers TV and digital radio channels from labels, networks and cable providers. MobiTV is available in the US through AT&T, Sprint, Cingular, Alltel. In the UK it is available through 3UK and Orange; in Canada through Bell, Rogers and Telus and in Latin America through América Móvil.

Technology Pioneers are companies that have been identified as developing and applying highly transformational and innovative technologies in the areas of energy, biotechnology and health, and information technology. This year’s class of companies has been selected not only because of the cutting-edge work undertaken by these organizations, but also because their work has potential long-term impact on business and society.

The World Economic Forum MD Peter Torreele says, “The competition to become a Technology Pioneer has been more intense than ever. It is evident that technology and innovation is playing a key role in the shifting power equation at a global level. Driving this shift is the tremendous amount of innovation taking place outside of traditionally hubs. The wide geographic spread of this year’s Technology Pioneers is a testament to this trend. We are pleased to welcome MobiTV to our Community of Technology Pioneers, and look forward to engaging them into the community of the World Economic Forum”.

Another firm that was selected is Sling Media. The US consumer electronics company, offers digital lifestyle products. It offers Slingbox, a device that allows consumers to access their living room digital television from any location through Internet connected laptops, desktops, PDAs, and smartphones. The company also offers SlingPlayer Mobile, a software package, which allows Slingbox owners to watch and control their home TV from any network-enabled mobile phone or handheld computer.

Measurement firm comScore Networks also features. comScore Networks started in 1999 with the vision to measure, analyze and report actual e-commerce transaction data across all websites. Harnessing its technological innovation and creativity, comScore has evolved far beyond this initial vision to become the leading provider of digital marketing intelligence.

To be selected as a Technology Pioneer, a company must be involved in the development of life-changing technology innovation and have the potential for long-term impact on business and society. In addition, it must demonstrate visionary leadership, show all the signs of being a long-standing market leader – and its technology must be proven.

MUMBAI: A few days back Motorola kicked off a week of activities that include live Mobile TV demonstrations and keynote speaking engagements by Motorola chairman and CEO Ed Zander and Motorola Asia-Pacific president Simon Leung at the ITU Telecom World 2006 and the 3G World Congress and Mobility Marketplace in Hong Kong.

Zander says, “We are thrilled to showcase Motorola’s innovative products and technologies – including the new Motorokr E6 – that are changing the way consumers and businesses communicate with each other. This is an essential device for people who work hard and play hard – redefines users’ experiences with traditional music and PDA devices. Once again, Motorola is making seamless mobility a reality and our latest offerings deliver on the promise of a digital lifestyle that keeps people connected to data, information and entertainment whenever and wherever they want.”

Motorola Ambassador Taiwanese pop-star Jay Chou helped launch the MOTOROKR E6. It is designed to create superior experiences around video, music, games and photos in a single device. A complete re-visioning of traditional music and PDA devices, Motorola says that the handset enhances user productivity with features, including dedicated music keys, expandable memory, movie viewing and movie making capabilities, plus all of the essential business tools. The MOTOROKR E6 comes with Motorola’s award-winning business-card reader software, taking the hassle out of staying in touch by conveniently creating and sharing contact information.

Motorola is also showcasing its Connected Home Solutions. it is demonstrating the Ultra-Broadband technologies that offer cost-effective access to video and voice through IP, cable, or a hybrid for operators and customers.

In the mobile TV arena Motorola is showcasing the latest DVB-H enabled handsets currently being used in its Mobile TV trial with PCCW in Hong Kong. Visitors to the Motorola booth will see the wide selection of channels, crystal clear audio and video coupled with a host of interactive services such as games and ring tones.

MUMBAI: Hathway Cable & Datacom has launched digital cable TV service in Mysore through a fibre linkup from Bangalore.

The multi-system operator (MSO) will have the Scientific Atlanta (SA) solution using the digital content manager (DCM) which supports gig interface (GbE ports) for transmitting the 130 channels over STM4 bandwitdh.

On the recieving end, is the SA‘s digital qam (XDQ). This is an ideal bridge between flexible IP and Giga bit ethernet based backbone networks and existing qam set top boxes.

Hathway plans to launch the service soon in Nashik, the company said in a statement. Digital cable is already available in Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Punjab.

The digital set-top box (STB) will offer over 130 TV channels and other value added services like interactive gaming, the release added

MUMBAI: Zee Network‘s Wire & Wireless India Ltd. (WWIL) is in the process of lining up a debt of Rs 2 billion for funding its digital initiatives and acquisition of cable operators.

“We have already got Rs 500 million from Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation (IDFC). We are already in the process of tieing up a debt of Rs 2 billion,” WWIL CEO Jagjit Singh Kohli tells Indiantelevision.com.

The company plans to invest Rs 7.40 billion over two years and Rs 8.50 billion within five years. “The debt to equity ratio will be firmed up once we know the price it quotes after getting listed in the exchange by February-March 2007. That in a way will determine how much debt component we will require to raise,” Kohli says.

The company is in talks with strategic and financial investors but conclusive agreement will take place only after the listing. “We are not necessarily looking at a strategic investor. We want somebody who will give us the maximum valuation,” Kohli says.

WWIL, the de-merged entity of Zee Telefilms‘ cable TV business, has set an ambitious target of ramping up its direct subsciber base to 9.6 million within five years. “We expect 7.6 million to receive digital cable. Our aim is to have 4.4 million through our own digital cable service and an additional 3.2 million through our Headend-In-The-Sky (HITS) platform. We will have two million through analogue acquisitions,” says Kohli.

WWIL claims to have added 250,000 subscribers in recent months through aggressive acquisitions. The multi-system operator (MSO) has also expanded operations from 35 to 43 cities. “We plan to be in 66 cities in three years,” Kohli says.

WWIL will deploy several models of set-top boxes (STBs) aimed at various subscribers. Apart from the basic box, it plans to introduce a STB which will enable internet facilities on TV. “Customers can enjoy interactive games and online share trading through this. We are looking at a monthly fee of Rs 70 for internet and Rs 75-100 for movie-on-demand. Subscribers will have to pay Rs 1499 as deposit and Rs 45 as monthly rent. We haven‘t, though, arrived at the final pricing. We plan to introduce these boxes after two months,” says Kohli.

The basic STB is available on a refundable deposit of Rs 250 and rent of Rs 45 per month or a refundable deposit of Rs 999 with a monthly rent of Rs 30.

WWIL will also deploy a STB through which it can offer VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) sometime in April, according to Kohli. The MSO is also poised to offer HITS which will enable it to tap cable operators at a national level even in places where WWIL has no presence, he adds.

GalaxZee will be the brand under which WWIL will offer its digital cable service. “We have commissioned a digital headend two days back at Worli. We will be in the Cas (conditional access system) notified area of south Mumbai and several operators from rival MSOs are joining us,” Kohli says.

MUMBAI: Infomedia India Limited has unveiled T3 (Tomorrow‘s Technology Today), the gadget magazine in India. The Indian edition of T3 is published under a licensing arrangement with Future Publishing, UK‘s special interest publishers, and is the 23rd international edition of T3.

T3 is aimed at early adopters and gadget aware audiences abreast with the latest in the gadget universe. It uses photography and a blend of news, reviews and features to bring readers up to scratch with the fast paced world of consumer technology. It spans different areas including lifestyle, consumer products, cars, hi-fi, mobile, video gaming products and leisure products, informs an official release.

The cover story of the first issue Gadgets 2.0 focuses on the new generation of gadgets taking over the world. The story covers the spectrum of digital entertainment devices from the Sony PS3 to Toshiba HD DVD Player to the Sony Ericsson W950 mobile phone.

Other sections include a sneak peek at the N95 and the Asus Lamborghini Laptop, over 30 pages of gadget reviews and an entire section on home entertainment media. The first issue will feature supermodel Deepika Padukone as the T3 cover girl. T3 tops this up with a first-ever interview with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and film director Farhan Akhtar on their favourite gadgets.

The monthly issue of the magazine will be available on newsstands and will be priced at Rs 100.

Infomedia India MD Prakash Iyer said, “It gives me immense pleasure in launching the first edition of the world‘s best gadget magazine in India. Our main objective to launch the magazine is to convey to the gadget crazy community that here is a magazine that is celebrating their passion. ”

Previously editor of hi-fi magazine AV Max, Nishant Padhiar is editor of T3.

Padhiar adds, “With increasingly high disposable incomes and the start-ups of new concept tech stores, the consumer electronic industry is booming. We feel it is the right time to educate the consumer and T3 will provide all the information needed to do so.”

MUMBAI: UK pay TV service provider BSkyB and the world‘s most valuable media firm Google have announced plans to work together in bringing ground-breaking web-based services
to Sky‘s community of broadband internet customers.

The set of multi-year agreements sees two of innovators in technology and entertainment join forces to create a customised experience for Sky Broadband customers.

Sky will be Google‘s first partner globally to deploy Google‘s suite of search, advertising, communications and video services, all of which will be tailored and branded for Sky‘s fast-growing broadband platform. Sky aims to ensure that
its broadband customers enjoy the best possible online user experience with customised access to the full benefits of Google‘s evolving suite of innovative products for PC, TV and mobile.

Sky and Google will collaborate in three areas:

Video: Sky will launch a multi-platform User Generated Video (UGV) portal powered by the first global deployment of Google‘s syndicated video content tools. The site will allow users to edit, upload and share their own video content, including the facility to upload and download from a mobile phone. The UGV portal will form part of a content-rich experience for Sky Broadband customers that will enhance the appeal of Sky‘s broadband services, build community and promote Sky content to online audiences.

Communications: Sky Broadband customers will enjoy access to an online communications platform. This will include a fully customised version of Google‘s email product, ‘Google Mail‘, which will use the popular ‘@sky.com‘ email address. Powered by Google with a user interface and functionality customised to Sky‘s unique specifications, the platform will also offer access to key communications applications that attract and deepen relationships with internet users, such as contacts, calendar and instant messaging.

In addition, Sky will explore opportunities to provide further services such as Google‘s VoIP (voice over internet protocol) telephony services, enhanced storage and future product developments.

Search and advertising Google will provide its search tools and targetted search advertising across Sky‘s portfolio of online sites. The two companies will also explore future forms of web, TV and mobile advertising. Revenue generated by click-throughs on sponsored links will be shared between Sky and Google, increasing Sky‘s exposure to the fastest growing segment of the UK‘s advertising market.

Sky CEO James Murdoch said, “These agreements will bring Sky customers a valuable set of services from the world‘s leading search company, including cutting edge tools for video sharing and communications. Google has pioneered many of the web‘s most loved and used features, so I‘m delighted that Sky Broadband customers will be the very first
online community to enjoy such unrivalled range and quality as well as a commitment to further innovation.

In a short time, Sky says that it has emerged as an effective challenger by offering high-quality broadband that offers greater value than traditional cable and telcos. Sky says that it is on track to build a large and successful broadband business and is increasingly well positioned to participate in the rapid growth of online search and advertising.‘

Google chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt said, “Google is committed to giving people the power to explore, create and communicate. This alliance with Sky brings together two of the most innovative media and technology companies for the benefit of users. We will be delivering exciting new services for Sky Broadband customers all over the UK. We‘re delighted to team up with Sky in one of the world‘s most dynamic markets and we look forward to working together in the years to come.”

MUMBAI: Football‘s governing body Fifa has announced that its site is providing a host of features for the Fifa Club World Cup Japan 2006, which kicks off on Sunday 10 December 2006.

All matches will be covered live on the site: goals, cards, substitutions and additional statistics will be available in real time through the site‘s ScoreCard service.

Breaking news, post-match quotes and analysis, interviews and features will be produced direct from the venues. Team profiles and squad lists, referees and venues profiles, profiles of the previous clubs who won the former Intercontinental / Toyota Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup since 1961 will be present.

A full Japanese language version of the tournament to offer local football lovers the same level of coverage as enjoyed in the four official languages the site operates in (English, Spanish, French and German). This Japanese version is available on www.FIFA.com/jp

The site will also offer a worldwide video highlights service for the tournament. Two minute video summaries will be made available free of charge shortly after the final whistle of each game (except Japan and Spain, where there is a 24 hour delay).

Fifa director of marketing and TV division Jérôme Valcke says, “Fifa is happy to be able to showcase world-class club football on its official Website and to offer fans a comprehensive coverage of this major Tournament. With the support of our friends at Dentsu, Fifa.com will feature video highlights of each match.”

MUMBAI: A Japanese entertainment group has asked video-sharing site YouTube to implement a system to prevent users from uploading videos that would infringe copyrights.

The Japan Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers media reports state has said that YouTube should proactively check if uploaded videos are copyrighted. They sent an email to Youtube‘s founders Chad Hurley and Steve Chen on this matter. The Japanese entertainment group was the one that had earlier requested YouTube take down 30,000 video clips that infringed on copyright.

Most videos posted on YouTube are homemade, but the site also features copyrighted material posted by individual users.

YouTube‘s policy has been to remove clips that infringe copyright after it receives complaints. The Hapanese group says that Youtube should warning in Japanese on the home page that reminds people of the civil and criminal penalties associated with copyright infringement. In addition media reports state that the group wants YouTube to maintain records of the names and addresses of people uploading video, and to terminate the accounts of users who upload illegal clips