Category: Software

Meeting the ever-increasing worldwide demand for high definition programming, BMW experienced a 100 per cent jump in international coverage during this 30-day period and now reaches 140 territories.

Playboy Latin America Channel has acquired cable TV rights for Bikini Destinations, Destination X, Xotic Xtreme, The Wild Side, Bikini Life Adventures and Beyond the List in several countries including Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Argentina.

Fox International Channels has secured non-standard transmission rights for Bikini Destinations, The Wild Side and Girls Fight Club in several countries including Bahrain, Brunei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Singapore.

TU Media in Korea has secured DMB rights for Bikini Destinations, Beyond the List and Bikini Life Adventures.

Virgin Media has secured VOD rights for Bikini Destinations in the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, and Channel Islands.

Cineland in Greece has acquired DVD rights to Bikini Destinations, Beyond the List and Bikini Life Adventures.

Newnham says, “I am very excited at the opportunity to work with the Star Movies and Star World team to drive the channels towards their next phase of growth and development.

“The team has done a tremendous job at establishing both channels as leaders in their genres. I now look forward to working with everyone as we put our effort towards unlocking the enormous potential that is still out there.”

Liza joined Star in 2005 as Star Ventures VP, managing Star‘s joint venture interests in India. Later she was named Star VP, ad sales and distribution. Before joining Star she has worked in business development at both Foxtel in Australia and Sky Italia in Italy.

The weekly programmes, How To…, Grammar Challenge and Talk About English, which come in bite-size formats and show students how to tackle tricky aspects of the English language, are now available for downloading on demand via bbcworldservice.com/podcasts.

BBC World Service English Learning head Andrew Thompson said, “A really good way to improve your English is to listen on the go to short and sharp, user-friendly tips and suggestions – and that is just what we have prepared for learners, to BBC standards of quality.”

How To… is a series of practical six-minute audio programmes helping students discover and practise phrases and expressions which they can use in all kinds of situations, whether it‘s to order a meal in a restaurant or congratulate someone on their engagement.

In addition to the audio programme and downloadable transcript, the units feature a guided presentation and analysis of a language structure. Each unit is accompanied by various practice activities and is wrapped up with a consolidation quiz.

Each unit offers a downloadable grammar explanation, and learners are also offered English grammar practice material which features personalised feedback by language experts.

Talk About English is a topical 20-minute audio programme. It features quizzes, debates, interviews and discussions with native and non-native speakers both in the studio and on location. It also offers vocabulary support, downloadable programme scripts, word facts and more.

All BBC Learning English programmes can be accessed via bbclearningenglish.com.

This new service will empower the user with a single window, where all content of their choice will reside.

Users can select the content that gets featured on their page by using this customized service. They can also select the websites that provide RSS feeds.

Times Internet Limited MD and CEO Dinesh Wadhawan said,” The consumption of internet is a very individual process, merely providing one kind of content for all does not work. Here every individual is a niche; his needs have to be met. My.indiatimes.com is our attempt to do just that. Try out our beta version, give us feedback – and watch this space as we add more features.”

Users can change everything on their page by dragging and dropping the boxes and deleting content that is not required. They can also add contents from other websites.

The customized page can be accessed from anywhere and can be changed according to the user‘s preferences.

Under the title Brand Channel, promotional videos will be available on www.youtube.com/India. This initiative will give further international exposure to the promotional campaign which also includes videos related to India‘s independence.

Presently there are 18 videos uploaded on the site and some more are expected to be added.

Ministry of tourism secretary S Banerjee said that “Incredible India” campaign is well recognised all over the world and efforts are being made to maximize the reach.

He further added that we have to show the world the progress India has made since its Independence 60 years ago and using YouTube for promotion of the “Incredible India” campaign is an effort in that direction.

In the face of what it calls unreasonable threats by UMG, Veoh has filed an action in Federal court to reinforce its rights as a copyright compliant company under the safe harbor provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

Veoh says that it is making use of widely available Internet technology to enable viewers and content holders to come together in a new market for the consumption of online video. In this market, Veoh reiterates that it is actively taking steps to create a copyright friendly environment.

Veoh Networks CEO Steve Mitgang says, “It is unfortunate that UMG prefers to take actions that are designed to stifle innovation, shut down new markets and maintain the status quo instead of working to change and evolve models for today and the future”.

Veoh is committed to creating and supporting a service where consumers get access to the video content they want in a manner respectful of copyright holders. This is evidenced by thousands of independent content producers utilizing Veoh to publish video content and relationships with dozens of major media brands. All of these efforts include ongoing, diligent compliance with the DMCA through proactive distribution of automated tools that enable enforcement of DMCA notification and prevent repeat offense publishing.

Veoh is also working with industry groups such as the MPAA and content holders to implement state of the art technologies that include filtering and special compliance tools for copyright holders. Mitgang adds, “We are disappointed that we were forced to take this action, and consistent with our policy, are prepared to respond when and if UMG provides us with DMCA notice.”

The new range of stylish, award winning home theatres with cutting-edge technologies – HT-X250 , HT-X30, HT-TX25 and HT-Q20, have been launched in the Indian market today in the price range between Rs.10,990 to Rs.29,000.

The highlight of the new Home Theatre range is the HT-X250 model that is differentiated as much on account of its ultra stylish design as its superior features like Wireless Ready Rear Channel System, Dual layout and USB Host playback. It allows a user to enjoy various media files such as pictures, movies and songs saved in an MP3 player, digital camera or USB memory by connecting the storage device to the USB port of the home theatre.

The incorporated progressive scan technology offers non-interlaced images sent to the latest Digital Television receivers giving unparalleled image quality. This technology eliminates even the slightest hint of blur or distortion. The HT-X250, like all other models in the new range offers support for many audio and video formats including MP3, WMA, MPEG, DivX, JPEG and more. With its Dolby Digital®, Dolby Pro Logic® and DTS decoders, one can experience theatre like picture and sound quality.

The Samsung HT-X250 Home Theatre System delivers up to 600 Watts of audio power through 5.1 channels. In addition, it offers HDMI technology which allows for transfer of video data from DVD receiver to TVs at highest quality enabling ultimate home entertainment experience. The HT-X250 has been bestowed with the CES Innovation Award-2007.

Samsung India Deputy MD R Zutshi says, “The 2007 Home Theatre lineup should further fuel the growth of our Home Theatre segment which is seeing a huge interest linked with the exponential growth being witnessed by the Flat Panel TV category. We are targeting a 70% growth in terms of our Home Theatre volumes this year”.

MTVN, will begin offering video from Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1, CMT, The N, Spike TV, MTV Tr3s, GameTrailers.com and IFilm.

“No other entertainment company offers such a complete portfolio of video, programming, games, mobile websites and other features targeting nearly every conceivable demographic as MTV Networks. With Alltel, MTV Networks is gaining an excellent wireless carrier and access to a customer base that mirrors the diverse audiences of our brands,” said MTV Networks EVP digital distribution and business development Greg Clayman.

The agreement expands the comprehensive line-up of news, sports and entertainment programming and content available through Alltel‘s Axcess wireless data services.

“MTV Networks is home to some of the world‘s most recognized brands, and we are proud to bring its unique and entertaining content to our customers‘ phones. As the wireless phone continues to evolve into a mobile entertainment device, Alltel is committed to providing the latest and most compelling content available,” said Alltel SVP wireless product management Wade McGrill.

Select MTVN programming and content will also be accessible via Celltop, Alltel‘s exclusive, patent-pending technology that provides customers an easier way to access, manage, and organize a wide range of information already available on their phones, adds the release.

The services will enable AT&T to provide a dedicated network through which NBC can transmit digital television coverage of the Games, which will be held between 8-24 August back to the U.S. for national broadcast.

China Netcom was selected by Beijing Olympics Organising Committee as the exclusive fixed-line telecommunications partner in China for the 2008 Olympic Games. NBC Olympics will provide exclusive coverage of the 2008 Olympic Games to hundreds of millions of viewers in the US.

In addition, AT&T and China Netcom are also collaborating to set up a circuit for NBC, which the network will use to broadcast live coverage of the one-year countdown celebration being held in Tiananmen Square, Beijing.

AT&T Asia Pacific VP Gopi Gopinath says, “AT&T is proud to support the Olympic movement, built up over many years and is very pleased to facilitate viewing of the first Olympic Games to be staged in China. We are very excited to be working with China Netcom and NBC on this project, and we are confident that the broadcasts from the Olympic Games next summer will be a great success with the help of international private leased line services from China Netcom.

In addition, AT&T is the official telecom services partner of the US Olympic Team. AT&T provides a wide range of services to the US Olympic committee, including integrated long distance, data service and audio/videoconferencing services, virtual private networks, managed internet protocol services, wireless services and Web hosting. AT&T also has provided financial support for various US Olympic committee projects, including training facilities.

The partnership will kick off with graphic novels to be published worldwide by Virgin with the first comic books to be released by the end of 2007. The new characters and stories will be co-created and co-owned by Virgin and UTV Motion Pictures.

Virgin Comics president Suresh Seetharaman and Spotboy creative and business head Vikas Bahl will be managing the partnership and supervising the creative development, informs an official company statement.

UTV Motion Pictures Plc chairman Ronnie Screwvala said, “Virgin Comics is an ideal partner as we look to develop new content in the character entertainment space. Their expertise and global resources will allow us to create superheroes that touch the hearts of audiences worldwide.”

Virgin Comics CEO, Sharad Devarajan said, “In the same way the West created an age of heroes wearing capes and tights, our goal with UTV Motion Pictures is to redefine the archetype of the superhero and infuse a new sensibility that relates to today‘s Indian youth. Virgin‘s studio of leading Indian artists and writers have already created comics that are being published worldwide and turned into films, games and animation – this new relationship with UTV Motion Pictures is a perfect extension of what we do best and we are thrilled to be working with Ronnie and his team.”

“For too long, western superheroes have dominated the stage, but in India, the original mythic characters were born and we are now ready for a re-launch of larger than life heroes that will reflect the ancestral ethos of the region from which they spawn. We expect this partnership with UTV Motion Pictures to launch a whole new universe of heroes and I couldn‘t be more excited,” commented Virgin Comics chief creative officer Gotham Chopra.

“At SpotBoy we want to capture the imagination of audiences from all dimensions and mediums. So when we will create stories for all mediums the creative is bound to take a leap.” added Bahl, “Our characters will exist in every creative form.”

“It‘s time for a new wave of Indian superheroes to fuel the imaginations and foster the inspirations of the next generation of global kids and teens,” commented Seetharaman.