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  • Webaroo launches the searchable, offline web in India

    Webaroo launches the searchable, offline web in India

    BANGALORE: Marking a significant step forward in improving the mobile web experience, Webaroo today launched a new software service that enables consumers to search web pages and view web sites anytime, anywhere, without an internet connection, on their handhelds and laptop computers.

    Available at www.webaroo.com, the Webaroo software features ‘web packs’ on a variety of subjects, such as news, sports and major global cities, including New York, London and Mumbai – each of which contains thousands of relevant web pages identified by Webaroo’s innovative algorithms, informs an official release.

    “The time is ripe for India to be a developer of global consumer brands, not just an outsourcing center.” says Webaroo CEO and founder Rakesh Mathur.

    “We’re thrilled to be located within the IIT incubator,” said Webaroo CTO & founder Beerud Sheth. “We’ve been able to build a world-class team in an incredibly short time.”

    In recognition of the appeal of taking the web offline, Acer plans to bundle the Webaroo software on its laptop PCs worldwide, the release adds.

    “Acer believes that the new, powerful ability to search the web offline will bring tremendous advantages for consumers and business people,” said Campbell Kan, head of Mobile Computing Business Unit, Acer Inc. “Acer is committed to being first-to-market with innovative products that are easy-to-use, dependable and empowering-enabling our users to be more productive. We plan on incorporating Webaroo’s software into Acer’s mobile PCs. We look forward to creating mutual success for Acer and Webaroo and even greater satisfaction for our customers.”

    Webaroo is a software service that allows users to download web content onto their mobile devices and search it anytime, anywhere, even without a connection. Founded in 2004 by experienced entrepreneurs Rakesh Mathur, Brad Husick and Beerud Sheth, the company has offices in Santa Clara (California), Bellevue (Washington), Mumbai (India) and New Delhi (India).

  • CNN to air three summits in collaboration with Clinton Global Initiative

    CNN to air three summits in collaboration with Clinton Global Initiative

    MUMBAI: CNN will produce three programmes with the Clinton Global Initiative to be broadcast on both CNN International and CNN/US in April, August and September of this year. The former US president Bill Clinton will be a featured guest at each of the hour-long events.

    “These programs once again highlight CNN’s position as a global platform for news and debate. To pull together such important world players to discuss critical issues plays right to heart of CNN’s international audience,” said CNN International senior VP Rena Golden.

    The end of Aids: A Global Summit with president Clinton is the first special event and will premiere in April. The program takes a unique perspective on the Aids crisis. Imagine for an hour that Aids has been eradicated. How did it happen? What role did government, drug companies and non-governmental organizations play in ending the Aids crisis? How will the unique public-private model employed at the Clinton Global Initiative be a factor in this eradication? CNN senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta will moderate a discussion that will include some of the world’s leading Aids experts and activists, informs an official statement.

    Setting the scene for the debate, CNN Africa Correspondent Jeff Koinange travels to Botswana, where 40 percent of the population is infected with HIV/AIDS, and reports on how the government is testing for HIV. The end of Aids will also look at the most promising forms of treatment and the most effective government policies. The goal is to see how AIDS can be brought under control and eventually defeated.

    In August, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, who reported on last year’s devastating hurricanes along the US Gulf Coast, will moderate the second Global Summit. The focus of this forum will be on poverty – not only in third world countries, but also in the US– and what is being done to reduce it. Poverty is one of the four topic areas at the Clinton Global Initiative.

    CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour will moderate the third and final Global Summit in September on the eve of the annual Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York. Participants of this forum will discuss various topics of global significance including climate change, mitigating religious conflicts, global public health and effective global governance.

  • Philips debuts digital satellite TV in India

    Philips debuts digital satellite TV in India

    MUMBAI: Philips Electronics India Limited has announced the test launch of digital satellite TV in India. The product, which the company claims as being the first of its kind in the country, will target the “cable dry” semi-urban and rural areas.

    Digital satellite TV has a Set-top box (STB) integrated inside a 15 inch CRT monitor display. This announcement was made by Royal Philips Electronics chief technology officer Rick Harwig in Bangalore today.

    The digital satellite signal from the STB to CRT monitor is in high quality VGA format, Philips said. The product also has external multi-media speakers, with high sound output resulting in a convergence product, TV, PC and radio.

    Interestingly, Philips Innovation Campus here developed the first prototypes of the product which has been successfully test marketed in cable dry areas of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

    The Philips Digital Satellite Vardaan TV, when plugged into the CPU of a computer, functions as a PC Monitor. It also comes with a high quality dish antenna and LNB for excellent reception of satellite signals anywhere in the country, the company said.

    The 15 inch digital satellite TV displays 640×480 pixel resolution which is more than twice the resolution seen in normal analog TVs for the same Direct-to Home (DTH) content.

    The company hinted at a “very affordable” introductory price tag for its digital satellite TV. The product will be available at all consumer electronics retail outlets across the country and through the corporate marketing channel of the Consumer Electronics Division of Philips.

  • Rupert Murdoch invests $13.5 million in job search engine

    Rupert Murdoch invests $13.5 million in job search engine

    MUMBAI: Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Interactive Media and venture capital firm Foundation Capital have invested $13.5 million in Simply Hired, which is a search engine for jobs. The financing brings the company’s total funding to $17.7 million. Representatives from both Foundation Capital and Fox Interactive Media will join the company’s board of directors.

    “Fox Interactive Media’s growth strategy is to strategically partner or acquire category leaders and technology innovators that broaden or enrich our users’ experience. Our investment in Simply Hired underscores that approach and we look forward to working with them to power job search for a variety of properties on our network,” said Fox Interactive Media president Ross Levinsohn.

    Joining Fox Interactive Media in this investment is Foundation Capital, which has been behind numerous successful internet ventures, including Netflix and Netzero. “As the general search space has matured, we see vertical search as the next big opportunity. The entrepreneurs behind Simply Hired have demonstrated their ability to build a successful Internet business. They’re clearly on the right track with this venture as well. Both Foundation Capital and Fox Interactive Media have recognized an opportunity to create a significant business here,” said Foundation Capital general partner Paul Holland.

    “Simply Hired has created the most simple, effective job search experience on the planet. Fox Interactive Media are focused on developing an Internet presence that offers a deeper, richer online experience for its millions of passionate users. With the operational expertise of the team at Foundation Capital and the global presence of News Corporation, we will create a world class job search experience for a large audience,” said Simply Hired CEO Gautam Godhwani.

  • Endemol raises stake in Dutch NL Film & TV to 51 per cent

    Endemol raises stake in Dutch NL Film & TV to 51 per cent

    MUMBAI: Endemol N.V. has increased its stake in Dutch company Nijenhuis en de Levita Holding B.V. (NL Film & TV) from 40 per cent to 51 per cent.

    NL Film & TV is led by the creative duo Johan Nijenhuis and Alain de Levita, which focuses exclusively on scripted television drama, comedy and feature films.By increasing its stake in NL Film & TV, Endemol will be able to strengthen the cooperation between the two companies and make NL Film & TV a full member of the Endemol Group. The intensified relationship will allow NL Film & TV’s to further exploit its intellectual property in scripted programming internationally .

    Since its establishment in 2001, NL Film & TV created and produced scripted TV series, such as Costa!, Zoop, Hartslag, Lieve Lust and Keyzer & De Boer Advocaten, for several Dutch broadcasters. In addition, it produced Dutch feature-film hits like Full Moon Party, Ellis in Glamourland and Zoop In Africa.

    “We are excited to be part of the global network of Endemol which gives us the opportunity to further expand abroad,” said de Levita.

    “A good format must first prove itself locally. When it has true potential, it can be understood and enjoyed by audiences all over the world. Our scripted series and feature films can already be seen in more than six countries. Endemol offers us a strong platform to further exploit our formats internationally,” added Nijenhuis.

    Endemol chairman and CEO Joaquim Agut Bonsfills said, “Growth of scripted programming is one of Endemol’s key strategic priorities. Therefore, we are very pleased that Johan and Alain, two of the most talented and successful people in the Dutch scripted TV entertainment industry over the past few years, and their team are keen to intensify cooperation.”

    NL Film & TV’s turnover in 2005 was approximately EUR 15 million. The company currently employs a staff of 10. Endemol has an option to further increase its stake in the future.

  • China begins shift to digital TV; 41 cities targeted in 1st phase

    China begins shift to digital TV; 41 cities targeted in 1st phase

    MUMBAI: China is progressing towards a complete shift to digital signal television. An official from the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) has been quoted in media reports as saying that, all analog signal television programs will be stopped and replaced with digital signals by the year of 2015.

    Currently, 41 cities and regions in the country are shifting from analog signal to digital signal, according to the report.

    The official also said, some cities including Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Qingdao had already completed the conversion, and others including Dalian, Taiyuan and Foshan are expected to complete their switch-over within the year.

    The overall digitalization of cable television will be done in three steps. The first step started in 2003 when the digitalization work began. In the second step which starts in 2006, digitalized satellite live broadcasting technology will be adopted. The third step begins in 2008 when fuller digitalization will be realized.

  • UTStarcom, China Netcom ink largest IPTV deal

    UTStarcom, China Netcom ink largest IPTV deal

    MUMBAI: UTStarcom, Inc., a leader in IP-based, end-to-end networking solutions and services, has signed a contract with China Netcom for the deployment of its RollingStream end-to-end IPTV solution in northeast China. This deal represents the single largest IPTV capacity deployment in China to date.

    “We believe that UTStarcom’s IPTV technology and service epitomizes the evolution of network and service convergence. We believe the Harbin case indicates that a typical business model and value chain for IPTV in China is emerging and that there are large market opportunities and consumer demand throughout many regions. With this contract, UTStarcom continues to prove its position at the forefront of real-world IPTV deployments with the largest number of subscribers,” said UTStarcom China chief executive officer Ying Wu.

    The contract is based on a commercial trial that was launched in May 2005. The initial deployment had a capacity of 100,000 concurrent media streams, covering the major metropolitan areas of the city.

    Currently, the service offers channels of live broadcast television with “time-shifting” capabilities, 48-hour TV-on-demand, and approximate 5,600 hours of video-on-demand. At the same time, there are value-added services, such as on-line weather report, information browsing, and searching services available in the service package as well. The service has accumulated approximately 53,000 subscribers to date.

    UTStarcom has also announced commercial contracts in Shanghai and Fuzhou and Quanzhou in the Fujian Province, with an initial combined capacity of over 50,000 media streams.

  • NBC, affiliates form broadband venture to sell video

    NBC, affiliates form broadband venture to sell video

    MUMBAI: NBC Universal and its 213 affiliate stations have formed a joint venture called National Broadband Co to sell news, lifestyle, sports, weather and other video generated by local stations,.

    The new company is intended to gives NBC stations access to millions of dollars in advertising migrating from traditional TV to the Internet.
    NBC Affiliates Board chairman Terry Mackin said, “The joint venture will allow us to serve the market that seems to have an insatiable appetite for video.”

    The company will be majority owned by NBC and offer behind-the-scenes and other video from the NBC Universal library along with footage produced by affiliates.

  • ITV launches gaming network on Freeview

    ITV launches gaming network on Freeview

    MUMBAI: UK terrestrial ITV launched its newest digital channel, the interactive gaming network ITV Play, on Freeview, with programming to include the first show spawned from the broadcaster’s purchase of the Friends Reunited website.

    The channel airs daily from noon to 4 a.m. on Freeview, and is also available to be streamed live on itv.com. ITV Play launched at the end of March in the after-midnight slots on ITV1 and ITV2. The channel will be ITV’s first non-advertising-funded channel.

    Programming in the channel line-up includes The Mint, currently also airing on ITV1, which offers up cash prizes for a range of challenges; and This Morning Puzzle Book, produced by the This Morning team from Manchester.

    Friends Reunited – The School Run builds on the interest in nostalgia that is at the heart of the Friends Reunited website, which ITV bought last December. Based on a huge interactive board game, the show brings classmates together to test their knowledge of facts and trivia from a particular year.

    Also, all interactive programming, games and quizzes on ITV’s family of conventional TV channels, online and mobile will fall under the ITV Play banner, including the new Bullseye game, only available on ITV.com.

    The venture is part of ITV’s larger strategy to create new revenue streams and become a viable multi-channel offering. It aims to invest more in the participation TV sector to help build a long-term sustainable business by using its programme brands to create interactive formats.

    ITV Play controller William van Rest said, “ITV has a great heritage in producing the biggest and best live, interactive programmes and this is exactly what we want to do with ITV Play.”

  • NBC Universal unveils new division to boost digital media

    NBC Universal unveils new division to boost digital media

    MUMBAI: NBC Universal has formed a new business unit, the Technology Growth Center (TGC), within the media giant to focus on new business opportunities in digital media. NBC Universal has tapped Darren Feher, the company’s chief technology officer, to run the group.

    Feher will be reporting to NBC Universal’s technology and operations division president and chief information officer of Media Works John Eck.

    “Today, consumers want to enjoy media any time and any where,” Eck said. “The TGC will help fulfill this demand by providing the necessary technology to foster a greater variety of distribution methods.”
    The new division will coordinate NBCU’s approach to technology across the company’s various distribution channels.

    TGC is organized into four divisions: Technical Product Development, developing technology in the areas of broadband, iTV, electronic-sell-through, mobile and wireless, DVRs and gaming; Policy, Strategy and Standards, focusing on increasing the influence of NBC Universal’s industry positions among standards consortia and in Washington; Emerging Technology and Research, working with GE’s Global Research Center and universities; and Anti-Piracy Technical Operations, with an emphasis on forensic watermarking, cracking down on Internet piracy, and raids and investigations, stated a media report.

    The division has already developed the technology that allowed NBC Universal to digitally send its TV content to Apple for distribution on iTunes, eliminating the need for digital beta tapes. Other TGC projects underway include DVD point-of sale activation, forensic watermarking, new peer based distribution technologies, download-to-own technology, DRM standards and automatic closed captioning.

    The TGC has also launched several interactive television projects, including a service that enabled DirecTV, EchoStar and Time Warner Cable subscribers to access medal counts, athlete biographies and news during broadcasts of the Winter Olympics in February. More recently, the TGC has facilitated online voting in several NBC shows, including Deal or No Deal.