ITV

Tag: PC

  • Now TV continues to extend reach with Roku launch

    Now TV continues to extend reach with Roku launch

    MUMBAI: Now TV, the internet TV service powered by UK pay TV service provider Sky, is now available on Roku streaming players.

    Now TV offers instant access to Sky Movies with no contract, set-up costs or installation. New customers can take advantage of a free 30 day trial of the service, plus also benefit from a three-month introductory offer of ?8.99 a month.

    Roku users will be able to find Now TV within the Roku Channel Store and once registered for Now TV online will be able to access the movies they choose instantly. Once they have connected their Roku box to their TV and home WiFi network, Now TV customers will be able to watch their favourite movies on their main TV, as well as continue to watch them out through their smartphone, tablet or laptop.

    Now TV is already available on PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, selected Android smartphones, and other connected devices.
    Now TV customers can enjoy blockbuster releases around six months after they have ended their run in cinemas. Each month, customers can enjoy access to up to 20 new premieres – at least 12 months before they become available on Netflix or LoveFilm Instant. Sky Movies is also offering exclusive access to the most successful movie franchise ever, with customers able to enjoy all the eight Harry Potter films on-demand throughout the Christmas holidays. Other top titles which customers can enjoy in the next few weeks include ‘In Time’, ‘Young Adult’, ‘Jack and Jill’ and ‘Contagion’.

    More Sky content will also be added to Now TV, with Sky Sports due to be introduced in the next few months. This will enable Now TV customers to enjoy live action from the Barclays Premier League, Uefa Champions League, England Test cricket, Heineken Cup rugby, ATP tennis, F1, Masters Golf and more. The introduction of Sky Sports will be followed on Now TV by must-see shows from Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Arts and Sky Living, including home-grown drama, original comedy and US shows.

    Roku streaming players are known for their low prices, ease of use and quality selection of entertainment. Now TV is available on compatible Roku LT and Roku 2 XS boxes. Both are available in the UK for suggested retail prices of ?49.99 and ?99.99 respectively.

    Both models feature more than 300 channels of streaming entertainment including on-demand films and programmes; live and on-demand sports from MLB.TV and Ultimate Fighting Championship organisation; music from Rdio; photos and videos from Facebook and Flickr; news and entertainment on WSJ Live from the Wall Street Journal; FoxNews.com and others from around the world – as well as casual games like Angry Birds.

    Now TV director Simon Creasey comments, “More and more consumers are demanding easy access to a greater choice of high-quality entertainment over internet-connected devices – and Now TV is here to meet that demand. Following today’s launch on Roku, our customers now have another way of streaming their favourite movies to their main TV screen, while at the same time can continue to enjoy access out and about via iPad and smartphones. At the same time as we’re rolling Now TV out to new platforms and devices, we’re also preparing to increase the range and choice of great Sky content that our customers can access.”

    Roku VP, GM Europe Clive Hudson said, “Now TV is a tremendous addition to the growing selection of entertainment available from Roku. Now TV is a really compelling content proposition for UK consumers who want to enjoy watching the latest movies from Sky, and with no long-term contract.”

  • Frames to have sessions on radio, animation

    Frames to have sessions on radio, animation

    MUMBAI: Frames, the convention for the business of Indian entertainment organised by Ficci, will take place from 26 – 28 March in Mumbai.

    Radio and animation are two of the topics that will have sessions devoted to them.
    One session is called Creating Compelling Content for Radio. The oldest electronic medium in the world is one of the newest rage in India. Viewers will learn what it takes to create a compelling content for Radio

    Then there is a Plenary Session called Radio: Music & Beyond. In India, radio is going through a resurgence phase. The medium which once looked out and not in trend is now very much in fashion and is escalating in term of its reach day by day. Viewres will get a feel of the future on basis of success stories, which have turned around the radio business all across the globe.

    As far as the aniomation track is concerned there will be a session on gaming. Gaming offers strong business opportunities. In the US, it is believed that gaming is as big as Hollywood. In India gaming industry is expected to grow at CAGR of 78 per cent . In addition to mobile gaming, PC and console are also expected to add to pie. Lets explore…

    Theer will also be a Master Class: Scriptwriting for animation. The success of animation relies on the strength of the story telling. There is no denying that art and technology are significant but the praana of any animated product is the script. Even a good fable could wobble if scripted badly. What does it take to write an animated script?

    The plenary session looks at visual effects.

    Visual effects have become the integral part of any project. The entertainment industry is witnessing an increased amount of usage of visual effects. VFX is primarily a Hollywood phenomenon. Viewers will get an understanding of the same.

    Another session is called Developing Animation Content: 360 Degrees. As Indian animation industry is maturing the studios are fast realizing that the real action lies in creating its own IP and having it own shows. Shows produced for not just the local market but the global market. The idea behind this panel is to have broadcasters, producers, writers and licensors to share their insights. This will provide the audience a 360-degree perspective on how internationally content is created, produced and licensed.

    Frames will also look at the process of moving From Comics to Animation. One of the old means of kid’s entertainment; comics is a powerful tool of story telling. Comics are very effective in imparting cultural and social values to kids besides being highly entertaining. Now animation is the modern way of story telling, which can serve as direct extension of comics.

    Frames also looks at creating an Animation IP with Global appeal. As the market is maturing, the Indian studios are moving up in the value chain and coming out with their own IPs. Though these properties may be well accepted in India, but where do they stand in the global market? What does it take to create a product that is internationally marketable and acceptable?

  • Bose introduces Bose Companion 5 multimedia speaker system

    Bose introduces Bose Companion 5 multimedia speaker system

    MUMBAI: Audio equipment firm Bose India has introduced the Companion 5 multimedia speaker system for computer users who enjoy movies, music, and games.

    With one USB connection, the system turns the computer into a complete entertainment hub, delivering today’s multi-channel audio content from two visible speakers and a hideaway Acoustimass module.

     
    The new Companion™ 5 system requires no software installation, no sound card upgrade, no adapters or complicated wiring for setup. With plug-and-play simplicity, it creates a desktop-theater, providing much of the performance of a fully wired five-speaker system.

    A new generation of proprietary TrueSpace surround processing circuitry, developed specifically for computer applications, enables the system to deliver a vivid, immersive soundstage without using rear speakers; sound seems to come from beyond the enclosures themselves. This technology provides the 5.1 audio experience many games and movies are encoded to deliver, and also enhances the enjoyment of stereo music collections many people now store on hard drives.

    The Companion 5 system’s speaker arrays come preassembled on stands for out-of-the-box setup. Angled for accurate performance, each array measures only 6? wide and 4? deep, fitting neatly and inconspicuously to the right and left of a computer monitor.

     
    The small control pod puts system operation within easy reach, letting users adjust volume and access one-touch muting. It also offers a headphone jack and input for an additional audio source –- such as an MP3 player.

    Bose proprietary integrated signal processing maintains accurate tonal balance even at low listening levels, ideal for users who listen in areas where louder volume could distract others. Music maintains depth and clarity, even when played softly in the office or during a late night at home.

    The Companion 5 system is compatible with both PC and Mac platforms. For the best performance, Bose recommends Windows XP or later for PC users and OS X 10.4.6 or later for Mac users.

    In addition to introducing the new Companion 5 system, Bose has updated the Companion 3 and Companion 2 multimedia speaker systems. The Companion 3 system, designed for premium stereo performance, comes with newly designed speakers now pre-positioned on stands. The Companion 2 system, offering a simple yet high-quality speaker upgrade for computers or portable players, has also been refreshed with a new speaker design.

  • HP launches entertainment notebook PC

    HP launches entertainment notebook PC

    MUMBAI: Hewlett-Packard (HP) India has introduced the HP Pavilion tx1000 Entertainment Notebook PC.

    It has what the company calls a ‘twist and touch’ screen. the aim is to enhance the world of digital entertainment and the mobile lifestyle

    The lightweight Pavilion tx1000 seriesthe firms says is targetted at young professionals, entrepreneurs, who have frequent meetings and presentations with clients.

    They may like to take notes or mark comments and would like to carry a lightweight yet fully functional notebook. The notebook PC also allows one to enjoy the freedom of wireless mobility, movies and music on the go.

    The PC is also handy for students to jot down class notes, carry easily within the campus and stay connected to email and the Internet almost anywhere using the latest wireless technology. The Pavilion tx1000 is HP’s premium offering, which combines superior technology with affordability, at an exciting price point.

    Offering the technology to help the user “the way he works” rather than adapting his work to the technology available, the Pavilion tx1000 is a must-buy for people seeking convenience with technology. With a touchscreen that does not require a stylus; the Pavilion tx1000 with its twist feature enables easy sharing of presentations across the worktable. With an integrated fingertip reader that allows multiple assigning of individual fingerprints for user accounts and private files, the Pavilion tx1000 is as secure as a safety vault.

    The launch of the tx1000 series is targeted to further strengthen the position of the HP Pavilion brand in the ‘Personalised Digital Entertainment’ space. HP India country category manager – consumer portables Rajiev Grover says, “As the leaders in the notebook segment with a market share of 40.5 per cent in unit shipment terms, we are targeting a 20 per cent rise in the sales contribution of the Pavilion brand with our slew of next generation models. This will be supported by an aggressive Go-To-Market”.

    The product enables users to launch music, photo and video files at the push of a button without booting the notebook. It has a high definition display with HP BrightView technology.

    A mini remote control allows users to easily control and navigate multimedia features and adjust volume levels. there is also an integrated webcam and dual, omni-directional microphones for easy video-conferencing.
     

  • Pyramid Saimira board clears plans to raise $100 million via FCCB

    Pyramid Saimira board clears plans to raise $100 million via FCCB

    MUMBAI: Pyramid Saimira Theatre’s (PSTL) board has approved plans to raise $100 million through FCCB. It has also given the nod to float special purpose vehicles (SPV) along with developers of realty companies for setting up 100 malls with multiplexes in South India. A further 100 malls with multiplexes would be set up in the rest of India.

    PSTL will invest up to 50 per cent shareholding in the respective SPVs that are to be formed. Nowhere in these JVs will Pyramid’s holding be below 26 per cent.
    The SPV will create approximately 60 million square feet with an investment of Rs 20 billion spread over four years. The board also discussed and approved the increase in FII (foreign institutional investment) limit to 40 per cent of the paid up capital of the company.

    The agreement signed regarding the formation of a Malaysian joint venture company, Pyramid Saimira Theatre Chain (Malysia) Sdn. Bhd, has been cleared. The Board also approved RM 100 million investment by PSTL into that JV company.

    The Malaysian JV plans to construct 100 new entertainment centres/malls, create a real estate investment trust to acquire the above said assets and also make Pyramid Saimira Theatre Chain (Malaysia) Sdn.Bhd as an asset management company to manage assets created, which is approximately of the value of $ 1 billion. The board deliberated and approved Malaysian JV Company’s plan to acquire an existing theatre chain company and an existing content distribution company in Malaysia for a faster ramp up of operations.

    The board also discussed and approved up to $ 25 million investment into a content fund as a sponsorer. PSTL can also incur consequent expenditure in raising $ 150 million content fund in India and abroad.

    PSTL proposes to create a content distribution and theatre chain in London and North American market. The board authorized managing director PS Saminathan for negotiation and decision with the existing content distributors in London and North American market.

  • Spymac unleashes its web 2.0 community for video chat, movies, music

    Spymac unleashes its web 2.0 community for video chat, movies, music

    MUMBAI: Spymac Network has launched its international web 2.0 community for video chat, movies and music. The Web 2.0 portal lets the world video chat, share movies, pictures and music across the Internet and earn money at the same time.

    The new version of Spymac – which originally started out as a Mac community in 2001 – was launched in January 2007. It is available now in more than 15 international languages and works on both PCs and Macs. A percentage of Spymac’s advertising income is paid to members who upload the most creative and most viewed movies, music or pictures.

    The most active, creative and popular content providers earn the largest amounts of money in this revenue-sharing model based on an exponential curve. The company has since paid out $50 in its first month with a German (Spymac nickname “Jafeth”) earning $5000 for his funny videos/pictures, and a Chinese content provider receiving a cheque for $1300.

    Spymac’s content quality-rating system is based on an algorithm taking into account how creative and popular it is. The criteria include how other users rate the content, if it is linked to other sites, the click-rate etc. Users with the most popular content of the day win the daily payout and the best content providers of the month earn the monthly jackpot. Spymac is also working on a system which allows users to rate content as inappropriate and set an alert so that the content will be taken off the site.

    Spymac Network CEO Holger Ehlis says, ”The service would be of great interest and benefit to members in developing nations, whose culture and surroundings are sure to be a hit with viewers. They are sure to benefit from our service as those who upload something that people want to see or hear make real money.

    “While YouTube announced that it was thinking of a way for members to revenue-share, Spymac is already paying out cheques to its users”.

    Among the most powerful features of Spymac is its’ complimentary face-to-face video chat, which allows people to share everyday life over the Internet. Members can have a heart-warming conversation with family, who is away, see the smile of an online sweetheart, or hold a business meeting in the convenience of a living room. The feature is truly compatible, without any of the traditional need for extra software or setup.

    Spymac Network CTO Kevin April says, “Spymac takes online dating, staying in touch and finding new friends to a whole new level. All you need is a web browser and an inexpensive web cam to share video and enjoy face-to-face meetings with people from another city, country, or even continent”.

    Users can access Spymac for hundreds of thousands of iPod-ready movies, songs and pictures. Spymac’s movies are also fully compatible with Sony’s PlayStation Portable, allowing users to easily find new content for their portable entertainment devices. Share video from Spymac to MySpace and other sites with unlimited storage space on offer.

    Through its embedding feature, Spymac allows users to stream content across the Internet on other websites. For example, users can insert their favorite pictures and videos into their MySpace profiles, blogs or eBay auctions, turning Spymac into a powerful content hub. This allows users to spice up online ads and auctions with video or audio clips; upload multimedia projects for work or school; liven up blogs, websites and emails; share movies with friends and family and enhance personal profiles on dating and social-networking sites.

    By utilising technology, members record live video with a click of a button for immediate release to the Internet. Users can capture pictures, audio and video directly onto Spymac using their own webcams, or easily upload from video cameras or mobile phones. “Spymac simplifies the technology behind different formats, encoders and players, making it easier for people to enjoy online communication” said April.

  • Taj Television, TNMG in interactive progamming, distribution agreement

    Taj Television, TNMG in interactive progamming, distribution agreement

    MUMBAI: The New Media Group (TNMG) and Taj Television, which owns sports channel Ten Sports, have formed a partnership.

    TNMG will distribute and market Taj Television’s assets to users in Japan and Korea.

    TNMG president Randy McGraw says, “We have been really impressed with the content that Ten Sports is producing, the company’s management, and its direction.

    “This strategic tie-up goes a long way toward our mission of establishing the preeminent IPTV and sports community management portal for the growing number of people that are under-serviced by legacy broadcasting, DTH and CATV systems in the markets where they live. We are happy to be working with Taj Television.”

    Under the agreement between companies, TNMG will distribute Ten Sports to a community of 200,000 South East Asian and Subcontinent community members living and working in Japan and Korea. Taking advantage of the regions broadband and 3G mobile infrastructure, TNMG will work with Taj Television Limited initially on TV offerings, and will eventually will develop offerings for consumption on TV, PC, and mobile phones.

    TNMG says that it will give its viewers the World On-Demand, and we are happy to have this solution. South Asians all over Asia will now be able to watch cricket, football, hockey, tennis, and see their favorite players and home teams doing it.

    The two companies will eventually collaborate on new, interactive offerings for consumers of Ten Sports’ content.

    The companies began services in Japan and other East Asian markets in December, 2006.

  • PC sales in first half of 2006 touch 2.96 million

    PC sales in first half of 2006 touch 2.96 million

    MUMBAI: Mait, the apex body representing India’s IT hardware, training and R&D services sectors, has announced the findings of its review for the first-half of financial year 2006-07.

    The total PC sales between April and September 2006, with desktops computer and notebooks taken together, grossed were 2.96 million units, registering a growth of 19 per cent over the same period, last fiscal.

    The buoyant mood in IT consumption was led by growth in the Nnotebook consumptionsales, that which grew by 180 per cent, while consumption of sales in of desktops grew by eight per cent. PC sales are projected to cross 6.5 million units in fiscal 2006-07, given With the strong sound macroeconomic conditions and buoyant buying sentiment in the market, led by demand from various industry verticals, PC sales are expected to cross 6.5 million units in fiscal 2006-07..

    The second quarter ending September 2006, witnessed PC consumption sales exceededing 1.75 million units, registering a growth rate of 46 per cent sequentially over the previous quarter and 19 per cent year-on-year.?? Desktop sales crossed 1.5 million units with 48 per cent sequential growth while notebooks sales grossed totalled 0.25 million units with 38 per cent sequential growth.

  • Reliance teams up with Yahoo! India to offer instant messaging service

    Reliance teams up with Yahoo! India to offer instant messaging service

    MUMBAI: Reliance Communications has teamed up with Yahoo! India to offer instant messaging service to its customers.

    Mobile IM will allow Reliance Mobile customers to chat live with other Reliance customers, as well as any Yahoo! IM user in the world using their PC.

    Customers can send instant messages and chat online using all of the Yahoo! IM features such as simultaneous multi-chat windows, presence status icon, emoticons, Yahoo! personal contact list and profile, multiple chat windows and view off-line messages. Reliance’s Yahoo! IM is “always connected” to deliver instant messages, informs an official release.

    “Reliance is bridging the Digital Divide by extending the Internet-rich IM experience of the PCs to its mobile subscribers for the first time in India”, said Reliance Communications president – applications content and solutions Group Mahesh Prasad. “This brings us one step closer towards the convergence of the mobiles and the PCs”, he added.

    Yahoo! India MD George Zacharias said, “We are glad to partner with Reliance for Mobile IM services, in India. This unique service will add a new dimension in enhancing our user experience and provide yet another compelling way to stay connected, instantly and at all times.”

    Yahoo! Instant Messenger service client interface for Reliance was developed by ACL Wireless. Yahoo! Messenger for mobile is available on all BREW, WAP and Nokia colour handsets using Java technologies.

    Reliance Mobile customers can access Mobile Instant Messenger by clicking on Reliance Mobile World > hot n new > Yahoo! Msgr. Customers will be charged Rs. 5 for each session logged and can send and receive unlimited instant messages.

    This is not the first time that Reliance Mobile has collaborated with Yahoo! Infact, Yahoo! Mail has been part of Reliance Mobile World’s suite of WebMail services for over two years.

  • Apple launches TV interface

    Apple launches TV interface

    MUMBAI: Apple is moving steadily towards its aim of changing the way consumers view entertainment in the digital arena. The company’s founder and CEO Steve Jobs has unveiled a new mobile phone and a set-top box that allows people to stream video from their computers to their televisions.

    Apple TV, the company says allows users to wirelessly play iTunes content from the Mac or PC onto the teelvision. This service can be used for movies, TV shows, music, photos and podcasts.

    Using Apple TV’s interface, one can browse and view his/her entire collection of digital media from across the room using the simple and intuitive Apple Remote. Apple TV connects to almost all modern widescreen television sets.

    Jobs says, “Apple TV is like a DVD player for the 21st century—you connect it to your entertainment system just like a DVD player, but it plays digital content you get from the Internet rather than DVDs you get from a physical store.

    “Apple TV plays the same iTunes content that users enjoy on their computers and iPods, so now they can even watch part of a movie in their living room, and watch the rest later on their iPod.”

    Apple TV has a 40GB hard drive to store up to 50 hours of video, 9,000 songs, 25,000 photos or a combination of each and is capable of delivering high-definition 720p output. Apple TV can be connected to a broad range of widescreen TVs and home theater systems and comes standard with HDMI, component video, analog and optical audio ports. Using high-speed AirPort® 802.11 wireless networking, Apple TV can auto-sync content from one computer or stream content from up to five additional computers right to your TV without any wires.

    The integration of Apple TV and iTunes lets users choose from over 250 feature-length movies and 350 TV shows in near DVD quality; four million songs, 5,000 music videos, 100,000 podcasts and 20,000 audiobooks.

    Apple also unveiled the iPhone. it has partnered with and Cingular which cloaims to be the largest wireless carrier in the US. It will be Apple’s exclusive US carrier partner the iPhone. As part of this multi-year partnership, Apple and Cingular are working together to provide innovative new features to mobile phone users, such as iPhone’s pioneering and unique Visual Voicemail, a first on any mobile phone in the world.