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Tag: Reliance

  • Reliance Games launches 3D & 2D mobile games for the ICC Champions Trophy

    Reliance Games launches 3D & 2D mobile games for the ICC Champions Trophy

    MUMBAI: With cricket enthusiasts all over the world already having put their minds and hearts into the recently commenced ICC Champions Trophy, England & Wales 2013, the cricket fanatics can now gear up to enjoy the virtual matches on their mobile phones.

    [Click and drag to move] Reliance Games, a leading developer and publisher of mobile games globally & the official gaming partner of the International Cricket Council for the fourth consecutive year, has announced the launch of a 3D and a 2D mobile game specially for the ‘ICC Champions Trophy 2013.‘

    Both the 3D & 2D mobile games allow fans to be a part of their favourite cricket team and step onto the field to fight for the trophy. The cricket game in 3D can be enjoyed by iOS and Android users for a real cricketing experience. While the cricket game in 2D, which is a casual game to play, can be downloaded by Android, Java and Blackberry users.

    Commenting on the launch of the game, Reliance Games business head Chaitanya Prabhu said, “Whenever a popular cricket tournament is going on, we see a rise in demand for cricket based games. The ICC Champions Trophy is a big property in the world of cricket, and Reliance Games is proud to be International Cricket Council‘s official gaming partner for the fourth year in a row. This year we have launched two games – one in 3D and the other in 2D so users of all kinds of mobile phones can continue to be engaged and entertained with the spirit of the sport all through the tourney.”

  • Reliance Communications partners with Star Sports for live streaming of ICC Champions Trophy 2013 matches for 3G customers

    Reliance Communications partners with Star Sports for live streaming of ICC Champions Trophy 2013 matches for 3G customers

    MUMBAI: Reliance Communications today announced their partnership with Star Sports to offer unlimited live streaming of all ICC Champions Trophy 2013 cricket matches for 3G and prepaid GSM customers in the country. With this partnership, Reliance customers can now avail unlimited live streaming of all the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 matches on their Smartphones by subscribing for a tournament pass of Rs 301 only to access all the matches of the ongoing tournament without paying any additional data consumption charges.

    Reliance 3G and prepaid GSM Smartphone subscribers can now enjoy a video experience and avail unlimited live streaming of any Champions Trophy 2013 matches without any delay and buffering on their mobile screens anytime, anywhere across the country without the burden of paying high data charges while streaming. Customers will also benefit from the package being inclusive of the Rs 50 subscription fee for access.

    Commenting on this partnership Reliance Communications chief revenue officer Nilanjan Mukherjee said, "We are delighted to offer the first of its kind seamless experience of unlimited live streaming of all ICC Champions Trophy 2013 matches to our customers powered by Star Sports with no additional data consumption charges. Our exclusive global partnership with ICC further strengthens our offering for cricket enthusiasts on our superior network and is line with our continuous efforts to offer innovative products with incredible affordability. We are confident that this seamless video experience on the go without buffering is set to trigger a significant shift of cricket fanatics using Smartphones to our superior 3G network."

    ESPN Software India COO Vijay Rajput said, "We are excited about our partnership with Reliance. We have launchedstarsports.com with the aspiration to create the most compelling sports experience in India. And we are eager for Reliance‘s customers to have access to an outstanding live video experience."

    Reliance 3G and prepaid GSM customers can subscribe the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 matches for Rs. 301 and get a tournament access code that can be used for one time registration of online live stream access at <http://m.starsports.com> m.starsports.com and enjoy unlimited live streaming access at no additional data charges.

  • TV news industry awaits 4G telco services

    TV news industry awaits 4G telco services

    MUMBAI: Zip, zap, zoom – high speed! Don‘t most of us love it – especially when it concerns data transfer speeds? India‘s new TV broadcasters too eagerly await the rapid speed that comes with 4G LTE services. India‘s telecom landscape is going to undergo some drastic changes once 4G LTE starts spreading in more cities and starts gaining traction amongst users, courtesy licensees such as Reliance and Airtel and other telcos.

    And amongst the customers who are just counting down the days to 4G‘s rapid uptake and spread are Indian news broadcasters. Reason: they are looking to use the data pipe to get the video footage to their studios and master control rooms, faster and cheaper, replacing clunky and very expensive outdoor broadcast (OB) vans.

    In fact, what‘s heartening for the industry are reports that more than five news crews including the Beeb reported lived on the UEFA Championship using 4G LTE services on 15 May. In their case, they used Dutch based Mobile Viewpoint‘s 4G technology. Mobile Viewpoint is a subsidiary of Dutch company Triple IT focusing on the development of mobile video solutions for the security and broadcast industries. But there are others such as TVU Networks, SeekFit Technology, AVIWest, which are also offering solutions which entail a shift in live video acquisition away from the super expensive satellite transmission, delivering a cost effective cellular alternative that offers resilient broadcast quality video uplink while enhancing freedom of mobility in the field for TV news journalists.

    Currently, most Indian news broadcasters are functioning on a combination of OB vans and 3G mobile technology. According to industry sources, 3G technology provides a bandwidth of around a maximum of 700 KBPS to one MBPS. Multiple sim data cards are clubbed together in a special 3G unit to stream live footage. It is estimated that compared to that 4G technology would enable a massive bandwidth of up to 2 MBPS.

    Says leading Indian news broadcaster NDTV CTO Dinesh Singh: “4G technology would bring in better clarity as compared to OB vans and 3G technology. Currently, we at NDTV are functioning on a 50:50 ratio of OB vans and 3G mobile technology. 4G technology in India will be a welcome advancement.”

    What gives mobile technology an edge over traditional OB vans, is the cost effectiveness and the convenience it offers. Think about the parking constraints that news broadcasters have to deal with while transmitting live events in a bustling and congested city area through an OB van! With mobile technology, it is a matter of a convenient ‘backpack.‘

    In terms of costs, mobile technology or digital mobile news gathering systems are way less heavy on the pocket as compared to OB vans. Explains Singh: “An OB van would require an investment of around Rs 6 million to Rs 8 million. On the other hand, establishing an infrastructure for mobile technology involves an investment of roughly Rs one million. The difference in costs is quite substantial and hence very attractive.”

    Apart from establishment costs, OB transmissions require access to satellite uplink bandwidth. This burns another hole in the broadcaster‘s pocket at an estimated Rs 5 million a year. Whereas, all one needs for 3G or 4G mobile technology is a couple of supportive mobile handsets and a good data packet plan which would cost a meager Rs 5,000- Rs10,000, says one of the broadcasters.

    However, all is not hunky-dory as far as using 4G LTE services are concerned. â€?OB vans offer a success rate of 99.9 per cent as opposed to mobile technology which leaves scope for an error. In a competitive industry like news, there is no tolerance for an error,” points out a media observer. â€?Mobile technology is ideal for news gathering and live streaming, however not entirely dependable.”

    Network18 CTO Piyush Gupta reasons: “We will all happily welcome 4G technology, if all the telecom providers sort out the loopholes. Many a times, the mobile towers get choked up because of congestion. While OB vans ensure us a dedicated bandwidth, that‘s not the case with mobile technology.”

    Network18 is currently functioning on 80 per cent OB vans and 20 per cent 3G technology. It uses mobile technology for gathering and relaying footage to its studios.

    Besides, compatibility issues may also arise. “3G had high hopes pinned on it. The industry invested in special units which act as receivers and transmitters. And advanced 4G technology would imply advanced transmission units,” Gupta adds.

    Another area of concern is the need for pan India connectivity. TV Today Network general manager Amit Gemini points out: “Mobile technology is not consistent. The moment you go beyond the four metros, the connectivity gets bleak. It would be great only if we are assured pan India connectivity.”

    But a couple of aspects aside, 4G is the way ahead. “4G as a technology is very good for news gathering and distributing content. Currently television consumption is linear. With 4G coming in, the streaming of an entire show could take just a few minutes.”

    All in all, 4G may not entirely replace the good old OB van, but it will definitely revolutionise live broadcasting. Are TV news journos licking their chops?

  • Zapak Mobile Games launches Brainbots vs. Zombie mobile game

    Zapak Mobile Games launches Brainbots vs. Zombie mobile game

    Mumbai: Zapak Mobile Games, a developer and publisher of mobile game from Reliance ADAG, has announced the launch of a new mobile game ‘Brainbots Vs Zombies’.

    Zapak has launched the game, which will be available for free on Google Play, keeping in mind the upcoming summer holiday season

    The mobile game that is set in the post apocalyptic future is a casual arcade game. The plot of the mobile game revolves around a herd of zombies and their quest to attack the last settlement of the brains. The brains, tired of protecting themselves decided to stay put and make a stand against the advancing zombies. The primary goal is to protect the brains by killing the zombies.

    The player in the mobile game can use the brainbot and smash all the incoming zombies to pulp, before they break in and eat up all the brains. The player can move the brainbot left to right and to kill the zombies the player has to drop the spiked metal ball on them. Over time the Zombies will attack the defenses and the player can repair them to prevent more zombies from getting in. If the zombies eat up all the brains, it‘s game over.

    Talking about the launch Zapak Mobile Games India business head Chaitanya Prabhu said, “Our newly launched game, Brainbots vs. Zombies is a complete package of adventure and thrill. This game is an addition to our current catalogue which provides highly entertaining and engaging mobile games to casual gamers across the world.”

  • Bigflix.com pockets Viacom18’s film catalogue

    Bigflix.com pockets Viacom18’s film catalogue

    MUMBAI: Over the top service provider Reliance Entertainment Digital’s BigFlix announced today that it has added to its catalogue of films for viewing online. The move on demand service said it has acquired internet rights to stream 55 films from Viacom18 Motion Pictures through Indiacast Media Distribution (a TV18 and Viacom18 JV).

    “Our new acquisitions include some of Viacom18 Motion Pictures top grossing releases like Jab We Met, Singh Is King and Golmaal3 ,and some which are scheduled to be released in the next 12-15 months,” says BigFlix Business Head Shreyash Sigtia.

    BigFlix has a catalogue of around 2000 titles in which Bollywood comprises of 600 titles while there are around 200 Hollywood titles. The remaining 1200 movies are regional with Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam having the major numbers. Sigtia refused to comment on latest consumption statistics on Bigflix.com. But according to its website, it has 20,000 plus active subscribers, and more than a million visitors have been served so far. According to Alexa.com users are spending an average of about 3 minutes on Bigflix.com daily.

    BigFlix allows users to watch unlimited movies online for Rs 249 per month. The user can watch 10 minutes of a movie free of cost, after which a subscription has to be purchased.

    Talking about how the deal will help BigFlix Sigtia said, “It will help us in bringing fresh titles like Oh My God, Special 26, Aiyaa and Inkaar and also movies that have higher repeat value therefore helping in increasing consumption. We expect our subscriber base to double with this acquisition.”

    BigFlix aims to have a secured screening, and claims that the content is protected on DRM. “Users can’t rip of any movie from the site and this helps us monetise more effectively,” Sigtia added.

    IndiaCast group chief executive officer Anuj Gandhi said, “There is a growing base of movie viewership on digital as more and more people are tuning in to watch films online. This association between IndiaCast and BigFlix acts as a value addition for both parties. In Bigflix, we have found the right partner that not only has a huge base of film enthusiasts but also operates in a secured, controlled and authorized environment.”

  • Max and Six back on Reliance Big TV

    Max and Six back on Reliance Big TV

    MUMBAI: With six days left for the Indian Premier League (IPL), direct-to-home operator Reliance Big TV has sorted out its dispute with MSM Discovery, the exclusive distributor of IPL‘s official broadcasters Sony Max and Sony Six.

    MSM Discovery, the joint venture between Multi Screen Media (MSM) and Discovery Communications that manages TheOneAlliance, had earlier in the day pulled the plug on Reliance Big TV by switching off signals of Max and Six for non-payment of dues.

    However, Reliance Big TV cleared the outstanding dues that finally led to TheOneAlliance agreeing to resume signals effective tonight.

    MSM Discovery President Rajesh Kaul confirmed that the dispute with Reliance Big TV has been amicably resolved. “Yes, we have resolved our issues with Reliance Big TV. The signals of Max and Six to Reliance Big TV will resume tonight,” Kaul told Indiantelevision.com.

    Reliance Big TV spokesperson refused to comment on the issue.

    The decision to switch off signals to Reliance Big TV would have affected almost two million subscribers who would have had to miss one and a half months of IPL action that kicks off on 3 April.

    Earlier, TheOneAlliance had issued a public notice in Economic Times and Business Standard informing subscribers of an impending switch off.

  • Reliance Games aquires companies in Korea & Japan

    Reliance Games aquires companies in Korea & Japan

    Mumbai: In a bid to expand its global presence, Reliance Big Entertainment‘s Reliance Games has acquired a mobile game development and publishing company in Japan and a mobile game development studio in Korea.

    The recent ingress of Reliance Games into Japan and Korea will play a pivotal role in the company’s international roadmap. According to the company, the Japanese and Korean business set-ups give Reliance Games direct access to the two largest mobile gaming markets known to the world.

    The company aims to adopt a two pronged approach for the new set-ups; while the Japanese and Korean facilities will develop IPs targeted to local consumers, they will in future also be responsible for R&D of multi-player mobile games for the western markets.

    In Tokyo, Japan, Reliance Big Entertainment has through its subsidiary Reliance Big Entertainment Japan fully acquired the gaming division of Funnel Japan along with its team and all the IPs under development and has created Reliance Games Japan. The company in Japan will be responsible for development and publishing of games for the local market.

    In Busan, Korea, Reliance Big Entertainment Japan has bought a majority stake of 51 per cent in the gaming studio Bluesom. As a part of the deal, the company has also acquired a few IPs.

    Reliance Entertainment Digital CEO Manish Agarwal said, “Reliance Games, after the success of Real Steel and F1 2011 mobile games globally, has embarked on a journey of expanding its business beyond North America markets. With this acquisition in Japan and Korea Reliance Games has made inroads into the world’s largest mobile gaming markets and looks forward to tap the 5.5 Bln USD and 1.3 Bln USD mobile gaming markets of Japan and Korea respectively.”

    “Investment in the development studio at Busan, Korea and in the distribution team at Tokyo, Japan will enable us to develop games for local markets instead of trying to force fit western games in these markets. I have full confidence on teams at Korea and Japan to establish Reliance Games as a very innovative and successful gaming brand,” Agarwal added.

    Reliance Games VP-Global Studios Eric Marlow said, “The Company’s expansion into the Japanese and Korean markets is significant and strategic. We see now a clear path that allows us product and development capacity in both countries. We are extremely excited by the new capabilities added to our team and we think our customers will enjoy the games we are preparing for them.”

    The company has brought on board Hwa Seok Choi in the role of chief revenue officer for Reliance Games Japan.

    Reliance Games will be launching three games in the ‘social card game’ and ‘real time strategy game’ categories, on feature phones and smart devices in the next three quarters in Japan and Korea. Apart from these new games, Reliance Games will also be launching its Hollywood IP based games localised for these markets.

    The company has also created mobile games for IPs like Real Steel, Total Recall, F1 2011, Mirror Mirror and Electric City.

  • Suneet Manchanda joins Mogae as COO

    MUMBAI: Mogae Media has got on board Suneet Manchanda as its COO for deals and delights. He will be based at the company‘s Gurgaon headquarters and shall report to chief value officer Rajendra Gupta.

    Gupta joined a few months ago from Reliance ADA Group.

    Mogae Media executive director Tanya Goyal said, “Suneet has rich experience in eCommerce space and is one of the few individuals who has built some of the best known ecommerce businesses from scratch in India. He has played pivotal role in creating and managing businesses at Indiatimes, Sify, Tradus and Ladyblush. He possesses great understanding of key business processes and has worked with a wide range of businesses in leadership roles.”

    Prior to joining Mogae, Manchanda co-founded the women-only shopping website Ladyblush and took care of technology, merchant acquisitions and alliances. He continues to be an investor in the company. Before becoming an entrepreneur, he was VP and business head for Tradus which is an Ibibo venture where he spent four years and built the eCommerce business from scratch.

    Manchanda started his carrier with Times FM, the radio business of BCCL in sales in the year 1996 before moving to Times Internet Ltd in 1999 where he launched Indiatimes Shopping. After Indiatimes, he moved on to head business development and operations for Sifymall, an ecommerce venture of Sify.

  • Mudit Trivedi on board TBWA Delhi as client services director

    MUMBAI: TBWAIndia has brought on board Mudit Trivedi as client services director in order to further strengthen the team at its Delhi office. He comes in from JWT where he oversaw the Horlicks account.

    Trivedi has worked on various categories and brands such as L‘Oréal, Pond‘s, Reliance Life Insurance, Big Pictures, Big Cinemas, ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and IPL. He has also worked on campaigns that have received recognition at Cannes Lions and a number of other well-known international awards. He has nearly 10 years of experience in advertising.

    A Post Graduate in Mass Communication, Trivedi has been in advertising for nearly a decade. He has worked with agencies like Ogilvy and McCann.

    Trivedi said, “I am absolutely delighted to be part of one of the most exciting and energetic networks in the world. I have always admired the philosophy of Disruption and Media Arts that is proven to deliver outstanding strategies and breathtaking creative for clients in India and all over the world.”

    TBWAIndia managing director Nirmalya Sen said, “Mudit is a great combination of experience and youth. His exposure to integrated communication across big brands will make him a great asset for our clients in Delhi.”

    TBWA Delhi executive vice president and head Subho Sengupta said, “Mudit has rich experience and knowledge of Indian and global brands alike. This will be invaluable as he comes on board. His energy and passion is infectious and I am sure this will further accelerate our drive to create outstanding work for our clients.”

  • Reliance Footprint awards social media duties to AliveNow

    MUMBAI: Reliance Footprint has appointed AliveNow as its social media agency.

    The Bangalore-based agency will now manage the brand‘s social media presence.

    The agency has earlier worked with Reliance Trends.

    AliveNow CEO Adhvith Dhuddu said, “Social Media has become one of the most popular and powerful medium to reach a widespread audience by creating a need to increase purchase, drive sales, and to create a strong brand recall. We look forward to working with Reliance Footprint and to match their strong offline brand presence with a robust digital presence.”

    Reliance Footprint SVP and CMO Debdeep Sinha added, “Social media acts as an important source of information and greatly influences the buying decision of the consumers. We look forward to working with AliveNow to build and execute social media strategies that will help Reliance Footprint to listen to what the consumers are saying and thus deliver on their expectations.”