Digital-Lifestyles

Simon Perry

  • Sendo settle mobile phone case with Microsoft

    UK mobile phone maker, Sendo, has settled its outstanding legal case with Microsoft in an out of court settlement. The financial terms have not been made public, but part of the deal includes Microsoft giving up their 4% stake in Sendo, that they had originally paid $12m (~€9.78) for in 2001.

    Back in 2002 there was considerable attention paid to the Sendo when, after having been trumpeting how they were going to be releasing the first Microsoft-power mobile phone, they suddenly announced they would be. This happened much to the surprise of everyone, including we would suspect Microsoft, given they were a minority share holder in Sendo.

    Sendo’s case alleged that Microsoft had used some of Sendo’s exclusive technology in handsets that Microsoft were developing with other mobile handset manufacturers.

    Sendo

  • Amino shows tiny IPtv PVR STB

    Amino AmiNET500Amino, the broadcast electronics company based in Cambridge, UK, have unveiled the AmiNET500, a tiny, low-cost, Internet Protocol Television (IPtv) set top box with built in PVR. The diminutive 184mm x 240 x 56 box can hold up to 40 hours of programming on its 80Gb drive. It runs on a Linux platform and uses a Java-based PVR application

    Amino have taken a flexible approach to delivering content to the box. The AmiNET500 will monitor the speed of the broadband connection and will enable the uploading of content for later replay if, bandwidth is insufficient for live delivery.

    Amino plan to support leading DRM and conditional access systems and, if protection is used, the programming will be stored encrypted on the hard drive. Delivery of content around the home, to different STB’s is also possible with this machine. Presumably the disparate STB’s will need to be able to decode the encrypted material.

    The first vision of the box, destined for US release is available form October and the European version in early 2005.

    Amino Communications

  • Pace launch PVR2GO – 1st Mobile PVR for payTV

    Page PVR2GOPace, UK-based supplier for TV-focused technology, announced what they claim is the world’s first mobile personal video recorder of payTV.

    The 40Gb device, which enables the downloading of protected TV content, has an interesting and innovative approach to the display. The device will feature two screens, a large high quality and resolution screen to display the content, with a secondary, smaller strip of screen underneath it that is used for navigating the content. The normal approach to this would be to use a large high quality screen, but in discussion with their Director of Technology, David Gillies explained that Pace would get significant financial saving using this approach.

    The upper high-resolution screen will be a new range, supplied by Samsung, using one quarter of the power a currently available equivalent. Using ‘clever new battery’ technology and other power saving features, the battery life of the device will be at least 3 hours – more than long enough to watch a feature film.

    Unsurprisingly it will also have the ability to play audio files and view photos. One unexpected feature is the ability to play games, the make up of which we assume will be dependant on which OS is installed.

    On the OS question, we were told it would be soft, depending on who the operator customer is. If some purchasing operator has a Set Top Box (STB) with a defined look and feel or EPG, this can also be ported, extending the payTV operators brand to their viewers hand.

    Although a fully working demonstrator was not available, they were showing a version, using the older screen, displaying video content. Given an order, Neil Gaydon, Worldwide Sales and Marketing Director told Digital Lifestyles that they could have it in the market “within six months”.

    Pace Micro

  • GWR enable multi-cast audio network

    In a bid to improve the efficiency of it’s disparate, countrywide 31 radio stations, UK radio broadcaster, GWR Group.

    By using the multi-casing network each GWR site will be able to send live content broadcasts, eg celebrity interviews, to a few, several, or all of its other sites for inclusion in the local programming.

    THUS plc, a UK provider of network services, will be providing a national IP-based Multi-Platform Label Switching (MPLS) platform.

    Now GWR’s data, voice and broadcast traffic have been combined on to one network, adding new radio station sites will be simple and low cost.

    GWR previously led the UK field by being the first radio operator to drive their output from entirely CD-based output.

    GWR Group

    Thus

  • TV-Anytime v2 to include iTV timeshifting

    Today the TV-Anytime Forum, the collective of PVR industry-luminaries and deep-thinkers, announced it would soon complete its second, and final phase of the PVR standard.

    The new phase, whose scope will be frozen in November 2004 will include

    • enabling the saving of interactive TV content to be saved to a PVR
    • a metadata framework enabling innovative advertising models for PVR’s
    • rights management of content, allowing transfer of programming between devices

    We think that the first of these, allowing interactive TV (iTV) content to be saved to the correctly equipped PVR, is the most exciting. The playback of timeshifted iTV content has been the significant missing piece as far we’ve been concerned and if they achieve a standard that can work with any format of iTV content, they will have done very well.

    The initial phase, which was been passed as an ETSI standard (TS 102 822 – “Broadcast and on-line services: Search, select, and rightful use of content on personal storage system”, is being implemented in Europe, the US and Japan, with PVR’s with enhanced functionality expected to launch during 2005.

    Commenting on its widespread adoption, Simon Parnell, chair of TV-Anytime, “The adoption of TVA’s first specification by DVB, ARIB and ATSC shows how important this work will prove to be for the widespread adoption of PVR standards the public can reply on.”

    TV-Anytime

  • Plasa 2004

    PLASA is recognised by the industry, as being the world’s most established professional technology trade event for the entertainment and installation industries. It’s the premier international platform for the launch and demonstration of lighting, audio, AV, stage engineering and special effects. http://www.plasashow.com/plasa/PLASA2.nsf/vNFSiteHomepage/PLASA?opendocument

  • On Demand Computing

    “On Demand Strategies for Business,” taking place in the heart of London this September 9th & 10th is Europe’s premier conference focused on the business benefits of ‘on demand computing.’

    It is the only vendor-neutral event of it’s kind, with an event agenda drawn up by CIOs from across Europe.

    Senior executives from Financial Services, Pharmaceuticals, Manufacturing, Telecoms and the Public Sector should attend – particularly if working in a role involving commercial application of IT.
    http://www.utilitycomputing.com/events/Pages/London/overview.asp

  • IBC2004

    IBC is the largest content show outside the US. It is committed to providing the world’s best event for everyone involved in the creation, management, and delivery of content for the entertainment industry. Run by the Industry for the Industry.

    Digital Lifestyles magazine is pleased to support the Digital Lifestyles conference theme day on 12 September at IBC 2004.

    Register for IBC2004C

    IBC2004 web site

  • SG Cowen & Co, 32nd Annual Fall Technology Conference

    More than 150 of the most innovative public and private companies in the technology and communications arenas are slated to present at this year’s SG Cowen & Co. Technology conference. These cutting-edge and emerging companies in the aerospace/defense, computer, semiconductors, software, IT services, satellite and telecom equipment and services sectors will give attendees a comprehensive view of technology trends and current fundamentals. In addition, industry leaders and SG Cowen & Co. research analysts will deliver insights on the technology companies best positioned to succeed in today’s environment. The Boston Marriott Copley Place 110 Huntington Avenue Boston, MA 02116 USA https://conferences.sgcowen.com/confreg/doc_home.asp?AttType=C&CID=106&STDATE=9/8/04&ENDATE=9/10/04&LOC=The+Marriott+Copley+Place%2C+Boston%2C+Massachusetts&NAME=32nd+Annual+Fall+Technology+Conference

  • International Conference On Entertainment Computing

    ICEC 2004 focuses on the emerging field of entertainment computing. Speakers from academia and industry will present their newest insights, products and demonstrations. Eindhoven University of Technology Eindhoven The Netherlands [email protected] http://www.icec.id.tue.nl/