Digital-Lifestyles

Simon Perry

  • Sony Connect Launched in UK, France & Germany

    After some delay, Sony have today launched the Sony Connect music download and play service, in UK, France and Germany.

    Connect will follow the same pricing as the European version of Apple iTunes, 79p () in the UK and 99c () in Europe, but number of offered tracks will be smaller – around 300,000 tracks.

    What currently makes the COnnect offering unique is access to music on Indipendant record labels. Apple negotatioation broke down with the Association of Independent Music (AIM), who represent many UK labels. Sony has been successful with AIM and their European equivilents, VUT (Germany) and UPFI (France).

    As with the US version of Connect, the music downloaded will be protected with the ATRAC3 Digital Rights Management software, and will only be playable on Sony music players such as Hi-MD WALKMAN, Net MD WALKMAN, Network WALKMAN and ATRAC CD WALKMAN, or via Sony’s computer software – SonicStage. Sony say they currnetly have around 2 million players in Europe and hope to add to these figures with their new hard disk models.

    Sony originally planned to launch the service in June, but were slowed down in negitiations with music labels.

    Sony Connect Europe

  • Sharp e-book, 1mm thin

    Sharp e-bookNot to be outdone by Sony, Sharp have announced their own e-book reader. The stunning-looking device is under 1mm thin and Sharp are projecting that it will be available in the shops by 2007.

    Any problems with content not being available for it should be lighten by the fact that, In a very smart move, Sharp has already signed up over 7,000 content providers for its Zaurus handheld/PDA.

    Clearly from the length of this piece, details are light, but the potential in this field is huge.

    FujiSankei Business i

  • BBC Ten O’Clock News Extra – 1st interactive daily TV news bulletin

    BBC Television News is 50 years old today and by way of marking the changing way of delivery news over that period, they have announced ‘Ten O’Clock News Extra’. When it is launched in autumn (fall) this year, viewers will explore additional material about individual news items – giving further depth to the story.

    Currently with a fixed length news programme and a pressure to cover the world’s news, much material that has already been shot and edited is not used. The Extra version of the programme will make use of the material, whether it be interviews, footage or further background and make it available via the interactive TV Red button.

    The supplementary content, which will be provided by the Ten O’Clock News team, will be made available for 45 minutes from 10pm. The BBC plan to have up to three items covered more thoroughly.

    Head of BBC News Interactive, Richard Deverell, says: “This is a hugely exciting innovation for BBC News. It is the world’s first interactive daily TV news bulletin and will help viewers understand the top news stories by providing extra background information in a visually rich and engaging format.”

    When the news programme starts, the extra information will be made available to the viewer via the Red button. When it is requested, the broadcast news video screen will shrink into the top left of the Extra template (Picture in picture). The viewer will be able to switch audio channels enabling them to continue to monitor the main news programme while exploring the additional information such as maps, profiles, etc. There will be one additional video stream that will loop over the 45 mins.

    Two-Way TV will be providing and integrating the systems to the BBC, to enable them to publish the chosen content automatically to three platforms simultaneously, Freeview (DTT), Cable and Sky.

    The Two-Way system works in conjunction with the BBC’s own internal News system. The BBC News team will be providing the additional editorial resources to select and publish the information. The Two-way system then converts the chosen content to be displayed on each of the platforms, attempting to make the content appear as similar as possible across the whole range, despite the wide range of abilities of the STB’s. Two-way have also provided the three front-end application, essentially display templates, that are downloaded to the three STB platforms.

    Both the BBC and TwoWay are holding this up as an example of how the BBC working with outsourced partners, following the Graf Report on the BBC’s online service, which said the BBC should farm out at least 25% of new media work. This project has been in development since April/May this year, when the BBC went to tender looking for development partners.

    BBC News

    Two-Way TV

  • Digital Envoy Granted Internet Geo-Location Patent

    Digital Envoy, an Atlanta, USA company, has been granted a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which determines the location of Internet users based solely on their IP addresses.

    US Patent number 6,757,740, titled, “Systems and Methods for Determining, Collecting, and Using Geographic Locations of Internet Users,” covers the core methods used to determine the location of Internet users to the city level utilizing IP addresses. Furthermore, this patent claims a priority dating back to 1999 when the patent was first filed, and before any other current geo-location company was in existence.

    Geo-location is not thought to be a unique idea, Digital Envoy are keen to protect there, so called “non-invasively” process.

    “We feel that no other provider will be able to offer accurate geo-location solutions without infringing on our patent rights,” Friedman said in a statement. “We plan to aggressively defend our patent in order to protect the techniques, methods, and applications of this technology that offer so much value to our partners and customers.”

    Digital Envoy and Google have been a technology partners for several years with Google currently paying US$8,000 a month for its use of the Digital Envoy technology and has offered to increase that amount by 50 percent, Kratz said. Not really reflecting the value Google is getting out of it for their location-based adverts.

    There are many other uses for knowing the location of a Internet users, including providing information based on where they are or restricting the material to different areas. The last of this is of particular use to media companies.

    US Patent 6,757,740, “Systems and Methods for Determining, Collecting, and Using Geographic Locations of Internet Users”

    Digital Envoy

  • Print Your Fingernails with ImagiNail

    It’s Friday, so this is our light-hearted selection.

    Following the explosion of nail painting shops in both the US and the UK, some bright spark has come up with the idea of a printer that can decorate your fingernails.

    The NailJet Pro appears easy to use; select the pattern or images that you want on your fingernail, apply a preparation coat to the nails, place the hand into the machine (which looks like a clumsy old style DeskJet printer), and finally apply a sealer.

    Amazingly the process takes less than seven minutes to decorate all 10 fingers.

    The selection of graphics is extraordinary and varied. From letters of the alphabet, through painting to religious symbols, they have it all. Anything they might have left out, can be download to the printer.

    We’re now off to get our nails sorted out for the weekend.

    ImagiNail

  • Teenager Arrested for Filming Spider-Man 2 on Camcorder

    An American teenager has been arrested in a California cinema as he tried to take a video Spiderman 2 on his handheld camcorder.

    The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has taken a number of actions to focus the public attention on not copying films in cinema. There is now a message displayed at the start of each film stating that it is a criminal offence to video it and they recently offered a $500 (€406) inducement to cinema staff who reported camcorder usage.

    The message in UK cinemas reads “You are not permitted to use any camera or recording equipment in this cinema. This will be treated as an attempt to breach copyright. Any person doing so can be ejected and such articles may be confiscated by the police. We ask the audience to be vigilant against any such activity and report any matters arousing suspicion to cinema staff. Thank you.”

    It is understood that in this case the projectionist who was apparently using night vision goggles to scan the audience will be claiming their bounty.

    If found guilty, the unnamed 16 year old film goer could face up to a year in prison and a maximum fine of $2,500 (€2028).

    The MPAA claim that camcorder piracy accounts for 92% of all illegal copies of films sold on the Internet and street corners worldwide and say that it is now illegal, in the US, to even take recording equipment into a cinema.

  • RTS London Centre: Digital TV – Global Review

    Royal Television Society, London site

    To date, Digital Television has had varying degrees of success. Governments around the world want it to happen and some are setting ambitious dates for its introduction. dTV will mark a major change in television, not least because of the potential explosion of new channels that will be enabled. Our panel of experts will present on the current progress of DTV around the globe; looking specifically where the UK is currently & its first Analog switch-off trial in Wales; and how it will affect the BBC.

    Intended for the broadest possible audience, this panel will bring you up to speed – vital if you work in television in the UK.  The discussion will also conver the possible impact of both BBC and SKY having announced their intentions for free digital satellite services. Come along, get informed and get your questions answered.

    Speakers:
    DAVID HARBY, Consultant to Cabinet Office eGovernment Unit (formerly Office of the eEnvoy) to develop policy on DTV, Indigo Associates UK
    ANDY TOWNEND, Controller of BBC Distribution
    PETER MARSHALL, Technical Director, Digital Television Group
    Chairman, SIMON PERRY, Digital-Lifestyles.info

    This event has been organised by the London Centre of the Royal Television Society. Limited free tickets are available by providing a name and company/association to [email protected].
    LWT, South Bank, London [email protected]

  • Delivering Broadband Britain

    Get to grips with applications, developments, partnerships and standards to help you successfully roll out broadband. The Charing Cross Hotel, London http://www.osneymedia.co.uk/displayevent.asp?id=96&prevpage=Home

  • Broadcast Asia 2004

    The definitive Electronic Media event for Asia, BroadcastAsia 2004 will launch several new initiatives, from media content Production to Management and Delivery to meet the industry needs of today. Special highlights of New Media, Production/ Post-Production services and more will also be on display.

    Digital Lifestyles publisher, Simon Perry, will give the industry address and host a panel discussion.

    http://www.broadcast-asia.com

  • Internet World 2004

    Internet World is the UK’s leading business event where professionals can learn to further master the potential of the Internet to drive their company forward. The event has more of the leading vendors as well as a FREE educational programme that would warrant a high fee at most events. Earl’s Court2, London http://www.internetworld.co.uk/