The National Digital Public Library has scheduled its official launch for April 18. Students, educators and researchers will have access to a wide variety of research tools, archives, museums and an extensive database of publications. All of these resources will be available for free. However, this is just the first stepping stone for the creators of the digital library. Continue reading National Digital Public Library Slated to Launch This Month

Akamai is aiming to get the second screen experience right. It demonstrated its Hyperconnected Living Room concept at NAB in Las Vegas, showcasing a dual-screen experience that pushes out on-demand movies and other streaming content to a user’s slate right when they would expect to see it. It is a contrast to other such services that tend to lag and provide content later than desired. Continue reading NAB 2013: Akamai Demos Hyperconnected Living Room

Aereo is really stirring the broadcast cable pot these days. In a radical announcement made during NAB in Las Vegas, News Corp. President Chase Carey said the company would consider converting its Fox broadcast network into a pay TV channel in response to the Aereo legal dispute. Broadcasters have taken Aereo to court over its service that basically enables users to rent small antennas to record free-to-air channels. Continue reading NAB 2013: Fox Could Turn to Pay TV if Aereo Ruled Legal

On Tuesday at NAB, Verizon chairman and CEO Lowell McAdam joined a growing contingent of consumers and insiders who believe the answer to combating cord-cutting is for the television industry to allow for a-la-carte cable subscriptions. He thinks it would be an answer to ongoing consumer pressure and says he understands when consumers ask questions such as, “Why should I have to pay for 300 channels?” Continue reading NAB 2013: Verizon CEO Supports A La Carte Programming

According to Ad Age, the Intel Media TV Service has all the components that consumers want. The interface is beautiful, the remote is simple and the cloud-based DVR doesn’t require anyone to hit “record.” Algorithms are built in to learn what users like and recommend new content, it syncs easily with social networks, there is effortless co-viewing with distant friends, it works on mobile devices and more. Continue reading Intel Stands to Reinvent Cable TV with Media TV Service

Facebook has created a new way to use ads that appeal more directly to its users. Through third party marketers, the social media site will use offline information in order to show advertisements that cater to a user’s specific interests. Even though personal information will reportedly stay secure, the approach is raising concerns regarding whether or not Facebook is trying to collect too much information from consumers. Continue reading New Facebook Ad Strategy May Cause Privacy Concerns

Microsoft is planning to reveal the details of its new Xbox gaming console during an event on May 21, several weeks before the E3 video game conference. The console, code-named Durango, reportedly features a processor from chipmaker AMD along with new graphics enhancements. As part of its initiative to make the Xbox a hub for all entertainment, the company plans to sell its Mediaroom IPTV business to Ericsson. Continue reading Details for New Xbox to be Revealed at Microsoft Event

Google announced plans to expand its broadband services to Austin, Texas. The company said that Google Fiber installations will begin by mid-2014. The city, with a population of over 800,000 people, initially expressed interest in the ultrafast Internet and video service back in 2011. The move marks the first expansion of Google Fiber beyond its launching point in the Kansas City area. Continue reading Google Fiber to Expand Internet Service to Austin, Texas

A hospital in Japan recently used a 3D printer to replicate human organs in order to perform practice surgery on an adult-sized liver. The procedure was designed to assist surgeons with transplanting a parent’s liver into a child. Practicing with the model led to a successful transplant for the human patient. Surgeons are increasingly turning to the additive manufacturing process for assistance in preparing for medical procedures. Continue reading 3D Printers Becoming Lifesavers on the Operating Table

At NAB in Las Vegas, Japanese broadcaster NHK demonstrated its real-time, over-the-air transmission and reception of 8K for the first time outside of Japan. 8K technology is considered Ultra High-Definition — touting resolution 16 times that of HDTV. The U.S. and U.K. are currently exploring the possibilities of 4K technology, which seems more realistically applicable within the market at this point. Continue reading NAB 2013: NHK Demos Super Hi-Vision 8K Technology

Intel introduced the next generation of its Thunderbolt controller at NAB. It promises a 20Gbps data rate on each of its two channels, doubling the speed of the interface’s current version. The new version, code-named Falcon Ridge, enables simultaneous 4K video file transfer and display and will be backward-compatible with previous versions of Thunderbolt cables and connectors. Initial production is scheduled to begin the end of this year. Continue reading NAB 2013: Next Gen Intel Thunderbolt Offers 4K Support

Broadcasters have been facing legal obstacles in their attempts to have TV startup Aereo shut down. Interestingly, there might be new hope for them in a legal case involving an aptly named company called Aereokiller LLC, which is a copycat company claiming to using similar technology to Aereo, streaming broadcast networks over the Web and possibly threatening Aereo’s future. Continue reading Aereo Future Could be Threatened by Copycat Aereokiller

According to Raymie Stata, former chief technology officer at Yahoo, deciding to change the way a network operates can lead to cases where you have to physically rearrange hardware. But here’s the problem: networking gear is often old and outdated. While developers are constantly creating and updating software for computers and smartphones, hardware development remains relatively stagnant. Continue reading Tech Giants Developing Open Source Networking Project

The upcoming Leap Motion Controller allows users to control their computers with gestures. But this goes beyond the basics like hand motions or jumping around and enters the realm of “painting” on the screen via fingertips with incredible control. Autodesk and other drawing-focused software makers are among those working with Leap Motion to make apps compatible with the new Controller. Game makers are also developing for the device. Continue reading New Leap Motion Controller Draws Interest from Developers

Among those who do not subscribe to cable, or may not own own television sets or have their own accounts for the variety of streaming services available online, sharing password information for sites like HBO Go, Netflix, Hulu and others is increasingly common. Although data on this trend has yet to be quantified by the likes of Nielsen or comScore — conversations, articles, posts and social media chatter seem to all indicate it is on the rise. Continue reading Are Streaming Sites Missing a Social Viewing Opportunity?