According to “a person familiar with the matter,” Microsoft plans to purchase enterprise social networking company Yammer for $1.2 billion, reports the Wall Street Journal.
“San Francisco-based Yammer is sort of like Facebook for companies: employees can post, share, and discuss items,” explains CNET. “It’s become an integral tool for many start-ups, but it’s also big among larger businesses. More than 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies use Yammer. If Microsoft buys Yammer, the move could help the tech titan modernize with social-enterprise tools.”
In addition to expanding its corporate information technology efforts, the deal could potentially help Microsoft compete against companies such as Google by strengthening its cloud computing offerings. It could also result in new social features for Microsoft Office.
Yammer was launched in 2008 and is one of a number of emerging companies — including Box, Jive Software and Basecamp — that are looking for creative and efficient ways to change how people approach workplace communication and collaborative projects.
“There is absolutely a next generation of enterprise technologies emerging, and it’s going to be the foundation of how companies work five or 10 years from now,” said Aaron Levie, co-founder and chief executive of online file-sharing start-up Box, Inc.
Last week on the YouTube blog, Google software engineer Ullas Gargi revealed a new social video feature to Google+ Hangouts.
“A new application within Hangouts allows Google+ users to queue up YouTube videos and allow everyone in the Hangout session to watch the video at the same time,” reports Digital Trends. “Friends can watch reactions and everyone can provide commentary about the video while it’s playing.”
The application also enables members of the session to queue additional videos and “save a playlist to share with friends that don’t have a Google+ profile as of yet.”
Users can activate the feature in Hangouts by simply loading the YouTube app at the top of the screen.
“The concept for a shared experience is somewhat similar to Turntable.fm, a music service that allows members of a particular room to queue up music and become a virtual DJ,” notes the post.
“It’s like your own VIP table at the world’s coolest YouTube party,” suggests Gargi of the new application.
Young consumers are watching less live television. As a result, networks are searching for ways to reach these audiences on smartphones, laptops and tablets.
Some cable channels are introducing shorter episodes to attract young viewers easily distracted by multiple devices and online content. Some are tracking social media conversations about shows — “in some cases even changing plot lines to suit audience tastes,” notes the Los Angeles Times.
“America’s 67 million baby boomers once commanded advertisers’ attention because of their spending power and sheer number,” notes the article. “But the prized demographic is now the millennial generation: the 98 million people ages 7 to 29. These digital natives represent nearly one-third of the U.S. population, and they’re proving an elusive target for networks and advertisers to reach.”
Millennials aren’t channel surfing from their couches. Instead, they’re accessing a variety of media on multiple devices, and watching much of their television via DVRs and game consoles or other connected devices.
The CW has been addressing young viewers’ fickle habits by offering shows online hours after an episode’s TV airing. With a new mobile app, viewers can also access shows via iPhones, iPads and Android and Kindle devices. Nickelodeon and rival Cartoon Network have developed shows around characters that initially earned a following online.
Social viewing with discussions on Twitter and Facebook have also become increasingly important to young viewers, while complementary online content such as behind-the-scenes insights and video highlights is growing in popularity.
The article features an infographic that provides interesting statistics regarding the habits of millennials who are turning away from traditional TV while embracing the Internet.
Salar Kamangar, YouTube CEO and senior VP of Video at Google, suggests that YouTube is considering paid subscriptions for access to cable television content.
Speaking at a Reuters event Thursday night, Kamangar revealed that “YouTube is exploring the idea of charging subscriptions for cable network providers that are looking for syndication outside of traditional cable service operators,” reports Mashable. Kamangar “told Reuters that YouTube could be a venue for cable networks with small audiences that want to offer their content on an a la carte basis.”
“We don’t have anything to announce now. It is something that’s really important to a lot of our top existing content creators as well as ones that aren’t on YouTube today, so we’re taking very seriously and we’re thinking about it very carefully,” he said.
Kamangar’s comments coincide with a Department of Justice investigation into whether data limitations imposed by cable firms are affecting competition for online video.
“YouTube’s exploration of redistributing cable content also follows an ambitious $100 million program launched last fall to create its own star-studded premium channels,” notes Mashable. “In May, Google pledged it would spend another $200 million to market those channels, which do not require a subscription.”
TVGuide.com continues its development of second screen offerings by reproducing Character Chatter, USA Network’s second screen experience, and integrating it into the TVGuide website.
“Viewers who visit TVGuide’s summer preview section can participate in real-time social conversations around USA shows like ‘Burn Notice’ and ‘Covert Affairs,’ just like they can on USANetwork.com,” reports Lost Remote.
“We’d be open to integrating everybody’s social streams,” says TVGuide.com GM Christy Tanner. “Just as the playing field is level for streaming video and full episodes that we’ve integrated, that’s the same for a social stream.”
TVGuide.com has already experienced success in the second screen space, according to Tanner. “She points out that 91 percent of TVGuide’s mobile use happens in the home, 20 percent of TVGuide.com’s Web traffic originates from mobile devices and 1.5 million users actively use the TVGuide apps every month,” notes Lost Remote.
TVGuide plans a relaunch of its mobile apps in August with new social TV features. Tanner predicts the mobile experience is “about to get a thousand times better.”
Comcast and Disney/ABC Television Group have announced that Xfinity TV subscribers will have access to the WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney XD and WATCH Disney Junior collection of websites and iOS apps.
According to the press release: “The three new WATCH products are the first-ever to provide authenticated users with both access to live, linear network streams as well as an extensive offering of advantaged window ‘on demand’ episodes.”
Comcast and Disney announced a distribution deal earlier this year in which the companies agreed to deliver Disney sports, news and entertainment content to Xfinity TV subscribers on multiple devices.
“Xfinity TV customers, who subscribe to Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior networks as part of their monthly video service can now stream these channels live online and via the convenience of their iOS devices,” explains the press release.
“This launch is the latest in a series of TV Everywhere initiatives we’re delivering that offer customers more choices and new ways to watch the best entertainment anytime, anywhere,” adds Matthew Strauss, senior VP, Digital and Emerging Platforms, Comcast Cable.
According to a study conducted in late March by Frank N. Magid Associates, the number of U.S. consumers accessing the Internet via their TV sets continues to rise.
The study found that 21 percent of consumers connect their TVs to the Internet, up from 16 percent a year ago. More than half of the current adopters are between 18-44 years of age.
The research, part of the Magid Media Futures 2012 study, expects the percentage to increase dramatically in the next year since 30 percent of respondents expressed interest in connecting their TVs to the Internet.
Connected TVs are commonly being used to surf the Web, play online games, view videos through subscription services, and visit online social networks.
“Game consoles (e.g. Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360) are the primary means of connecting to the Internet via TV, followed by smart TVs, Blu-ray players, and over the top devices (e.g. Roku, Apple TV, Google TV),” notes Advanced Television.
DVR-maker TiVo has struck a deal with PayPal to integrate the payment service into television advertisements for a new instant purchase system.
“TiVo is going to make it super simple to buy from adverts instantly by requiring a one-time account setup in order to use PayPal,” reports Geek.com. “After that, it looks like you can just tap a button or two on your remote and the product is paid for — no entering your login details each time you buy.”
“PayPal is happy to be on board with this as they will get a cut of every payment made,” adds the post. “TiVo should also benefit by negotiating a similar cut of the profits, but also by offering advertisers another way to get consumers to part with their cash (instantly).”
Participating advertisers will need to produce commercials that highlight the ability to make instant purchases. Geek.com notes that it will be interesting to see what type of products may benefit from such a model. It also warns that safeguards will need to be put in place to prevent children from purchasing every toy they see on TV.
Earlier this week, ETCentric reported that cord cutters might find Netgear’s new $70 NeoTV Pro of interest — the first media streamer to feature Intel’s WiDi technology.
In related news, D-Link has announced the next version of its MovieNite streaming media player, expected to ship in July for $80.
“MovieNite Plus will source content from up to 130 different channels and play it back in 1080p resolution (when available),” reports Digital Trends.
The new player will offer streaming content from the likes of Vudu, Netflix, Pandora, YouTube, Picasa, Flickr, Crackle, Facebook and Twitter.
Hulu Plus is expected to be included at a later date, while the post suggests “Amazon Instant Video does not appear to be on the roster for the moment.”
“It remains to be seen if the MovieNite Plus has enough going for it to lure away would-be Roku customers,” notes Digital Trends. “The Roku, for now, still offers access to more desirable content and it can play games, to boot.”
Mobli — an emerging platform for recording and uploading short form videos online — has announced a partnership with the Tropfest Film Festival to launch the TropfestMicro channel, which will feature “micro” films with a maximum length of 70 seconds.
“The bubble has burst for camera and video apps, motivating photo-sharing apps like Hipstimatic into rethinking their strategies,” reports Digital Trends. “Mobli, an underdog competitor to SocialCam and Viddy, is looking to establish itself as the YouTube of short-form social video by partnering with Tropfest for the Tropfest Micro Film Festival.”
Mobli’s financial backers include Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio. Tropfest is an international traveling short film festival which will make its U.S. debut this year with support from ambassadors including Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe.
TropfestMicro — which Mobli refers to as a “film festival in your pocket” — will be Mobli’s first channel. “It will showcase submissions for Tropfest’s first Micro Film Festival, headed by Tobey Maguire,” notes the post.
“We’re all storytellers — and with a visual platform like Mobli, we’re not just being given access to watch films at a festival, but to be active participants, no matter who we are or where we are in the world,” Maguire said.
Mobli’s early adopters come from opposite ends of the spectrum. “At one end are the celebrity ambassadors who have made Mobli their video app of choice,” explains Digital Trends. “At the other end of the spectrum is its core target demographic, the unknown filmmakers that Mobli hopes will usher in the next generation of Web stars.”
Paramount Pictures and Microsoft launched an app this week that enables Xbox Live Gold members to stream movies through their gaming console.
The app acts as a “go between” according to CNET, as it requires users to purchase or rent movies through Paramount’s website before it can be streamed to the Xbox 360. Users must also have Paramount and UltraViolet accounts in order to stream the content.
Earlier this year, Paramount began offering digital movies from its website via UltraViolet. The new joint app will provide a simple means of getting those movies onto TV sets.
“Last month, Amazon Prime service made a deal with Paramount for access to its movies. And just a week later, Amazon Instant Video partnered with Xbox introducing another app that lets subscribers play movies from Amazon’s Instant Video service,” notes the post. “This comes as Xbox 360 already has apps for HBO Go, Comcast, Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, and ESPN.”
A new study from PricewaterhouseCoopers projects that movie ticket sales will experience a 20 percent increase over a five-year period ending in 2016.
However, the study also anticipates that continuing revenue decreases in the home entertainment sector will impact the North American film business.
According to the Los Angeles Times, PwC “predicts an acceleration over the next five years of trends with which Hollywood has recently been grappling. Those include growing digital revenue that can’t keep pace with falling DVD sales and rentals, and faster growth of movie-related revenue in Latin America and Asia than in the rest of the world.”
The study expects an average annual increase in box office of 3.7 percent, while the home video market will likely see a drop from $22 billion in revenue last year to $21.1 billion in 2016.
“Revenue from discs is expected to plunge from $15.8 billion last year to $10.2 billion in 2016, and a 77 percent jump in digital sales and rentals over the same span won’t be enough to make up the difference,” notes the article.
Blu-ray disc growth has not been as robust as originally anticipated, and in terms of the digital economy consumer interest is trending toward rentals rather than purchases. “Consumers are indicating they like the rental model, and the [profit] margins are very different under that scenario,” said Matt Lieberman, director of entertainment media and communications practice for PwC.
Noticeably absent this week from Apple’s WWDC was an announcement regarding its long-rumored television offering. However, Peter Kafka suggests that an outline for Apple’s TV plans are emerging in plain sight.
“It’s possible that Tim Cook really will come out with a big, shiny, integrated TV set,” writes Kafka for AllThingsD. “But regardless, he appears to be building the ‘real’ Apple TV right in front of us. The key here is to focus not on the hardware but on the software, the content, and the way users will get to access all of that stuff.”
Since March, Apple TV users have been able to access the Netflix service through their iTunes accounts. This integration may serve as a template for future deals to provide additional content.
This week in San Francisco, Apple unveiled AirPlay mirroring via the Mountain Lion OS that allows users to send content from a Mac directly to the TV using the Apple TV box, what Kafka describes as “another important piece of the puzzle.”
Although not yet promoted as such, AirPlay mirroring may open new possibilities for sending whatever is on your Safari browser (from multiple devices) directly to your TV, potentially leading to “a new breed of dual-screen Apple TV + AirPlay apps.”
“It’s already happening: From MLB, which allows you to use your iPad as a second screen for HD baseball game broadcasts, to games that render on the TV while using your phone or tablet as a controller, to many of Apple’s own native apps like iPhoto and Keynote which present rich interactive interfaces on the iPad while rendering media onto the TV,” says Brightcove CEO Jeremy Allaire.
Canon has announced its EOS Rebel T4i, the next iteration of the company’s T3i DSLR. According to Digital Trends, Canon has outfitted the T4i “with some stunning new video capture capabilities as well as a barrier-breaking feature, the touchscreen display.”
Highlights of the new camera include a 3-inch, 1.04 million dot resolution LCD touchscreen; 18-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor; ISO 100-12800 (expandable to 25600); 9-point all cross-type AF system; and high-speed continuous shooting up to 5fps.
We’ve seen touchscreens featured on point-and-shoot cameras and mirrorless Micro Four Thirds systems, but this is the first DSLR to include the technology (this could potentially open the door to mobile OS integration, enabling quality cameras to interact more directly with apps).
“The electronic-static touch-panel is the most advanced that Canon has released to date with multi-touch capabilities allowing photographers to use familiar gestures such as ‘pinch-to-zoom’ and ‘swiping’ to scroll between pictures,” the company said in its press release.
The Rebel T4i will launch the end of June starting at $850 (body only).
Nick Alt, founder and CEO of Clear Media, has introduced what could potentially become “the Instagram of Animated GIFs,” reports Wired. “Animated GIFs are making a comeback, and Echograph, a new iPad app, is taking them to the next level.”
“You shoot a video, select a five-second clip, and choose one still as the main frame. Next, use your finger to erase part of the image. That portion of the frozen image is replaced by video playing on an endless loop,” explains the post. “The result? Hybrid images that keep your eye guessing.”
With the $2.99 iPad app, “photographers can instantly download a shot from a high-definition camera, make an Echograph, and if it doesn’t work, immediately reshoot it,” notes Wired. “Why shouldn’t users be able to ‘test right on the fly, not come back to the studio to import and process footage,’ Alt says. ‘Instead of being a bunch of developers back at the shop, we’re trying to solve our own problems.'”
The Echograph site also features a $29.99 CF+USB Kit for importing stills and video to all models of the iPad (not required for use of the Echograph app). “Perfect for importing raw Compact Flash card media into the iPad,” notes the product description. “Works with h.264 video, RAW and JPG.”
The post includes a quick video demo and several interesting animated images created with Echograph.
According to “a person familiar with the matter,” Microsoft plans to purchase enterprise social networking company Yammer for $1.2 billion, reports the Wall Street Journal.
