Amazon has been quietly testing what it hopes will be an improved means of viewing Flash video content on mobile devices. For the past six months, some Kindle Fire users have been provided with an “experimental streaming viewer” option when they attempt to access video clips on sites including CBS.com, Fox.com and NBC.com. The Silk browser for Kindle Fire enables the streaming by splitting the workload between the mobile devices and Amazon cloud servers. Continue reading Mobile: Amazon Turns to the Cloud for Streaming Flash Video

Mozilla, the maker of the Firefox browser, recently announced the debut of the first smartphones powered by the Web-based Firefox OS. These modest smartphones are targeting first time buyers and consumers looking for less expensive alternatives to iPhones and Android phones. Firefox OS may not compete on the same level with Apple and Google, but it does present an opportunity for new Web-based devices that can offer many features. Continue reading New Firefox OS Looks to Power More Affordable Smartphones

The latest example of what can be done with Google Glass is “GlassBattle,” a multiplayer game developed by BrickSimple that can be played while performing everyday activities such as walking or buying groceries. Players can select their coordinates by voice, while viewing the game “board” on a small section of the Glass screen. The game plays similar to “Battleship” with a set grid, and each player taking a turn. The turns of each player are shown on two small grids within the Glass view. Continue reading Mobile Game App Demonstrates Another Use of Google Glass

The BBC announced it will take a hiatus from developing 3D TV programming based on the public’s “lack of appetite” for the technology. Kim Shillinglaw, the BBC’s head of 3D, says that British television viewers have not taken to the format, despite the fact there are now an estimated 1.5 million UK households with 3D TVs. As a result, the BBC is planning a three-year break from its 3D project once the current two-year pilot comes to an end later this year. Continue reading BBC Places 3D Pilot on Hold, Cites Lack of Public Interest

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Graph Search earlier this year, a new way for users of the social network to access information. Considered the network’s third pillar, along with its News Feed and Timeline, Graph Search is based on Facebook’s social graph, which is essentially a map of more than a trillion connections between users. After six months of beta testing, the product is now available to those who use the American English version of the site. Continue reading Graph Search: Facebook Rolls Out Radical New Social Tool

According to a new Gallup poll, in which Americans were asked what they consider to be their main source of news about domestic and global events, 55 percent indicated television is their primary resource, while 21 percent said they mainly use the Internet. Nine percent said newspapers or other print publications, followed by radio at 6 percent. This poll marks the first time Gallup has measured Americans’ media habits with this open-ended question. Continue reading Television Remains Primary News Source for Many Americans

Department store chain Nordstrom is bringing Pinterest into its locations with a trial program in order to better engage with its customers both online and in the physical space. The retailer has a significant presence on the social networking site, more than its closest competitors combined. Nordstrom is integrating its products posted on Pinterest with the same products at its retail locations. It is also using Pinterest for its inventory management system. Continue reading Retail: Pinterest Coming Soon to a Nordstrom Store Near You

PayPal recently announced a new initiative to explore interplanetary and space financial payment services. In a joint partnership with the scientific community, including the SETI Institute and the Space Tourism Society, PayPal is preparing to serve and support space commerce of the future. PayPal plans to work with the space industry to address the commercialization of space. Issues to be addressed will involve currency standards, how banking will operate, and how to deal with new regulations. Continue reading PayPal Galactic Exploring Payment Systems in Outer Space

Samsung has picked up Israel- and New York-based TV startup Boxee for about $30 million. Boxee started six years ago by offering PC-based media center software and eventually launched its own hardware product, the Boxee Box. The company attempted to solve its content problem with the launch of the Boxee TV, which was rebranded in April as Boxee Cloud DVR. With the acquisition, Samsung plans to shut down Boxee’s unlimited Cloud DVR service on July 10. Continue reading Samsung Acquires Boxee, Plans to Shutter Cloud DVR Service

The bidding process for Hulu concluded on Friday and the Los Angeles-based streaming media company has reportedly narrowed down the list of suitors to DirecTV, The Chernin Group and Guggenheim Digital Media. Previous offers had reached at least $1 billion, people familiar with the dealings said in May. Some reports suggest that DirecTV may be the likely frontrunner, since the satellite TV provider could have the most to gain. Continue reading Hulu Bidding Concludes, Reportedly Down to Three Suitors

Hollywood studios are reexamining traditional distribution models in an era of piracy enabled by digital technologies. Today’s media savvy consumers have evolving expectations regarding how they discover and share music, video content and games, thanks in part to new cloud-based technologies, streaming media services and sophisticated social tools. Some media companies are even considering the idea that models popular with pirates are worth imitating. Continue reading Shift in Consumer Demand: Should Studios Emulate Pirates?

New embedded technologies may replace mobile devices as personal computers are being killed off by smartphones and tablets. The “post-mobile” device could change the way humans interact with their computers, removing the need for keyboards and allowing users to simply touch or speak with their devices. Wearable devices will be an early example of new technologies that will incorporate radical ways in which users and devices interact. Continue reading Embedded Technologies to Drive Future Post-Mobile Devices

Microsoft’s Xbox 360 is expected to surpass Nintendo Wii’s accumulated lead in U.S. sales by the end of 2013. This projection is based on consistently increasing Xbox 360 sales over the past three years. Although the Wii is the best selling console worldwide, especially in Japan, the previous holiday season was marked by the rise of Xbox 360. Over the last year, the Xbox 360 has outsold the Wii in the U.S. by an average of more than 275,000 units per month. Continue reading Xbox 360 to Surpass Wii in Total U.S. Sales by End of 2013

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has announced that Yahoo! will serve as its official digital partner for streaming live from the red carpet and behind-the-scenes during the Primetime Emmy Awards. This marks the first digital partner for the Academy outside of the broadcast networks. When the Emmy’s air on CBS on September 22, Yahoo! will deliver live streaming action from the red carpet, head backstage during the program, and offer exclusive content following the broadcast. Continue reading ATAS Names Yahoo Official Digital Partner for Emmy Awards

Netflix has launched a new recommendation service called “Max” that chats with users and plays amusing games to help viewers discover new TV shows and movies. The games center on genres and actors to help gauge user preferences. Available only on the PlayStation 3 for now, the Netflix blog reports that Max will be available for other devices in the future, with the iPad version expected next. According to Netflix, Max is “rumored to be the child of Siri and HAL 9000.” Continue reading Gamification: Max Wants to be Your Personal Netflix Host