In addition to the highly anticipated array of UHD TVs, new smartphones, Android devices, cloud developments and Internet-connected everything, next week’s CES promises interesting new products and services related to a number of sectors not yet drawing the same amount of press attention. Watch for news involving small flexible displays, green technology, home automation, home projections systems, 3D printing and more. Continue reading CES 2013: Trends Flying Somewhat Under the Radar

In the roll-up to CES it is clear that “the cloud” has become a replacement marketing buzzword for “Internet-based” or “online.” Of the 40+ exhibitors on the CES site who use the keyword “cloud” in their business description, 21 of them are either actually making use of cloud technology or, more likely, are misusing the term but are still of potential interest to ETC member companies.  These exhibitors cluster in LVCC South Hall 2 and 4, the Venetian, and off-site hospitality suites. Continue reading CES 2013: What We Expect to See in the Cloud

Advances in the production of audiovisual content — on both the consumer and professional levels — are expected to be incremental rather than revolutionary, with the general trends of technology being more powerful, less expensive, and more mobile continuing. Our coverage in this area will be focused around three main trends: new products for content capture, new tools for production and post-production workflows, and new technologies for the storage and management of digital assets. Continue reading CES 2013: On the Lookout for A/V Production Technologies

In a five-minute video report on the Wall Street Journal, Walt Mossberg discusses four personal technology topics that he believes may prove to be significant trends in the coming year, including a new era of smart TVs, more affordable smartphones and mobile plans, a new wave of more expensive music players and new health and fitness gadgets and accompanying apps. Additionally we should expect to see more tablets and more use of the cloud. Continue reading Walt Mossberg Looks Ahead to Personal Tech in 2013

The concept of TV Everywhere is simple: it’s “supposed to let you watch whatever you want, wherever you want to watch it, on any device you want — as long as you pay for TV,” writes AllThingsD. But behind the straightforward idea, cable companies have been struggling for three years to get it done — “and they still can’t really deliver,” suggests the article. But startup NimbleTV says it can do the job. Continue reading NimbleTV Launches NYC Trial Run of TV Everywhere

James Beshara, co-founder and CEO of Crowdtilt.com, anticipates five top trends for tech startups in 2013: 1) phones will become our remote controls for life; 2) crowdfunding behavior will expand; 3) we will experience a new era enabled by sensors; 4) large companies within the startup ecosystem will seek new business models; and 5) a consolidation of entrepreneurs will come together to build companies. Continue reading Crowdtilt CEO Predicts Top Tech Startup Trends for 2013

In the home entertainment space, consumer spending on software rose for the first time since beginning a steady decline in 2006. The Digital Entertainment Group reports that at the end of the third quarter 2012 consumer spending on home entertainment as a whole — including disc, rental and digital distribution — was up by about 1 percent. IHS Screen Digest predicts that spending will total $18.7 billion, 5 percent higher than last year. Continue reading Home Entertainment: Distribution Models Finally Working Together

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos got a “wake-up” call a decade ago, when he got word of a project at Google to scan and digitize product catalogs. “He saw it as a warning that the Web search engine could encroach upon his online retail empire, according to a former Amazon executive,” reports Reuters. That was just the beginning of a rivalry that will continue heating up in 2013. The two will compete even more fiercely in the online advertising, retail, mobile gadgets and cloud computing realms. Continue reading Are Amazon and Google on a Collision Course for 2013?

Digital may be a less lucrative proposition for traditional media companies than originally anticipated, according to 2012 figures that indicate legacy avenues remain primary ad revenue drivers. For the first nine months of 2012, digital advertising only accounted for about 15 percent of total newspaper ad sales, despite an increase in online readership. Additionally, radio posted digital ad revenues of $561 million for the same period, a mere 4.6 percent of the $12 billion the industry generated in total ad dollars. Continue reading Digital Ad Revenues Smaller Than Expected for Media Firms

CEA predicts that Ultra High Definition (UHD) will be “prominently displayed” at the International CES. The surge in interest followed an International Telecommunication Union-led agreement on two UHDTV standards (effectively 4K and 8K). That occurred in August and since then the focus in the U.S. and the majority of countries looking at UHDTV has been on the 4K flavor (the main exception being NHK, which is developing its 8K Super Hi-Vision system). Continue reading CES 2013: Ultra High Definition TVs Coming to Las Vegas

Although E3 has become the premier launching pad for all things video games, Microsoft spent a significant amount of its final keynote address at last year’s CES touting the place of Xbox in the home entertainment landscape. Gaming consoles could very well be the ultimate smart TV upgrade by providing Internet access and a pipeline for media through an ever-expanding app selection. Continue reading CES 2013: Expect Connected Game Devices and Cameras

The ETC will be at CES 2013 where more than 215 exhibitors will showcase the latest digital health and fitness technologies, a 25 percent increase from 2012. With innovative devices and more than 44 million apps expected for download in 2013, the health and wellness category is a serious player in the digital arena. ETC will explore the role and opportunities for entertainment as fitness moves from grind to games and health and wellness shifts from routine to ritual. Continue reading CES 2013: Innovation in Digital Health and Fitness Technologies

LG has confirmed it will launch new Google TV offerings at CES next week, including 42-, 57-, 50-, 55- and 60-inch models from the upcoming GA6400 series, and 47- and 55-inch Cinema Screen panels from the new GA7900 series. Features include: Magic Qwerty Remote, natural language recognition via a built-in microphone, and built-in Google search functions. An updated Home Dashboard offers convenient access to content from HBO Go, YouTube and other apps. Continue reading CES 2013: LG to Unveil Seven Google TV Models

Christopher Chute, research director with IDC, offers his take on emerging digital camera trends and what we should expect to see play out in 2013. Chute expects that full-frame DSLRs and mirrorless cameras will continue to come down in price, while models with Android and Wi-Fi will become more prevalent. He also suggests that entry-level point-and-shoot cameras will eventually be abandoned. Continue reading Forecast: More Cameras with Wi-Fi, Mirrorless Tech and Android

According to Chinese gadget news source Tech.163, Apple could be developing a new smart watch that will connect to iOS devices via Bluetooth. The report suggests the device could be outfitted with a 1.5-inch AMOLED display manufactured by RiTDisplay with ITO-coated glass. Although little is known about the purported watch’s specs, Intel is rumored to be working with Apple on the project. Continue reading Is Apple Quietly Developing Smart Watch for 2013?