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CES 2013: Samsung to Possibly Unveil 4.99-inch 1080p Touchscreen

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November 28, 2012

Samsung may unveil its own smartphone-sized 1080p display during January’s CES in Las Vegas, on the heels of HTC’s Droid DNA. “Full high definition displays are all set to be next year’s must-have new smartphone feature, although their size will see them used on hardware that tips over into smartphone/tablet hybrid territory,” reports Digital Trends. Continue reading CES 2013: Samsung to Possibly Unveil 4.99-inch 1080p Touchscreen

Will Multi-Function Tablets Become the Next Mass Market Games Platform?

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November 28, 2012
  • With a growing number of tablets hitting the market, and games now serving as the largest category of tablet apps, industry leaders are faced with a possible shift: Are tablets the gaming console of the future, or something all to their own?
  • Tablets certainly play an important role in the gaming industry, argues Scott Steinberg, CEO of TechSavvy Global, but Greg Harper of Supercell North America adds that tablets should not be compared to anything in the past (i.e. gaming consoles) because they have created a new market rather than replaced an old one.
  • The consensus among industry leaders is that tablets will not replace consoles, but could pull casual gamers away from the more expensive and time consuming consoles in favor of the relatively simple world of tablet games.
  • “I don’t think tablets are going to replace the next console generation, but they will siphon a large number of potential players away from next generation consoles,” suggests Chris Ulm, CEO of Appy Entertainment. “Tablets will have the effect of luring away casual and semi-casual players because they are portable, have multiple entertainment functions and an incredible number of free or low priced games.”
  • Tablets should dominate consoles this holiday season for multiple reasons, industry insiders told GamesIndustry International.
  • First, Microsoft and Sony’s consoles are dated, and fans are essentially waiting for the next console. This leaves tablets competing with just the Wii U. Additionally, some parents favor tablets rather than consoles because tablet games are relatively inexpensive compared to the $60 offerings on consoles.
  • But if game developers hope to make a significant splash in the gaming industry, they must overcome the problem that tablets lack physical buttons. This makes complex controls difficult. The first game to overcome this obstacle will likely benefit greatly.

90 Percent of 18-29 Year-Olds Sleep with Smartphones: Too Connected?

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November 28, 2012
  • More than 75 percent of Americans are now connected to mobile devices (smartphones, tablets and/or laptops). According to a new infographic from Online Psychology Degree, it seems smartphones are becoming much more to users than convenient mobile devices.
  • Some of the more interesting (or perhaps alarming) findings:
  • “90 percent of 18-29 year-olds say they sleep with their phone in or right next to the bed” and “one in three smartphone owners would rather give up sex than their phones.”
  • “In the hour before bed, 95 percent of people say that they regularly browse the Web, text and watch TV.”
  • While 25 percent do not silence their phones before going to sleep, one in ten say they are regularly awakened by calls, texts or emails — and half say if they wake up during the night they check their phones immediately.
  • Online Psychology Degree suggests exposure to the light from electronic devices so close to bedtime suppresses melatonin and can lead to sleep disorders, stress, depression and more negative effects.
  • “You love your gadgets, but taking them to bed isn’t worth it,” concludes the infographic. “When you go to bed, say goodnight to your technology, too.”

Megaupload Shutdown Hurts Box Office Totals: Is Piracy Free Marketing?

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November 28, 2012
  • The shutdown of the Megaupload file-sharing service in January has hurt box office revenues for average and smaller firms, writes Torrent Freak. This could be because word of mouth promotion was negatively affected, as fewer people saw the films on Megaupload.
  • The report comes from the Munich School of Management and Copenhagen Business School in a study that analyzed weekly data for 1,344 movies in 49 countries over five years.
  • While negative effects were found in some cases, the report notes that some of these negative effects were negligible. However, the report still concludes that piracy can act as a form of promotion, as people who watch pirated movies can talk about them to friends, who then actually purchase tickets.
  • “Our counter-intuitive finding may suggest support for the theoretical perspective of (social) network effects where file-sharing acts as a mechanism to spread information about a good from consumers with zero or low willingness to pay to users with high willingness to pay,” notes the report, titled “Piracy and Movie Revenues: Evidence from Megaupload.”
  • While this theory works for small and average films, it does not work for films shown on more than 500 screens. For these bigger films, Megaupload’s shutdown had the opposite effect and helped increase revenues.

Cinema History: Warner Bros. to Release HFR Version of The Hobbit

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November 28, 2012

We have an update to Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” the first major movie release to be shot at 48 frames per second. When the film premieres in the U.S. on December 14, a new projection technique — that could possibly revolutionize the industry — will offer some film fans a brand new experience. Continue reading Cinema History: Warner Bros. to Release HFR Version of The Hobbit

Retail Trends: Cyber Monday 2012 Sets New Record in Online Sales

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November 28, 2012
  • According to the Adobe Digital Index, which tracks consumer shopping activity, this week’s Cyber Monday has become the busiest online shopping day in history. The report indicates that online sales grew 17 percent over last year to $1.98 billion.
  • Adobe suggests that mobile shopping “has passed the tipping point.” Cyber Monday saw mobile devices accounting for 22 percent of total online shopping, up 100 percent year-over-year.
  • Tablets accounted for 14.1 percent of total online sales and smartphones generated 6.8 percent.
  • “We attribute this behav­ioral change to two fac­tors,” explains the report. “First, con­sumers are more will­ing to fill up their online bas­ket to a higher dol­lar amount and com­plete the trans­ac­tion in a shorter period of time.”
  • “Sec­ond, con­sumers have become savvy mobile shop­pers. We antic­i­pate that the behav­ioral change will be fol­lowed by mod­i­fi­ca­tions to online pro­mo­tional strate­gies as shop­ping behav­ior con­tin­ues to move online.”
  • The impact is also being felt outside the U.S. “We’re notic­ing the ‘Cyber Mon­day effect’ slowly spread­ing to other parts of the world where they don’t cel­e­brate the Thanks­giving holiday,” notes Adobe. “In Europe, Cyber Mon­day this year rep­re­sented an 8 percent growth in online sales.”
  • Adobe expects retailers to generate $6 billion in online sales since Thanksgiving Day. “With over­all growth rates for hol­i­day spend­ing in the low sin­gle dig­its, online shopping’s con­tin­ued double-digit growth appears to be an unstop­pable force,” concludes the report.

Mobility Report: Data Traffic Doubles, Video Will Lead Additional Increase

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November 27, 2012
  • Ericsson’s most recent Mobility Report points out that mobile data traffic has doubled from last year. “Ericsson estimates that between 2012 and 2018, demand for mobile data will increase twelve-fold,” reports GigaOM.
  • The two key drivers of growth: continued smartphone adoption and the rising consumption of mobile video.
  • The report notes that 40 percent of data use on tablets involves online video and more than 50 percent of the U.S. population now has a smartphone.
  • “The top activities on handsets are adding to the data demand: Web browsing and video consumption comprise around 35 percent of all smartphone data usage,” notes the post. “And already about half of all video consumption on a smartphone takes place outside the home on a mobile network.”
  • The report notes a shift to HSPA+ and LTE around the globe as faster, more efficient networks are developed to meet demand. An estimated 55 million people will use LTE by the end of 2012, a number expected to grow to 1.6 billion by 2018.
  • “In the meantime, however, WCDMA/HSPA networks are shouldering the transitional load with more growth in subscribers than LTE as carriers have to build out new infrastructure for LTE coverage for our mobile screens,” explains GigaOM.
  • It should be noted that Ericcson is a major seller of networking equipment, and would benefit from the growing demand for mobile data.

Slush Conference: Jolla Unveils MeeGo-Based Open Source Sailfish OS

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November 27, 2012
  • Nokia spinoff Jolla has unveiled its open-source Sailfish operating system, which features a user interface that evolved from the ill-fated MeeGo platform. Nokia ditched MeeGo in favor of Windows Phone before it partnered with Microsoft.
  • Jolla CEO Marc Dillon and his team recently demonstrated the displays at the Slush startup conference in Helsinki.
  • The presentation did not include lot of new details and did not showcase any hardware. “Indeed, the team came on stage brandishing a range of development hardware, rather than the Jolla smartphone that will soon go on sale through giant Chinese distributor D.Phone,” notes GigaOM.
  • “In some ways — and I say this without denigrating the Sailfish UI — it brings together elements of both Windows Phone and Android,” reports GigaOM. “From the Windows Phone side, it seems to have borrowed the live tile concept for the homescreen, only it presents it in quite a different fashion. The app menu looks Android-ish, in my opinion, as does the dock at the bottom of the screen.”
  • The Finnish company hopes to port Sailfish into tablets, set-top boxes, TVs and smartphones.
  • The GigaOM post includes still images from the Helsinki presentation and a one-minute promotional video.

Google Integrates Brands and Locations in Virtual Reality Game Ingress

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November 27, 2012
  • Currently invitation-only, Google will soon launch the beta of a new virtual reality mobile game, testing whether the model can lead players to visit retail and online locations.
  • The company will integrate communications for brands such as Jamba Juice, PopChips, Hint, Zipcar and Chrome Bags Store within the Android-based “Ingress” game.
  • The pilot will incorporate physical locations and use Google Maps, GPS locating, QR codes and possibly Google’s Project Glass virtual-reality eyeglasses as an accessory.
  • “As fiction, the game describes the app as a leaked piece of technology allowing people to use a smartphone camera to view exotic matter and portals around them in the physical world,” reports MediaPost. “In reality, it’s a free downloadable app from Google Play for Android-running smartphones that will become the marketing platform for brands.”
  • “The narrator, P. A. Chapeau, describes the journey through a series of notes and clues pinned to a pegboard, as well as shareable content on Google+, Facebook and Twitter,” explains the post.
  • “What’s most interesting about ‘Ingress,’ though, is what it suggests about Google’s future plans, which seem to revolve around finding new ways to extend its reach from the browser on your laptop to the devices you carry with you at all times,” notes Technology Review in a related post. “The goal makes plenty of sense when you consider that traditional online advertising — Google’s bread and butter — could eventually be eclipsed by mobile, location-based advertising.”

Video Professionals Put the 2.5K Blackmagic Cinema Camera to Work

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November 27, 2012
  • Australian video company Blackmagic Design announced its Blackmagic Cinema Camera (BMCC) earlier this year during the NAB Show in Las Vegas.
  • The 2.5K camera features a built-in SSD recorder and is designed to record footage in native formats including 12-bit CinemaDNG raw, Apple’s ProRes 422 (HQ) and Avid’s DNxHD at 220 Mb/s.
  • “Then it can offload its material over a Thunderbolt connection at up to 10 Gb/s for instant editing that is facilitated by including metadata directly from the camera,” reports creativePlanet. “Priced at $2,995, Blackmagic has bundled the camera with software packages including Resolve and UltraScope, which total more than the cost of the camera itself.”
  • As previously reported on ETCentric, the original camera was outfitted with an EF mount that accommodates Canon and Zeiss lenses, and the company later announced a Passive Micro Four Thirds (MFT) model for lenses with manual iris and focus capabilities. “Other lens formats, like PL or Nikon, can be used with third-party adapters,” explains the article.
  • Jacob Rosenberg, director and CTO at Bandito Brothers in Culver City, describes the camera as “awesome,” noting that Blackmagic truly understands the needs of video professionals.
  • “Blackmagic Design is aware of the color science that goes into using video formats like CinemaDNG raw files to get what we need out of them,” he says. “It gives you great latitude at 2.5K for an HD deliverable, giving us extra headroom for enhancements like stabilization.”
  • Marco Solorio, owner of OneRiver Media in the San Francisco Bay area, has shot several interesting tests, including one that offers a comparison between 12-bit raw footage and 8-bit alternatives.
  • Blackmagic has given the camera a 13-stop dynamic range, that serves bright and dark shooting environments. “Solorio finds that the camera has very solid low-light capabilities and says you can boost its sensitivity all the way up to 1600 ASA,” notes the article.
  • “This camera has a 15.81mm x 8.88mm sensor that is sized between Super 16mm film and Micro Four Thirds,” he says, “and some have expressed concerns over its potentially limited depth of field. But we’ve found that using a fast lens, like f/1.2, and stepping back so you can zoom in a bit can put backgrounds out of focus the way most modern shooters expect.”

Musician Will.i.am Wants to Upgrade Your iPhone to 14 Megapixel Camera

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November 27, 2012
  • Tech entrepreneur and music performer Will.i.am (of The Black Eyed Peas) will launch his iPhone hardware this week, which he claims “will turn your smartphone into a genius-phone.”
  • “The first product from his new consumer electronics and app venture i.am+ is an accessory that clips onto an iPhone and transforms the eight megapixel smartphone camera into a 14 megapixel camera, which it is claimed dramatically enhances the clarity and definition of your photographs,” reports The Telegraph.
  • Users who dock their iPhone into the device will have access to a dedicated sensor and improved flash. Additional details and pricing are expected to be offered during a November 28 press conference in London.
  • Those using the i.am+ camera will be encouraged to share their pictures on their own profile page at the www.i.am domain.
  • “Apple has granted i.am+ a development license to produce and sell the camera accessory and camera app for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5, but Will.i.am says that a larger range of tech hardware will follow,” notes the article.
  • Will.i.am has a reputation for technology. The musician transmitted into the CNN newsroom as a hologram to discuss the 2008 presidential election; this summer, one of his songs was beamed back from Mars via NASA’s Curiosity Rover; and last year he was signed by Intel as its director of creative innovation.

CES 2013: Vuzix Gets Ready to Enter AR Glasses Market with M100

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November 27, 2012

While Google’s Project Glass has grabbed most of the headlines this year regarding the future of augmented reality spectacles, a number of companies are developing similar devices. For example, Vuzix is planning to demo its M100 Smart Glasses prototype at CES in January and offer the device commercially by the middle of 2013 for less than $500. Winner of a CES Best of Innovation award, the glasses will be on display at the Vuzix booth (LVCC, Central Hall – 14046). Continue reading CES 2013: Vuzix Gets Ready to Enter AR Glasses Market with M100

Patent Application Shows Microsoft Considering Augmented Reality Specs

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November 27, 2012
  • Microsoft may take on Google with its own augmented reality specs, according to recently released details of a 2011 patent application.
  • While the company may have been late to the tablet party, it could become an early player in augmented reality eyewear.
  • “The Redmond-based computer company states in the patent that the specs would incorporate technology enabling a user to view supplemental information while watching a live event,” notes Digital Trends.
  • “So at a sports event, for example, stats and replays could be shown on the glasses, allowing you to keep your eye on the action instead of looking up at the big screen for the same information. Also, at something like a music event, the lyrics of a song could appear in front of the wearer’s eyes.”
  • The patent application details how the device might be operated, including a wrist-worn computer, voice commands or gestures.
  • “It’s not known if the computer giant has invested any time or money on building a prototype of the high-tech specs, or whether it’s simply a case of laying claim to various features early on to avoid threats of patent-related litigation from rivals should they wish to develop the idea further down the road,” explains the post.
  • Google is hoping to commercially launch its AR specs by 2014. Juniper Research forecasts the market for AR specs and other wearable technology could be worth as much as $1.5 billion by then.

CES 2013: Samsung Plans to Demo 85-inch UHD TV in Las Vegas

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November 27, 2012

Samsung has announced that it will showcase an 85-inch Ultra High Definition TV at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. The set will be unveiled during a CES press conference on January 7 and then displayed at the Samsung booth (LVCC, Central Hall – 12004, 12527). The news comes after the TV was awarded a CES 2013 Best of Innovation award.

“Samsung’s 85-inch UHD TV, the world’s largest commercialized UHD LED TV, boasts lifelike picture quality in ultra HD resolution with over 8 million pixels, four times the resolution of Full HD displays,” according to the company.

“Samsung’s UHD TV uses an innovative enhanced dimming technology and a very high contrast ratio to deliver deep, real blacks and pure whites for greater detail and unmatched picture clarity. This new, cutting-edge TV also offers a powerful and dynamic range of sounds.”

The company has also been honored with a Best of Innovation award for its Smart TV Camera. “It adds Smart Interaction services, such as facial recognition and gesture control, to the company’s Smart TV sets that don’t come with a built-in camera,” reports Pocket-lint.

Stay tuned: The ETCentric reporting team will provide additional details on Samsung’s products live from CES.

Get Ready for New Wave of Ultra High-Definition TV Sets and Content

By
November 27, 2012
  • While the price point for early Ultra High-Definition (UHD) or 4K TVs may cause average consumers to shy away from the new format, adoption is slowly moving forward. Pre-orders have been reported and new product announcements are expected for early January at CES in Las Vegas.
  • The Sony Store in New York is showcasing the pristine resolution of its $25,000 84-inch display. Southern California retailer Video & Audio Center (VAC) has reported at least five pre-orders for the Sony unit, according to corporate director Tom Campbell.
  • “In late October, LG’s 4K set went on sale at VAC and Campbell said at least 27 have been sold at $16,999.99,” reports MediaPost. “That’s $3,000 below LG’s suggested retail price.”
  • ETCentric have more information on LG’s UHD Cinema 3D Smart TV — winner of a CES Best of Innovations award — live from Las Vegas in January (for those planning to attend, the LG booth is in Central Hall – 8204). We also hope to see the Sony offering.
  • 3net Studios has announced three hour-long episodes of “Space” to be produced in native 4K. The series will attempt to detail how the speed of light feels and offer a glimpse inside a comet’s tail. The studio’s goal is to build the “foremost library of 3D content to air on its sister network and sold around the globe, where 3D has caught on quicker than in many parts of the U.S.”
  • MediaPost cites the early costs of HD sets and 3D production as a comparison to UHD TV and examples of technologies that eventually gained adoption. Despite the high prices, the Consumer Electronics Association forecasts that 2.5 million UHD sets will sell in 2016, up from 20,000 predicted for next year.

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