Google is now offering users more cloud storage to upload their personal music files through Google Play Music at no cost. Earlier this week, Google upped the cloud capacity of music storage to 50,000 songs, far exceeding the 20,000 song limitation previously in effect. The company’s upgraded cloud capacity for music storage dramatically surpasses that of its competitors, including Apple, Amazon and Xbox Music. Additionally, other cloud offerings for music storage generally come at a premium cost. Continue reading Google More Than Doubles Cloud Storage Capacity for Music

The Entertainment Technology Center @ USC will host a 3-day Virtual NAB Cloud Conference, featuring more than 35 speakers, panelists and keynotes, on March 2, 3 & 4 at the YouTube Space LA. A very limited number of seats are still available. The conference is an extension of the Media Management in the Cloud track that ETC leads at the NAB Show and provides a forum for a deeper discussion of Media & Entertainment and the Cloud. The entire program will be recorded and videos will be posted on the ETC YouTube channel in advance of NAB to provide a lasting repository of perspectives and experiences in this rapidly evolving sector. Continue reading ETC@USC to Host 3-Day Virtual NAB Cloud Conference in LA

Toy-making company Elemental Path unveiled the first connected smart toy to be powered by IBM’s Watson cognitive supercomputing system. A talking dinosaur is the first in the line of smart toys known as CogniToys. The dinosaur has speech recognition capabilities and it can have conversations with children, answering a wide range of their questions. Elemental Path’s Kickstarter campaign has already more than doubled its goal of raising $50,000 to start producing the smart toys. Continue reading Talking Smart Toys to Run on Watson Supercomputing System

Erik Weaver of the Entertainment Technology Center (ETC@USC) moderated an HPA Tech Retreat panel on “Cloud Demystified: Understanding the Coming Transformation from File- to Network-Based Workflow.” Panelists included DigitalFilm Tree’s Guillaume Aubuchon and Dolby Laboratories’ Christine Thomas. Weaver described ETC’s Project Cloud, which brings together media and cloud-resource leaders to develop guidelines and accelerate innovation and adoption of next-gen cloud-based content creation and production tools and processes. Continue reading HPA Tech Retreat: Next-Gen Cloud and Production Workflows

On the second day of the HPA Tech Retreat, Jim Burger, a partner at Thompson Coburn LLP in Washington, DC and copyright lawyer, gave his annual Washington Update. “Washington, as always, is a city under construction,” he said. “There’s a lot going on.” Burger discussed the potential impact of the Aereo decision on cloud storage, the latest regarding lawsuits against Dish Network, the FAA’s examination of drones, a very busy FCC and what’s next for net neutrality, and an update on the spectrum auctions. Continue reading HPA Tech Retreat: Jim Burger Delivers a Washington Update

Google has confirmed that it is acquiring Odysee, an Android and iOS app created by Nimbuz Inc. that enables users to privately share smartphone and tablet photos and videos with select groups of people and automatically back up content on their home computers. Odysee also features an API for integration with other apps. The Odysee app will be shut down as of February 23, when its team joins Google+ and all the photos and videos that have passed through the service will become available as a downloadable archive. Continue reading Photo/Video Sharing and Backup App Odysee to Join Google+

Amazon has designed a Windows program that allows users to convert traditional print books to digital files (for personal, non-commercial use), which can then be read using Amazon’s Kindle software. Once converted, the digital version of these print books will function as any other Kindle e-book with adjustable font features, free cloud storage and Whispersync capabilities. However, Kindle Convert may prove to be too tedious for some readers, since it requires that users physically scan the pages of the book. Continue reading Amazon Lets Users Convert Print Books into Kindle E-Books

ARM Holdings has unveiled a new chip that is expected to drastically improve graphics, finally making smartphones fit for high-definition games and videos. The company says that its Cortex-A72 will boost memory performance by 30 percent and graphics speed by 80 percent. With a more powerful chip, ARM is hoping to continue fostering growth in the smartphone industry. The company is also working on technology for the Internet of Things, including smart home devices and smart street lights. Continue reading ARM’s New Chip for Smartphones Increases Processing Power

The Hollywood Post Alliance has announced the final schedule for the 2015 HPA Tech Retreat, February 9-13 in Indian Wells, California. The Tech Retreat is a gathering where engineering, tech and strategic business leaders join top creative talent to explore and debate the most compelling topics facing the media and entertainment industry today. This year’s event will feature more than 45 sessions, 75 breakfast roundtables, 100 speakers and 30 new product demos. Pre-conference registration closes Monday, February 2. Continue reading 2015 HPA Tech Retreat Unveils Expanded Session Schedule

Thinfilm — a Norwegian tech firm with 90+ employees that also does business as Thin Film Electronics USA — has a deal with Xerox to produce electronic chips that print their features atop thin surfaces. Thinfilm could manufacture up to a billion “printed electronics” chips per year for memory, processors, and sensors designed for connected devices and objects as part of the Internet of Things. The company envisions significant cost savings and increased efficiency in teaming “smart labels” with connectivity tech such as NFC and the Internet-connected cloud. Continue reading Thinfilm and Xerox Pursue Printed Electronics for IoT Chips

Magic Leap, the startup that raised $542 million in a funding round led by Google, has filed a patent for “cinematic reality,” in which users will get access to the company’s augmented reality tech through a headset and belt pack. Magic Leap’s system stores content in the cloud, and any augmented reality content can be configured to fit in with the user’s physical environment. The patent lists interesting possible uses for the technology, from grocery shopping and home decor to surgery and hospital stays. Continue reading Magic Leap Patent Reveals Possibilities for Augmented Reality

Is there a practical business model for wearables? A CES panel on “What’s New in the Quantified Self” did a deep dive on that question, with panelists drawing from their own early experiences. Engaging consumers with wearables is proving to be much more difficult than anticipated, say the panelists, who report that 85 percent of wearables are abandoned after one month. Success may rely on the industry identifying models that address interaction with data and long-term consumer engagement. Continue reading CES: The Quantified Self – Is There a Model for Making Money?

The Internet of Things (IoT) is just a pipedream if the network to connect devices and people cannot handle the traffic. 5G is the fifth generation mobile network that aims to enable the IoT, and at the 2015 CES executives from Cisco, Ericsson and Samsung discussed how the network will be created. Dramatic increases in global mobile traffic are widely anticipated, with an estimated 50 billion connected devices in play by 2020. Cisco predicts an 11-fold increase in global mobile data traffic between 2013 and 2018. Continue reading The Internet of Things: 5G Mobile to Enable Connected Devices

At CES Unveiled, the wearable manufacturers from the 2104 International CES were back… and they were joined by a dizzying number of new products. The majority of wearables are again focused on fitness and aimed at a demographic that exercises and is digitally plugged-in. At last year’s CES, wearables were a major hit; this year, the rush to innovate has produced more products and solutions than the space can ever support. Today wearables galore; tomorrow, the shake-out. Continue reading 2015 International CES Unveils Wearables Galore in Las Vegas

IC Real Tech is showcasing a consumer-friendly and affordable VR camera solution at CES this week. Using new video stitching technology, the Allie camera line (pronounced “All-ee,” like a “selfie” in all directions) can create a 720-degree view by combining two 360-degree camera feeds into an “all-D” image. Users have the ability to control perspectives in recorded videos and can stream live footage. IC Real Tech debuted its Allie Play, Home and Pro video cameras at CES, which will range from under $500 to $3,000. Continue reading Allie Cameras Can Live Stream 720-Degree Virtual Reality Video