Warner Bros. has launched a three-month electronic sell-through experiment via Reelhouse, which the studio invested in earlier this year through the Turner/Warner Bros. MediaCamp startup accelerator program. Targeting fans who want more than just a digital copy of movies, the Reelhouse website offers titles for rental or purchase along with enhanced content such as blog posts, photos, interactive games, various extras, and digital as well as physical merchandise. Continue reading Warner Bros. Launches Home Video Experiment with Reelhouse

The FCC released a free app for Android users that allows users to test their mobile broadband performance and speed. Early next year, the Commission will also release interactive maps that will allow consumers to get detailed information of network speeds from different mobile providers across the country. It’s the first tool that will give consumers the power to accurately assess which providers give the best coverage in their area. Continue reading FCC Releases Free App for Testing Mobile Broadband Speed

According to one ESPN executive, sports television is in a position to take greater advantage of technology and “digital disruption” — benefiting not only advertisers, but viewers as well. From the invention of instant replay and new platforms for a social, interactive game-watching experience, sports have led the way for innovative options for viewers to tune in and for advertisers to get valuable airtime, making the most of their ad dollars. Continue reading ESPN Sales Chief Says Digital Disruption is Key to Success

While some areas of entertainment media such as the movie and music businesses are struggling to find their footing in an evolving digital landscape, the video game industry is thriving. “Grand Theft Auto V” by Rockstar Games, for example, earned $800 million worldwide in its first 24 hours of availability. That’s the largest launch day any form of entertainment media has ever experienced. Challenges involved with pirating games contribute to the industry’s success. Continue reading Video Game Industry Booms as Other Media Industries Struggle

Gamers have opted to hold off on purchasing some high-profile games until Sony and Microsoft release their next-gen consoles. The PlayStation 4 is scheduled to launch November 15 and the Xbox One will be available November 22. Although consumers are showing hesitation ahead of the new hardware launches, Activision Blizzard has shipped $1 billion worth of “Call of Duty: Ghosts” to retailers worldwide. “Call of Duty: Black Ops II” earned $1 billion in 15 days when it was released last year. Continue reading Activision Ships $1 Billion Worth of New ‘Call of Duty’ Game

Facebook is working toward greater interactivity between its users and the entertainment industry with television program partnerships. Using popular TV shows, celebrities and related hashtags to encourage even more communication and sharing among users, Faceboook can deliver detailed analytics to its partners about who is watching and what they’re saying on the social media site. TV networks are turning to Facebook to generate social activity and promote their content. Continue reading Social TV: Facebook Partnering with Entertainment Industry

Owners of the Google-powered Moto X phone had an unexpected cinematic experience waiting for them on the home screen earlier this week when a red sombrero icon appeared. Motorola teamed up with Pixar to create an animated narrative for the mobile device that flaunts the company’s newest platform with high-level technology. And the intention is to not only redefine what it means to create a narrative, but how and where users experience it. Continue reading Moto X Owners Treated to a Pixar Experience on Their Phones

Viewers have the ability to interact with characters in Infiniti’s Deja View video, created as part of an online campaign to promote the 2014 Infiniti Q50 sport sedan. The responsive video, produced by New York agency Campfire, uses voice recognition technology that allows viewers to interact with the video’s characters through toll-free phone calls. The story’s plot then responds dynamically based on the responses of each online viewer. Continue reading Infiniti Launches Marketing Campaign with Responsive Video

As the number of households with children who use tablets increases, Disney is ramping up its efforts to cater to kids’ viewing habits. On November 24, Disney will release the first nine episodes of its newest series on mobile devices with the Watch Disney Junior app. The series, “Sheriff Callie’s Wild West,” won’t debut on TV until early next year, but children with an iPad at home will be able to watch and interact with it and other Disney favorites. Continue reading Disney Targets Young TV Viewers Using Tablets with New App

In an effort to change the way its users engage online — and for how long — LinkedIn is beefing up its site to include a handful of new apps that will help facilitate easier, more advanced communication among users. During a press event last week, LinkedIn announced five new apps, including one that processes users’ email and attaches mini LinkedIn profiles to the message. These new features are a sign that the social media site is upping the ante on interactive capabilities. Continue reading LinkedIn Targets Mobile Users with Collection of New Apps

Marketers are increasingly looking to smartphones and tablets to reach consumers, as spending on mobile advertising more than doubled during the first half of this year. According to new estimates from the Interactive Advertising Bureau, mobile-ad spending in the U.S. totaled $3 billion in the first half of 2013, up from $1.2 billion the previous year. In related news, research firm IHS projects that the number of Internet-connected video devices will pass 8 billion by 2017, a figure that should also be of interest to advertisers. Continue reading Mobile-Ad Spending More Than Doubles in First Half of 2013

Smartphones can collect massive amounts of personal information, such as where users go, what they buy, and when they go to sleep. But current Web browser tracking software has become less effective for ads and cannot follow users across their devices. Based on the shift toward mobile, tech and advertising companies are looking into new ways to track consumers on their tablets and phones, while targeting them with specialized ads across all devices. Continue reading Startups Create Advanced Tracking of Users Across Devices

Major League Baseball is launching a new initiative involving customized features for its At the Ballpark app that will make attending games a more interactive experience for sports fans. The app will use Apple’s iBeacon indoor mapping, a new feature of the company’s recently released iOS 7, for a customized stadium experience. Apple’s mapping tool addresses the limitations of using GPS indoors. MLB and Apple have been working on the project since February. Continue reading Apple and MLB Team Up for Interactive Ballpark Experience

Lucasfilm is developing real-time motion capture technology used in video game development that it believes it can combine with film production. In the long term, these combined technologies could eliminate the need for much of the post-production process as most of the work can be done in real-time. In addition, the potential exchange of elements in video games and films will allow viewers to tailor their movies while they watch. Continue reading Lucasfilm Combines Video Game Making and Film Production

Google may change the way that online browsing activity is tracked by developing an anonymous identifier for advertising, or AdID. This identifier would essentially replace third-party cookies to track browsing information, which would then be used for marketing purposes. The identifier would be sent to advertisers and ad networks that agree to certain guidelines, while providing users with greater privacy and control over how they browse the Internet. Continue reading Google May Implement Anonymous Identifier to Replace Cookies