Netflix today announced the launch of Netflix Families, a new destination site intended to promote Netflix’s family-friendly offerings. The website features Netflix recommendations for parents and children, streaming tips and promotional content. Also, Amazon announced that it has added more than a thousand books, games, educational apps, movies and TV shows to its Kindle FreeTime Unlimited, including kids’ titles from Disney, Warner Bros. and Electronic Arts. Continue reading Netflix and Amazon Continue Pursuit of Younger Audience

If rumors prove true, Facebook’s photo-sharing app Instagram may soon include the ability to take and share short videos, similar to how Vine works. Following the company’s release of a hashtag feature and the rollout of its new iPhone and Android features, Facebook has scheduled a product launch event for Thursday in Menlo Park. “A small team has been working on a big idea,” reads the invitation. “Join us for coffee and learn about a new product.” Continue reading Mysterious Facebook Press Event to Unveil Instagram Video?

Apple has created software specifications that it hopes will encourage developers to build game controllers for its computers and mobile devices including iPads, iPhones and iPod touches. The company says the specs are designed to ensure that controllers “have consistent sets of control elements that both players and game designers can rely on.” According to the document, “Controllers must enhance gameplay — they must not be required.” Continue reading Apple Plans Support for Third-Party MFi Game Controllers

Technicolor, working with Portrait Displays, has developed a new standard for guaranteeing the hue quality across computer and mobile device panels. The Technicolor Color Certified Program will provide displays that meet the standard with a seal of approval. “For the end user, the result should be consistent tones across all certified devices either automatically or when the Technicolor color setting is enabled for specific programs or apps,” explains Engadget. Continue reading Technicolor Certified Program Ensures Hues Across Devices

“TV Everywhere” and “cord-cutting” were major themes at this week’s NCTA Cable Show in Washington, D.C. where the industry presented technologies intended to sustain its relevancy. Examples included Roku and Xbox as cable set-tops, smartphones as remotes, iPads as TVs, a Slingbox product from Arris and more. Comcast unveiled its X2 cloud DVR and TiVo is expanding its TV Everywhere options with a new Web portal. Continue reading NCTA Cable Show: Battling Cord-Cutting with Technology

Google earned more than half of the $8.8 billion spent on global mobile Internet advertising in 2012, according to eMarketer’s first study on worldwide digital and mobile advertising. Google took in nearly one-third of all digital ad dollars spent worldwide. The market research firm notes that Google earned $4.61 billion in mobile Internet ads last year, three times its 2011 earnings. This year’s total mobile revenues are estimated to be up 92.1 percent to $8.85 billion. Continue reading Google Leads in Mobile Ad Revenue, Facebook on the Rise

Microsoft and Best Buy announced yesterday that they are teaming up to convert the computing sections of 600 Best Buy locations into new in-store retail shops called Windows Stores. The 1,500-2,200 square feet mini-stores plan to feature an array of Microsoft products including computers, phones and Xbox video game machines. Windows Stores will be distinctly designed featuring prominent Microsoft colors and logos, and plan to start opening this summer. Continue reading Windows Stores: Microsoft and Best Buy Team on Retail Space

During the NCTA Cable Show this week in Washington D.C., Comcast CEO Brian Roberts unveiled the X2 cloud-based entertainment platform that will enable Xfinity TV subscribers to access live and on-demand television programming, online video, personalized recommendations and apps across platforms including computers, smartphones, tablets and TVs. The company has also upgraded its current X1 platform with a new “Send to TV” feature that allows users to send Web content to their set-top box. Continue reading NCTA Cable Show: Comcast Unveils X2 Cloud-Based Platform

The growing popularity of streaming services such as Netflix, Roku and Apple TV have led to older audiences becoming more comfortable with the on-demand approach to viewing traditional television content on devices other than their TV sets. As a result, producers of Web-based programming are hoping that inexpensive Internet talk shows will help with this online transition for new viewers as well as consumer-brand advertisers. Continue reading Talk Shows are Making the Transition to Mobile Programming

Following months of acquisition talks with multiple players, Google has announced it is purchasing traffic navigation company Waze. Financial terms were not disclosed, but sources suggest that Google offered more than $1 billion for the free mobile service, which is currently used by more than 50 million people and launched its global ad platform in November 2012. Other Waze suitors reportedly included Facebook and Apple. Continue reading Google to Acquire Traffic Mapping App Waze for $1 Billion

Reality series “Summer Break,” scheduled to premiere on Monday, is taking a nontraditional approach by distributing its content exclusively via social media sites such as Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram. Producer Peter Chernin of the Chernin Group sees the future of entertainment in social media and his new show will test this theory, targeting a younger audience he hopes will turn to their mobile devices to follow the unscripted stories. Continue reading Summer Break: Reality Series Exclusively for Social Media

According to an annual study by the Entertainment Software Association, video games are beginning to have a larger impact on other media. The study found that active gamers are more inclined to give up time spent with television and movies while pursuing interactive entertainment. However, the ESA also notes that 42 percent of the console owners they surveyed indicate that their game systems are used to watch movies and play games. Continue reading E3 2013: Gamers Spending Less Time with TV and Movies

According to CCS Insight’s new market forecast, more than 6.6 billion mobile phones will be in use worldwide by the end of 2017, and two-thirds of them are expected to be smartphones. Teamed with the growing adoption of tablets, by 2017 mobile devices are projected to outnumber people on the planet for the first time. Additionally, CCS predicts sales of 4G devices to grow tenfold between 2012 and 2017, to 650 million units. Continue reading Market Forecast: Mobile Devices to Outnumber People by 2017

Apple opened its Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco yesterday with a 2-hour keynote address that re-emphasized the company’s coolness factor, its ability to innovate and a return to a focus on design. Apple introduced its much anticipated iTunes Radio music service, new MacBook Airs with improved battery life, a super-fast cylindrical Mac Pro, the Jony Ive-designed iOS 7 with redesigned icons and distinct functional layers, and a new Mac operating system dubbed “Mavericks.” Continue reading WWDC: Apple Unveils New iOS, Cylindrical Mac Pro and More

At this week’s Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, Microsoft announced that its new Xbox One game console will be available in November for $499 (a price level higher than it has historically set), while Sony said its soon-to-be-launched PlayStation 4 console will sell for $399 (although a specific date was not mentioned). Both companies are facing mounting pressure from the growing success of mobile and social games. Continue reading E3 2013: Microsoft and Sony Announce Game Console Prices