At the D: All Things Digital conference in California yesterday, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg suggested it would take time to get Facebook Home on track. While acknowledging problems with Facebook’s new Android application, she remains optimistic about the company’s vision for a mobile experience. She stated that “Facebook Home is version one of a very large transformation” and suggested that progress is “going to be a long road.” Continue reading D11 Conference: Facebook COO Discusses New Android App

According to Cisco’s new Visual Networking Index (VNI) forecast, online video is growing faster than any other type of consumer service, and within four years online video services will be more popular than social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. The report predicts that by 2017 there will be 3.6 billion global Internet users and 19 billion global networked devices. Additionally, the average broadband speed will increase by a factor of 3.5 to 39 Mbps. Continue reading Cisco Says Online Video to Outpace Social Networks by 2017

In a new twist to cord cutting, the trend in which consumers cancel their cable subscriptions in favor of Internet video, surveys indicate that hundreds of thousands of Americans canceled their home Internet service last year. As consumers leverage the growth of free Wi-Fi hot spots and fast new wireless networks via their smartphones and tablets, some are cutting their home Internet cord more so than their pay TV cord. Continue reading Cord Cutters Canceling Internet Service More Than Pay TV

During NewBay Media’s “TV in a Multiplatform World” event last week in New York, industry execs participated in a panel called “Tablet Tune-Ins: Syncing Up with the Second Screen” that was moderated by Jeff Baumgartner, technology editor for Multichannel News. The panel discussed some compelling points regarding today’s second screen experience, the status of user engagement and the emerging role of HTML 5 technology. Continue reading Will HTML 5 Help Streamline the Second Screen Experience?

Pandora is launching a new Facebook application called the Pandora Timeline App that integrates its mobile applications and website so that users can easily share their favorite music and discover new artists that are popular with their friends. The app has been updated with the new Facebook feature for iPhone and Android users. Users can customize which music they opt to share and can specify which categories (listening activity, likes and follows) to share. Continue reading Pandora Timeline App Hopes to Leverage Mobile and Social

The Android version of the Google Drive mobile app has been updated to include a number of new features, including the ability to scan receipts, business cards and other documents with your camera phone and save them in the cloud via Drive. In addition to the ability to scan documents, the update uses an optical technology in order to search the stored images. And according to Google, a new grid view makes it easier to find files. Continue reading Google Drive Update: Mobile Android App Features Scanning

Last week we reported that pay TV operators Time Warner Cable and DirecTV had joined the group of potential Hulu suitors. Over the weekend, it was reported that Yahoo has bid $600-$800 million for the premium video site. The range is based on a number of circumstances including the length of content licensing rights and the amount of control programming companies have over their media. The bid comes amidst plans by Yahoo for other possible acquisitions. Continue reading Yahoo Latest to Pursue Hulu with $600-$800 Million Bid

Viacom announced the results of a new study last week that examines the relationship between television and related social media habits. The study surveyed 5,000 viewers, ages 13-49 (in the U.S., U.K. Brazil, Germany and Russia) who weekly use at least two or more social media platforms. “When Networks Network: TV Gets Social” uncovered three key areas that lead viewers to engage in TV-related social media: Functional, Communal and Playful. Continue reading Social TV: Viacom Releases Results of Multi-Country Study

As part of its initiative to connect a billion or more new people to the Internet, Google is planning to build and help run wireless networks in emerging markets such as Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa where connections are not currently available. According to people familiar with the strategy, the planned networks could also be used to improve the speeds of Internet connections in urban areas. Continue reading Google Plans to Develop and Fund Global Wireless Networks

Major phone companies have begun selling data related to their subscribers’ locations, travels, interests and Web browsing habits. The availability of such data provides a long-anticipated and powerful tool for marketers, but not surprisingly raises a number of privacy concerns. Mining data for profit marks a shift in the relationship between carriers and subscribers, similar to what is typically expected today with services such as Google and Facebook. Continue reading Phone Companies Begin Selling Customer Data to Marketers

CBS Interactive’s GameSpot.com announced its plans yesterday for comprehensive coverage of next month’s E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo). The coverage will feature more than 100 hours of original live and on-demand programming from the Los Angeles Convention Center in addition to on-air integration with CBS Television stations. This marks the first time GameSpot will produce pre-show programming for a television audience. Continue reading CBS and GameSpot to Offer Extensive E3 Coverage in June

“Downloaded” is a new documentary that examines the rise and fall of music file-sharing service Napster. The film tells the story of Napster co-founders Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker while providing details of the service’s launch in 1998 through its eventual 2011 acquisition by Rhapsody. It examines the downloading generation, resulting changes to the music industry, piracy and legal arguments, and the impact of services such as Spotify and iTunes. Continue reading Napster Documentary: The Music, the Battle, the Revolution

Quantum dot technology reportedly makes displays more colorful while consuming less power, and development by 3M and Nanosys is nearly ready for use in smartphones, tablets and TVs. 3M issued a press release on Tuesday announcing that its Quantum Dot Enhancement Film (QDEF), which allows up to 50 percent more color than current levels in LCD devices, will be made available to manufacturers starting late in the second quarter of this year. Continue reading 3M and Nanosys to Bring Quantum Dot Tech to CE Devices

As promised, Microsoft announced its Xbox One yesterday, the successor to the Xbox 360 and the company’s eighth generation gaming console. Scheduled for release by the end of this year, the Xbox One will compete with Nintendo’s Wii U and Sony’s upcoming PlayStation 4. While the update touts plenty of power and rich features for gaming, Microsoft is emphasizing the Xbox One as a lifestyle device designed for streaming an array of entertainment media. Continue reading Microsoft Unveils Xbox One, Emphasizes More Than Gaming

Microsoft has announced a partnership with the NFL to develop technology that will make football games more interactive for Xbox Live subscribers. The deal, reportedly worth $400 million over the next five years, was announced yesterday during Microsoft’s unveiling of its next-generation Xbox One gaming console. It marks the latest digital step by the NFL to enhance its live game broadcasts. Continue reading Microsoft and NFL Team Up for Interactive Game Broadcasts