In the roll-up to CES it is clear that “the cloud” has become a replacement marketing buzzword for “Internet-based” or “online.” Of the 40+ exhibitors on the CES site who use the keyword “cloud” in their business description, 21 of them are either actually making use of cloud technology or, more likely, are misusing the term but are still of potential interest to ETC member companies.  These exhibitors cluster in LVCC South Hall 2 and 4, the Venetian, and off-site hospitality suites. Continue reading CES 2013: What We Expect to See in the Cloud

Playcast is a cloud-based gaming service that runs through pay TV, IPTV, or over-the-top TV providers like Google TV and Roku.

“For the end user, the system operates like VOD or an app, while remote servers actually run the games and stream a video feed of the gameplay in real-time,” reports Engadget. “On the back end, one server shelf can serve up to 15 players an HD (read: 720p) feed simultaneously, and graphical artifacting is kept to a minimum because it streams over the operator’s managed network.”

Playcast differentiates itself from OnLive because Playcast can brand its front-end interface to fit specific customers’ desires and does not need additional hardware. Playcast also offers packages of games for subscription use.

The company plans to launch in Q3 of 2013 with 10-15 packages of 20 games each. The packages will likely cost $10-$15 a month. Playcast will alternate 10 percent new games in each month to keep customers engaged.

“It appears that Playcast will provide casual gamers an intriguing option for getting their gaming fix next year,” concludes the post. “But we’re reserving judgment until we see how well the games run on a managed network, what titles are offered, and just how much it’ll cost.”