Business News Holding

Tag: streaming

  • Want VoIP Calls On Your Bluetooth Headset?


    Callpod has launched a "plug-and-play" Bluetooth device that connects with a headset or headphones to provide streaming music and voice over a 100 meter (328ft) range.

    Called the Drone, it plugs into the USB port of a computer and audio is routed automatically.

    When a VoIP call comes in, Drone switches over to the call automatically.

    The Drone works with all Bluetooth headsets and headphones, supports all major VoIP platforms and is Mac and PC compatible.

    It will retail for USD $49.99.

    Performance details:

    • 100-meter (Class-1) range
    • VoIP and music streaming to any Bluetooth headset or stereo headphones
    • Automatically pairs with your headset or headphones
    • Seamlessly switch between music and VoIP calls
    • No software installation – Plug and Play
    • Optional software install for advanced functions such as data transfer
    • Upgradeable firmware

  • Netflix "Watch Instantly" Comes To Macs


    Online movie rental giant Netflix is finally offering Mac users its instant watching service.

    Windows users have been able to watch movies and TV episodes instantly since early 2007.

    The upgraded service will initially only work on Macs with Intel chips – but the Los Gatos, California-based online DVD rental pioneer said that was around 70 per cent of their Mac subscribers.

    It requires Microsoft’s Silverlight software and Mac users will have to download a Silverlight player to access Netflix’s extensive streaming library.

    The deployment is the first step in an anticipated roll-out of the new platform to all Netflix subscribers by the end of the year.

    It is expected that Netflix members who watch content instantly on their computers will enjoy a faster, easier connection and a more robust viewing experience with Silverlight.

    Among the viewing enhancements with the new player is a breakthrough in timeline navigation that vastly improves the use of fast-forwarding and rewinding.

    The new Netflix player takes advantage of PlayReady DRM, which is built into Silverlight, for the playback of protected content on both Windows-based PCs and on Macs.

    That had not been possible with previous generation technologies.

  • Geek Brief's live switching call answered by Vidblaster

    Call for an affordable live switching application by Geek Brief star Cali Lewis answered by Vidblaster

    Geek Brief star Cali Lewis’ request for someone to come up with an affordable live switching application that would work with services like Ustream.tv and Stickam has been answered.
    After making the call a few weeks ago, the Geek Brief team began working with Mike Versteeg, the developer of Vidblaster.
    Lewis wanted a lower-cost live switching application for the growing network of video-podcasters streaming out near-professional HDTV quality live shows.
    She said there were analogue solutions but they cost over US$1,000, while the best options were priced at US$9,000 or more.

    These are beyond the price range of the new generation of low-budget producers – everyone from churches, city councils and community groups to individual bloggers.
    Now on her latest webcast, Lewis said Versteeg had worked on the Vidblaster software to add “functionality” and make it work with streaming services.
    “There’s a growing need in the market for this application, and Mike is now offering it at an affordable price so churches, community groups, schools, and individuals can have access to software that gives us all a live TV studio at our fingertips,” she said.

    Lewis explained that when the call was put out, Vidblaster did not work with any of the streaming services.
    But after introducing Versteeg to one of the founders of Ustream.tv that “barrier” was addressed.
    “Now we have an actual software application that any church, community group or school can afford,” she said. “So they can start broadcasting to the world at a very low entry cost.
    “Now you are able to do something for less than US$400 that previously would have cost someone a couple of grand at best.”

    As well as adapting VidBlaster so it can be used with streaming services like Ustream.TV, Versteeg has added various new functions:
    – single key camera switching
    – cueing up of video, audio or still images for use on live streams
    – graphic and text overlay

  • Younger viewers ditching TV for mobile media

    Smartphone.biz-news.com asked Christian Harris, CEO of mobile video provider Gorillabox, for his views on the mobile TV market

    More and more younger viewers are eschewing traditional TV schedules and embracing new technology – mobile TV, DVRs, online streaming and downloading – to set their own viewing schedules.

    So much so, that research just released reveals the average age of those watching TV in the US has tipped 50 for the first time.
    The study of the big five US broadcast networks by research firm Magna Global shows the average viewer no longer falls within the 18-49 demographic so sought after by advertisers.
    While average viewing age figures for the UK are not available, research by entertainment analysts Attentional shows viewing time among those aged 16-34 has been declining faster than other age groups.

    This is a situation of which Christian Harris, CEO of mobile video provider Gorillabox, is fully aware.
    He believes that mobile viewing will rapidly become a prime means of consuming content for the 14-28 market.
    “Significant consumer segments don’t consume media on radio or TV any more,” he said. “It is either web or mobile.
    “For this audience, mobile is a key channel for content. To serve the mobile channel for this audience, mobile broadcasting is a primary capability.
    “The question isn’t ‘why should you?’ – it’s ‘why wouldn’t you?’”

    Last month, Gorillabox partnered with the AIDS charity 46664 and mobile operator 3 to provide mobile TV content from Nelson Mandela’s birthday concert.
    Video of artists such as Amy Winehouse, Razorlight, Annie Lennox and Queen was streamed live over mobile networks across the UK from London’s Hyde Park.
    Gorillabox was responsible for the deployment of content on the streaming platform, billing integration and customer care, while 46664 marketed the service and worked with Gorillabox on making the live video content available from the concert.

    Harris said the mobile portal improved accessibility to music videos from some of the world’s biggest musicians and celebrities.
    “Large-scale events need to be fully supported by multi-channel content distribution,” he said.
    “This used to be radio and TV and more recently web. However, this now also includes mobile.”
    A recent survey by mobile TV and video solutions provider QuickPlay Media revealed significant barriers hindering users from consuming TV and video content on their mobile phones – factors included lack of awareness of the services that are on offer and the perceived high costs involved.
    But the survey showed that demand for mobile TV existed with 65 per cent of those questioned, who said they would be willing to watch an advertisement if it meant that the content was free or discounted.

    The 3G iPhone could have a significant impact on the mobile TV market as research shows that many iPhone owners have accessed TV and video content with greater frequency than subscribers using other types of mobile handsets.
    With added 3G capability, the iPhone brings with it some attractive attributes to the mobile TV market, including video-friendly specifications, access to a rapidly increasing range of Apple TV and video content and the ability to support multiple methods of delivering TV and video (sideloading, indoor WLAN and high-speed 3G cellular data access).

    Harris said Gorillabox runs its own delivery technology called the G-box platform .
    Developed in-house, he said the platform could handle any content or media format over GPRS or 3G networks to any mobile phone in the European Union and the US.
    He said Gorillabox was able to deliver live and on-demand media from any location in the world via its UK data-centre to mobile devices.
    “We also enable the discovery of the services via mobile search,” he added.
    “Our objective is to make the event as visible and reachable as possible and, where appropriate, provide advertising and billing.”
    There’s no doubt mobile TV content is going to become increasingly accessible.
    Christian Harris asked “why wouldn’t you watch mobile content?” – we would be really interested to hear your views?

  • Geek Brief star calls for low-cost live streaming hardware to satisfy growing network of internet broadcasters


    First there were YouTube videos and podcasts made on webcams and camcorders, now there’s a growing network of video-podcasters streaming out near-professional HDTV quality live shows.
    Some – like Leo Laporte and Diggnations’s Kevin and Alex – attract many thousands of viewers to their live network-style webcasts using portable productions systems such as Tricaster.
    Yet while this technology has plumetted in price it’s still out of the reach of the new generation of low-budget producers – everyone from churches and community organisations to individual bloggers.
    Now the American internet podcaster Cali Lewis has launched an appeal on her popular Geek Brief show.
    She is calling for someone in the industry to come up with switching hardware aimed at this emerging market.
    On her latest webcast Cali explained about technical problems they have encountered while streaming live using multiple cameras and admitted they had hit a “roadblock” in terms of finding a solution.
    Having researched options such as Sony’s AnyCast (“too expensive”) and Datavideo SE-800 (cheaper but doesn’t “fit the mission”) Geek Brief is currently testing different software set-ups.
    These include Mike Versteeg’s VidBlaster, which he is working so it can be used with streaming services like Ustream.TV.
    But Cali said what was really needed was an “elegant solution that works for us and folks not able to drop $10,000 on a Tricaster”.
    She added: “We are interested in streaming because it’s fun and difficult to do well. It’s especially hard to do well without spending some pretty big bucks.
    “But there is a real opportunity for someone to build a hardware solution specifically for this emerging market.”
    It would seem like a reasonable call and one that offers great opportunities for anyone able to offer a solution.