Managing Multitasking

Acentic’s Vice President Business Development, Juan Aguirre, wrote a post on the Acentic blog addressing today’s multi-device, multitasking environment from the point of view of hoteliers. More broadly, his article speaks to a need in every sector to manage around modern technology culture both in our expectations of consumer behavior and in the way we structure communication in the workplace.

In his words, “As our devices connect, share purposes and build on each other’s strengths, so should we.”

Read the rest of Juan’s article here.

Tags: Acentic, Business development, Colleges and Universities, Computer multitasking, Education, hoteliers, hotels, IPTV, Linda Stone, Mobile phone, synergy, Technology, United States

Hot Man of IPTV WF 2010

IPTV can be pretty dry but over the last few years we have seen a lot of convergence and talk of what’s to come including happy rainbows and promises of what will be with HD and social TV –  we also saw a lot of glum faces, mumbling about the economy and bitter disputes over patents. But this year’s IPTV WF was actually really good. Better laid out, more happy companies, better conversation, packed stands and lots of business talk. We even saw a glimpse of change in the way news is communicated via elements of social media and online pubs using blogs and video to communicate the exciting news of all the big sponsors, exhibiting companies. In fact, we even saw the formation of a small, yet very hip Twitter community evolving.

But as always, the most important part of IPTV WF [besides Netgem winning an award for Best IPTV Service Delivery Platform and Verimatrix settling their lawsuit with Widevine, who was NOT present at the show this year, was the anticipation of the Hot Men of IPTV list.

Lots of contenders, but in the end there can only be a select few that uphold the values and traditions that we espouse in the Hot Men list -- it's not just looks, but wit, brains, joie de vivre, sense of style and confidence. This year, much like Highlander, there can only be one.  We bring you the hot MAN we felt had all the right stuff and then some. Enjoy the collage. -- JH

Graham Pomphrey, Deputy Editor, DigitalTV Europe - Some might say that Graham should have been on the list every year running, and quite frankly, we thought he was. First and foremost, he is a Depeche Mode fan and if that wasn't enough he loves New Order and Joy Division. Since he is from The Wirral, he has a posh Scouse accent that only comes out the more he drinks. The more you talk to him the more you WANT to talk to him. And the more you talk to him the more you can't help just sort of forgetting your PR versus Editor code of ethics. You want to know what it feels like to be in the grip of charm. talk to Graham.

Tags: Depeche Mode, Digital TV Europe, Graham Pomphrey, Informa, IPTV, IPTV WF, London, Netgem, Verimatrix

Nutty Italian TV politics

It sounds like a soap opera, but it’s just Italian TV politics. There has been a long ongoing sale in process of the Spanish DTH platform Digital+, now it seems they had to throw in some more booty to get it sold, the free-to-air channel Cuatro potentially a part of the package. According to a recent article (which is well worth a short read because it spells out who is in hot water with who) in BroadbandTV News, the Berlusconi owned Mediaset has been named by the Italian press as a potential suitor with Telefonica on board as a local partner.

- JLH

Tags: Mediaset

HD makes its rounds in October

AsiaMedia Journal reported this week that HBO Asia went HD. This makes HBO Asia the first regional movie channel to broadcast in HD. On Thursday, October 1, HBO will be available in HD to subscribers in Singapore and the Philippines, and in Hong Kong from 6 October and plans to roll out more countries before the year ends.

And via BroadbandTV, UPC Romania will officially launch its HD cable product also starting on October 1. To make it work, they called out the expensive big guns  — Cisco, Thomson and Pace to deliver the first five channels including Pro TV HD, TVR HD, Eurosport HD, History HD and Fashion TV. History and Fashion, together at last… in HD.

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Tags: HBO Asia

The Seven Hot Men of IBC 2009

Another IBC, another Hot Men of IBC. Ok, we know that Telco stuff can get a bit dry, that is why we always do this list year after year. And you know, it’s oddly not the ladies that ask for it, it’s all those guys out there that wonder if they will make the list this year. So, for 2009, we present the ultimate list for Telco and IPTV and the seven men that made the days go by a little easier…. And remember, there is no ranking, it’s just in alphabetical order so there is no fighting.

Marcus Bristav, Dreampark — Many of the Dreampark Dream team has made the list    but this year, we walked into a conference room and there he was. Sitting there, just smiling at us. A Chief Architect by trade with charming and witty banter at every turn. The blue eyes, the trendy yet oddly attractive mostly shaved beard and his ability to give everyone a hard time with a smile on his face won us over.

Lucien Burm, FdForward. Ok, he technically isn’t in the IPTV business but he was at the show and how can you ignore those eyes?  Plus, he is an old school gentleman… offering you his jacket, getting you a glass of wine (at an after party and generally just being smart and a fantastic dresser. We added Lucien because he is always one of the good guys, oh and did we mention those eyes?

Adrien Clidiere, consultant, interactive video applications, mobile & IPTV – We first met Adrien last year at IBC at the Envivio stand where he was entertaining us with great stories about back end technology but in a good way. Then he divulged that he was French, Breton actually which made us really perk up. He can talk to you about anything from philosophy to code to comedy to world politics. He’s the sexiest engineer we have ever encountered.

Kevin Conner, Axicom - He first made our list at his very first show at the IPTV World Forum and again last year at IBC 2008 and this year he continues his winning streak. He showed up at our IBC Drink party and we no longer has the power of speech. On the last day of the show, he came rushing in past us, stopped to say hello, gave us a peck on the cheek  — all in a white t-shirt and Armani dress pants running for his jacket. We liked that.  Here’s to the hottest PR guy in the universe. Oh and we might add that he is sings in a band, Witness to the Beard.

Ignacious Garcia-Legaz, CEO, Free2B.com - Ignacious channeled Javier Bardem right from the start. He showed up at ink’s IBC Drink Mixer with some friends from Concurrent and that was it — we were pouring sangria for him every 25 seconds. That accent, that suit, that smile and those stories of warm and sunny places had us giggling like school girls.

Justin Lebbon, Videonet – You know that guy that dresses in jeans and a tshirt plus a hoodie with Chucks that you think is really alluringly cute? And then the next time you see him he’s in a Zegna with a martini in his hand? Yea well, that is Justin. The hair, the eyes, the smile, the hilarious conversation are just part of the equation. His ability to completely transform from the skateboard dude to Zegna model is enough for us. Check please.

Jonah from Ericsson – We don’t even know his last name. He blew out of our life as fast as he came into it. But know this — He had Daniel Craig dashing good looks, drives a Porsche (we didn’t see it but we believe him) was charming, funny, engaging with a barbed wit and impeccably dressed with a pair of “I can’t take my eyes off his shoes” shoes. Should we say anymore?

The Shoes

Tags: Axicom, Dreampark, Envivio, Ericsson, fdforward, Free2B, IBC

Verimatrix focuses on revenue security at IBC09

Operators want to keep viewers at the TV. They don’t want them wandering off back to the Web and messing around with this free for all content that you can get anytime anywhere. So this means companies like Verimatrix have got to give the operators a tool to protect content and yet get as much of that content out to consumers and keep them right in front of the TV where they belong.

According to Yoav Schreiber, senior analyst, Digital Media Infrastructure at Current Analysis, the consumer appetite for content anytime and anywhere is evident in the growth of online and mobile video consumption, which is supplementing traditional TV viewership. And to respond to evolving consumer viewing behavior, operators and content owners need the flexibility to introduce and deliver protected premium video applications and services across both managed and unmanaged networks.

This is where Verimatrix comes in. They have evolved security architecture to meet these emerging demands which in the end lets operators increase revenue streams and retain subscribers. That’s a happy ecosystem.

At IBC, Hall 5 Stand #B45. Verimatrix is showing off its  Video Content Authority System (VCAS™) 3.0 core architecture. Essentially, VCAS 3.0 enables pay-TV operators to offer a more extensive set of service offerings, helping operators attract and retain subscribers who want information and entertainment options in the living room and beyond. — JLH

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Tags: Digital rights management, Pay television

For back-end technology, this is pretty much all out

NDS has gotten everyone all worked up. Usually it’s because of their IBC party which you have to sign your life away to get an invite, but this year it’s because of this science fiction, big brother like video (hit play) that has been circulating. They say they will tell us tomorrow, 9 September, but we have to wonder, what could it possible be that they would put so much into this promotional campaign, and remember they are not a consumer  based technology, they are completely back end. We all know that NDS is a powerhouse of technology and deep down I admit it’s nice to see the lavish spending of yesteryear on fun campaigns like this, but I doubt that it will be anything earth shattering, but more of a cross over to web 2.0 and the innovative technologies we are seeing on that side of the tech fence. Stay tuned! – JLH

Tags: NDS Group

OpenTV’s Tracy Geist talks about the gap between TV and Web

As we get closer to IBC 2009 on Friday, we are seeing telling signs that traditional and legacy IPTV companies that paved the way nearly a decade ago for IPTV, are at it again. We are beginning to see technology from companies like OpenTV, ActiveVideo Networks and NDS that speak  Web 2.0 infuse their technology with social media elements, interactive and user generated content, widgets, etc. This means operators are now (or still) looking for ways to keep consumers at their TVs and we will see more and more deployments with these social media elements.

Tracy Geist, senior VP, Biz Dev, talks about the closing the gap between TV and the Web.

She says that it’s a dynamic market for digital TV operators right now who need to introduce new services while keeping the service on and smoothly running. The growing competition, new content platforms embraced by viewers, and technological advancements, all drive the introduction of new services, which transform traditional TV viewing into an interactive social experience. These new services focus on creating a whole experience for viewers, such as enabling them to browse through video titles and pick content based on suggestions, recommendations, key-words or related topics across multiple resources.

Geist says that our entertainment at home is no longer ‘one way’. We have all gotten used to searching and sharing content with family and friends through the Web. Users today are looking for the same experience when they retrieve content via the TV at home.

“If I just finished watching Nigella Lawson’s program, I want to be able to let my friends know in real time that Nigella is making the best Chocolate Mousse tonight through messaging or recommending the program or even get the recipe to make it myself,” said Geist.  ”This is just one example of what next generation TV should easily enable as it becomes an extension to the lives of those who watch it.”

According to Geist, operators already have the infrastructure to allow access to resources that would enable this functionality. What is needed on top of this infrastructure is the next gen digital TV platform that would enable those advanced services and bridge the gap between TV and the Internet, providing a unified and seamless viewing experience to the user, while allowing operators to cost-effectively differentiate their offering and remain ahead of the game.

For a full view of Tracy’s thoughts and other news on IPTV, visit Videonet.

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Tags: IBC, Interactive, IPTV, OpenTV, Tracy Geist

Tattletech Hot Seat: Richard Baker, VP Sales/MKT, ANT

We ran up to Cambridge UK to get a chat with Richard Baker, VP of Sales & Marketing at ANT.
We found that Richard has a great blog, Digital Media World where he discusses all the elements of IPTV today. Our favorite part? Postcards from a Technology Enthusiast  – finally someone that really likes what they do.
Tattletech: We hear a lot of talk out there that consumers just want their web content on their TV  -from your position, what do you think they really want and how can your technology make that happen?

Richard Baker: There’s a lot of debate about what consumers want from their TV providers, but the fact is that it’s not as simple as bringing the web to the TV service. Over the past few years consumers viewing habits have changed dramatically and they’re pulling information and content from all kinds of sources – the PC, laptop, mobile devices.  And it can be anything from live programming and user generated content to video on demand. It’s really been a time of experimentation for consumers. However, content on demand has had the biggest impact on the broadcasting industry. The ability to access specialised programming at a time convenient to you has changed the way viewers consume TV and has meant that we expect much more flexibility from our TV providers.

Meanwhile, traditional TV operators have struggled to come to terms with the challenges this presents. They are now competing with a much wider spectrum of media for viewer’s attention. So they need to be smarter and think of innovative new ways to capture audiences. Pulling web content onto the TV would seem like a good way to bring together some of the different strands of media, but unless the viewer can get an improved experience from the TV then they may just prefer to use the PC/laptop instead.

At ANT, we’ve been working with a number of operators and content providers to develop new and exciting ways to bring web content to the TV. For example, we’ve been experimenting with user interface design, formatting and usability to help our customers take advantage of this wave of change. We predict that a wave of TV providers start pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with TV over the next few years. And though there may not be one killer application or service for TV, consumers will have a yet more options as to how they view content.  And that can only be a positive thing.

TT: Choice has driven the explosion of mobile applications and to a large extent how people watch content today on the Internet – why can’t TV be the same?   Will we see widgets on our TV?

RB: This is a scenario the broadcasting industry has been talking about for quite some time. We’ve seen lots of interest from service providers in developing PC-style widgets, or applications, for the TV both on set-top boxes and integrated directly into the TV’s. The emergence of large HD and widescreen TVs has helped these types of services become a reality.  As the price of these consumer electronic goods fall, these types of services and applications will become much more attractive to a wider audience.

Our own research has shown that applications based on RSS feeds such as news, weather and stocks and shares information, all lend themselves to this type of service. ANT has also experimented with a Twitter-style chat application that allows users to chat on screen whilst watching the same content. So you and your friends could be sat watching the big baseball game or football match in your own homes and share the excitement on screen together.

But that’s not all we’ve done, we’ve also explored local applications. For example, we‘ve developed an application that enables the consumer to set their home and work locations into the TV or set-top box, This allows it to plot their travel route to work so if they’re sat eating their breakfast and watching the news they can turn on an application which will tell them if there are any delays. The key to the success of any of these applications will be in bringing service providers on board and seeing how viewers respond to this new level of interactivity.

The most important point though is to remain flexible, operators need to have the flexibility to add new applications to existing deployments and to change, adapt and improve them based on customer feedback.

TT: Targeted advertising is the topic everyone is talking about, but still people seem afraid of it, how can it be profitable and truly targeted?

RB: Targeted advertising is still in the embryonic stages. For example, in the UK BSkyB is developing the technology but it’s unlikely to be in place until 2011. People are already accustomed to targeted advertising on the internet so taking it one step further into the home seems inevitable. Of course, to be truly targeted the subscriber data needs to be highly accurate right down to individual lifestyle preferences and viewing habits of the end-user. This will make the technology particularly valuable to advertisers because some experts estimate that between 50 per cent and 90 per cent of all television adverts are wasted on viewers who have no interest in the product.

On the other hand, the way TV advertisements are presented will need to have a dramatic overhaul. Advertisers will need to find new, creative methods for capturing viewers’ attention (see Grafitti advertising blog). For example, at ANT we’ve experimented with the re-skinning the EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) so that it can reflect the sponsor of a major sporting event or movie premier.

TT: Ants are tiny but can carry a lot of weight and get a lot done, where do you see IPTV browsers headed in this future of content on any device?

RB: I’ve been at ANT for around a year now and during this short time have already seen a massive shift in ANT’s business. The company originally enjoyed success in IPTV deployments with ANT Fresco, our first generation browser. Following the launch of the ANT Galio browser and subsequently the ANT Galio Client and Core Applications we now have the opportunity to work with a far wider selection of the industry players. As the ANT Galio Suite has evolved we have strengthened relationships with Operators and service providers. In addition to these we continue to work with hardware manufacturers, middleware vendors, CA providers and content developers. It’s these relationships that help drive our future plans. In addition to all of this of course is the fact that we’re all consumers too – we’re passionate about developing new technology that improves the way in which we consume content.

Tags: IPTV

Data traffic to come from home over next five years

The one, the only Joe O

One of Tattletech’s most favorite media men, C2M monthly editor Joe O’Halloran gives us strategic insight into today’s mobile industry. Sure, he is fun to hang out with and yes we might have a tiny crush on him, but we know how to keep it real and this month Joe covers some good ground in his e-cast Newsletter for C2M.

He reports that  INFORMA completed a study that showed that more than half of all the data traffic will come from the home over the next five years.  The new survey showed that mobile data traffic generated in the home environment was estimated at 40% in 2007, but by 2013 it is expected to reach 58%. INFORMA goes on to say in the report that such a rise, will likely spur a sharp rise in deployments of technologies such as femtocells in order to help operators offload mobile traffic to fixed networks via broadband connections.

OK – Femtocells – translation it is just a small cellular base station for residential usage and esentially lets your service provider give you coverage indoors instead of standing out side freezing to death.

Tags: C2M