Music Royalty Negotiations Shift to FM Radio in Mobile Phones
By Jason Ankeny
The Consumer Electronics Association is lashing out at a proposal from the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Association of Broadcasters that would mandate mobile device manufacturers to integrate FM radio chips into all wireless phones manufactured and sold in the U.S.
The proposal is the latest chapter in a long-running dispute between terrestrial radio broadcasters and the recording industry over music royalties, with the NAB battling the RIAA's push to require radio stations to pay labels and performers for the right to broadcast their songs. Existing U.S. laws demand radio stations pay royalties to songwriters, but not labels or artists--broadcasters contend that radio airplay provides free promotion and drives music purchases and concert ticket sales, but with CD sales in steep decline, the RIAA is exploring new revenue alternatives.
Although both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate Judiciary Committees have passed bills that would award labels and artists a share of radio advertising revenues generated by playing their music, legislation has stalled in the face of overwhelming opposition from the NAB.
Broadcasters, looking to expand their audience reach, have now proposed a new settlement, agreeing to pay the RIAA around $100 million in annual royalties on the condition that lawmakers mandate the inclusion of FM radio chips in mobile phones and other portable devices. Congress is expected to act on the proposal sometime this fall. "Nothing is locked down just yet, but we're on the precipice of an historic breakthrough," RIAA chairman and CEO Mitch Bainwol told the Associated Press.
"This is two old-media industries attacking the new wireless broadband industry," said Consumers Electronics Association head Gary Shapiro. "We don't think Congress should accept a back-room deal on how an iPhone should be designed. We think consumers should choose and companies should choose." Jot Carpenter, vice president of government affairs for wireless industry trade organization CTIA, states there is "not a huge desire [among consumers] to listen to over-the-air, ad-laden radio" on mobile devices, adding there is scarce demand for phones with FM radio chips. [FierceMobileContent]
Four Million Media Tablets in 2010 Will Rise to 57 Million in 2015
The high-profile launch by Apple last week of its long-rumored iPad tablet computing device highlights the real start of a new market segment for media tablets that according to analysts at ABI Research will see four million units shipped this year. By 2015, shipments are forecast to reach about 57 million annually.
“Apple’s iPad is not the first media tablet,” says senior analyst Jeff Orr. “But it does help define this new device category. The main focus of media tablets is entertainment. A tablet will not replace a laptop, netbook or mobile phone, but will remain an additional premium or luxury product for wealthy industrialized markets for at least several years.”
ABI Research defines media tablets as having a touch-screen interface, 5-11 inches in size, with Wi-Fi Internet connectivity and video and gaming capabilities. Other features are available in some media tablets.
A number of other tablets were announced at the International CES 2010. Players in this new field fall into two camps: traditional computer vendors such as Lenovo, HP, and Asus; and a number of new, smaller vendors such as ICD and Notion Ink. The vendors in the latter category are often quite small and little known, and they see this market as an entry-point. Apple is one part of the mix, says Orr, and will probably be a fairly sizeable player.
“The biggest challenge faced by the media tablet category is how they will reach the market and generate awareness among potential buyers,” Orr believes. “New entrants to this market are at a disadvantage since they lack the retail relationships and network operator agreements already built by the more mature vendors. Surprisingly, Apple may have done them a favor by raising the public profile of the whole media tablet category.” [ABI Research]
DTV Transition Arrives, LTE Poised to Roll Out
By Phil Goldstein
After months of delay, the transition to digital television (DTV) has arrived and those companies that purchased broadcasters' 700 MHz spectrum--namely AT&T and Verizon Wireless--are ready to begin work. The two carriers were the big bidders last year, spending a combined $15 billion to purchase spectrum surrendered by TV broadcasters, and both will use the airwaves to deploy LTE networks.
The original date for the transition was Feb. 17, but Congress scuppered that because of fears that not enough consumers were prepared for the switchover from analog to digital broadcasting. AT&T, and eventually Verizon, supported the delay, but both made it clear they did not want any further delay.
Once the switchover occurs, the spectrum the companies purchased will be freed up for their use. And it appears Verizon and Qualcomm will waste no time in taking advantage of it. Verizon spokesman Jeffrey Nelson told Dow Jones Newswires that the company will begin testing its LTE network Saturday, and Qualcomm's FLO chief Bill Stone said the company will soon begin rolling out mobile TV services in 39 new cities. AT&T is also ready for the transition. Wireless consumers "are going to have a lot more choice and a lot better choice" in the future, AT&T CTO John Donovan told USA Today.
Verizon has said it will commercially launch 20 to 30 LTE markets in the second half of 2010. AT&T will begin testing LTE in 2010 with deployment beginning in 2011. [FierceWireless]
D-Link Luncurkan seri Kamera Internet Pertama di Industri Dengan Slot Memory Card
D-Link International hari ini meluncurkan seri kamera internet pertama di industri yang dilengkapi memory card. Dilengkapi slot untuk Secured Digital card, seri D-Link Securicam DCS-2100, yang terdiri dari D-Link DCS-2102 dan D-Link DCS-2121 nirkabel, memiliki kemampuan merekam gambar-gambar dan video langsung ke memory card kamera. Kedua kamera internet seri ini memiliki kemampuan menciptakan gambar-gambar lebih jelas dan tajam dengan resolusi 1280 x 1024 megapixel.
“Dengan fitur unik seperti slot SD card, seri Kamera Internet D-Link DCS-2100 mampu memberi tingkat fleksibilitas perekaman bagi konsumen. Mereka tidak perlu menggunakan komputer untuk merekam gambar dan video, karena dapat dengan mudah deprogram untuk langsung terekam pada memory card. Kemampuan ini juga membantu konsumen menghemat energi dan pemakaian listrik di masa datang,” jelas Desmond Toh, Direktur Marketing, D-Link International Pte Ltd.
Slot Secured Digital memory card untuk merekam dengan mudah
Baik D-Link DCS-2102 dan D-Link DCS-2121 memiliki slot Secured Digital memory card yang mendukung SD cards hingga 16GB, sehingga dapat merekam rata-rata hingga lima hari (24 jam sehari), sebelum rekaman video lama secara otomatis terhapus oleh rekaman baru. Video dapat direkam langsung ke perangkat Network Access Storage (NAS) tanpa perlu aplikasi apapun.
Pemantauan Wi-Fi yang Terlindungi
Berkemampuan standar nirkabel 802.11g, D-Link DCS-2121 memungkinkan pengguna menginstal kamera internet di rumah atau kantor tanpa batasan kabel Ethernet. Encripsi WPS yang tersedia memastikan koneksi yang aman ke router.
Pengaturan Mudah dan Pemantauan yang Nyaman
Seri Kamera Internet D-Link DCS-2100 dapat dikonfigurasi dengan mudah melalui browser web. Selain itu, juga dapat dikonfigurasi dan diatur menggunakan aplikasi D-View Cam 2.0, sehgingga memungkinkan pengguna menciptakan sistem pemantauan yang mudah digunakan guna mengatur dan memantau hingga 32 kamera melalui perekaman real time. /PR
Samsung Integrates Shazam Music Discovery App
By Jason Ankeny
Mobile music discovery provider Shazam Entertainment announced a partnership with Samsung to embed its song identification application into Samsung devices including the latest Beat b M3510 and the Beat s M3200.
The Shazam app enables users to identify music from any audio source by holding their mobiles to the song for a few seconds--after pinpointing the track in question, Shazam offers premium downloads via the operator's dedicated music store. T-Mobile is the first operator to integrate its music storefront with Samsung's new music phones.
Last week, Shazam Entertainment announced its free iPhone application has been downloaded by more than 1.5 million users in the first six weeks since its debut on Apple's App Store. The iPhone app also enables users to screen related videos on YouTube as well as tag identified tracks with photos and share memories with friends.
According to Shazam, iPhone owners have identified 20 million tracks in the last two months. Shazam was also featured in a recent FierceDeveloper web exclusive feature spotlighting five free iPhone applications you should download. [FierceMobileContent]
Top Five Digital & Mobile Music Deals
By Joseph Weisenthal
As we gear up for Tuesday’s EconMusic conference in London, we’ve assembled a list of the top five recent music deals by size. Given the tremors in the music industry, it should come as no surprise that the deals—both in size and kind—are quite varied by sector, as players look for exits and felicitous combinations.
-- Sony-Sony BMG, $1.2 Billion, 8/5/08: The biggest deal of the lot, a doubling down on the traditional record label business. That Sony (NYSE: SNE) would eventually buy back Bertelsmann’s 50 percent stake in Sony BMG was a matter of “when” and “at what price,” but not “if.” The ticket price came as a bit of a surprise following weak results at the unit just a week earlier.
-- CBS-Last.fm, $280 Million, 5/30/07: The next biggest deal is the biggest “Web2.0"-ish acquisition. The sale represented a large exit for the UK music site, whose popular social discovery service lacked anything resembling a real business model. It also marked a key moment in CBS’ (NYSE: CBS) M&A-based digital strategy, culminating this past summer with the purchase of CNET.
-- Bennett Coleman & Co.-Virgin Radio; $106 million; 6/1/2008: The parent company of the Times of India newspaper reached outside its borders and its traditional industry with this deal. Virgin Radio was an early online adopter, broadcasting over the internet in 1996. The powerful Virgin brand name was not part of the deal, so Bennett said it would spend $30 million on a rebranding campaign.
-- Nokia-Twango; $100 million; 7/23/07: Twango who? Nokia (NYSE: NOK) spent $100 million for social media sharing platform Twango (think: a basic YouTube/Flickr combo), in an effort to build out its online services business. Not surprisingly, given the lack of significant Twango brand value and Nokia’s drive to create its own umbrella brand, the service joined Nokia’s music download service and N-Gage gaming platform as part of Ovi.
-- Nokia-Loudeye; $60 Million; 8/9/06: Following hot on the heels of Twango, Nokia’s next acquisition helped it hone in more directly on mobile music. Loudeye rode the hype waves but couldn’t thrive on its own, restructuring multiple times before ultimately selling out. Although Loudeye was involved in online music, this deal was really about mobile. The two companies had worked together for a few years before they decided to officially mesh. [paidContent.org]
Wireless Microphone Vendor Shure Faces Interference Conundrum
By Lynnette Luna
The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article that paints the conundrum Shure, the largest manufacturer of wireless microphones in the U.S., now finds itself in as a result of its very public opposition of license-free, white-space spectrum. Shure fears the potential interference devices operating in white-space spectrum could pose to wireless microphones.
Interestingly enough, Shure's wireless microphones could be posing an interference threat to public-safety and commercial wireless operators when they move into the 700 MHz band--a fact Shure itself may have unwittingly exposed to the FCC in complaining about unlicensed devices.
A number of wireless microphones today operate illegally on vacant channels without licenses while the FCC turns a blind eye. The FCC is going to change that, however, as public-safety partnering with commercial operators is moving into the band after TV broadcasters turn off their analog signals in February.
Shure says it began in 2001 focusing on new products that don't operate on the 700 MHz band, but many of Shure's legacy products still do operate in the spectrum. Public interest group Media Access Project filed a complaint with the FCC over wireless microphones operating illegally in the band. It estimates anywhere between 500,000 and 1 million illegal wireless microphone systems operate in the 700 MHz band.
Leading Artists, AT&T Debuts Beijing Olympic Games Themed Mobile Music
AT&T Inc. today announced that several of today's headlining artists -- including 3 Doors Down, Army of Me, Colbie Caillat, Clique Girlz, Sheryl Crow, Flipsyde, Lady Antebellum, Mere, Nelly and Kate Voegele -- will record exclusive tracks for the AT&T Team USA Soundtrack to inspire and support U.S. Olympic Team athletes as they pursue their dream of competing in the Olympic Games.
The music -- debuting during the NBC and Telemundo broadcasts of the 2008 Olympic Games -- will offer motivational songs for Team USA, youth, sports enthusiasts, music aficionados and U.S. Olympic Team fans across the country. The songs will be available for download only during the Olympic Games in August through AT&T MEdia Net on AT&T wireless phones and online at http://www.att.net. Consumers can also access music through NBCOlympics.com. The proceeds from the tracks will benefit Team USA. Other artists who will participate in the AT&T Team USA Soundtrack will be announced later.
"The Team USA Soundtrack really represents the spirit of the Olympic Games," said Jamie Butcher, vice president of AT&T Brand Sponsorships. "Top musical artists are joining together to inspire and encourage Team USA, and fans have the opportunity to connect with and support athletes by downloading the soundtrack. It's another terrific opportunity to show our support for these amazing athletes and demonstrate how AT&T is truly evolving into an entertainment brand."
NBC will feature excerpts from the songs and music videos from certain artists in its Olympic Games coverage. NBC will promote the soundtrack through NBCOlympics.com and will point users back to ATT.net for purchase and download. AT&T wireless customers will also have the option to purchase ringtones and Answer Tones featuring the exclusive songs.
"The support we're receiving from these artists and the fans is amazing," said Michael Phelps, who won eight medals, including six gold medals, at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, and will try to win as many as eight more in Beijing. "I know this soundtrack is something we will all be able to enjoy while we're in Beijing and will help motivate us to compete at our very best."
Gymnast Nastia Liukin said, "There's nothing like training or performing to a great song, and it's so exciting that these artists were willing to produce songs to encourage us at one of the largest competitions of our lives." Liukin has won nine world championship medals and is expected to contend for the all-around gold medal in Beijing.
Sheryl Crow said, "It's really inspiring to see world-class athletes compete and give their all at the Olympic Games. It's my job as an artist to encourage others through music, and I'm honored to work to support Team USA through this soundtrack."
Brad Arnold, 3 Doors Down, said, "This was a one-of-a-kind opportunity to connect fans to our music and support our athletes as they go for the gold. All of the artists coming together really shows just how meaningful the Olympic Games are."
Today's announcement is the latest move by AT&T to help U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes train and compete for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. AT&T is an official sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Team and provides significant financial support, products and services to the U.S. Olympic Committee.
AT&T will also serve as the official telecommunications services partner of the U.S. Olympic Team for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. In addition to supporting USA Gymnastics and USA Swimming, the company serves as an official partner for several National Governing Bodies, including USA Track & Field and USA Diving.
The AT&T Team USA Soundtrack is an important part of AT&T's mission to connect people with their world, everywhere they live and work, and do it better than anyone else. /PR
Digital Terrestrial Television to Be Primary TV Service in 44% of Western European Households by 2012
Faced with the imminent closure of analog TV services, a growing number of Western Europeans are opting for Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) as a replacement. Most DTT services are free-to-air (FTA) services, with no subscription and minimal hardware requirements: in the UK, for example, DTT set-top boxes are available for as little as £10, or just under $20.
However, pay-DTT in particular is carving out a niche in competition with other pay-TV offerings from cable and telco-based service providers in some markets. A new research brief from ABI Research finds that DTT’s market potential varies widely from country to country, depending on factors that include the availability of digital alternatives and the current reliance on analog terrestrial FTA TV.
“Some pay-DTT providers are positioning their service as a kind of ‘halfway house’ between free-to-air services and other forms of pay TV,” says senior analyst Cesar Bachelet. "They offer all the regular FTA programs, plus some premium content at an attractive price." One of the most interesting markets, Italy, is expected to show the strongest growth in DTT over the next five years, and pay-DTT is a leading component of that growth. It is attractive for several reasons including plenty of sports programming, but the main driver is the prevalence of "pay-as-you-go" (PAYG) services that don’t require a commitment to lengthy subscriptions.
“The pay-as-you-go model has a strong history in Italy in broadband and mobile telephone services, so the transition to pay-DTT is an easy one,“ notes Bachelet. “ABI Research believes PAYG DTT will prove popular in other European markets as well.”
Another important determinant of DTT’s success in a given market is the availability (or lack) of digital alternatives, and the level to which the population depends on analog terrestrial FTA television. In Belgium, for example, where most of the population gets its TV via cable, the migration to digital TV will primarily occur within the cable environment. So DTT is unlikely to gain much traction. [ABI Research]
Adobe Merges Mobile and Platform Units
Software provider Adobe Systems announced plans to align its mobile and platform operations, with the firm's Mobile and Devices Business Unit joining its Experience and Technology group, led by chief technology officer Kevin Lynch.
According to Adobe, the move heralds the next step in its progression toward an integrated technology platform and runtime environment for personal computers, mobile handsets and consumer devices.
"As the proliferation of digital content continues to accelerate, customers worldwide are looking to Adobe for a platform that enables the creation of rich, engaging experiences across a variety of media and devices," said Adobe president and CEO Shantanu Narayen in a prepared statement. "Key to delivering a well-integrated technology platform is engineering our desktop and device technologies more closely together." [FierceDeveloper]
Swinxs, A Revolutionary Active Gaming Concept
Here is Swinxs - a toy meant for kids. The toy seems as cute as the name it has been given. It is a talking computer coupled with RFID reader which would give children access to a number of pre loaded stories and games to keep them busy all day. It's an interactive toy since it also includes an RFID wrist bracelet which enables the kids to become a part of the game since the technology lets them interact with the machine.
Swinxs, a new and different game console designed for active outdoor games to be played with the whole family and friends, will be introduced in 2008, according to Eduard Zanen, CEO of Swinxs BV.
Mr. Zanen, who was the founder of Bugaboo strollers, commented, “Swinxs offers a lot of play value. It is specifically designed to stimulate creativity and learning, encourages social behavior and let’s kids be kids again, playing active games inside or in the great outdoors. I am convinced fun-loving active kids, and parents, will choose Swinxs for their active lifestyle.”
The Swinxs concept has 4 dimensions:
Swinxs - the game console. Swinxs talks, cheers and explains the games, it also referees and keeps score. Its durable design allows Swinxs to be used inside and outside of the house. It runs on a long-lasting battery to travel to the park, the beach, the garden or the playroom.
XS tags – cool collectible wristbands with microchips that communicate with Swinxs. Each player has his/her personal colored tag that starts games, retrieves player profiles and measures performance.
Swinxs.com – connect Swinxs to the computer through a USB cable to download new games and upload performance data. At swinxs.com players can issue challenges, share experiences and learn new tricks.
Games – are differentiated based on age and category. The game possibilities are endless and range from traditional games like hide & seek to, educational quizzes and adventure games. Games are downloadable for free at Swinxs.com
Swinxs includes: The Swinxs console, 4 XS tags, USB cable, adapter (no batteries required) and many games designed for ages 4 and above. /PR
Timbaland to Release V Cast-exclusive Mobile Album
Verizon Wireless announced the launch of its Mobile Producer in Residence program, naming as its first Mobile Producer hip-hop mastermind and five-time Grammy nominee Timbaland, who will launch an entire mobile-exclusive album via the operator's V Cast Music platform across the remainder of 2008.
Timbaland -- whose hit collaborations include Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin'," Missy Elliott's "Get Ur Freak On" and Justin Timberlake's "SexyBack" -- will begin work on the V Cast project at the end of March, teaming with a different guest artist each month to create a new track produced via the Verizon Mobile Recording Studio Bus. Verizon Wireless also plans to broadcast footage of the sessions on its V Cast Video and Verizon Surround platforms.
"I am honored to be named Verizon's first Mobile Producer in Residence and have the opportunity to create music from so many places in the country, and deliver it directly to my fans wherever they are through their mobile phones," said Timbaland. "I am looking forward to the opportunity to collaborate with many different artists aboard the studio on wheels and taking fans into our recording sessions to see how we do it."
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 65.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 69,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone.
"Together we hope to redefine the album as we know it by creating and distributing music straight from the studio to fans," said Verizon's director of digital music Ed Ruth in a prepared statement. "As our Mobile Producer in Residence, Timbaland's music would be available to our customers as full-song downloads, ringtones and ringback tones, delivering exclusive music anyway they want it over-the-air. We aim to provide access in person, in the living room or through the phone into Timbaland's creative process as he produces an album, an artistic effort usually masterminded behind closed doors." [FierceMobileContent/FierceWireless]
Napster and Ericsson Roll-Out New Mobile Music Service
Ericsson and Napster has just announced the launch of the Napster Mobile music service with Telecom Italia through its mobile brand TIM, the leading mobile carrier serving the Italian market with over 35 million subscribers.
Co-developed by Ericsson and Napster for the Italian market, Napster Mobile is a premium music service offering an array of features and personalized content, including ringtones, artist images, wallpaper and access to Napster Mobile's catalog of more than 5 million songs.
Napster Mobile also offers dual-delivery for simultaneous downloads to a subscriber's PC and mobile phone, a unique feature that provides users the convenience of downloading songs directly to their phones with a high-fidelity copy of the song available to download on their PCs.
Under the agreement, Ericsson's responsibilities include systems integration, operation, maintenance and content management of Napster Mobile for TIM. The service is available now.
"Entering the Italian market is an exciting milestone," said Brad Duea, president of Napster. "By partnering with Ericsson and TIM we can offer a superior music experience and make our extensive catalog available to Italian consumers for the first time."
"We are proud to be the first in Italy to offer the world-class music service Napster Mobile," said Riccardo Jelmini, Head of mobile VAS of Telecom Italia. "Ericsson's solution allows us a quick, cost-efficient and simple way to launch this service, which gives our customers easy access to first-rate, feature-rich music services and will also expand our subscriber base."
"The marriage of Napster's innovative music service and Ericsson's technological leadership and operational expertise helps operators bring attractive new services to market easily and cost-effectively," said Cesare Avenia, President, Ericsson Italy.
Napster Mobile is linked to the Sony Ericsson Walkman series mobile phones via its music recognition application. Some models also offer a soft-key on the display for convenient access to Napster Mobile. [FierceWireless]
Slacker "Personal Digital Radio" is Everywhere
Slacker, Inc. has announced the creation of "Personal Radio," which enables U.S. consumers to customize their own radio stations and listen to them wherever they happen to be.
The Slacker Personal Radio experience is available today for PC streaming at http://www.slacker.com/ and Slacker Portable Radio Players via Wi-Fi and Slacker Satellite Car Kits.
Slacker has acquired rights from content owners, including Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and hundreds of independent labels, that allow truly portable personalized radio for the first time. The service offers Wi-Fi and satellite music distribution, as well as DJ intelligence embedded in portable players. Slacker customers can now play highly personalized, continuously refreshed radio stations everywhere they go.
"Personalized radio is a great way to listen to the music you love without having to work at it," said Dennis Mudd, CEO of Slacker. "The only problem is that until now, personalized radio has been stuck on the PC. Slacker solves that problem. Now you can just kick back and listen."
"We are happy to be working with Slacker as they roll out innovative new services that meet consumer demand for both interactivity and portability, and help extend the reach of our artists," commented Thomas Hesse, President, Global Digital Business & U.S. Sales, Sony BMG Music Entertainment.
Personal Radio 
Slacker Personal Radio has millions of songs with the breadth and depth increasing continuously.
The extensive Slacker music library is organized into numerous professionally programmed genre and sub-genre stations and over 10,000 stations that are built around specific artists.
Personalization options include adjusting your stations to play more popular vs. more eclectic music, newer vs. older music, or even to play more tracks you tagged as your favorites.
Features:
- Log in from any PC or Mac to hear personalized stations in CD quality
- Playback through web player, jukebox software and portable devices
- Create stations by combining favorite artists
- Select favorite tracks/artists to play more often and ban other tracks/artists
- Click through album cover art, band profiles, reviews and artist photos
- Easily share stations with friends
Slacker is Everywhere 
For the first time, Slacker Personal Radio Players will enable music lovers to play personalized radio everywhere they go. The new devices include integrated Wi-Fi and an on-board Slacker DJ.
The Slacker DJ combined with the new Slacker caching system guarantees personalized CD quality radio stations to be played everywhere, even when not in Wi-Fi range. Slacker customers get deep, personalized radio stations with optimized radio programming sequences, continuously refreshed and updated to include personalized new music.
Features:
- 4" full screen display featuring album art /reviews, artist photos/bios and visualizations
- Support for MP3, WMA and video as well as "saved" radio tracks.
- Automatically save and refresh personalized stations via Wi-Fi, Satellite or USB
Motorola to Launch Mobile TV Solution, Device
Motorola announced it will introduce its new DVB-H-compatible Mobile TV DH01 device and mobile TV broadcast solutions portfolio in conjunction with next week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
The DH01 is a pocket-sized personal media player supporting live TV, on-demand clips and programs saved on a digital video recorder (DVR) -- the non-proprietary platform supports the DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting - Handheld) broadcasting standard in addition to open standards interfaces across devices, networks and application service platforms.
The device's 4.3 inch-wide screen supports up to 16 million colors; additional features include a five-minute memory buffer for pause during live TV viewing. The DH01 is part of a full-scale, standards-based mobile TV solution that according to Motorola also includes network infrastructure (DVB-H transmission network equipment, video head-end center equipment, interactive application services delivery platform) as well as tools enabling operators to design, deploy and optimize their networks and application services.
The Motorola Mobile TV DH01 media player represents the natural extension of Motorola’s leadership in video and mobility solutions into mobile TV. The device is well positioned to drive lifestyle changes by enhancing consumers’ choice, convenience and control over their personal media experiences. For service providers and broadcasters, Motorola’s end-to-end mobile TV solution enables differentiation and attractive new revenue opportunities.
“Mobile TV is expected to grow significantly in 2008 and beyond and Motorola is in a unique position to mobilize the TV experience to deliver broadcast and personalized content wherever and whenever consumers want,” said Navin Mehta, vice president of Mobile TV and Applications Services for Motorola. “The Motorola Mobile TV DH01 is the ultimate personal media player – it allows consumers to enjoy their viewing experience at their convenience. In other words the entertainment experience is changing from ‘broadcast time’ to ‘my time’.”
For broadcasters, the Motorola Mobile TV DH01 represents an attractive proposition. They benefit from expanded viewing figures by extending their services to a new distribution channel of mobile viewers, and by offering greater reach for advertisers. For service providers, Motorola’s Mobile TV enables differentiated service offerings with interactive service capabilities to drive ARPU (Average Revenue Per Unit) and customer loyalty. [FierceWireless]
Kids Are Playing Games, E-Mailing
Q: What are your kids doing online?
A: Playing video games, most likely.
More than three-quarters of 6- to 11-year-olds surveyed by MRI for its "Survey of the American Consumer" report played online games in the past 30 days. That was by far the largest percent of any particular online activity.
Other top online activities among children included doing stuff for school (34.25%), listening to music (28.6%) and watching videos (26.2%).
The same percentage of boys and girls played online games. But boys were more likely (25.8%) than girls (5.6%) to go online for gaming tips or "cheats," the codes that change the behavior of games.
"The wide gap between the percentage of boys and girls using cheats could suggest boys are more engaged with their games, an insight of interest to marketers targeting kids," said Anne Marie Kelly, vice president of marketing at MRI.
Girls were more likely than boys to have listened to music online in the past 30 days (33% vs. 24.1%), and slightly more boys than girls watched online videos (28.9% vs. 23.5%).
Nearly three in 10 children who had been online in the past 30 days had their own e-mail addresses.
MRI sent questionnaires to households with children ages 6 to 11 and received answers from about 5,000 children. [eMarketer]
3 Italia, Alcatel-Lucent, RAI Team on First DVB-SH Mobile TV Trial in Italy
First DVB-SH Broadcast Mobile TV Trial in the World Blending Mobile and Broadcast Networks. The mobile operator 3 Italia, Alcatel-Lucent, and Italian public broadcaster RAI are launching the first trial of Mobile TV based on the DVB-SH standard in Italy. DVB-SH (Digital Video Broadcasting - Satellite services to Handhelds) is an evolution of DVB-H, which is providing higher spectrum efficiency and allows integration with hybrid satellite/terrestrial networks.
The trial, based on Alcatel-Lucent's Unlimited Mobile TV solution, uses for the first time in the world a multi-layer DVB-SH terrestrial network blending low-power transmitters from a mobile operator and medium-power transmitters from a broadcaster.
The trial will take place in Torino and it will be overseen by RAI Technological Strategies Dept., Raiway SpA and RAI Research and Technology Innovation Centre, providing their three-year-old experience in mobile-TV field tests. Cellular sites provided by 3 Italia will allow the indoor coverage of Torino's downtown, while broadcast towers provided by RAI and Raiway will allow outdoor and vehicular coverage of the entire town of Torino.
Alcatel-Lucent will provide the DVB-SH equipment, the network planning, the network integration and the technical support required for the good execution of the trial. Alcatel-Lucent's DVB-SH low-power repeaters will be co-localized with the live UMTS sites of 3 Italia and connected to the UMTS antennas.
The first phase of this trial, taking place from December 2007 to March 2008, will consist in a technology trial to validate the capability of DVB-SH to make available a large number of high-quality mobile TV channels, in various usage conditions. The several innovative technical characteristics of the DVB-SH will be evaluated during this trial, which in this first phase of the trial will be only terrestrial.
In a second phase of this trial, the broadcast signal from a satellite will be emulated by a transmitter located in a high-altitude helicopter; in order to study a real business situation, a sample panel of customers will be provided with commercial DVB-SH handsets. In a longer term perspective, tests with satellites in operation will be carried out in cooperation with a major satellite operator.
It is expected that this trial will allow demonstrating the improved reception quality made possible by the DVB-SH standard, thanks in particular to improved radio performances for mobile reception (such as the time interleaver and as the reception antenna diversity) related to the use of the S-Band, in particular for indoor and particularly critical outdoor reception environments.
Claudio Cappon, General Director of RAI, declared: "RAI, as part of its public service remit, is interested to deliver to the Italian audience high-quality mobile TV contents, based on various technologies. In this perspective, it is our responsibility to permanently investigate new technologies, such as DVB-SH, in order to optimize the cost-efficiency of our broadcast services distribution to a constantly growing audience."
Olivier Coste, Chairman of Alcatel-Lucent's mobile broadcast activities declared: "For the first time in the industry, a broadcast mobile TV trial will showcase a network capable to satisfy the service needs of both mobile operators and broadcasters, spanning indoor, outdoor and in-car mobile TV usage.
We are particularly excited by this unique partnership with 3 Italia and RAI that will allow us to demonstrate the advantages for the Italian audience of Alcatel-Lucent's Unlimited Mobile TV solution based on the DVB-SH standard." The S-Band spectrum (2.17-2.20 GHz) is available throughout Europe and can be used to deploy across the whole continent mobile satellite services such as Mobile TV.
On February 14, 2007, the European Commission issued a Decision on the harmonized use of this spectrum at the EU level, and on August 22, 2007, the Commission adopted a proposal to select systems for mobile satellite services. If adopted by the European Parliament and the EU Council, this new selection mechanism will allow, from 2009, the deployment of innovative services such as Mobile TV based on DVB-SH. [ABI Research]
SendMe Mobile, Corbis Co-star on Celeb Photos
Mobile media firm SendMe Mobile announced an agreement with media and advertising creative resource Corbis to provide SendMeMobile.com members with access to celebrity images from the Corbis Entertainment collection. Per terms of the partnership, Corbis will make available images of A-list stars and emerging talent from film and television, all snapped by noted celebrity photographers -- premium made-for-mobile photos spanning the entire Corbis mobile library will also be available through SendMeMobile.com.
"We're always looking for new ways to extend the reach of our collection through new media to the important youth market," said Corbis' vice president of rights services and mobile Dave Reeder in a prepared statement. "Personalization is the name of the game for mobile, and our imagery helps people create their own stories."
SendMe Mobile, the premier mobile media company, and Corbis, a creative resource for advertising, marketing and media professionals, today announced that they are partnering to bring the red carpet to mobile phones users. A first-of-its-kind offering for consumers, the relationship will provide SendMeMobile.com members with access to images from the Corbis Entertainment collection.
SendMeMobile.com members now get exclusive front-row access to images shot by celebrity photographers -- from A-list stars at Hollywood's most high-profile events to emerging talent from top rated television shows and film. This collection of celebrity and artist photographs from major events is shot by celebrity photographers, including world-renowned Frank Trapper.
Trapper, who just published his book "Red Carpet, 20 Years of Fame and Fashion," is the first photographer to be part of this new program. The broader Corbis mobile library will also be available through SendMeMobile.com with a wide range of premium made-for-mobile photos.
"We're always looking for new ways to extend the reach of our collection through new media to the important youth market," said Dave Reeder, vice president, Rights Services & Mobile, Corbis. "Personalization is the name of the game for mobile, and our imagery helps people create their own stories. SendMeMobile.com is a good fit for reaching this rapidly growing market of mobile users."
"The hallmark of SendMe Mobile content is quality and we're proud to be the first to add these premium images from the Corbis Entertainment collection," said Russell Klein, co-founder and CEO of SendMe. "Our members expect nothing but the best creations for mobile entertainment, and Corbis allows us to bring this to life with its award-winning, comprehensive library of premier celebrity event photographs."
Anyone can sign up at http://www.sendmemobile.com/ to experience an expansive collection of ringtones, wallpapers, sweepstakes and SMS text products that are unsurpassed in the industry. [FierceWireless]
In-Car Video Devices Based on MPH In-Band Mobile DTV Debut
In a move expected to accelerate the rollout of mobile digital television (DTV), Kenwood USA Corporation has become the first major manufacturer of automotive electronics to develop a truly mobile DTV receiver for over-the-air broadcasts in North America.
Kenwood has created prototype terrestrial DTV receivers based on the MPH in-band mobile DTV system, developed by Harris Corporation, LG Electronics and LG's U.S. R&D subsidiary, Zenith. Prototype in-car Kenwood MPH receivers — designed to bring terrestrial broadcast digital TV to consumers on the go, particularly those in fast-moving vehicles — will be demonstrated publicly for the first time at the 2008 International CES in January.
MPH is capable of providing robust terrestrial DTV signals to mobile, pedestrian and handheld devices. For consumers, MPH enables users to view their favorite broadcast TV programs, including movies and sports, and access local news and weather information. For DTV broadcasters, this new technology has the potential to create lucrative new revenue streams.
ATSC digital television — which was optimized for transmission to fixed receivers — will be the only broadcast television in the United States after February 2009 when analog broadcasting ceases. MPH represents a significant upgrade to ATSC, allowing excellent DTV reception performance in cars, even at highway speeds.
Kenwood's MPH DTV development effort builds on the company's aftermarket and more than 30 OEM relationships. In addition to its leadership role in successfully field- testing HD Radio (terrestrial digital broadcast radio tests with Harris and National Public Radio) and developing the first commercially available HD Radio and multicast receivers, Kenwood's Digital Broadcast Group has supported development of other mobile video technologies in Europe and Asia.
"At Kenwood, we have been watching the emerging market for mobile terrestrial DTV with great interest," said Shoichiro Eguchi, president, Kenwood USA Corporation. "With technologies like MPH paving the way, the in-car DTV market will be enormous. We are pleased to work with Harris, LG and Zenith on this breakthrough technology."
"MPH field tests show that ATSC-compatible mobile DTV works well. The next phase is to measure consumer interest. That's where various manufacturers will play a crucial role, and Kenwood's contributions to this effort are noteworthy," says LG Electronics President and Chief Technology Officer Dr. H.G. Lee.
"Kenwood's technological prowess and market strength in mobile electronics lend further credibility to the MPH system," said Tim Thorsteinson, president, Harris Broadcast Communications. "We look forward to jointly demonstrating mobile DTV on Kenwood MPH receivers." [WirelessIQ]
3 Turns on Non Stop Music Service
British operator 3 announced the launch of Non Stop Music, a new service delivering unlimited access to genre-based music streams ranging from dance to classic rock for 49 pence (about $1) per 24-hour cycle. Developed in conjunction with Ericsson, Non Stop Music promises eight different channels, each on a four-hour loop--3 subscribers may toggle between the stations as often as they like during each 24-hour window. New music is updated each week.
The Non Stop Music service aims to offer customers the best possible streaming mobile music experience. Non Stop Music is like having your own radio station; you can choose which type of music you want to listen to, when you want to listen to it. By clicking on the icon of the station you want, you'll be able to jump straight into the music.
Each station is on a 4 hour loop, and the new music will be updated every single week. You have the ability to switch between the stations as often as you like, all included in the 49p for 24 hours fee. The Non Stop music service was developed in partnership with Ericsson under its managed services agreement with 3.
John Penberthy-Smith, Marketing Director, 3 UK said, 'At 3 we thrive on providing our customers with the most innovative and exciting services on demand for the best price. The new 24 hour streaming will I'm sure be hugely popular with our customers. Our other music services such as MusicStore and dual downloads have set the pace for the market.' [FierceWireless]
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