Flat Screen Tvs - Plasma Tvs - LCD Displays and HDTV

Research and Markets has announced the addition of The Changing Face of Studio Video Sales: Grow New Markets, Push High Definition, Get Interactive to their offering.

The major Hollywood studios are facing a changing landscape for the consumption of their home video products.

Sony Corporation is "betting the farm" on High Definition TV and HDTV products, including the next-generation Blu-Ray disc format. Sony's strategy may be strong enough to drive them into a dominating position for the future of digital home entertainment, and the other major Hollywood studios may simply be along for the ride.

Microsoft and Intel are also lobbying strongly to play a part, with their Connected Digital Home solutions. Microsoft and Intel have voiced strong support for HD-DVD.

Nobody can be sure how it is all going to play out. By 2009, the forecast model predicts a worldwide retail value of US$ 50 Billion, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 5.4% for annual sales value of Hollywood Video Content sold at retail. The DVD value will hold its own but much of the growth will be due to:

- Portable Player products

- Next-Generation optical discs

- Movie & TV Downloads

It is expected that the three alternative delivery formats to gain momentum in 2006, and continue growing through 2009. The coming few years will be very interesting ones for the Hollywood studios.

The Changing Face of Studio Video Sales: Grow New Markets, Push High Definition, Get Interactive found the following:

By 2009, a worldwide retail value of US$50 Billion is forecasted for annual sales of Hollywood video content sold at retail.

By 2009, 41% of US TV Households will be watching movies on HDTV displays.

DVD players that support HDMI deliver High Definition quality today, so next-generation High Definition optical products will need to provide "something more".

Over 40% of Japanese households will have wide-screen HDTV sets by 2009, and Europe and other Asian markets are already seeing robust sales of HDTV displays.

Portable player products and online download services are likely to lead industry growth, especially in Europe and Asia.

The bulk of the Hollywood movie and TV show DVD market value comes from just six countries: Japan, the United States, Canada, the UK, France and Germany.

The intense media interest in next-generation optical disc formats is selling lots of magazines, but will not have much impact on the Hollywood "packaged goods" business until late in the decade.

The Changing Face of Studio Video Sales: Grow New Markets, Push High Definition, Get Interactive covers the market for movie studio video sales. It includes analysis of technology and market trends for the number of TV Households, by region, that have at least one wide-screen HDTV-capable video display. The report also forecasts annual retail sales of Hollywood video products by category and by region through 2009. Profiles of major players in the home video industry are also provided.

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c29289

Posted by Nana at 06:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here's something I didn't expect to hear. Apparently even the higher ups at Microsoft are in the same boat as those of you still waiting to purchase the Xbox 360. At a recent meeting of technology industry executives Ballmer said,

"The Ballmer children do not have their Xbox 360 yet. I'm in the same boat as many of you," ... "Thanks to the wonders of Sarbanes-Oxley, management does not get a free Xbox 360,"

However unlike millions of other people Ballmer could have easily paid for someone to line up for him on the Xbox 360 launch date. Of course there's always eBay, I'm sure the $1000+ auction prices are a drop in the bucket for him.

Posted by Nana at 08:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

New Application Will Give Television Viewers More Control and Choice When it Comes to Their Favorite Entertainment

TiVo Inc., creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders, announced that it is working with Intel to develop functionality in a TiVo application that will enable it to work with Intel Viiv technology to pave the way for a dramatic change in the way entertainment is consumed at home or on the go .

This new application will further extend TiVo's groundbreaking TiVoToGo™ features. It will allow existing TiVo subscribers to securely transfer their favorite television programs from their TiVo® Series2™ DVR to an Intel Viiv technology based PC using only the remote control. The application will also allow any content downloaded from a TiVo DVR to an Intel Viiv technology enabled device to be securely played back on certain compliant media adapters, which will be supported in a future planned release of the application. This application will be available in the first half of next year.

"Combining Intel's breakthrough technology with TiVo's award-winning user experience will give consumers more of the control they are looking for," said Tom Rogers , CEO, TiVo Inc. "When it comes to digital entertainment in the living room and beyond, consumers deserve the ease of use they've come to expect from TiVo. We're thrilled to be working on this important initiative with Intel."

"We are excited to be working with TiVo on the application for the Intel Viiv technology platform," said Kevin Corbett , vice president and general manager, Content Services Group, Intel Digital Home Group. "Together with companies like TiVo, Intel is working to bring powerful new connected entertainment experiences to the home where consumers can more easily personalize, manage and enjoy their entertainment experience with Intel Viiv technology."

"Today's announcement with Intel is another example of our commitment to continually enhance and update our service and extend the TiVo experience throughout the home," said Jim Denney , Vice President of Product Marketing at TiVo. "This new application will allow our users to control their favorite TiVo recordings even more easily so they can watch what they want, where they want."

About TiVo Inc.
Founded in 1997, TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO) pioneered a brand new category of products with the development of the first commercially available digital video recorder (DVR). Sold through leading consumer electronic retailers, TiVo has developed a brand which resonates boldly with consumers as providing a superior television experience. Through agreements with leading satellite and cable providers, TiVo also integrates its full set of DVR service features into the set-top boxes of mass distributors. TiVo's DVR functionality and ease of use, with such features as Season Pass™ recordings and WishList® searches, has elevated its popularity among consumers and has created a whole new way for viewers to watch television. With a continued investment in its patented technologies, TiVo is revolutionizing the way consumers watch and access home entertainment. Rapidly becoming the focal point of the digital living room, TiVo's DVR is at the center of experiencing new forms of content on the TV, such as broadband delivered video, music and photos. With innovative features such as, TiVoToGo™ and online scheduling, TiVo is expanding the notion of consumers experiencing "TiVo, TV your way." The TiVo® service is also at the forefront of providing innovative marketing solutions for the television industry, including a unique platform for advertisers and audience measurement research. The company is based in Alviso, Calif.

Posted by Nana at 02:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Discover New Music, Buy Movie Tickets, Enjoy Podcasts, and View Shared Photos from Your TV

TiVo Inc., the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVR), announced the rollout of a host of new online services that deliver timely entertainment and information directly to the television set. Now, TiVo subscribers with a TiVo® Series2™ DVR connected to their home network will find accessing local movie listings and tickets, discovering music, listening to podcasts, and even viewing shared Yahoo! Photos plus their local traffic and weather as convenient and easy as using their TiVo® remote.

"TiVo forever changed the way people watch TV, making it easy to find and record your favorite programs," said Tom Rogers, President and CEO, TiVo Inc. "Now we're extending that ease-of-use to enable our subscribers to easily discover and enjoy online services directly on their television sets."

"We are excited to partner with TiVo to bring Yahoo!'s leading Internet services to consumers on their TVs," said Marco Boerries, senior vice president of the connected life business unit, Yahoo!. "Yahoo! is dedicated to extending our services beyond the desktop to give our millions of users access to their content and information, whenever and however they want it."

Starting today TiVo will begin the rollout to subscribers with a broadband-connected Series2™ DVR. The new features are included as part of the standard TiVo® service.

TiVo has partnered with leaders in broadband services, like Yahoo!, Fandango, and Live365 to ensure the best content as well as the ease and convenience subscribers expect from the TiVo® service. With the initial set of services, subscribers will enjoy all this right from their TV:

View both their own photo slideshows and those shared by friends with Yahoo! Photos, the world's most popular online photo service.
Check local weather and traffic from Yahoo!
Browse movie information in the living room to discover what's playing at local theaters and buy advance tickets from Fandango, the nation's largest movie ticketing service.
Discover great new music on Live365, the largest Internet radio network, offering hundreds of stations in every genre and format, new and old, from all over the world.
Listen to thought-provoking and entertaining talk shows with the new Podcast feature.
"We're thrilled to be working with TiVo," says Art Levitt, President and CEO of Fandango. "With this exciting new collaboration, consumers can make their moviegoing decisions from the comfort of their living room s . This alliance furthers our goal of ubiquitous consumer access and to help make the moviegoing experience as easy and convenient as possible."
"TiVo and Live365 represent a great combination," added David Porter, GM of Business Development for Live365. "Both services give people the ability to take control of their media, tuning into what they want and even discovering something new. We're pleased to be part of this inaugural online services rollout."

Subscribers can learn more about these features and sign up for the priority list found at www.tivo.com/online to ensure the features are delivered to their boxes as soon as possible.
For more information, including information on where TiVo can be purchased, please visit www.tivo.com.

About Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is the No. 1 Internet brand globally and the most trafficked Internet destination worldwide. Yahoo! provides online products and services essential to consumers' lives, and offers a full range of tools and marketing solutions for businesses to connect with Internet users around the world. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale , Calif.

About Fandango
Fandango, the nation's largest movie ticketing service, sells tickets to approximately 13,000 screens and 1,100 theaters (nearly 70 percent of theaters in the U.S. enabled for remote ticketing) and to four out of the five largest U.S. theater circuits (according to National Association of Theater Owners, June 2005). A consortium of the nation's largest theater chains (including Regal Entertainment Group, Carmike Cinemas, Cinemark, Loews Cineplex Entertainment and Century Theatres, among others), Fandango sells tickets to more screens than all of its competitors combined. One of the Web's top movie destinations (according to Nielsen//NetRatings), Fandango allows moviegoers to quickly select a film, plan where and when to see it, read reviews, view trailers and buy tickets up to 45 days in advance. Fandango is available at www.fandango.com, 1-800-FANDANGO and via your wireless device at mobile.fandango.com.

About Live365
With thousands of stations and 3m monthly listeners, Live365 is the largest internet radio network, offering listeners an unparalleled choice in music and other audio content. Live365 differs from other music and radio services in that it allows people to create a playlist from their own music collection and share it with others through free, radio-style streaming. Live365 also provides best-of-class steaming and advertising services for a wide range of professional clients. Stations can be accessed on live365.com, Apple iTunes, Windows Media Player and a growing number of home and mobile devices. Launched in July 1999, Live365 is the winner of the People's Voice at the Webby Awards for Best Music Site (2001, 2002) and Best Radio Site (2004).

About TiVo Inc.
Founded in 1997, TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO) pioneered a brand new category of products with the development of the first commercially available digital video recorder (DVR). Sold through leading consumer electronic retailers, TiVo has developed a brand which resonates boldly with consumers as providing a superior television experience. Through agreements with leading satellite and cable providers, TiVo also integrates its full set of DVR service features into the set-top boxes of mass distributors. TiVo's DVR functionality and ease of use, with such features as Season Pass™ recordings and WishList® searches, has elevated its popularity among consumers and has created a whole new way for viewers to watch television. With a continued investment in its patented technologies, TiVo is revolutionizing the way consumers watch and access home entertainment. Rapidly becoming the focal point of the digital living room, TiVo's DVR is at the center of experiencing new forms of content on the TV, such as broadband delivered video, music and photos. With innovative features such as, TiVoToGo™ and online scheduling, TiVo is expanding the notion of consumers experiencing "TiVo, TV your way." The TiVo® service is also at the forefront of providing innovative marketing solutions for the television industry, including a unique platform for advertisers and audience measurement research. The company is based in Alviso, Calif.

Posted by Nana at 01:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)