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Public Beta Software Enables Intel-based Macs to Run Windows XP
Apple introduced Boot Camp, public beta software that enables Intel-based Macs to run Windows XP. Available as a download beginning today, Boot Camp allows users with a Microsoft Windows XP installation disc to install Windows XP on an Intel-based Mac®, and once installation is complete, users can restart their computer to run either Mac OS® X or Windows XP. Boot Camp will be a feature in “Leopard,” Apple’s next major release of Mac OS X, that will be previewed at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference in August.

“Apple has no desire or plan to sell or support Windows, but many customers have expressed their interest to run Windows on Apple’s superior hardware now that we use Intel processors,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “We think Boot Camp makes the Mac even more appealing to Windows users considering making the switch.”

Boot Camp simplifies Windows installation on an Intel-based Mac by providing a simple graphical step-by-step assistant application to dynamically create a second partition on the hard drive for Windows, to burn a CD with all the necessary Windows drivers, and to install Windows from a Windows XP installation CD. After installation is complete, users can choose to run either Mac OS X or Windows when they restart their computer.

Pricing & Availability
The public beta of Boot Camp is available immediately as a download at www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp, and is preview software licensed for use on a trial basis for a limited time. The final version of Boot Camp will be available as a feature in the upcoming Mac OS X version 10.5 “Leopard.” Apple does not provide support for installing or running Boot Camp and does not sell or support Microsoft Windows software. Apple welcomes user feedback on Boot Camp at bootcamp@apple.com.

System Requirements
Boot Camp requires an Intel-based Mac with a USB keyboard and mouse, or a built-in keyboard and TrackPad; Mac OS X version 10.4.6 or later; the latest firmware update; at least 10GB of free space on the startup disk; a blank recordable CD or DVD; and single-disc version of Windows XP Home Edition or Professional with Service Pack 2 or later.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning desktop and notebook computers, OS X operating system, and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital music revolution with its iPod portable music players and iTunes online music store.

Posted by Nana at 12:50 PM | Apple Introduces Boot Camp: Run windows xp on your Mac | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Seamless integration of Windows Media Player 11 and URGE delivers complete music experience and redefines music discovery for fans

Microsoft Corp. and MTV Networks, a division of Viacom Inc., today unveiled the new Windows Media® Player 11 and offered an early look at the URGE digital music service during the kickoff keynote address for the 2006 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates was joined onstage by MTV Networks’ Music Group President Van Toffler and music superstar Justin Timberlake to preview the seamless integration of Microsoft® Windows Media Player 11 and MTV Networks’ URGE, which is designed to bring the emotional connection of music to the forefront of the digital entertainment experience.

Gates and Toffler highlighted the fresh, streamlined design for Windows Media Player 11 with optimized device support and incredibly fast search capabilities that provide consumers with instant access to the entire URGE catalog of more than 2 million songs. Set to debut this year, URGE will offer a deep well of programming and editorial to guide the consumer’s digital music experience, including exclusive content from MTV Networks’ MTV, VH1 and CMT brands.

“Microsoft and MTV Networks have combined their strengths to dramatically redefine how Windows® users discover and enjoy music,” Gates said. “The result is a seamless melding of software and entertainment expertise that makes it easy for people to discover new music and listen to old favorites.”

“Our audience has come to expect us to deliver the world’s best music programming on MTV, VH1 and CMT,” Toffler said. “URGE will be a major new way for artists across all genres — from alt-country to zydeco — to connect with their fans and find new audiences through multiplatform exposure from MTV Networks and on one of the world’s most popular digital media players, Windows Media Player.”

The Best All-in-One Media Player From Microsoft

As their digital music collections continue to grow, consumers increasingly need software to help them find and organize their music. Windows Media Player 11 addresses this head-on with core advancements that include a simplified user experience and unprecedented performance. Windows Media Player 11 makes it easy to manage all media through innovative design improvements from Windows Vista™, including visual navigation of entire media libraries, and simplified, high-performance device synchronization. Additional performance enhancements let consumers easily scroll through and access music faster than any other media player, whether the library contains 50 or 50,000 tracks. The powerful Windows Media Player 11 wordwheel search brings an entire catalog of music to consumers’ fingertips, providing lightning-fast search results that instantly narrow with each keystroke. Windows Media Player 11 with URGE will be available in Windows Vista, and is also scheduled to be available for Windows XP in the first half of 2006.

Extensive Entertainment Programming From MTV Networks

MTV Networks’ URGE will be the first and only digital music service designed by music veterans for music fans. Whether consumers want to take a few minutes to purchase a specific song or spend hours immersed in the service’s extensive music programming, URGE will provide an experience equally enjoyable for all audiences, from intense fans to aficionados. With robust search capabilities, extensive music charts, and countless programmed playlists, URGE will offer constantly updated music feature stories, exclusive interviews, music videos, and other multimedia editorial across all music genres and styles that provide context and direction for music lovers. URGE will be a one-stop digital music experience for consumers to hear, discover, purchase and enjoy music.

With URGE, music fans will get a choice in how they want to consume digital music to best fit their lifestyle, whether through permanent a la carte download purchases, music subscriptions or fully portable subscriptions. URGE also will feature one of the most robust radio offerings available on the Internet, with more than 100 free and premium stations, all programmed by passionate music professionals. URGE will incorporate MusicNet’s library of more than 2 million tracks, the largest available music library in the industry today. The library includes licensed content from all of the major record labels and thousands of independents. MusicNet is the world’s leading business-to-business digital music service provider.

URGE will be promoted across a broad range of MTV Networks platforms, including the MTV, MTV2, mtvU, MTV Hits, MTV Jams, VH1, VH1 Classic, VH1 Soul and CMT channels, as well as being fully integrated throughout MTV Networks Web sites MTV.com, VH1.com, CMT.com and the new URGE.com. Promotion for URGE will be woven throughout MTV Networks’ on-air and online programming, communicating the consumer benefits and explaining the how-to’s of digital music, while providing an easy and intuitive way for audiences to extend their MTV, VH1 and CMT music experiences.

Seamless Integration Between Music Service and Media Player

Microsoft and MTV Networks have collaborated to enhance the URGE experience with innovations that make using a digital music service as straightforward as accessing a user’s local library. Consumers will enjoy exceptionally fast access to URGE content with enhanced wordwheel search capabilities. With integrated hard-drive and music service browsing, consumers will see all tracks related to their searches, including those from the massive URGE catalog but not stored on their PC. In addition, with drag-and-drop playlist creation, consumers can simply move individual songs or entire stacks of albums into the URGE playlist pane for syncing to a device or burning to a CD. More than 100 portable devices and home network media devices compatible with Windows Media, including the Xbox 360™ video game system, will work with URGE.

Additional URGE features, functionality, and related partnerships will be announced in coming months as URGE is introduced with Windows Media Player 11.

About MTV Networks

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom International Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with 100 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services — MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 80 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Microsoft, Windows Media, Windows, Windows Vista and Xbox 360 are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

Posted by Nana at 12:40 AM | Microsoft and MTV Networks Unveil New Windows Media Player 11 and Preview The New URGE Digital Music Service | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Starz Entertainment Group Ignites Portable Internet Video Market With the Launch of Vongo Innovative Content Application Will Drive New Era in Portable Video

Starz Entertainment Group LLC (SEG) today announced the premiere of VONGO -- a new video download application and service for broadband that delivers movies and other video content over the Internet for playback on Windows-based PCs, laptops, and select portable media devices, as well as on a TV.

"Vongo will provide the key content application that will drive a new era in portable video delivered over the Internet," said Robert B. Clasen, president and CEO of SEG. "By combining the wide array of programming choices on Vongo with a host of new portable media devices being announced this week at the Consumer Electronics Show, consumers will be able to seize control of their video and watch whatever, wherever and whenever they want."

Vongo subscribers will have unlimited access to more than 1,000 movies and video selections, as well as a live, streaming Starz TV channel, for a monthly cost of $9.99. Members may download movie and video selections to three eligible devices of their choice per account, allowing for multiple viewing options and family enjoyment. Additionally, select popular pay-per-view titles are available for $3.99 per movie. Vongo is currently available for broadband subscribers in the United States at http://www.vongo.com/.

Starz also announced the first in a series of planned agreements that will extend Vongo's reach as the premier broadband entertainment service for consumers. Initial partners include Sony CONNECT and Microsoft. Sony CONNECT will make Vongo a cornerstone of its new CONNECT Video service, to be launched later this year. SEG worked with Microsoft to ensure that subscription video content from Vongo provides the highest-quality viewing experience on Windows-based PCs, laptops, and select portable media devices, as well as on a TV.

"Based on the evolution of the digital entertainment space, we believe that Vongo will be the critical component in a new entertainment ecosystem; combining services, Vongo's advanced user interface (UI) and a new generation of devices to offer consumers a truly unique offering," said Bob Greene, senior vice president, advanced services for SEG.

Vongo Leverages Starz Exclusive Movie Rights

As one of the largest content aggregators in Hollywood, Starz has access to thousands of theatrical films including first-run hits ("Hitch," "The Aviator," "The Incredibles," "National Treasure," "Kill Bill Vol. 2," "Finding Neverland") and classics ("Pulp Fiction," "Boyz N' The Hood," "Night of the Living Dead," "Good Will Hunting," "Hoosiers," "Dances With Wolves," "Annie Hall") for Vongo upon launch from many of Hollywood's biggest studios.

Greg Maffei, CEO-elect of SEG parent company Liberty Media Corporation dded "Liberty is excited about this new service from Starz, not only because of its potential revenue stream, but because it positions us as the content leaders in this new era of portable video and personal consumer choice. This re-defines what it means to 'go to the movies,' because with Vongo, the movies go with you. The lessons learned in developing and launching Vongo can apply to other segments of our company and to our sister enterprises both in the US and overseas."

Clasen added, "Critical to this service are the Internet distribution rights we have acquired from our studio partners. We share with them a concern about the piracy over the Internet and so have built in a robust digital rights management system to ensure that only those who are authorized to use this service will do so. We also believe that by providing a convenient, affordable and legal way to access the best of Hollywood we will ensure that consumers will be much less likely to try to engage in video piracy."

Starz Entertainment Group is the exclusive subscription provider of first-run, classic and favorite films from leading Hollywood studios including Walt Disney Pictures, Miramax Films, Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Films, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Columbia Tri-Star, Screen Gems, Revolution Studios and more. Select recent films are available exclusively from Universal Pictures and New Line Cinema and library and classic titles are provided by a wide array of Hollywood studios. Clasen concluded, "Vongo subscribers have full access to the very best content from Hollywood's biggest studios. Our breadth of subscription movie content is unmatched anywhere on the Internet."

In addition to the movies available as part of the subscription service, Vongo will offer subscribers and non-subscribers alike access to pay per view movies for $3.99 per film. Offering PPV titles in the earlier release VOD window will broaden the range of movies offered on the service and give consumers greater selection and choice.

"Exclusive -- and virtually unlimited -- access to 800-1000 movies per month is the programming foundation of the Vongo service," said Greene. "Adding a PPV option will bring consumers even more movies and will do so sooner as a result of the earlier window from Hollywood. With concerts, extreme sports, and in time, TV series, we see an opportunity to bring additional value and enjoyment to Vongo members, but subscription movies will remain the driver of the service. Vongo will expand significantly its non-movie content in time as we listen to feedback from our members and the content community."

Additional programming available to Vongo subscribers includes full-length music concerts ("INXS: Live Baby Live," "The Hives: Live in Las Vegas," "Prince - Sign 'o' the Times," "The Who: Live in Boston," "Brian Wilson: On Tour"), and Extreme Sports ("Warren Miller's Cold Fusion," "Real Action Sports," "Ride Guide"). At launch, Vongo will offer a live, East Coast feed of the Starz TV channel in its "Watch Live Now" category, with an eye towards adding other television-based content, including series in the future.

"Movies, sports and news are the main drivers for Internet content. So far, sports and news have found an opportunity to distribute content via the Internet, but due to the Hollywood rights issues, subscription movie content has been slower to come to market -- until now," said Greene. An important strategy in the development of Vongo is to engage in a number of strategic alliances with technology, media and device companies in order to extend the reach of Vongo as far as possible. "When we started working on this product 18 months ago, we reached out to industry leaders to engage them in the development of the service," said Greene. "By providing the critical content element, we are helping to create an entire ecosystem of products and services that will provide consumers with unmatched convenience and flexibility. These systems will be easy to use in multiple different settings."

Vongo Looks to Microsoft for Security and Portability -- Where Do You Vongo?

Starz is using Windows Media technologies to power the Vongo service for their ability to provide subscribers with the highest-quality playback experience, whether enjoyed at home on a Windows-based PC or on the go using eligible portable media devices or laptops.

"This is a significant development in the enjoyment of Internet-delivered video content," said Greene. "We believe the ability to easily, securely and legally move Vongo content to the TV and portable devices will be key drivers for Vongo's 'video on the go' consumers -- particularly as those important segments of the marketplace develop."

"With Vongo, Starz brings a wealth of premium and exclusive television and feature film content to hundreds of millions of Windows users," said Blair Westlake, corporate vice president of the Media, Content & Partner Strategy Group. "Powering Vongo with our Windows Media technologies not only gives consumers the best-quality video, but also gives them the flexibility to enjoy their content when and where they want, at home or on the go."

"The combination of Vongo's programming and Microsoft's digital rights management system and media player software has produced the catalyst for this new era of personal video," said John Pollard, senior director in the Mobile & Embedded Devices Division at Microsoft. "With this new service consumers have greater freedom to choose what they want to watch from anywhere at anytime."

Sony CONNECT with Vongo for Distribution

"We are very pleased to be working with Sony CONNECT," said Greene. "Our visions about video delivery over broadband are very much aligned, and we are excited about the marketing opportunities that Sony CONNECT will bring to the table."

In addition, Starz has partnered with a host of other providers in the development of Vongo. "We have built Vongo from scratch in partnership with 'best of breed' vendors and partners," Greene noted. "With Sony CONNECT, Microsoft, and other key alliances to be announced soon, we present the first examples of the broadband-delivered video ecosystem we have built around Vongo to catalyze the development of this marketplace."

Complements and Expands Core Business

Greene concluded that research conducted by SEG over the past year demonstrates that an Internet service will not cannibalize existing distribution systems including cable, satellite, and telco services. "Vongo expands the pie, as approximately 70% of Starz Ticket customers were not subscribers to Starz and approximately 50% were non-premium subscribers altogether. We developed Vongo so that we could provide our existing affiliates the ability to offer great movies directly to their broadband customers. We will work with them to find ways to offer Vongo, including packaging high-speed broadband connections with Vongo to attract even more consumers to this new way of accessing and enjoying content."

He also noted that Starz Ticket, launched in 2004 with RealNetworks Inc., will continue as a service, but that the focus for Starz will be on Vongo. "Starz Ticket on Real Movies provided us with a great chance to see how the market would react to broadband delivery of video. We learned an enormous amount in a real world environment and have incorporated all those lessons into the new Vongo service."

Vongo is available in the United States in beta form beginning today at http://www.vongo.com/. The product will be showcased for interested media at CES in partner booths as well as at the Digital Media Experience at the Bellagio hotel on Jan. 4th from 7 - 10 p.m.

Starz Entertainment Group LLC (SEG) is the largest provider of premium movie services in the United States. SEG offers 13 digital movie channels including the flagship Starz® and Encore® channels with approximately 14 million and 25 million subscribers respectively. Starz Entertainment Group airs more than 750 movies per month across its pay TV channels and is a forerunner in offering its subscribers advanced services such as Starz HDTV, Starz On Demand® and Vongo(SM). Starz Entertainment Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation, http://www.starz.com/.

Posted by Nana at 07:33 AM | Starz Entertainment Group Launches Vongo Video Download Application And Service | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Future Versions of Media Center PCs to Receive Digital Cable Programming without the need for a Cable Set-Top Box

Microsoft Corp. and Cable Television Laboratories Inc. (CableLabs�) announced they have reached an agreement that will allow Microsoft and PC manufacturers to bring to market digital-cable-ready Windows� Media Center-based PCs in the holiday 2006 time frame.

These Media Center PCs, capable of supporting a CableCARD5 module, will allow consumers to enjoy one-way cable programming, including premium high-definition cable content, on their personal computer and throughout the home on compliant network-connected devices, such as Xbox 3605, while protecting cable operators' investments in high-value content in a digital environment. Microsoft is working closely with CableLabs to document final approval of Windows Media� Digital Rights Management (DRM) as a content protection technology for OpenCable5 products that receive one-way cable content under the terms of this agreement.

�This agreement is an important milestone for our customers who want access to high-definition digital cable content on their PCs and a major step toward enabling a solution for the delivery of that content,� said Joe Belfiore, corporate vice president of the Windows eHome Division at Microsoft.

�The cable industry is very interested in having the PC serve as another means to allow consumers to enjoy cable programming,� said Richard R. Green, president and CEO of CableLabs. �By working with Microsoft and the IT industry, we have come up with a solution to enable consumers to enjoy the wide range of entertainment options they want.�

�This agreement carefully balances the need to preserve the flexibility of the personal computer for consumers with the need for cable operators to be confident that the hardware and software shipped with compliant Media Center PCs will function like a CableCARD-enabled digital television,� said Glenn Britt, chairman of CableLabs and chairman and CEO of Time Warner Cable.

The agreement is the culmination of more than two years of extensive evaluation and technical reviews performed by the two entities under the CableLabs OpenCable process to develop specifications and test suites for the new solution.

The specified OpenCable architecture allows for multiple DRM systems to be used in the device and ensures content providers of protected delivery of content to the PC. Microsoft� Windows Media Digital Rights Management is the first major DRM system to complete the due diligence necessary for approval by CableLabs.

The OpenCable project will continue to play an important role as the new agreement moves forward, allowing the cable industry to work closely with the consumer electronics and IT industries to innovate rapidly on the new specifications developed by Microsoft and CableLabs.

CableLabs will host interoperability events to enable vendors working on products based on these specifications to test products in CableLabs facilities and conduct more formalized certification testing. More information about the OpenCable project is available at www.opencable.com.

Media Center PCs deliver advanced computing and easy-to-use integrated digital entertainment experiences. To date, Microsoft has sold more than 4 million Windows XP Media Center Edition licenses, and more than 130 PC manufacturers are offering Media Center PCs around the world. The cable industry supports more than 370 models of digital televisions manufactured by 22 companies that display one-way cable content via CableCARDs.

About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq �MSFT�) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software�any time, any place and on any device.

About CableLabs
Founded in 1988 by members of the cable television industry, Cable Television Laboratories is a non-profit research and development consortium that is dedicated to pursuing new cable telecommunications technologies and to helping its cable operator members integrate those advancements into their business objectives. Cable operators from around the world are members. CableLabs maintains web sites at www.cablelabs.com; www.packetcable.com; www.cablemodem.com; www.cablenet.org; and www.opencable.com.

Posted by Nana at 05:00 PM | Microsoft and CableLabs Announce Agreement to Enable High Definition Digital Cable Programming on Windows Media Center PCs | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

Microsoft is close to patenting a technology that, for all intents and purposes, makes a Tivo out of your digital media player.

The technology in question, patent application number 20030221541, was filed in May of 2002 and "relates generally to systems and methodologies that facilitate generation of playlists," according to a summary of the invention patent. "It reduces effort and time required to generate a playlist that meets or is similar to desired characteristics or features by automatically generating a playlist." more...

Posted by Nana at 02:06 AM | Microsoft's playlist patent | TrackBacks (0)

J. River MEDIA CENTER software, a multimedia application for organizing and playing digital music, photo and video files, now provides support for the new Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP), which was released today in the US. Sony�s device, which does not initially ship with software, is a next generation handheld entertainment system that lets users play games, watch movies and listen to music. A special beta release of MEDIA CENTER 11.0 is available today that allows users to transfer their photo, music and video collections from their PC�s to the device for playback.

MEDIA CENTER already supports many devices from companies such as Creative, Rio� and Apple�. Features such as on-the-fly file conversion and encoding as well as industry-leading file organization capability have made the software a proven choice for digital media enthusiasts.

Peter Sohal, VP of Marketing at J. River, said, "We think that our software is a natural fit for the PSP, as it already helps users to manage all their media. Other software packages often focus on just music or just photos, but our all-in-one solution means that PSP fans can rely on one application for organization and transfer. It�s simple and fast."

For a free download of the beta software please visit www.jrmediacenter.com/psp.html

About MEDIA CENTER
All Media�One Interface. This comprehensive media management software turns a PC into the center of a complete digital entertainment experience. It connects PC to stereo, TV, remote control devices, digital cameras, scanners and portable MP3 players. It plays all media, rips, burns and organizes a digital media collection. MC encodes and plays all popular media formats. It plays Web radio/TV/DVD on your PC. Powerful utilities include Media Server for streaming music and images to remote PC's. MC has more advanced features than any other application for personalization and control of a media collection.

Posted by Nana at 12:47 AM | J. River Media Software for Sony PSP | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Orb Drops Subscription Service Fee Allowing Consumers Free Mobile Access to Digital Home-Media Content Such as Live TV, Music, Videos, & Photos; Announces New Photo Sharing Service

Orb Networks, Inc., a developer of streaming media software and services, today announced the company's groundbreaking streaming media software, Orb Media, will now be FREE to all users. Orb's software and service gives consumers the ability to spontaneously access their live TV, music, photos, videos, and other digital content located on their home PC from virtually any Internet-enabled device, from anywhere in the world, and now provides that service without adding any new monthly fees for new and current customers. Additionally, Orb has added a new Photo Sharing service to its solution allowing customers to share all of their selected photos with friends and family at any time.

Orb's mission is to provide consumers with the easiest, most innovative way to access their digital home media files wherever they are. The Orb solution is available to the millions of Windows� XP operating system and Windows� XP Media Center Edition users in the United States and is now made even more convenient for users to access their digital worlds by providing Orb Media absolutely FREE.

Orb is aggressively forming strategic partnerships with content providers and consumer electronic companies. These partnerships will provide Orb with a sustained commerce stream through co-marketing relationships and transactions for music, video, audio and other services.

"By eliminating subscription fees, Orb eliminates the final barrier between consumers and their digital media," said Jim Behrens, CEO, Orb Networks. "The allure of 'anytime, anywhere' access to one's digital world has proven to be exceptionally compelling to Orb subscribers thus far. In our view, a free Orb service will exponentially increase our value proposition for those customers -- and millions of new customers as well."

The strategic partnerships Orb is forming not only will make this shift possible, but will drastically expand Orb's content offerings over time. As such, Orb continues its evolution into one of the most innovative and consumer-friendly digital media companies ever."

Orb's new Photo Sharing service offers customers a complete digital media portal where they can simply choose any of their favorite photos and send them to one or many of their friends and family for free viewing. The sharing feature is especially inviting for users to extend their digital world for others to see.

"Digital environment technology is a competitive field, and one that is ripe for growth," said Tim Bajarin, Principal Analyst, Creative Strategies. "That said, vendors need to focus not only on the viability and innovation of their technology, but on fostering a consumer-friendly business model, as well. Companies that can master both worlds stand the greatest chance for early customer growth and long-term success."

Orb Media is available to download now at www.orb.com. After downloading the application, customers only need to complete a five-minute installation procedure and they are ready to use any Internet-connected device to view live TV, digital photos, videos or listen to MP3 music files stored on their home PC.

Orb Media Overview

Orb Networks' software and service provides a simple way for consumers to spontaneously access their live TV, music, photos, videos and other digital content located on their home PC from virtually any Internet-enabled device, from anywhere in the world. Orb's intuitive solution simply streams a consumer's own content from their home PC to the Web browser and player on a cell phone, PDA, or notebook, creating their own "personal media portal." Consumers also have the capability to remotely record TV programs using Orb's Digital Video Recorder (DVR) function and then view those recorded programs at any time on any of their mobile devices. Orb Networks leverages the best features of today's popular standards while abiding by current digital rights management (DRM) platforms.

Orb Networks' technology is based upon its elegant, robust and scalable Orb Architecture. A user simply opens a Web browser on any device, logs-in and selects what they want to view or hear from their personal library. Orb takes care of the rest. Orb's technology determines the best format, codec, bit rate, display capabilities, and network bandwidth available for a particular cell phone, PDA or laptop to view or hear the content. The media is streamed securely and directly from the user's home PC to the user's device to provide fast mobile media access.

About Orb Networks, Inc.

Orb Networks is the first developer of streaming media software and services giving people free spontaneous access to digital home media -- any kind, at any time, from any location in the world. The groundbreaking Orb Architecture allows users to access music, live television, videos, photos and other digital content from any device that can connect to the Internet, such as a cell phone, PDA, or notebook. Orb Networks develops, licenses and markets its services in partnership with leading content providers/creators, wireless carriers, electronic distributors and consumer electronic companies. As an active participant in the issues affecting digital media, Orb Networks is a member of the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA). Orb Networks is a privately held company located in Emeryville, Calif. For more information about Orb Networks, please visit http://www.orb.com .

Posted by Nana at 11:28 AM | Orb Networks Streaming Media Solution is Now Free | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Are you looking to move your TiVoToGo content to your shiny new Sony PSP? Check out Dave Zatz's handy tutorial over at: TiVo To Go Unleashed!

There's more info there as well, so if you have TiVo To Go it's worth checking out.

Posted by Nana at 05:15 PM | How to move your TiVo To Go ( TiVoToGo ) content to your Sony PSP | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Wi-Fi Technology Forum/- ViXS Systems, the leading developer of video processing and networking chipsets and software, today announced that I-O Data Device, Inc., a top-tier manufacturer of high-quality computer peripherals and interface products and the sales leader in Japan's large and fast growing market for video-related PC boards, has chosen the ViXS XCode II silicon video processor as the basis for its GV-MVP/GX single channel TV tuner card.

By leveraging ViXS' XCode II processor and technology, I-O Data will offer after-market TV tuners that enable consumers to upgrade their existing PCs with full personal video recorder (PVR) functionality and unprecedented high-speed DVD recording capabilities.

XCode II is the only video processor that can encode and record captured video to removable media faster than real time. I-O Data's new GV-MVP/GX tuner card maximizes this high speed re-recording capability, giving consumers the power to take content stored on their hard drives and "burn" it to DVD at a blazing 6-times the speed of the video itself in single tuner configurations. A one-hour video can be recorded to DVD in just minutes. No other TV tuner on the market features this speed of re-recording, allowing consumers to quickly and easily archive their favorite television shows or create discs to share content with friends.

"Our technology is ideal for consumers who want to create a personal collection of their favorite TV shows," said Sally Daub, president and chief executive officer of ViXS Systems. "XCode II's efficient encoding reduces DVD-quality video down to 2 Mbps for quickly recording many hours of content to a single disc. Leveraging this technology, I-O Data's new TV tuner enables consumers to affordably turn their existing PCs into multimedia PCs and begin collecting their permanent library of broadcast movies, sports events and entertainment programs."

In addition to giving consumers a quantum leap in DVD burning speed, XCode II allows users of the I-O Data GV-MVP/GX tuner board to re-record up to 50 percent more video content to DVD - as much as eight hours of video to a single disc. Moreover, the re-recording process has no impact on a PC's overall performance. Users can quickly burn DVDs while simultaneously doing other processor-intensive activities.

"We evaluated a number of video encoders in our selection process, but no other product matched the powerful combination of speed and video quality found in ViXS' X-Code II processor," said Mitsukane Kato, Product Manager, Entertainment Unit of I-O Data Device. "By integrating the GV-MVP/GX TV tuner card into their existing PCs, consumers can enjoy all the video functionality of the industry's newest high-end multimedia PCs, but at just a fraction of the price. I-O Data brings high-quality video management within the reach of the average consumer."

The ViXS TV Tuner Board Reference Design is based on the company's XCode II video processor, which allows for MPEG2 encoding as well as incorporates advanced noise filtering and 3D comb filtering features that deliver broadcast-quality video streams and artifact-free image quality at even the lowest bit rates, virtually eliminating the expected "high vs. low bit rate" quality tradeoff. As a result, tuner card and PC OEMs benefit from improved video quality while minimizing their bill of material (BOM) and production costs. The tuner board also improves overall system performance since PCs no longer need to rely on the CPU for video processing. With the ViXS Dual TV Tuner Board, any PC can become a high-performance multimedia center.

Availability
I-O Data's GV-MVP/GX single channel TV tuner card featuring ViXS' XCode II technology will be available in Japan end of January 2005.

About I-O DATA DEVICE
I-O DATA DEVICE, INC., is a top-tier manufacturer and provider of high-quality computer peripherals and interface products to the global consumer and OEM markets. Founded in 1976, by Mr. Akio Hosono, I-O DATA has received recognition as Japan's undisputed market leader within the PC Peripheral industry. The name I-O DATA originates from the company's dealings with Input/Ouput devices. I-O DATA is not only a manufacturer of such devices, but handles the design, development, production and distribution of their products.

About ViXS Systems
ViXS Systems has developed a unique semiconductor chipset and software solution with unprecedented capabilities for distributing broadcast-quality video across local IP-based wired and wireless networks. These products provide manufacturers of consumer electronics, personal computers and set-top boxes with a proven technology that operates with standards-based local networks.~ ViXS components offer full support for HDTV, DVD, satellite or cable broadcasts and deliver uninterrupted, full Quality of Service video for consumer entertainment, personal computing applications, and multimedia gateways. Founded in January 2001, the company is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario and has filed over 85 patents to date.~ For further information, please visit http://www.vixs.com.

Posted by Nana at 11:02 PM | I-O Data Integrates ViXS' XCode II Video Processor to Power TV Tuner Card | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

CTL Corporation introduced a new Media Center PC model today at the 2005 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The CTL M900 incorporates Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, a dual TV & FM tuner and a 9-in-1 card reader.

The CTL M900 is designed to aesthetically coordinate with CTL�s line of Nexus� 17� to 32� LCD Televisions.

�We believe that the market is ready for a high-end e-pc device that looks as good as it performs,� said Erik Stromquist, CTL Executive Vice President.

The M900 will be available for purchase online at major Retailers and Ecommerce sites in the near future. CTL is introducing a 37� and a 40� Nexus LCD TV/Monitor in the 2nd Quarter of 2005.

About Computer Technology Link Corporation
Computer Technology Link Corporation (CTL) is a global corporation with offices throughout North America and Asia. CTL�s various facilities manufacture, market and distribute Personal Computers, Workstations, Laptops, Monitors, LCD TV�s and Servers. CTL is committed to expanding international and domestic operations by continually evolving to meet the needs of an ever changing market. CTL is headquartered in Portland, Oregon with branch offices, subsidiaries and distribution facilities in Kent WA, South Korea and Malaysia.

Posted by Nana at 11:50 PM | CTL Corporation Introduces Media Center PC Using Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 | TrackBacks (0)

The MEGA PC 350 Features HDTV, Wireless Connectivity, Built-In DVR, DVD Recording and More for a Complete Digital Entertainment System

X2 Corporation, a global manufacturer and direct marketer of digital lifestyle products, today announces the MEGA PC 350. The MEGA PC 350 is the first HDTV equipped Media Center PC integrating hi-definition HDTV digital video, sound, and data together in one seamless, attractive and lightweight system. The MEGA PC 350 combines the features of many devices usually sold separately, such as a PC, HDTV TV tuner, DVD player, DVD recorder, digital video recorder/VCR, media hub, multimedia reader, radio, clock and photo viewer, and combines them seamlessly into one cohesive digital device. As a result, the integration of digital features within the MEGA PC 350 make it a more functional and interactive tool.

The MEGA PC 350 is the first Media Center PC with a built-in HDTV digital TV tuner that is able to decode ATSC Digital TV formats, including 480i, 480p, 720p and 1080i, and can display these high-definition images in 4:3 standard or 16:9 widescreen aspect ratios onto a HDTV-ready TV, LCD, Plasma or Rear Projection TV plus a PC monitor simultaneously. HDTV broadcasts TV at DVD video quality or better with CD audio quality. As mandated by the FCC, all 1,678 TV stations in the United States must be 100% digital by 2006 and there are currently 1,129 DTV stations on air in 202 markets in the United States, serving 99.35% of all U.S. households. Over 50% of all TV shows are now broadcast in HDTV and over 80% of all U.S. households receive five or more DTV channels. The MEGA PC 350 can receive both free-to-air antennae-based Digital TV signals with the included DTV antennae and analog NTSC signals from standard cable and satellite boxes and integrates these signals seamlessly. The MEGA PC 350 can watch, pause and record analog TV, DTV and HDTV can burn this data onto DVD or CD Recordable disks with the built-in DVD Recorder. The MEGA PC 350 also features Dolby Digital Surround Sound for the ultimate movie watching experience.

In addition to HDTV, the MEGA PC 350 unit is designed to present consumers with an easy and fast way to share pictures, download and listen to music, link to mobile devices, watch movies and programs, play games, connect to home theater components and systems, access all media/data types, connect to other PCs, and more. This integration is exemplified by the advanced front LED color control panel display, which displays info such as current mode, CD and/or DVD playback status (chapter/time/track info), audio and video info/settings and volume plus PC environment data such as internal PC temperature and HD status. It comes with a full function remote controller will all of the MEGA PC 350's various functions and an intuitive graphical media menu system. The MEGA PC 350 also features X2's Instant-On, Instant Play technology that allows the MEGA PC 350 to turn on almost instantly, like more traditional electronics components, to play movies, videos and music or view photos without the need to boot up to Windows, saving power and boot-up time.

Looking almost nothing like a PC, the MEGA PC 350 is equipped with a powerful Intel Pentium 4 processor with hyper-threading. The MEGA PC 350's small, cube shaped footprint makes it the ideal size to put on a bookshelf and even has optional matching bookshelf speakers. The core of the center contains up to 2GB of DDR400 memory and up to a 400GB hard drive. The MEGA PC 350 also has a built-in 802.11b+g Wi-Fi Wireless LAN and 10/100 fast Ethernet LAN networking connectivity for the sharing of digital video, sound, and data with other computers in the network or around the world via Internet. Plus, with the MEGA PC 350's many ports including IEEE 1394 Firewire ports and USB 2.0 connectivity, it is easy to link to all of the various digital toys and gadgets including digital cameras, webcams, scanners, printers and more.

In the digital entertainment arena, the X2 MEGA PC 350 allows users to watch DVD movies in 5.1 Surround Sound with the built-in DVD player, listen to CDs, MP3s or AM/FM radio, record and play TV shows with the built-in TV tuner and digital video recorder, download and edit digital camera photos and data from PDAs with the 6-in-1 media card reader (SD, MMC, Compact Flash, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro), record video from a camcorder using the IEEE 1394 Firewire port and record up to 4.7GB of data with the built-in DVD+/-RW dual format recordable/rewritable drive. The MEGA PC 350 also includes an onboard 3D graphics accelerator plus an AGP 8X and a 32bit PCI expansion slot for future expansion.

"As the digital convergence trend continues to grow and HDTV becoming a reality, the need to centralize and synchronize all the various digital devices and media becomes more important," says Rex Wong, President of X2 Corporation. "We've designed the MEGA PC 350 to function as the hub for our customers' digital lifestyles."

Prices are expected to start at $1,699 depending upon configuration. The MEGA PC 350 will be available at leading retailers and e-tailers, which will be announced shortly, and directly at its website at www.x2usa.com.

About X2 Corporation

X2's mission is to become the premier brand for digital lifestyle products. Every X2 product is designed with a focus on innovation, style and the user experience. X2 offers an array of popular digital media products ranging from Media PC Centers and super-thin notebooks to hybrid MP3 players and pocket video players/recorders with innovative features such as Bluetooth and removable SD memory storage. The X2 management team includes seasoned executives from Cisco, General Electric, Google, Vivendi, D-Link and Netgear with over 100 years of combined experience in the IT industry. X2 is located at 8001 Irvine Center Dr., Suite 462, Irvine, CA 92618. For more information, please contact info@x2usa.com. At CES, X2 will be in Booth #36525.

Posted by Nana at 01:27 PM | X2 Announces First HDTV Media Center PC to Satisfy Hi-Definition Digital Entertainment Needs | TrackBacks (0)

Company Announces Industry's First HDTV Media Hub, Next-Generation HP Digital Entertainment Centers, and a Full Line of New TVs and Projectors

In advance of the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, HP today kicked off the next phase of its digital entertainment push by announcing a set of products and partnerships that build on the company's strategy to deliver simplicity, innovation, personalization and mass-market pricing.

"Digital entertainment is about enabling consumers to enjoy, manage and interact with all kinds of content from any source in a simple, easy way," said Carly Fiorina, HP chairman and chief executive officer. "Our expertise in imaging and printing, consumer devices and computing technologies combined with our R&D capabilities uniquely position HP to solve the complexity of integrating the physical and digital worlds and take the digital lifestyle mainstream."

The company announced an expanded family of entertainment hubs. First, HP announced it will add high-definition ATSC tuning capabilities to its current HP Digital Entertainment Center (DEC), which is designed for PC enthusiasts who want to combine e-mail and Internet access with digital entertainment capabilities. HP's new DEC products fuse the best of PC and audio-visual elements. Two models are expected to ship this spring with different storage, graphics card and tuning options.

Second, HP announced the industry's first HDTV media hub

ATI Technologies Inc. announced that in 2004 ATI’s Digital Television division shipped more than 5 million chips for HD (high-definition) TVs and HD cable and terrestrial set-top boxes. In addition, ATI announced market leadership in ATSC/OpenCable™ silicon solutions with an ATI-estimated 85% market share for THEATER™ and NXT demodulators and a 40% market share for XILLEON™ MPEG decoders and display processors.

ATI’s NXT, THEATER and XILLEON chips enable consumer electronics manufacturers to create a wide variety of products that feature exceptional reception and video display performance. Manufacturers also have access to ATI’s extensive software support and reference designs to help them bring to market unique products that conform to worldwide industry standards.

Leading manufacturers of HD TVs and HD set-top boxes using ATI chips include:

“ATI is providing consumer electronics manufacturers with the industry’s best performing DTV and set-top chipsets,” said Daniel Eiref, director of marketing for DTV Products, ATI Technologies Inc. “ATI’s corporate commitment to research and development in digital television technologies is enabling our customers to deliver brilliant products while at the same time meeting the United States Federal Communications Commission mandated conversion to integrated digital reception.”

ATI’s product family for digital TVs and set-top boxes includes:

• NXT2003™/NXT2004™/NXT2005™ - cost-effective VSB/QAM/OpenCable reception
• THEATER™ 310/THEATER 313™ - the world’s best performing VSB/QAM/OpenCable reception
• XILLEON™ 210VC – the only ATSC/OpenCable™ system-on-chip with integrated VSB and MPEG
• XILLEON™ 226 - the world’s most popular and best performing dual high-definition MPEG decoder with integrated display processor

ATI Technologies will be exhibiting its DTV solutions at International CES 2005 at booth 3/30342 at the South Hall, Upper Level, Las Vegas Convention Center, January 6 to 9, 2005.

Posted by Nana at 03:51 PM | ATI Ships More than 5 Million Chips for High Definition TVs and Set-top Boxes in 2004 | TrackBacks (0)

NVIDIA Corporation, a worldwide leader in graphics and digital media processors, today announced NVIDIA� PureVideo� technology, a combination of hardware and software technologies designed to raise the bar on the video capabilities of today�s desktop and notebook PCs.  The addition of PureVideo technology to the GeForce� 6 Series of graphics processing units (GPUs) allows for accelerated playback of MPEG-2 and high-definition (HD) video content at home-theater levels of quality, resulting in crisp, vibrant and stutter-free video on any display.

Enabled by a dedicated, programmable video processing engine found on the Company�s award-winning GeForce 6 Series GPUs, PureVideo technology eliminates the trade-off in quality traditionally associated with video on the PC by executing on an advanced set of algorithms typically found in high-end consumer electronics devices.  PureVideo technology eliminates the need for separate hardware or chipsets and takes the load off the PC�s multi-purpose central processing unit (CPU) to deliver to consumers, high-quality video playback at resolutions up to 720p and 1080i. 

�The personal computer has never been well-regarded for its abilities to deliver high-quality video playback,� said Dan Vivoli, executive vice president of marketing at NVIDIA.  �The GeForce 6 Series with PureVideo technology finally merges the flexibility of the PC platform with the capabilities of high-end consumer electronics to give consumers more choice over how they experience video.�

Recent analyst reports cite that the adoption of HD is on the rise, with an estimated 60 million households expected to embrace high-definition devices by 2008�. Similarly, 33.5 million US households are expected to adopt digital video recorder (DVR) technology in the same time period�.

Key features of PureVideo include:

• High-definition MPEG-2 Hardware Acceleration.  A dedicated 16-way vector processor enables smooth playback of HD video with minimal CPU usage.
• WMV High-definition Hardware Acceleration.  Programmable support of the newest format enabled by Microsoft Windows Media Player and Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 for fluid playback of WMV and WMV HD content.
• High-quality Real-time Video Recording.  An advanced motion-estimation engine makes it possible to record in real-time without a loss in quality.
• Spatial / Temporal Adaptive De-Interlacing.  Experience interlaced content from satellite, cable, and DVD feeds in full detail and without jagged edges or artifacts.
• 3:2 Pull-down Correction and �Bad Edit� Correction�.  Restore video to its original 24fps film format to experience a crystal clear picture, frame after frame.
• Flicker-free Multi-Stream Scaling.  High-quality 4-tap by 5-tap scaling maintains image detail, even when scaling a small video to a large area of the screen.
• Display Gamma Correction.  Automatic format detection adjusts the color quality of video playback so that it is not too dark, overly bright or washed out, regardless of the display.

To maximize the complete PureVideo experience, NVIDIA has released the NVIDIA DVD Decoder. The software decoder�the first software decoder to receive "Designed for Media Center" certification from Microsoft��unleashes the broad range of PureVideo technology features for DVD and recorded video playback and works with both Windows� Media Player and Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. The Company has also released an update for its ForceWare� software unified driver architecture to enable the functionality of the PureVideo technology algorithms. For additional information, or to download a free trial version of the NVIDIA DVD Decoder, please visit www.nvidia.com.

�The programmability of the PureVideo engine gives us more flexibility as a development platform as we are able to support key new features designed to enhance video playback, such as motion estimation, to deliver a competitive advantage to our products,� said Lewis Liaw, president of Ulead Systems, North America. �With Ulead�s products and NVIDIA GeForce 6 Series GPUs, consumers have a cost-effective solution for creating high-quality video.�

Graphics cards based on NVIDIA GeForce 6 Series GPUs with PureVideo technology are available today from leading add- in card vendors, system builders, and major OEMs worldwide. For more information about PureVideo technology or the GeForce 6 Series, please visit www.nvidia.com.

About NVIDIA
NVIDIA Corporation is a worldwide leader in graphics and digital media processors. The Company�s products enhance the end-user experience on consumer and professional computing devices. NVIDIA graphics processing units (GPUs), media and communications processors (MCPs), and wireless media processors (WMPs) have broad market reach and are incorporated into a variety of platforms, including consumer and enterprise PCs, notebooks, workstations, PDAs, mobile phones, and video game consoles. NVIDIA is headquartered in Santa Clara, California and employs more than 2,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the Company�s Web site at www.nvidia.com.

Posted by Nana at 03:19 PM | NVIDIA PureVideo Technology Brings Home-Theater Quality Video to the PC | TrackBacks (0)