World TV PC UK

Playstation 3 Gets BBC Sport App

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:05:54 +0000

The BBC have announced the introduction of their BBC Sport ‘app’ to users on new platforms, with an arrangement with Sony ensuring that users of the PlayStation 3 games console and the Sony Bravia smart TV set are covered.

Launching in time for the BBC’s coverage of June’s annual Wimbledon Tennis Tournament, the app will provide featured highlights from events covered by the broadcaster, starting with the inclusion of Wimbledon, Formula One, and the 2012 Olympic Games (which on its own will provide over 2,500 hours of content) this summer.

View the original article here

Forrester Claim Americans Smarter With Connected TV

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 23:09:54 +0000

A study recently undertaken by Forrester Research is claiming that, as expected, the level of smart TV owners in America accessing online content through their sets is increasing (along with all other means of ‘living room’ viewing services), as more people discover the added potential of their purchase.

Headlining the report is the statistic that claims the total number of people watching online content through their TV sets (either on the sets themselves or on connected devices) is at 32.1 million (as of the end of 2011), a figure 7.3m up on the year before.

Announced as a slightly surprise name as the leading provider of all connected TV content, Microsoft are noted as being responsible for the highest share of the 32.1m viewers in the USA, primarily due to their involvement in the Xbox 360 games console (a key ‘entertainment platform’ as part of the ‘video game consoles’ category, the leading area of online content in the survey), and also computers (of which their range of ‘PCs’ are most likely responsible for a large amount of the second-largest area ‘PCs connected to TVs’).

View the original article here

Sky Bringing French Open Tennis In 3D

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 22:19:54 +0000

Sky 3D have announced yet another sporting broadcast right that will be bandwagoned onto their portfolio due to their 3D technology, after revealing that they will serve as an additional broadcaster to the French Open tennis tournament this year, teaming up with the event’s regular UK broadcaster Eurosport, who do not operate their developing European 3D coverage in the region.

Being advertised as part of a ‘summer of sport’ on Sky 3D, the coverage will air live from Centre Court of Roland Garros in Paris (France) between 28 May and 10 June. Sky will be rebroadcasting the 3D footage filmed by Eurosport, the third consecutive time that the French-based sports network has done so, but the first time that British Isles viewers will be able to watch the annual tournament in the format.

Eurosport ‘managing director of rights acquisition, distribution, and development’ Jean Thierry Augustin said of the deal: “Eurosport was the first broadcaster to present live tennis in 3D with the French Open in 2010 and this agreements with Sky will give the British public an opportunity to experience live Grand Slam tennis in 3D. Eurosport has already committed to broadcast over 100 hours of 3D content from the London Olympic Games this summer ensuring an even wider variety of sports can also be viewed in this innovative way. In January 2012 Eurosport extended its relationship with the French Tennis Federation for a further three years to reinforce its position as the leading live tennis channel in Europe.”

View the original article here

Pudsey Wins Britains Got Talent. Next Stop Hollywood

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:54:54 +0000

Fresh off of winning ITV1′s annual UK based talent show series Britain’s Got Talent, dancing dog act ‘Ashleigh & Pudsey’ are said to have been invited by Simon Cowell on a trip to Los Angeles (USA) in a bid to further the career of the new canine star.

Having been voted as the best out of 11 acts in Saturday’s live final, Ashleigh and her pet now win £500,000 ($800,000) and a place in the Royal Variety Performance near the end of the year. While ‘bonus prizes’ could yet include a trip into space, format owner Simon Cowell is believed to have more tailor-made plans for the show’s first dog winner (an outcome which Cowell has repeatedly stated was his desire to happen over the past few years), as he reportedly announced an open invitation to the pair to visit LA, where several movie and TV auditions would be lined up for Pudsey in particular.

While there, Cowell claims that they would be welcome to stay at his home, where he would install a ‘luxury kennel’ ready-made for his latest act’s visits, and would allow them to travel to America and back via his private jet, as well as ensuring Pudsey visits a local ’pet beauty salon’ used by moviestar animals and celebrity pets.

View the original article here

Apple Buy German TV Manufacturer Loewe AG Ready For Connected TV

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:30:54 +0000

Apple are said to be in the middle of negotiations to buy a German television and electronics company Loewe AG, and may complete the aquisition within the next few days.

The Loewe Invisio could almost be an Apple TV

The rumor comes from the AppleInsider website, and cites sources saying a bid is on the table for around $113 million and Apple are awaiting a response from the German company. But Loewe it is said, have been, “advised by its financial advisor to accept the offer and a final decision is scheduled to be announced internally before 18 May 2012.”

View the original article here

Youtube To Offer Pay-Per-View Premium Content

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:03:54 +0000

Youtube are said to be seriously considering a pay option on the site in order to attract top shelf premium content to the historically free video site. The move they hope will tempt large media corporations to put content on the site, and who cannot be tempted by the current and relatively small advertising share.

Youtube looking to sell premium content

The report in the NY Post says that all existing video content would be safe from any paywall, and the system could be used for premium events such as live sports events and music concerts.

YouTube who are owned by Google already have pay models in place, they have a movie streaming rental service with major companies including Disney. They also as well as pay-per-view cricket games via a partnership with WillowTV.

View the original article here

Netflix Get Thumbs Up For Customer Satisfaction

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:04:54 +0000

Netflix had a pretty rough year by anyone’s account,but things are looking up as a new report shows customer satisfaction levels have risen from a year ago.

Customers happy with Netflix, for now

Analytics company, Forsee have released the Top 100 E-Retail Satisfaction Index which measures consumer satisfaction, and for Netflix customers are happier now than they were at the end of 2011. Back then Netflix scored 79, but that has now crept up to 81.

After a torrid year where they hit customers with a painful price increase, added to the catastrophic decision to divide the DVD and Blu-ray rental and streaming business into two. Forsee CEO, Larry Freed said, “Despite the increase, Netflix is still obviously paying the price of its PR fiasco last year and it is nowhere near ts all-time high score of 87 two years ago.”

View the original article here

Sky Buy Acetrax To Boost Online NOW TV Service

admin — Sat, 05 May 2012 06:36:14 +0000

Satellite broadcaster Sky have revealed their buyout of little-known connected TV ‘on-demand content provider’ Acetrax, as they attemt to tie the move in with the launch of their new ‘NOW TV’ service.

Sky are claiming that the purchase of Acetrax (who were founded in 2006 in Zurich (Switzerland), and currently operate in various markets throughout Europe in 4 languages) will help them to ‘further strengthen relationships with connected device manufacturers and content providers’.

Supplier of content to big-name TV brands such as LG, Panasonic, Samsung, and Toshiba, Acetrax believe that their official ‘app’ will have reached ’60m connected devices’ by the year 2015, and going under the wing of a high-profile broadcaster such as Sky will be seen as a great opportunity to help them reach that goal.

A spokesperson for the deal said: “Through the acquisition, Sky will add to its experience and expertise in online video streaming, to help complement its expanding OTT activities, which include Sky Go and the forthcoming NOW TV service. In addition to Acetrax’s existing platform, Sky will also build on the existing relationships the company has established with connected device manufacturers and content providers.”

The move is thought to have been made to link in with Sky’s impending launch of online-only service NOW TV aimed at providing live streams and catch-up content to people who are not subscribers to their flagship satellite TV service. Set to launch on browsers by the end of Q2, Sky seem intent on expanding to other platforms including IPTV, a plan which Acetrax’s experience may help them with.

View the original article here

Freeview Favourite TV Sow Survey Gets Royal Approval

admin — Sat, 05 May 2012 05:40:14 +0000

In a recent survey conducted by digital terrestrial broadcaster Freeview (UK), it was found that, amongst other popular opinions, Simon Cowell’s talent contest Britain’s Got Talent was listed as the region’s favourite TV show of the past 10 years, beating out the return of BBC franchise Doctor Who.

However, the study, which interviewed 2,000 UK adults on their opinions of TV between 2002-2012 (which would be considered odd by many until they realise the purpose of Freeview celebrating a decade since their initial launch), did not end with a simple ‘favourite TV show’ question, with the highlight of the results release by Freeview being the discovery of what was voted as ‘most uplifting TV moment’ of the period.

Of all the options that could have been chosen, it was one obviously fairly fresh in the minds of most people surveyed that won the voting in this department, as it was the live ’balcony kiss’ following the Royal Wedding last year, that took first place, said to be just ahead of the England rugby team’s fly-half Johnny Wilkinson scoring a last-second drop goal to win the Rugby World Cup in 2003 against host nation Australia.

Freeview UK’s Top 20 ‘uplifting TV moments’ (2002-2012):

20) Let’s Dance For Comic Relief - Robert Webb’s performance ['09]
19) Formula One - ”Lewis Hamilton wins the World Championship” ['08]
18 ) Downton Abbey - ”Lady Mary and Matthew get together” ['11]
17) The Apprentice - ”Tom wins after being on the losing team” ['11]
16) 2004 Olympic Games - ”Kelly Holmes wins 800m gold medal” ['04]
15) Top Gear - ”James and Richard convert a Reliant Robin into a space shuttle” ['07]
14) Sport Relief – “David Walliams swims the River Thames” ['12]
13) Gavin and Stacey - ”Smithy crashes Nessa’s wedding” ['10]
12) Vicar of Dibley - ”Puddle scene” ['06]
11) Doctor Who - ”Rose defeats the daleks” ['05]
10) The Ashes - ”Freddie Flintoff consoles Brett Lee” ['05]
9) The Office - ”Tim and Dawn’s kiss in the final episode” ['03]
8 ) Planet Earth - ”Emperor Penguins end of winter scene” ['06]
7) Britain’s Got Talent - ”Susan Boyle’s audition” (2009)
6) 2004-05 UEFA Champions League Final - ”Liverpool’s comeback” ['05]
5) EastEnders - ”Alfie comes back for Kat” ['05]
4) I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! – “Jordan and Peter find love” ['04]
3) Only Fools and Horses - ”Delboy and Rodney bring an illegal immigrant home” ['02]
2) Rugby World Cup 2003 – “Jonny Wilkinson’s winning drop-goal” ['03]
1) Royal Wedding – “Will and Kate’s balcony kiss” ['11]

View the original article here

BBC Ban The Dictator

admin — Sat, 05 May 2012 04:50:14 +0000

Comedy actor Sacha Baron Cohen, ahead of the cinematic release of his latest film The Dictator, is going around the world on talkshows to promote his latest potential blockbuster as most actors normally do, but in the nature of the English star, he likes to appear ‘in character’, as previously witnessed at The Oscars earlier this year. However, his latest creation ‘General Aladeen’ might not get to have much of that treatment if Baron Cohen is to do a show on the BBC, after they banned him from appearing on any of the corporation’s TV or radio shows as his fictional dictator.

The movie, which is more scripted and ‘cinematic’ than past controversial ’mockumentaries’ such as Borat and Bruno, stars Baron Cohen as General Aladeen, the dictator of the fictitious ‘Republic of Wadiya’, who ‘risks his life to ensure that democracy will never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed’. It is currently scheduled for a premiere on 11 May (USA), and release on 16 May (worldwide).

View the original article here