Panel: Ads are more powerful for promoting artists than their own music
At an all-day Billboard Magazine event, the day's first speakers argued that background music has the potential to do more for an artist's popularity than major label promotions, radio, and dedicated video airplay.
Billboard Magazine hosted today an all-day event consisting of discussions with prominent figures in the music industry, marking the first time digital music content providers have had their own forum at CES.
Blu-ray goes interactive for 2008, but will consumers bite?
With Blu-ray Profile 2.0 bringing Internet connectivity to all future players, the format is looking at interactivity to convince customers to make the switch. Blu-ray's focus on interactive features is also a response to HD DVD, which has long offered advanced Web-enabled capabilities through the format's HDi layer.
"Now we're ready for the next phase: the phase to really fulfill the promise of Blu-ray technology. That's really to start to develop the interactivity," said David Bishop, President Worldwide for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, during Monday's Blu-ray press conference. "We'll really get the chance to use our creative juices moving forward. You'll see multiplayer gaming, ringtones that can be delivered to the consumer."
US trade rep attacks European electronics tariffs at CES
According to US Trade Representative Susan Schwab, the US is now considering taking action with the WTO over existing and proposed European tariffs on LCDs, set top boxes, and MFDs.
In front of an audience comprised of marketers clearly interested in selling their more of their products into international markets, speakers at this week's CES show have spoken out strongly in favor of the types of trade agreements that can enable such markets to prosper.
Retailers warn the DTV transition may not proceed as planned
Scott Fulton, BetaNews: From our Deja Vu All Over Again Dept., here's a topic that's a major CES issue this week and it's definitely a rerun from last year. It's the DTV transition, which is still on schedule for next year, except now some of the major retailers involved in getting new DTV broadcast converter boxes distributed, are worried that the US government won't be able to pull this off.
Sharon Fisher, who had more on this last year, has more on it this year.
Up Close: Hitachi's 1.5-inch thin LCD displays
While Panasonic went even bigger with its 150-inch plasma TV, Hitachi went small, showcasing a lineup of 1.5-inch thick LCDs. An 11-foot wide plasma may impress, but consumers can actually take advantage of Hitachi's ultra-thin displays.
The theme of this year's CES is shaping up to be one of design rather than power. Pioneer and Panasonic are also showing off ultra-thin displays, but only Hitachi's will go one sale in the near future in 32-inch, 37-inch and 42-inch sizes.
Up Close: Microsoft's Surface prototype
Microsoft's Surface experimental touch interface was on display at CES and the hordes of gawkers made it hard to get up close. The company was demoing working with photos and drawing using the Surface UI, which could be integrated into a table or placed on a wall. When will consumers actually see such technology? Not anytime soon.
Panasonic, Sony show off 2.0 Blu-ray players
Both Sony and Panasonic are showing off their next-gen Blu-ray players that support Profile 2.0, but only Panasonic has its product nearly ready.
The Blu-ray Disc Association has promised that 2008 will be the year for interactivity coming to the format, and the hardware vendors supporting the standard are pushing forward with player upgrades to support it.
Panasonic's new Lumix camera works with T-Mobile hotspots
Want to upload photos from a T-Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot at the airport, your hotel, or Starbucks? Then at CES, Panasonic has announced a digital camera for you.
It seems like T-Mobile WiFi HotSpots are just about everywhere these days, whether it's Starbucks, your local bookstore, or the airport or hotel. At CES this week, Panasonic rolled out a Lumix camera that will let you send photos wirelessly from any of these hotspots to Google's Picasa Web Albums photo sharing service.
Xerox updates its stodgy image with a more colorful look
As ironic as this might sound for a document imaging company, Xerox Corp. is attempting to revamp its own image this week by launching a new logo and a friendlier, more colorful look across all of its marketing materials.
Although the changes wrought by the multimillion dollar rebranding initiative might seem superfical to some, other observers think an image overhaul is truly needed to help the "human" qualities of Xerox -- and its long-time spirit of innovation -- shine through, especially to consumers and small businesses.
Analysis: Can Sprint come back to pull off its Xohm WiMAX plan?
Despite Sprint's financial trouble, its current WiMAX efforts appear promising, according to one In-Stat analyst.
In addition to product and service announcements made earlier this week, the company said its Xohm service would be commercially launched in its three test cities by April. "That's a little bit faster than I thought," said Daryl Schoolar, senior analyst of the networking group for In-Stat.
Universal Music expands its mobile reach with SendMe
The string of digital music pacts continued Tuesday as Universal and SendMe Mobile announced a pact that will bring the label's music to the mobile content provider's service.
For the first time, tracks, ringtones, and content would be made available to users of SendMe's service. Acts such as 50 Cent, Fall Out Boy, Fergie, Kanye West, Rihanna, and U2 are slated to appear.
Verizon to bump up its DSL speeds to cable levels
With its FiOS rollout not exactly moving at lightning-fast speed, the company announced it was rolling out faster DSL service in about 400 communities.
The speed bump would erase most of the speed advantage that cable Internet currently enjoys over its rival. Speeds of up to 7 Mbps can be attained, and pricing would start at $39.99 with an annual service contract.
Gemstar to provide TV Guide scheduling to Sony HDTVs directly
The payoff for Macrovision in its having acquired the online and print publisher of TV Guide's regular schedules, appears to have been swift and immediate with a deal that puts Macrovision equipment into Sony displays.
The interactive program guide (IPG) from the most recognized brand in TV viewing scheduling, will now be integrated into Sony digital TVs sold in the US, as the result of a multiyear agreement between TV Guide publisher Gemstar and Sony.
Everex throws its hat into the UMPC ring
It's first entrant looks less like the Origami UMPC's pushed by Microsoft, and more like the OLPC XO laptop, however.
Priced at $399, the CloudBook is slated to be sold on Walmart.com beginning January 25. Its battery is said to provide about five hours of continuous use, and features a 1.3 MP webcam, 4-in-1 card reader, DVI output, and 30 GB of storage running on a 1.2 GHz processor with 512 MB of RAM.
MusicGiants launches high-quality video service
The high-quality music download service is making the logical progression into high-quality downloadable video with the launch of VideoGiants.
A distribution deal has been signed with Paramount Pictures to make it the first to offer its films through the service. MusicGiants' MediaStore software has already been built into high-end media servers across the industry, and VideoGiants would see the same type of distribution.
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