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Dec 2009

New Year’s 2010 Online

By spreety

For ringing in the New Year, the following live streams are particularly enjoyable:

Earthcam captures celebrations around the world.
CNN Live will have times square covered and more.
MSNBC Live
ABC Now
The Spreety Online News genre is a more comprehensive listing of the online news sites that may play 2009 in review as well as live streams to ring in the new year.

Editor note: I typically watch the Earthcam and CNN Live simultaneously on one computer.

For a little entertainment, the Friends New Year’s Eve episodes are online for free.

For the singers out there, here are the lyrics to Auld Lang Syne.

Happy New Year!

Category: Holidays Tags: 2010, free tv online, friends, new year, new years eve, online news, online tv, tv online Leave a Comment

Dec 2009

Adobe: Online TV Interactivity

By spreety

The following entertainment article was written for Spreety TV Online by professional journalist Carolyn Giardina.

Adobe: Online TV Brings Power of Interactivity

By Carolyn Giardina

Online TV is taking off – and Adobe is watching for developments in interactivity.

“We’ve seen a massive amount of content coming online, and it has shifted end user behavior to consuming more media online,” observes Jen Taylor, director of product management for interactive media at Adobe: “No doubt this is a trend that will continue. What will be interesting to see is how consuming media and delivery evolves to match the flexibility of the online platform. TV has been a one-way conversation. The power of online is a similar paradigm but with opportunity to interact – to learn more about characters, reach other end users, time shift, location shift. That is for different devices including mobiles.

“The living room is really on the cusp of massive revolution,” she continues. “TV set makers are going to be looking to add a level of interactivity. … and content owners and set-top box makers are going to be working to meet those demands.”

Taylor anticipates a hybrid future. “For instance, I think we are going to see people watching content on television and having related experiences on their other devices,” she said, citing as an example that one might watch one baseball game on TV, while at the same time use an online service to watch other games or use the MLB site to track stats about the games.

According to Taylor, Adobe’s Flash Player is used on an estimated 98% of connected desktop PCs. “Through our Open Screen Project, we are working to extend the Flash Player across all devices including the PC, mobiles, game consoles and television – pretty much anywhere there is a screen,” she said. “And we are continuing to invest in enhancing the Flash Player and evolving content protection.”

The Adobe Open Screen Project was launched in 2008 in an effort to driving rich Internet experiences across all consumer electronics devices. It is supported by a group of companies including Cisco, Intel, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Qualcomm, Samsung Electronics, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba and Verizon Wireless. Also supporting the project are content providers including BBC, MTV Networks, and NBC Universal.

Category: News Tags: adobe, interactivity, online tv, Open Screen Project, tv online, Watch TV Online Leave a Comment

Dec 2009

Holiday Shows Online

By spreety

Spreety’s latest video is about watching Holiday shows online:

The Spreety Holiday Shows Online page is available for a limited time with all the links to enjoy.

If you would like to learn more about free TV online, check out the http://Spreety.com site.

Category: Holidays Tags: christmas, free tv online, hanukkah, holiday, holiday shows, Holidays, kwanzaa, online tv, tv online, watch tv shows online Leave a Comment

Dec 2009

Countdown to CES

By spreety

The following entertainment article was written for Spreety TV Online by professional journalist Carolyn Giardina.

Preview The Latest Consumer Electronics Gadgets

By Carolyn Giardina

The 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show – a gadget enthusiast’s dream – is now one month away.

To help generate interest in some of the new technologies that will be featured at the annual event, the Consumer Electronics Association is launching a new online feature entitled “Countdown to CES: 30 Days of Innovation” from CNET, its official online media partner. (www.cnet.com/ces/30-days-of-innovation/).

For each of the 30 business days leading up to the 2010 International CES – which occurs January 7-10 in Las Vegas – CNET will profile a technology company in software, hardware, and green tech that is new to CES. That might include a look at new netbooks, digital televisions, mobile devices or other technologies that could help to quicken the pace of acceptance of online TV.

“CNET and CBS Interactive are valuable media partners who ensure our business attendees, and tech enthusiasts around the world, experience the amazing new products launched each year at the International CES,” said Karen Chupka, senior vp of events and conferences for CEA, the producer of the International CES. “This year CNET will help showcase the record number of new exhibitors at the 2010 International CES through Countdown to CES: 30 Days of Innovation.”

Additional coverage is planned for the week of the Las Vegas event, including the “Best of CES” competition, whose finalists will be announced on Jan. 8. During CES, CNET senior editor Martin LaMonica will moderate a sustainability-focused panel that will include “Best of CES” Green tech category finalists.

CNET will present a live webcast (www.cnettv.com) of the “Best of CES” winners announcement and awards presentation, which is scheduled to occur on Saturday, January 9 at 11 a.m., PST.

The 2010 Consumer Electronics Show is expected to attract an estimated 2,500 exhibitors, including 330 first-time participants. Over 100,000 attendees are expected. Details about the annual event can be found at www.ce.org.

Category: News Tags: CES, CNET, Consumer Electronics Show, Consumer Eletronics, Gadgets Leave a Comment

Dec 2009

Telestream Discusses Online TV

By spreety

The following entertainment article was written for Spreety TV Online by professional journalist Carolyn Giardina.

Telestream: Niche Content, Interactivity Might Drive Online TV

By Carolyn Giardina

“As a distribution channel, the Internet is here to stay,” asserts Barbara DeHart, VP of marketing at Telestream, which provides technology for almost everyone using video: consumers, to amateur and professional content creators, to some of the world’s largest video operations centers.

“The real question is whether consumers will start watching television – a passive activity – on computer screens instead of on traditional TV sets,” she said. “For consumers to switch to the computer screen, they will need some motivation to change their behavior.”

But Telestream has identified two possible reasons why people’s viewing habits might change. “First, the development of niche long-form content focused upon the middle ground may be a key driver for online TV,” DeHart explains. “Niche content will not have a broad enough audience for traditional television distribution, and may be too specialized in presentation for generic set-top box consumption. Internet distribution is a good fit, and may change consumer behavior one niche at a time. Second, the computer gaming audience is becoming ubiquitous, and the line between passive television and active gaming is blurring. For example, text message participation in TV shows is already the norm, and we believe this is just the start of interactive television offerings. When television content becomes truly interactive, then consumers may switch en masse to online TV to take advantage of it.”

Looking ahead, Telestream believes the next developments will be in the middle ground – for both live and on-demand video. “Similar to music, we see online video consumption and distribution becoming more segmented,” DeHart says. “Creative tools allow niche producers to create professional-quality content for niche online audiences. Because video is such a powerful communication vehicle, and since the cost to create high-quality video is coming down, we believe that it will be used more and more for all types of communication, including training, education, high-school sports, churches, town hall meetings, and other non-entertainment forms of video.

“With the emergence of the middle ground, we see thousands of online video niches appearing, each with unique technology requirements,” she added.

Telestream’s acquisitions in 2006 and 2008 meant expansion into desktop encoding, screencasting and live streaming software. The company’s products include free Flip4Mac Windows Media Video components for the Mac and prosumer video production tools.

Category: News Tags: Barbara DeHart, Flip4Mac, free tv online, online tv, Telestream, tv online, watch tv shows online 2 Comments

Dec 2009

Mobile DTV On The Way

By spreety

The following entertainment article was written for Spreety TV Online by professional journalist Carolyn Giardina.

Mobile DTV On The Way

By Carolyn Giardina

In a move that underscores the shift toward viewing television content on non-traditional devices, the Advanced Television Systems Committee has approved a mobile digital television standard.

The standard defines the technical specifications necessary for U.S. broadcasters to provide TV content and new services to mobile and handheld devices — including mobile phones, small handheld DTVs, laptop computers and in-vehicle entertainment systems — using its digital television transmission system.

The mobile system was developed to support services including advertiser-supported television and interactive services delivered in real-time, subscription-based TV, and file-based content download for playback at a later time. The system might also enable transmission of data broadcasting services.

Additionally, the ATSC Mobile DTV Standard was developed to provide a framework to enable new receiver capabilities. Per the spec, receivers that make use of an optional Internet connection would enable interactive television services, such as audience measurement, viewer voting, and the integration of Internet-based applications and transactions with TV content.

Industry leaders in the consumer electronics and broadcasting fields applauded the new standard.

“This will introduce the power of local broadcasting to a new generation of viewers and provide all-important emergency alert, local news and other programming to consumers across the nation,” said Paul Karpowicz, National Association of Broadcasters television board chairman and president of Meredith Broadcast Group.

Added National Association of Broadcasters executive VP Dennis Wharton: “We strongly believe that all Americans will benefit from the advanced capabilities of mobile DTV and broadcasters’ innovative use of over-the-air spectrum.”

“The Consumer Electronics Association congratulates ATSC on achieving this new standard, which will help chipmakers and equipment manufacturers proceed with product development and deployment,” said CEA president and CEO Gary Shapiro. “The ATSC Mobile DTV standard gives broadcasters an opportunity to provide consumers with the next generation of compelling over-the-air content.”

The ATSC began formal development of the Mobile DTV spec in May 2007.

Category: News Tags: ATSC, Digital TV, DTV, free tv online, mobile tv, online tv, tv online, Watch TV Online Leave a Comment

Nov 2009

Car: Digital Living Room?

By spreety

The following entertainment article was written exclusively for Spreety TV Online by professional journalist Carolyn Giardina.

Your Car: The Next Digital Living Room?

By Carolyn Giardina

“The car is becoming the next digital living room,” asserted Consumer Electronics Association president and CEO Gary Shapiro during a recent press conference.

In fact, CEA suggested that the automobile is becoming the “fourth screen,” along with televisions, computers and mobile devices. This year, sales of in-vehicle technology are expected to top $9.3 billion, the organization reported.

Reflecting this development, president and CEO of Ford, Alan Mulally, will deliver the opening keynote address at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show, January 7-10, 2010, in Las Vegas.

“Convergence and personalization are a particularly important trend, and mobile technology and wireless had become the epicenter of our lives,” Shapiro said. “Ford is acting and thinking like an electronics company… listening to those who demand a connected experience.”

The 2010 CES is expected to feature in-vehicle technologies including advancements in portable GPS, location based services, in-car video, wireless technology and integrated products for combining entertainment with navigation and security.

Jim Buczkowski, Ford’s director of electrical and electronics systems engineering, explained that driver distraction is an important issue, and therefore Ford is looking to developments such as voice recognition technology, in an effort to ensure that consumer electronics devices are used in a safe way.

Some of the Consumer Electronics Show’s scheduled in-vehicle electronics exhibitors include: AT&T CruiseCast by RaySat Broadcasting, Directed Electronics, Dual Electronics, InstallerNet, Kenwood USA, Kia Motors, Metra, Mitek, Pioneer and Scosche.

Mulally joined Ford in 2006, after serving as executive VP of The Boeing Company and president/CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. He has served as a past president of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and is a former president of its Foundation. Additionally, Mulally served as a past chairman of the board of governors of the Aerospace Industries Association. This year, he was named to Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.