Internet TV

Verismo and Sonic Solutions Plan to Bring Big Screen Entertainment to Your TV

by Justin Hubbell on Tue, 2009-07-28 11:25

By adding the popular Roxio CinemaNow content to the VuNow Internet TV platform, Verismo is enhancing the entertainment options for movie lovers – letting people watch an extensive content library directly on the TV without a computer.

The palm-sized VuNow Pod gives consumers access to a wide range of online video content including movies, YouTube videos, and live global TV channels, with a click of the remote. Through relationships with more than 250 content providers, including all major Hollywood studios, the CinemaNow library includes thousands of high-quality Hollywood movies, TV shows, and music videos.

Verismo Networks sells the VuNow Pod directly to consumers online through their website as well as through Amazon.com. The platform has already generated significant interest among large Consumer OEMs, Content aggregators, Telco equipment companies, and Service providers who plan to deploy their own differentiated versions of VuNow based products.

Disney on Hulu

by jeff on Wed, 2009-05-06 12:28

Sure, you can buy Disney content in the iTunes store from Apple. You can watch some Disney content on Disney's Web sites, ESPN, Disney.com, etc. Now that Robert (Bob) Iger is thinking outside the box, and embracing the quick popularity of Hulu you will be able to find Disney content on Hulu too. It helps that Iger was offered an equity position in Hulu to make this work for Disney.

The ability to place content in front of many people is the reason for BIG companies like Disney to embrace Web sites like Hulu. Sure, YouTube is the most popular video site out there today, and the short-form content is fun to watch. Even the guys at MythBusters are creating content around YouTube hoaxes, myths, and truths. In my opinion it is the quality of your Internet connection that will ultimately make these sites like Hulu more successful.

There are also the televisions that have hardware built right in making Internet video content easier to access. After all… we only want to watch what is available, and Disney has made a great decision in embracing Hulu.

What's the Hoopla Over Hulu?

If you hadn't heard of hulu.com before, odds are you've heard of it now thanks to the rather hysterical 2009 Super Bowl commercial staring Alec Baldwin. It's a good thing too, because Hulu is playing, and will continue to play, a huge role in the future of television.

Hulu is simple, convenient, and completely functional for anyone with an internet connection. For those unfamiliar with the specifics of Hulu here is a quick overview:

Hulu.com is a legal video streaming site.
It provides both a selection of TV and Movies, and all are free.
Television episodes (for the most part) are posted the day after they air, most of the movies however are older.
Their quality is superior to YouTube and the site is completely legal.

This works in part because of Hulu's unique advertising deal. Both television episodes and movies play with a few interruptions (or commercial breaks). This advertising is still superior to your basic cable commercial break because only one commercial plays each break (averaging 30 seconds). Hulu even offers special options on occasion, if you watch a longer commercial or movie trailer before your desired program you can then watch the rest of your show commercial free. Even with commercials the time difference is a cut above live showings. Read more

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Get Your Game On(line) this March

March Madness 2009 is here. Selection Sunday was March 15 and the Final Four begins April 4 in Detroit. Not everyone lives in Detroit so here are a few of options for enjoying the games from a bit more of a distance. Other than television, which isn't really a great travel companion, the Internet again strikes as a force to be reckoned with in viewing these near four weeks of college clash.

For the viewing pleasure of anyone with a computer, the main sites, including CBS Sports, and the NCAA both provide free online playing options. Like 2008, the demand video player will use a wide screen format and provide a live scoreboard. There will be a live halftime show for the online crowd, and the option to view multiple games at once.

This year is particularly unique in that CBS has again dropped the need for other sites to register in order to use its on-demand player. This year over 200 sites will have access to streaming the game as well. ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, Joost, and even Facebook will all also be able to stream the tournament live through links, which gives more options to the rest of us.Read more