Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Eyecon Demonstrates User-Experience Application Platform at CES

Eyecon, a sponsor of Parks Associates Connections events, will be demonstrating its user-experience application platform for networked media players at CES.

As internet enabled televisions, broadband set-tops, networked audio systems and digital picture frames proliferate in the connected home, consumers require a common and portable interface to manage their media and player options. Discovery and navigation of multiple content sources including over-the-top content, music libraries, user-generated and premium video sites also poses a significant challenge not only for consumers but CE manufacturers, service providers, and content publishers as well.

EyeconTroller for the iPhone meets these challenges by providing a personalized, mobile interface enabling users to search, preview and queue content from multiple sources and control its play-out to multiple entertainment devices.

EyeconTroller works with EyeconManager, a free software download for the consumers networked PC or Mac. EyeconManager creates a virtual library of all the users authorized content – video, music and photographs, no matter where it resides, locally or on the web. It also discovers both DLNA and other popular connected players in the home.

You can see Eyecon’s user-experience application in several locations at CES including Intel’s invitation only Residential Gateway and Media Phone suites, Western Digital’s TV Live HD Media Player demo, Syabas’s Popcorn Hour suite, Marvells SheevaPlug Partner Pavilion, and CopperGates Home Connectivity Solution suite.

You can also contact molly@eyecontechnologies.com to schedule a demo at Eyecon’s demonstration suite in the Venetian.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Eyecon Demonstrates User-Experience Application Platform at CES

Eyecon, a sponsor of Parks Associates Connections events, will be demonstrating its user-experience application platform for networked media players at CES.

As internet enabled televisions, broadband set-tops, networked audio systems and digital picture frames proliferate in the connected home, consumers require a common and portable interface to manage their media and player options. Discovery and navigation of multiple content sources including over-the-top content, music libraries, user-generated and premium video sites also poses a significant challenge not only for consumers but CE manufacturers, service providers, and content publishers as well.

EyeconTroller for the iPhone meets these challenges by providing a personalized, mobile interface enabling users to search, preview and queue content from multiple sources and control its play-out to multiple entertainment devices.

EyeconTroller works with EyeconManager, a free software download for the consumers networked PC or Mac. EyeconManager creates a virtual library of all the users authorized content – video, music and photographs, no matter where it resides, locally or on the web. It also discovers both DLNA and other popular connected players in the home.

You can see Eyecon’s user-experience application in several locations at CES including Intel’s invitation only Residential Gateway and Media Phone suites, Western Digital’s TV Live HD Media Player demo, Syabas’s Popcorn Hour suite, Marvells SheevaPlug Partner Pavilion, and CopperGates Home Connectivity Solution suite.

You can also contact, molly@eyecontechnologies.com to schedule a demo at Eyecon’s demonstration suite in the Venetian.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Parks Associates at CES: Connected devices, 3D content, storage, and support services will provide new opportunities for industry growth in 2010

Parks Associates market analysts will present new research and provide insight and commentary about new business strategies, new technologies, and consumer demand for connected CE and services at multiple speaking events during the 2010 International CES (Consumer Electronics Show).

Parks Associates will host the fourth-annual CONNECTIONS™ Summit: Monetizing Connectivity in the Home on January 7, the first day of CES. The analysts will also participate at Digital Media Insider, Digital Health Summit, and Digital Hollywood on January 8 and 9.

CONNECTIONS™ Summit will kick off CES on Thursday, January 7. The Summit will feature interactive panels with over 20 leading technology companies including IBM, Yahoo!, and Sony. Executives will discuss business strategies for service providers, status of energy management deployment and adoption, and the changing CE purchase patterns for consumers.

Parks Associates will also participate in the following CES events:

- Kurt Scherf, VP & Principal Analyst, will speak at an Analyst and Press Roundtable “What’s the Scoop at CES?” at Digital Media Insider @ CES on Friday, January 8, 3:15-3:55 P.M. at The Venetian, Las Vegas, Ballrooms 3204-05/3304-05.

- Harry Wang, Director, Health & Mobile Product Research, will participate on the panel “Consumers Driving Healthcare: Capitalizing on the Opportunities” at Digital Health Summit at CES on Saturday, January 9, 9:00-9:45 A.M. in LVCC, North Hall, Ballroom N253.

- Heather Way, Research Analyst, will moderate the panel “Internet Video, Advertising & Marketing: The Next Generation of Consumer Reach” at Digital Hollywood @ CES on Saturday, January 9, 10:30-11:30 A.M. in the LVCC, North Hall N261.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

RedMere Sponsors CONNECTIONS

Parks Associates welcome RedMere as a premier CONNECTIONS Sponsor.


RedMere is the leading provider of chip and cable technology solutions for the next generation of compact, lightweight cables for Synchronization, Camera, Home Theater, Game and Enterprise applications.

Whether on the move, at home or at work these new cable systems deliver the ultimate in compact digital connectivity over HDMI, DisplayPort and USB for Video and Still Cameras, Smartphones, HDTV, Blu-Ray DVD, PS3 and Xbox, as well as enterprise solutions using Infiniband and PCI Express. RedMere provides cable-embedded semiconductors and advanced cable reference designs to cable industry leaders and manufacturing partners. RedMere is a private company with lead investors Celtic House Venture Partners and EdgeStone Capital Partners.

For more information, visit http://www.redmere.com/

Henry Choy Joins ActiveVideo Networks to Drive Web-Connected TV Initiative

Henry Choy, a highly regarded thought leader in the consumer electronics industry for more than 20 years, has joined ActiveVideo Networks™ as Vice President, Business Development, the company announced today.

Choy, who will be responsible for driving ActiveVideo’s Web-Connected TV initiative, has most recently served as vice president, consumer electronics business development for AnySource Media. They are an enabler of next-generation content on traditional CE devices. AnySource Media was acquired by DivX, Inc. earlier this year.

With ActiveVideo Networks, Choy will be responsible for driving partnerships between original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and ActiveVideo’s CloudTV platform. It will significantly expand the reach and availability of rich, Web-based user experiences that are redefining connected TV and Blu-ray players.

Currently in 5 million homes, ActiveVideo® anticipates growth to more than 20 million cable, IPTV and Web-connected homes by year end, 2010.

Parks Associates hosts the CONNECTIONS™ SUMMIT

Parks Associates hosts the CONNECTIONS™ SUMMIT on January 7, 2010 in Las Vegas, NV.

CONNECTIONS™ SUMMIT features multiple sessions, held January 7, 2010, the first day of CES. Moderated by Parks Associates analysts, these sessions provide an interactive environment for networking and discussion.

http://www.parksassociates.com/events/connections/summit/2010/agenda/agenda.html

Speakers include:

Bruce Anderson, General Manager, IBM
Arlo Rose, Senior Director, Product Design, Connected TV, Yahoo!
Joly Benoit, Director, Connected Home Applications, Thomson
Lauren Thorpe, Senior Director, Developer Relations, Qualcomm
Scott Rosenberg, VP of Advanced Advertising, Rovi Advertising
Susan Cashen, Vice President, Control4 Energy Systems, a division of Control4
Steve Cashman, Chief Strategy Officer, Exceptional Innovation
Hope Fulgham, CEO/CMO, Piazza Advertising
Peter Lude, Senior Vice President of Engineering, Sony

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

SmartLabs' CEO Joe Dada to Speak at Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer


Irvine, CA - December 9, 2009 - SmartLabs, Inc. CEO Joe Dada will be a panel speaker at the inaugural Smart Energy Summit: Engaging the Consumer, January 26, 2010 in Austin, TX. Dada will be speaking on a panel regarding issues critical to "connected" home appliances and systems. SmartLabs' award-winning home area network technology, INSTEON, has also been named as an event sponsor.


read more...

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Boxee to Offer a Device to Put Web Video on TV

Boxee is trying to bring the boundless selection of Web video to the living-room TV. Boxee compiles music and videos from the Internet (Netflix, MLB.TV, Comedy Central, Pandora, etc.) and transposes it to a user friendly format that reflects a TV directory. Although Boxee has forged its own relationships with Web video sites, any company can make its videos available through the service. They are also facing an increasingly crowded market with more Blu-ray players, video game consoles and HDTVs having Internet capabilities.

Boxee has tried to bring network television shows into its service offering; however, TV networks prefer people are not able to watch their shows via Web videos because of missed advertising value. As a result, Hulu has largely blocked Boxee from adding its videos. Boxee says it is currently working on a Web browser, based on open-source technology from Firefox's Mozilla, so its users can manually go to any site and watch the video there.

To read more on Brad Stone's NY Times article, click here.

Research firm Parks Associates announces Call For Papers for CONNECTIONS™ 2010

Parks Associates today announced the Call For Papers for the upcoming CONNECTIONS™: The Digital Living Conference and Showcase. The 2010 conference will take place June 8-10 at the Santa Clara Convention Center.

The main topic areas for the event are Entertainment Platforms & Value-Added Services, New Media and Digital Content, Consumer Electronics, and Home Systems & Controls.

CONNECTIONS™ will address the opportunities and challenges in connected CE, 3D TV, smart grid and energy management solutions, consumer and technical support, smartphones and mobile services, social media, and content management.

For fourteen years, CONNECTIONS™ has been the premier event for research and analysis of connected home technologies and digital living solutions. The executive conference features consumer research and presentations from international research firm Parks Associates and a comprehensive agenda with over 80 speakers. Past conferences featured keynotes from AT&T, Verizon, Sony, Intel, and Microsoft.

CONNECTIONS™ attracts companies with market-leading digital living initiatives and senior executives from industries associated with the digital home, new media and content distribution, and mobile applications and services.

Early sponsors include Premier Sponsors ActiveVideo Networks, PacketVideo, and RedMere.

Submission Deadline is January 30, 2010.

For the full press release, click here.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Smartphones, Mobile Services, 3D TV, and Smart Grid are key topics at CONNECTIONS™ SUMMIT at CES

Parks Associates announced the speakers for the CONNECTIONS™ Summit at CES in Las Vegas, January 7, on the first day of the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

Over thirty speakers will participate in sessions moderated by Parks Associates analysts and featuring consumer and industry research on smartphones, mobile services, 3D TV, and smart grid technologies. Session topics also include business strategies for service providers, status of energy management deployment and adoption, and the changing CE purchase patterns for consumers, featuring research from Parks Associates’ Consumer Decision Process (CDP) service.

CONNECTIONS™ Summit will feature the current CDP findings, which support the latest Black Friday numbers - purchase intentions are up slightly from last year, although consumers are still cautious. Certain product categories will have a better 2010 than others. Intentions to purchase a game console have plunged since 2008, while mobile phones and digital camcorders have surged, benefiting from new models like smartphones and the Flip Video camcorder.

Summit Sessions:

- Consumer Electronics Purchases: Are Consumers Back in the Buying Mood?
- The Connected TV – Displays and Beyond
- Service Provider Strategies for the Connected Home
- The Mobile Aspect of Unified Infotainment: Opportunities and Challenges
- Advances in Television Advertising
- Bringing the Smart Grid to the Smart Home
- 3D: Adding New Dimensions to Entertainment

Speakers:
- Timo Bauer, SVP & GM Americas, NewBay Software
- Jean-Pierre Bienaimé, Chairman, UMTS Forum, Orange
- Tom Carroux, Director, Sales and Market Development, Irdeto
- Susan Cashen, VP, Control4 Energy Systems
- Steve Cashman, CSO, Exceptional Innovation
- Brian Chamberlin, Manager, Interactive Projects, NDS
- Chris Deutschen, Senior Mgr, Innovation & Sales, Direct Energy
- Jaime Fink, CTO, 2Wire
- Hope Fulgham, CEO/CMO, Piazza Advertising
- Benoit Joly , Director, Connected Home Applications, Thomson
-
Ted May, VP, Strategy & Business Affairs, Synacor
- Arlo Rose, Senior Dir., Product Design, Connected TV, Yahoo!
- Scott Rosenberg, VP, Advanced Advertising, Rovi Advertising
- David Sandford, VP, Marketing & Product Management, TiVo
- Rick Schwartz, Senior Product Manager, PacketVideo
- Simon Tidnam, VP, Sales & Marketing, HDlogix
- Paul Woidke, SVP and GM, Advanced Advertising, OpenTV

Parks Associates Moderators:
- Bill Ablondi, Director, Home Systems Research
- Jayant Dasari, Analyst
- Tricia Parks, CEO
- Kurt Scherf, VP, Principal Analyst
- Stuart Sikes, President, Parks Associates
- Harry Wang, Director, Health & Mobile Product Research
- Heather Way, Analyst

Parks Associates will host a Networking Reception following the Summit. Event sponsors include Irdeto, Eyecon Technologies, and Premier Sponsors ActiveVideo Networks, PacketVideo, and RedMere. For information, visit www.connectionssummit.com or register at www.cesweb.org.