Allegro Software joins CONNECTIONS 2011 Sponsor List

Parks Associates welcome Allegro Software, a global leader in providing Internet Software for Embedded devices, to the newest list of sponsors for the 2011 CONNECTIONS Conference in Santa Clara.

Allegro Software Development Corporation is the premier provider of UPnP networking and device management technologies specifically targeted at embedded Internet applications. Since 1996, Allegro has been a force in the evolution of device management solutions with its RomPager embedded web server toolkit. Now also an active contributor to UPnP / DLNA initiatives, Allegro supplies a range of UPnP toolkits that offer portability, easy integration and full compliance with UPnP device specifications.

Allegro is headquartered in Boxborough, MA. For more information about Allegro, visit www.allegrosoft.com.

We thank you for your continued support!

15th CONNECTIONS Conference Dates Announced

The fifteenth annual CONNECTIONS™: The Digital Living Conference & Showcase will take place on June 28-30, 2011, at the Santa Clara Convention Center. The 2011 event focuses on entertainment and media platforms, content distribution, mobile applications and services, broadband and operator strategies, energy management solutions, advanced advertising initiatives, and connected CE.

Early sponsors for CONNECTIONS™ 2011 are Association Sponsor CEA and Affinegy, Allegro, iTOK, Rovi, and Sonic Solutions.

Parks Associates will also host CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit in Amsterdam, Netherlands, November 15-16, 2010, featuring the latest consumer research on digital living technologies around the world and analysis on new business models and opportunities for TV operators, content developers, advertisers, and CE companies.

CONNECTIONS™ Summit at CES, January 6, 2011, focuses on trends, emerging business models and technologies, and growth opportunities for companies developing products and services for the digital home.

New Content Available from CONNECTIONS 2010 Speakers & Sponsors

The 2010 CONNECTIONS Speakers and Sponsors have shared marketing materials, product information, company media kits, and lots more.

The U.S CONNECTIONS Sponsors include Verizon Wireless, Cisco, Intel, Accenture, ActiveVideo Networks, Allegro, DivX, D-Link, Gigle Networks, Intamac, ProVision Communications, PacketVideo, RedMere, Rovi, Support.com, 4Home, Accedo Broadband, Affinegy, AlertMe, Arxan, IBM, iTOK, LEVEL Studios, PlumChoice, Vuze, Zenverge, and Roxio.

Speakers (that submitted information to share) include Cedric Arnaud-Battandier, VP, Strategy & Corporate Development, Technicolor; Cathy Bradley, Global Lead, Customer Contact Business Process Outsourcing Services, Accenture; Savinay Berry, Vice President, Granite Ventures; William C. Brown, Assoc. VP Technology and GM, Service Provider Business Unit, North America, D-Link; Mike Buckingham, Director of Marketing, SmartLabs, Inc.; Alfredo Choperena, President, SimpleHomeNet; Martin Flusberg, CEO, Powerhouse Dynamics; Todd Hinders, Senior Vice President, ExtendMedia; Scott Hublou, Co-Founder, SVP of Products, EcoFactor; Tony Masterson, COO, CTO and Co-founder, Zenverge; Kevin Meagher, CEO, Intamac Systems; Andy Melder, Vice President Business Development, Gigle Networks; Kevin Morgan, CTO, Arxan Technologies, Inc.; Tom Pollard, Director of Product Management, Verimatrix Inc.; Yaron Raz, Director of Video Solutions Marketing, BigBand Networks; Rick Schwartz, Senior Product Manager, PacketVideo (PV); Loren Shade, VP Marketing, Allegro Software Development Corporation; Melissa Simpler, CEO, Affinegy; Peter Smyth, CEO, RedMere; Steve Tranter, VP Interactive and Broadband, NDS; Edgar Villalpando, SVP, Marketing, ActiveVideo Networks; Dr. Kenneth Wacks, Member, GridWise Architecture Council, U.S. Department of Energy; and Nate Williams, CMO, 4Home.

To view all materials, click here.

Thank you 2010 U.S. Sponsors!

Parks Associates wanted to thank all of the U.S. CONNECTIONS sponsors for helping make 2010 another great event!

Reception: Verizon Wireless

Gold: Cisco, Intel

Silver: Accenture, ActiveVideo Networks, Allegro, DivX, D-Link, Gigle Networks, Intamac, ProVision Communications, PacketVideo, RedMere, Rovi, support.com

Bronze: 4Home, Accedo Broadband, Affinegy, AlertMe, Arxan, IBM, iTOK, LEVEL Studios, PlumChoice, Vuze, Zenverge

Breakfast: Roxio

Thank you again for your continued support!

CONNECTIONS addresses potential of new 3D and connected TV enhancements

The percentage of U.S. broadband households purchasing CE continues to decline year over year, falling from 87% in 2007 to 76% in 2009.

Already over one-half of households are spending less on CE in 2010 than they did the year before. The recession has deeply affected consumer spending, but several product categories have defied the downward trend. Industries can develop new revenue streams by building off of these devices, such as Web-based apps or 3D programming for connected LCD TVs or support services bundled with a new computer purchase.

CONNECTIONS™ will feature multiple sessions in the Consumer Electronics track discussing the state of the market and business strategies to leverage these devices:

· Design Elements for Connected CE
· Monetizing Connected CE
· The Future of the Set-top Box
· 3DTV

The panels will feature speakers from 2Wire, Actiontec Electronics, ActiveVideo Networks, Allegro Software Development Corporation, BigBand Networks, BridgeCo, Cisco Systems, Gigle Networks, Motorola, Orange/France Telecom Group, PacketVideo, ProVision, RedMere, Roxio CinemaNow, Technicolor, Xpand, Yahoo!, and Zenverge.

CONNECTIONS™ will also feature the keynote presentation “TV Technology in the New Age of Consumer Buying,” from Scott Birnbaum, Vice President, Samsung LCD Business, on June 9 at 10:00 a.m.

CONNECTIONS US welcomes new sponsor, Allegro Software

Parks Associates welcomes Allegro Software Development Corporation as the newest Silver level sponsor for June CONNECTIONS U.S. event.

Allegro Software Development Corporation is the premier provider of UPnP networking and device management technologies specifically targeted at embedded Internet applications. Since 1996, Allegro has been a force in the evolution of device management solutions with its RomPager embedded web server toolkit. Now also an active contributor to UPnP / DLNA initiatives, Allegro supplies a range of UPnP toolkits that offer portability, easy integration and full compliance with UPnP device specifications. Allegro is headquartered in Boxborough, MA.

For more information about Allegro Software Development Corporation, please visit www.allegrosoft.com.

CONNECTIONS™ features Connected CE track and Keynote from DECE and Sony Pictures

Expanding Connectivity to devices creating new markets for home systems & CE --

Parks Associates has announced the speakers, including the Keynote from Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE) and Sony Pictures Entertainment, as part of the connected CE focus at CONNECTIONS™: The Digital Living Conference & Showcase. The event will be held June 2-4 at the Santa Clara Convention Center and features a track of sessions that examines the impact and business opportunities from adding Internet connectivity to devices such as TVs, mobile phones, and portable devices.

Mitch Singer, CTO and Executive Vice President of New Media and Technology for Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc., and President of DECE, will present the closing keynote Entertainment 2.0: The Future of Entertainment on Wednesday, June 3. Mr. Singer’s presentation focuses on DECE’s efforts to reshape digital distribution, from enhancing the consumer experience to lowering barriers of entry for service providers. Mr. Singer also focuses on the requirements of the “Millennial” generation (consumers ages 13-32) and how they are driving the need to develop more portable and mobile content access solutions.

CONNECTIONS™ sessions in the Connected CE track on June 3 will focus on the impact of new technology and user interfaces for connected consumer electronics.

Extending the Reach of Wired Networks and Interfaces examines the technologies connecting products to services in and outside of the home. Speakers include:

Chenyi Chiu, Strategic Program Manager, HD-PLC Alliance
Brian Donnelly, VP, Sales and Marketing, Icron
Micha Risling, VP, Marketing, Valens Semiconductor
Steve Yum, Sr. Director, Marketing, Synerchip

Bringing “Cloud Media” to Consumer Electronics Devices focuses on the core technology components and new business models in expanding connections between CE and the Internet. Speakers include:

Meir Friedlander, CEO, Eyecon Technologies
Michael Lantz, CEO, Accedo Broadband
Alex Limberis, COO, Syabas Technology
Loren Shade, VP Marketing, Allegro Software Development Corporation

For more information on CONNECTIONS™, visit http://www.connectionsconference.com/ .

Connected CE Interview with Allegro's Loren Shade

Thank you Loren Shade for participating at the CONNECTIONS Summit at CES held on January 8-9, 2009.

What do you see as key limitations to UPnP and DLNA? How does the work of your companies address additional needs on top of these standards?

DLNA 1.5 standards do not currently address content synchronzation between portable media players and house-based media servers. While DLNA 2.0 guidelines will address these issues, we work with key customers to solve these issues ahead of guideline release. Similarly, we have a number of set top box customers who will want to resolve Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) and Scheduled Recording Service (SRS) issues prior to the release of the corresponding DLNA 2.0 guidelines.

Is your “Remote UI” work compatible with the CEA 2014 standard?

DLNA 2.0 guidelines are still not frozen, but it appears that CEA-2014 will the primary interface standard for Remote UI. Allegro will provide CEA-2014 support, if another interface standard is chosen as the primary, we will provide CEA-2014 support as a secondary item.

For more information about Allegro, visit: www.allegrosoft.com .