Amazon will acquire the rest of Lovefilm

Online retail giant Amazon brought an end to months of speculation by announcing that it was to buy DVD-to-games rental and download service LOVEFiLM.

Amazon already owns a 42% minority stake in LOVEFiLM International, which operates in the UK, Germany, Sweden and Denmark. It will now buy the remaining 58% share for an undisclosed sum. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of this year and may mean international expansion for LOVEFiLM in line with Amazon’s own European operations.

LOVEFiLM, which has been operating for seven years, offers its 1.6m members a choice of more than 70,000 titles via DVD, Blu-ray, video games, and digital streaming through the LOVEFiLM player, which is used through the PC, PlayStation3 and streamed direct to TV.

For the complete article, please click here.

Broadcom gets Gigle in home networking acquisition

Semiconductor firm Broadcom has agreed to acquire fellow chip company Gigle Networks for $75 million in cash--a deal that will have implications in the rapidly consolidating powerline home networking segment, as well as affecting the broader push toward home G.hn standard home networking.

Gigle, a privately-held company based in Barcelona, Spain, is a member of the HomePlug Powerline Alliance, which promotes the HomePlug AV specification for home networking. However, the company also has been working in the G.hn arena and should help speed Broadcom’s advances into both of these segments.

Broadcom will look to incorporate Gigle’s HomePlug chips, which are also IEEE 1901-compliant, into set-top boxes, routers and residential gateways manufactured by its equipment vendor partners.

For the complete article, please click here.

Forty-seven million European households will have connected TV by 2014

Parks Associates will bring together executives from Ralink Technology, Rovi, Gigle Networks, Visiware, and Samsung Electronics Europe to participate in a special panel at the CONNECTIONS™ Europe technology summit next month.

CONNECTIONS™ Europe will address key issues for manufacturers, operators, and content developers on value-added services, mobile data applications, Web-enabled CE devices, and consumer access to video content.

The special session “Consumers and Connected Consumer Electronics” will be Monday, November 15, at 4:45 p.m. and feature an interactive panel addressing new business models, key applications for Web-enabled CE, and technology trends in the design of connected solutions.

New research from Parks Associates indicates the number of European households with a connected TV will grow from less than 4 million in 2009 to 47 million in 2014. The number of households with a connected Blu-ray player will jump from 5 million in 2010 to approximately 66 million in 2014.

The interactive session will include the following participants:

David Borison, VP, Marketing, Ralink Technology Corporation
Richard Bullwinkle, Chief Evangelist, Rovi Corporation
Andy Melder, VP, Business Development, Gigle Networks
Colas Overkott, CEO, Visiware
Vassilis Seferidis, Ph.D., Director, European Business Development, Samsung Electronics Europe

For information or to register, visit http://www.connectionseurope.com.

New Advisory Sponsor for CONNECTIONS Europe Summit 2010

Radialpoint and Virgin Media are partnering with Parks Associates as the new Advisory Sponsors for CONNECTIONS Europe Summit 2010.

Radialpoint enables the world's largest consumer technology providers to unlock new revenues, convert support costs to profit, and increase customer satisfaction, by supplying, supporting and managing consumers' technologies in the digital home. Companies using Radialpoint's expertise, platform, and solutions have experienced significant improvements in customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Radialpoint's integrated solutions are based on ten years of Digital Home Services expertise, access to a wide range of software and services, and an end-to-end SaaS-based technology platform providing the flexibility and control to ensure customer success in the emerging Digital Home Services market.

Radialpoint manages some of the largest and most successful Digital Home Services programs for companies such as Virgin Media, Verizon, and Bell Canada. Radialpoint is one of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies, one of Montreal's Top 15 Employers, and a three-time recipient of the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 award for the fastest growing technology companies in Canada. Radialpoint is headquartered in Montreal, Canada with offices in the United States and Europe.

For more information, visit www.radialpoint.com.

Zeitera joins CONNECTIONS Europe 2010 Sponsor List

Parks Associates welcomes Zeitera, a leader in the market for intelligent content recognition solutions across the broadcast, Internet, and consumer electronics ecosystem, to the newest list of sponsors for the 2010 CONNECTIONS Europe Summit in Amsterdam.

Zeitera is a privately held Silicon Valley startup located in Mountain View, CA. and is backed by experienced technology investors with successful track records in building technology companies. Zeitera's team is comprised of experts with a wealth of experience in image processing, data-mining, building large-scale systems at successful start-ups as well as at established technology companies like Sony, AOL, Google, IBM, and Nokia. Zeitera is headquartered in Mountain View, CA.

For more information about Zeitera, visit http://zeitera.com.

We thank you for your continued support!

CONNECTIONS EU, Value-added services session features IBM, Cisco, Accedo Broadband, Cloudberry Associates

The integration of interactive services and two-way communications with TV services has become a key part of service provider strategies worldwide. Parks Associates is hosting CONNECTIONS™ Europe on November 15-16, 2010, at the Mövenpick Hotel in Amsterdam, and the agenda includes the session “Value-added Services & the Video Ecosystem.”

This session will examine strategies behind advanced video service options, including online video on the TV, TV Everywhere, and hybrid set-top boxes that offer broadcast and broadband/IPTV options.

Session Participants:

Rob van den Dam, Global Telecom Sector Leader IBV, IBM

Jean-Michel Demoulin, Cable, Digital Media & IPTV Strategy - European Markets, Cisco

Michael Lantz, CEO, Accedo Broadband

Trond Neergaard, Founder and Managing Partner, Cloudberry Associates

Moderator: Stuart Sikes, President, Parks Associates

For more information about the CONNECTIONS Europe Summit, click here.

New White Paper, "European Mobile Market: Beyond Price-based Strategies"

Parks Associates has released a new white paper, "European Mobile Market: Beyond Price-based Strategies."

This new white paper examines challenges for mobile carriers in Europe and strategies to sustain ARPU and expand their base of postpaid users.

• Regulations, Competition, and Churn

• Evolving Beyond Price-based Strategies

• Examples of New Strategies: Vodafone, Telefonica, T-Mobile, & Orange

• The Road Ahead - Evolution of Carrier Strategies

To download this white paper, complete this online form.

Other recent white papers include Google TV- Searching for Success and Consumer Attitudes and the Benefits of Smart Grid Technologies.

Technicolor to supply advanced HD set-top boxes to Astro

Technicolor recently announced that it has won a further contract from Astro, Malaysia’s leading integrated cross-media group. Already an established supplier of MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 set-top boxes for standard definition broadcasting, Technicolor is now to supply High Definition (HD) MPEG-4 STBs with local recording capability to support Astro’s move to offer more technology-adapting services and products to its close to 3 million and growing customer base.

The innovative HD enabled STB to be supplied by Technicolor includes the ability to record to an external disk or disks, allowing subscribers the convenience and flexibility to tailor their recording capability to meet their own requirements.

Deliveries of the new STB are now underway, while at the same time Technicolor will also provide locally-based and extensive logistics and after-sales support to Astro.

State of the Worldwide Digital Television Market

The global market for television services continues to grow despite persistent economic challenges throughout the world. Most of this growth is occurring in digital technologies, with digital terrestrial and cable services supplanting their analog counterparts while IPTV providers fight to increase their piece of the television services pie.

Increased awareness of what is possible on the TV has driven consumer interest in these services, and competition has caused many providers around the globe to evaluate and introduce advanced TV features that leverage digital technologies. Companies in developed nations, including North America and Europe, are rolling out on-demand, interactive, and time/place-shifting offerings. Several providers in emerging markets, such as China and India, are working on digitalization of their services, and they are exploring the new features made possible by this technological shift.

To read more about the State of the Worldwide Digital Television Market, subscribe to Parks Associates' European Research Update Newsletter.

Click here to subscribe to other Parks Associates complimentary newsletters.

3D TV Channel coming to Europe

According to Broadband TV News, Europe’s first 3D channel will make its debut on October 1. Sky 3D will offer viewers a line-up of sport, movies, entertainment and the arts.

Consumers can watch 3D through their existing Sky+HD box. Sky 3D is compatible with all of the 3D TVs being introduced by Sony, Samsung, LG and Panasonic.

Sky 3D is the next revolution in television, enabling you to watch the best of TV in a more immersive way, with an incredible sense of depth that puts you right in the heart of the action. It uses the latest technology to create a full 3D experience in your home.

Rovi + Unitymedia Sign Interactive Program Guide Patent License Agreement

Rovi Corporation and Unitymedia announced recently that they have entered into a multi-year license agreement for interactive program guide (IPG) patents owned by Rovi.

The agreement provides Unitymedia with a license to Rovi’s IPG patents for Unitymedia’s pay television services in Germany. Unitymedia, a subsidiary of Liberty Global, Inc., is the second largest cable television provider in Germany and one of the largest pay television providers throughout Europe. The agreement with Unitymedia builds on the existing relationship between Rovi and other Liberty Global subsidiaries such as UPC Broadband.

CONNECTIONS Europe announces Call For Papers

We are now accepting speaker submissions for the CONNECTIONS Europe Summit in Amsterdam this November 15-16. The deadline to submit your information is September 9th.

Submit your speaker today by completing this online form.

The agenda is available here.

Looking forward to seeing you in Amsterdam!

Accedo Broadband sponsors CONNECTIONS Europe 2010

Parks Associates welcome Accedo Broadband as a 2010 Advisory Sponsor for CONNECTIONS Europe.

Accedo Broadband is the leading provider of applications for IPTV and Connected TV. Accedo Broadband provides the largest available application portfolio and an app store engine for IPTV and Connected TV containing, for example, IPTV games, VoD, Catch-up TV, music, video art, comics, karaoke, lifestyle, niche sports, weather, social media and communication services. Accedo’s Funspot gaming service is the most widely deployed IPTV gaming service in the world.

Accedo is a privately held company founded by telecom and media entrepreneurs Michael Lantz and Fredrik Andersson primarily backed by Swedish VC Industrifonden. Accedo Broadband is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden with branch offices in London, San Francisco, Hong Kong and Sydney.

For more information, visit www.accedobroadband.com .

Number of smartphones worldwide exceeded 180 million units in 2009

New research from Parks Associates, host of the upcoming executive summit CONNECTIONS™ Europe, indicates that the number of smartphones shipped in 2009 topped 180 million units worldwide, with Nokia, Research in Motion, and Apple sharing 60% of the market. Annual sales will reach almost 400 million by 2014, and as the number of users approaches one billion, consumer demand will grow for mobile broadband services that can share content, particularly high-quality video, across connected devices and the home network.

CONNECTIONS™ Europe, April 27 at the Mövenpick Hotel in Amsterdam, will feature consumer research and analysis on these new service opportunities in the mobile sector in the session “Mobile Video: The Cloud, The App Store & the Connected Home.”

Session speakers:

-- Klaus Milczewsky, Senior Mgr, Deutsche Telekom AG
-- Peter Percosan, CTO, Cable Europe Labs
-- Andy Tiller, Marketing Vice Chair, Femto Forum

In a recent Parks Associates survey on mobile convergence, over one-third of U.S. smartphone users expressed an interest in streaming multimedia content stored on home CE to their mobile device. Service providers will have to adapt their mobile and video strategies to meet the demands of multiple platforms, and the panelists will discuss these challenges, plus the impact of new devices such as the iPad and the HP Slate.

For information or to register for CONNECTIONS™ Europe, visit www.connectionseurope.com.

CONNECTIONS Europe addresses new solutions to control content delivery to connected CE

“Bringing the Content,” the first interactive panel session at the executive summit CONNECTIONS™ Europe, will tackle the new content challenges that come with the proliferation of connected devices, which will exceed 100 million units worldwide in 2010.

The session takes place April 27 at 10:15 a.m. and will address the question of who will control the display and distribution of content as the adoption of connected game consoles, set-top boxes, Blu-ray players, and media servers opens new opportunities for service providers, CE manufacturers, online video providers, and broadcasters.

“Bringing the Content” session speakers:

-- Ronald Brockmann, Managing Director, Europe, ActiveVideo Networks
-- Tim Hadley, Director, Corporate Communications, Omnifone
-- Klaus Illgner-Fehns, Managing Director, HbbTV
-- Rolf Uwe Placzek, CEO, Acetrax

CONNECTIONS™ Europe Advisory Sponsors are ActiveVideo Networks, Advanced Digital Broadcast (ADB), Latens, and PacketVideo.

CONNECTIONS Europe features Technicolor keynote & executives from ADB, HbbTV, IBM, NDS, Omniphone, OpenTV and more

The speakers for CONNECTIONS™ Europe Summit: Monetizing Connectivity and User Experiences, announced today by Parks Associates, offer unique executive insight into business strategies for digital content, value-added services, connected CE, and advanced video devices and services. International research firm Parks Associates will host the Summit on April 27, 2010, at the Mövenpick Hotel in Amsterdam.

Benoit Joly, Vice-President, Home Network & Applications, Technicolor, will present the opening keynote. Other speakers:

-- Jonathan Beavon, Director, Segment Marketing, NDS

-- Paul Bristow, VP Strategy, Middleware & Consumer Experience, ADB (Advanced Digital Broadcast)

-- Ronald Brockmann, Managing Director, Europe, ActiveVideo Networks

-- Rob van den Dam, Global Telecom Sector leader IBV, IBM

-- Klaus Illgner-Fehns, Managing Director, HbbTV

-- Trond Neergaard, Founder and Managing Partner, Cloudberry Associates

-- Steve Oetegenn, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Verimatrix

-- Rolf Uwe Placzek, CEO, Acetrax

-- Kurt Scherf, VP, Principal Analyst, Parks Associates

-- Stuart Sikes, President, Parks Associates

-- Andrew Wajs, CTO, Irdeto

-- Olivier Wellmann, VP, Product Management, OpenTV

-- Speaker TBA, Omnifone

For information or to register, visit http://www.connectionseurope.com.

International research firm announces agenda for Amsterdam executive summit

Parks Associates announced the agenda for CONNECTIONS™ Europe: Monetizing Connectivity and User Experiences, which the international research firm will host on April 27, 2010, in Amsterdam.

CONNECTIONS™ Europe is the leading executive summit featuring European and international consumer research, top executives, and innovative companies in the digital living markets. The summit will examine business models and challenges related to digital media, including the potential of 3D video in the home, the role of value-added services in building ARPU, monetization of over-the-top content, and the challenge of pushing content to multiple connected CE, including smartphones and other mobile devices.

The preliminary agenda for CONNECTIONS™ Europe features the following sessions:
-- Bringing the Content
-- Extending the Video Experience to Multiple Screens
-- Controlling the Experience
-- Value-added Services & the Video Ecosystem
-- Mobile Video: The Cloud, the App Store & the Connected Home

CONNECTIONS™ Europe will feature Parks Associates’ expert consumer and industry research, with the company’s analysts presenting data from consumer research projects including All Eyes on Video, Consumer Decision Process, Residential Energy Management, and Digital Media Evolution.

Early sponsors for CONNECTIONS™ Europe, also members of Parks Associates’ Premier Program, include ActiveVideo Networks and PacketVideo. Visit www.parkspremier.com for more information on the Premier Program.

Visit www.connectionseurope.com for more information about CONNECTIONS™ Europe. The deadline for speaker submissions is March 1, 2010.

Call for Papers, CONNECTIONS Europe & U.S.

We are now accepting speaker submissions for the two upcoming Parks Associates events:

CONNECTIONS Europe Summit
April 27, 2010
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Event website: www.connectionseurope.com

CONNECTIONS Europe features perspectives from industry leaders and international research firm Parks Associates regarding:

-- Advanced television services
-- The residential gateway and the set-top box
-- Consumer buying habits, service and product preferences, and future purchase intentions
-- Business models and opportunities for TV operators, content developers, advertisers, and CE companies
-- Impact and market outlook for new technologies, including 3D TV

Call for Papers DEADLINE: MARCH 1


CONNECTIONS: The Digital Living Conference and Showcase
June 8-10, 2010
Santa Clara, California, USA

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. 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.

Event website: www.connectionsus.com

Call for Papers DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 15

CONNECTIONS Europe - Call for Papers

CONNECTIONS Europe is now accepting submissions for speakers at the upcoming Summit in Amsterdam on April 27, 2010. Deadline for submission is March 1.

CONNECTIONS Europe Agenda will include:

- Advanced television services
- The residential gateway and the set-top box
- Consumer buying habits, service and product preferences, and future purchase intentions
- Business models and opportunities for TV operators, content developers, advertisers, and CE companies
- Impact and market outlook for new technologies, including 3D TV

Here is the direct link to submit:
http://www.parksassociates.com/events/europe/2010/amsterdam/agenda/call-for-papers.htm

For more information about CONNECTIONS Europe, visit, www.CONNECTIONSeurope.com.

Technicolor reaches 100 million digital set-top box milestone

Technicolor, formerly Thomson, a worldwide leader of services to content creators, has reached the milestone of delivering 100 million digital set-top boxes over multi networks since it entered the market in 1994.

Technicolor’s success is largely thanks to the contracts it has won with major clients in a global marketplace. In North America, Technicolor’s first digital satellite STB customer, DIRECTV remains a loyal customer today. In Latin America, Technicolor provides set-top boxes to key players including DIRECTV Latin America and Sky Brazil and Sky Mexico, while in Europe, it has nurtured relationships with leading names including UPC Broadband and News Corp. affiliates such as BSkyB, as well as HOT, in the Middle East, and Astro of Malaysia and Tata Sky in the Asia-Pacific.

For many of its global customers, Technicolor has established long-term relationships and garnered repeat business thanks to its ongoing product evolution for all technology platforms, including digital cable, satellite television, terrestrial broadcasting and IPTV.

For the full press release, click here.