Archive for May, 2009
Posted on May 28, 2009 by emily at 12:02 pm
WELLESLEY, MA–(Marketwire – May 28, 2009) – Frame Media Inc., the company that is defining the content experience on wireless digital photo frames and other new types of connected display devices, today announced that it has added content from Twitter, CNET, and Eventful to its free FrameChannel® (www.framechannel.com) service.
Together, these popular content brands are providing a total of 29 new content channels to FrameChannel’s selection of more than 1000 content channels in 19 categories. FrameChannel makes it easy for users to select the local, national, social networking, or photo sharing content they care about most and program their wireless digital photo frames and other connected devices to feature that content. Now, as users move through their home or office, they can view a rotation of the latest news, weather, sports, traffic, financial data, Twitter feeds, and much more, in addition to the latest photos from their favorite photo sharing services.
“Frame Media’s goal is to simplify and automate the content gathering process for consumers, while bringing new value to connected display devices,” said Alan Phillips, CEO of Frame Media. “Participation from top content brands like Eventful, Twitter, and CNET is an essential ingredient. These companies recognize the opportunity to extend their brands via these emerging media devices, and are looking to us as the catalyst that makes the process seamless.”
“Eventful provides the world’s largest selection of local events, from concerts and sports to singles events and kids activities,” said Jordan Glazier, CEO of Eventful. “A key to our success has been our multi-platform approach, helping users discover local events however they prefer to receive information. FrameChannel is a great fit because it helps consumers discover events within a new category of consumer electronics devices.”
Eventful delivers local content to FrameChannel users across nine channels including local kids events, concerts and live music, galleries and art, neighborhood events, and more. Users simply enter their zip code and their preference of Eventful channels to customize the content to their own interests. CNET has added 18 news channels ranging from Green Tech, to Business Tech, to Personal Tech, to a selection of popular blogs and technology review features. Twitter has added channels that let users view Tweets from both people they follow, and for their favorite search terms.
Frame Media is riding the wave of rapid adoption of “connected” display devices, or what Phillips calls “the 4th screen.” In a recent study, Parks Associates sees the connected consumer electronics market almost doubling by 2013. A connected device is one that allows access to files stored on a home network or the Internet, and can be anything from a TV, to a Blu-Ray player, to a game console. By 2013, an estimated 100 million of these devices will be sold each year, compared to the 57 million that are expected to sell in 2009. Consumers will seek entire-home access to media, and will require a terabyte of storage space for their shared media. Frame Media has been forming alliances with hardware providers such as Kodak, Samsung, and D-Link to incorporate FrameChannel access into these devices.
Content providers who are interested in creating channels on FrameChannel should fill out the submission form available at http://www.framemedia.com/plusframechannel.php for a response within 48 hours.
Consumer electronics providers who are interested in customizing, co-branding, and integrating FrameChannel with their devices should go to http://www.framemedia.com/certification.php to learn about the FrameChannel certification program and FrameChannel Integration Guide, which is built on the Media RSS standard.
About Frame Media, Inc. (www.framemedia.com)
Frame Media is a leader in delivering content to “the 4th screen,” or the new category of connected devices that includes WiFi photo frames, connected TVs, media players, and more. Its free FrameChannel service (www.framechannel.com) can be customized and integrated with these devices, and is today available on a growing number of products by top brands such as Kodak, Samsung, and D-Link. FrameChannel users can easily select their favorite local, national, social networking, or photo sharing content from more than 1000 channels, and program their devices to feature that content. FrameChannel intelligently streams the most timely content from the selected channels, so users can always view the very latest information as they move through their homes or offices.
Uncategorized
CNET, connected device, d-link, Eventful, Frame Media, FrameChannel, internet tv, Kodak, samsung, twitter, Wireless Digital Photo Frame, wireless digital picture frame
Posted on May 27, 2009 by emily at 12:20 pm
Microsoft announced in a press release yesterday the highly anticipated release of the new Zune HD. The press release is below. The device will be available in the fall. Check out the Zune website for more information!
Microsoft Announces the Expansion of the Zune Entertainment Service to New Platform and Markets; Confirms New Zune HD Portable Media Player
Premium Zune digital entertainment service to be available internationally on Xbox LIVE.
REDMOND, Wash. – May 26, 2009 – Microsoft Corp. today announced the evolution of Zune, the company’s end-to-end music and entertainment service, to a new platform and new markets. Zune will extend its video service to Xbox LIVE internationally this fall. This marks an important development in the Zune strategy and brings the Zune brand to more than 17 million international Xbox LIVE subscribers. In addition, Microsoft confirmed the next generation of the Zune portable media player, Zune HD. Available in the U.S. this fall, Zune HD is the first portable media player that combines a built-in HD Radio receiver, high-definition (HD) video output capabilities, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) touch screen, Wi-Fi and an Internet browser.
“The Zune music player is an integral part of the overall Zune experience, and we’re proud to be growing and extending our offering beyond the device,” said Enrique Rodriguez, corporate vice president of the Microsoft TV, Video and Music Business Group. “Delivering on Microsoft’s connected entertainment vision, this news marks a turning point for Zune as it brings cross-platform experiences and premium video content to living rooms around the world.”
Zune Service Expands to New Platform
Zune will be a premium partner in the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace, bringing an exciting catalog of TV and film to the platform. Zune will occupy the first slot within the Xbox user interface in the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace, exposing the Zune brand experience to millions of new consumers for the first time. At the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) next week, attendees will see firsthand how Zune integrates into Xbox LIVE to create a game-changing entertainment experience.
Introducing Zune HD
Zune HD is the next iteration of the Zune device family and brings a new level of listening and viewing experiences to the portable media player category.
* Zune HD comes with a built-in HD Radio receiver so users can listen to higher-quality sound than traditional radio on the go. Users also will have access to the additional song and artist data broadcast by HD Radio stations as well as additional channels from their favorite stations multicasting in HD. If you don’t like the song playing on your station’s HD channel, switch to its HD2 or HD3 channels for additional programming.
* The bright OLED touch screen interface allows users to flip through music, movies and other content with ease, and the 16:9 widescreen format display (480×272 resolution) offers a premium viewing experience on the go.
* The HD-compatible output lets Zune HD customers playback supported HD video files from the device through a premium high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) audiovisual docking station (sold separately) direct to an HD TV in 720p.*
* Zune HD will include a full-screen Internet browser optimized for multitouch functionality.
* Zune HD is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing for instant streaming to the device from the more than 5 million-track Zune music store.
More information on Zune and related images is available at http://www.zune.net/press and http://www.zune.net/ZuneHD.
About Zune
Zune is Microsoft’s music and entertainment brand that provides an integrated digital entertainment experience. The Zune platform includes a line of portable digital media players, elegant software, the Zune Marketplace online store, Zune Pass music subscription service, and the Zune Social online music community, created to help people discover more music. Zune is part of Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices Division and supports the company’s software-based services vision to help drive innovation in the digital entertainment space. More information can be found online at http://www.zune.net/en-us/press.
About Xbox LIVE
Xbox LIVE connects more than 17 million members across 26 countries to each other and the entertainment they love. Home of more content from one remote than can be found from any device connected to the television, Xbox LIVE is also a unified online social network bringing friends together, no matter where they are – in the living room or across the world. More information and Xbox LIVE membership can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
* Supported 720p HD video files play on the device, downscaled to fit the screen at 480 x 272 – not HD resolution. Zune HD and AV Dock, and an HDTV (all sold separately) are required to view video at HD resolution.
HD RadioTM and the HD Radio logo are proprietary trademarks of iBiquity Digital Corp.
Posted on May 22, 2009 by emily at 12:10 pm
The TomTom GO 740 LIVE device enables users to always drive the smartest and most efficient routes, whenever or wherever they go. Pre-loaded with TomTom’s exclusive IQ RoutesTM Technology, the device incorporates historical speed profile data for both day of week and time of day to calculate the fastest route available based on when the user is actually driving to their destination.
In addition to TomTom’s embedded IQ Routes Technology, the GO 740 LIVE wirelessly receives real-time traffic speed and incident reports every two to five minutes. Traffic delays can be heard audibly on the device as well as displayed on the screen.
The powerful combination of TomTom’s IQ Routes Technology and real-time traffic feeds uniquely enables the TomTom GO 740 LIVE to provide drivers with the fastest routing and most accurate travel times without the need for Bluetooth connectivity or wires.
In addition to real-time traffic, the TomTom GO 740 LIVE also comes with a range of other relevant services delivered directly ‘over-the-air.’ All LIVE Services work right out of the box via a built-in wireless modem. Some include; local search powered by Google, TomTom fuel price service, TomTom weather, and more!
For more information, read TomTom’s full press release here.
Posted on May 20, 2009 by emily at 1:01 pm
Palm’s Pre has been generating plenty of buzz since it’s unveiling at CES back in January. Supposedly on par with or better than the iPhone and Blackberry, the new Palm model has a bit of everything and something unique. It’s still too early to say how competitive or even better it will be then the iPhone or the Blackberry.
The new phone is currently scheduled for release on the June 6th and will be the first to use Palm’s Linux-based operating system Palm webOS. The Pre functions as a camera phone, a portable media player, a GPS system, and Internet client (with text messaging, email, web browsing, and local Wi-Fi connectivity).
The Pre’s $199.99 launch price requires the usual two-year contract. The Palm enhances user-phone accessibility with keeping the classic keyboard in addition to a pretty good looking touch-pad.
Posted on May 18, 2009 by emily at 12:50 pm
Samsung has just announced that it’s bringing Twitter to its Internet@ enabled TVs, including the Samsung LED 6000, 7000 and 8000 TVs, and Samsung 6 and 7 series LCD panels.
With the new Twitter widget you’ll be able to see the tweets of those you’re following from the comfort of your sofa. The TV also has widgets for USA Today, YouTube, eBay, Showtime and Yahoo properties like Flickr and Yahoo! News.
Coincidentally, FrameChannel just added 2 Twitter channels to their content library. One allows you to track those you’re following while the other lets you search for and track terms that have been tweeted.
Posted on May 15, 2009 by emily at 1:23 pm
D-Link’s newest router, complete with a digital picture frame is now available for purchase. It’s an 
all-in-one home network router with all the features of a fast, far-reaching 802.11n Wi-Fi router combined with network attached storage (NAS), SharePort technology for sharing printers and scanners, along with a bright 3.2-inch LCD monitor on the face for displaying photos, desktop applications and network performance.
The screen let’s you track your device’s status via graphical gauges, digital photos, streamed video, weather forecasts and other live streaming Internet content in up to 1.6 million colors.
Pre-order yours today!
