Based on a recent NPD DisplaySearch report, OLED technology advanced rapidly in 2011, setting a trend that is forecasted to continue through this decade. They estimate that OLED display revenues will exceed $4 billion in 2011 (approximately 4% of flat panel display revenues), and will reach more than $20 billion (approximately 16% of the total display industry) by 2018.

According to Corning, the newly formed entity will supply OLED backplane glass substrates for Samsung Mobile Display, as well as for the broader Korean market.

Samsung said it is playing a leading role in this emerging market through its Galaxy mobile device products and Super OLED TV technology introduced in January at the International Consumer Electronics Show. Corning’s ongoing advanced glass technology development includes a strong focus on high-performance displays. Most recently, this focus has been demonstrated through Corning’s new Lotus Glass substrates, which are believed to deliver the higher processing temperatures and improved dimensional stability needed to produce the new high performance displays.

"Samsung Mobile Display has led the global display industry by constantly seeking innovations and challenging current technologies' limits. We are confident that combining our business powers with Corning's technology leadership will deliver greater value to our clients,” said Soo In Cho, Samsung Mobile Display’s president and chief executive officer.

“Corning and Samsung have a long and successful partnership in the display industry, dating back nearly 40 years to the early days of television,” said Wendell P. Weeks, Corning’s chairman, chief executive officer, and president. “The strength of our business relationship is built on Corning’s ability to develop and make high-technology glass with the key attributes that enable Samsung’s next-generation displays. Together, we have led the evolution of displays – from the high-growth years of CRT, to our current successful business supplying world-leading substrates for today’s high-definition LCD TVs, and now to the launch of this important new venture to advance OLED technology,” Weeks stated.

The new business will be located in Korea.

Blonder Tongue Laboratories, Inc. provides system operators and integrators serving the cable, broadcast, satellite, IPTV, institutional and professional video markets with solutions for the provision of content contribution, distribution and video delivery to homes and businesses. The company designs, manufactures, sells and supports an equipment portfolio of standard and high definition digital video solutions, as well as core analog video and high speed data solutions for distribution over coax, fiber and IP networks.

"As respected leaders in the field of Cable Television Communications, Blonder Tongue and Drake together offer customers more than 125 years of combined engineering and manufacturing excellence with solid histories of delivering reliable, quality products” said James A. Luksch, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Continuing with our strategic plan, by maximizing synergies amongst our highly respected engineering, manufacturing and marketing teams, customers will reap multiple benefits including additional new and innovative products delivered to market faster and more affordably.”

“For many reasons a void has developed in the CATV industry leaving even the largest cable MSO's searching for companies capable of developing and delivering innovative new products. Blonder Tongue and Drake plan to fill that void by shortening the development and manufacturing cycle to deliver the most complete compliment of business and product solutions in our industry,” added Luksch. “To maximize customer support, both companies will continue to operate separate entities in two locations- Blonder Tongue in Old Bridge, New Jersey, and R.L. Drake in Franklin, Ohio, respectively.”

The acquisition was for the purchase of substantially all of the assets of R.L Drake for a purchase price of approximately $6.5 million, subject to certain adjustments based upon a post-closing audit of the balance sheet of R.L. Drake and additional contingent purchase price payments of up to $1.5 million in the aggregate that may be made over the next three years if certain financial results are realized. R.L. Drake’s unaudited net sales for 2011 were approximately $10.0 million.

"Given that Time Warner Cable just announced a quarterly net income increase of 44 percent and annual profits of $1.3 billion, it's time for pay TV's poster child for skyrocketing rates to come clean on retransmission consent. Time Warner and its front group the American Television Alliance claim that broadcast retransmission consent fees are responsible for escalating cable rates. That claim is false. The fact is that local TV station carriage fees account for less than 1 percent of the cost of a monthly cable bill.

"It's laughable to suggest that broadcasters are responsible for higher cable rates."

According to data compiled by SNL Kagan, the average cable bill has risen at a rate faster than inflation. In addition, a filing submitted to the FCC by NAB found that in 2010 retransmission consent fees were approximately six-tenths of one percent of a pay-TV operator's revenues. That conclusion, reached by researchers Jeffrey Eisenach and Kevin Caves, can be found on page 22 of the filing's Attachment A. Read the NAB filing here.

Additionally, 48% of HDTV households have more than one HDTV. Overall, about one-third of all US households now have multiple HDTV sets -- up from about one-sixth of all households two years ago, and 4% five years ago. Yet, about 45% of TV sets in HD households, and close to 60% of all TV sets in the US, are not HDTVs.

The report also finds:

• 85% with annual household incomes over $75,000 have an HDTV -- compared to 67% with annual household incomes of $30,000-$75,000, and 48% with annual household incomes under $30,000

• Mean reported spending on an HDTV set was about $940 -- 23% less than two years ago, and about half the reported spending five years ago

• Among those getting HD programming from a cable, satellite, or Telco TV provider, the perceived mean number of channels of HD programming is 75 -- up from 53 two
years ago, and 28 five years ago

• Less than 3% of all US households currently have an HDTV set that is 3D-capable -- and 45% of this group do not watch any content in 3D

• Nearly 80% of adults in the US have heard of 3D TV -- of those who have heard of 3D TV, 5% are very interested in getting a 3D TV

• 21% of all households purchased a new TV set in the past 12 months, and 19% of all households plan to purchase a new TV set in the next 12 months

"In just the past five years, over half of all US households have adopted HDTV, bringing the total to nearly 70% of all households having at least one HDTV set" said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group, Inc. "While lower prices have helped to expand the base of HD households, and those who have multiple HDTV sets, still close to 60% of all TV sets in US households are not HDTVs -- this provides ample opportunity for the sale of more HDTV sets going forward."

The findings are based on a survey of 1,302 households throughout the United States, and are part of a new LRG study, HDTV and 3D TV 2011. This is LRG's ninth annual study related to HDTV.

“Technology Support for Small Businesses” is a key component of an FCC partnership with a number of corporations, civic organizations, and other Federal agencies to help small businesses leverage technology to fuel their future success. Highlights of the event include two workshops, “Boosting Your Business Using Technology,” a presentation on creating an e-Commerce presence on the web and, “Getting in Tune with Your Customer Base,” a how-to on using social media to engage your customers. The event will also include sessions on such topics as cloud computing and technology tools to improve cash flow.

Ken Yancey, CEO of SCORE, states that the conference presents a rare opportunity for small business owners to obtain a great deal of information in a free, single day event. Following the event, SCORE will provide attendees with free, one-on-one mentoring on the latest business technologies and techniques. To register and to see the full event schedule, go to the website: www.ebusinessnow.org/events.

"Recognizing Garry Marshall for his extraordinary contributions to television history is a tremendous opportunity that NAB is honored to be a part of," said Marcellus Alexander, NAB executive vice president of Television.

Known for creating the television classics "Happy Days," "Laverne and Shirley" and "Mork & Mindy," Marshall began his career in the entertainment industry as a joke writer for comedians before signing on as a writer for NBC's "The Tonight Show" featuring Jack Paar. Marshall's staged musical of "Happy Days" is currently running in Italy.

In the 1960s, Marshall wrote for the "Dick Van Dyke Show," "The Joey Bishop Show," "The Danny Thomas Show" and "The Lucy Show." He also helped adapt Neil Simon's play, "The Odd Couple," into a successful television series in 1970.

An accomplish actor, Marshall appeared on the CBS comedy "Murphy Brown," as well as the movies "Soap Dish," "Lost in America," "Never Been Kissed," "Orange County," "Keeping Up With The Steins," "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and "A League of Their Own." He is the director of the hit movies "Nothing in Common," "Pretty Woman," "Runaway Bride," "Valentine's Day," "The Princess Diaries" and "New Year's Eve."

Considered one of Hollywood's most respected writers, producers and directors of television, film and theater, Marshall is the recipient of several awards, including the TV Land Legend Award, the American Comedy Awards Lifetime Achievement Award, the Publicist Guild Motion Picture Showmanship Award for Film and Television and the Writers Guild of America's Valentine Davies Award. Marshall received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1983.

Information security technology to support safe and secure network access for customers has become indispensable in recent years in light of the increase in the wide range of network enabled devices. In particular, there is focus on lightweight cryptography technology suitable for ensuring the security of devices with low-power consumption requirements or those with limited hardware or memory. Under these circumstances ‘CLEFIA’ met the requirements of ISO/IEC 29192, as prescribed by ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 27 − the organization responsible for determining the International Standards for information security.

‘CLEFIA’ has the same interface as the US government's Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). This block cipher has a block length of 128 bits, while key length can be selected from 128 bits, 192 bits or 256 bits. The most impressive feature of ‘CLEFIA’ is its realization of implementation efficiency while maintaining a high level of security. The development of ‘CLEFIA’ maintains superior security based on the latest block cipher design theory. Furthermore, ‘CLEFIA’ adopts the general Feistel structure, which is suited for implementation in constrained environments. Also, the ‘Diffusion Switching Mechanism’ (DSM) is employed to reduce processing operations whilst ensuring security. In addition, components for data processing and key scheduling part are shared. These improvements have made it possible to achieve efficient implementations in hardware and software, which had been difficult with conventional encryption technologies.

This excellent implementation efficiency enables ‘CLEFIA’ to demonstrate high performance in devices with limited resources or those with low-power consumption requirements. Accordingly, CLEFIA is suited for lightweight cryptographic applications as indicated in ISO/IEC 29192 in smartcards, RFID tags, sensor networks, medical devices and more, in addition to conventional applications.

Having been recognized as an ISO/IEC International Standard on this occasion, Sony said it will strive to expand the application of ‘CLEFIA’ in a variety of devices and services. Furthermore, Sony will continue its research and development in the field of lightweight cryptography, in which further progress is anticipated.

According to Sony, the company will continue to be involved in delivering information security technology that customers can use safely and with confidence.

According to a new IHS iSuppli analysis, global AMOLED TV shipments are expected to reach 2.1 million units in 2015, up from just 34,000 in 2012. While this represents tremendous growth, AMOLED TV shipments still will account for only 1 percent of the global flat-panel market by 2015.

“AMOLED TV prices will remain dramatically higher than those of liquid crystal display (LCD) TVs during the next few years because of manufacturing yield issues, combined with inflated material costs due to the small pool of suppliers,” said Vinita Jakhanwal, director of small/medium and OLED displays at IHS. “A 55-inch AMOLED TV will be priced at $8,000 in 2012, more than twice the $3,700 average expense for an equivalent LCD TV. And although AMOLEDs deliver a dramatically superior viewing experience compared to LCDs, consumers are unlikely to buy large quantities of AMOLEDs until their prices fall to within a 20 percent premium of comparable LCD TVs.”

After years of effort and billions of dollars invested in AMOLED display technology development, South Korean firms LG Display (LGD) and Samsung Electronics at CES showcased what are currently the largest AMOLED 3-D TVs. These large, 55-inch displays represent a major departure from previous AMOLEDs, which mainly are focused on small/medium display applications like smartphones, at sizes smaller than 10 inches.

LGD’s 55-inch 3-D, ultra definition—i.e., 3840 by 1260—AMOLED TV boasts of features that exceed any other flat-panel TV now on the market. The television is only 4 millimeters thick and weighs 17 pounds. It also has a pixel speed that is 1,000 times faster and consumes only one-third of the power compared to conventional LCDs.

Samsung also showcased a 55-inch 3-D AMOLED television with similar specifications.

In comparison to these AMOLED sets, a currently available 3-D LCD-TV with a light-emitting diode ( LED) backlight offers a Full HD—i.e., 1,920 by 1,080—pixel format, with the thinnest being only 1.2-inches thick and weighing more than 50 pounds. LGD and Samsung are expected to begin shipping their OLED TVs to the market by the third quarter of 2012, in time for the 2012 London Summer Olympics.

Recent innovations in AMOLED backplane technology, materials and equipment and suppliers’ investments in newer-generation AMOLED fabs have made these AMOLED TVs possible. However, pricing remains much higher compared to current LCD TVs in the market.

This is because AMOLED manufacturing efficiencies and output yields are unlikely to match those of LCDs for the next three years. Furthermore, pricing for AMOLED materials will still command a premium because of the limited number of suppliers. Large-sized AMOLED panel production faces issues with scaling manufacturing to newer-generation fabs.

These factors are keeping AMOLED TV pricing high.

However, IHS iSuppli expects AMOLED display suppliers, equipment makers, material makers and TV makers to cooperate in developing more efficient and cost effective ways in order to make large-sized AMOLED panels. As a result, prices are expected to decline.

Early production of 55-inch AMOLED panels is likely to be conducted at existing eighth-generation amorphous silicon (a-Si) LCD fabs that will be converted to make the oxide silicon backplanes needed for AMOLEDs. Both LGD and Samsung plan to move mass production to eighth-generation AMOLED lines in the future. And as manufacturing matures, large-sized AMOLED panels have the potential of becoming cheaper.

LGD indicated the price for its 55-inch AMOLED TV is expected to decline to $4,000 by 2013, when comparable LCD TV prices are likely to reach a price point of less than $1,000.

"As an accomplished performer and on-air personality, we look forward to hearing Donny's perspective on radio," said NAB Executive Vice President of Radio John David. "His unique ability to connect with audiences is sure to energize attendees at the Radio Luncheon."

Since 2010, Osmond continues to host two internationally syndicated radio shows: The Donny Osmond Radio Show and Donny's 8-Track Playback. Formatted to fit both Hot AC and Classic stations, his lifestyle-driven music radio show delivers helpful and insightful information to listeners who are looking for "a friend to help them through the day."

In addition to his daily radio show, Osmond performs nightly with his sister, Marie, at the Las Vegas Flamingo Hotel in a show that is in its fourth-straight year running. Osmond also participated in, and won Dancing with the Stars: Season 9. His recently released 59th album, Donny & Marie, features a mix of country, rock and love ballads, including the number one hit single "A Beautiful Life."

Osmond's musical career began at age five. He quickly rose to fame, touring the world with sibling music group, The Osmond Brothers. His success continued as he co-hosted with his sister a wildly successful variety show, The Donny and Marie Show. As a solo artist, Osmond's music career received a boost when he recorded "Soldier of Love," which topped the Billboard Pop Charts at number two. In total, Donny has sold more than 80 million records over five decades and received 33 gold records.

The NAB Show Radio Luncheon will include the 25th annual presentation of the prestigious NAB Crystal Radio Awards, which honor local radio stations for community service. Also, Mr. Baseball, Bob Uecker, will be inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame. The 2012 NAB Show runs April 14-19 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The popularization of smartphones and other devices in recent years has been accompanied by an increasingly diverse use of camera functionality. This has brought heightened demand for more sophisticated cameras, to ensure adaptability to a wider range of scenes and Sony developed this stacked CMOS image sensor to meet such demand. In addition to the higher pixel numbers, superior image quality and faster speeds which conventional image sensors pursued, the newly-developed image sensors further achieve more highly-advanced functionalities and a more compact size, thus paving the way for enhanced camera evolution.

As the first step towards the commercialization of its new CMOS image sensors, Sony said it has developed a model with built-in signal processing functionality, an element that usually requires external embedment. Samples will be shipped from March, 2012. Accordingly, models have been developed with Sony’s unique “RGBW Coding” function, which facilitates low noise, high quality image capture even in low light condition, and the proprietary “HDR (High Dynamic Range) Movie” function, which achieves brilliant color even when taking pictures against bright light.

Conventional CMOS image sensors mount the pixel section and analog logic circuit on top of the same chip, which require numerous constraints when wishing to mount the large-scale circuits such as measures to counter the circuit scale and chip size, measures to suppress noise caused by the layout of the pixel and circuit sections, and optimizing the characteristics of pixels and circuit transistors.

Sony claims the company has succeeded in establishing a structure that layers the pixel section containing formations of back-illuminated structure pixels over the chip affixed with mounted circuits for signal processing, which is in place of supporting substrates used for conventional back-illuminated CMOS image sensors. By this stacked structure, large-scale circuits can now be mounted keeping small chip size. Furthermore, as the pixel section and circuit section are formed as independent chips, a manufacturing process can be adopted, enabling the pixel section to be specialized for higher image quality while the circuit section can be specialized for higher functionality, thus simultaneously achieving higher image quality, superior functionality and a more compact size. In addition, faster signal processing and lower power consumption can also be achieved through the use of leading process for the chip containing the circuits.

Features of the stacked CMOS image sensor
- Large-scale signal processing circuits required for higher image quality and better functionality are built-in
- More compact image sensor chip size
- Even higher image quality of the pixel section by adopting manufacturing processes specialized for superior image quality
- Faster speeds and lower power consumption by adopting the leading process for the circuit section

The company said it plans to position the sensor as the next generation back-illuminated CMOS image sensors, and unwaveringly strive to further develop this image sensor and expand its product lineup, thereby contributing to the further development of user-friendly cameras and to shooting enjoyment.

The business reorganization is intended to bolster liquidity in the U.S. and abroad, monetize non-strategic intellectual property, fairly resolve legacy liabilities, and enable the Company to focus on its most valuable business lines. The Company has made pioneering investments in digital and materials deposition technologies in recent years, generating approximately 75% of its revenue from digital businesses in 2011.

Kodak has obtained a fully-committed, $950 million debtor-in-possession credit facility with an 18-month maturity from Citigroup to enhance liquidity and working capital. The credit facility is subject to Court approval and other conditions precedent. The Company believes that it has sufficient liquidity to operate its business during chapter 11, and to continue the flow of goods and services to its customers in the ordinary course.

Kodak expects to pay employee wages and benefits and continue customer programs. Subsidiaries outside of the U.S. are not subject to proceedings and will honor all obligations to suppliers, whenever incurred. Kodak and its U.S. subsidiaries will honor all post-petition obligations to suppliers in the ordinary course.

“Kodak is taking a significant step toward enabling our enterprise to complete its transformation,” said Antonio M. Perez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “At the same time as we have created our digital business, we have also already effectively exited certain traditional operations, closing 13 manufacturing plants and 130 processing labs, and reducing our workforce by 47,000 since 2003. Now we must complete the transformation by further addressing our cost structure and effectively monetizing non-core IP assets. We look forward to working with our stakeholders to emerge a lean, world-class, digital imaging and materials science company.”

“After considering the advantages of chapter 11 at this time, the Board of Directors and the entire senior management team unanimously believe that this is a necessary step and the right thing to do for the future of Kodak,” Mr. Perez continued. “Our goal is to maximize value for stakeholders, including our employees, retirees, creditors, and pension trustees. We are also committed to working with our valued customers.

“Chapter 11 gives us the best opportunities to maximize the value in two critical parts of our technology portfolio: our digital capture patents, which are essential for a wide range of mobile and other consumer electronic devices that capture digital images and have generated over $3 billion of licensing revenues since 2003; and our breakthrough printing and deposition technologies, which give Kodak a competitive advantage in our growing digital businesses.”

Mr. Perez concluded, “The Board of Directors, the senior management team and I would like to underscore our appreciation for the hard work and loyalty of our employees. Kodak exemplifies a culture of collaboration and innovation. Our employees embody that culture and are essential to our future success.”

Kodak has taken this step after preliminary discussions with key constituencies and intends to work toward a consensual reorganization in the best interests of its stakeholders. Kodak expects to complete its U.S.-based restructuring during 2013.

The Company and its Board of Directors are being advised by Lazard, FTI Consulting Inc. and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. In addition, Dominic DiNapoli, Vice Chairman of FTI Consulting, will serve as Chief Restructuring Officer to support the management team as to restructuring matters during the chapter 11 case.

More information about Kodak’s Chapter 11 filing is available at www.kodaktransforms.com.

The new study, Connecting the Dots Between Consumers, Content and Consumer Electronics in the Home, provides additional insights into how consumers are accessing content in their homes and their interest in media connectivity systems.

Like video consumption, more than half (54 percent) of online U.S. adults listen to digital audio in the home. But unlike video, the preference for digital audio content skews toward downloaded audio (43 percent) versus streaming audio (37 percent). Those consumers spent an average of 2.6 hours listening to downloaded files versus two hours for streaming audio.

“Technology allows consumers to access almost any content they desire instantaneously on Internet-connected devices,” said Chris Ely, manager, industry relations, CEA. “The rise of mobile broadband has resulted in the emergence of connected devices that are able to stream content directly from the Internet, and services that allow consumers to store and access content without the need of a hard drive.”

One in four consumers expressed an interest in purchasing a home media connectivity system. The study shows that new home purchasers can be a “sweet spot” in spurring adoption of connectivity systems. Sixty percent of those interested in connectivity systems indicated that they were considering buying a system with a purchase of a new home.

“Digital media consumption will continue to grow as the number of connected devices and services for accessing content improves and expands,” added Ely. “Manufactures, content providers, aggregators and service providers must work together to ensure the content customers want is accessible through different devices. The sooner the market is able to meet the consumers’ needs, the sooner the industry will reap the benefits.”

The study, Connecting the Dots Between Consumers, Content and Consumer Electronics in the Home was conducted September 19-25, 2011. It was designed and formulated by CEA Market Research.

Major Internet service providers (ISPs), home networking equipment manufacturers, and web companies around the world are coming together to permanently enable IPv6 for their products and services by 6 June 2012.

Organized by the Internet Society, and building on the successful one-day World IPv6 Day event held on 8 June 2011, World IPv6 Launch represents a major milestone in the global deployment of IPv6. As the successor to the current Internet Protocol, IPv4, IPv6 is critical to the Internet’s continued growth as a platform for innovation and economic development.

“The fact that leading companies across several industries are making significant commitments to participate in World IPv6 Launch is yet another indication that IPv6 is no longer a lab experiment; it's here and is an important next step in the Internet’s evolution,” commented Leslie Daigle, the Internet Society’s Chief Internet Technology Officer. “And, as there are more IPv6 services, it becomes increasingly important for companies to accelerate their own deployment plans.”
ISPs participating in World IPv6 Launch will enable IPv6 for enough users so that at least 1% of their wireline residential subscribers who visit participating websites will do so using IPv6 by 6 June 2012. These ISPs have committed that IPv6 will be available automatically as the normal course of business for a significant portion of their subscribers.

Committed ISPs are:

- AT&T
- Comcast
- Free Telecom
- Internode
- KDDI
- Time Warner Cable
- XS4ALL

Participating home networking equipment manufacturers will enable IPv6 by default through the range of their home router products by 6 June 2012. Committed equipment manufacturers are:

- Cisco
- D-Link

Web companies participating in World IPv6 Launch will enable IPv6 on their main websites permanently beginning 6 June 2012. Inaugural participants are:

- Facebook (www.facebook.com)
- Google (www.google.com)
- Microsoft Bing (www.bing.com)
- Yahoo! (www.yahoo.com)

Content delivery network providers Akamai and Limelight will be enabling their customers to join this list of participating websites by enabling IPv6 throughout their infrastructure.

As IPv4 addresses become increasingly scarce, every segment of the industry must act quickly to accelerate full IPv6 adoption or risk increased costs and limited functionality online for Internet users everywhere. World IPv6 Launch participants are leading the way in this effort.
For more information about World IPv6 Launch, products and services covered, as well as links to useful information for users and information about how other companies may participate, visit: http://www.worldipv6launch.org

“During 2011, HDMI technology expanded its reach in the consumer electronics space and started to penetrate new market segments such as automotive and portable handheld devices,” said Steve Venuti, president of HDMI Licensing, LLC. “With the launch of the HDMI Forum in October of 2011, we expect to see even stronger demand for HDMI technology in the coming years.”

The HDMI Forum, Inc. was launched in October 2011 to foster broader industry participation in the development of future versions of the HDMI Specification. The organization is responsible for all new standardization activities, including development of future versions of the HDMI Specifications. Open to any interested company wishing to become a member, the HDMI Forum currently has 43 members. To find out more about becoming a member, please visit www.hdmiforum.org.

The membership recently elected 11 members to the Board of Directors. Arnold Brown of Silicon Image was elected as Chairman of the Board and Rambod Jacoby of NVIDIA was elected as President. For more information about the Forum and its leadership, please visit http://www.hdmiforum.org/board_of_directors.aspx.

“We are very pleased that in just over 2 months, 43 leading consumer electronics, PC and mobile products companies have joined the HDMI Forum,” said Rambod Jacoby, president of the HDMI Forum, Inc. “With broader participation in the development of the HDMI Specification, HDMI will continue to be the leading consumer interface for HD devices.”

Current activities include ongoing meetings with the Technical Working Group as well as the Marketing Task Group. The HDMI Forum expects to release the next version of the HDMI Specification in the second half of this year. The next version, which is focused on meeting immediate market needs, will include increased bandwidth to accommodate higher resolutions as well as address new video timings and other features. In parallel, the HDMI Forum expects to develop a longer-term roadmap that will define the next generation of the HDMI interface.

According to Corning, Gorilla Glass 2 enables up to a 20 percent reduction in glass thickness, while maintaining the industry-leading damage resistance, toughness, and scratch resistance customers have come to expect from the world’s most widely deployed cover glass. The thinner Gorilla Glass 2 enables slimmer and sleeker devices, brighter images, and greater touch sensitivity. These benefits can provide electronics manufacturers with superior design flexibility as they address consumer demand for increasingly high-performing, touch-sensitive, and durable mobile devices.

“Corning Gorilla Glass has enjoyed tremendous market adoption in the high-growth mobile handset and computing device market, providing a replacement for plastic and legacy soda-lime glass as a protective cover and elegant design solution,” said James R. Steiner, senior vice president and general manager, Corning Specialty Materials.

“We knew Corning Gorilla Glass could get even better. So, in response to our customers’ drive toward thinner form factors, we designed this new glass to enable meaningful reduction in thickness without sacrificing the outstanding glass performance for which Gorilla Glass has become highly recognized. This glass, along with Windows operating system innovations from Microsoft, will help deliver exceptional beauty, performance, and toughness for new Windows PCs. You will see this early this year with Windows-based PCs which we expect to be the first in-market laptops designed to leverage the performance of our new second-generation glass,” Steiner remarked.

Corning said product qualification and design implementation for Corning Gorilla Glass 2 are underway with its global customers, a number of whom are expected to unveil new devices using Corning Gorilla Glass 2 during the coming months.

First introduced in 2007, Gorilla Glass set the industry standard for damage-resistant cover glass. Today it is the most widely deployed cover glass, used by more than 30 major brands and designed into more than 575 product models, spanning more than 500 million units worldwide.

As one of the company’s fastest growing businesses, the company said Corning Gorilla Glass is expected to reach more than $700 million in 2011 sales, nearly triple 2010 results.

“We’re witnessing the birth of what is destined to become a broad market for full 4K end-to-end production,” said Edgar Shane, general manager of engineering. “The GY-HMQ10 is a breakthrough product that opens up 4K imaging to users who previously wouldn’t have considered it.”

High resolution 4K still picture imaging has been around for several years in DSLR cameras. Motion video capture with these cameras has always been done at a lower video resolution because of lack of processing power. Likewise, high end digital motion picture cameras may capture 4K images, but often provide a raw data output to an external storage array for later processing—again due to lack of processing power in the camera. There just hasn’t been the ability to capture, process, display and record full 4K images in real time until now.

According to JVC, the exclusive Falconbrid LSI processing takes raw image data from the camera’s CMOS device and dematrixes (deBayers) it in real time. Unlike many high end 4K cameras, the GY-HMQ10 is able to output 4K images to a monitor or projection system in real time with virtually no latency. This capability opens up applications in cinematography, medical microscopy, telepresence, specialized observation / surveillance, and live wide-view event coverage.

Using MPEG-4 technology and a variable bit rate H.264 codec operating at up to 144 Mbps, the GY-HMQ10 records up to two hours of 4K video to economical SDHC or SDXC memory cards.

In addition to 4K imaging, the GY-HMQ10 also captures and records astonishing 1080i or 1080/60p full HD, with extraordinary detail provided by its 8.3 megapixel imager and superior lens. HD is recorded on a single memory card in a format compatible with most editing systems. This combination of superb 4K and HD imaging was requested by attendees of JVC’s 4K forums, conducted throughout North America last year, and is unique in the camera industry.

Another feature requested by forum attendees was the ability to crop an HD image from a 4K frame. This can be accomplished in post production, or in real time during camera playback. The “trimming” feature makes HD cropping easy using the camera’s touch panel LCD monitor.

Similar in size to JVC’s popular GY-HM150 ProHD camcorder, the GY-HMQ10 includes a build-in F2.8 10x zoom lens with optical image stabilizer, as well as a color viewfinder and 3.5-inch touch LCD monitor with a new, intuitive user interface. The GY-HMQ10 is built in a familiar, comfortable and lightweight form factor for hours of field production with minimum fatigue.

The GY-HMQ10 is equipped with manual level controls for audio, with audio metering in the LCD and viewfinder displays. A microphone holder and two balanced XLR connectors with phantom power are located on the handle. The camera is equipped with a built-in stereo mic for ambient sound pickup.

Other features include JVC’s patented Focus Assist, as well as manual and auto control of focus, iris, gain, shutter, gamma, color matrix, and white balance. Plus, the camera has the unusual capability of live 4K output via four HDMI terminals.

“Historically, JVC has been a leader in camcorder and display technology, and the GY-HMQ10 is our latest breakthrough,” added Shane. “It’s part of a larger move at JVC to bring 4K technology to a wide range of customers.” In September 2011, JVC introduced an affordable line of 4K projectors to the home theater market. The company’s high-end 4K projectors are widely used in commercial flight simulators and planetariums. “4K is the logical step beyond HD,” said Shane. “And JVC is uniquely positioned to lead the industry in this new direction.”

Market deliveries for the The GY-HMQ10 is expected to start March, 2012 at a retail selling price of $4,995.00.

Starting today, ICANN begins accepting applications for new generic top-level domains (gTLDs). The world of .com, .gov, .org and 19 other gTLDs will soon be expanded to include all types of words in many different languages. For the first time generic TLDs can include words in non-Latin languages, such as Cyrillic, Chinese or Arabic.

Applicants will use the TLD Application System (TAS) to submit their application, in which they answer the 50 questions detailed in the Applicant Guidebook. Links to register in TAS are provided on the ICANN New gTLD page.

Schedule:
12 January: ICANN begins accepting applications
29 March: The last day to register in TAS
12 April: Final day ICANN accepts applications

ICANN said an updated version of the Applicant Guidebook was posted with the opening of the application window. The updated version incorporates clarifications made through responses previously published by the gTLD customer service center. Main points of clarification are on topics such as batching, background screening, the applicant support program, Continued Operations Instrument, GAC advice processes, and the registry code of conduct. Additional information and answers to previously asked questions can be found in the Program's Supplemental Notes. These materials are not intended to introduce new requirements or criteria. Links to both the Applicant Guidebook and the Supplemental Notes can be found at the ICANN New gTLD page.

Also available now are changes to the Applicant Support Program: limited financial assistance is offered to qualifying applicants. Through this program, applicants, especially from developing economies, have access to financial assistance in the form of an evaluation fee reduction and other in-kind or community pro bono services. The financial assistance element of the program will allow a limited number of qualifying applicants to pay a US $47,000 evaluation fee instead of the full USD $185,000. This fee reduction has been made possible because ICANN's Board of Directors has dedicated USD $2,000,000 to the program. This is a seed fund to which other organizations can donate. In response to public comment, the draft program has been updated to increase availability of refunds, make the program available to certain trademark owners, and broaden the scope for those seeking to serve the public interest. More information on the Applicant Support program can be found on the ICANN New gTLD page.

ICANN encourages all interested parties, whether applicants or observers, to refer to the New gTLD section of ICANN's website for authoritative documents, helpful resources, and latest developments. The New gTLD site is found at http://newgtlds.icann.org.

A complaint filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) specifically claims that certain of Apple’s iPhones, iPads, and iPods, and certain of HTC’s smartphones and tablets infringe Kodak patents that relate to technology for transmitting images. Kodak also alleges that certain of HTC’s smartphones infringe a patent that covers technology related to a method for previewing images which is already the subject of pending actions against Apple. Separately, Kodak filed suits today against Apple and HTC in U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York alleging the same infringement.

“As we have stated before, Kodak is the leader in digital imaging innovation and we have invested hundreds of millions of dollars creating our pioneering patent portfolio,” said Laura G. Quatela, President and Chief Operating Officer, Eastman Kodak Company. “We’ve had numerous discussions with both companies in an attempt to resolve this issue, and we have not been able to reach a satisfactory agreement."

“Our primary interest is not to disrupt the availability of any product but to obtain fair compensation for the unauthorized use of our technology,” Quatela said. “There’s a basic issue of fairness that needs to be addressed. The failure of companies to appropriately compensate Kodak for the unauthorized use of our patented technology impedes our ability to continue to innovate and introduce new products.”

Kodak has licensed patents related to digital imaging technology to more than 30 companies, including such leading mobile-device companies as LG, Motorola, Samsung and Nokia, all of which are royalty bearing to Kodak.

In the complaint against Apple and HTC, Kodak is seeking from the ITC an exclusion order preventing the importation of infringing devices, including mobile telephones and wireless communication devices featuring digital cameras. In the suits against Apple and HTC in U.S. District Court, Kodak alleges infringement of the same patents and is seeking to permanently enjoin Apple and HTC from further infringement, as well as the recovery of damages.

The complaints against Apple and HTC assert infringement of the following patents:

U.S. Patent No. 7,210,161 – “Automatically Transmitting Images from an Electronic Camera to a Service Provider Using a Network Configuration File”
U.S. Patent No. 7,742,084 – “Network Configuration File for Automatically Transmitting Images from an Electronic Still Camera”
U.S. Patent No. 7,453,605 – “Capturing Digital Images to be Transferred to an E-Mail Address”
U.S. Patent No. 7,936,391 – “Digital Camera with Communications Interface for Selectively Transmitting Images over a Cellular Phone Network and a Wireless LAN Network to a Destination”

The complaints against HTC also assert infringement of U.S. Patent No. 6,292,218 (“Electronic Camera for Initiating Capture of Still Images While Previewing Motion Images”), which is the same patent at issue in the pending ITC action initiated by Kodak in January 2010 against Apple and Research In Motion Limited.

“We remain open to negotiating a fair and amicable agreement with these companies, which has always been our preference and our practice with other licensees,” Timothy M. Lynch, Chief Intellectual Property Officer, said. “We seek to avoid litigation in our licensing programs whenever possible. But when the infringement is persistent, we will act to defend the interests of our shareholders and licensees, and to promote the fair compensation that is the bedrock of innovation.”

Last year, Panasonic Corporation, a long time Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category, announced it would partner with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) to make the London 2012 Olympic Games the first ever 3D Olympic Games.

“NBC has a history of utilizing technological innovations to distribute the Olympics in new ways for viewers,” said Gary Zenkel, President, NBC Olympics. “We are proud to continue that tradition by partnering with Panasonic and Olympic Broadcasting Services to distribute the first 3D broadcast of the Games in the U.S. in partnership with our multichannel video programming distributors.”

The 3D broadcasts, which will be produced by OBS and shown on next-day delay, will span multiple competitions throughout the London 2012 Olympic Games, including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, gymnastics, diving and swimming. OBS will produce more than 200 hours of 3D coverage during the London 2012 Olympic Games by utilizing Panasonic’s state-of-art 3D production technologies including the AG-3DP1, a P2HD professional fully-integrated twin-lens Full HD 3D camera recorder. Cable, satellite, and telco providers who receive the Olympics package may distribute the 3D broadcast via the Comcast Media Center.

"As a recognized leader in end-to-end 3D technology solutions and longtime Olympic sponsor, Panasonic is very excited to be partnering with the NBC Sports Group which is a leader and trailblazer in Olympic broadcasting,” said Joseph M. Taylor, Chairman & CEO, Panasonic Corporation of North America. “Panasonic’s expertise in 3D technology coupled with NBC’s unrivaled leadership in coverage of the Olympic Games will deliver to home viewers an unprecedented 3D Olympic experience that will make them feel as though they are right there with the world’s finest athletes as they compete. Full HD 3D is ideal for capturing the true spectacle of Olympic competition and the pageantry of Olympic ceremonies, and we are excited to be able to bring it to fans across the U.S.”

OLED emerged in the 1980s from laboratories at Eastman Kodak in the US and Cambridge University in the UK, and was first commercialized in the late 1990s. Enthusiasm has increased recently as Samsung Mobile Displays has started manufacturing active matrix OLED (AMOLED) displays in a Gen 5.5 fab and announced plans to build a Gen 8 fab (as did LG Display), and several other suppliers entered or re-entered OLED display manufacturing, including AUO, CMI, IRICO, Tianma, and BOE.

According to the report, OLEDs offer a solid-state solution for displays, lighting, and organic electronics. OLED displays can provide high contrast ratio, fast response time, wide color gamut, and wide viewing angle, while operating in a broad temperature range at low power consumption. In addition, OLED technology enables thin devices that can be both flexible and transparent.

“OLED displays operate through direct emission, as opposed to transmissive LCD or reflective displays, which enables area lighting,” said Jennifer Colegrove, PhD, Vice President of Emerging Display Technologies for NPD DisplaySearch. “The technology has made good progress and is ready to enter large-size applications, but low cost manufacturing for large sizes is still a challenge.”

OLED is now a mass-market technology in small/medium displays, particularly in smart phone applications. Investments in Gen 8 (2200 × 2500 mm) fabs indicate that AMOLED will compete in larger size applications, such as in TV and mobile PCs, within two years. Samsung released a 7.7” AMOLED tablet PC in December 2011, and more tablet and other mobile PCs are expected in 2012. LG is expected to enter the market in 2012 with a 55” AMOLED TV. With technology improvements, NPD DisplaySearch forecasts AMOLED will enter other applications as well. While nearly all AMOLEDs on the market are currently based on LTPS, several companies are developing AMOLEDs using oxide or a-Si TFT backplanes, and are likely to start production in 2012.

OLED display revenues are estimated to exceed $4 billion in 2011 (approximately 4% of flat panel display revenues), and are forecast to reach more than $20 billion (approximately 16% of the total display industry by 2018. In addition, OLED lighting gained momentum in 2011, and is forecast to reach revenues of approximately $6 billion by 2018.

According to Gibson, Onkyo's reputation of excellence for high quality audio equipment and home theater systems offers Gibson’s newly-formed Pro Audio Division substantial technology resources. Gibson said it will provide Onkyo with its marketing resources and expertise. The result being the ability to deliver a far superior audio experience to the consumer who has become more and more used to hearing only inferior compressed music through inexpensive ear bud headsets.

Through this venture, Gibson will acquire a majority of Onkyo USA (Onkyo’s exclusive distributor for North America and a distributor for Central and South America) and become the second largest shareholder in Onkyo Corporation. Gibson will make a strategic investment in the company, and Gibson Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz will be given a position on the Onkyo board of directors. Likewise, Onkyo will invest in Gibson, and CEO and President Munenori Otsuki will take a position on the company’s Board of Directors. Together, the two entities will form a Hong Kong-based joint venture focusing on design and development of unparalleled consumer audio products. Through this alliance, Onkyo USA becomes the latest addition to the Gibson Pro Audio division, which already includes KRK, Cerwin-Vega! and Stanton.

“Onkyo makes some of the world’s best audio equipment, and this partnership will give Gibson the ability to bring a deeper and more enhanced audio experience to music lovers around the world,” says Juszkiewicz. “While people may be listening to more music, they are listening to it primarily in a severely compressed format. The aural disparity between a real system and compressed sound is vast, and as a result, they are simply not hearing tremendously rich sounds. With Onkyo, our goal is to bring the same exceptional experience artists demand in the studio to a larger consumer base.”

“This partnership has significant positive implications for Onkyo as we are always seeking ways of creating new value,” says Otsuki. “Gibson is a leading global company with a massive fan base, best-in-class products and superior marketing skills. Coming together in this way opens the door for amazing opportunities for both companies and, more importantly, fans of Onkyo and Gibson.”

All agreements are subject to Japanese regulatory clearance, negotiation of definitive agreements and financing approvals of lenders.

The networks and services covered by the agreement include: ABC, ABC Family, Disney Channel, Disney XD, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN Deportes, ESPNEWS, ESPN Classic, ESPN Goal Line, ESPN Buzzer Beater, ESPN 3D, ESPN GamePlan, ESPN FullCourt and ESPN3; retransmission consent for seven ABC-owned broadcast television stations (WABC-TV New York, WLS-TV Chicago, WPVI-TV Philadelphia, KGO-TV San Francisco, KTRK-TV Houston, KTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham, and KFSN-TV Fresno) as well as more than 10 high-definition networks. Additionally, Comcast will launch Disney Junior, a new 24-hour basic channel for preschool-age children, parents and caregivers. Comcast will also provide its Xfinity TV customers with broad access to a suite of live Disney networks on an authenticated basis and expanded Xfinity On Demand content through Disney’s comprehensive TV+ initiative. In total, 70 services are covered by the broad scope of this new agreement. License fee schedules for different services under the deal will be phased in over time.

“Comcast was the first video provider to create technology that enabled us to deliver content to customers where and when they want it across any viewing experience,” said Neil Smit, President and Chief Executive Officer, Comcast Cable. “We are very pleased to have reached this unprecedented and innovative, long-term agreement with Disney which embraces the future of entertainment and allows Comcast to continue to bring our vision of TV Everywhere to Xfinity customers whether at home or on the go.”

Anne Sweeney, Co-Chairman, Disney Media Networks and President, Disney/ABC Television Group, added, “This landmark deal is a great example of what can be achieved when programmers and distributors collaborate and innovate together to meet the ever-evolving needs of consumers and enhance the viewing experience. By combining the best news, sports and entertainment content available today with cutting-edge technologies, we’re able to fully realize our comprehensive TV+ initiative, and introduce a brand new suite of authenticated services to Comcast subscribers.”

Added George Bodenheimer, Executive Chairman, ESPN, Inc., “Given the scope of assets Comcast and Disney/ABC/ESPN are making available to consumers, this agreement is unprecedented in our industry. It reinforces the value of the multichannel subscription and takes full advantage of new technologies, which serve all of our viewers.”

As part of the settlement, TiVo and AT&T agreed to dismiss all pending litigation between the companies with prejudice. The parties also entered into a cross license of their respective patent portfolios in the advanced television field.

"We are extremely pleased to reach an agreement with AT&T, which acknowledges the value of our intellectual property," said Tom Rogers, CEO and President of TiVo. "This settlement, on the heels of our recent operational success that has resulted in the growth of TiVo's overall subscriber base, is another major accomplishment for TiVo and we believe a great outcome for our shareholders. The combination of guaranteed payments and future additional fees paid to TiVo in the event that AT&T's pay TV business continues to grow in-line with consensus analyst expectations, represents hard-earned compensation for our IP enforcement efforts. The settlement also provides us rights to innovate TiVo products and services under license from AT&T and allows us to avoid significant legal expenses that we expect would have been incurred by us during and after trial."

Under the agreement, Samsung will acquire all of Sony's shares of S-LCD Corporation (S-LCD), the two companies' LCD panel manufacturing joint venture, making S-LCD a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung. In consideration for the share transfer, cash consideration of approximately KRW 1.08 trillion will be paid to Sony by Samsung. Concurrently, the two companies have entered into a new strategic agreement for the supply and purchase of LCD panels with a goal of enhancing the competitiveness of both companies. The agreement also allows Sony and Samsung to continue cooperative engineering efforts focused on LCD panel technology.

Established in April 2004, S-LCD has continued to deliver advanced and cost-competitive LCD panels to both of its parent companies, contributing to the expansion of the respective parties' TV businesses, and the large-sized LCD TV market overall. However, LCD panel and TV market conditions have now changed. In order to respond to such challenging conditions and to strengthen their respective market competitiveness, the two companies have agreed to shift to a new LCD panel business alliance.

According to Sony, this transaction will enable it to monetize its shares in S-LCD and aims to secure a flexible and steady supply of LCD panels from Samsung, based on market prices and without the responsibility and costs of operating a manufacturing facility. With whole ownership of S-LCD, Samsung anticipates heightened flexibility, speed and efficiency in both panel production and business operations.

As a result of this transaction, a non-cash impairment loss of approximately JPY 66 billion is expected to be incurred by Sony in the third quarter of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012, due to the reevaluation of its S-LCD shares. This loss includes an impact from the fluctuation of exchange rate. Despite this one-time loss, Sony estimates that the transaction will result in substantial savings on and after January 1, 2012 in respect of costs associated with its procurement of LCD panels. The current estimate of the yearly savings in respect of such costs is approximately JPY 50 billion, compared to LCD panel procurement costs estimated for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012. Neither the one-time loss nor the estimated cost savings were included in Sony's forecast of consolidated financial results for the current fiscal year ending March 31, 2012, announced on November 2, 2011. Sony said it is currently reevaluating this forecast, taking into account this transaction and other factors that might affect its full year FY2011 consolidated financial results forecast.

The share transfer and payment are targeted to close by the end of January 2012, subject to necessary approvals from regulatory authorities.

During the same forecast period, Pike Research anticipates that the electronics recycling movement will make strong progress, and the cleantech market intelligence firm forecasts that electronics recycling and reuse will rise from 122 million cubic feet (and 1.1 million tons) per year in 2010 to 789 million cubic feet (and 7.9 million tons) annually by 2025. By the early 2020s, the firm expects that recycling and reuse activity will surpass the annual volume and weight of electronic devices that become e-waste, and thus will play a large part in mitigating the e-waste crisis. However, these promising trends will still not be enough to solve the entire problem, as Pike Research anticipates that the total volume of e-waste in landfills will continue increasing throughout the period.

However, industry analyst Bob Boggio says that unwanted electronic equipment is still easily and inexpensively sent to landfill burial rather than being directed toward reuse or recycling. Trans-boundary shipments of e-waste from developed countries to developing countries continue, and the informal recovery of components and materials in developing countries remain a concern for human health and the environment. Boggio states that the gap may be narrowed in the coming years if national and regional governments modify their legislative mandates to close perceived loopholes and increase e-scrap diversion rates.

“Electronics recycling and reuse is expanding at a significant rate,” says Boggio. “The growth in responsible disposition of obsolete electronics is being driven both by environmental legislation around the world as well as the sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs of leading electronics manufacturers and service providers.”

About 95 Eastman Gel employees associated with the business will continue with the business following the closing. Included in the sale is 575,000 square foot of production space in Peabody, Mass.

Eastman Gel has been successfully managing the transition of the photographic market by increasingly expanding its sales into non-photographic categories, such as the pharmaceutical, edible protein and food/confectionary categories.

“Eastman Gelatine is a business that is well-positioned in this industry,” said Brad W. Kruchten, President, Film, Photofinishing and Entertainment Group, and Kodak Senior Vice President. “This sale is another step in our value creation program for our shareholders and enhances Kodak’s financial position.”

Kruchten noted that Rousselot is positioned to help Eastman Gelatine continue the recent growth in its sales outside the photographic industry.

“Rousselot is an ideal acquirer of Eastman Gelatine because it is strategic to them and the company is committed to growing the business for the benefit of customers and employees,” Kruchten said. “I’m very pleased that we have such a favorable outcome for all of our constituents.”

Dirk Kloosterboer, Vice Chairman of the Vion board, welcomes the acquisition of Eastman Gel as an important opportunity to strengthen Rousselot's position in both growing pharmaceutical markets and its current position in North America. "This acquisition contributes to our strategy of worldwide presence in gelatine and proximity to customers,” Kloosterboer said.

Financial details were not disclosed. Subject to customary closing conditions, the transaction is expected to close within 30 days.

The corporations — Chi Mei Innolux Corporation, Chunghwa Picture Tubes Ltd., Epson Imaging Devices Corporation, HannStar Display Corporation, Hitachi Displays, Ltd., and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Sharp Corporation, and certain affiliated entities of each corporation — agreed to pay over $538 million to settle antitrust claims brought on behalf of consumers, government entities, and other public entities by a multistate group of eight Attorneys General and private class action attorneys. Separately, five of the companies agreed to pay over $14 million to settle civil fine and penalty law claims brought by the States in their law enforcement capacities. The corporations also agreed to engage in antitrust compliance programs and to cooperate with the States' ongoing prosecution of other industry participants.

“This price-fixing scheme manipulated the playing field for businesses that abide by the rules, and left consumers to pay artificially higher costs for televisions, computers and other electronics,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Protecting the integrity of the marketplace is the only way to ensure the best outcome for New York’s consumers. That is why my office will aggressively police anti-competitive practices and hold accountable those who violate the law.”

According to New York's complaint, Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese manufacturers of thin film transistor (TFT) LCD panels, together with their U.S. affiliates, engineered a conspiracy to fix prices of TFT-LCD panels, and sold into New York millions of TFT-LCD panels at prices fixed by the cartel. TFT-LCD screens are essential components of televisions, computer monitors, and laptop screens. The vast majority of TFT-LCD products sold in New York was sold at high prices illegally fixed by the conspiracy.

Under the agreements, the companies will pay up to $37 million to compensate government and other public entities for damages resulting from the purchase of TFT-LCD panels. Up to $501 million will be available for partial refunds to compensate consumers residing in 24 states and the District of Columbia who purchased products containing TFT-LCD panels during the period beginning January 1, 1999 and continuing through December 31, 2006. Notice of how to file for partial refunds will be provided to the public at a later date.

New York's lawsuit was filed in State Supreme Court in New York County, moved to the Southern District of New York, and transferred to the Northern District of California for pretrial proceedings. According to Attorney General Schneiderman, the state will continue to pursue his lawsuit against three other corporations charged with participating in the cartel.

There are nearly 2.9 billion CE devices in U.S. households and an average of 25 devices per household, including battery-operated CE devices. Home use of CE devices equaled 13.2 percent of overall residential electricity consumption and 9.3 percent of residential primary energy consumption. Within that 13.2 percent, televisions accounted for 34 percent, PCs 16 percent, and set-top boxes 13 percent.

According to the study, the estimated installed base of televisions rose to 353 million in 2010 from 342 million in 2009, though unit energy consumption declined slightly because of the shift from legacy cathode ray tube TVs to more efficient flat-panel TVs. The energy efficiency gains of this trend were detailed in a separate study earlier this year, "Power Consumption Trends in Digital TVs."

"This landmark study provides a recent and comprehensive assessment of CE energy consumption, which is helpful to policy makers and others interested in efficiency trends," said Douglas Johnson, CEA vice president of technology policy. "Energy efficiency improvements in consumer electronics are driven by innovation, competition and market-oriented programs such as ENERGY STAR."

The study was commissioned by CEA and conducted by the Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems to quantify the electricity consumption of CE products in U.S. households in 2010. Devices covered in depth in the study include: audio-visual equipment, audio video receivers, Blu-ray players, DVD players, televisions, video game consoles, set-top boxes (cable, satellite, telco and stand-alone), computers and peripherals, PCs, computer speakers, monitors, networking equipment and printers.
"Given the quick pace of change in our industry, it is important to have a comprehensive assessment from time to time," Johnson added. "Too often we have seen unnecessary government mandates advanced on the basis of poor data and analysis. We hope this latest study is a welcome contribution to current and future policy and program discussions."

The Fraunhofer report follows a study released by the Brattle Group last month that estimates U.S. energy consumption will drop five to 15 percent by 2020. According to the authors, economists Ahmad Faruqui and Doug Mitarotonda, the drop will occur due to an increase in ENERGY STAR appliances, less usage of incandescent light bulbs, incentives that encourage users not to consume as much energy during peak hours, and other programs that raise awareness of people's energy consumption.

Affectionately known as "Mr. Baseball," Uecker is entering his 42nd year calling play-by-play on the Brewers Radio Network and Journal Broadcasting Group's WTMJ in Milwaukee. The former-player-turned-broadcaster has completed 30 seasons as the club's lead announcer, and he will celebrate his 57th year associated with professional baseball in 2012.

"Bob Uecker is a cultural icon whose remarkable talent and love for baseball have touched generations of fans," said NAB Executive Vice President of Radio John David. "We are excited to have him join the many esteemed broadcasters in the NAB's Hall of Fame."

Uecker's popularity with baseball fans, both on radio and television, afforded him other opportunities. He did color commentary and play-by-play announcing on the NBC and the ABC networks covering Monday Night Baseball, the League Championship Series, the World Series and MLB All-Star Games.

In addition to Uecker's baseball work, he was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and hosted two syndicated television shows, "Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports" and "Bob Uecker's War of the Stars." He also appeared as a spokesman for Miller Lite Beer, as the star of ABC Television's hit series "Mr. Belvedere" and in six feature films, including Major League and Major League II.

Uecker was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2001 and honored with the National Baseball Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence in 2003. The five-time Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year was also inducted into the Wisconsin Sports Hall of Fame. Uecker was also a member of the 1964 St. Louis Cardinals World Series Championship team.

Previous NAB Radio Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductees include: Gerry House, Ron Chapman, Vin Scully, Jack Buck, Harry Carey, Larry Lujack, Rick Dees, Dick Purtan and Dick Orkin.

Specifically, the revised licensing program provides for a reduced rate – from US$0.04 to US$0.0375 per disc – for Read-Only Discs (DVD-Video Discs, DVD-ROM Discs, and DVD-Audio Discs) for licensees in good standing, i.e., licensees who have no overdue or incorrect royalty reports or overdue or underpaid royalties (including back royalties) and are otherwise in compliance with their license agreement with DVD6C. This reduced royalty rate will be available to such licensees for Read-Only Discs sold or otherwise transferred during any reporting period beginning on or after July 1, 2011, provided that the licensee was in good standing as of the due date for payment of royalties for the immediately preceding reporting period or, to qualify for the reduced rate for the second half of 2011, that the licensee entered into a new license agreement incorporating the revised royalty terms and was in good standing as of January 31, 2012. Licensees shall not be considered in good standing for any period for which an audit has revealed an underpayment of royalties of greater than 3%.

According to the Group, new or existing licensees interested in receiving the reduced royalty rate may enter into a new license agreement incorporating the revised royalty terms. Only those licensees who enter into a revised agreement will be eligible for the reduced royalty rate, and only those who sign the revised agreement by, and are in good standing on, January 31, 2012, will qualify for the reduced rate for the second half of 2011.

Interested parties will remain free to negotiate individual license agreements with DVD6C’s member companies, rather than entering into a single portfolio license or license for a category of products. The member companies have committed to provide such licenses under fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms and conditions.
For further information regarding the DVD6C licensing program, please visit the 6C web site.

“Smart TVs are now pushing into the mainstream, whereas previously smart-TV buyers were largely early adopters and those from high-income households,” said Kurt Scherf, VP, principal analyst, Parks Associates. “The combination of a maturing product ecosystem with great holiday deals is putting smart TVs within the reach of the American middle class.”

The firm’s Consumer Decision Process: Holiday Intentions study reports middle-class households with annual incomes of $50,000-$75,000 are responsible for the spike in smart-TV purchase intentions. Twenty percent of middle-income households intend to purchase smart TVs this holiday season, compared to only 12% of households with incomes above $75,000.

While solid consumer interest in smart TVs may be good news for equipment manufacturers, increasing consumer access to over-the-top (OTT) video content, through sites such as YouTube, is worrisome for pay-TV providers. According to the report, consumers who intend to purchase a smart TV this holiday season are also more likely than average pay-TV subscribers to cancel or downgrade their pay-TV service within the next 12 months.

“Smart TVs expand a household's available content choices without raising content costs,” Scherf said. “Consumers pay a premium for the device now, but our research indicates these purchases could be part of a long-term plan for many budget-conscious households to reduce their overall expenditures.”

Parks Associates will present “Smart TV 2012 Outlook” at CONNECTIONS™ Summit at CES on Tuesday, January 10, 2012. Parks Associates analysts and speakers from Rovi Corporation, LG Electronics, Best Buy, and LEVEL Studios will discuss television's evolving role as the foundation of the connected home and its influence on the in-home entertainment/information experience.

“When listening to voice mail messages or other recorded content such as college lectures, people frequently complain that words are spoken far too fast to comprehend or write down and, often times, find themselves having to rewind and playback the content multiple times in order to get the information they need,” said Allen H. Gharapetian, Senior Vice President of Marketing for SRS Labs. “SRS TruSpeed is the answer to this very common complaint, allowing our manufacturing partners to add the valuable benefit of controlling the playback speed of recorded content on virtually any device that is capable of audio playback, giving consumers the ultimate control over their recorded audio content.”

According to SRS, TruSpeed is an advanced new technology that can seamlessly vary the speed of playback for recorded content from one-half to as much as two times the original speed. By slowing down the recorded content while maintaining the original pitch and tone, users can better hear individual words, numbers and details, resulting in better interpretation and intelligibility of recorded content. Designed primarily for use in mobile devices such as smartphones, media tablets, PCs, and digital voice recorders, SRS TruSpeed is beneficial for several everyday activities including playback of recorded conversations, meetings and voicemail messages, as well as for more complex tasks, like foreign language learning, or video post-synchronization of dialog in movies and commercials.

According to JVC, the LSI enables shooting and recording Full HD, including both 2D and 3D images, and also ultra-high-resolution 4K2K images of approximately four times the resolution of Full HD. High-speed photography with high-speed processing also is possible. The LSI achieves low power consumption and enables lower system costs by incorporating all image-processing technologies for HD shooting, including camera-signal processing and video/still image codecs.

Consumers are increasingly demanding HD-level TVs, camcorders and other consumer electronics products, requiring manufacturers to offer products capable of rapidly processing extra-high-resolution images of the latest standards, including 4K2K. JVC’s LSI will advance this trend by introducing next-generation image-processing technologies for both professional and consumer camcorders.

Main Features
- High-speed processing of camera signals and video/still image codecs, including Full HD 2D/3D, 4K2K and high-speed photographs. In addition to 2.7 times faster processing than previous CPU, the new CPU supports various signal-processing technologies (see below) that have been fully revised for superior high-resolution image recording
- Signal processing
- Camera-signal processing is 1.7 times faster than JVC’s previous technology, enabling 8.3-megapixel video at 60 frames per second
- H.264 video processing is double JVC’s previous technology, enabling compression of 2.07-megapixel images at 60 frames per second
- JPEG still-image processing is 5.5 times faster than JVC’s previous technology, enabling compression at up to 8.3-megapixel images at 60 frames per second
- In addition to its image-signal processor, advanced image codecs and other image-processing technologies assembled into one chip, the LSI incorporates leading-edge 40nm process technology for high functionality, 40% reduction of power consumption and 50% reduction of system costs compared to previous LSIs. The result is a high-level LSI suited to a wide range of both consumer and professional products;
- All hardware and software is integrated into one platform, enabling products that incorporate this platform to be commercialized highly rapidly.

JVC said it will exhibit a new consumer camcorder with the LSI at the 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada from January 6 to 9.

Until now, existing technologies required numerous still images from a video in order to improve a subject's resolution and enable its magnification. However, these images blur when magnified by more than 2 or 3 times (4 to 9 times the number of pixels). Therefore, significant demand remains for technologies that improve resolution and enable images to be magnified with greater clarity.

NEC said its new technologies create a super-resolution image from just one shot of a subject, such as a person's face or a car's license plate, by utilizing a database (library) of categorized images. This enables images to maintain fine details even when magnified by more than 4 times (more than 16 times the number of pixels), making it possible to distinguish small and distant subjects, which was difficult with conventional technologies. These new technologies are expected to be applied with surveillance cameras that cover such large areas as airports or traffic intersections.

Key features of these technologies are as follows:

- Creates images with fine details when highly magnified

These technologies create a library of images for subjects that are used to carry out super-resolution processing of images. In order to deal with subjects with different sizes, the library stores images with a variety of resolutions, and the best resolution images are automatically selected.

- Small size image library data

A small size image library of data that can be deployed with a variety of equipment is created from a large set of image data. Redundant images are quickly eliminated from the library, which makes the library as small as possible without affecting image quality.

Looking forward, NEC said it aims to expand the use of these technologies into a broad range of fields, including the enhancement of satellite and medical images, as the company actively promotes development of technologies that contribute to the safety and security of daily lives.

According to IP&TV, the awards are a symbol of recognition and respect in the industry. By winning an award previous winners have been able to showcase their products and services, stand out as a market leader amongst their competitors and peers and generate a lot of free advertising through headlines throughout the world and through Informa Telecoms & Media’s dedicated marketing activities.

Tufan Unal, Senior Director of Digital Media at Turkish ISP TTNET, which won Best IPTV, Hybrid or Connected TV Service Growth Achievement Award for its Web TV service 'Tivibu' in 2011, spoke to IPTV News about what the award meant to TTNET. Tufan claims, “It showed the industry that it is possible to reach the mass market with an innovative service. It is also testament to our efforts that we are on the right track with our strategies. The award gave everyone involved in creating and maintaining the service greater motivation to produce and contribute more.”

2012 successful entrants will be competing for the following award categories:

- Best TV Service Innovation

- Best Service Growth Achievement

- Best Multiscreen TV Service

- Best Multiscreen TV Solution

- Best Network Technology for IP TV

- Best Quality Improvement Solution

- Best Rights and Asset Management for TV

- Best Service Delivery Platform for IP TV-

- Best TV App

- Best Component or Enabler

- Best TV Consumer Device

Another 2011 winner, Simon Frostad, Chairman and co-founder of Bridge Technologies, also speaking to IPTV News explains why winning the Best Quality Improvement Solution for IP, Hybrid or Connected TV Award was important to his company. Simon says, “Recognition like this does help to highlight that the microVB is a one-of-a-kind product, and it really drives home the message that true end-to-end monitoring is possible – all the way from the satellite to the STB. Many digital media operators are still trying to get by without an adequate monitoring strategy, sometimes because they don’t understand the issues, and sometimes because they don’t know what the latest technology is capable of, so this award helps spread the word.”

Unlike music CDs, video DVDs are usually encrypted. It is currently a violation of the DMCA to break the encryption in order to copy the video onto another device.

Public Knowledge asked the Register of Copyright to approve an exemption for breaking the encryption so that a DVD could be copied, for noncommercial use, onto a consumer's device, such as a tablet computer or other item that doesn't have a DVD drive.

Public Knowledge's filing said: "The combination of widespread DVD ownership and trends away from DVD drives in devices leaves consumers with a dilemma: having invested tens, hundreds, or even thousands of dollars in motion picture DVDs, they are unable to play them on their newest devices. The only reasonable solution for these consumers is to copy the motion picture contained on the DVD into a format that can be viewed on the new device. Without the requested exemption, critical steps in the copying process violate the DMCA."

Public Knowledge said it made the recommendation as part of the Copyright Office's proceeding that takes place every three years to evaluate suggested exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

“Our mission is to identify a consistent approach to controlling perceived loudness and frequency response from installation to installation, and from position to position within Digital Cinema installations worldwide,” McCarty said. “And, for this to be adopted as the formal reference for all contemporary dubbing stage recording and mixing activities, and ultimately as the unified method for film reproduction at home.”

Originally addressed at AES Technical Committee meetings in London in 2010, the initiative was inspired by the AES historical involvement in film sound. The lack of electroacoustical response reference data for Digital Cinema systems was underscored by Dr. Floyd Toole’s statement, “It seems that no real science has been done in terms of Digital Cinema Sound.” Dr. Toole, Vice Chair of the committee, is developing a ½ day seminar on these issues to be held in L.A. in March that will serve as the first meeting of the committee.

McCarty underscores the point that global acousticians, engineers and systems installers have expressed the need for a working standard. “In simple terms, what is recorded digitally in the studio does NOT sound the same at the theatrical end,” McCarty says. “As an art form our goal should be consistency of sound quality. Acoustical design of theaters is typically incorrect for sound reproduction in large rooms. Current soundtrack EQ reproduction curves are inconsistent with large-room audio practice and, with the rest of the audio industry. And, loudspeaker technology typically used in theaters has yet to be optimized for proper playback of wide bandwidth soundtracks. Basically,” McCarty concludes, “the current Digital Cinema Audio System is simply not the best we can do. The AES is committed to improving this situation.”

To participate in this event or to join the AESTC-SDCTV Committee contact: Brian McCarty.

“The USB-IF is thrilled to have added the USB Audio/Visual Device Class Definition to its robust set of specifications,” said Jeff Ravencraft, USB-IF President & COO. “This addition further establishes USB as an all-inclusive, comprehensive solution for manufacturers and consumers, while maintaining the affordability and ease-of-use that have made USB so successful. Continued USB advancements along with the technology’s scalability pave the road ahead for USB.”

According to the association, USB provides consumers with an affordable, backward compatible solution that supplies not only data transfer, but also simultaneously delivers seamless audio/video capabilities, power, mass storage and more. In comparison, other technologies are designed only for a primary application. For example, many specifications are designed to just connect mobile phones and portable devices to HDTVs and displays. Additionally, the USB licensing obligation for the new Audio/Video Device Class Specification is on a reciprocal, zero-royalty basis. USB brings to market a complete solution, providing consumers with a myriad of use cases.

For more information on USB and the A/V Device Class Definition, please visit http://www.usb.org.

Scheduled for Tuesday, December 13th from 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. (EST), this webinar will be hosted by Manfrotto Distribution Product Manager, Will Holowka and is supported by the Manfrotto School of Xcellence. A must attend for any photography enthusiast, it will be run in real time on the official website of the school, www.manfrottoschoolofxcellence.com.

Webinar participants will have access to a number of exclusive advantages, including one‑on‑one interaction with the guest speakers, and automatic entry in a raffle to win one of two Rigging Remote Kits. Each kit includes: one C1575B Superclamp, a 155 Tilt Top and a C155 Safety Cable.

Registration for this webinar is now underway. To register, please visit here.

Developed through Intel and Micron's joint-development venture, IM Flash Technologies (IMFT), the new 20nm monolithic 128Gb device is the first in the industry to enable a terabit (Tb) of data storage in a fingertip-size package by using just eight die. It also provides twice the storage capacity and performance of the companies' existing 20nm 64Gb NAND device. The 128Gb device meets the high-speed ONFI 3.0 specification to achieve speeds of 333 megatransfers per second (MT/s), providing customers with a more cost-effective solid-state storage solution for today's slim, sleek product designs, including tablets, smartphones and high-capacity solid-state drives (SSDs.)

The companies also revealed that the key to their success with 20nm process technology is due to an innovative new cell structure that enables more aggressive cell scaling than conventional architectures. Their 20nm NAND uses a planar cell structure - the first in the industry - to overcome the inherent difficulties that accompany advanced process technology, enabling performance and reliability on par with the previous generation. The planar cell structure successfully breaks the scaling constraints of the standard NAND floating gate cell by integrating the first Hi-K/metal gate stack on NAND production.

The demand for high-capacity NAND flash devices is driven by three interconnected market trends: data storage growth, the shift to the cloud and the proliferation of portable devices. As digital content continues to grow, users expect that data to be available across a multitude of devices, all synchronized via the cloud. To effectively stream data, servers require high-performance, high-capacity storage that NAND delivers, and storage in mobile devices has consistently grown with increased access to data. High-definition video is one example of an application that requires high-capacity storage, since attempting to stream this type of data can create a poor user experience. These developments create great opportunities for high-performance, small-footprint storage, both in the mobile devices that consume the content and the storage servers that deliver it.

Intel and Micron noted that the December production ramp of their 20nm 64Gb NAND flash product will enable a rapid transition to the 128Gb device in 2012. Samples of the 128Gb device will be available in January, closely followed by mass production in the first half of 2012. Achievement of this milestone will further enable greater densities and overall fab output, while also helping the companies' development teams cultivate the expertise required to design complex storage solutions and refine future technologies.

“For more than 20 years, I have had the privilege to see technological innovation change the landscape of the home entertainment industry, and I thank you for this honor tonight,” said Shapiro in prepared acceptance remarks. “Through CEA and the International CES, I have seen firsthand the possibilities the industry holds for the future. Together with our partners at Variety, we can continue to produce and support innovators that are creating jobs and driving our nation once again towards economic prosperity.”

Shapiro is one of five inductees, including Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn; Hastings Entertainment President and CEO John Marmaduke; Nintendo of America; and the “Harry Potter” franchise.

Returning to the 2012 International CES from January 10-13, the second annual Entertainment Matters at CES program will shine the spotlight on the important relationship between technology manufacturers and the entertainment industry. Developed by and for the Hollywood community, Entertainment Matters at CES is designed to help film, television and digital entertainment professionals navigate the largest, most influential technology show in the world, through special tours, conference sessions, and events critical to the Hollywood community.

Entertainment industry professionals interested in registering for Entertainment Matters at CES should visit EMatCES.com. For more information on the 2012 International CES, visit CESweb.org.

The new module’s thin profile has been developed in response to the demand for portable mobile devices with ever more slender designs. The module also addresses the need for embedded cameras in these devices to deliver superior image quality and camera functionality, including connectivity to AV equipment and personal computers.

According to Sharp, the optical image stabilizer in this camera module uses a lens-shift system to control the lens inside the module. Sharp said its proprietary high-density packaging technology has made it possible to achieve the industry’s thinnest profile in this type of camera module, which is expected to help reduce the thickness of mobile devices such as smartphones.

High-quality images can be captured in a wide variety of situations that are typically prone to blurring caused by camera shake, such as shooting under dim light conditions or shooting moving subjects. The module also supports full HD (1080p) video capture, which enables smartphone owners to take high-definition video with reduced blurring and transfer the video to an LCD TV for viewing on a large screen.

The company said sample shipments of the RJ63YC100 will begin from December 2, 2011 at a price of approximately $150.00 ea.

- Imaging element 12.1-Megapixel, 1/3.2-type back-illuminated CMOS image sensor
- Module dimensions (including flexible PCB) 11.0 (W) x 11.0 (L) x 5.47 (H) mm
- Optical functions Optical image stabilization; autofocus
- Output format RAW (4-lane MIPI*2 serial output interface)
- Lens F number F 2.5; horizontal viewing angle: 61°

The 2010 National Broadband Plan observed that the use of spectrum-agile radios and other techniques can significantly increase the efficient use of radio spectrum to meet growing demand for this valuable resource. MMNs illustrate how advanced technology can enable the more efficient use of spectrum to deliver innovative new services.
Each year, millions of Americans suffer from spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, strokes, and various neuromusculoskeletal disorders. MMNs can provide effective therapy for these debilitating conditions by taking the place of damaged nerves to restore sensation, mobility, and other functions to limbs and other parts of the body. As the FCC also recognized in the 2010 National Broadband Plan, wireless technology can improve the quality of life for individuals and lower the cost of health care. Today’s action advances this broadband health care agenda.

The FCC initiated this proceeding in response to a petition from the Alfred Mann Foundation, which has built prototype MMN systems and conducted extensive testing that demonstrates that this new medical technology can reliably operate in shared spectrum to deliver vital therapies. According to the FCC, the action the commission takes today will allow devices such as those being tested by Alfred Mann to proceed on the path to patient use as well as inspire researchers to begin work on the next generation of implanted medical radio networks.

After technical analysis, the PCI-SIG has determined that 16 GT/s on copper, which will double the bandwidth over the PCIe 3.0 specification, is technically feasible at approximately PCIe 3.0 power levels. The data also confirms that a 16GT/s interconnect can be manufactured in mainstream silicon process technology and can be deployed with existing low-cost materials and infrastructure, while maintaining compatibility with previous generations of PCIe architecture. In addition, the PCI-SIG will investigate advancements in active and idle power optimizations, key issues facing the industry.

“The PCI Express architecture has become the de facto I/O technology within the industry, in large part due to PCI-SIG’s dedication to I/O innovation and the insight of those who defined earlier versions in such an extensible manner,” said Nathan Brookwood, research fellow at Insight 64. “Like its predecessors, the PCIe 4.0 architecture is well positioned to preserve the industry's investments in earlier generations of PCI Express specifications while extending the technology in a manner that enables new applications and usage models.”

Approximately 24 billion lanes of PCIe have shipped in the marketplace since its introduction−a strong testament to the industry’s reliance on PCIe architecture as an open bus standard now and for the future. This next-generation PCIe architecture, while doubling the data rate, will maintain its position as a low-cost, high-performance I/O technology. PCIe 4.0 technology will maintain backward compatibility with previous PCIe architectures and provide the optimum design point for high-volume platform I/O implementations across a wide range of existing and emerging applications. The PCIe 4.0 specification will address the many applications pushing for increased bandwidth at a low cost including server, workstation, desktop PC, notebook PC, tablets, embedded systems, peripheral devices, high-performance computing markets and more.

“Experts in the PCIe Electrical Workgroup carefully analyzed a number of target bit rates for the next generation of PCIe architecture, taking into consideration several key factors, including our ability to continue using low-cost materials. We have concluded that 16 GT/s is a feasible technical solution that satisfies our member companies’ requirements,” said Al Yanes, PCI-SIG chairman. “While the preliminary analysis is encouraging, a lot more challenging work lies ahead in developing the specifications. The PCI-SIG looks forward to providing our members with a specification that not only satisfies their high performance requirements but also meets their power, cost and compatibility goals.”

According to the association, the final PCIe 4.0 specifications, including form factor specification updates, are expected to be available sometime in the 2014-2015 timeframe.

HDCP is now found in almost every HDMI or DVI-compliant TV or computer flat screen. It serves to pass digital content from a protected source media, such as a Blu-ray, to the screen via a fully encrypted channel. There have been concerns about the security of the HDCP system for some time. In 2010, an HDCP master key, which is intended to form the secret core element of the encryption system, appeared briefly on a website. In response, the manufacturer Intel announced that HDCP still represented an effective protection component for digital entertainment, as the production of an HDCP-compatible chip using this master key would be highly complex and expensive.

That caught the attention of Bochum’s researchers. “We developed an independent hardware solution instead, based on a cheap FPGA board” explained Prof. Dr.-Ing. Tim Güneysu, who set to work with the final year student Benno Lomb. “We were able to tap the HDCP encrypted data streams, decipher them and send the digital content to an unprotected screen via a corresponding HDMI 1.3-compatible receiver.” We used the commercial ATLYS board from the company Digilent with a Xilinx Spartan-6 FPGA, which has the necessary HDMI interfaces and a serial RS232 port for communication.

In their studies, the aim was never to find a way of making illegal copies. “Rather, our intention was to fundamentally investigate the safety of the HDCP system and to financially assess the actual cost for the complete knockout” reported Prof. Güneysu. “The fact that we have achieved our goal in a degree thesis and with material costs of approximately 200 Euro definitely does not speak for the safety of the current HDCP system.”

This “man-in-the-middle” attack in which a middleman (the ATLYS FPGA board) manipulates the entire communication between the Blu-ray player and the flat screen TV without being detected is of little interest for pirates in practice due to the availability of simpler alternatives. The scientists do, however, envisage a real threat to security-critical systems, for example at authorities or in the military. Although Intel is already offering a new security system, HDCP 2.0, due to the backward compatibility, the weak point will also remain a problem in coming years, concluded Prof. Güneysu.

The team said it will be presenting their results next week at the international security conference ReConFig 2011 in Cancun, Mexico.

Bain’s survey of 3,000 consumers in France, the United Kingdom, the United States, China and India suggests that a high degree of consumer enthusiasm may have limited incremental profit potential for businesses unless new innovative ways for experiencing content are developed.

“The permanent media revolution continues,” said Patrick Behar, head of Bain’s Media & Entertainment Practice in Europe and lead author of the study. “But media and entertainment companies must pursue aggressive content development and diversification strategies to unlock new consumer spending.”

Bain finds that the biggest shift in the connected content experience will come in video. Half of respondents in the US and UK intend to rely more on search engines to find content, while one-third plan to use their network of friends to choose their favorite “must see TV.” The latter figure jumps to 45 percent for consumers in India and China, although lack of infrastructure will limit the ability of many to view video on connected devices, particularly in India. Fictional programming also lends itself particularly well to such a transition according to the survey, and our increasing connectedness with the Internet could also accelerate the development of short formats born on the web. Both amateur and professional webisodes have attracted sizeable, albeit still limited, audiences online. Thirty to 45 percent of those surveyed in Western markets expressed interest in such formats on connected devices, though nearly two-thirds are not willing to pay. In contrast, approximately three-quarters of those surveyed in India and China expressed interest in webisodes.

“A majority of consumers expressed an interest in Internet video at the expense of traditional TV channels,” said Laurent Colombani, head of Bain’s Media & Entertainment Practice in France and co-author of the study.

Video games are fertile ground for creating innovative content experiences. Forty percent of those surveyed in Western markets use a connected console or terminal and more than 60 percent of the occasional players surveyed said that they were likely to increase their game playing. Yet a generation gap will remain amongst gamers－while 60 percent of those under age 35 see themselves playing more on connected devices, fewer than 25 percent of those older than 55 agree.

Other cultural and entertainment activities, such as live entertainment and visual arts, currently have limited online options. While approximately two-thirds of Western consumers expressed strong interest in connected cultural experiences, fewer than one-third envision spending more time on such activities. Many live performances attract only small, niche audiences, which restricts the availability of options that can be produced profitably. Along similar lines, three-quarters of those planning to visit museums more frequently due to connected content are already regular visitors, whereas fewer than 18 percent of non-visitors intend to allocate more time to cultural institutions due to connected experiences. That said, roughly four times as many people said that they were willing to pay for a smart phone/tablet application as an improved museum audioguide than those paying for a museum audioguide today.

“Significant change lies ahead for the media and entertainment industry as content platforms, new entrants, and incumbents battle for profits and market share,” concluded Behar.

The CAF—with an annual budget set at no more than $4.5 billion, the same as the current universal service funding level—is expected to help connect 7 million Americans to high-speed Internet and voice in rural America over the next six years, generating approximately 500,000 jobs and $50 billion in economic growth over this period. Main Street businesses across the country will benefit from the opportunity to sell to new customers throughout the U.S.

The Order adopted by the FCC recognizes the growing importance of mobile broadband and makes it an independent universal service objective for the first time. Dedicated support to expand mobile broadband nationwide to tens of thousands of road miles where millions of Americans live, work, and travel will be provided through a new Mobility Fund.

The Order also phases down antiquated, opaque, regulated charges for the exchange of voice traffic among carriers—known as intercarrier compensation—and transitions to a simplified, uniform “bill-and-keep” framework, which removes hidden subsidies on consumers’ bills, increases efficiency, and eliminates impediments to the deployment of modern networks. Intercarrier compensation reform will provide benefits to all Americans through improved service and lower costs.

According to the FCC, the Connect America Fund will put America on the path to universal broadband and advanced mobile coverage without increasing costs. By eliminating waste and targeting support where it is most needed, these reforms keep universal service funding on a firm budget, and they will ensure rigorous accountability for Fund recipients.

The rules adopted as part of these reforms should take effect by January 1, 2012. The full Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking includes an executive summary highlighting key reforms.

According to Motorola, approximately 99 percent of the shares voting at the meeting voted in favor of the adoption of the merger agreement, which represented approximately 74 percent of Motorola Mobility’s total outstanding shares of common stock as of the October 11, 2011 record date for the Special Meeting.

Sanjay Jha, chairman and CEO of Motorola Mobility, said, “We are pleased and gratified by the strong support we have received from our stockholders, with more than 99 percent of the voting shares voting in support of the transaction. We look forward to working with Google to realize the significant value this combination will bring to our stockholders and all the new opportunities it will provide our dedicated employees, customers, and partners.”

As previously announced on August 15, 2011, Motorola Mobility and Google entered into a definitive agreement for Google to acquire Motorola Mobility for $40.00 per share in cash, or a total of approximately $12.5 billion. The Company previously disclosed that it expected the merger to close by the end of 2011 or early 2012. While the Company continues to work to complete the transaction as quickly as possible, given the schedule of regulatory filings, it currently believes that the close is expected to occur in early 2012.

Motorola added that the merger is subject to various closing conditions, and it is possible that the failure to timely meet such conditions or other factors outside of the Company’s control could delay or prevent the Company from completing the merger altogether.

NRSC-R300, Program Associated Data (PAD) Field Length Study, was developed by the Radio Broadcast Data System (RBDS) Subcommittee, chaired by Barry Thomas, vice president of engineering, Lincoln Financial Media. The principal effort was conducted within the Subcommittee's RDS Usage Working Group (RUWG), chaired by Steve Davis, senior vice president, Engineering and Capital Management, Clear Channel Radio.

An extensive PAD database developed by Clear Channel Radio was used as the basis for this study, from which over 149,000 program items were considered. The resulting Artist, Title and Album string lengths analyses are summarized in the Report using histograms and cumulative distribution functions (CDFs). This information is applicable to PAD usage in both HD Radio and RDS systems, and will help broadcasters and receiver manufacturers understand how to best transmit and display PAD.

This new NRSC Report is available free-of-charge on the NRSC's website. Additional information about the NRSC, including information on becoming a member, is also available on the website.

A team of engineers has created an electrode for lithium-ion batteries -- rechargeable batteries such as those found in cellphones and iPods -- that allows the batteries to hold a charge up to 10 times greater than current technology. Batteries with the new electrode also can charge 10 times faster than current batteries.

The researchers combined two chemical engineering approaches to address two major battery limitations -- energy capacity and charge rate -- in one fell swoop. In addition to better batteries for cellphones and iPods, the technology could pave the way for more efficient, smaller batteries for electric cars.

A paper describing the research is published by the journal Advanced Energy Materials.

“We have found a way to extend a new lithium-ion battery’s charge life by 10 times,” said Harold H. Kung, lead author of the paper. “Even after 150 charges, which would be one year or more of operation, the battery is still five times more effective than lithium-ion batteries on the market today.”

Lithium-ion batteries charge through a chemical reaction in which lithium ions are sent between two ends of the battery, the anode and the cathode. As energy in the battery is used, the lithium ions travel from the anode, through the electrolyte, and to the cathode; as the battery is recharged, they travel in the reverse direction.

With current technology, the performance of a lithium-ion battery is limited in two ways. Its energy capacity -- how long a battery can maintain its charge -- is limited by the charge density, or how many lithium ions can be packed into the anode or cathode. Meanwhile, a battery’s charge rate -- the speed at which it recharges -- is limited by another factor: the speed at which the lithium ions can make their way from the electrolyte into the anode.

In current rechargeable batteries, the anode -- made of layer upon layer of carbon-based graphene sheets -- can only accommodate one lithium atom for every six carbon atoms. To increase energy capacity, scientists have previously experimented with replacing the carbon with silicon, as silicon can accommodate much more lithium: four lithium atoms for every silicon atom. However, silicon expands and contracts dramatically in the charging process, causing fragmentation and losing its charge capacity rapidly.

Currently, the speed of a battery’s charge rate is hindered by the shape of the graphene sheets: they are extremely thin -- just one carbon atom thick -- but by comparison, very long. During the charging process, a lithium ion must travel all the way to the outer edges of the graphene sheet before entering and coming to rest between the sheets. And because it takes so long for lithium to travel to the middle of the graphene sheet, a sort of ionic traffic jam occurs around the edges of the material.

Now, Kung’s research team has combined two techniques to combat both these problems. First, to stabilize the silicon in order to maintain maximum charge capacity, they sandwiched clusters of silicon between the graphene sheets. This allowed for a greater number of lithium atoms in the electrode while utilizing the flexibility of graphene sheets to accommodate the volume changes of silicon during use.

“Now we almost have the best of both worlds,” Kung said. “We have much higher energy density because of the silicon, and the sandwiching reduces the capacity loss caused by the silicon expanding and contracting. Even if the silicon clusters break up, the silicon won’t be lost.”

Kung’s team also used a chemical oxidation process to create miniscule holes (10 to 20 nanometers) in the graphene sheets -- termed “in-plane defects” -- so the lithium ions would have a “shortcut” into the anode and be stored there by reaction with silicon. This reduced the time it takes the battery to recharge by up to 10 times.

This research was all focused on the anode; next, the researchers will begin studying changes in the cathode that could further increase effectiveness of the batteries. They also will look into developing an electrolyte system that will allow the battery to automatically and reversibly shut off at high temperatures -- a safety mechanism that could prove vital in electric car applications.

The technology could be seen in the marketplace in the next three to five years, the researchers said.

Pursuant to the definitive agreements, all of the issued shares of certain subsidiaries of Hitachi, Sony and Toshiba engaged in the small- and medium-sized display business (i.e., Hitachi Displays, Ltd., Sony Mobile Display Corporation and one other Sony subsidiary, and Toshiba Mobile Display Co., Ltd., collectively referred to as the “Subject Subsidiaries”) and other assets are planned to be transferred to Japan Display, in which each of the four companies INCJ, Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi will invest. INCJ, as a public-private partnership that provides financial, technological and management support for next-generation businesses, will invest a total of 200 billion yen in Japan Display in exchange for shares to be newly issued to INCJ by Japan Display as a third-party allotment.

According to INCJ, Japan Display is expected to utilize the world’s best high value-added technologies of the Subject Subsidiaries and establish new production lines by utilizing funds provided by INCJ, in order to meet the market demand for high value-added products. In addition, through efficient use of the existing production capabilities of the Subject Subsidiaries, Japan Display aims to improve its cost competitiveness to solidify its position as a global leading company in the small- and medium-sized display market.

The business is scheduled to begin operations in Spring of 2012, subject to the receipt of any necessary government approvals.

One-Blue administers the licensing program for patents essential to Blu-ray Disc products and is the joint licensing agent of its licensors. For hardware and software products, the product license covers Blu-ray Disc, DVD and CD essential patents; for disc products, the product license covers Blu-ray Disc essential patents. One-Blue promotes itself as an innovative patent pool that levels the playing field, reduces costs, and fosters fair use of the patent system in the entire optical disc sector.

“One-Blue is proud to announce that LGE has joined our licensing program as a licensor. LGE is a pioneer in the development and implementation of Blu-ray Disc technology and contributes many important patents to our pool”, says Roel Kramer, CEO of One-Blue.

“LGE is pleased to join One-Blue as a licensor. We take pride in the contribution that LGE has made in Blu-ray Disc technology and the many patents resulting from such technical contribution,” said Jeong-Hwan Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of IP Center of LG.

One-Blue added that any holder of patents essential to optical formats used in Blu-ray Disc products is invited to submit patents for evaluation and join the licensing program as a new licensor. Any company interested in obtaining licenses for one or more Blu-ray Disc products under the One-Blue product licensing program is requested to contact One-Blue.

The workshop, titled "Motion Imagery Strategies in Broadcast", will examine how broadcasters strategically plan and manage the production of content for complex "Pooled" events. The process involves sorting through content from multiple sources, producing, managing and distributing multimedia content and full motion video (FMV) in minutes.

Broadcast industry professionals (editorial and technical) will join government experts to discuss topics such as best practices, workflow, user generated content, hardware needs, staff training and more. Case studies will also look at strategic planning, coordination, tradecraft skills and infrastructure required to produce accurate and compelling content for various audiences.

Presenters will include:

- Paul DePietro, coordinating director, ESPN Event Operations
- Peter Doherty, senior producer, NAC/Telecon Operators News, ABC Television
- Gary Nadler, general manager digital & wireless, ABC TV
- Frank Governale, vice president of operations, CBS News
- Mel Olinsky, director of bureau operations, CBS News
- Donnie Self,chief, senior assimilation division, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
- Donald Hudson, technical director, USAF

"Motion Imagery Strategies in Broadcast" will be held on December 1 from 8:00 - 5:00 at NAB headquarters in Washington, DC. For additional information and to register online go to http://www.nabshow.com/2012/about/motion-strategies.asp.

While PC remains the dominant screen for online viewing overall, transferring this experience to the big screen is becoming increasingly popular and is a key driver of consumption of filmed entertainment delivered via IP. Twelve percent of US households use games consoles to watch online content, more than the percentage of US households that connect PCs to TV via HDMI, according to a recent report from the Strategy Analytics Connected Home Devices (CHD) service, “Multiscreen Connected TV: Assessing Device Usage and Ownership.”

In the report, Strategy Analytics found that 65 percent of US-based weekly Xbox 360 users under the age of 25 access online TV shows and movies primarily via games consoles–even more than they do on desktop or notebook PC screens. “These findings indicate significant levels of consumer demand for such services. The upcoming Xbox TV launch for the holiday season will demonstrate an expansion of the partnership between the games consoles and the online TV and video industries,” says Jia Wu, Senior Analyst. Games consoles have already become the key media hub in US households.”

Ed Barton, Director of Digital Media Strategies (DMS) at Strategy Analytics, added, “Device-led digital content services are proliferating in the modern entertainment ecosystem. Both manufacturers and service providers are scrambling to optimize their strategies. Xbox Live content expansion addresses the desires of an increasingly demanding customer base and offers more reasons than ever to use the Microsoft box as opposed to its myriad alternatives. Competition will intensify through 2012 as rival opportunities are brought to market.”

While the financial details were not disclosed, Kodak will have continuing access to the image sensor technology involved in this transaction for use in its own products. Kodak has previously communicated that it would sell assets that are not central to its transformation to a profitable, sustainable digital company. This sale is aligned with that strategy to generate cash to complete the transformation.

Included in the sale is a 263,000 square foot facility in Eastman Business Park in Rochester, N.Y., that houses manufacturing and research facilities.

According to Kodak, the ISS business develops, manufactures, and markets the world’s highest performance solid state image sensor devices. Over the past 30 years, Kodak’s image sensors have delivered unrivaled image quality and innovative features for use in a broad range of demanding imaging applications. From precision manufacturing inspection to digital radiography, from earth imaging satellites to traffic monitoring, from the world’s highest performing studio photography cameras to DNA sequencing systems, customers around the world rely on high-performance products from ISS in the most mission-critical applications.

Platinum Equity is a global M&A& firm specializing in the merger, acquisition and operation of companies that provide services and solutions to customers in a broad range of business markets.

“Image Sensor Solutions is a business that is well-positioned in the high-performance imaging markets in which it participates,” said Pradeep Jotwani, President, Consumer Digital Imaging Group, and Senior Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. “This sale maximizes shareholder value by obtaining a full and fair valuation for this business, and allows Kodak to increase its financial flexibility.”

Jotwani noted that Platinum Equity brings significant financial and operational resources to the ISS business and a comprehensive plan to ensure its continued success.

“Platinum Equity is an ideal acquirer of Kodak’s ISS business because they are committed to the success of the business for the benefit of customers and employees,” Jotwani said. “I’m very pleased that we have such a favorable outcome for all of our constituents.”

Platinum Equity focuses on acquiring businesses that can benefit from the firm’s extensive in-house capability and expertise in transition, integration and operations.

“This is a great opportunity to acquire a business with an impressive record for delivering innovative solutions to customers around the world,” said Brian Wall, the partner at Platinum Equity who led the team pursuing the acquisition. “The ISS business has a strong management team with the right vision for leading the company into the future. We share their commitment to product development and customer service and are committed to helping the business realize its full potential.”

Wall said Platinum Equity’s experience managing complex transitions from corporate parent companies will benefit employees, customers and other partners.

“Our operations group will work hand-in-hand with the management team to ensure a seamless transition while allowing the organization to stay focused on delivering world class imaging products and solutions,” said Wall. “We are proud to have forged a unique divestiture solution in partnership with Kodak that serves the best interests of everyone involved.”

Compound solar cells utilize photo-absorption layers made from compounds consisting of two or more elements, such as indium and gallium. Because of their high conversion efficiency, compound solar cells have been used primarily on space satellites.

Since 2000, Sharp has been pursuing research and development of a triple-junction compound solar cell that achieves high conversion efficiency by stacking three photo-absorption layers. In 2009, Sharp succeeded in improving cell conversion efficiency to 35.8% based on proprietary technology that enabled efficient fabrication of a stacked triple-layer structure with InGaAs (indium gallium arsenide) as the bottom layer.

According to the company, this latest increase in conversion efficiency was achieved by improving the maximum power output of the solar cell by reducing the resistance of the junction areas necessary to connect the solar cell layers in series.

Sharp said it achieved the breakthrough as a result of a research and development initiative promoted by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) on the theme of “R&D on Innovative Solar Cells.” Measurement of the value of 36.9%, which sets a new record for the world’s highest non-concentrating conversion efficiency, was confirmed at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).

In the future, processes for transferring ultra-thin photovoltaic layers onto film substrates will make lightweight, flexible solar cells possible. Sharp added that the goal in the years to come is to take full advantage of this latest development success for use in concentrator-type solar cells, as well as for practical applications such as on space satellites and for flight craft and land vehicles.

According to Canon, movie recording has been a standard feature in all newly introduced Canon EOS-series digital SLR cameras since the launch of the EOS 5D Mark II in November 2008. Coupled with the diverse array of lenses in Canon’s current interchangeable EF lens lineup, this feature has heralded rich visual expressive possibilities, delivering such characteristics as beautiful image blur and low noise while also garnering kudos for the mobility and maneuverability made possible through the cameras’ compact and lightweight body designs.

Canon said the impressive images created by the combination of Canon EOS digital SLR cameras and EF lenses, known as “EOS Movies,” have already earned their screen credentials on the sets of multiple productions, from television commercials and artist promotion videos to episodic dramas and even major motion pictures.

The announcement coincides with the launch of the Cinema EOS System, marking Canon’s full-fledged entry into the digital high-resolution production industry. The new professional digital cinematography system spans the lens, digital cinema camera and digital SLR camera product categories.

The company added that further details regarding the new EOS digital SLR camera currently under development, including the product name, specifications and scheduled launch date, have yet to be decided.

Bond is a camera-top cellular bonding solution that fits in the palm of your hand. The device supports up to five 3G or 4G modems simultaneously from multiple carriers worldwide and is designed to seamlessly integrate with Teradek's award-winning Cube video encoder. This combination incorporates cutting edge technologies such as low power hardware H.264 HD video compression, advanced streaming options like RTMP and MPEG-TS, and Teradek's Adaptive Internet Streaming technology, which dynamically adjusts bit rate and buffering in real time to handle volatile network conditions. To manage Bond's multiple data streams Teradek has developed Sputnik, a free proprietary de-bonding software solution that runs on any Linux server or is hosted in the cloud to reassemble data into a single RTMP or MPEG-TS stream. This allows users to transmit video to any broadcast decoder, including Teradek's SDI Cube decoder, or straight to the web via many popular CDNs.

"We designed Bond to overcome the bulky hardware and high cost commitments that are common with existing bonding solutions," said Nicol Verheem, CEO of Teradek. "Bond's small size, ease of use, and affordability makes it an ideal solution for ENG backhaul, sports broadcasts, and live events coverage. Bond allows enterprise content providers to expand the number of field reporters their satellite truck fleet can support and enables independent content producers to enter this market as well. We are very excited to liberate live video production this way."

According to Teradeck, Bond will be on display in Teradek's booth 14 & 15 at Streaming Media West and booth 342 for Worship Facilities Expo. Bond is available now for evaluation and will ship in quantity December 2011 for $2490 each. Sputnik is a free download available from Teradek.

The FNPRM seeks comment on proposals that would reduce burdens on the broadcast industry. The Further Notice proposes to streamline the information broadcasters will need to provide by requiring the Commission to import information already filed with the FCC, and exempts certain items from being posted online such as letters and emails from the public. It further seeks comment on posting sponsorship identification information, now disclosed only on-air, and shared services agreements online as part of the public inspection file hosted by the Commission.

The FCC’s said the action is consistent with the government-wide effort to increase transparency, and the FCC’s broader efforts to modernize data and move its processes from paper to digital. The Commission seeks comment on any other revisions or additions to its rules that would make the information about broadcast service more accessible to the public, improving the dialogue between broadcast stations and the communities they serve while reducing compliance burdens on broadcasters.

Facilitated by the National Association of Broadcasters, the Coalition unites organizations that have expressed concern that legislative and regulatory initiatives currently under discussion in Washington could jeopardize the future of over-the-air broadcasting. In addition to promoting local broadcasters' ability to reach all members of their communities, Coalition members promote policies that preserve viewer access to new initiatives made possible by the analog-to-digital transition. Completed two years ago, the DTV transition has enabled broadcasters to offer new services such as high-definition programming, digital multicast channels and mobile DTV.

"Broadcasters are just now unveiling the new innovative services made possible by the DTV transition, which has enabled the promotion of more community voices on local television," said National Association of Broadcasters President and CEO Gordon Smith. "The members of this coalition understand the importance and benefit of preserving this expansion of consumer choice on television. We look forward to working with the Coalition to help policymakers understand the enduring value of broadcasting and ensuring that our best and brightest days are still ahead."

The members of the Coalition are: Antennas Direct, Bounce TV, The Center for Asian American Media, County Executives of America, The Country Network, Digitenna, DLT Entertainment Limited, LATV Networks & American Latino Syndication, Luken Communications, MHz Networks, Native American Public Telecommunications, New York Television Festival, Open Mobile Video Coalition, Pacific Islanders in Communications, Qubo, This TV and Vme Media.

"The Coalition represents a broad range of interests invested in strengthening broadcasters' ability to deliver high-quality local news, weather, sports and emergency information," said Smith. "We anticipate the organization will grow considerably over time as broadcasting evolves onto new mobile platforms and local TV stations continue to expand programming choices."

The joint venture will be responsible for the design, manufacturing, distribution, marketing and sales of Philips’ Television worldwide, with the exception of mainland China, India, United States, Canada, Mexico and certain countries in South America. As part of this transaction, the Philips Television innovation and manufacturing sites, commercial organizations, headquarters and employee base of 3,500 will be transferred into the joint venture.

Key Terms and Conditions of the Transaction:

- Philips will grant the joint venture the right to use the Philips brand for an initial term of five years with an automatic
renewal for another five years, subject to the joint venture meeting certain key performance indicators.

- As of the second year of the license term, the annual royalty payable will be 2.2% of sales with a minimum of EUR 50
million per year.

- Upon completion of the transaction, TPV will obtain 70% of the shares in the joint venture for a deferred purchase
price. This price will be calculated as 70% of an amount equal to four times the joint venture’s average annual EBIT.
This right can be exercised at any time as of three years from the completion of the transaction. In addition, at any
time after six years from completion, Philips has an option to sell the remaining 30% shareholding in the joint venture
for a consideration calculated as 30% of the same formula.

- Both shareholders will provide funding to the joint venture on a pro-rata basis. This consists of a EUR 100 million
equity contribution and EUR 170 million subordinated shareholder loans. Depending on the funding need of the joint
venture additional EUR 200 million senior shareholder loans can be made available.

- Given that pre-closing customer receivables will remain with Philips, Philips will provide a nine-month EUR 100 million
senior bridge loan to the joint venture. Any potential extension beyond the nine months of this loan will be on a pro
rata basis.

- Philips will provide a EUR 100 million subordinated loan to TPV.

- Within the first two years, Philips will provide EUR 185 million one-off advertising and promotion support for the TV
business as an investment in the Philips brand. This amount is part of the deal result.

“I am pleased that we have now signed the Television joint venture agreement with TPV. This agreement is important for both Philips and TPV and provides clarity to our consumers, trade partners and employees,” said Philips Chief Executive Officer Frans van Houten. “This joint venture leverages the strengths of both companies to improve the position of Philips Television in the market. It enables Philips to focus on expanding market leadership positions across our Healthcare, Consumer Lifestyle and Lighting sectors.”

According to Philips, closing of the deal, which is expected at the end of the first quarter of 2012, will take place after necessary merger clearance, governmental and TPV shareholder approvals are obtained. As a result of this transaction, Philips will report a pre-tax negative deal result in the fourth quarter of approximately EUR 270 million in addition to approximately EUR 110 million that was already charged in previous quarters. This result includes separation costs of approximately EUR 100 million.

In the coming years Singulus said it expects significant growth in demand for Blu-ray discs. According to the German Association of Audiovisual Media, for the high-definition format exceeded the triple-digit million Euro mark for the first time in Germany with Blu-ray sales of € 104 million (€ 82 million in 2010) in the first half of 2011. Currently, more than every sixth Euro of sales is generated with sales of Blu-ray discs. Since most of the new movies like the new Harry Potter in 2D and 3D, the Star Wars Saga, X-Factor for example and many more are only released in the second half of 2011, the company projects a further increase of Blu-ray sales figures in the next couple of months. More than 5,500 movies are currently available on Blu-ray disc in Germany, by the end of the year, a further 849 Blu-ray discs are due to be released.

The US is currently the biggest sales market for Blu-ray discs. According to studies of Digital Entertainment Group (USA), the sales figures in the US Blu-ray market grew by 10% in the first half-year of 2011 compared with the same period one year ago. Futuresource Consulting forecasts a global production of 811 million Blu-ray discs in 2011 – an increase of 38% compared with 2010. In the US, the biggest Blu-ray market, the production volume is even set to expand by 49%. Similar growth figures are projected for Europe in 2011. In addition, the market research institute expects the minimum required global production capacity of machines for the manufacturing of Blu-ray discs to grow from about 1.274 billion discs in 2010 to 1.736 billion discs in 2011. Futuresource expects 2.952 billion discs by 2015.

The test will be conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The test will start at approximately 2 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) and may last up to three and a half minutes.

The purpose of the test is to help government organizations and EAS Participants (radio and TV broadcast stations, cable operators and satellite radio and TV) to determine the reliability of the EAS system. It is not a "pass-fail" exercise. However, the first National EAS Test will serve as a benchmark for measuring the effectiveness of the EAS system, and for improvements in the EAS system going forward. FEMA and the FCC intend to conduct National EAS Tests on an annual basis (although not always on November 9).

Broadcasters are the "backbone" of the EAS system. It is critical that radio and television stations put their best foot forward during the test. Therefore, all radio and television stations should prepare in advance for the National EAS Test.

To that end, here is a simple checklist of useful, important information to assist your station during every phase of the test.

Pre-Test

- Check your EAS equipment. Stations should immediately check the functionality of their EAS equipment (encoder/decoder, end-to-end connections).

- Check your EAS Sources. Stations should immediately review the sources they monitor for EAS messages, such as Primary Entry Point (PEP) stations, Local Primary (LP-1 or LP-2) stations or National Public Radio's EAS Cue (Squawk) Channel. Stations should check their ability to receive messages from these sources and retransmit those messages.

- Local Coordination. Stations should coordinate with their local EAS Participant community (such as your state broadcasters association) for any locally-relevant information related to the nationwide EAS test.

- FEMA EAS Toolkit. FEMA has produced an EAS Test Toolkit that provides useful information on the history and role of EAS, and key messages, talking points, and FAQs regarding the nationwide EAS test. Click here to download the toolkit.

- Public Awareness. The broadcasting industry has pledged to help increase public awareness of the nationwide EAS test. NAB has worked with FEMA and the FCC on the production and distribution of public service announcements (PSAs) designed to promote awareness.

EAS Test Day

- Nationwide EAS Test Handbook. The FCC has produced an EAS Handbook designed for use during the nationwide EAS test.

Please consult the FCC's Public Notice announcing the Handbook for further information. Stations should use this new guide, not the preexisting "EAS Handbook" you already have, for the National EAS Test on November 9, 2011.

- FEMA EAS Best Practices Guide
Television EAS Slide. The text crawl that is automatically generated by your EAS equipment when it receives the live code used for the National EAS Test will not indicate that the November 9 event is only a test. Television stations should insert a background slide behind the crawl clearly indicating that this is only a test. Stations may tailor their own graphic using similar text if desired.

Therefore, NAB has worked with FEMA and the FCC to design on-screen language for television stations to insert during the nationwide EAS test. Television stations should either insert this slide or tailor their own visual slide using the text indicated on this slide.

- Radio. Sample text of the EAS Test audio message can be found in the FCC's EAS Handbook.

Post-Test

- Reporting. All EAS Participants must report to the FCC on the results of their participation in the nationwide EAS test within 45 days after the test, including whether, and from whom, they received the alert message and whether they rebroadcast it. This information will remain confidential.

Please consult the FCC's Public Notice announcing the Reporting System for further information. This Public Notice also contains information on how to submit your test results data in paper form.

According to Sony, the transaction gives the company an opportunity to rapidly integrate smartphones into its broad array of network-connected consumer electronics devices – including tablets, televisions and personal computers - for the benefit of consumers and the growth of its business. The transaction also provides Sony with a broad intellectual property (IP) cross-licensing agreement covering all products and services of Sony as well as ownership of five essential patent families relating to wireless handset technology.

As part of the transaction, Ericsson will receive a cash consideration of EUR 1.05 billion.

During the past ten years the mobile market has shifted focus from simple mobile phones to rich smartphones that include access to internet services and content. The transaction is a logical strategic step that takes into account the nature of this evolution and its impact on the marketplace.

This means that the synergies for Ericsson in having both a world leading technology and telecoms services portfolio and a handset operation are decreasing. Today Ericsson’s focus is on the global wireless market as a whole; how wireless connectivity can benefit people, business and society beyond just phones. Consistent with that mission, by setting up a wireless connectivity initiative, Ericsson and Sony will work to drive and develop the market’s adoption of connectivity across multiple platforms.

“Ten years ago when we formed the joint venture, thereby combining Sony’s consumer products knowledge with Ericsson’s telecommunication technology expertise, it was a perfect match to drive the development of feature phones. Today we take an equally logical step as Sony acquires our stake in Sony Ericsson and makes it a part of its broad range of consumer devices. We will now enhance our focus on enabling connectivity for all devices, using our R&D and industry leading patent portfolio to realize a truly connected world” said
Hans Vestberg, President and CEO of Ericsson.

The transaction, which has been approved by appropriate decision-making bodies of both companies, is expected to close in January 2012, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

According to the association, the current HDMI licensing model provides access to critical intellectual property at a minimal cost for those who adopt and implement the HDMI Specification. For that reason, Adopters of the HDMI 1.4 Specification will see no change in their day-to-day business as it relates to their interaction with HDMI Licensing, LLC. Current Adopters who wish to license future versions of the Specifications will be able to do so under a similar model.

“With over 1,100 adopters of the technology, and over 2 billion HDMI-enabled products shipped since launching the standard in 2003, the HDMI Founders strongly believe that the next leap in growth will come with broader industry participation,” said Steve Venuti, president of HDMI Licensing, LLC. “Due to the overwhelming success of the HDMI Specification and the increased adoption of the standard in a wide variety of applications and industries, the HDMI Founders decided to establish the HDMI Forum, a new organization where interested companies can become an integral part of the development process.”

Membership in the HDMI Forum is open to any interested company wishing to become a member. To find out more about the Forum, the benefits of membership, membership fees, or to download a participation agreement, visit www.hdmi.org and click on the HDMI Forum link or visit http://www.hdmiforum.org/.

When the brightness of the new white LED, "CLL-050 Series," is at its maximum, the input power and luminous efficiency are 183.9W and 96lm/W - when light is continuously emitted from the LED and the case temperature is 77°F.

The LED has a general color rendering index (Ra) of 65 and a color temperature of 5,000K. The maximum brightness of Citizen's existing white LEDs that are designed to emit a large amount of light is 4,390lm. So, the company improved brightness by four times.

Also, Citizen said it will provide white LEDs whose Ra is 80 and color temperature ranges from 2,700 to 5,000K. Though they have lower brightnesses than the white LED with an Ra of 65, even the LED with a color temperature of 3,000K has a brightness of 14,290lm.

The dimensions and thickness of the CLL-050 Series are 38 x 38mm and 1.4mm, respectively. Its input power ranges from 24.6 to 183.9W. When the input power is 24.6W, the luminous efficiency of the LED with an Ra of 65 is about 117lm.

The CLL-050 Series has a circular light-emitting layer at the center of its quadrangular package. It has a structure in which multiple blue LED chips are mounted on an aluminum substrate and the entire device is covered with resin mixed with a fluorescent material.

For the former product, Citizen arranged blue LED chips in a quadrangular shape on the circular light-emitting layer. But, this time, the company arranged them in a circular shape so that light emission does not become spotty when the white LED is mounted on an apparatus.

In addition to the CLL-050 Series, Citizen also announced four series of white LEDs that have different packages. Their maximum brightnesses are 590, 1,970, 5,780 and 12,915lm, respectively. Because the five series cover brightnesses from 95 to 17,675lm, it is possible to replace a wide variety of lamps from a 10W incandescent light bulb to 300W mercury lamp, the company said.

Product demonstrations will be held during the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair 2011 from October 27, 2011. Availability of the new LED series was not immediately known.

The number of BD3D titles sold in retail to U.S. consumers is projected to reach almost 4.5 million units at the end of 2011, up from just 500,000 units in 2010 when BD3D first appeared. Prospects remain very bullish for the high definition 3-D format, with retail sales expected to more than double in 2012. High double-digit growth in the years ahead will ensue, and by 2015 over 25 million BD3D units will be sold annually. While BD3D will always remain a relatively small part of overall Blu-ray sales, the premium format project will enjoy rapid growth in the next five years.

A total of 64 BD3D title releases have been confi rmed so far for 2011, compared to 37 for all of last year, and the number of BD3D releases has remained fairly steady at approximately 25 every six months.

Meanwhile, the number of titles bundled exclusively with 3-D hardware has been falling steadily. Although “Avatar,” the most popular 3-D movie of all time, remains available just through 3-D hardware bundles with Panasonic, only “Megamind” chose to join the exclusive bundling route among the year’s entire crop of releases, joining “Shrek Forever” in a bundle deal with Samsung.

Given Disney’s recent announcement of the release of a further four BD3D titles—the “Toy Story” trilogy as well as “Cars 2”—the total number of retail BD3D films available in the United States this holi­day season will be close to 100. The release of movies on BD3D currently follows an average theatrical­to-video window of slightly more than 11 weeks, or about fi ve months.

While animation accounted for 20 of the 37 BD3D titles released last year, the pendulum is swinging in 2011 in favor of live-action films. The number of animated BD3D titles in 2011 is unchanged at 20, but live-action BD3D movies will more than double to 44, IHS Screen Digest research indicates.

Among live-action movies, IMAX documentaries make up the most dominant single genre, account­ing for 19 titles. However, if the action, adventure-horror and sci-fi genres were all combined into a single special-effects-laden category, the newly merged total would result in 27 titles overall. In comparison, just five live-action titles fall into the family/drama category.

The studio with the largest number of BD3D movies in its roster is Disney with 20, including 15 animated titles to date plus five live-action movies, followed by Warner Bros with 13, and Sony with 12.

All told, the number of BD3D titles being released remains small compared to the 135 titles delivered on the original Blu-ray Disc (BD) format during the BD launch year in the United States in 2006, and to the 295 BD titles that came the following year in 2007. Unlike BD, however, BD3D does not have ac­cess to the same depth of catalog. Movies being considered for release on the high-defi nition BD format could draw on the entire theatrical movie catalog—as well as on a growing list of dedicated movies, TV series and documentaries shot in high definition. In contrast, BD3D is restricted to titles filmed in native 3-D, or to those produced in 2-D and subsequently converted into 3-D—a combined category that so far amounts to no more than 100 titles, IHS Screen Digest estimates.

With such restrictions, BD3D is likely to remain a niche product for the foreseeable future—albeit one that should continue to be able to command a premium price. Nonetheless, 3-D-capable households in the United States will continue to grow in number, and retail shelves also can expect increased BD3D availability in the future.

Members are drawn from all sectors of the imaging ecosystem, and they include many household-name multi-nationals as well as small innovative technology companies. I3A said Intel will be an active member of I3A’s Mobile Imaging Interest Group and its Camera Phone Image Quality (CPIQ) Initiative, due to its role within the visual computing continuum.

"I'm very pleased to welcome Intel as an active participant in I3A. Intel’s contributions will be especially appreciated in this key phase of our CPIQ efforts," said I3A President Lisa Walker. "As an innovator in the semiconductor industry, Intel's participation will be a real asset to help drive I3A's future direction and strategy. I look forward to gaining the insights Intel will bring to our Board of Directors."

I3A Interest Groups map to the markets and technology that are of interest to specific groups of I3A members, and Interest Group Initiatives enable the rapid development of consortium standards and other programs, delivering quick and unique solutions to the market that are unavailable through other processes. The Mobile Imaging Interest Group was created to maximize the usability and performance of mobile images and to overcome any barriers created by combining image capture with mobile capabilities.

Within the Mobile Imaging Interest Group, I3A's Camera Phone Image Quality (CPIQ) Initiative is developing a standardized means of measuring and communicating image quality by producing a complete set of image quality testing metrics and methodologies, enabling a consumer-oriented image quality rating system. The rating system will provide a tool for translating and distilling the complex set of measurements into a rating that consumers can quickly and easily understand, to aid in selection of camera phones. The technical specifications developed by CPIQ to date are available from I3A's Resources Store, located at http://www.i3a.org/resources/.

Speaking at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce last week, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said: “The spectrum crunch is the single biggest threat to one of the most promising parts of our economy. There’s much we need to do to free up spectrum for mobile broadband, but the single biggest step is voluntary incentive auctions.

“Under this proposal from our National Broadband Plan, spectrum licensees like broadcasters could voluntarily contribute underused spectrum to an auction, in exchange for a share of the proceeds from the auction. It's an incentive-based approach, grounded in strong free-market principles, that would free up large blocks of beachfront spectrum for mobile broadband while preserving a strong and healthy TV business, and generating $25 billion in potential deficit reduction, plus at least ten times that in economic benefits.

“This proposal enjoys broad and bipartisan support. Companies representing a trillion dollars in revenue have supported it, from mobile to tech to consumer electronics. More than 110 of the nation’s leading economists have endorsed it, including Nobel Prize winners and former members of both Republican and Democratic administrations. It’s also won the support of a number of major TV networks and station owners that recognize that these auctions would be a win-win.”

Click here to view the new Infographic - "Spec it Out!".

It’s like packing your clothes in your suitcase when you travel. The neater you pack them the more you can carry. In the same way, the team of scientists has used nanopatterning to closely pack more of the miniature structures that hold information in the form of bits, per unit area. Dr Joel Yang’s IMRE research team, working with peers from A*STAR’s DSI and NUS, has used nanopatterning to create uniform arrays of magnetic bits that can potentially store up to 3.3 Terabit/in2 of information, six times the recording density of current devices. This means that a hard disk drive that holds 1 Terabyte (TB) of data today could, in the future, hold 6 TB of information in the same size using this new technology.

Conventional hard disks have randomly distributed nanoscopic magnetic grains - with a few tens of grains used to form one bit – that enable the latest hard disk models to hold up to 0.5 Terabit/in2 of information. The IMRE-led team used the bit-patterned media approach, where magnetic islands are patterned in a regular fashion, with each single island able to store one bit of information.

“What we have shown is that bits can be patterned more densely together by reducing the number of processing steps”, said Dr Joel Yang, the IMRE scientist who heads the project. Current technology uses very tiny ‘grains’ of about 7-8 nm in size deposited on the surface of storage media. However, information or a single bit, is stored in a cluster of these ‘grains’ and not in any single ‘grain’. IMRE’s bits are about 10nm in size but store information in a single structure.

The method has been demonstrated to achieve data-storage capability at 1.9 Terabit/in2, though bits of up to 3.3 Terabit/in2 densities were fabricated. “In addition to making the bits, we demonstrated that they can be used to store data,” explained Dr Yang.

The secret of the research lies in the use of an extremely high-resolution e-beam lithography process that produces super fine nano-sized structures. Dr Yang discovered that by adding sodium chloride to a developer solution used in existing lithography processes, he was able to produce highly defined nanostructures down to 4.5 nm half pitch, without the need for expensive equipment upgrades. This ‘salty developer solution’ method was invented by Dr Yang when he was a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

This work is the result of a collaborative effort with Prof Vivian Ng’s group at NUS, and Dr Yunjie Chen, Dr Siang Huei Leong, and Mr Tianli Huang from A*STAR DSI’s 10 Terabit/in2 Magnetic Recording programme. The researchers are now looking at increasing the storage density further.

“We’re thrilled to announce that the first entertainment content for an over-the-top or broadcast environment has been released in 7.1-channel surround sound, the best possible audio experience available for this type of delivery. It’s great to collaborate with a leader in HD streaming like Vudu to enable consumers to enjoy the latest 7.1 films,” said John Couling, Vice President, Products and Platforms, Dolby Laboratories. “Today is just the first step. We look forward to having the opportunity to work with additional content providers to deliver premium-quality 7.1 surround sound to more consumers.”

According to Dolby, to date, more than 30 films have been mixed in 7.1 for theatrical release. Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 allows content providers to enable 7.1 surround sound mixes created for the movie theater to be experienced in the home via streamed media.

Dolby said Digital Plus is a sophisticated, bandwidth-efficient audio system based on Dolby Digital that is designed to adapt to the changing demands of entertainment delivery while retaining compatibility with existing home theater systems. It has been included in more than 430 million products worldwide, including TVs, set-top boxes, Blu-ray Disc players, audio/video receivers, and mobile phones.

That triple-digit year-over-year-growth caps a period in which U.S. BD sales already were starting to post the kind of robust growth rates the new format’s backers had hoped for following its 2006 launch. According to an IHS analysis of Nielsen’s VideoScan data, U.S. BD sales posted a 131 percent increase for the week of September 11, supported by the release of “X-Men: First Class,” and a 60 percent gain the week of September 4, supported by the release of “Tyler Perry’s Big Happy Family,” “Sons of Anarchy: Season 3,” and the continued strong sales of “Rio” which released on August 2 but was still the number one BD title for the week.

The surge in sales propelled the growth of the overall market for physical movies in the United States into positive territory for the week of September 18. Combined U.S. DVD and BD sales rose 1 percent for the week, compared to flat growth during the week of September 11 and a 3 percent decline during the week of September 4.

“X-men: First Class” kicked off the BD sales rally with a Friday release on September 9, selling an estimated 350,000 BD units in its first three days at retail and more than 600,000 by the end of its first full week on the market, according to an IHS analysis of Nielsen VideoScan data.

“Thor” and “Thor 3D” arrived on video September 13, and together sold half a million BDs during their first week of availability. 3-D Blu-ray (BD3D) represented 14 percent of the total units sold with BD/DVD combo packs making up the other 86 percent .

“Star Wars” fans greeted the Friday, September 16, arrival of the iconic series on BD enthusiastically, buying a total of 400,000 units in the U.S. in just its first three days of availability. The six-movie, nine-disc set represented 92 percent of total units sold, with the original and prequel trilogies making up the rest.

“Studios are starting to bring the crown jewels out of the vault for BD release,” observed Jan Saxton, senior U.S. video analyst for IHS. “That, coupled with the first releases from a very strong summer box office, has the potential to turn the movie disc market around. Weak DVD sales have continually dragged the market down in 2011, but with the strong showing of ‘X-men: First Class,’ ‘Thor’ and ‘Star Wars,’ the overall market may have hit an inflection point.”

According to the companies, Microsoft and Skype will remain focused on their shared goal of connecting all people across all devices and accelerating both companies’ efforts to transform real-time communications for consumers and enterprise customers. The completion of the acquisition also marks the official introduction of Skype as a new business division within Microsoft.

“Skype is a phenomenal product and brand that is loved by hundreds of millions of people around the world,” said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. “We look forward to working with the Skype team to create new ways for people to stay connected to family, friends, clients and colleagues — anytime, anywhere.”

Skype CEO Tony Bates will assume the title of president of the Skype Division of Microsoft immediately, reporting directly to Ballmer. The Skype division will continue to offer its current products to millions of users globally. Longer term, Skype will also be integrated across an array of Microsoft products to broaden Skype’s reach and accelerate its growth as a fundamental way people communicate online. Skype employees will continue to be located around the world in offices including Estonia, the Czech Republic, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the United States.

“By bringing together the best of Microsoft and the best of Skype, we are committed to empowering consumers and businesses around the globe to connect in new ways,” Bates said. “Together, we will be able to accelerate Skype’s goal to reach 1 billion users daily,” Bates said.

Negotiations were led by investor group Silver Lake and the transaction was originally announced on May 10, 2011. Boards of directors of both Microsoft and Skype previously approved the acquisition. The acquisition remains under review in a few countries, and will be completed in those countries when such reviews are closed.

As part of this four-year output deal, Netflix has licensed the rights to stream more than 700 hours of previous-season episodes of The CW’s young-skewing dramas as well as future programs. These rights extend for four years after each series, current or future, ends its broadcast run on the network. The CW content can also be made available via traditional syndication windows, electronic sell-through services and, on a partial-season basis, through authenticated cable providers.

Programming available to Netflix members will include the eight dramas on The CW’s Fall 2011 schedule, including new series “Ringer,” “Hart of Dixie” and “The Secret Circle;” returning hits “The Vampire Diaries,” “Gossip Girl,” “90210,” “Supernatural,” “Nikita” and mid-season series, “One Tree Hill.” Episodes of all scripted series airing on The CW this broadcast season will premiere for Netflix members in Fall 2012. In addition, all episodes of future scripted series appearing on The CW through the 2014-15 season will be available to stream from Netflix through a commensurate window.

“We have long admired the CW’s ability to connect so passionately and directly with a very important and difficult to reach demographic,” said Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer at Netflix. “This is programming for the on-demand generation and we hope this agreement deepens the relationships viewers already have with these powerful entertainment brands.”

“This agreement is a clear example of why content creators and providers can and will grow stronger through technology partnerships tailored to the consumer,” said Bruce Rosenblum, President, Warner Bros. Television Group and Office of the President. “It extends our traditional syndication windows with a strong, additive revenue play perfect for serialized dramas, and portends even greater growth opportunities for our studio as we continue to explore and define the marketplace.”

Wireless power technology streamlines the process of charging portable consumer electronics devices by eliminating the need to physically connect the device and the charger. CEA-2042.1 is available for purchase from IHS at http://www.ihs.com.

“Wireless power has the potential to change dramatically the way people charge their portable electronics,” said John Suh, director of Hyundai Ventures/Hyundai Kia Technical Center America, Inc. and chair of CEA’s Wireless Power Subcommittee. “CEA is helping turn this potential into reality by making it easier for systems from different manufacturers to work well together. This standard is the first step in that effort.”

CEA’s Wireless Power Subcommittee is also working on standards for highly resonant (also known as “loosely coupled”) wireless power transfer, tightly coupled wireless power systems, and energy efficiency measurements for wireless power systems. Companies interested in getting involved in this CEA work can visit http://standards.ce.org and join the R6.3 Wireless Power Subcommittee and its working groups.

ASMP sponsored seminars will include: Sales and Negotiating for the New Photo Business Reality with Speaker Blake Discher; Breaking Into the Biz: What Every Student and Emerging Photographer Should Know with Speaker Judy Herrmann; and What Every Photographer Should Know About Copyright with Speakers Richard Kelly and Susan Carr.

According to ASMP Executive Director Eugene Mopsik, “ASMP considers the Expo an exceptional networking and educational event. We invite those who are attending the show to take the opportunity to stop by the booth and talk with ASMP's leadership and staff. This year, we are pleased to again host a representative from the US Copyright Office, who will be available to answer questions and discuss issues on Friday."

ASMP’s Annual Member Meeting will take place Friday evening October 28th. The meeting will feature updates by ASMP President Jim Cavanaugh and Education Director Susan Carr, and a presentation entitled Photographers Helping Photographers, in which several members will share how they have leveraged changes in the industry and new technologies to create new channels of income.

The Expo will be held October 27 – 29, 2011 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York. ASMP will also have a presence at Booth #1276 where a representative from the US Copyright Office will be available on Friday the 28th.

Marketing professors Dinah Vernik of Rice and Devavrat Purohit and Preyas Desai of Duke used analytical modeling to examine how piracy is influenced by the presence or absence of DRM restrictions. They found that while these restrictions make piracy more costly and difficult, the restrictions also have a negative impact on legal users who have no intention of doing anything illegal.

Their findings, which will appear in the November-December issue of Marketing Science, add to the ongoing debate about technology that limits usage of digital content.

Because a DRM-restricted product will only be purchased by a legal user, …"only the legal users pay the price and suffer from the restrictions," the study said. "Illegal users are not affected because the pirated product does not have DRM restrictions."

"In many cases, DRM restrictions prevent legal users from doing something as normal as making backup copies of their music," said Vernik, assistant professor of marketing at Rice's Jones Graduate School of Business. "Because of these inconveniences, some consumers choose to pirate."

The research challenges conventional wisdom that removal of DRM restrictions increases piracy levels; the study shows that piracy can actually decrease when a company allows restriction-free downloads.

"Removal of these restrictions makes the product more convenient to use and intensifies competition with the traditional format (CDs), which has no DRM restrictions," Vernik said. "This increased competition results in decreased prices for both downloadable and CD music and makes it more likely that consumers will move from stealing music to buying legal downloads."

"Unlike in earlier literature, we examine consumers' choices among all the major sources of music," Desai said. "By analyzing the competition among the traditional retailer, the digital retailer and pirated music, we get a better understanding of the competitive forces in the market."

The research also revealed that copyright owners don't necessarily benefit from a lower amount of piracy. "Decreased piracy doesn't guarantee increased profits," Purohit said. "In fact, our analysis demonstrates that under some conditions, one can observe lower levels of piracy and lower profits."

Vernik, Desai and Purohit hope that their research paper, "Music Downloads and the Flip Side of Digital Rights Management Protection," will provide important insights into the role of DRM.

"[The late] Steve Jobs said it best: 'Why would the big four music companies agree to let Apple and others distribute their music without using DRM systems to protect it? The simplest answer is because DRMs haven't worked, and may never work, to halt music piracy.'" Vernik said. "And our research presented a counterintuitive conclusion that in fact, removing the DRM can be more effective in decreasing music piracy than making the DRM more stringent."

The research was funded by Rice and Duke universities.

Since 1970, companies producing items for computer and telephony equipment, processing units or laptop computers have been operating in Mexico. Today, Mexico is manufacturing electronic products that are in high demand around the world, including general home appliances, cell phones, computers, flat screen televisions and video games, among other devices.

Mexico has been responsible for exporting USD $71.4 billion in consumer electronics and devices in 2010, an increase of 20 percent over the previous year. Data for the Mexican consumer electronics industry were already impressive in 2009, when the sector's exports added up to USD $59.6 billion, representing 30 percent of non-petroleum exports. According to a recent Negocios ProMexico magazine article, between 2003 and 2009, Mexican electronic industry exports registered an average annual growth of 17.1 percent. The latest data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) informed that industrial activity in Mexico grew 4.1 percent from January to July 2011, in comparison to the same period in 2010. Industrial production in the country grew 0.51 percent this July, compared to the month of June 2011.

Additionally, Mexico is the third largest exporter of cell phones –where 65 smart phones are sold every minute in Latin America. Samsung, the leading Korean technology company known especially for its mobile technology, has taken advantage of this opportunity and currently holds 16.3 percent market share in Mexico.

Mexico is the country with the lowest industry component manufacturing costs. This, along with the country's young talented population –114,000 engineering and technology graduates– entering the job market each year have spurred outstanding growth and development in the electric and electronic industries in the country.

The Enforcement Bureau’s actions are intended to warn retailers and potential purchasers that marketing, selling, or using signal jamming devices in the U.S. is illegal and that the FCC will vigorously prosecute these violations.

Enforcement Bureau Chief Michele Ellison said, “Our actions should send a strong message to retailers of signal jamming devices that we will not tolerate continued violations of federal law. Jamming devices pose significant risks to public safety and can have unintended and sometimes dangerous consequences for consumers and first responders.”

In the Omnibus Citation and Order, the Bureau emphasized that because signal jamming devices work by indiscriminately interrupting or interfering with communications, the use of a jamming device in a classroom, theater, church, restaurant, or other public place could prevent someone in the vicinity of the jammer from making an emergency call to 9-1-1, the police, a fire department, or a family member in trouble.

Accordingly, the Bureau directed each online retailer to take immediate steps to cease marketing signal jamming devices to consumers in the United States and its territories. Such steps may include removing the illegal signal jamming devices from online display, expressly excluding consumers in the United States as potential customers, and declining to sell signal jamming devices or complete any sales transaction to consumers in the United States.

In a Request for Information attached to the Omnibus Citation, the Bureau also ordered the online retailers to provide information about their signal jammer suppliers, distribution channels, and sales including the manufacturer of each illegal signal jamming device, the websites that the online retailer has used to market the devices in the United States or its territories, and the corrective actions the online retailer has taken or will take to comply with federal law prohibiting the marketing and sale of jamming devices.

Because these enforcement actions were taken against retailers who are not otherwise regulated by the Commission, the Communications Act requires the Commission to first issue a “citation” describing the violation and warning against future misconduct. The Omnibus Citation and Order emphasized that a second violation could lead to monetary penalties of $16,000 to $112,500.

The Omnibus Citation and Order also noted, for example, that a separate penalty could be imposed for each jamming device sold or each day on which a jamming device is marketed, and that additional violations could result in the seizure of equipment and imprisonment.

Ellison said, “We expect that these retailers will take immediate steps to ensure future compliance. If they continue to offer jammers to consumers in the U.S., we will work closely with our law enforcement partners to prosecute them to the full extent of the law. Consumers deserve no less.”

The full text of the Omnibus Citation and Order is available at:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1661A1.pdf

Sporting a new, desktop-friendly, ergonomic design, the new Fast Track C-series interfaces combine multiple solutions into one by incorporating a studio-quality audio interface, unique hands-on controls and an integrated monitor management system. The end result is a new generation of music creation solutions that empower musicians to deliver better quality recordings in less time.

Features:
– All-new industrial design maximizes desktop space while providing hands-on access to key controls.
– An assignable Multi button delivers hands-on software control, enabling musicians to maintain the creative flow (Fast
Track C600 also features re-assignable transport controls).
– Superior converters, redesigned analog signal paths and 24-bit/96 kHz audio fidelity ensure recordings will sound
amazing.
– Intuitive monitor management system enables musicians to compare their mixes on multiple sets of studio monitors—
confirming mixes translate well.
– Onboard MX Core DSP technology supplies reverb and delay on headphone outputs, inspiring great performances
and delivering low-latency monitoring without taxing the host computer.
– Each interface is available as a bundle with industry-leading Pro Tools MP software, or standalone for use with other
popular audio software.

"Our product designers met directly with our customers, looked at how they create their recordings and constructed a desktop unit that would truly be the centerpiece of a home studio," said Tanguy Leborgne, Avid vice president of product solutions, creative enthusiasts. "With the Fast Track C-Series, musicians get an interface, hands-on controls, and a monitor management system – all in one lightweight, portable unit with incredible audio fidelity and performance specs. These exciting releases make it simpler than ever to transform ideas into professional-quality music by putting more control at your fingertips and giving you the freedom to make music at the speed of your creativity."

According to Avid, Fast Track C400 and C600 are available now for $309.95 USD and $499.95 USD respectively, and include Pro Tools SE streamlined music creation software. Pro Tools MP + Fast Track C400 is available for $499.95 USD. Pro Tools MP + Fast Track C600 is available for $699.95 USD. To learn more about the Fast Track C-series visit www.m-audio.com.

Inspired by Adobe Creative Suite software, these new apps bring professional-level creativity to millions of tablet users. The apps address multiple areas of the creative process: image editing; ideation; sketching; mood boards; website and mobile app prototyping; and presenting finished work. They are headlined by Adobe Photoshop Touch, a new app that brings the legendary creative and image-editing power of Photoshop to tablet devices for the first time.

Available soon as standalone apps, Adobe Touch Apps are essential components of Adobe Creative Cloud, a major new company initiative also at MAX 2011. According to Adobe, Creative Cloud will become a worldwide hub for creativity, where millions can access desktop and tablet applications, find essential creative services, and share their best work. Files created via Adobe Touch Apps can be shared, viewed across devices or transferred into Adobe Creative Suite software for further refinement – key features of Adobe’s vision for the Creative Cloud. With stylus capabilities expected to become a key feature on some next generation tablets, Adobe Touch Apps are designed to work with both finger and stylus input.

“Adobe Touch Apps deliver high-impact creative expression to anyone who has a tablet,” said Kevin Lynch, chief technology officer, Adobe. “With Adobe imaging magic coming to tablet devices, new apps like Photoshop Touch will open your mind about the potential of the touch interface for creativity and demonstrate that tablets are an essential part of anyone’s creative arsenal.”

Anticipating the way people are integrating tablets into their everyday lives, the new family of Adobe Touch Apps empowers users to create on tablet devices freeing them from the desktop or laptop computer. The new Adobe Touch Apps include:

– Adobe Photoshop Touch transforms images with core Photoshop features in an app custom-built for tablets.
– Adobe Collage combines inspirational images, drawings, text and Creative Suite files.
– Adobe Debut allows users to present designs to clients and stakeholders virtually anywhere.
– Adobe Ideas is an easy-to-master, vector-based tool for drawing.
– Adobe Kuler makes it easy to generate color themes that can inspire any design project.
– Adobe Proto enables the development of interactive wireframes and prototypes for websites and mobile apps.

Adobe Touch Apps will be available for Android devices in November 2011. Adobe expects to make an announcement regarding iOS availability in early 2012. Adobe Ideas is already available for the iPad. Introductory pricing is US$9.99 for each app. Access to the file viewing, sharing and transfer functionality of Adobe Creative Cloud is included in the price of each Adobe Touch App. Details regarding pricing of the Adobe Creative Cloud and its expanded capabilities around applications, services and community will be announced in November 2011.

According to ASMP Executive Director Eugene Mopsik, "ASMP has developed CameraCake as a service to imaging professionals to help them access the most useful information, all in one place. With every form of communication undergoing rapid transformation, CameraCake is a dynamic resource for those involved in photography, video, multi-media, audio and even print." There will be information on negotiating, sales, marketing, business trends, copyright, digital workflow, licensing, software, lenses, cameras, contracts, techniques and everything else that interests the photography community.

Judy Herrmann, CameraCake project director and a past President of ASMP, said, "Imagine a place where you could find the best resources for photographers with a single click – information that has been submitted, approved and reviewed by your peers; where you can see at a glance what others who share your interests find valuable. With CameraCake.com, we’ve provided an innovative framework that will go wherever its users dictate." Site users can submit, like/dislike and review any resource, search by topic, poster, reviewer, tag, category, or type, and browse the most popular or most recently posted resources. Future plans include integration with social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, expanded user profiles and interactivity, browser based resource submission and more. Herrmann adds, “CameraCake.com will evolve to support our community’s needs and we welcome suggestions on how to make it as useful as possible.”

The firm's Consumer Decision Process: Summer Update reports more than 10% of broadband households plan to purchase a smart TV in the second half of 2011, up from 6% in the first half. These households, representing 50% of the nearly one-fourth of U.S. broadband households planning to purchase a flat-panel TV, anticipate an average cost of $1,000 for the smart TV, defined as an HDTV with built-in Internet access capability.

“Advertising campaigns from manufacturers such as Sony, Samsung, and VIZIO have boosted consumer awareness and interest, making connectivity a must-have feature for new CE products,” said Tricia Parks, CEO, Parks Associates. “Younger consumers especially want the extra benefits on their new TVs of going to the web for social networking and on-demand video or subscription entertainment options.”

Consumers' preferred entertainment and social networking options on connected CE devices such as Blu-ray players, game consoles, and smart TVs include the ability to stream and download movies and TV shows as well as access to Facebook and online music.

The survey also shows 19% of broadband households intend to purchase a tablet in the second half of 2011.

“Apple is the preferred brand by far, capturing over 40% of planned tablet purchases for the rest of 2011,” Parks said. “Apple has a very strong reputation in consumers' minds, with over 70% of consumers familiar with the brand rating Apple as 'innovative' and 'cool,' although considerably fewer rate it as 'affordable.'”

Parks Associates analysts will discuss the impact of connectivity on CE and services at CONNECTIONS Europe, November 8-9, in Amsterdam.

The technology combines silicon nanowires with a "ferroelectric" polymer, a material that switches polarity when electric fields are applied, making possible a new type of ferroelectric transistor.

"It's in a very nascent stage," said doctoral student Saptarshi Das, who is working with Joerg Appenzeller, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and scientific director of nanoelectronics at Purdue's Birck Nanotechnology Center.

The ferroelectric transistor's changing polarity is read as 0 or 1, an operation needed for digital circuits to store information in binary code consisting of sequences of ones and zeroes.

"We've developed the theory and done the experiment and also showed how it works in a circuit," he said.

The FeTRAM technology has nonvolatile storage, meaning it stays in memory after the computer is turned off. The devices have the potential to use 99 percent less energy than flash memory, a non-volatile computer storage chip and the predominant form of memory in the commercial market.

"However, our present device consumes more power because it is still not properly scaled," Das said. "For future generations of FeTRAM technologies one of the main objectives will be to reduce the power dissipation. They might also be much faster than another form of computer memory called SRAM."

The FeTRAM technology fulfills the three basic functions of computer memory: to write information, read the information and hold it for a long period of time.

"You want to hold memory as long as possible, 10 to 20 years, and you should be able to read and write as many times as possible," Das said. "It should also be low power to keep your laptop from getting too hot. And it needs to scale, meaning you can pack many devices into a very small area. The use of silicon nanowires along with this ferroelectric polymer has been motivated by these requirements."

The new technology also is compatible with industry manufacturing processes for complementary metal oxide semiconductors, or CMOS, used to produce computer chips. It has the potential to replace conventional memory systems.

The work was supported by the Nanotechnology Research Initiative (NRI) through Purdue's Network for Computational Nanotechnology (NCN), which is supported by National Science Foundation. Findings are detailed in a research paper that appeared this month in Nano Letters, published by the American Chemical Society.

“We are very pleased that HP has joined our licensing program as a licensor. HP has made significant contributions to the Blu-ray Disc standard and therefore adds valuable essential patents to the program. We hope that this important step also encourages other industry leaders to follow and join our program”, says Roel Kramer, CEO of One-Blue.

“HP has helped to invent and develop the Blu-ray Disc format and currently ships many versions of Blu-ray Disc enabled notebooks and desktop PCs,” said Clifford Loeb, managing director, Standards Licensing, HP. “By joining the One-Blue patent pool, we show our commitment and belief that this program is beneficial for licensors, licensees and our end-users.”

One-Blue administers the licensing program for patents essential to Blu-ray Disc products and is the joint licensing agent of its licensors. For hardware and software products, the product license covers Blu-ray Disc, DVD and CD essential patents; for disc products, the product license covers Blu-ray Disc essential patents. One-Blue is an innovative patent pool that levels the playing field, reduces costs, and fosters fair use of the patent system in the entire optical disc sector.

Any holder of patents essential to optical formats used in Blu-ray Disc products is invited to submit patents for evaluation and join the licensing program as a new licensor. More information about the One-Blue licensing program and related royalty rates can be found on www.one-blue.com.

The Commission recognized the need to ensure the availability of reliable voice-based 911 service, while moving forward with a NG911 system that adds text and other information capabilities that will significantly improve emergency response, saving lives and reducing property damage. Enabling text, photos, video and data to 911 call centers allows consumers to communicate with 911 in the same way they communicate with others on a daily basis. It also enhances public safety by giving consumers the ability to text 911 when a voice call is difficult or dangerous. NG911 is also particularly beneficial to people with disabilities.

The text, photo, video, and data capabilities of NG911 will also provide 911 call centers and first responders with enhanced information and improved technological tools that can be synthesized with existing databases. This allows 911 call centers to dispatch the appropriate emergency response more quickly, a difference that can save lives during emergencies.

The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking examines short-term and long-term options for enabling consumers to send texts to 911, including the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches. The Commission is also seeking comment on long-term development of multimedia NG911 technology that would support delivery of photos, videos, and data to 911, in addition to texting. The Commission will consider the appropriate role for the agency in facilitating – and, if necessary, accelerating – the rollout of these capabilities, and encouraging the parallel development of NG911 capabilities in 911 call centers. The Commission also noted that the transition to NG911 is not likely to occur uniformly across the country and asked for comment on how best to educate the public about the availability, capabilities, and limitations of NG911 as it is deployed.

At the meeting, the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau also presented a cost study on NG911 network connectivity costs, entitled, “A Basis for Public Funding Essential to Bringing a Nationwide Next Generation 911 Network to America’s Communications Users and First Responders.” Bureau staff analysis determined that NG911, because of its ability to leverage commercial off-the-shelf technology, has the potential to be more cost-effective to operate and upgrade than the legacy 911 system. The study offers two models for NG911 deployment: a baseline model and a cost-effective model that assumes cost savings from a reduction in the total number of 911 call centers nationwide and a greater percentage of call centers sharing NG911 infrastructure as opposed to operating their own dedicated systems.

Based on these assumptions, the baseline model concludes that the network connectivity and call routing costs to transition to NG911 will be approximately $2.68 billion over 10 years. In the cost-effective model, the transition costs are approximately $1.44 billion.

"From the challenges of ever-increasing front-panel capacities to continuing advances in processors, high-performance computing, and server virtualization technologies, the ability of systems to meet spiraling bandwidth demands remains challenging," said John D’Ambrosia, chair, IEEE P802.3bj Task Force and chief Ethernet evangelist, CTO Office, Dell. "By expanding on the solid foundational standards work already completed, IEEE P802.3bj will provide better options for system designers to minimize or eliminate the bandwidth bottlenecks facing end-users."

With the launch of the Task Force, members are ready to begin collaboratively defining four-lane, 25Gb/s electrical signaling architectures that will support 100 Gb/s Ethernet operation across backplanes up to one meter in length and copper cable operations up to at least five meters in length. Furthermore, IEEE P802.3bj will specify maximum compliance and compatibility with other IEEE 802.3 installations.

As the application of Ethernet increasingly becomes the preferred backplane interconnect technology for applications, such as modular servers and telecom networks, and over twinaxial copper cables for both intra- and inter-rack connections, IEEE P802.3bj will enable users to stay apace of rapidly increasing bandwidth demand. By facilitating higher speeds and greater densities, it holds broad relevance for multiple applications, such as blade servers and data centers. The task force is already supported by a diverse array of stakeholders, including semi-conductor, server, and network storage device manufacturers, component vendors, and telecommunications carriers.

"The industry and users alike are looking for creative, forward-looking solutions that will allow them to leverage today’s technology innovations, such as 100Gb/s Ethernet," said David Law, chair, IEEE 802.3 Working Group and distinguished engineer, HP Networking. "As the capabilities of 100 Gb/s Ethernet are enhanced with IEEE P802.3bj, the resources, expertise and leadership that are the hallmarks of IEEE will support the continuing evolution of Ethernet to higher speeds and capabilities."

"The NRSC is to be commended for its hard work in developing this important update that includes improvements to the HD Radio system that will benefit broadcasters as well as the listening public, as they provide for a more robust digital signal and improved coverage area," said Kevin Gage, executive vice president and chief technology officer, NAB. "NAB is a strong supporter of the transition to digital radio and looks forward to its continued success."

The more than 70 modifications in this new version include the ability to use asymmetric sidebands, new modes of operation, and updated RF masks. A major part of this work has been the update of "reference documents" by iBiquity Digital Corporation, which contain the technical details of the standard.

"HD Radio technology is gaining momentum in the marketplace," said Brian Markwalter, senior vice president of research and standards at CEA. "Recent announcements from automakers like Toyota, Lexus and Kia indicate that more consumers will be using this technology in their cars, and today's improvements to the standard will make the consumer experience even better."

NRSC-5-C, In-band/on-channel Digital Radio Broadcasting Standard, was adopted by the Digital Radio Broadcasting (DRB) Subcommittee, which is co-chaired by Andy Laird, vice president and chief technology officer, Journal Broadcast Group, and Mike Bergman, vice president of new digital technologies, Kenwood USA. It was developed by the subcommittee's IBOC Standards Development Working Group (ISDWG), which is chaired by Dom Bordonaro, chief engineer, Cox Broadcasting - Connecticut.

The updated Standard will be available free-of-charge on the NRSC's website, following a final, procedural review that will take approximately two weeks. Additional information about the NRSC, including information on becoming a member, is also available on the website.

“Between the East Coast earthquake, Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee, and wildfires in Texas and California, we have had a lot of powerful reminders lately that disasters can strike anytime, anywhere – and can often make it difficult for the public to communicate with friends, loved ones or emergency personnel,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “An important part of preparing for disasters includes getting ready for potential communications challenges, whether caused by power outages or heavy cell network congestion. These simple tips are easy for anyone to follow and could make a world of difference when it matters the most.”

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said, “When disaster strikes, the ability to communicate is essential. However, power outages and other issues can interfere with the way people ordinarily communicate, making it harder to reach loved ones or emergency services. The FCC is committed to ensuring the public’s safety through the reliability of our nation’s communications networks. But there are also simple steps that consumers can take to prepare for a disaster as well as practical ways to better communicate during and after an event. I encourage all Americans to become familiar these tips and share them with friends and family.”

To read the Tip Sheet for How to Communicate During Disasters, check out www.ready.gov/tech.

The Matrox Convert DVI family of scan converters lets broadcasters easily and economically take the computer-based content that is quickly becoming a key part of the nightly news to air. These products are ideal for creating broadcast video from computer applications such as Skype, YouTube, Google Earth, video games, and web browsers, as well as citizen journalists' mobile phone videos. They are also the perfect appliances to drive projectors and large displays at live events and in houses of worship.

Quality HD-SDI scan converters with genlock and upscaling typically cost thousands of dollars each and SDI audio embedders are often required. Costs balloon when facilities require multiple units. The Matrox Convert DVI products are very inexpensive by comparison and allow system audio to be embedded in the SDI signal. They provide the high-end features, outstanding quality, and ease-of-use necessary in broadcast and live event operations.

Now Mac users can also benefit from these easy-to-use HD-SDI scan converters to make the most of their computer-based content in broadcast and live event environments. Mac software release 1.0 provides support for Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and 10.7 (Lion). Download release 1.0 for Mac

And those so-called “Cord Cutters” are not the low value/low revenue “fringe” customers they have been made out to be, according to new survey research just published by Strategy Analytics. The report, “Endless Fun? Pay TV, Cord Cutting, and Churn,” finds that Cord Cutters place a high value on content—and are three times more likely to report watching paid Video on Demand (VOD) than “traditional” economically- motivated churners.

“The Pay TV industry has gotten it wrong on the topic of cord cutting,” said Ben Piper, Director of the Strategy Analytics Multiplay Market Dynamics service and author of the report. “For the second consecutive year, our survey research clearly indicates that those who intend to cut the cord are high value, high-revenue customers—not the deadbeats they have been made out to be.”

Cord Cutters are motivated less by price, and more by control of content, according to the report; Service Providers should view this as an opportunity.

“Forty percent of Cord Cutters—compared to twenty percent of economic churners—said they would be willing to pay more than they currently do for Pay TV if it meant they could pick and choose content on an à la carte basis,” noted Piper. “Pay TV providers should view this as an opportunity to customize and repackage content offerings to this growing segment.”

The report draws upon survey work fielded in Q3’11 of 2,000 US households, and provides detailed profiles of each segment, as well as insights into their churn motivations and their attitudes and opinions towards content.

"Education remains the most under-reported facet of American life by the traditional news media. The coverage it does receive is often shallow and scandal-focused, with too little attention paid to the intractable systemic failures of a broken education model. Choice Media will attempt to redress this imbalance," said Bob Bowdon, Founder of Choice Media.
Bowdon says the crisis in America's education system is all to apparent, as only 26% of high school seniors tested proficient in math on the most recent NAEP test, an exam administered by the U.S. Department of Education and given to 49,000 twelfth-graders in all 50 states. Just last week, according to the College Board, SAT reading scores fell to the lowest level on record.

"In many cities, local public education has become a bloated bureaucracy, more focused on job protection than the interests of children, with higher spending being the only type of reform acceptable to the establishment. But, in the wake of countless high-profile failures where this has been tried, the 'money equals quality' philosophy can no longer be plausibly argued," said Bowdon.

Drawing on Bowdon's experience in TV and film, ChoiceMedia.TV will provide original video news reports and exclusive interviews with those making waves in the education world. ChoiceMedia.TV currently features a video news piece on the under-reporting of violence in Philadelphia schools. Also featured is a discussion with Neerav Kingsland of New Schools for New Orleans about that city's charter school revolution in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

ChoiceMedia.TV will also offer video testimonials from students, parents and teachers around the country. Readers with a personal education story are urged to send a video testimonial or whistleblower email to ChoiceMedia.TV.

Improved from the current DVB-C digital cable TV broadcast standard adopted in Europe and various other countries and regions around the world, DVB-C2 is a next-generation standard which significantly increases data transmission capacity and optimizes use of the transmission channel to enable multichannel and high quality HD broadcasting. DVB-C2 adopts a multi-level modulation which is 16 times as dense as DVB-C and tolerance against reflections and interference caused within a cable network is required. According to Sony, the new DVB-C2 demodulator LSI incorporates Sony’s proprietary reception algorithms and error correction technology to achieve stable and highly sensitive reception, while also reducing power consumption and realizing package miniaturization by reducing the number of pins.

Sony said the two models, “CXD2835ER” is also compatible with the current DVB-C standard, while “CXD2836ER” is also compatible with current DVB-C, DVB-T and DVB-T2 standards. As the DVB-C2 standard spreads, compatibility with current standards will enable flexible hardware design, while also contributing to miniaturization and a reduction in the number of components.

The company plans to promote this new LSI to manufacturers of TVs, set top boxes and other applicable products targeting Europe and other regions where DVB-C2 is expected to expand. Availability is expected November of this year.

According to the Council, the new directive intends to increase the level of protection of performers by acknowledging their creative and artistic contributions. Performers generally start their careers young and the current term of protection of 50 years often does not protect their performances for their entire lifetime. Therefore, some performers face an income gap at the end of their lifetimes. They are also often not able to rely on their rights to prevent or restrict objectionable uses of their performances that may occur during their lifetimes.

The directive also foresees measures in order to ensure that artists who have transferred their exclusive rights to phonogram producers actually benefit from the term extension and may recuperate their rights subject to certain conditions.

Furthermore, the Coucil said the directive harmonizes the method of calculating the term of protection of songs and other musical compositions with words created by several authors. The term of protection will expire 70 years after the death of the last person to survive: the author of the lyrics or the composer of the music.

The decision was applauded by Plácido Domingo, chairman of IFPI, which represents the recording industry worldwide: "The decision to extend the term of protection for recordings in Europe is great news for performing artists. Artists at the start of their careers will benefit from an increased pool of revenue that will be available to invest in new talent. Established artists can benefit from their work throughout their lifetimes. This is especially important today when licensed digital services make music widely available online.

"Extension of protection also reflects the important role performers play in the success of songs by narrowing the gap between the protection offered to recorded performances and that offered to compositions."

Frances Moore, chief executive of IFPI, added: "This is a victory for fairness. With this decision, the European Union is giving artists and producers in Europe the fair treatment they deserve. The extension of the term of protection to 70 years narrows the gap between Europe and its international partners and improves the conditions for investment in new talent.

"Over 38,000 artists and performers petitioned for this extension, supported by right holders from across the European music sector. Their calls have been heeded, and we thank the European Commission for having the vision to table this Directive, the European Parliament for giving it resounding support and the Member States, led on this occasion by the Polish Presidency of the EU, for making term extension a reality."

The Belgian, Czech, Dutch, Luxembourg, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian and Swedish delegations voted against and the Austrian and Estonian delegations abstained. Member states will have to incorporate the new provisions into their national legislations within two years.

The radio track on Understanding Digital Radio will discuss various concepts and best practices of digital radio and complexities in adding digital services. The presenters will be Nikki Marra of the University of London, Andrew Johnson of ITT Technical Institute, Kiersten Gurule of Napa Valley College and Amber Stilson of Hocking College.

The television track, entitled HD to 3D: The Future of Broadcast Television, will discuss updates for standardizing 3D Television, the pros and cons for HD vs. 3D and new technology proposals. Presenters include Mike West of Napa Valley College, Matt McMillan of Hocking College, Michael Bulatao of Napa Valley College, Maria Perez of Napa Valley College and Alexander Gitana of Napa Valley College.

The webcast will be held live from 9-10 a.m. ET and again from 2-3 p.m. ET on September 29th. This program will complete the TAP participants' six-month apprenticeship. Click here for more details and registration.

The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus travels around the U.S. throughout the year. Outfitted with traditional musical instruments as well as high-tech professional audio and video gear, the Bus has provided free hands-on programs since 1998 for hundreds of high schools, colleges, Boys and Girls Clubs, music festivals, concerts, conferences and community organizations. This year alone, the Bus logged tens of thousands of miles on the road, kicking off 2011 with stops that included the 2011 Winter NAMM Show, Friends and Family GRAMMY Event, SXSW, National Association of Broadcasters Show (NAB), Hangout Music Festival, multiple recording sessions across the U.S. and much more. Currently, the Bus is traveling with the Vans Warped Tour and is putting out daily online videos from the shows.

As part of its ongoing commitment, Audio-Technica said it will continue to serve as the official microphone provider of the Tour Bus, supplying a complete line of A-T microphone products for use on the Bus itself (including 40 Series, Artist Elite, Audio-Technica Wireless and other key A-T products and accessories). In addition, A-T will be contributing to the prize packages of the related John Lennon Songwriting Contest.

“It was clear to us that we wanted to renew our commitment to the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus and Songwriting Contest,” said Gary Boss, Audio-Technica Market Manager. “It has been extremely rewarding to work with them, as A-T shares the Bus’s goal of getting more young people involved in making music.”

According to Sony, over the past few decades movie studios, broadcasting networks and production houses across the world have accumulated a massive quantity of tape. To manage this growth, a reliable, easy-to-operate, cost effective archive system was required by the industry immediately.

Sony said its new Disk Archive Storage System offers a lower total cost of ownership through the use of long-life media, and includes inter-generational compatibility based on the same optical disc technology used in DVDs and Blu-rays. The archive solution puts 12 media discs in a firm cartridge enabling data to be handled on a per-file basis, by making the operating device recognize the system as a "single large volume storage unit" rather than by each individual disc. The cartridges are to be available in both a write-once format and a rewrite-able format, with various capacity options from 300GB capacity up to 1.5TB available according to the customer's requirements.

Sony also said it aims to support enjoyable entertainment by connecting content from the past to the future and developing high-quality products from production to archiving. The Disc Archive Storage System demonstrates Sony's commitment to listening and responding to the needs of its customers, having conducted extensive research into its customer's archiving needs when it was developing the system.

The company intends to work in an open platform environment with various component, middleware and software manufacturers, by disclosing the technical specifications of its Disc Archive Storage System.

Currently in the research and development stage, the Disc Archive Storage System is expected to be introduced to the market in 2012.

Blackmagic said Intensity Extreme is the first Thunderbolt technology based device to combine the high quality of HDMI capture and playback with the wide compatibility of analog component, NTSC, PAL and S-Video and analog audio capture and playback in a compact size that’s completely powered from the Thunderbolt connection on the computer. This means Intensity Extreme is the perfect solution for adding video to laptop computers as it powers from the laptop battery.

Intensity Extreme features a chassis machined out of a solid block of aircraft grade aluminum. This ensures an elegant look that’s compact, strong and looks great on the desktop.

The unit enables users to capture directly from the HD camera’s image sensor, bypassing the video compression chip for true uncompressed video quality. Now users can go beyond the quality limits of HDV or AVCHD for editing, design and authoring with Intensity Extreme.

Intensity Extreme can be connected to any big screen television or video projector for incredible edit monitoring. Current computers don't have the processing speed to render complex multi layer real time effects in HDV playing back to FireWire cameras. Intensity Extreme solves this problem by outputting video on HDMI and analog outputs for big screen monitoring in both SD or HD formats.

Intensity Extreme instantly switches between the 1080 HD, 720 HD, NTSC and PAL video standards. Intensity Extreme is fully compatible with Adobe™ Premiere™ Pro, Apple™ Final Cut Pro 7™, Adobe After Effects™, Adobe Photoshop™ and any QuickTime™ based software application.

"We think the combination of HDMI and analog on an extremely compact Thunderbolt bus powered design combined with an affordable price will change the lives of thousands of professional videographers," said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design Inc. "Intensity Extreme features an amazing design that’s machined out of a solid block of aluminum! Only Intensity Extreme gives you compact size, power efficient design, high quality and incredible strength, that is simply perfect as the ultimate portable video solution."

The new Intensity Extreme will be available worldwide Q4. Price is expected to be approximately $285.00.

The companies’ work can potentially leapfrog today’s current attempts at stacking chips vertically – known as 3D packaging. The joint research tackles some of the thorniest technical issues underlying the industry’s move to true 3D chip forms. For example, new types of adhesives are needed that can efficiently conduct heat through a densely packed stack of chips and away from heat-sensitive components such as logic circuits.

“Today's chips, including those containing ‘3D’ transistors, are in fact 2D chips that are still very flat structures,” said Bernard Meyerson, VP of Research, IBM. “Our scientists are aiming to develop materials that will allow us to package tremendous amounts of computing power into a new form factor – a silicon ‘skyscraper.’ We believe we can advance the state-of-art in packaging, and create a new class of semiconductors that offer more speed and capabilities while they keep power usage low -- key requirements for many manufacturers, especially for makers of tablets and smartphones.”

Many types of semiconductors, including those for servers and games, today require packaging and bonding techniques that can only be applied to individual chips. 3M and IBM plan to develop adhesives that can be applied to silicon wafers, coating hundreds or even thousands of chips at a single time. Current processes are akin to frosting a cake slice-by-slice.

Under the agreement, IBM will draw on its expertise in creating unique semiconductor packaging processes, and 3M will provide its expertise in developing and manufacturing adhesive materials.

“Capitalizing on our joint know-how and industry experience, 3M looks forward to working alongside IBM – a leader in developing pioneering packaging for next-generation semiconductors,” said Herve Gindre, division vice president at 3M Electronics Markets Materials Division. “3M has worked with IBM for many years and this brings our relationship to a new level. We are very excited to be an integral part of the movement to build such revolutionary 3D packaging.”

According to RVU, the demonstrations will showcase numerous Remote User Interface (RUI) solutions based on the publicly available RVU standard, including the first product certified by the RVU Alliance independent certification program, the C30 client is manufactured by Pace PLC for DIRECTV. The C30 thin client will be used with DIRECTV’s HR34 RVU server which will be launched in October 2011. The C30 and HR34 designs are based on Broadcom’s HD Set-Top Box System-on-Chip (SoC) family of products.

The publicly available RVU standard allows a single server in a household to serve multiple clients simultaneously, providing every TV in a household the same consistent User Interface and experience. RVU servers provide a single, easily upgradable central point in the home that enables service providers to present their UI on compatible CE devices with no additional hardware required, providing DVR features directly on that CE device. Demonstrations at IBC will include RVU servers, and TV, and set-top box based RVU client devices.

“The RVU Alliance is proud to announce their members’ demonstrations at this key industry forum,” said Henry Derovanessian, president of the RVU Alliance Board of Directors and SVP of Engineering at DIRECTV. “Showing certified products at IBC this year demonstrates the progress the RVU Alliance has made in completing the product specification, and the benefits of a fully independent certification program to ensure device interoperability. The demonstrations will clearly show how RUI technologies can extend the viewing experience throughout the home on a wide range of consumer devices.”

IBC2011 takes place at the Amsterdam RAI from 8 – 13 September.

The department’s lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, seeks to prevent AT&T from acquiring T-Mobile from Deutsche Telekom AG.

According to the complaint, AT&T and T-Mobile compete head to head nationwide, including in 97 of the nation’s largest 100 cellular marketing areas. They also compete nationwide to attract business and government customers. AT&T’s acquisition of T-Mobile would eliminate a company that has been a disruptive force through low pricing and innovation by competing aggressively in the mobile wireless telecommunications services marketplace.

The complaint cites a T-Mobile document in which T-Mobile explains that it has been responsible for a number of significant “firsts” in the U.S. mobile wireless industry, including the first handset using the Android operating system, Blackberry wireless email, the Sidekick, national Wi-Fi “hotspot” access, and a variety of unlimited service plans. T-Mobile was also the first company to roll out a nationwide high-speed data network based on advanced HSPA+ (High-Speed Packet Access) technology. The complaint states that by January 2011, an AT&T employee was observing that “[T-Mobile] was first to have HSPA+ devices in their portfolio…we added them in reaction to potential loss of speed claims.”

The complaint also states that regional providers face significant competitive limitations, largely stemming from their lack of national networks, and are therefore limited in their ability to compete with the four national carriers. And, the department said that any potential entry from a new mobile wireless telecommunications services provider would be unable to offset the transaction’s anticompetitive effects because it would be difficult, time-consuming and expensive, requiring spectrum licenses and the construction of a network.

The department said that it gave serious consideration to the efficiencies that the merging parties claim would result from the transaction. The department concluded AT&T had not demonstrated that the proposed transaction promised any efficiencies that would be sufficient to outweigh the transaction’s substantial adverse impact on competition and consumers. Moreover, the department said that AT&T could obtain substantially the same network enhancements that it claims will come from the transaction if it simply invested in its own network without eliminating a close competitor.

“T-Mobile has been an important source of competition among the national carriers, including through innovation and quality enhancements such as the roll-out of the first nationwide high-speed data network,” said Sharis A. Pozen, Acting Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “Unless this merger is blocked, competition and innovation will be reduced, and consumers will suffer.”

The FCC Technology Experience Center (FCC TEC) is an on-site technology lab that provides FCC employees and visitors to FCC headquarters hands-on experience with the latest communications devices and solutions.
During the September showcase, a range of state-of-the-art tools available to first responders and homeland security professionals will be exhibited. These include:

· Advanced handsets that allow users to talk and send or receive data on the same channel with just one radio;
· A "cell tower in a suitcase" designed to allow first responders and disaster recovery personnel to connect to cell phones by connecting to satellites for voice and data connectivity;
· Solutions to detect active cell phones and determine the location of a phone;
· 911 call location solutions that enable first responders to find those in need with even greater
precision; and
· The latest in advanced command and control solutions and situational awareness devices now available to local and state public safety and homeland security agencies.

Participants in the FCC showcase will include ITT Intelligence & Information Warfare, T- Mobile, Motorola Solutions, Cassidian Communications, GlobalStar, Alcatel-Lucent, GreatCall, AT&T, TeleCommunication Systems, OnStar, Harris Corporation, Verizon, Inmarsat, Juniper Networks, Intrado, and Elster Solutions.

Jamie Barnett, Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, said, “The world of public safety and homeland security technology is always changing, and we are excited to have the opportunity to showcase the latest technologies and solutions in the Commission’s Technology Experience Center.”

“The technologies being exhibited at the FCC in September demonstrate the many advances in public safety communications including Next Generation 911 and public safety broadband. This exhibit will enable FCC staff and the public to see firsthand and better understand the current state and future direction of technology in the public safety and homeland security arena,” Barnett said.

CEA‑861 establishes protocols, requirements and recommendations for the utilization of uncompressed digital interfaces by consumer electronics devices such as digital televisions (DTVs), digital cable, satellite or terrestrial set-top boxes (STBs), and related peripheral devices. CEA’s Video Systems Committee has begun developing specifications for signaling the presence of 21:9 aspect ratio video. As video displays with 21:9 aspect ratio are now appearing in the marketplace, adding this feature to the standard can more efficiently deliver such video to DTV receivers with native 21:9 displays.

“The introduction of video displays with 21:9 aspect ratio is an exciting development that can increase consumer enjoyment and satisfaction for video consumption,” said Wayne Luplow, vice president of Zenith R&D Lab, LG Electronics USA Inc. and chair or CEA’s Video Systems Committee. “We hope the proposed modifications to CEA-861 will help manufacturers build products that can signal their ability to display this extra widescreen video and invite input from other organizations involved in the creation and delivery of DTV content.”

The Video Systems Committee believes that other standards-related organizations might also want to consider the inclusion of methods for signaling and delivery of 21:9 aspect ratio content utilizing other transport systems.

Consideration of this increased aspect ratio addition will take place in CEA’s DTV Interface Subcommittee's Uncompressed A/V Digital Interfaces Working Group. Participation in CEA standards and activities is open to any company, organization or individual with direct and material interest. The Working Group’s next meetings via conference call will take place on August 31 and September 13. To get involved, or for more information, please contact Dave Wilson at dwilson@CE.org.

In early August 2011, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, and XPAND first announced their intent to work together on the development and licensing of Bluetooth enabled radio frequency (RF) system 3D active shutter glasses technology, including RF system protocols between consumer 3D active shutter glasses and 3D displays such as televisions, personal computers and projectors, as well as 3D theaters with XPAND active shutter glasses. The standardization will also include several types of infrared (IR) system protocols between 3D active shutter glasses and 3D displays, ranging from the protocols jointly developed by Panasonic and XPAND 3D to the proprietary protocols of Samsung and Sony.

In late September 2011, the license program for the Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative is targeted to commence. With this, manufacturers of 3D displays, 3D synchronization emitters, 3D active shutter glasses or Bluetooth chip devices for such products can receive a license to begin developing and manufacturing products employing the Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative technology.

Furthermore, in late 2011, the Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative plans to begin officially certifying products manufactured under the Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative license. Upon a product’s certification, the Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative will allow the usage of a distinct logo, which will provide consumers an easy way to recognize interoperability among 3D active shutter products, such as 3D TVs and 3D glasses that each bear the logo.

According to Blackmagic, UltraStudio 3D is a compact and portable solution that uses the new Thunderbolt interface for dual link 3 Gb/s SDI, HDMI 1.4a and analog component/s-video/composite, as well as balanced analog and AES/EBU digital audio capture and playback. UltraStudio 3D is perfect for 3D workflows as it features interleaved, side by side, frame packed and dual stream capture and playback.

Dual stream 3D allows customers to use the UltraStudio 3D dual link SDI connections to capture and play back two streams, one for the left eye and one for the right eye. The two streams are recorded into two separate media files. Dual stream 3D is higher quality because each eye is full resolution video, but dual stream is less compatible with current editing software. To solve this problem, Blackmagic Design’s Media Express 3 has been upgraded to handle both interleaved and dual stream 3D for capture and playback of 3D media for a complete 3D solution.

UltraStudio 3D is also based on a new internal hardware design with support for 10 bit SDI video and full support for video rates up to 1080p60 via SDI, HDMI and analog component. Thunderbolt technology easily handles this quality, and allows high end post production quality and features in a portable design. It instantly switches between SD, HD and 2K, making it the ideal solution for all post production and broadcast users when working on design, editing, paint and effects tasks.

“We are so excited to release the world's first feature film quality Thunderbolt technology based capture and playback device. Working closely with Intel and Apple on this project, I cannot believe how many advanced industry leading features are packed into this single product,” said Grant Petty, CEO, Blackmagic Design. "UltraStudio 3D has finally provided a real, portable high quality solution at a price anyone can afford!"

Jobs has been elected Chairman of the Board and Cook will join the Board, effective immediately.

"I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come," Jobs wrote in an open letter to Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community.

Jobs submitted his resignation to the board and strongly recommended that the Board implement its succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO.

"I hereby resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board sees fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee," Jobs wrote. "I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role," Jobs he added.

Jobs fought and survived a rare form of pancreatic cancer.

"Steve's extraordinary vision and leadership saved Apple and guided it to its position as the world's most innovative and valuable technology company," said Art Levinson, Chairman of Genentech, on behalf of Apple's Board. "Steve has made countless contributions to Apple?s success, and he has attracted and inspired Apple?s immensely creative employees and world class executive team. In his new role as Chairman of the Board, Steve will continue to serve Apple with his unique insights, creativity and inspiration."

"The Board has complete confidence that Tim is the right person to be our next CEO," added Levinson.

As COO, Cook was previously responsible for all of the company's worldwide sales and operations, including end-to-end management of Apple's supply chain, sales activities, and service and support in all markets and countries. He also headed Apple's Macintosh division and played a key role in the continued development of strategic reseller and supplier relationships, ensuring flexibility in response to an increasingly demanding marketplace.

Confidence in the overall economy, however, dropped to its lowest level of the year.

Consumer's expectations for technology spending rose more than four points in August. The CEA Index of Consumer Technology Spending (ICTE) reached 84.4, an increase of 4.6 points. The ICTE, which measures consumer expectations about technology spending, is at its highest level since January and up 4.6 points from this time last year.

"Consumers continue to show interest in spending on technology despite an uncertain economic outlook," said Shawn DuBravac, CEA's chief economist and director of research. "As consumers pull back spending in other categories, technology continues to benefit."

Consumer confidence in the overall economy dropped for the fourth straight month. The CEA Index of Consumer Expectations (ICE), which measures consumer sentiment about the broader economy, dropped 0.3 points to 158.8. That?s the lowest level since reaching an all-time low of 157.8 in August of 2010.

"Consumer sentiment continued to fall this month as unrest with the economic landscape and volatility in the financial markets grew," said DuBravac. "Interestingly, despite the instability on Wall Street, consumers are showing some optimism that things will improve over the next year."

The CEA Indexes comprise the ICE and ICTE, both of which are updated on a monthly basis through consumer surveys. New data is released on the fourth Tuesday of each month. CEA has been tracking index data since January 2007.

Called cognitive computers, systems built with these chips won’t be programmed the same way traditional computers are today. Rather, cognitive computers are expected to learn through experiences, find correlations, create hypotheses, and remember – and learn from – the outcomes, mimicking the brains structural and synaptic plasticity. 

To do this, IBM is combining principles from nanoscience, neuroscience and supercomputing as part of a multi-year cognitive computing initiative. The company and its university collaborators also announced they have been awarded approximately $21 million in new funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for Phase 2 of the Systems of Neuromorphic Adaptive Plastic Scalable Electronics (SyNAPSE) project.  The goal of SyNAPSE  is to create a system that not only analyzes complex information from multiple sensory modalities at once, but also dynamically rewires itself as it interacts with its environment – all while rivaling the brain’s compact size and low power usage. The IBM team has already successfully completed Phases 0 and 1. “This is a major initiative to move beyond the von Neumann paradigm that has been ruling computer architecture for more than half a century,” said Dharmendra Modha, project leader for IBM Research. “Future applications of computing will increasingly demand functionality that is not efficiently delivered by the traditional architecture. These chips are another significant step in the evolution of computers from calculators to learning systems, signaling the beginning of a new generation of computers and their applications in business, science and government.”

While they contain no biological elements, IBM’s first cognitive computing prototype chips use digital silicon circuits inspired by neurobiology to make up what is referred to as a “neurosynaptic core” with integrated memory (replicated synapses), computation (replicated neurons) and communication (replicated axons).  IBM has two working prototype designs. Both cores were fabricated in 45 nm SOI-CMOS and contain 256 neurons. One core contains 262,144 programmable synapses and the other contains 65,536 learning synapses. The IBM team has successfully demonstrated simple applications like navigation, machine vision, pattern recognition, associative memory and classification.  

IBM’s overarching cognitive computing architecture is an on-chip network of light-weight cores, creating a single integrated system of hardware and software. This architecture represents a critical shift away from traditional von Neumann computing to a potentially more power-efficient architecture that has no set programming, integrates memory with processor, and mimics the brain’s event-driven, distributed and parallel processing. IBM’s long-term goal is to build a chip system with ten billion neurons and hundred trillion synapses, while consuming merely one kilowatt of power and occupying less than two liters of volume.  

According to IBM, future chips will be able to ingest information from complex, real-world environments through multiple sensory modes and act through multiple motor modes in a coordinated, context-dependent manner. For example, a cognitive computing system monitoring the world's water supply could contain a network of sensors and actuators that constantly record and report metrics such as temperature, pressure, wave height, acoustics and ocean tide, and issue tsunami warnings based on its decision making. Similarly, a grocer stocking shelves could use an instrumented glove that monitors sights, smells, texture and temperature to flag bad or contaminated produce. Making sense of real-time input flowing at an ever-dizzying rate would be a Herculean task for today’s computers, but would be natural for a brain-inspired system.   

“Imagine traffic lights that can integrate sights, sounds and smells and flag unsafe intersections before disaster happens or imagine cognitive co-processors that turn servers, laptops, tablets, and phones into machines that can interact better with their environments,” said Dr. Modha.

Produced by the editors of DV and Videography magazines, Digital Video Expo said it is presenting a multi-tiered educational program that will focus on a number of key topics critical to the success of video professionals. Each of the conference program topics will be discussed in full-day programs, taught by the individuals who literally “wrote the book” in their areas of expertise, including Oliver Peters, Jay Holben, Ned Stoltz and Philip Hodgetts.

Topics include:
• Demystifying Digital
• Working with Large-Sensor Cameras
• Basic Tech for Producers
• Color Correction Options
• The Art of Micro-Budget Producing
• Indie Feature Film Production and Post – A to Z
• DIY Lighting 101: A Shot in the Dark
• NLE Comparison Shopping
• Using Metadata for Production and Asset Management
• Build Your Own Studio
• Mobile Production Apps
• Avoiding Postproduction Nightmares

Digital Video Expo will also present a number of free education programs on the exhibit hall floor, on such topics as Lighting for Digital Cameras, Post Sound for Digital Content Creators, and the New LTO Tape File System.

“As one can see from the subject matter in this year’s Digital Video Expo conference program, we are presenting much of our educational content with the independent production community in mind,” said Carmel King, NewBay Media Executive Vice President. “With up-to-the-minute information on building your own studio, independent film production and post, lighting and sound, along with hands-on training, we’re ensuring that participants will be given the knowledge and tools to help them bring their creative visions to reality.”

For complete event and registration information, visit http://www.dvexpo.com.

“It’s a huge honor to make the record books with this project,” said Spurlock. “A documentary about product placement setting the record for product placement carries a certain irony to it that fits in perfectly with my overall vision of the project.”

According to the film's creators, we live in an age where it’s tough even to walk down the street without someone trying to sell you something. It’s at the point where practically the entire American experience is brought to us by some corporation. Utilizing cutting-edge tools of comic exploration and total self exploitation, Spurlock dissects the world of advertising and marketing by using his personal integrity as currency to sell out to the highest bidder.

The film was directed by Morgan Spurlock and written by Spurlock and Jeremy Chilnick, the film was produced by Keith Calder, Jeremy Chilnick, Abbie Hurewitz, Morgan Spurlock and Jessica Wu.
POM Wonderful Present is currently available for digital download and debuts on Blu-ray ($35.99 SRP) and DVD ($30.99 SRP) August 23 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

According to GoPro, in addition to course previews of key events, included BMX Big Air, Skate Big Air, Skate Vert, Rally Cross, and the Street Skate Park, each night, ESPN’s X Center would feature a daily GoPro highlight video, shot entirely with HD HERO cameras that captured some of the most dramatic moments of the games. These one-of-a-kind shots, such as from the bottom of the skateboard or from the seat post of the BMX bike, gave TV viewers a new and dynamic way to experience the X Games from the athletes’ perspectives. GoPro finished the games coverage with its two-minute highlight video that was used in the celebration and conclusion of the 2011 Summer X Games.

“The 2011 Summer X Games was a major milestone for GoPro,” said Nicholas Woodman, founder and CEO of GoPro. “We are beyond stoked with how our cameras were used in the televised broadcast of the X Games. It is incredible to think that this same camera that is available at a local skate or bike shop is being used for professional productions like the X Games. We are definitely looking forward to future productions like this.”

GoPro said the versatility of the HD HERO with its small size and mount-anywhere design enabled the cameras to be positioned in numerous ways, be it on the athlete, their equipment or trackside to capture the unique shots. The team also used a first-of-kind, handheld camera array consisting of 48 synched HD HERO cameras to capture and deliver dramatic action shot sequences, giving the viewer a continuous and flowing multi-angle view of the athletes as they performed their tricks. Even with 48 HD HERO cameras attached, GoPro’s experimental camera array is still light enough to be carried by one person and to be positioned in the middle of the action. To duplicate this type of set-up with traditional production cameras, the cost would reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars and would be too impractical to be used during a live sporting event. GoPro said it is excited to showcase the versatility of the HD HERO camera in this new and exciting way and is proud that footage from it's innovative camera array was used in ESPN's broadcast of the Summer X Games.

See the GoPro 2011 Summer X Games footage here.

The United States generated $134.1 billion in entertainment media spending last year, compared to $82.1 billion spent by European consumers. The top item of expenditure in both regions was pay-TV cable and satellite subscriptions, but a growing range of paid-for entertainment options was also open to consumers, helping to boost overall numbers. These other options included cinema, physical video pur chases, physical video rentals, physical games purchases, physical music purchases, TV-based pay-per-view and video on demand, online video/games/music, and mobile games/video/music.

Combined spending on these sectors has been rising every year in both regions throughout the past decade, as shown by Figure 4. The 10-year compound annual growth rate, ending in 2010, stood at 5.0 percent for the United States and 4.2 percent for Western Europe.

Aside from the significantly higher overall expenditures on entertainment media in the United States, one noticeable difference in spending habits between the two regions was the proportion of spending generated by cable and satellite TV services. Subscriptions in Europe to basic pay- and premium-TV channels ac counted for 47 percent of total entertainment outlay in 2010, or $38.8 billion. In the United States, however, pay-TV cable and satellite accounted for a much larger 62 percent of the entire spending, or $82.9 billion— slightly more than the combined entertainment budget for the whole of Western Europe.

For both regions, however, pay-TV played a central role in contributing to full entertainment media spending. And when pay-TV subscriptions are removed from the totals, two things become clear, IHS Screen Digest analysis reveals. First, the pay-TV sector is almost single-handedly responsible for the ongo ing growth in entertainment spending; and second, without it, spending patterns in the two regions appear remarkably similar.

Taking out the pay-TV component, spending on entertainment media equates to $51.1 billion in the United States and $43.3 billion in Europe. This means that with pay-TV excluded, U.S. consumers spent just 18 percent more than Europeans, compared with the 63 percent difference in overall expenditures if pay-TV was included.

Just the same, with the United States having 29 percent fewer TV households than Western Europe, average U.S. households spent far more in entertainment media spending each year than Europeans.

The Trade Association’s FireWire Reference Tutorial has been developed for engineers with no previous exposure to or understanding of FireWire. Its purpose is to familiarize the reader with FireWire and to build a complete understanding of how the FireWire bus operates.

The Design Guide includes details on how to implement FireWire ports on high-level devices such as PCs and on simple devices such as inexpensive consumer electronics products. It includes references to normative specifications and reference designs that can be used as is or, with the careful consideration of the trade-offs, as a starting point for a more optimized design.

"Having the FireWire Reference Tutorial and the FireWire Design Guide available in Chinese is a major benefit for customers in the world’s largest markets for manufacturers of PCs and peripherals that use 1394 technology,” said Dave Thompson of LSI, a 1394 Trade Association board member and chair of the Marketing Work Group. “In particular, the chapter in the FireWire Design Guide on late-VG protection is especially important and helpful for designers and manufacturers working with the FireWire standard.”

Dubbed “WhiteMagic” the module incorporates a 3-inch VGA low-temperature polysilicone TFT LCD module that adds a white (‘W’) pixel to the Red-Green-Blue (‘RGB’) pixels. By improving the brightness of the entire screen, Sony said it has been able to develop a module that offers one mode to reduce the power consumption of backlight by around 50%, as well as another mode that approximately doubles the brightness to improve outdoor visibility. Even adding the W pixel, the analysis of the input picture data and Sony's unique signal processing algorithm enable images to be displayed without any deterioration.

In recent times, devices such as digital cameras and Smartphones have been gradually calling for even larger screens and higher resolutions. There are also increasing demands to reduce the power consumption of the displays. The conventional RGB display, however, has a major difficulty in simultaneously achieving both high resolution and low power consumption. By incorporating the newly-developed ‘RGBW method’ that adds a white (‘W’) pixel to the conventional RGB pixels, Sony has succeeded in enhancing the brightness of the entire screen of its new LCD module.

According to Sony, the addition of a white pixel typically tends to result in deterioration of the image quality. However, Sony's “WhiteMagic” analyzes the input picture data and performs suitable signal processing (using its new algorithm), thus enabling a deterioration-free display. As a result, Sony has succeeded in equipping its LCD modules with a new ‘low power mode,’ which enables brightness equivalent to that of conventional RGB LCD modules, even the power consumption of the backlight is reduced by approximately 50%. There is also an ‘outdoors mode,’ which successfully improves outdoor visibility of the display by enhancing the display brightness to roughly double, even without the use of any additional power. Consequently, the ‘Low power mode’ increases the battery life of the devices, while the ‘outdoors mode’ facilitates focusing of the camera and/or checking of the images being filmed even under strong sunlight.

In addition to cameras, “WhiteMagic” is also applicable to displays for Smartphones. Sony said it plans for the module to meet the demands of customers across a wide range of imaging and mobile devices.

Details and specifications can be found at www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press/201108/11-086E/index.html.

Availability is slated for early October, 2011 with a sample price of roughly $65.00.

According to Google, the acquisition of Motorola Mobility, a dedicated Android partner, will enable Google to supercharge the Android ecosystem and will enhance competition in mobile computing. Google said Motorola Mobility will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open. The company will run Motorola Mobility as a separate business.

Larry Page, CEO of Google, said, “Motorola Mobility’s total commitment to Android has created a natural fit for our two companies. Together, we will create amazing user experiences that supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, partners and developers. I look forward to welcoming Motorolans to our family of Googlers.”

Sanjay Jha, CEO of Motorola Mobility, said, “This transaction offers significant value for Motorola Mobility’s stockholders and provides compelling new opportunities for our employees, customers, and partners around the world. We have shared a productive partnership with Google to advance the Android platform, and now through this combination we will be able to do even more to innovate and deliver outstanding mobility solutions across our mobile devices and home businesses.”

Andy Rubin, Senior Vice President of Mobile at Google, said, “We expect that this combination will enable us to break new ground for the Android ecosystem. However, our vision for Android is unchanged and Google remains firmly committed to Android as an open platform and a vibrant open source community. We will continue to work with all of our valued Android partners to develop and distribute innovative Android-powered devices.”

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals in the US, the European Union and other jurisdictions, and the approval of Motorola Mobility’s stockholders. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2011 or early 2012.

Under the Chairman’s five-step action plan, the FCC will: (1) develop automatic location accuracy mechanisms for NG-911, (2) facilitate the completion and implementation of NG911 technical standards for the hardware and software that carriers and public safety answering points (PSAPs) use to communicate NG911 information, (3) work with state 911 authorities, other Federal agencies, and other governing entities to provide technical expertise and develop a coordinated approach to NG911 governance, (4) develop an NG911 Funding Model focused on the cost-effectiveness of the NG911 network infrastructure linking PSAPs and carriers and (5) enable consumers to send text, photos, and videos to PSAPs.

Next month, the FCC is expected to launch a rulemaking to consider how to accelerate NG911 adoption to help answer practical, technical questions about how to enable text, photo, and video transmission to 911, including how to ensure adequate broadband infrastructure to deliver the bandwidth PSAPs will need to provide NG911. As part of the proceeding, the FCC will examine interim solutions for ensuring that carriers and service providers support transmission of text-to-911.

Chairman Genachowski said, “It’s hard to imagine that airlines can send text messages if your flight is delayed, but you can’t send a text message to 9-1-1 in an emergency. The unfortunate truth is that the capability of our emergency response communications has not kept pace with commercial innovation – has not kept pace with what ordinary people now do every day with communications devices. The shift to NG911 can’t be about if, but about when and how.”
NG911 supports seamless, end-to-end IP-based communication of emergency-related voice, text, data, photos, and video between the public and public safety answering points. NG911 systems will continue to support the legacy 911 system on a transitional basis for as long as is necessary.

According to the FCC, the announcement builds on Chairman Genachowski’s strong public safety agenda, including launching of Personal Localized Alerting Network (PLAN), strengthening the FCC’s existing enhanced E-911 location accuracy rules, laying the groundwork for a nationwide, interoperable public safety network and granting waivers to build out the public safety network.

According to Panasonic, the companies intend to work together on the development and licensing of radio frequency (RF) system 3D active glasses technology, including RF system protocols between consumer 3D active glasses and 3D displays such as televisions, personal computers, projectors and 3D theaters with XPAND active shutter glasses.

Through the initiative, the four companies aim to widely introduce universal active 3D glasses to the market. The announcement marks a collaboration of the world’s leading 3D TV manufacturers and 3D technology providers. Glasses utilizing 3D active technology benefits consumers in that they enable Full HD 3D picture quality to be displayed to each eye, as well as a greater freedom of movement thanks to Bluetooth technology.

“Panasonic has been working to standardize 3D glasses technologies, and in March, we announced a joint licensing of IR system protocols with XPAND, backed by several participant companies. We are very pleased that today’s latest collaboration will incorporate our previous concept into these new standardization efforts,” said Masayuki Kozuka, general manager of Media & Content Alliance Office, Corporate R&D Division, Panasonic Corporation. “We hope the expanded collaboration on this 3D standardization initiative will make a significant contribution toward accelerating the growth of 3D-related products.”

The Bluetooth SIG supports the industry’s move to standardize on Bluetooth technology in 3D glasses.

“These market leaders are coming together to make the 3D experience better for the consumer. It makes perfect sense that Bluetooth technology would be a vital component of that solution, both for its mass market ubiquity and the freedom and convenience it provides," said Michael Foley, Ph.D., executive director, Bluetooth SIG. “And while today's news is exciting, this is just the beginning—Bluetooth technology in the living room makes sense in 3D glasses, stereo surround systems, remote controls, and ultimately the hub of the living room—the TV.”

The license of the newly announced Full HD 3D Glasses Initiative is targeted to be released in September 2011, at which time the development of new standardization-applied active 3D glasses will begin. Universal glasses with the new IR/RF protocols are expected to be made available in 2012, and are targeted to be backward compatible with 2011 3D active TVs.

According to VESA, the DisplayPort Version 1.2 standard is a comprehensive extension to the original DisplayPort standard, significantly enhancing display performance. Capabilities added by DisplayPort Version 1.2 include the doubling of the maximum data transfer rate to 21.6 Gbps (Gigabits-per-second), increasing display resolution, color depths and refresh rates; multiple monitor support through a single DisplayPort connector; support for high-speed, bi-directional data transfer; audio enhancements including Audio Copy Protection and support for High-Definition (HD) audio formats such as Dolby, MAT, DTS HD, all Blu-Ray formats, and China’s DRA standard; and improved support for Full HD 3D Stereoscopic displays.

“VESA’s goal has always been to enable the electronics industry to deliver a superior visual experience,” said Bill Lempesis, executive director of VESA. “With both sink and source devices having now achieved DisplayPort 1.2 certification, we are seeing this goal come to fruition. We believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg, and expect the industry to grab hold of DisplayPort 1.2 to bring products to market that take display technology to new heights.”

“3DTV is confounding the skeptics and gaining traction with early adopters,” says David Mercer, Principal Analyst and the report author. “A significant minority of 3DTV owners now watch some TV in 3D on a daily basis, and this should be seen as an encouraging sign for content producers and the television industry in general.”

The survey also found that 3DTV owners typically own two pairs of 3D glasses, although a small minority (13%) claims not to own any 3D glasses. The research provides some evidence that the cost of buying additional pairs of glasses is seen as a barrier to 3D viewing: 53% of 3DTV viewers agree that they would buy more 3D glasses for family and friends if prices were lower.

“The glasses issue is very real,” says Jia Wu, Senior Analyst. “Naturally enough people would rather not have to wear them, but a majority of 3DTV viewers are prepared to put up with the inconvenience when the experience and entertainment value justify it.”

Strategy Analytics conducted an online survey, the 2011 ConsumerMetrix Survey fielded in July 2011. The sample consisted of 2,000 individuals in the US and 2,801 in Europe (France, Germany, Italy, UK) ages 15-74 years. The sample of 3DTV owners was 238.

According to iBiquity, single frequency networks utilize on-channel digital boosters to improve FM IBOC digital radio coverage. These boosters, strategically located within the coverage area of a radio station, transmit only the digital portion of the hybrid IBOC signal. The approach to digital booster development being undertaken by iBiquity is aimed at a booster design that is interoperable among the various transmission equipment manufacturers. The technology is backwards-compatible with existing receivers and supportable by existing FM IBOC broadcast products, such as exciters, through upgrading.

The technical report just released describes field testing of a single frequency network using Greater Media's Boston area station WKLB-FM and experimental booster station WKLB-FM1. Both digital-only and digital-plus-analog booster configurations were tested. Also included in the report are the results from experimental broadcast stations WD2XAB and WD2XAB-1, located near Baltimore, MD which were first reported on in November 2010. The full text of the final report and information on the NAB FASTROAD technology advocacy program are available at www.NABFASTROAD.org.

The CEA study, Notions of Quality: Audio Expectations of Consumers, also found consumers have varying opinions on which content formats provide the best sound quality. For example, 43 percent of consumers consider FM radio to provide superior sound quality while a similar number (46 percent) consider the audio from HDTVs to be high quality.

“Sound quality depends on both the audio source and listening device, and. manufacturers and retailers have the unique ability to educate consumers on what constitutes high-quality audio,” said Ben Arnold, CEA’s senior research analyst. “Similar to HD and 3D video technology, quality audio is experiential, so we encourage consumers to do in-the-field research. Hearing the difference among superior audio products can effectively sway consumers to consider and purchase high-quality audio technology.”

CEA will reveal further results and insights of the study in a webinar on Wednesday, August 10th from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. EST. Arnold will lead the webinar and will address topics such as the profile of audio enthusiasts, what consumers consider elements of a quality audio listening experience, which elements of the experience are most important, and perceptions of which audio formats and devices provide high quality sound.

The webinar is specifically recommended for individuals in the business of selling or marketing audio electronics or content. Webinars are free for CEA members and available for a fee for nonmembers at the CEA Store. Registration is limited - RSVP by Monday, August 8th. If you have any questions please email Webinar Team or call (703) 907-4354.

The study, Notions of Quality: Audio Expectations of Consumers was conducted between June 16 - 25, 2011. It was designed and formulated by CEA Market Research. The complete study is available free to CEA member companies at members.CE.org. Non-members may purchase the study at the CEA Store.

According to One-Blue, the company has been established for the purpose of administering a licensing program for patents essential to Blu-ray Disc products. For hardware and software products, the license covers Blu-ray Disc, DVD and CD essential patents; for disc products, the license covers Blu-ray Disc essential patents.

The comapny said that with the creation of One-Blue, the participating companies have founded an innovative patent pool for Blu-ray Disc products that levels the playing field, reduces costs, and fosters fair use of the patent system in the entire optical disc sector.

An important goal of the One-Blue product licensing program is the creation of a level playing field for all participants in the Blu-ray Disc product market. To this end the One-Blue licensing program will introduce a per-batch licensing system for high volume Blu-ray Disc products and labels to be put on the outer boxes of Blu-ray Disc products, which will enable retailers and other players in the value chain to determine readily which products are licensed under this program. One-Blue expects that after a short initial period all boxes of relevant Blu-ray Disc products will be provided with labels.

Since issuing its call for Blu-ray Disc product patents in October 2009, One-Blue has been working with potential licensors to ensure wide-spread adoption of its licensing program. For the past few months, One-Blue has acquired the necessary regulatory and governmental approvals for the establishment of One-Blue, LLC as the joint licensing agent of its licensors.

Any holder of patents essential to optical formats used in Blu-ray Disc products is invited to submit patents for evaluation and join the licensing program as a new licensor. More information about the One-Blue licensing program and related royalty rates can be found on www.one-blue.com.

Any company interested in obtaining licenses for one or more Blu-ray Disc products under the One-Blue product licensing program is requested to contact One-Blue at: info@one-blue.com.

“These arrangements will unleash investment and benefit consumers near the borders by enabling the rollout of 4G wireless broadband service and advanced systems for critical public safety and emergency response communications,” Chairman Julius Genachowski stated after signing the documents. “I appreciate the commitment and dedicated efforts of everyone who has been involved in these discussions to ensure that we are making the most effective use of this valuable spectrum.”

According to the FCC, the technical sharing principles reached on the 700 MHz band will facilitate the deployment of mobile wireless broadband systems near the U.S.-Canadian and U.S.-Mexican borders and will provide consumers in these areas with advanced opportunities for 4G high-speed mobile broadband access. Under the arrangements, licensees on both sides of the borders will have greater access to the 698-758 MHz and 776-788 MHz bands.

The technical sharing principles reached on 800 MHz will pave the way for completion of 800 MHz rebanding by U.S. public safety and commercial licensees operating along the U.S.-Canadian border. The FCC ordered rebanding to alleviate interference to public safety licensees in the band caused by commercial cellular licensees. The arrangement specifies (1) how primary channels will be allotted between the United States and Canada, (2) the technical parameters for operation on these channels within 140 kilometers (87 miles) of the common border, and (3) a schedule for transitioning facilities from the channels needed by the U.S. to complete rebanding along the U.S.-Canadian border.

The relevant documents are available on the International Bureau web site at http://transition.fcc.gov/ib/sand/agree/. They are also available for reference in the FCC Reference Information Center, Courtyard Level, and 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, D.C.

The KODAK KAI-2020 Image Sensor was selected by Malin Space Science Systems to serve as the “eye” of JunoCam, an instrument that will provide full color images of Jupiter as the spacecraft orbits the planet. The Juno spacecraft is designed to investigate Jupiter's origins, interior structure, deep atmosphere and magnetosphere from an innovative, highly elliptical orbit that will come as close as 5,000 km (3,100 miles) to the planet’s cloud tops.

After its scheduled August 5th launch, the Juno spacecraft will embark on a five-year cruise to Jupiter. Once the spacecraft arrives in 2016, JunoCam will be operated as part of the mission’s public outreach program, with imaging targets for the camera selected by the public working with the Juno science team. The camera will capture images for at least seven orbits, and then continue operation as long as possible in Jupiter’s intense radiation environment. With its 1600 x 1200 pixel array, the KODAK KAI-2020 Image Sensor will enable JunoCam to capture images of Jupiter’s cloud tops at up to 3 km per pixel, providing an unprecedented view of the planet.

KODAK CCDs will also be involved in two upcoming space missions currently scheduled to launch this November. Malin Space Science Systems selected the KODAK KAI-2020 Image Sensor for use in four separate camera systems of the Mars Science Laboratory rover Curiosity, including the MastCam, the science imaging “workhorse” of the rover. Scheduled to arrive at Mars in August 2012, Curiosity will help assess whether the red planet was (or still is today) an environment able to support microbial life. In addition, the Russian spacecraft Phobos-Grunt will use KODAK KAI-1020 Image Sensors for navigation and landing site selection on its mission to land on the Mars moon Phobos, collect samples, and return them back to Earth. Phobos-Grunt is scheduled to land on Phobos in early 2013, arriving back on Earth in August 2014.

In addition to these upcoming missions, KODAK CCD Image Sensors have also been deployed in a variety of other space missions to help us better understand not only the Earth but also our neighbors in the solar system. KODAK Image Sensor technology is used today in several Earth satellites that provide high-resolution images for commercial applications such as land mapping, agriculture, and municipal planning. KODAK CCD Image Sensors allow the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to provide unprecedented high-resolution images of the Moon, as well as in the Venus Monitoring Camera of Venus Express to study the atmosphere and surface of Venus. And several orbiters around Mars – including the Mars Odyssey Orbiter, the Mars Express, and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter – all use KODAK CCDs to provide new levels of information on the red planet.

"JunoCam is the eleventh time we have selected a Kodak CCD for a spaceflight imaging system," said Michael Ravine, Advanced Projects Manager, Malin Space Science Systems. "Being able to draw from the many options available in Kodak's commercial image sensor line has allowed us to tune the performance of each camera to each mission's specific needs. And our previous cameras that use Kodak sensors have logged more than 10 years of deep space operations, clearly demonstrating their reliability for space applications."

Conversely for Hulu, watching directly on a computer is the dominant way consumers connect. Eighty-nine percent of Hulu users watch directly on a computer, while 42 percent of Netflix users report watching on their computers.

One-fifth of Hulu users and 14 percent of Netflix users also report that they stream by connecting their computer to the TV. Other over-the-top, Internet-enabled devices, such as Roku Box, Google TV and Apple TV, were also cited as means for connecting with Hulu and Netflix. Respondents were able to select more than one viewing method to best reflect their viewing habits.

Hulu and Netflix users also trend toward different content types. Nearly three-fourths (73%) of Hulu users view primarily TV shows, compared to 11 percent of Netflix users. On the flipside, more than half (53%) of Netflix users watch primarily movies, while 9 percent of Hulu users say the same. Finally, twice as many Netflix users than Hulu users watch both movies and TV shows equally.

For the survey, Nielsen completed more than 12,000 online interviews in March 2011, focusing on usage and attitudes for over-the-top video, particularly Netflix and Hulu.

The rising popularity of smartphones in markets worldwide and increasing use of the Internet for activities like video distribution have boosted demand for fast, high-capacity communication networks. High-speed, low-loss optical technology enables broad application of fast, high-capacity communication, in submarine cable networks linking the countries of the world through to short-distance subscriber networks (FTTH) for offices and households. Optical communication is the transmission of data which has been converted into light signals. The medium is usually via optical fiber, which is exceptionally light and robust and has the advantage of low susceptibility to the effects of electromagnetic waves.

Transceiver modules employing glass lenses are used for optical communication, in submarine cables and base stations. Aspherical glass lenses, in particular, are ideal for transmitting light signals to optical fiber with low loss and have recently been incorporated into palm-size projectors. Consumer appliance applications are growing.

The FLGS3 Series is a highly efficient 1 × 1mm square aspherical glass lens which is compatible with wide-angle laser diodes and is believed to be the industry’s smallest.

Alps said it harnessed technologies accumulated through more than 20 years serving the optical communication market—in the areas of optical design, mechanical design, mold and die manufacturing, molding, and simulation—to expand the effective numerical aperture (NA) to 0.65 × 0.13 (from 0.5 × 0.1) while retaining the industry’s smallest size, and as a result raise optical coupling efficiency, which is a measure of light transmission efficiency, to 73% from 68%. With low loss, the light input required for a given output is smaller. This contributes to low power consumption, and also restricts heat generation, thereby enabling application in low-price modules that do not require Peltier devices or other cooling components. The company said thr lens is also ideal for high-brightness projector applications.

Made from lead-free glass, the FLGS3 Series lens is achieving compliance with both RoHS 6 and REACH regulations, contributing to reduced power consumption by optical communication modules helping to lower environmental impact.

Mass production and shipments of the new lens is to commence August 2011.

'Fundamentals of Color and Appearance' is a one-day seminar that instructs quality control and assurance professionals, lab technicians, parts suppliers, pre-media and digital pressroom personnel and manufacturing specifiers on how to evaluate and approve colors in their workflows. Taught by X-Rite color experts, FOCA provides practical information applicable to any industry dealing with color in easy-to-understand terms, including retail and apparel brands, business and consumer electronics, automotive, graphics arts, packaging and their related industries in plastics, coatings, and textile manufacturing. X-Rite color experts will give attendees a solid foundation in the basics of color and appearance, and provide instruction on how to measure, view and understand color data.

The $595 course requires no prior color training and will address color control for a variety of industries. X-Rite's FOCA seminar may qualify as continuing education under certain accreditation programs.

FOCA's fall dates and venues are as follows:

Detroit, MI: 09/22/2011 (Detroit Metro Airport Marriott, Flynn Drive Romulus, MI)

Atlanta, GA: 09/27/2011 (Courtyard Atlanta Airport North/Virginia Avenue, International Boulevard, Hapeville GA)

Los Angeles, CA: 09/29/2011 (FIDM 17590 Gillette Avenue, Irvine CA)

Boston, MA: 10/06/2011 (Residence Inn Boston Framingham, 400 Staples Drive, Framingham MA)

Chicago, IL: 10/13/2011 (Residence Inn Chicago Schaumburg, 1610 McConnor Parkway, Schaumburg IL)

Lyndhurst, NJ: 10/25/2011 (Courtyard Lyndhurst Meadowlands,1 Polito Avenue, Lyndhurst NJ)

Each attendee will receive an X-Rite Munsell Interactive Learning Kit to reinforce the lessons with worksheets, samples, and exercises, as well as X-Rite’s exclusive 'Fundamentals of Color and Appearance' book to be used as a reference on color in easy-to-read language.

'Going Beyond Density: Optimal Process Control for Printing' is a modular seminar featuring a morning and an afternoon session. Participants can opt to attend one session (for $395) or both (for $595).

This seminar is designed for any press operators, quality assurance or quality control managers, production supervisors, and prepress professionals looking to better understand how to improve efficiencies in the pressroom. Topics will include color theory, how to shorten make-ready time, lower consumable costs, increase efficiency throughout your workflow, and increase the return on your recent investment in color management equipment. Attendees will gain a complete understanding of the best practices for process control, be introduced to the key concepts of the G7 methodology, and also improve their understanding on spot color management from Pantone.

The morning session will look at offset press process control with a particular focus on process color. The afternoon session will focus on flexographic press process control with a particular focus on packaging and spot colors, including Pantone.

“The success of our 'Going Beyond Density' seminar this spring has led us to increase the number of locations for our fall tour in order to meet the needs of our customers. We have developed a curriculum, in coordination with Pantone that delivers superior value to our attendees. The marketplace is requesting tools to increase productivity and reduce costs and this seminar series supports this need,” explains Murphy Keeley, VP of Services at X-Rite.

Fall dates and venues for 'Going Beyond Density' are as follows:

Baltimore, MD: 9/13/2011 Courtyard Baltimore BWI Airport 1671 West Nursery Road Linthicum, MD

Los Angeles, CA: 9/15/2011 Los Angeles Airport Marriott 500 East First Street Long Beach, CA

Chicago, IL: 10/4/2011 Spring Hill Suites Chicago 1550 McConnor Parkway Schaumburg IL

Raleigh, NC: 10/6/2011 Courtyard Raleigh-Durham Airport 2001 Hospitality Court Morrisville, NC

To register and obtain further information about these seminars, please go to www.xrite.com/foca or www.xrite.com/processcontrol or call 888-439-4403. For a limited time, attendees can save 10 percent and get a free t-shirt by using the coupon code FOCA11 or GBD11 when registering.

The NAB analysis found that 672 of the nation's 1735 full-power TV stations must be "cleared" from channels 31-51 to accommodate the FCC's goal of reclaiming an additional 120 MHz of spectrum from broadcasters. During the analog-to-digital TV transition two years ago, only 174 stations had to be cleared from channels 52-69 and forced to move to a new channel.

"If the FCC's National Broadband Plan to recapture 20 more TV channels is implemented, service disruption, confusion and inconvenience for local television viewers will make the 2009 DTV transition seem like child's play," said NAB President Gordon Smith. "NAB endorses truly voluntary spectrum auctions. Our concern is that the FCC plan will morph into involuntary, because it is impossible for the FCC to meet spectrum reclamation goals without this becoming a government mandate."

Broadcasters returned to the government more than one-quarter of TV spectrum (channels 52-69 - or 108 MHz of spectrum) two years ago following a transition from analog to digital TV. That transition was conditioned on the promise that 46 million Americans exclusively reliant on over-the-air TV, along with pay TV viewers who watch local and network broadcast programming, would benefit from a DTV transition that would usher in HDTV programming, more viewer choice, and live and local mobile DTV. Many of those promises could go unfulfilled if the National Broadband Plan is implemented.

NAB's analysis of the FCC proposal to recapture 20 more TV channels reveals the following:

● Top Ten TV markets would be dramatically impacted by the FCC proposal, with 73 stations in the largest ten markets going off the air;

● More than half of all TV stations would likely need to disrupt service for millions of viewers for a few hours up to a few weeks to accommodate repositioning of those TV channels "repacked" into a lower channel assignment;

● Service disruptions would occur at more than 800 TV stations in large markets, mid-sized markets and small markets; the negative impact would be spread among network-owned stations and affiliates, Spanish and other foreign-language stations, independent, religious and public TV stations;

● Americans living in cities along the Canadian border would bear extra burdens because of international treaty obligations designed to minimize interference between Canadian and U.S. cities. Under the FCC NBP, all Detroit TV stations could go dark. Other border cities that could face severe disruptions and loss of service include Buffalo, Seattle, Syracuse, Cleveland, Spokane, Rochester and Watertown, NY and Flint, Mich.

NAB said it called on the FCC to immediately make public its analyses of the NBP's potential negative impact on viewers of free and local television. "We've waited patiently for over a year for FCC data on how the Broadband Plan impacts broadcasters, and more importantly, the tens of millions of viewers who rely every day on local TV for news, entertainment, sports and lifeline emergency weather information," said the NAB's Smith. "Even Congress can't get information from the FCC. All we are seeking is more transparency. We have but one chance to get this right if we are to preserve future innovation for broadcasters and our viewers."

According to Avid, at the heart of the workflow set-up is Avid Interplay Production Asset Management, which will be the largest such system Avid has delivered to date. Capable of storing up to 5000 hours of HD data online, the core system will also have the capacity to handle at least 76 incoming simultaneous HD file-based recordings, as well as contributions from remote venues. The system will provide facilities for the rights holders to directly access all events media and operational facilities such as editing, playout and web publishing. The solution also includes the use of Avid iNEWS Command and Avid AirSpeed Multi Stream for program distribution.

Gary Greenfield, CEO of Avid, said: “When it really counts—whether on a global stage or close to home—media enterprises know they can count on Avid, and we are committed to their success. Next year the whole world will be watching London, and to serve as the backbone for the digital workflows will really showcase Avid’s strengths and capabilities. It further demonstrates our commitment to delivering proven solutions that media enterprises can count on to get the job done, around the clock.”

According to the study, males ages 18 to 34 watch 7.8 hours of online video weekly, compared with 5.6 hours per week among all viewers ages 8 to 64. Many participants in the survey expect to watch 10% more online video within the next year. Short-form video content gets the views. About 66% of online video viewers regularly watch premium short-form content, such as music videos, movies trailers and clips, TV previews and clips, sports highlights, video game content, comedy sketches and original Web series.

The percentage of online video viewers for each genre has remained the same since 2008, except for a few exceptions during the past few years. For example, consumer-generated videos uploaded to sites such as YouTube rose from 33% to 46%. Full-length TV rose from 25% to 30%. Full-length movies rose from 10% to 22%.

Emerging technologies have begun to show promise when it comes to connecting with entertainment and video content. About 30% of online view viewers watch content on a mobile phone, Internet-connected television or wireless tablet. Internet TV continues to grow in acceptance, with 25% of online video viewers accessing the Internet through their TV set and an additional 34% interested in hooking in at a later time, according to the Frank N. Magid study.

About 158.1 million U.S. Internet users will download or stream video at least monthly via any device in 2011, representing 68.2% of Web users -- up to 76% by 2015, according to eMarketer.

It's not clear whether the device type can have an influence on recall of the video or the topic, but studies note the type of video ad unit does. In fact, the type of ad unit and the frequency with which consumers see a specific type of ad in a unit has a major influence on recall, according to eMarketer.

The research firm said 35% of viewers in a recent study could recall seeing a common static banner advertisement, but only 13% of viewers remembered seeing a more eye-catching video banner advertisement. Interestingly, it's not that the static banner ad proves to have a greater impact than the video banner ad, but rather the frequency with which consumers see them. The ad consumers are more commonly exposed to will have a higher impact on recall. Exposure influencing recall can also be found in streaming ad units. Pointing to stats from Break Media, eMarketer notes that 47% of respondents said they remembered the brand or product advertised after viewing a pre-, mid- or post-roll video ad unit.

“During the past two years, our research team has been focused on material improvements to increase the recording speed and making other key advances needed to ready GE’s micro-holographic technology for market,” said Lorraine. "With a speed to match Blu-ray's, discs made from GE's advanced micro-holographic materials are an attractive solution for both archival and consumer entertainment systems."

With higher recording speeds required in the professional archival industry, the company said that the latest breakthrough by GE researchers will advance the company’s interests in commercializing GE’s micro-holographic technology in the market space.

“During the past two years, our research team has been focused on material improvements to increase the recording speed and making other key advances needed to ready GE’s micro-holographic technology for market,” said Lorraine. "With a speed to match Blu-ray's, discs made from GE's advanced micro-holographic materials are an attractive solution for both archival and consumer entertainment systems."

Lorraine also noted that the breakthrough in recording speed could hasten the entry of GE’s micro-holographic technology into the consumer electronics market. Future micro-holographic discs using GE’s proprietary material will read and record on systems very similar to a typical Blu-ray or DVD player. In fact, the hardware and formats can be so similar to current optical storage technologies that future micro-holographic players will enable consumers to play back their CDs, DVDs and BDs.

Accoding to GE, in the months ahead, GE’s research and licensing teams will be sampling media to qualified companies interested in licensing its proprietary holographic data storage platform, a comprehensive portfolio that includes materials, discs, optical systems for manufacturing and optical drive technologies.

"This latest breakthrough in Holographic Data Storage represents a significant step forward on the path to commercializing this technology," said William Kernick, Vice President of Technology Ventures for GE. "We are looking forward to engaging with strategic industry partners to create an exciting new solution in the marketplace.”

• North American IP set top box revenue will increase by 22% in 2011.
• In 2011, 17% of all set top boxes will include a DVR.
• In 2011, 72% of all satellite set top boxes in Europe will be high definition.
• Nearly 670,000 cable set top boxes will be shipped in Latin America in Q3’11.

Average pricing in June for flat-panel TVs reached $1,133, up $10 or 0.9 percent from $1,123 in May. Overall average prices for LCD TVs increased $5 to $1,050, while those for plasma stabilized last month at $1,590. The price uptick in June—albeit slight—marked the third consecutive month of increase since April after four straight months of decline.

Among LCD televisions featuring the advanced light-emitting diode (LED) backlight technology, pricing in June fell for every size category by 1 to 5 percent, with the biggest declines occurring in the 20-inch-and-smaller group as well as in the 30- to 39-inch range. For the popular 32-inch LED model, pricing fell 7 percent from May and retreated a sizable 23 percent compared to June 2010. Meanwhile, U.S. LED shipments this year for the 30- to 34-inch range are expected to jump 96 percent.

Internet-enabled LCD TVs evinced mixed trends this month as the technology began penetrating smaller-sized TVs while at the same time continuing to compete with the medium- and larger-sized TV market. Pricing rose 2 percent in the 21- to 29-inch group for Internet-enabled TVs—considered a premium feature in this size range—but fell 4 percent in the 30- to 39-inch segment.

For plasma sets, clear-outs of older models as well as new-model introductions served to keep June prices in equilibrium. The 50-inch-and-larger group saw a price decline of 1 percent, but pricing rose 3 percent in the 40- to 49-inch category.

Overall for June, trends showed many premium features experiencing a price decline. Given that the U.S. TV market is mature, brands will need to keep offering attractive features like full high definition, LED, Internet-enabled capabilities and 3-D in order to continue moving forward—all the while keeping prices in mind, IHS believes. This is especially true as the country continues to grapple with the effects of a weak housing market, high unemployment and elevated gas prices.

“The biggest pricing increases for flat-panel televisions last month were among the new 3-D models employing active shutter glasses, the most popular type of three-dimensional set on the market today,” said Riddhi Patel, director for television systems and retail services at IHS. “There is an increasing number of models with 3-D capability in the product mix that have higher than average prices. These sets drove price increases for the entire flat-panel television market in the United States in June.”

The group, dubbed the Center for Copyright Information said that every year, content theft costs the U.S. economy more than 373,000 jobs, $16 billion in lost earnings, and $3 billion in lost federal, state and local government tax revenue.

Currently, many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) forward to subscribers notifications that they receive from content owners about alleged content theft – generally by email. Until now, however, there has been no common framework of “best practices” to effectively alert subscribers, protect copyrighted content and promote access to legal online content.

According to the Center, the Copyright Alert System is based on a consumer’s “right to know” when his or her Internet account may have been used improperly to download copyrighted content. Often, subscribers – particularly parents or caregivers – are not aware that their Internet accounts are being used for online content theft. Other subscribers may be unaware that downloading copyrighted content from illicit sources is illegal and violates their ISP’s Terms of Service or other published policies. Data suggest that, once informed about the alleged content theft and its possible consequences, most Internet subscribers will quickly take steps to ensure that the theft doesn’t happen again.

The new Copyright Alert System addresses these problems with a series of early alerts -- up to six -- in electronic form, notifying the subscriber that his or her account may have been misused for online content theft of film, TV shows or music. It will also put in place a system of “mitigation measures” intended to stop online content theft on those accounts that appear persistently to fail to respond to repeated Copyright Alerts. The system will also provide subscribers the opportunity for an independent review to determine whether a consumer’s online activity in question is lawful or if their account was identified in error. There are no new laws or regulations established as a part of this voluntary agreement. Termination of a subscriber’s account is not part of this agreement. ISPs will not provide their subscribers' names to rights’ holders under this agreement.

Both the Center for Copyright Information and the Copyright Alert System are voluntary collaborations between the entertainment and broadband business communities. Participating ISPs will begin implementing Copyright Alerts in 2011 and 2012.

The companies and associations collaborating on the framework include:

MPAA and MPAA members: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures; Paramount Pictures Corporation; Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.; Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation; Universal City Studios LLC; and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
RIAA and RIAA members: Universal Music Group Recordings, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and EMI Music North America.
ISPs: AT&T, Cablevision Systems Corp., Comcast Corp., Time Warner Cable, and Verizon.
IFTA: representing the Independent Producers & Distributors of Film & Television Programming.
A2IM: representing their 283 music label members, small and medium sized businesses located across the United States representing many different musical genres reflective of the cultural diversity of our country.

Founded in 2009 to commercialize research from the University of British Columbia, Veridae delivers three leading products for ASIC/FPGA prototyping debug, ASIC post silicon validation and FPGA-based system product validation into leading semiconductor and system product companies. These products are the first on the market to deliver a systematic "design for validation" approach as well as key features such as a synchronized view of multi-device systems both on- and off-chip, across devices, and timing domains. With the enhanced visibility delivered, customer's validation time is greatly shortened and key debug problems that previously required weeks, or even months, can be resolved in hours.

"Veridae is solving an ever increasing challenge faced by our customers -- debug and validation of their complex systems," said, Amir Aghdaei, President of Tektronix. "The combination of Veridae and Tektronix solutions will provide significant cost saving to our customers while accelerating their time to market."

Tektronix has made a long-term commitment to grow an embedded capture business unit in Vancouver, BC. "We're excited to be part of the Tektronix team and to establish a business unit for the company in Vancouver," said Jim Derbyshire, Veridae chief executive officer and mentor in residence at Simon Fraser University. "This allows us to maintain our close ties to the local research community, which were instrumental in the founding of Veridae."

Pantone said myPANTONE 2.0 incorporates feedback from more than 80,000 Pantone fans to extend the functionality of the original myPANTONE application and meet the growing needs of designers. myPANTONE 2.0 adds several enhanced features, including color calibration tools to improve the appearance of PANTONE Colors on screen, CMYK support for PANTONE PLUS SERIES Colors, access to ICC color-managed values, and the ability to print color palettes straight from the iPhone.

Each color swatch in the myPANTONE for Android application includes sRGB, HTML and L*a*b* values. myPANTONE for Android also automatically generates a variety of harmonious color combinations. Additionally, cross-referencing color capabilities make it simple for users to find similar colors among the various PANTONE Color Libraries. For example, users can identify the PANTONE FASHION + HOME Color that most closely matches any PANTONE PLUS Color.

Once created, users can share color palettes by email with their friends, colleagues and clients. Color palettes can be sent as PANTONE Color Chips, or as swatch files that can be used in Adobe® Creative Suite® (.ase) and QuarkXPress®. Designers can also share their color palettes by automatically posting notification of new palettes to Facebook or by sending them to the Pantone hosted website, www.mypantone.com.

A free update for current myPANTONE users, myPANTONE 2.0 provides designers with CMYK data for all PANTONE PLUS SERIES Colors. Another innovative feature myPANTONE 2.0 offers is the ability to connect to PANTONE COLOR MANAGER desktop software to upload color managed data for PANTONE Colors based on ICC color output device profiles.

Enhancing the way PANTONE Colors are displayed on the iPhone, iPod and iPad has been improved as well. Now myPANTONE 2.0 allows users to calibrate the iPhone display to view color-corrected PANTONE Colors within the application. An X-Rite calibration device is required for calibration, such as ColorMunki™ Photo, Design or Create, or the new ColorMunki Display, i1Pro or i1Display 2.

“We continue to see a fundamental shift in the way designers work and smartphones are increasingly acting as portable color studios,” said Andy Hatkoff, vice president of technology licensing for Pantone. “myPANTONE for the iPhone was our first mobile application. Since its release, our Facebook community has been passionate about telling us the features they would like to see in future versions, including CMYK values and display calibration for more accurate color representation on screen. And, as the mobile market continues to expand, requests for an Android version of myPANTONE could not be ignored.”

myPANTONE for Android is available for download at the Android Market store for U.S. $7.99. myPANTONE for Android is compatible with Android 2.2 or higher.

myPANTONE 2.0 is a free upgrade for current owners and is available for download to new users in the Apple App Store for U.S.$9.99. Current myPANTONE users will be prompted to download a free upgrade. myPANTONE 2.0 is compatible with iPhone OS 4.0 or higher, and can be used on the iPad, iPhone or iPod touch.

According to the company, Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 Production Premium is a fully featured video suite with tools that deliver massive productivity enhancements and enable video and audio pros to dramatically accelerate their post production workflows. The powerful Adobe Mercury Playback Engine, introduced in Adobe Premiere Pro CS5, allows users to open projects faster, get real-time feedback for more GPU-accelerated features, and work more smoothly at 4k and higher resolutions on both laptops and workstations.

Adobe states that Premiere Pro CS5.5 boosts performance for powerful editing with a toolset that is native 64-bit, optimized for multicore systems, and is GPU-accelerated to provide real-time effects, color correction/color grading, accelerated rendering and superior multilayer performance. Professional video editors can also utilize all the system resources on modern Macs with Thunderbolt, 64-bit, and multicore CPUs for increased performance. Adobe is continuing to lead in truly native editing solutions with Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 as it saves users time and eliminates the need to transcode or rewrap file based and DSLR footage. Editors can also leverage Adobe After Effects® and Adobe Photoshop® software to seamlessly integrate visual effects and still imagery into their workflows. For customers who use other editing programs, Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 includes Final Cut Pro project import and export so projects can be shared between both applications without conversion or re-rendering. Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 also includes many Final Cut Pro and Avid keyboard shortcuts to help users get up and running fast.

“We’re hearing from video professionals that they want pro level tools that address cutting edge work but also allow them to use legacy footage and workflows,” said Jim Guerard, general manager and vice president of professional video and audio, Adobe. “At Adobe we’ve been in the trenches with video pros for years and with Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 and CS5.5 Production Premium we’ve delivered professional-grade tools that are already being battle-tested by some of the most innovative filmmakers, broadcasters and video pros.”

For more information on eligibility requirements for the switcher program, visit www.adobe.com/products/premiere/switch, or participating resellers. The program will end Sept. 30, 2011.

From June 22, 2010 to June 21, 2011, 1.59 million BD3D feature films were sold in the United States. When combined with the format's 161,700 non-feature units, a grand total of 1.75 million BD3D units were sold at retail, according to an IHS analysis of Nielsen VideoScan point-of-sale data. Another 1.7 million BD3D discs were delivered to U.S. consumers through hardware bundling deals during the same period, bringing the total to 3.5 million, IHS estimates.

"Consumers are finding that 3-D is one of the most fun concepts in home entertainment since color television, providing true three-dimensional pictures right in their living room," said Jan Saxton, senior analyst, film entertainment, for IHS. "Once they have 3-D in the home, they love it and are hungry for content, snapping up BD3D movies as soon as they become available. Sales reached this high level despite the fact that the number of BD3D titles on the market was relatively small compared to non-3-D Blu-ray."

A total of 93 BD3D titles were expected for release in the United States during 2010 and 2011, the first two calendar years of the format's availability. In comparison, 448 Blu-ray titles were released during that format's first two years in the market.

The growing number of titles - combined with the large installed base of BD3D-capable players as well as the rising sales of 3-D-capable televisions - will cause sales to accelerate in the second half of this year, the research firm says.

The first film to hit retail on BD3D was "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs," released in the United States by Sony on June 22, 2010. Based on analysis of point-of-sale data from Nielsen's VideoScan service, IHS estimates the title sold close to 50,000 units in its first year at retail. That may seem modest, but "Cloudy" was also bundled with Sony 3-D TVs and Sony 3-D starter kits, which consist of extra pairs of the 3-D glasses necessary for each 3-D viewer - so the total number of units 'sold' was boosted significantly by the Sony bundles.

Like Sony, other studios have formed partnerships with 3-D hardware manufacturers to get their 3-D titles into early-adopting homes.

Probably the most highly anticipated 3-D film of all, "Avatar," is still available only through Fox's exclusive bundling deals with Panasonic, or on resale sites like eBay and Amazon Marketplace.

As smartphones get smaller and their image sensors continue to offer higher resolutions, now in a range from 5M pixels to 8M pixels, the challenge here is of smaller pixels, where miniaturization can result in a fall off in performance. According to Toshiba, BSI overcomes this and brings a new level of responsiveness to CMOS imaging. BSI sensors deploy lenses on the rear of the sensor, on its silicon substrate, not on the front, where wiring limits light absorption. This positioning boosts light sensitivity and absorption, and allows formation of finer image pixels in smaller CMOS image sensors, bringing it more suitable for motion pictures applications as well.

Toshiba has made full use of the advantages of BSI to realize image pixels with a pitch of 1.12 micrometers, and to pack 8.08 million of them into a 1/4-inch sensor. The new sensor achieves high level imaging and processing that will bring a new level of image quality to smartphones.

Toshiba expects BSI CMOS image sensors to become the mainstream technology in portable digital technology, with applications expanding from mobile phones and digital cameras to smartphones and tablets.

The company said that CMOS image sensors are a focus product of Toshiba's Analog and Imaging Systems business. The latest addition to and enhancement of its BSI CMOS sensor line-up will reinforce the sensor business and the company's ability to meet the dual market requirements of smaller products and higher resolutions.

Sampling of the new sensor will begin at the end of this month and mass production will follow from the end of 2011.

Panasonic said it has provided NASA with AG-3DA1 3D camcorders, BT-3DL2550 25.5” 3D LCD monitors and its ruggedized Toughbook laptop computers that have documented the training and preparation leading up to the launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis to the International Space Station.

According to Panasonic, during the shuttle mission, NASA astronauts plan to use the lightweight 3DA1 to document the International Space Station in 3D. While at the International Space Station, the astronauts intend to conduct a number of scientific missions that they plan to capture with the 3DA1.

“Panasonic is delighted that the 3DA1 3D camcorder is playing a vital role in documenting this momentous NASA mission,” said John Baisley, Executive Vice President, Panasonic Solutions Company. “Human spaceflight is about the discovery of new things and places. The amazing 3D images that the 3DA1 produces may allow a new and unique view of the exploration of space for many applications.

“Panasonic looks forward to sharing the compelling 3D footage from the Space Station with consumer and professional audiences worldwide to showcase the truly immersive experience that 3D can deliver.”

For more information about the final space shuttle mission, visit www.nasa.gov.

The new research shows that connected TV homes are in many ways an advertiser’s dream. Compared to those without connected TV, viewers in connected homes are more likely to be male, young, have kids, and have higher median household incomes. Not surprisingly, homes with connected TVs are also more likely to have almost all types of TV technology, including HDTVs and DVRs.

But a preference for live viewing is still evident within all generations; among connected TV viewers, almost half (47%) say that watching a program at its regular time is their first choice when deciding what to view in the evening. Gen Y shows the strongest preference for the technology – but still chooses live viewing by almost two to one.

Many households have yet to embrace the connected TV technology; among 13- to 64-year-olds in “capable but unconnected” TV homes, only one fifth (21%) expect to connect in the next year. And, among the 40 percent of 13-to-64s who are in homes without a capable device, just eight percent expect to get such a device in the next year.

Buffering and poor picture quality are no longer barriers to satisfaction with connected TV. The data reveals that two thirds of connected TV viewers believe the picture and sound quality are about the same as, or better than, their regular TV reception. Viewers also like the flexibility to watch anytime and the wider selection of content.

“Connected TVs are now clearly a mainstream technology if defined by presence in the home – but actual usage is a different story,” said David Tice, Vice President and Group Account Director at Knowledge Networks. “Finding ways to ‘turn on’ the installed-but-inactive population may be the key to growth in every area. One potential approach: Tap into the unmet needs of pay TV consumers, such as the ability to access web-like search tools and social media through their TV set.”

The new findings come from Connected TVs: A How People Use Media Report – just published by Knowledge Networks as part of The Home Technology Monitor. The study is based on responses from 1,008 people – ages 13 to 64 – in TV homes, with interviews conducted in April 2011. The Home Technology Monitor research series represents the gold standard in media technology measurement. Now in its 31st year, HTM tracks ownership of hundreds of media-related devices and services, from wireless Internet access to DVRs to videogame consoles.

"While packaged media is declining, it certainly isn't falling off a cliff," explained Futuresource Senior Analyst, Mai Hoang at this year's Futuresource Entertainment Summit. "The decline in packaged media across video, gaming and music has attracted a lot of debate regarding the future of entertainment content, but packaged media still plays a huge part in total sales. Combined with the availability of new platforms, digital and packaged media together will still achieve $112bn in revenue in 2014.

"In 2010, packaged video generated $42bn globally, and although decline is apparent in the video industry, packaged will continue to produce significant revenues in the coming years, with spend still at $33bn in 2014, accounting for 72% of total consumer spend."

Sell-through currently accounts for the majority of total revenues in packaged media, though rental plays its part, this trend is set to continue as Hoang revealed.

"2014 will see sell-through account for 70% of total physical video spend, of which Blu-ray contributes over 50%, compared to just 13% in 2010. Globally, DVD and Blu-ray rental is still significant, although popularity varies greatly between territories - in Japan, rental accounts for over half of total spend while in the European markets, rental barely accounts for 10% share."

While Blu-ray is gaining traction growth in the new format will not be enough to compensate for the decline in DVD. Any growth in the home entertainment industry will need to come from digital content distribution, though key challenges for digital video include the wide availability of other online content, in particular free content, and the ongoing consumption of illegal video.

"An estimated 400 billion videos were watched online last year in the US, most of which were viewed for free via services like YouTube and Hulu," said Hoang. "In Western Europe, paid for online video accounted for just 2% of total video spend and 5% in the US, but the market is gaining ground and expected to increase to 12% and 16% respectively by 2014."

In Western Europe Apple, Microsoft and Sony are the main contenders in the paid for online video market, while smaller service providers continue to fuel the competitive environment. As a result the market is hugely fragmented, with a variety of services offering very different business models. Objectives among online service providers also vary greatly and many services have struggled, with some exiting the market entirely over the last two to three years.

In conclusion, Hoang stated that a number of strategies are being trialled to build bridges between digital and physical content, including industry initiatives to push digital through bundling, experimentation with release windows and exclusive downloadable content.

"For digital, the online user experience needs to be as seamless and enjoyable as possible for the video industry to maximise the future opportunities and make this revenue stream really perform," said Hoang.

This wireless standard enables a high-speed, bi-directional, point-to-point connection for the transfer of large data between two active devices up to a few centimeters apart. This standard can be applied for a wide range of applications, regardless of product, usage model or content. From a user standpoint, the technology can be thought of as an intuitive, touch-activated, high-speed data interface providing instant connectivity and allowing immediate exchange of content between devices. Some use cases which can take advantage of this technology include the exchange of photos and videos between digital cameras and camcorders, downloading content from public signage onto smart phones, and streaming content in real time from mobile devices to audio visual playback systems.

The Ecma General Assembly approved this standard at its June 2011 meeting in Divonne, France. This standard is now submitted to ISO/IEC JTC 1 for approval.

Mr. Ko Togashi, Chair of Ecma TC50 said: "We are very happy that this technology has been adopted as an Ecma standard and is now publicly available for the realization of user-friendly and intuitive touch-based data transfer.”

“This standard will change the way consumers handle and enjoy content by eliminating the complexity of traditional wireless connections, removable storage media and physical cables.” said Mr. Kentaro Odaka, Chair of the TransferJet Consortium.

“For more than 70 years, Canon has committed itself to developing new technologies that enhance the lives of our customers and create new opportunities to grow our business,” said Bunji Yano, senior director and general manager, Corporate Communications, Canon U.S.A. “We are honored to be recognized by Business Insider as one of the most innovative companies of all time and will continue to invest in the key functions of research, development, service and support in the future.”

The Business Insider list recognizes international technology companies that have played a critical role in developing and patenting new technologies and innovations over the past several decades. The research breakthroughs and technologies developed by the companies have changed the way businesses and consumers operate and communicate while also generating billions of dollars for the developers. See the full list of Innovative Companies.

Magenta specializes in providing large-scale switching, extension and distribution projects to the pro AV and digital signage markets, while TV One dedicates itself to providing video, audio and multimedia processing solutions. Together, the two companies boast a rich, 40 year history of providing advanced technology-based solutions to the professional AV and broadcast communities.

Commercial Technology Group Chairman, and Magenta Research CEO, Keith Mortensen stated, "The ability for TV One and Magenta technology to be cross-integrated into broadcast and commercial AV projects offers integrators and consultants exciting new alternatives to approaching projects, while streamlining the overall process."

Mortensen added, "Given the multiple ways TV One and Magenta products complement each other, the two companies were a natural fit to be the first two companies positioned under the Magenta Commercial Technology Group umbrella."

Additional acquisitions are expected to further expand the Magenta Commercial Technology Group's product portfolio in the coming months.

WiGig also announced the publication of its WiGig Bus Extension (WBE) specification, now available to Adopter members. The WiGig Bus Extension and WiGig Serial Extension (WSE) enable high-performance multi-gigabit wireless connectivity among multiple devices, from storage devices to other high-speed peripherals and applications such as Wireless Docking. WiGig is finalizing the WSE specification and plans to publish it to Adopters in the second half of this year.

“We are marching toward enabling the fastest wireless technology for practical applications such as Wireless Docking, Wireless Display and Wireless Networking,” said Dr. Ali Sadri, WiGig Alliance president and chairman. “Our continued diligence in the MAC-PHY specification development process and collaboration with the Wi-Fi Alliance to build an interoperable multi-gigabit wireless solution based on our latest specification will soon provide an unprecedented user experience that changes people’s lives.”

“WiGig is approaching fruition and advancing quickly toward enabling WiGig-based products,” said Filomena Berardi, Market Research Analyst, IMS Research. “By providing consumers a comprehensive wireless solution designed for a diverse set of applications at multi-gigabit speeds, WiGig is delivering technology that will shape the future of 60 GHz.”

In addition to WiGig’s partnership with VESA for wireless DisplayPort certification, WiGig said it has become an adopter of HDMI Licensing, LLC to further provide WiGig Display Extension (WDE) support for HDMI mapping. WDE is the only 60 GHz specification that defines a framework to connect to DisplayPort monitors and HDMI TVs, enabling key applications such as the wireless transmission of compressed or uncompressed video. WDE will be available to Adopters in the second half of 2011.

The CEA Index of Consumer Technology Expectations (ICTE) increased one point this month to 82.2. The ICTE, which measures consumer expectations about technology spending, is half a point lower than this time last year.

“Spending on tech is still holding up as interest grows in the tablet market, ” said Shawn DuBravac, CEA’s chief economist and director of research. “With economic expectations down, consumers are deferring large durable purchases, which means they have some additional funds to allocate to consumer tech.”

Consumer confidence in the overall economy fell to its lowest mark since August 2010. The CEA Index of Consumer Expectations (ICE) dropped four points this month, to 160.1. The ICE, which measures consumer expectations about the broader economy, is down for the second consecutive month and is more than two points lower than this time last year.

“The deteriorating economic environment leaves consumers less optimistic about the future,” said DuBravac. “Declines in equity markets in recent weeks and a flat line real estate market have lowered consumer expectations for being better off financially in the months to come.”

The CEA Indexes comprise the ICE and ICTE, both of which are updated on a monthly basis through consumer surveys. New data is released on the fourth Tuesday of each month. CEA has been tracking index data since January 2007. To find current and past indexes, charts, methodology and future release dates, log on to: CEAindexes.org.

Active cables boost and equalize the attenuated DisplayPort signal, allowing cables to reach longer lengths and enabling the use of thinner wire gauges when compared to normal passive cables. The configurations of home theaters and digital signage installations have historically been limited by the display cables connecting the devices. For high-definition display placement, the limits imposed by passive cables meant that short distances were needed to avoid compromised image quality. With the addition of active cables to the DisplayPort standard, cables lengths of more than 100 feet (33 meters) are possible, greatly increasing configuration flexibility in cable routing and equipment placement.

To support organizations considering the development of DisplayPort active cables, VESA has provided guidance on the electrical characteristics needed to ensure interoperability with other DisplayPort products within the DisplayPort 1.2 standard. Additionally, the Association has outlined compliance requirements within VESA’s PHY Compliance Test Specification version 1.2, enabling DisplayPort active cables to be added to the VESA Certification and Logo programs.

Because active cables are directional and require each end to be connected to appropriate devices, VESA has developed a new DisplayPort active cable logo to assist cable users in identifying the source and sink ends of the cable. This new logo will appear on the active cable, as well as product packaging and promotional material, simplifying their use and identification for consumers and developers of all expertise levels.

“Active cables are an important connectivity option for DisplayPort users,” said Gourgen Oganessyan, vice-chair of the VESA Marketing Task Group and staff product marketing engineer at Intersil Corporation. “Active cables are increasingly being used in market segments ranging from industrial display and digital signage, to the home office. Through detailed compliance and test specifications, as well as our logo programs, VESA will ensure robust and consistent quality of these interconnects in the marketplace and interoperability with a wide variety of DisplayPort-enabled products.”

Design specifications are immediately available from VESA for organizations seeking to develop DisplayPort active cables. For more information about DisplayPort, or the standard, please visit http://www.displayport.org.

"As this study indicates, local broadcasting is a remarkable engine for commerce and economic growth, creating high-paying jobs and helping business drive sales through advertising of goods and services," said NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith. "Decision-makers now debating spectrum policies need to be cognizant of the millions of people and thousands of businesses reliant on the unparalleled impact of local TV and radio for economic survival."

The paper calculated the local broadcast industry employs over 300,000 people directly and in support industries, creating $49.32 billion in GDP annually. Television accounts for almost 187,000 of these jobs, as well as over $30 billion in GDP, while radio employs 118,000 people and contributes a little over $18 billion to the GDP. The study also examined the ripple effects direct employment by local broadcasting has on the economy through the consumption of goods and services by industry employees. Looking at these cascading effects, the analysis concluded local commercial broadcasting generates almost $135 billion in additional GDP and more than 833,000 jobs nationwide.

"TV and radio broadcasting not only provides communities with local news, sports, weather and emergency information, but remains a valuable source of employment that fuels local economies," said Smith. "With the country struggling to recover from the downturn, broadcast innovation that includes mobile DTV and multicasting should be given an opportunity to succeed and put more Americans back to work."

The economic analysis also studied the additional economic activity generated by local commercial broadcasting through its service as a forum for advertising goods and services. The study estimates advertising on local broadcast television and radio stations stimulates more than $986 billion in economic activity and supports 1.38 million jobs.

"The primary role of broadcast television and radio is reducing the cost of product information through advertising. In this way, broadcast television and radio stations have their most significant impact on economic growth," says the report. "Reaching all United States households, local broadcast television and radio stations provide consumers with highly valued marketplace information and businesses with immediate economic and competitive intelligence."

The study focused only on local commercial broadcast radio and television stations including locally owned and operated commercial stations, affiliate stations and independent stations. Noncommercial radio and TV stations and the operations of over-the-air broadcast networks were not part of the analysis, except for networks' owned-and-operated local television stations.

Jim Mainard, Head of Production Development, DreamWorks Animation (DWA) was named Chair and Tom Cosgrove, President and Chief Executive Officer at 3net will serve as Chair-Elect for the Society.

Others named to the I3DS Executive Committee include Kappei Morishita, General Manager for the Blu-ray License Group, Panasonic Hollywood Lab, Panasonic Corporation of North America (First Vice-Chair/Treasurer); Lenny Lipton, Vice Chair/Secretary, 3D inventor (Vice Chair/Secretary); and Buzz Hays, Senior Vice President and 3D Producer, Sony Pictures Technologies, Sony Corporation of America (Past Chair). Jim Chabin, President of the Society, will also serve on the executive committee.

The International 3D Society provides community, education and recognition to its membership and is dedicated to the advancement of stereoscopic 3D arts and technology.

Mainard congratulated the membership on the progress the organization has made over the past year, noting, “The International 3D Society’s leadership now connects 3D companies and professionals from the United States to China, Korea, Japan, United Kingdom and 17 countries, all working together to move 3D forward.”

“3D is now colonizing screen platforms throughout the marketplace. The Society’s Board of Governors will advance and strengthen our efforts to fill that pipeline with superb quality content to advance the success of 3D,” added Chabin.
The International 3D Society Board of Governors and its general membership span the growing stereoscopic industry with representatives from major studios, in home, producers, technology suppliers, exhibitors and distributors. A complete list of board members follows.

International 3D Society underwriters include Signature Sponsors Panasonic Corporation and Korea Telecom and Founding Sponsors Dolby Laboratories, DreamWorks Animation (DWA), IMAX, MasterImage 3D, PIXAR, Sony Corporation of America, The Walt Disney Studios and XPAND 3D; also Member Sponsors Autodesk, Azuna, DirecTV, Discovery Communications and Quantel. For membership or information, visit www.international3dsociety.com.

The International 3D Society Board of Governors for 2011-2012 are:
 
Maria Costeira - XPAND 3D CEO

Peter Dobson - Mann Theatres CEO

Rob Engle - Sony Pictures Imageworks 3D Visual Effects Supervisor

Greg Foster - IMAX Chairman and President of Filmed Entertainment

Ron Geller - Dolby Laboratories, Inc. Vice President, Worldwide Content Relations

Charlotte Huggins - Salient Features Producer

Peter Koplik - MasterImage 3D President Digital Cinema

Brian Lenz - BSkyB Director, Product Design & TV Product Development

Howard Lukk - The Walt Disney Studios Vice President, Digital Production and Technology, Studio New Technology

Steve Schklair - 3ality Digital, LLC CEO/Founder

Kurt Schwenk - Paramount Pictures, VP of Post Production Services

Lisa Truitt - National Geographic Cinema Ventures President

Unlike conventional cameras, which can only record a scene in two dimensions, light field cameras can capture all of the light traveling in every direction through a scene in four dimensions. A light field picture taken with a Lytro camera can be manipulated after the fact in ways not possible with editing software.

Light field cameras capture fundamentally more powerful data than possible in regular photographs. To record this additional data, Lytro cameras will feature an innovative new light field sensor that captures the color, intensity and direction of every light ray. Software within the camera then processes the picture into a light field picture file that anyone can interact with, without needing special software.

“This is the next big evolution of the camera,” said CEO and Founder Dr. Ren Ng. “The move from film to digital was extraordinary and opened up picture taking to a much larger audience. Lytro is introducing Camera 3.0, a breakthrough that lets you nail your shot every time and never miss a moment. Now you can snap once and focus later to get the perfect picture.”

According to the company, Lytro camera capabilities will include:

Shoot now, focus later. People will no longer be disappointed by a picture that turns out focused on the wrong subject, such as the wall instead of a child’s smile. Lytro pictures can be flawlessly focused to one’s liking – days, weeks, even years after they’re taken.

Unparalleled speed: Since the camera doesn’t focus before a photo is taken, people will no longer miss important moments due to the conventional delay of the lens autofocusing as you press the shutter button.

Living pictures. Lytro creates interactive, living pictures that will engage and delight those who experience them online via social media networks, mobile phones, blogs, etc. Viewers can immerse themselves in a living picture to discover and focus in on new details by simply clicking on different parts of a picture. No software download is required.

Low-light sensitivity. By using all of the available light in a scene, light field cameras can capture better pictures in remarkably low light environments without use of a flash.

Immersive 3D. Using the full light field, Lytro cameras provide an immersive 3D picture that goes beyond the conventional stereo 3D by, for example, controlling the perspective view of a scene.

In 2010, consumers worldwide spent more than $38 billion on cameras and is expected to increase to $43.5 billion worldwide by 2015.

The first Lytro camera is expected to be available for purchase online later this year. For a demonstration of living pictures, visit the Lytro Picture Gallery.

As of June 20, 2011, six broadcasters (from the UK, US, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Sweden) have confirmed that they will conduct live broadcasts of Sony's 3D production of Wimbledon.

The company has also confirmed that live public screenings of Wimbledon will be shown in 3D on more than 170 screens in the UK, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Norway, Greece, Turkey, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, Austria, US, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay - a total of 22 countries and regions.

Sony said there are ongoing negotiations with broadcasters and cinema exhibitors in various countries and regions, so the number of countries and theaters where broadcasts and screenings are available is expected to further increase.

For the latest information on theaters offering live 3D screenings has also been launched go to http://wimbledon.com/sony.

During a special meeting, the Board approved a plan to dramatically increase the number of Internet domain name endings -- called generic top-level domains (gTLDs) -- from the current 22, which includes such familiar domains as .com, .org and .net.

"ICANN has opened the Internet's naming system to unleash the global human imagination. Today's decision respects the rights of groups to create new Top Level Domains in any language or script. We hope this allows the domain name system to better serve all of mankind," said Rod Beckstrom, President and Chief Executive Officer of ICANN.

New gTLDs will change the way people find information on the Internet and how businesses plan and structure their online presence. Internet address names will be able to end with almost any word in any language, offering organizations around the world the opportunity to market their brand, products, community or cause in new and innovative ways.

"Today's decision will usher in a new Internet age," said Peter Dengate Thrush, Chairman of ICANN's Board of Directors. "We have provided a platform for the next generation of creativity and inspiration."

The decision to proceed with the gTLD program follows many years of discussion, debate and deliberation with the Internet community, business groups and governments. The Applicant Guidebook, a rulebook explaining how to apply for a new gTLD, went through seven significant revisions to incorporate more than 1,000 comments from the public. Strong efforts were made to address the concerns of all interested parties, and to ensure that the security, stability and resiliency of the Internet are not compromised.

ICANN said it will will soon begin a global campaign to tell the world about this dramatic change in Internet names and to raise awareness of the opportunities afforded by new gTLDs. Applications for new gTLDs will be accepted from 12 January 2012 to 12 April 2012.

“The Wallow Fire is, unfortunately, going down in the record books as the largest wildfire in Arizona history, and all eyes are on the movement of the fire,” says Earth Networks Chief Meteorologist Mark Hoekzema. “Information and camera images from our station in Greer, Arizona, from June 5 serve as an example of how, in the western U.S., varied elevations and topography creates differential heating that will drive mesoscale patterns that could produce wind conditions in one valley that are totally different than another just a few miles away.”

The camera at Molly Butler Lodge is part of the Earth Networks weather mesonet, the largest global network of professional-grade weather stations, cameras and lightning sensors located at schools, sports stadiums and public safety facilities that integrates data from global weather sources.

Since the crisis began, partner station KTVK-TV Phoenix has been sharing images from another camera, located at Round Valley High School in Springerville, Arizona, on-air during regular broadcasts and on the station’s website at http://www.azfamily.com/.

Earth Networks said emergency management authorities in the region are using Earth Network’s weather visualization and tracking application, StreamerRT, to augment their weather intelligence by viewing and monitoring weather data, images and maps at very localized levels for affected areas, and to receive continuous updates on key factors, such as wind speed, direction and humidity, that are contributing to the dangerous situation and the spread of the wildfire.

StreamerRT is being made available at no cost to state and county officials, first responders and agencies in Arizona and surrounding states. Officials requiring access to StreamerRT for critical decision support during the crisis should contact Randy Smith, rsmith@earthnetworks.com, for additional information and instructions.

“We are thrilled to welcome Pandora to our community of innovative tech companies,” said Scott R. Cutler, EVP and Co-Head of U.S. Listings and Cash Equities, NYSE Euronext. “Pandora has transformed the music experience for millions across the country with its inventive Music Genome Project. We congratulate Pandora on its IPO and look forward to a long-standing partnership with the company and its shareholders.”

“We are excited and honored today to call the "P" symbol at the New York Stock Exchange our own,” said Joe Kennedy, Pandora President and CEO. “NYSE's experience and enthusiasm for Pandora make them an ideal partner as we look to continue our vision of providing personalized radio to listeners anytime and anywhere. We also thank our entire team, and all those who have helped us reach this milestone.”

As of May 31, 2011, NYSE Euronext (NYX) led the U.S. market for Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) and new listings both in total capital raised as well as number of transactions for 2011, with $23.4 billion in IPO proceeds raised on the New York Stock Exchange through a total of 53 IPOS (including funds). Pandora joins a series of recent notable TMT listings including: Freescale Semiconductor (FSL); The Active Network (ACTV); LinkedIn (LNKD); Sequans Communications (SQNS), 3D Systems Corporation (DDD); Demand Media (DMD); NeoPhotonics (NPTN); IMAX (IMAX) and Youku.com Inc. (YOKU)

A new report from Pike Research forecasts that the portable power sector will continue expanding at a healthy rate over the next few years, rising from $20.3 billion in global revenues in 2010 to $30.5 billion by 2015. The cleantech market intelligence firm estimates that portable power represents 55% of the global battery industry, with the stationary and motive battery sectors accounting for the balance of the market. The firm’s analysis indicates that portable power’s compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.5% will outpace growth in the other two sectors.

“Advanced battery technologies hold the potential to have a major impact on how portable devices are used in a variety of consumer and industrial markets,” says Pike Research president Clint Wheelock. “However, batteries are governed and constrained by a set of electrochemical laws that prevent them from achieving the kinds of advancements we have seen in the electronics industry. There is no Moore’s Law for battery technology, but a large number of innovators are actively seeking ways to significantly improve the performance of batteries.”

Pike Research forecasts that the largest market growth will continue to be in batteries for laptop computers and mobile phones, driven largely by ongoing increases in unit shipments. Other major growth categories will include portable navigation, military applications, medical devices, power tools, and instrumentation/sensing. A few application segments, such as batteries for portable AV/music and digital photography, will experience flat to negative growth between 2010 and 2015.

“The results of this study illustrate the fact that consumers are increasingly accessing entertainment content wherever and whenever it is available and underscore the growing opportunities in cable to adapt to these changing viewing habits by providing movies and other content on every platform,” said Mark Greenberg, president and CEO of EPIX.

Additionally, the research delved into device preference for content consumption and confirmed personal computers have fully emerged as a commonly used means for movie viewing. They are now nearly as popular as televisions, with seven out of eight respondents indicating that they watch movies on computers.

Other notable survey findings include:

- TV networks prevail as the most common source for watching movies outside of theaters as nearly seven in eight steamers view films on broadcast (85%) and basic cable networks (83%) at least monthly.

- More than half (51%) of online streamers/downloaders also watch movies monthly on premium channels.

- Although device ownership is already high among viewers of movies online, there is still strong purchase intent for popular mobile devices; over half (53%) plan to purchase another broadband-enabled device such as a tablet, netbook, laptop or desktop computer and over a quarter (26%) intend to get a mobile phone with Internet access over the next 12 months.

- TV sets connected to the Internet are growing in importance for online movie viewing, particularly among younger adults – 26% of all streamers/downloaders and one in three in the 25-34 year-old age group say they stream movies on broadband-enabled TVs.

- 44% of online video viewers utilize Internet Blu-ray players connected to TVs to watch movies.

The survey was conducted online in April 2011 by global consumer research firm Ipsos OTX Media CT and results were compiled from a national sample of 500 respondents between the ages 25-64 who had streamed or downloaded video content during the previous six months. EPIX made this announcement at the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA) 2011 Cable Show in Chicago.

The product features a built-in hardwired MP3 encoder/decoder system, enabling a power consumption of just 5 milliwatts (mW) and supporting advanced functionality via a built-in digital signal processor (DSP).

According to Sanyo, the LC823425 lowers power consumption during encoding by 50 percent compared to prior products, by utilizing a newly developed hardware encoders for MP3 file formats. It also employs a, low-voltage 90 nanometer (nm) process to achieve overall power consumption of approximately 5 mW. Additionally, it features a Class D headphone amplifier to reduce power consumption during playback. Through these functions, LC823425 achieves power consumption 30 percent lower than that of earlier sound processing products from the company.

SANYO Semiconductor's 24-bit DSP also enables diverse audio processing algorithms, leveraging proven software assets, shortening time to market for various types of audio processing applications. For example, this device enables functions often used for IC recorders, such as noise cancellation (including reducing noise from air conditioners, and making audio clearer during playback), sound collection (making audio clearer in real-time by using low delay noise-reduction processing and a high-gain amplifier), and voice speed adjustment (lowering voice speed, and maintaining the original playback time by expanding voice data to silent parts).

The new MP3 decoder and playback algorithm enables the variable speed playback function to operate at up to twice the speed [at 0.5x to 4x speeds and 1.2 volts (V) operation], compared to SANYO Semiconductor's previous products.

Additionally, by utilizing the LC823425's "music extraction technology", which extracts music data from among audio data, it also possible to extract and record only the music part of an FM radio broadcast.

Full production is scheduled in July 2011. The device is offered in both a FBGA221J (11 mm x 11 mm) and a TQFP128L (14 mm x 14 mm) package. It is budgetary priced at $7.00 USD per unit in quantities of 10,000 units. Samples are currently available.

Designed for wireless communications, this graphene-based analog integrated circuit could improve today's wireless devices and points to the potential for a new set of appli-cations. At today's conventional frequencies, cell phone and transceiver signals could be improved, potentially allowing phones to work where they can't today while, at much higher frequencies, military and medical personnel could see concealed weapons or conduct medical imaging without the same radiation dangers of X-rays.

Graphene, the thinnest electronic material consisting of a single layer of carbon atoms packed in a honeycomb structure, possesses outstanding electrical, optical, mechanical and thermal properties that could make it less expensive and use less energy inside portable electronics like smart phones.

Despite significant scientific progress in the understanding of this novel material and the demonstration of high-performance graphene-based devices, the challenge of integrat-ing graphene transistors with other components on a single chip had not been realized until now, mostly due to poor adhesion of graphene with metals and oxides and the lack of reliable fabrication schemes to yield reproducible devices and circuits.

This new integrated circuit, consisting of a graphene transistor and a pair of inductors compactly integrated on a silicon carbide (SiC) wafer, overcomes these design hurdles by developing wafer-scale fabrication procedures that maintain the quality of graphene and, at the same time, allow for its integration to other components in a complex cir-cuitry.

“Just a few days before IBM commemorates its 100th anniversary, our scientists have achieved a nanotechnology milestone which continues the company's century-long pur-suit of innovation and technology leadership,” said T.C. Chen, vice president, Science and Technology, IBM Research. “This research breakthrough has the potential to in-crease the performance of communication devices that enable people to interact with greater efficiency.”

SES-3 is a hybrid C- and Ku-band satellite which will replace AMC-1 at 103 degrees West and provide comprehensive coverage of North America and the Caribbean from this highly sought after location in the Centre of the North American Arc. As such, SES-3 is an integral part of SES’ satellite replacement program over North America. The satellite’s C-band payload will continue hosting blue-chip U.S. television networks broadcasting to over 4,350 cable head-ends while its Ku-band transponders will serve a range of enterprise customers with VSAT and broadband services. The cross-strapping capabilities from C- to Ku-band on the spacecraft will enable customers to further optimize their enterprise networks.

SES-3 is based on Orbital’s space-proven Star 2.4 platform, the largest and most powerful geostationary communications satellites Orbital builds. It carries 24 C-Band transponders and 24 Ku-Band transponders (36 MHz equivalents), generates approximately five kilowatts of payload power, and features a design life of 15 years.

States Romain Bausch, President and CEO of SES: “SES-3 will provide seamless replacement capacity at the important orbital position of 103 degrees West, from where SES feeds TV programming into virtually every cable network in the U.S. As such, the launch of SES-3 will be an important event to a number of our North American customers ensuring a smooth continuation of their operations for years to come. We look forward to another Proton success as the combined teams of ILS, Orbital and SES go through the SES-3 launch count down over the next few weeks.”

According to NPD's "Blu-ray Disc Report," there is evidence that Blu-ray is beginning to offset the loss of DVD customers. NPD estimates there are currently 116 million physical disc buyers in the US, which is down from 128 million in 2009; however, the nearly 26 million Blu-ray buyers helped keep that number from sliding further. Blu-ray buyers are also beginning to buy more discs than they did in 2009 or 2010, including both new releases and older catalog content.

"Because fewer hot titles came out of the theaters in time for first quarter release, the physical video-disc market was a bit disappointing -- especially coming off of a good first quarter last year; but consumer response to the Blu-ray format remains strongly positive, said Russ Crupnick, entertainment industry analyst for NPD. "While Blu-ray may not be the replacement for DVD that many once hoped for, it is certainly adding strength to the physical video-disc market. This added stability is helping to extend the life of discs, even as digital options gain in popularity."

Consumer feedback from NPD's video research points to recognition of Blu-ray's technology advantages, increasing value proposition, and benefits from packaging (e.g., combo packs that offer a DVD, Blu-ray and Digital Copy). Eight out of 10 current and prospective owners of Blu-ray set top boxes cite high definition quality and technology as the reason they purchased, or intend to purchase, a Blu-ray player.

Consumers are also noticing the better pricing and value of Blu-ray, as prices of hardware have declined. Word of mouth is helping grow the Blu-ray customer base, as well. Thirty-six percent of consumers who intend to buy a player were influenced by the product recommendations of friends and family members.

"It wasn't too long ago that most consumers felt DVD was 'good enough,' and while it's true DVD is a terrific format, more consumers are now recognizing that Blu-ray does indeed deliver a superior experience," said Crupnick. "Certainly the fact that prices are now within the budgetary range acceptable to rank-and-file consumers is helping bolster the overall value proposition of the Blu-ray format."

In addition to the positive feedback on Blu-ray discs, NPD notes that digital services have also driven increased interest in Blu-ray players. In fact 50 percent of consumers who intend to buy Blu-ray set-top players in the next six months cited the desire to use available subscription video download services as a primary reason.

"As more and more buyers make the decision to obtain the superior picture and sound technology of Blu-ray, there is also more awareness that the same player that delivers that experience can also provide access to digital services that are gaining the attenti