Convergence Conversation

I read today about Intel and Yahoo getting together to create TV chips that allow web channels to run alongside TV shows.  Have a look at the article here.  It doesn't take a huge leap to imagine how this would look on screen.  It's a much bigger jump to envisage how it might actually change the way I watch TV and how I use the Internet.  Quite separately I did start to think how, if they were successful, Widget Channels might impact the TV advertising market.  Already in decline, is this just one more nail in the coffin that pulls viewers away from TV shows?  Either way it is just one more demonstration of just how hard our UK PSB's are having to look at creating new business models to cope with convergence. More...

Some of you may have seen Samsung's announcement about it's new "connected TV" that it will be launching at IFA in August.  The stuff that sets this apart from others is that it will apparently be the first TV in Europe which can be "connected to a home network to receive multimedia files, have built-in content and are able to receive RSS feeds directly from the Internet."

This will surely be the first of many that seek to place the TV and the living room at the heart of the connected home.  It will also be interesting to see what deals have been struck re the built-in content that is referred to, a hot trend in the TV world.  However, the question we've always heard from Intellect member companies is more about when we can expect to see the connected home proposition move from the preserve of the technologically astute to the mass market.  Much of this revolves around the pere More...

The Chief Technologist at UK manufacturer Pace made this prediction in the news today.  At the heart of this debate is what convergence is all about i.e. being able to move content around the home seamlessly between different manufacturers devices and platforms.  The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) is leading the charge on interoperability and has all the big names behind them.

Different companies are now making bets on which technology solution will be the driving force behind making the connected home a reality and it'll be interesting to see how it plays out. More...

Maybe unsurprising to read the comments about Freeview from BSkyB's Customer Group MD Brian Sullivan at the Broadcast Digital channels conference yesterday.  Mr Sullivan said that Freeview was not "the universal blueprint for the digital future".  I don't think Freeview would see themselves as that but rather one of the key players within what will be the multi-channel mix.  Everyone knows that capacity is an issue for DTT and that DVB-T2 technology will give you 3-4 HD channels by 2010.  However, Freeview have got an installed base of over 15 million devices and a strong brand.  We're also only just about to embark on digital TV switchover with millions of TV sets still to be converted so it's safe to assume that while they won't achieve world domination they will continue to be a major for More...

Is it harsh to ask this question of Government when it comes to technology? Surely we want Government to embark on all policy decisions with an open mind, gather the evidence, hear all the stakeholders, then make an informed decision on the best way forward. We'd probably also like them to have a vision for what's best for the UK and a healthy level of scepticism that ensures they don't just listen to the loudest voices. In fact they need to be everything to everyone! Not an easy job then and having a vision could be politically dangerous if you are forced to change you mind.

Policymaking is probably even more difficult when it comes to technology and in particular infrastructure deployment and standards. More...