You are here: Home / 2012 / Archives for January 2012

Archives for January 2012

AT&T Provides Assists to Mobile Sports App Developers

January 10, 2012 by

Joe Tafoya giving a demo at the AT&T Developer Summit. Photo courtesy of Unsocial.

LAS VEGAS — CES 2012 — How can a big, established company like AT&T put itself at the center of mobile apps innovation? By giving smaller companies hooks into the cellular giant’s extensive wireless network and back-end operations, making it easier for developers to reach a wider audience and earn money faster.

For entrepreneurs looking to break into the exploding world of mobile sports application development, having AT&T as a BFF is a no-brainer, according to Joe Tafoya, a former NFL player who is now heading up a mobile content company called Viva! Vision Inc. Viva’s still-in-development app for Dallas Mavericks star Jason Terry was highlighted on stage at the AT&T Developer Summit here Monday, with Tafoya giving a quick demo of the forthcoming app’s ability to give fans lots of content centered around Terry, including training videos that will be available for purchase.

Where AT&T comes in is via links to the cellular giant’s network and payment systems, which will allow people to purchase items from the Jason Terry app by simply clicking and having the charges appear on their monthly cellular bill. In the not too distant past, having access to services embedded deeply into the cellular infrastructure was something small developers could only dream of. Now, up-and-coming players like Viva! Vision can theoretically gain easy links to AT&T’s millions of wireless customers as part of a big push by Ma Bell to help find and partner with the people who are truly innovating on the app development front.

“We looked at a lot of payment systems but being able to use AT&T was a no-brainer,” said Tafoya in a quick interview following the AT&T presentation, citing both the ability to have a quick, easy payment system in the app as well as access to AT&T’s millions of cellular customers.

And while sports and gaming are always at the top of the list of popular mobile apps, AT&T is of course extending its new programs to developers of all stripes, from in-car applications to enterprise apps to apps that let you compile grocery lists. Part of the company’s push Monday included new programs to make using its APIs (application programming interfaces) easier for developers, as well as programs to help developers get their apps noticed by more consumers and companies.

“Our goal is to make it easier for [developers] to navigate the mobile ecosystem,” said Ralph de la Vega, CEO of AT&T Mobility, during the Summit’s keynote address. For some developers like Viva! Vision’s Tafoya, that’s a goal that’s already happening.

Filed Under: Apps, AT&T, Social Media Tagged With: , ,

Rockchip Hopes to Spark Low-cost Tablet Market

January 10, 2012 by

Rockchip Electronics Co., a Chinese company that makes processors for a variety of markets is now focused on the tablet and smartphone market is hoping to create the same type of tablet buying frenzy that accompanied Hewlett-Packard’s TouchPad when its price was slashed and that Amazon is now garnering with its Kindle Fire, but industry wide.

It sees its technology the RK2918 chip that is based on ARM’s processor cores, as the solution to the development and adoption of low cost full featured tablets that are priced in the $100 range, significantly lower that Apple’s immensely popular iPads and the Amazon’s top of the line Kindles.

The company is displaying over 40 prototypes based on its technology at the CES show this week and will even have version that will be running Adobe’s Flash 11.0 technology, which is not standard in the emerging Android standard.

It said that it sees the advent of its low cost chips with the emerging Android 4.0 operating system, code named Ice Cream Sandwich, as the key issues in driving the new sales. (Free Ice Cream Sandwiches are available at the booth at CES)

The company believes that it can succeed in both the 7-inch and 10-inch tablet space and that products will range from $100 to $250. This all comes as some are calling Android tablets a failure. This seems like a bit of overkill but they certainly have not lived up to expectations, for the most part.

There were a few nice products that hung around but they did not light the world on fire as some had expected. This is really to be expected as many companies put their toe in the water with their first generation tablets and hopefully are using it as a learning experience.

Look at Amazon’s Kindle Fire, selling a million or more units a week during the holidays and Amazon’s best selling product for more than three months running. The Kindle Fire showed how accepted a tablet can be when it has the right features and the right price point.Price is important in this space, but more so is the entire environment, and many hope that Android 4.0 helps deliver a better experience for customers.

Rockchip faces a range of challenges. If the Kindle Fire breakdown shows that it cost over $200 to build, where will all of the savings come from? Also it is not alone in developing chips for the Android market that are based on ARM technology. Nvidia, Qualcomm and others have chips on the market or at least a license from ARM to build them. Intel is still touting its Atom technology for this space and is gearing up for a renewed push. Apple of course is going its own way on chips, using its own processors.

Also for experienced visitors to CES and to older, now defunct shows such as Comdex, there always seemed to be a huge number of low cost options for popular products ranging from MP3 players to PCs, and yet few of them managed to hang on. However Rockchip is already established as a technology provider in other market segments so it is not gambling all on this effort.

It would be great to see tablets become low cost items because this will help greatly expand the market for them as an alternative to notebooks as companies will be much more willing to invest in them if the upfront and replacement costs are not prohibitive.

Filed Under: Android, Apple, iPad, Kindle, Tablets Tagged With: , , ,

MSR Editor Gives BCS Viewing Advice to CES

January 9, 2012 by

If you are at CES here in Las Vegas (like MSR is) you may be wondering if you can watch tonight’s BCS championship game in a mobile fashion. MSR editor in chief Paul Kapustka (me) breaks it down for you over at Light Reading. Enjoy.

Filed Under: BCS

Sky Sports Gets iPad Revamp

January 9, 2012 by

BSkyB released Friday a new iPad application for existing Sky Sports subscribers. Coupled with the launch, director of mobile David Gibbs declared 2012 “the year of the tablet.”

Called Sky Sports News for iPad, the new application gives Sky Sports subscribers free access to an expanded slate of video offerings, as well as customization. The application follows the trend by the major U.S. sports networks to provide better access to their content via mobile devices, or get left in the dust as niche sports viewing, sports social media, and sports applications gain in popularity.

If broadcast networks are unsuccessful in delivering compelling mobile and tablet viewing experiences to fans, they face the prospect of losing direct marketing opportunities during time outs, half times and television commercial breaks.

Gibbs said surging iPad demand prompted release of the new Sky Sports News for iPad application.

A video promo for Sky Sports’ new app can be accessed via David Gibbs blog post.

 

 

Filed Under: BSkyB

Mobile Sports Report TechWatch: Solar Powered Cover for Kindle

January 9, 2012 by

SolarFlare develops sun-powered e-reader cover
SolarFlare Technology Co. has unveiled the SolarKindle this week at CES, a lightweight cover that features a built-in solar panel right in the cover. Built with a dual charging reserve battery that can get power from either a USB connection or the solar panel the company claims that it can give a Kindle user 3 moths reading time in the sunlight or 50 hours of reading using the lamp feature.

The integrated leather cover requires only one hour in the sun to fully charge the reserve battery to provide the users with days of use. The device was impressive enough that at the show it was an International CES Innovations Design & Engineering Awards Honoree

Marvell teams with One Laptop per Child for new tablet
Marvell is unveiling its XO 3.0, a low cost, low powered laptop that is designed for classrooms around the globe. The developer of integrated semiconductors has teamed with One Laptop per Child, a non-profit organization whose mission is to help child worldwide gain access to a modern education, to help its mission.

The two announced that they will start shipping a laptop developed by Marvell, the X 1.75, in March and that 75,000 have been ordered for OLPC projects in Uruguay and Nicaragua. The XO 1.75 and the XO 3.0 tablet are both powered by Marvell’s ARM-based Armada PXA618 system on a chip processor.

Windows 8 Tablet on the Horizon for ASUS
According to a report in Netbook News ASUS jumped the gun on CES by revealing that it has a new tablet that will be powered by an ARM processor and run the Windows 8 operating system in the works. However do not hold your breath since it appears that the product is slated for late in 2012.

In the short term the company plans to deliver a 7-inch tablet possibly named the ASUS Memo and a 10-inch tablet at CES and in a few months will refresh its Transformer Prime lineup with a 3G version and enhance some of its features including a more robust GPS unit.

Sony cuts Tablet S price $100
Sony has cut the price of its Tablet S line by $100 and is now offering five free downloadable “Classic PlayStation” games in its PlayStation Store app for new Tablet S owner. The Tablet S features a 9.4-inch display with 1280 x 800 resolution, a 5 megapixel rear facing camera and a 0.3 MP front facing camera and 1GB of RAM.

The version with 16GB of storage is now $400 while the 32GB version has a $500 price tag. Buyers will also receive a free 180-day trial of Sony’s Music Unlimited service, as well as five free rentals from Sony’s Video Unlimited Services.

Nokia acquires phone OS developer Smarterphone AS
Nokia has apparently purchased Oslo, Norway based Smarterphone AS for an undisclosed sum in a move that looks like it is once again going to be delivering a phone with a proprietary technology. Smarterphone reportedly is developing an operating system that will provide smartphone functionality on lower end hardware, according to BGR.

The company currently offers a lineup of smartphones that feature Microsoft Windows Phone operating system and in the past have offered other OSes including Symbian and MeeGo. So far Nokia has not indicated what it plans to do with the company and its technology.

The move comes at a time when some analysts are predicting that Windows Phone will help revive Nokia’s market share. I have to assume that an analyst from Credit Suisse would have at least had an inkling that the Smarterphone purchase was occurring and so sees this as just a personnel grab by Nokia.

The Green Bay Packers are the latest to adopt tablets for training purposes
The Green Bay Packers have taken to using Apple’s iPads along with specialized software so that receivers can watch game film and look for game trends as well as potential mismatches. The team provides its players with a complete look at how opponents play each possession based on down and distance. I wonder how much of a help this was for a team that tied the NFL record of 51 passing touchdowns this year?


This and that…
Apple, after losing its latest round in Germany has received good news in France and Italy, sort of- judges have refused to block sales of iOS devices.

Microsoft to develop Xbox Live games for rival platforms
Business Insider is reporting that Microsoft is planning on developing apps that will enable people that have Android and iOS products to play Xbox Live games.

According to BetaNews Microsoft and its partners including Nokia plan a $100 million ad blitz for the new Windows phones. Or is it $200 million?

Apple is reported to be preparing not one but two iPads for release in 2012, with the iPad 3 in March and the iPad 4 in October.

Filed Under: Amazon, Android, Apple, Apps, iPad, Kindle, Tablets Tagged With: ,

Looking For the BCS in 3D? ESPN Has Your Back!

January 9, 2012 by

The Sports network, long a backer of 3D, pulls out the stops for the broadcast

Did you splurge on a 60-inch HDTV and a set of 3D glasses but have already seen Avatar 4 times with your kids? Then tonight’s huge BCS Championship game between LSU and Alabama is your chance to see your system strut its stuff.

While the broadcast, with ESPN lead broadcasters Brent Musberger and Kirk Herbstreit handling the main announcing duties will be available in both a regular broadcast mode as well as in 3D, marking ESPN’s 39th 3D football broadcast in the last 2 years.

Aside from the commentary from the 2D broadcast the rest of the 3D show will be just that, 3D. There will be a total of 11 3D cameras at the event including one in the SkyCam to go with the 2D cameras that are present there.

However that is just the tip of the iceberg. There will be a 3D Ultra Slo Motion camera on a cart that moves along the sideline, that was developed for use by Fletcher Chicago with technology and cameras from I-Movix using Vision Research cameras for ESPN 3D.

One 3D camera on each goalpost, 3 lightweight miniaturized handheld, also developed for ESPN 3D, one of which transmits wirelessly enabling greater access for the technology. A 3D game camera on a 28 foot high mast on a cart that moves along the sideline provide shots close to the action and last but not least a 3D First Down Line that was developed by ESPN Technology.

This is a time to see what 3D can really do if you do ot have a 3D enabled television it could be worth your while to call a friend and volunteer to bring the wings and beer to get the experience watching an event that is capable of showing it off in all its glory. All that is missing is a holographic image of yourself on the sidelines.

Filed Under: BCS, ESPN, Live Sports Video Consumption, NCAA Football Tagged With: ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »