philip lelyveld The world of entertainment technology

Next-generation Conference Table with Media Hub

This table does everything.  If it had speakers, it could be a performance device for muscians & artists!

The Discussion Table was developed as a powerful tool to support collaboration within businesses.Each member brings their own notebook PC or tablet, and by showing data on the table, including pictures, videos, and Excel files, everyone can use the table as a media hub.

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Ad spend to pass 2008 peak in 2012 (helped by 3D)

Global advertising spending should grow steadily over the next three years and exceed its 2008 pre-recession peak in 2012, when it will reach $495 billion, leading media buyer ZenithOptimedia forecast on Monday.

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5 Reasons Google Bought Widevine (Updated)

[Phil Lelyveld comment: This is a surprise, but understandable.  I've known the Widevine folks for years.  They have very good technology, and credibility in the marketplace.]

Google announced today that it will acquire Widevine Technologies, giving it access to technology necessary to securely deliver video to a wide range of connected devices. The acquisition is more than just a technology play on Google’s part; the Widevine purchase will also bring deep Hollywood relationships and improve its chances of getting Google TV deployed on consumer electronics devices.

full story here: http://gigaom.com/video/google-widevine-acquisition/

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Copyright and Technology story.

Less than a day after I pooh-poohed announcements made by Google’s general counsel about supposed steps the company is taking to enhance copyright enforcement over its services, Google announced a deal to acquire Widevine Technologies, one of the last remaining independent DRM vendors. ... Yet there are at least three reasons why Google might be interested in owning Widevine.

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Simulation-training industry focused on market for health-care

The country's military simulation and training industry gathered in Orlando this week for its largest-ever annual trade show, and one thing became clear: Defense contractors have heatlhcare in their crosshairs these days.

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Video: dome camera array

France's LTS2 posted this video.  This concept is not new.  There have been dome cameras in use and in R&D for years.  But this is a nice, concise description video.

Virgin Media Tivo box add – nothing new, but nice english accent

How Iran’s Nuclear Facility was Crippled

[Phil Lelyveld comment; this is a long and fascinating story.  The idea of deploying thousands of units under the assumption that only one or two have to actually complete the mission was also the idea behind the last few missions to Mars and is the idea behind a lot of field-robotics development.]

The nuclear facility in Iran runs an “air gap” security system, meaning it has no connections to the Web, making it secure from outside penetration. Stuxnet was designed and sent into the area around Iran's Natanz nuclear power plant -- just how may never be known -- to infect a number of computers on the assumption that someone working in the plant would take work home on a flash drive, acquire the worm and then bring it back to the plant.
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F.T.C. Backs Plan to Honor Privacy of Online Users

[Phil Lelyveld comment: This is a piece of a larger puzzle that may help rebalance in a more acceptable way the right to innovate versus the right not to have your rights taken away from you in the name of innovation.]

Signaling a sea change in the debate over Internet privacy, the government’s top consumer protection agency on Wednesday advocated a plan that would let consumers choose whether they want their Internet browsing and buying habits monitored.
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Variable Candy Sensations Using Augmented Reality

At SFC Open Research Forum 2010, Keio University's Yasuaki Kakehi Laboratory exhibited Tag Candy, where the sensations produced by candy are varied using augmented reality. By sucking an ordinary candy inserted into the device, users can experience fizzy soda or crisp apple sensations, or even things such as the sensation of fireworks, that can't be achieved in reality.

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Were Level 3’s Charges Against Comcast Overblown?

Yesterday, Level 3 created a stir by accusing Comcast (NSDQ: CMCSA) of violating net neutrality. Today, the row between the two companies is looking a lot more like a garden-variety commercial dispute that has little to do with net neutrality.

But Comcast’s peering policy been posted online since January, and its competitor AT&T (NYSE: T) also has a peering policy of not carrying others’ traffic at more than a 2:1 ratio without asking for “suitable actions to balance transport costs.” Those suggest this really is standard operating procedure.

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