12seconds crowd-sources commercials for a business model on top of Twitter
While Twitter itself may not have a final business model yet, the hot thing these days is for third-parties to use the service to create their own business models. Short-form video startup 12seconds is the latest to do this, rolling its users’ likelihood of tweeting their videos into some corporate sponsorships.
Specifically, 12seconds is launching a new type of product called “12omercials.” These are essentially regular 12seconds video posts focused on specific products or causes. The… Continue Reading
CES: Are 3-D glasses moving beyond the gimmick stage? Nah
Before my trip to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week, I predicted that TV and computer makers would be hawking 3-D options in order to differentiate themselves. Hollywood’s been trying to use 3-D glasses in theaters in an effort to make an experience not available at home, and I expected TV makers would probably be playing catch-up. And I was right. I saw LG, Samsung, Sony, Nvidia, Viewsonic, iZ3D and others pushing… Continue Reading
Dean’s top 10 picks for the best of CES
It’s never easy to pick the top 10 new products and technologies at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). This year, there were more than 20,000 products from 2,700 vendors across 1.8 million square feet of space. I saw every one of them. That’s right. And these are my picks for the best of the show, in order of preference.
1. The Palm Pre smartphone has revived interest in the aging Palm platform. This phone, designed… Continue Reading
Roundup: Google Chrome gains steam, Comcast goes against the FCC, Newspaper ad revenues plummet and more
Here’s the latest action:
A new web browser power rising? — Google’s new web browser Chrome has already gained some significant traction after just one day in use, according to Hitwise.
Comcast to appeal FCC ruling – The Internet service provider will appeal the Federal Communications Commission’s memorandum on network management — also known as “throttling.” GigaOM has more.
Newspaper sales plummet — The industry’s advertising revenues are off $3 billion in the first six months of this year. They… Continue Reading
Verizon shows you Visual Voice Mail — if you show them the money
Talk of Apple’s iPhone forcing competitors in the mobile industry to adapt has largely been focused on its large multi-touch display and more recently, the App Store. But there’s another, small feature that never ceases to wow new iPhone owners: Visual Voice Mail.
It’s been around since the launch of the initial iPhone last year, but now competitors are starting to figure out that customers like it. First, Sprint licensed the feature for its Samsung Instinct… Continue Reading
Digital distribution red hot: LG Blu-ray player to stream Netflix movies
Ever since Apple beefed up its Apple TV offering by announcing support for movie rentals from all the major movie studios back in January, the battle for digital distribution supremacy in the living room has been heating up. Recently, there’s been a string of big announcements and today brings another: LG is releasing a Blu-ray player this fall that will have the ability to stream Netflix movies to your television.
If this sounds familiar, it’s because… Continue Reading
Netflix rides on Blockbuster’s ineptitude — but that won’t last long
You probably already know this, but the days of going to a video store are ending. Online DVD rental service Netflix announced its earnings earlier today and beat expectations in a number of key categories including profits (up 36 percent) and subscribers (up 21 percent).
This news makes former industry giant, Blockbuster, look even more foolish. Blockbuster, which has been trying to compete with Netflix in the online DVD rental business, has been mired in bad… Continue Reading