. . . of course, this DV sounds a bit more like the Terminator than James Earl Jones, but kudos to Blame Society for the voice over. The full media kit can be found here.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
The Dark Lord Streameth . . .
Don't know if streameth is actually a word, but the creative minds behind the Streaming Media Sourcebook 2010 put together a clever video interview between our fearless editor and the dark lord himself, in which DV talks of plans to push forward his streaming initiatives to enhance both holographic communications and the Death Star construction schedule . . .
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Where No Becomes One ... Nokeena Networks' Name Change
I've been acquainted with Nokeena Networks, now Ankeena Networks, for some time, having done a podcast back in June with the CTO, Prabakar Sundarrajan, who is also a co-founder of the company.
Today, while speaking with Prabakar and the VP of Marketing, Anshu Agarwal, I asked the question that's been on my mind since the company announced the name change: why?
"It was too close to another company's name," Anshu said, although she did not elaborate on which company. "We wanted to differentiate ourselves but we also didn't want to go through a significant re-branding process since we'd emerged from stealth mode and had gained traction with potential customers."
The similarity to other names struck me, when I tried to use Google to find the best public transportation option for my visit to the company's office back in April. Google kept suggesting Nokia, which I found ironic, as Nokia could potentially become a customer of Ankeena's technology for optimizing guaranteed video delivery on an IP network [Ankeena is targeting MSOs, telcos and ISPs with its technology, as noted in today's article at StreamingMedia.com]
"No means 0, while An means 1," Prabakar quipped, adding that keena means eyes, "so we've at least stayed within the binary realm."
Today, while speaking with Prabakar and the VP of Marketing, Anshu Agarwal, I asked the question that's been on my mind since the company announced the name change: why?
"It was too close to another company's name," Anshu said, although she did not elaborate on which company. "We wanted to differentiate ourselves but we also didn't want to go through a significant re-branding process since we'd emerged from stealth mode and had gained traction with potential customers."
The similarity to other names struck me, when I tried to use Google to find the best public transportation option for my visit to the company's office back in April. Google kept suggesting Nokia, which I found ironic, as Nokia could potentially become a customer of Ankeena's technology for optimizing guaranteed video delivery on an IP network [Ankeena is targeting MSOs, telcos and ISPs with its technology, as noted in today's article at StreamingMedia.com]
"No means 0, while An means 1," Prabakar quipped, adding that keena means eyes, "so we've at least stayed within the binary realm."
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Review: OtterBox Commuter TL for iPhone
[This review of OtterBox's newest iPhone case references the OtterBox Defender for iPhone review from September.]
While the Defender offered robust protection, the bulk made it unlikely to be used in all but the harshest conditions.
The OtterBox Commuter TL, however, strikes the right balance between protection and in-the-pocket everyday use. At first glance, it looks like the Commuter TL only has the standard neoprene slipcase. The small clear plastic horizontal stabilizers at the top and bottom of the case, though, are part of a solid plastic back plate the protects the rear, top and bottom of an iPhone 3G or 3GS.
Unlike the previous Commuter series - both of which now come in a variety of colors - the Commuter TL allows the Apple logo to show through.
As an added benefit, the hard plastic across the back also forms a protective ring around the camera lens without covering the lens. While the Defender fully covered the camera lens with a thin piece of clear plastic, its recessed nature meant it could gather dust, dirt or rain drops.
The Commuter TL, on the other hand, will be more susceptible to the elements directly impacting the camera's lens, but the ability to wipe off the back surface of an iPhone 3G or 3GS is easier than trying to clean out the recessed surface of the Defender.
Given the overall protection of the Commuter TL - which has rubber covers for the volume, multi-pin connector, headphone jack and on-off switch - I felt comfortable taking the unit out in a light rain to take a few pictures, one of which can be seen below.
All in all, it's nice to see progression in design that takes into account some of the real-world issues. More importantly, it's nice to find, in the Commuter TL, a case that my wife and I can both agree on as practical, everyday protection.
iPhoned
Monday, October 5, 2009
Flash for the iPhone? Not Quite
According to Adobe, Flash content is playing on the iPhone, via App Store (iTunes Store) applications. Is it true? Not quite. Is it a savvy move to force Apple's hand? Just might be. Read more here.
Telepresence's shrinking presence
IBM adds Cisco Telepresence to its offering, while Cisco gobbles up Tandberg.
The world of telepresence offerings just got a little smaller, or at least more streamlined, as Cisco and Tandberg announced last week that the internetworking giant will buy the Oslo-based videoconferencing company.
Happening in the few weeks prior to the SUPERCOMM tradeshow, which re-emerges in Chicago in late October after several years in exile, the Cisco-Tandberg announcement gives Cisco CEO John Chambers yet another video-related acquisition to add to his presentation fodder. For those of you who may not follow the SUPERCOMM show, Chambers has done many keynotes over the years, with almost every one involving VoIP - voice or video over IP. Chambers has made to secret of the fact that video on IP networks is a growth area he would like to dominate.
The Tandberg announcement makes both strategic and financial sense, if seen in light of the recent IBM announcement that the tech giant will be offering the IBM Converged Communications Services-Managed Telepresence services for its consulting clients.
IBM says the offering will include "design, implementation, concierge and help desk, remote operations, and maintenance and support" and, in a nod to the best pun in recent press release history, IBM says it can provide customers with telepresence units that range from desktop"to life-size screens that sprawl the length of the room." No word yet whether LifeSize, itself a telepresence company that was founded by former Polycom / PictureTel executives, have used their sprawling telepresence units to complain about IBM's use of its name in a Cisco-IBM-Tandberg tie up.
Almost two years ago, an article in Streaming Media magazine talked about telepresence's place in the collaborative computing-streaming pantheon. In addition, a podcast recorded at the same time addressed some of the benefits of using a high-definition (HD) videoconferencing system as an inexpensive way to acquire content for HD streaming [this would be real HD streaming, not Akamai's "it starts as HD so it must be an HD stream to the iPhone" version]. We think that any opportunity to drive forward HD telepresence - or even plain old HD videoconferencing - will ultimately benefit HD streaming. A forthcoming article on enterprise streaming for Streaming Media magazine will showcase a few best practices in using videoconferencing as remote acquisition tools for live and on-demand streaming content.
Coming back around to the Tandberg deal, Cisco is paying approximately $3 billion for Tandberg. Tiernan Ray over at Barron's blog has a good overview of different analysts' assessments of the deal, but he also points out what all of us who have lived in the videoconferencing world at some point in the past or present are wondering: what does this mean for Polycom? Given Polycom's proximity to Cisco (Milpitas is just an hour down the road from Cisco's headquarters) and the on-again / off-again relationship Polycom and Cisco have had over the years, it's shaping up to be a life-size drama in the making.
The world of telepresence offerings just got a little smaller, or at least more streamlined, as Cisco and Tandberg announced last week that the internetworking giant will buy the Oslo-based videoconferencing company.
Happening in the few weeks prior to the SUPERCOMM tradeshow, which re-emerges in Chicago in late October after several years in exile, the Cisco-Tandberg announcement gives Cisco CEO John Chambers yet another video-related acquisition to add to his presentation fodder. For those of you who may not follow the SUPERCOMM show, Chambers has done many keynotes over the years, with almost every one involving VoIP - voice or video over IP. Chambers has made to secret of the fact that video on IP networks is a growth area he would like to dominate.
The Tandberg announcement makes both strategic and financial sense, if seen in light of the recent IBM announcement that the tech giant will be offering the IBM Converged Communications Services-Managed Telepresence services for its consulting clients.
IBM says the offering will include "design, implementation, concierge and help desk, remote operations, and maintenance and support" and, in a nod to the best pun in recent press release history, IBM says it can provide customers with telepresence units that range from desktop"to life-size screens that sprawl the length of the room." No word yet whether LifeSize, itself a telepresence company that was founded by former Polycom / PictureTel executives, have used their sprawling telepresence units to complain about IBM's use of its name in a Cisco-IBM-Tandberg tie up.
Almost two years ago, an article in Streaming Media magazine talked about telepresence's place in the collaborative computing-streaming pantheon. In addition, a podcast recorded at the same time addressed some of the benefits of using a high-definition (HD) videoconferencing system as an inexpensive way to acquire content for HD streaming [this would be real HD streaming, not Akamai's "it starts as HD so it must be an HD stream to the iPhone" version]. We think that any opportunity to drive forward HD telepresence - or even plain old HD videoconferencing - will ultimately benefit HD streaming. A forthcoming article on enterprise streaming for Streaming Media magazine will showcase a few best practices in using videoconferencing as remote acquisition tools for live and on-demand streaming content.
Coming back around to the Tandberg deal, Cisco is paying approximately $3 billion for Tandberg. Tiernan Ray over at Barron's blog has a good overview of different analysts' assessments of the deal, but he also points out what all of us who have lived in the videoconferencing world at some point in the past or present are wondering: what does this mean for Polycom? Given Polycom's proximity to Cisco (Milpitas is just an hour down the road from Cisco's headquarters) and the on-again / off-again relationship Polycom and Cisco have had over the years, it's shaping up to be a life-size drama in the making.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Akamai claims 45 million iPhones capable of playing back HD content
[Update, see the workflowed.com blog for a bit more detail on Akamai's "HD" delivery to the iPhone.]
For such a simple press conference, there certainly are a number of unanswered questions. I like reporting the news, but every so often a claim is made ("first ever, only, etc") that has to be challenged.
An article I wrote on Tuesday, September 29, for StreamingMedia.com includes a link to an on-demand version of an Akamai press conference that had been streamed live that day (the on-demand version had a much cleaner playback quality than the actual live playback, which can be seen in the screenshot posted here).Akamai was announcing their Akamai HD Network, hosted by Paul Sagan, CEO, and Tom Leighton, Co-founder and Chief Scientist. I have nothing against Akamai in particular, but unfortunately some of the claims made can't be substantiated.
One in particular struck me as key to the whole press conference. Leighton claimed (from 10 minutes 35 seconds to 10 minutes 58 seconds in the on-demand version)
"Today there's [sic] 50 million homes that have connected gaming consoles - or other devices - that capable of displaying HD video, of getting it and displaying it into the home. Also, there's [sic] 45 million iPhones out there today capable of displaying HD video."
Let's take a look at the facts:
a). No one else has ever claimed that the 1st gen iPhone or even the iPhone 3G is capable of of HD playback, which is the only way to get to the 45 million iPhone number.
b) Even the claims that the iPhone 3GS is capable of displaying HD content are conjecture, as Apple does not allow HD playback on the iPhone 3GS (even 480p content can't be played back).
c) While everyone is doing "higher definition" for live streams to desktop Flash and Silverlight players, many are doing HTTP streams, and a few are doing true HD (480, 720, 1080i/p) to these same players, there are a limited number of companies doing true HD live streams via HTTP, which is where Akamai wants to tell its story. None are doing it to the iPhone, however.
The reason I say it is key to the whole press conference is this: if all Akamai is claiming is "higher definition" as its term for HD, there's no story here, since others are doing it. If they're claiming HD for the iPhone, there's a story here but not one they can support.
When I heard that claim about the 45 million HD-capable iPhones, I immediately posted a question on the webcast, which was not read during the live event; I've also written twice to the PR contact, who was helpful with a question about one of the speaker's names, but has also been silent on the misstatement by Leighton.
Oh, and I can't even get the on-demand version of the press conference to play on my iPhone 3GS.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Heads Up - Silverlight 3, Adobe AIR support Intel's Moblin OS
Intel, during its developer's forum, announced Moblin 2.1, the company's Linux distribution that is both media-centric and scalable. Both Adobe and Microsoft announced support for Moblin, with their respective AIR and Silverlight platforms.
See the write-up at StreamingMedia.com but here are a few other quotes.
The first two are from Elemental Technologies, a company that uses Graphics Processor Units (GPUs) to accelerate encoding and transcoding.
Sam Blackman, Elemental's CEO, has spent time researching Larrabee, and sees it as a positive for programmers.
"Larrabee uses a modified x86 multi-core architecture rather than the streaming architecture traditionally associated with GPUs," said Blackman. "This means there is a broader instruction set available to the programmer than with streaming processors, and thus certain operations can be performed with fewer lines of code. This doesn’t necessarily mean the code will run faster or more efficiently, of course. While I don’t know the details of this specific example, my guess is that they are running the code entirely on Larrabee rather than 'pulling' any back to the CPU.
See the write-up at StreamingMedia.com but here are a few other quotes.
The first two are from Elemental Technologies, a company that uses Graphics Processor Units (GPUs) to accelerate encoding and transcoding.
Sam Blackman, Elemental's CEO, has spent time researching Larrabee, and sees it as a positive for programmers.
"Larrabee uses a modified x86 multi-core architecture rather than the streaming architecture traditionally associated with GPUs," said Blackman. "This means there is a broader instruction set available to the programmer than with streaming processors, and thus certain operations can be performed with fewer lines of code. This doesn’t necessarily mean the code will run faster or more efficiently, of course. While I don’t know the details of this specific example, my guess is that they are running the code entirely on Larrabee rather than 'pulling' any back to the CPU.
"It's definitely an interesting architecture and great for us," said Andy Beach, VP of Marketing at Elemental. "It adds yet more competition into the hardware space that, to date, was dominated by GPU-only cards. We can provide an even more appealing offer, I think, as we actually use both CPU and GPU in our transcoding."
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