No definitive word if Google is developing an Android-based satellite set-top box with DISH Network, but the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google has been testing software with a small group of employees since last year that allows them to search DISH Network’s TV programming, get related web content to their queries, and create a personalized lineup of shows. Of course, as you would expect, the software integrates Google’s on-screen ad placement technologies. WSJ further reports that Google has been “prodding” a range of TV service providers and hardware makers to make use of its Android-based technologies for some time now. However, as the WSJ points out, convincing cable and satellite companies who closely guard their set-top box software and their overall programming experience isn’t going to be easy. So are Android-based cable/satellite set-top boxes and networked HDTVs something we’ll be seeing in the future? It looks like there may be a good chance of that. Attached image above is ISB Corp’s Android STB prototype shown in May of 2009. MORE »

A “trusted” Microsoft insider has informed Engadget that Microsoft’s upcoming Courier “Digital Journal” will make use of NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 graphics platform, be less than an inch thick, weigh just over a pound, will include a camera (location not specified), and will be no larger than a 5×7 photo when the book-like form factor is closed. Interestingly (or maybe not), the OS the device will run is Windows CE — the same OS that powers Zune HD, Pink, and Windows Mobile 7 Series. But the piece of news that’s piqued my interest is that the Courier will have a corresponding website that essentially functions as an online copy of your journal in a “blog-like format complete with comments.” It all sounds impressive. Lets hope Microsoft can deliver. The tablet market desperately needs an innovator in the space to show the others what the segment is capable of (yes, I’m looking at you enlarged smartphone platforms masquerading as magical and revolutionary devices). Rumored launch Q3/Q4 (unclear if it’s Q3/Q4 of this year or next). MORE »

The New York Times is reporting that both Walmart and VUDU have been informing Hollywood studios and CE manufactures of the deal today. While it hasn’t been officially announced (UPDATE: It’s official! Press release attached below), the acquisition is big news for the industry. As many of you know already, VUDU is a three year old internet movie streaming service who competes directly with Amazon On Demand, Blockbuster, Cinema Now, and Netflix. While VUDU may be the smallest of the bunch in terms of users, VUDU offers the best quality video experience, delievering content at 1080p HD with Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound, and has the largest number of supported net-connected HDTVs right up there with Netflix. What’s more, VUDU recently added an Apps feature (pictured above) with video channels/services that competes, some might say, directly with Yahoo! TV Widgets and to an extent, Boxee. All in all, a smart move on Walmart’s part to make a bigger impact with their movie business and, perhaps, even their retail business through a custom Walmart store channel in the future. MORE »

The Wired Reader tablet app demo you’re about to see was created using Adobe AIR, while all the digital magazine content shown via the app was produced with Adobe InDesign. What’s interesting is that magazine layout designers, according to Wired.com, can create the print and tablet version of the magazine simultaneously using the same tool — unlike how print publications’ online properties are created today. All they really need to do is create an additional horizontal layout in Adobe InDesign for each print page to accommodate a tablet’s portrait and landscape modes. In addition, were starting to learn that Adobe is taking great strides to make Adobe AIR/Flash content available to all OS platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux) and device types, including Android-powered mobile devices and Apple’s iPhone/iPad (more on that here). Lastly, it’s obvious from the demo that advertisers are going to eat this medium up due the ad spots’ interactivity/metrics features, as well as the ability for users to track down ads through the page navigation with ease for later reference. MORE »

CES 2010 had no shortage of Android tablets on display and the same is happening at Mobile World Congress 2010. Attached below are select videos found via YouTube and other sites being introduced by various manufactures. While some are protoypes, others are actually coming to market at some point in the near future. I’ll keep adding videos to this post as I find them. MORE »

Excellent! Today we’ve got two videos showcasing the prowess of the NVIDIA Tegra 2 platform. The first video by SlashGear shows the Notion Ink Adam Internet Tablet playing Flash video via Adobe’s still-under-development Flash 10.1 plug-in for Android. The second video, recorded by Armdevices.net at MWC 2010, shows one Android tablet playing Flash video in fullscreen mode and a second running Unreal Tournament on top of Windows CE. As you’ll see the Flash video plays back fairly smoothly, while the Unreal Tournment game play looks outstanding. FYI, the NVIDIA rep. says the Tegra 2 dev. board runs $400 a pop — in case you’re interested in creating a DIY tablet or nettop. MORE »

Good news for cable companies. Parks Associates’ All Eyes on Video study finds that the primary threat to the cable/satellite TV business is their traditional competitors — not online video portals or file sharing sites. In fact, the percentage of household who would consider discontinuing TV service in favor of online video only has dropped from 11% in 2008 to 8% in 2010. “The threat of cannibalization is real but misunderstood,” says John Barrett, director of research at Parks Associates. Interestingly, though, Parks Associates found that people who would consider switching to online video content exclusively currently watch around 10 hours of video through their PC or HTPC each week and rent DVDs far more frequently than the norm. However, some of those same people would consider subscribing to a “TV Everywhere” access setup where traditional TV delivery is combined with PC/mobile web browser based remote programming access. MORE »

Strategy Analytics has a released a new research study dubbed, Profiling the Connected Media Consumer: a Contextual Study, that examines what owners and potential buyers of network enabled HDTVs are looking for and/or expecting in their “Connected TV.” The good news… vocal early adopters are already guiding what features and services their products should support (as evidenced by the number of firmware updates supporting additional services like Netflix, Blockbuster, Pandora, etc.). Strategy Analytics has found that there are four core motivators for consumers to connect their televisions to the internet: personalization (i.e. widgets), customization, interest driven content (i.e. video podcasts/channels), and social experiences (i.e. Facebook, Twitter). The report also revealed that consumers prefer multi-function TVs that don’t require an additional set-top box and are able to stream media through their LAN or internet wirelessly. All in all, nothing especially new here, if you’ve been following eHomeUpgrade for some time now. MORE »

Uh, oh. It looks like Apple will soon be the only tablet manufacture able to produce a device with a touch sensitive bezel control interface. (Now it’s starting to make sense why version one the Apple iPad has such a thick bezel, instead of going flush with the display.) According the USPTO website, Apple Inc. filed for the patent (7,656,393) in 2006 and was just granted it today. I must admit… the detailed examples of how the “intelligent bezel” will work are sound — especially given the fact they work universally no matter if the tablet is in a portrait or landscape position. Elements of the bezel include: power (always top-center), menu (always in one of the four corners), up (on left/right side mid-screen), down (on left/right side mid-screen), left-click (center-bottom), select (center-bottom), right-click (center-bottom). What’s more, the touch bezel is able to ignore areas after it has been touched and held in place for a certain amount time. I’m guessing this bit is probably the trickiest part of the technology to get right. Note: the patent is not exclusive to “tablets,” but can be applied to just about any portable consumer electronics device with a bezel and display. Ouch…. I’m wondering how this will affect devices like the Palm Pre which has a bezel finger swipe control? I’m hoping not at all if the functions a touch bezel provides are significantly different than what Apple has diagrammed in its patent. [via] MORE »

Bloomberg has an interesting piece on Roku and its plans for the future. The big take aways from the article is that Roku expects to have reached 1 million Roku Players sold this year (and hey’re considering even giving them away at some point), they plan to have 100 channels in its Channel Store, and the private company may go public and issue an IPO the not too distant future. The rest of the article goes on to talk about Roku’s private funding sources and its revenue strategy that revolves around movie/TV programming purchases as well as subscription offerings through Channel Store partners (but we knew that already). Good luck to them… they’re going to need it in this competitive market.