Connected at CES 2011
Connected – That would be the one word that describe a common thread of CES2011. From the ubiquitous tablet to the smart home initiatives to medical and even automobiles, connecting devices to people and other devices was a common theme of most booths and session panels. Thanks to Parks Associates, ViodiTV captured over 35 interviews with experts in wireless, smart grid/home and content distribution segments. Look for our video coverage on Viodi.TV over the next few months as well at events where we program ViodiTV on the hotel channel. In the meantime, here are some things to look forward to:
- We still control technology (at least that is what one futurist says).
- More screens = more television, (really screen watching).
- In Texas alone, the equivalent of 5 power plants could be shut down with implementation of an end-to-end smart grid.
- The Millennials could be introduced to rabbit ears through their smart phones.
The Analysts’ Views of CES 2011
For a preview of our Parks Associates coverage of the event, check out these video sound bites from Parks Associates analysts with their insight regarding significant developments at CES 2011. The connected home (including refrigerators), the smart grid and personalized video were among topics mentioned by these industry experts.
Unfortunately, we did not get a chance to get our friend, Kurt Scherf on camera, but, fortunately, he summarized his thoughts in this crisp blog post, which can be found here.
From the Doorbell to the Phone to 3DTV
In its CES 2011 booth, D-Link demonstrated several over the top video applications and how they tie together. Their surveillance cameras talk not only to smartphones, but to their Boxee-powered set-top, allowing people to watch their home cameras (or others cameras) from the convenience of their couch.
Web Start-up Bubble leaves Internet Infrastructure in the dust by Alan Weissberger
The recent Wall Street Journal article, Investors Get in a Lather Over Tech, implied there might be a bubble in privately-held tech start-ups. Reading between the lines, I observed that the companies attracting the funding were actually web software companies, rather than Internet infrastructure of any sort. Click here to read the rest of the article.
What Should Cloud Computing Users and Providers consider for SLAs? by Alan Weissberger
At several 2010 Cloud Computing conferences, cloud users asked speakers/ panelists for a reference contract, SLA checklist or other parameters they should be negotiating with cloud service providers. No one could provide a comprehensive answer or list. Here’s the opinion of ITU Focus Group on Cloud Computing SLAs. Click here to read the rest of the article.
Rabbit Ears Meet the Smart Phone
At CES 2011, LG demonstrated a prototype smart phone with an ATSC-M television tuner. Combining off-air reception with broadband wireless could be a new way for people to cut-the-cord.
Some Tweets and Short Thoughts
- WealthTV in HD streaming and on-demand – This must have been the cable network announcement that Brian Jacquet of Roku referred to on our CES panel at the Broadband Unlimited Conference. At $2.99 per month, this is truly ala-carte TV. As an independent programmer, Wealth TV has fought for carriage on traditional cable systems for years.
- mDialog’s announcement of an in-stream advertising solution for the Roku device (as well as iPod/Pad) is important to attract traditional cable programmers, like WealthTV, to offer their programming via an over-the-top solution.
- Critical Media to power Journal Register Company’s online video journalism – local video content via handheld cameras
- You know “4G” has gone mainstream, when Clark Howard talks about various 4G options.
- Interesting analysis from Rebecca Arbogast of Stifel Nicolaus & Company regarding the Bandwidth.com and Verizon deal to exchange VoIP traffic at $0.0007/minute. Arbogast suggests Verizon is putting downward pressure on intercarrier compensation to make a stronger case for lower rates, as the FCC addresses Universal Service and Intercarrier Compensation.
The Korner – Wireless Power – Not Just for Breakfast
This eye-catching demonstration of a flashing cereal box got my attention at the Pepcom event at CES 2011. Fulton Innovation demonstrated how their magnetic thin-film could potentially be applied to everyday products, such as dry goods. In addition to turning a cardboard box into a digital sign, their coupling device can read meta-data from the box; which could be interesting alternative to RFIDs for inventory control applications.
Fulton innovation, which sprung from Amway, has some interesting ideas how this technology might be applied in everyday life, such as frying pans that communicate cooking information to one’s smart phone and electric cars that are charged by simply parking in a wireless parking space. The basic value proposition is that the efficiencies gained by reducing the number of chargers outweighs the lower efficiency of sending power through the air. Additionally, this technology makes it possible to add electronic communications capability to devices that are as dumb as a brick, a real brick, that is, and not only a power brick.
