Smart TV – is this the year it really happens?

Xbox’s latest dashboard with kinect – setting a new bar for smart TV – CES saw LG launching a wand remote and Samsung was promoting limited voice and motion control embedded TVs.  Samsung is also offering Kinect-like gesture recognition and lots of content options.  It also launched its own AdHub connected TV advertising services.  Premium Interactive Advertising (PIA) is Samsung’s very first ad initiative for its Smart TV platform with functions like click to microsite, click to video etc.  Google TV has been working with traditional broadcasters to manage their advertising inventory and has been making head-roads in the cable industry (CoxMedia looks like a recent win).  the current estimate of SmartTV’s in 2011 was 12 million (Strategy Analytics) with the USA having a penetration of only 8% while EU  stands at 7%.  Digital TV Research forecasts that it will take until 2016 for there to be a global penetration of 20% in connected TV services – with devices ranging from games consoles to set top boxes.

 

Twiistup – what’s it all about?

Twiistup happened in LA recently – its like a group party for people with interests in media, technology and entertainment.  A great place to see new innovations and one of our clients ran a casual game – Ringorang for Twiistup to engage the audience and allow them to test their skills and win prizes.