A6-Based Apple Television to Come in Three Sizes Ranging from 32 to 55 Inches?

Smarthouse claims to have received word that Apple will be offering its rumored television set in three different sizes ranging from 32 to 55 inches, with the device being powered by the same "new processor" (presumably the A6) set to appear in the iPad 3.
Sources at a major Japanese company who are involved in manufacturing the TV believe that the 55" model will compete with new Smart TVs from Samsung and LG that will have new processors built in while offering a combination of OLED display, as well as new Super HD TV technology from LG.
Smarthouse has historically been rather unreliable with its Apple rumors, but the claim of three different sizes does match up with previous rumors. Smarthouse had claimed earlier this year that Apple was looking at OLED technology for its 55-inch television, but that claim was later refuted by other sources.


Last week, Piper Jaffray analyst and long-time Apple television set proponent Gene Munster offered his speculation on what Apple's plans might be, also suggesting that the company would be likely to introduce a range of sizes in order to appeal to customers with a broad range of sizes for their television needs.

The latest Smarthouse report doesn't specifically name the A6 system-on-a-chip as the planned brains for the Apple television set, but the claim of it being a "new processor" certainly seems to imply the A6. There has been some uncertainty about the A6 and the iPad 3, with reports indicating that the new iPad will launch in "early 2012" in line with previous years while confusion over whether TSMC or Samsung will produce the A6 has included claims that the chip will not be ready until June 2012.


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from MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors - Front Page http://www.macrumors.com/2011/12/05/a6-based-apple-television-to-come-in-thre...

Unpaid Parking Tickets? A New Donated Toy Will Wipe Your Record Clean & Make You Feel Like Santa

While you’re out and about this week in Boston, don’t stress out too much about finding the perfect parking spot. As a nice holiday treat courtesy of Mayor Menino, any non-public safety parking tickets issued this week from Monday, December 5 through Friday, December 9 can be absolved by donating a toy to the city’s annual Toys for Tots campaign.

The 18th annual “Toys for Tickets” initiative accepts any non-violent, wrapped toy of equal or greater value than your parking ticket amount, clearing your name of the ticket. Toy drop-off will be from Thursday, December 8 through Friday, December 16 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at City Hall or at the City’s tow lot at 200 Frontage Road. In order to be absolved of the ticket completely, drivers must bring the parking ticket and a receipt for the toy.“We write 1.5 million tickets a year… But, this is the only time of the year we see people coming in and not grousing about their parking ticket,” Thomas Tinlin, commissioner of the transportation department which oversees the parking clerk’s office, told Boston.com. “Someone may get a $25 ticket and we see people come in here with donations well over the violation amount, sometimes $75 in toys.”

This year’s five-day window, from December 5 through December 9, of eligible parking tickets is the longest in the program’s history, which began with only two days of tickets back in 1993. Last year, only three days of tickets were offered. Over 14,000 tickets were eligible for absolution in 2010, but only 103, about one percent, actually participated in the toy drive, and during the 10-day collection period last season, $3,495 worth of toys were donated. There is no goal or cap for the amount of toys that can be donated.

Parking tickets that are exempt from the program include:

  • parking in the way of handicapped ramps;
  • parking in spots reserved for those with handicapped or disabled veteran license plates;
  • blocking fire hydrants;
  • parking in crosswalks;
  • double parking;
  • parking less than 20 feet from an intersection;
  • parking in a fire lane;
  • and being in a no stopping and standing zone.

So this week, if you forget to feed the meter, remember it’s ultimately for a good cause.

Image via cityofboston.gov

from BostInno http://bostinno.com/2011/12/05/unpaid-parking-tickets-a-new-donated-toy-will-...

5 Ways the Film and TV Industries Use Twitter


The Digital Marketing Series is supported by HubSpot, an inbound marketing software company based in Cambridge, MA, that makes a full platform of marketing software, including marketing automation tools.

Entertainment and social media are intersecting at a frenetic pace. One of the services driving the socialization of entertainment is Twitter.

When we talk about the conversational aspect social TV, what we usually mean is the backchannel conversation related to a TV show or movie that happens on Twitter. The real-time nature of Twitter is a perfect fit for the film and television industries, as it allows fans, stars and producers to engage and converse together.

Beyond just the conversation, let’s look at some other ways that the film and television industries are using Twitter.


1. Premiering Content


One of the more interesting uses of Twitter in recent months has been as a platform to distribute content.

Paramount kicked things off back in March when it released the first trailer for Super 8 on Twitter.

The UK arm of the studio has followed up on the trend, releasing trailers for Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and Puss in Boots trailers.

Earlier this month, Sundance Channel distributed the premiere episode of the second season of its show, Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys not on iTunes, but on Twitter.

With the ability for video embeds to appear in stream, Twitter can be an ideal way to distribute content that is not only watchable, but easily sharable.


2. Second Screen Apps


Second screen apps are a major trend shaping the future of media, especially when it comes to bridging social and entertainment.

Twitter’s role in the social conversation aspect of social TV makes it a slam dunk for use with second screen apps designed around a movie or TV show.

Companies like yap.TV, which powers USA Networks’s new USA Anywhere app [iTunes link] are building applications that are designed to help users take part in the social conversation while watching a show.

Other apps, like Umami, are also bringing the social experience to the tablet — including Twitter feeds from the shows and stars that you are watching in real-time.

TVplus, which bills itself as a web browser you use while watching television, allows users to send tweets from specific moments of a show or a movie — and to share moments or quotes with friends.

TVplus powers Disney’s excellent second screen app for The Lion King, as well as the official Xtra Factor app for The X Factor. Both apps make use of Twitter alongside the content that users are seeing from the show or movie itself.


3. Connecting With Fans


Increasingly, film and television stars — as well as writers and producers — are using Twitter as a way to engage with fans.

During November Sweeps, CBS ran a “Social Sweep Week” campaign that let CBS stars take over the social media accounts of their respective shows. That means the stars themselves were tweeting from official Twitter accounts and communicating with fans.

It’s becoming essential for directors and stars to engage with fans on Twitter, especially when building up buzz for a new project. Bridesmaids director Paul Feig spoke with Mashable back in May about the importance of using his own social graph to connect with fans.


4. Being Part of the Show


For us, what really excites us about social entertainment is the way that social tools can be used to actually augment or add to the experience surrounding a television show or movie.

With TV, we’re seeing this happen with live competition shows like The Voice and The X Factor. Both shows make significant use of Twitter during the show itself and in allowing fans to vote.

Integrating social — especially Twitter — with film is more of a challenge, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

On a rainy Saturday afternoon, Howard Stern decided to live-tweet his own director commentary for the film Private Parts that happened to be airing on HBO. That was part of the impetus behind HBO’s social layer, HBO Connect.


5. Spreading the Word


The film and television industries have fully embraced Twitter as a promotional platform. It’s almost impossible to find a TV show or movie without an official Twitter handle or hashtag.

The entire social campaign behind The Muppets is impressive, but the @MuppetsStudio is a good example of using the natural voice of two characters to spread the word about a project.

During the Fall TV season, every new show had a Facebook and Twitter presence. Twitter as a promotional tool is no longer a “nice to have,” it’s an expectation.


Series supported by HubSpot

The Digital Marketing Series is supported by HubSpot, an inbound marketing software company based in Cambridge, MA, that makes a full platform of marketing software, including marketing automation tools.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, mgkaya

More About: features, mashable, second screen, social tv, the x factor, the-voice, tvplus, Twitter

For more Entertainment coverage:

from Mashable! http://mashable.com/2011/12/05/film-tv-twitter/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_med...

Cox TV Connect app brings more live cable TV streaming to iPads

The list of pay-TV providers that don't have an app that turns your iPad into another TV screen has grown one shorter today, as Cox Communications announced its Cox TV Connect app. Like other apps from Cablevision, Time Warner, and DirecTV it's restricted to use within the home (and for jailbreakers, judging by error code 144 you may be restricted once again) while connected to Cox internet service. The description promises "over 35 " channels available, a glance at the listing on Cox's support site reveals a distinct lack of Viacom offerings (Spike is shown in the screenshots, but isn't on the list), which isn't surprising given the video giant's legal wrangling over other similar apps. We're not seeing any support for any kind of second screen interaction with what's on TV or remote control features, although the existing Mobile Connect apps have some of that covered. It does however support viewing on up to 5 tablets at once, so if your family is squeezed for screens this may be just the ticket, check after the break for a press release or hit the iTunes link below to download the free app.

[Thanks, Stephen]

Continue reading Cox TV Connect app brings more live cable TV streaming to iPads

Cox TV Connect app brings more live cable TV streaming to iPads originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceiTunes, Cox  | Email this | Comments

from Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/05/cox-tv-connect-app-brings-more-live-cable-...

NPR Trying to Become the Wayne Gretzky of Social Media

npr image


National Public Radio has just brought on Gary Knell and its new CEO and it turns out that the former Sesame Workshop President and CEO believes the future of NPR lies in social media.

Mashable spoke with Knell on Friday, his second day on the job, to hear his plans and aspirations for the federal funded radio powerhouse.

Knell spent a little more than 12 years at Sesame Workshop (the non-profit behind Sesame Street) evolving it from a television show to a multimedia and social success. That is, more or less, the plan at NPR, which acts like an umbrella organization to dozens of radio stations across the country.

The trick, Knell said, is to be like Wayne Gretzky (pictured), one of the most revered hockey players of all time. “I’ve been looking to Wayne Gretzky as my compass for digital and social media in the sense that Wayne Gretzky’s secret about why he was a great hockey player is he would say, ‘I go to where the puck is going.’” Knell says. “So that’s sort of the idea, right? I think you need to be connected to the audience and if we’re going to be growing in the future, demographically, we need to go where the people are going and not be part of the pack…. we have to go there or its kind of extinction down the road.”

Knell believes the people are going online, which is precisely where he’s directing NPR. He’s vowed to make social media a more core part of how NPR is distributed and how it reaches its fans.

knell imageRadio has earned a reputation for appealing to an older generation of listeners less preoccupied with social networks, newsfeeds or tweets. NPR is certainly not dropping its core programming, but Knell recognizes that social media is the realm of a younger demographic crucial to NPR’s longevity: “I think [social networks] are important not just in the sense of being cool but for connecting with a younger demographic audience which is the future of NPR,” he says.

Part of that shift has meant reverse-engineering many of the talented, albeit older, journalists in the NPR newsroom to start thinking about social media as a core tenant of NPR’s day-to-day. Knell imagines there’s been some pushback with that transition but ultimately the change is happening for a good reason. Knell has yet to fully move into his office but he’s already hanging a poster quoting General Eric Shinseky, retired Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army which reads, “If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less.”

Change is necessary to ensure NPR’s future, especially since it’s come under fire for its federal funding and a high-profile firing. Social isn’t just a way to gain new, younger listeners but as a way to address controversy and set the record straight. Knell has already held a Twitter townhall where he answered questions from NPR fans and critics alike.

Though Knell is keeping his cards close to his vest, he did say that many NPR affiliates are already looking for ways to revamp their digital strategies. Mobile is catching up as well: KCRW has put out an iPad app, NPR news has an app and NPR Music is planning a new music app for release sometime in February, though NPR wouldn’t comment on features or extra details.

Online is a good way to reach silos of niche listeners. Series like the Tiny Desk Concerts — which features top artists playing impromptu, claustrophobic concerts around an NPR desk — have been a huge hit on YouTube and Knell is certainly not ruling our similar such series in the future.

More than anything, social is a way to reach NPR listeners and create a sort of public square of thought. “We want to have a big tent of thought and content and people being able to have those conversations [via NPR],” Knell says.

Anyone concerned that a former CEO of Sesame Workshop won’t be able to handle the grueling pace and public scrutiny ladled onto NPR should instead look to the similarities between Sesame and NPR. Content aside, both are massive non-profit organizations, legacy brands with a history of excellence and a dire need to embrace social media. “I was able to pivot [Sesame Workshop], with a lot of help from my colleagues, into a totally relevant media organization that is growing and is reaching more people now than it was 10 or 15 years ago,” Knell says. “And a lot of it is through digital and social media that didn’t exist before.”

Knell was able to shift Sesame and, somehow, increase its popularity. NPR may not have Elmo but its certainly ready for the same fate.

Image courtesy of Flickr, kk+

More About: interview, radio, Social Media

For more Entertainment coverage:


from Mashable! http://mashable.com/2011/12/05/npr-new-ceo-gary-knell/?utm_source=feedburner&...

Switched On: Keeping the 'app' out of Apple's TV

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

Rumors continue to heat up that Apple will enter the television market next year, stepping up its Apple TV "hobby" into a greater revenue-generating vocation. The company would clearly like to repeat the kind of rousing success it has seen in smartphones. There, it entered a market at least as crowded and competitive as that for televisions whereas most of its Windows rivals have barely been able to eke out a few models with nominal share..

Indeed, the challenge is not as much about competition as commoditization. At first glance, this would be a curious time for Apple to enter the TV space. The HD and flat-panel transitions on which premium manufacturer brands and retailers once feasted has long passed. "Flat-panel TV" and "HDTV" are now just "TV." And prices for smaller sets are settling into a range familiar to those who remember what they cost back in the heyday of CRTs.

What's different, though, is that the state of the smart TV market looks strikingly like the smartphone market did before Apple's entrance. The market essentially has "feature TVs" that present a few popular canned services (YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Pandora, etc.) and "smart TVs" that are a fractured mixture of homegrown offerings (from companies such as Panasonic, Samsung, LG and Toshiba) and an experience-challenged licensed OS (Android from Sony and Vizio).

The company has clung to the idea of TV as a passive experience.

Continue reading Switched On: Keeping the 'app' out of Apple's TV

Switched On: Keeping the 'app' out of Apple's TV originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Dec 2011 20:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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from Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/04/switched-on-keeping-the-app-out-of-apples-tv/

Lenovo trudging into the smart TV arena, plans LeTV launch in Q1 2012

A Chinese company throwing French around in its product names. Right. Oddities aside, it looks as if the LePhone will soon have LeCompany -- Lenovo will be pushing out its first smart TV in the first quarter of 2012. The simply-titled LeTV will be an internet-connected display, but outside of that, hardly anything else is being made public. There are no launch regions specified, nor a screen size. We're presuming it'll attempt to tie into the greater "Lenovo Cloud," which will purportedly be similar to services already offered by the likes of Apple and Google, though users will be granted access to 200GB at first. Can't imagine too many folks opting for a Lenovo desktop, laptop, smartphone and television, but hey -- ecosystems are indeed all the rage these days.

Lenovo trudging into the smart TV arena, plans LeTV launch in Q1 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceThe Wall Street Journal  | Email this | Comments

from Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/29/lenovo-trudging-into-the-smart-tv-arena-pl...

Netspot for Mac Makes Diagnosing Wi-Fi Signal Problems Quick, Easy, and Free [Video]

Mac: Everyone has decent Wi-Fi signal when they're sitting in the same room as their wireless router, but what about across the apartment, or in the basement? If you think you should have signal but don't, free site survey app Netspot is a utility that gives you the tools to draw out your floorplan, walk about your home or office with your laptop, and survey network strength, available networks, and channels in use along the way. More »


from Lifehacker http://lifehacker.com/5864464/netspot-for-mac-makes-diagnosing-wi+fi-signal-p...

TV Ownership Declines For Second Time Since 1970

bs0d3 writes "Almost every year, the estimated number of U.S. households owning TV sets goes up. Until now. This year, for the second time since 1970, TV ownership has gone down; by about 1%. TV ownership among the key adult 18-49 demo also declined even steeper, down 2.7 percent and percentage of homes without a TV is at the highest level since 1975. The reasons behind this appear to be online media content and the recession."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

from Slashdot http://tech.slashdot.org/story/11/12/01/237221/tv-ownership-declines-for-seco...