President of Parks Associates Will be Speaking at the IPTV World Forum 2011

IP&TV World Forum will take place on March 22-24, 2011 in Olympia, London.

Stuart Sikes, President, Parks Associates will be chairing the "Networked Home" part of the Network Optimization track on Tuesday, March 22nd at 11:30 AM.

Now in its 7th year, the IP&TV World Forum continues to evolve with the industry to reflect the central issues of connected TV solutions and hybrid TV business models. This year IP&TV World Forum brings a greater emphasis on TV business strategies, with a new track focusing content acquisition and management, pricing and advertising. The deployment of IP in the cable market and the rise of connected TV is again core coverage, whilst optimizing the home and network for IP video is covered in depth in a specific track.

For more information, please click here.

Trends We Are Expecting to See in 2011 and Beyond

Connected products:

One popular theme among the products displayed at CES was the ability to be connected, whether to the Internet, other products, or a consumer’s smartphone. There were numerous products at CES that were designed to be part of a network, with the goal of delivering more useful, efficient, and compelling customer experiences. The television is one product that’s undergoing a major transformation, with virtually every TV manufacturer at CES displaying their web-connected televisions. These products have the ability to stream content and access applications such as Netflix, Pandora, and games.

The living room isn’t the only room that’s becoming more connected; the kitchen is also being overhauled to be “smarter” for consumers. Appliances in the near future will be able to take stock of the food in the kitchen, present meal suggestions based on those ingredients, and even guide consumers through the cooking process.

A new meaning of “green”:

Eco-friendly certainly isn’t a new product trend, but manufacturers are shifting the meaning of “green” to focus more on energy-efficiency than in the past.

Appliance manufacturers such as LG and Samsung are offering solutions that help consumers determine the best time to run their appliances. Panasonic’s version goes so far as to include solar panels, home fuel cells, an electric vehicle (EV) charging station and energy storage units.

Continued focus on digital health:

The digital health movement continues to move forward with products that marry cutting edge technologies with the growing need for medical devices that help consumers manage their health more actively and dynamically. Medical devices are becoming more and more like consumer electronics devices, with many wearable, mobile medical products already or soon to be on the market. Examples include smartphones that double as heart rate monitors and watches that have GPS locators to help keep track of elderly loved ones. There were also numerous therapeutic and diagnostic devices, medication monitoring equipment, and robotic prosthetics on display.

-- Content submitted by Home Toys

IP&TV World Forum expands for 2011

Parks Associates supported "2011 IP&TV World Forum" has been renamed this year to highlight and encompass the increasing number of cable companies adopting IP technology, focusing on hybrid, IP and Connected TV. The event will take place March 22-24 at London’s Olympia and will feature a comprehensive program of more than 200 visionary speakers, including over 140 service providers from telcos, cablecos, broadcasters and content providers. More than 6,000 attendees and over 150 exhibitors are expected to attend the three day show to discuss the progression of connected TV and the increased adoption and application of IP.

The conference program is divided into four specific tracks focusing on IP Platforms for TV, Network Optimization, Service Management and The Business of Content. Each day will start with a keynote plenary session discussing the innovations and services in IP and TV.

New for 2011 on the exhibition floor is the Connected TV Zone which will showcase the wide variety of CE devices, application software and solutions available for connected TV. The event will also host the IP Workflow Summit, and the TVAppHub, which includes App demos and developer workshops.

For more information about this event, visit http://www.iptv-forum.com.

3 Reasons why Home Technology Integration is about to Ignite

We live in an “always on” world where we expect our Smartphones to provide us with media content, email, social media, and any other information on demand. It is time we realize that we can now expect the same functionality that we get on that 4.3” screen of our Smartphone from the 46” HDTV in our living room, the laptop or all-in-one PC in the kitchen, and even from the tablet we use sitting out on the patio enjoying nature.

The technology is here! What are you waiting for? The time is now everyone! Integrate that technology you love and surround yourself within your homes so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy a rich new Integrated World.

Today we are literally standing on the brink of significant changes in the way we interact with the technology that surrounds us in our homes.The general population is ready for Home System Integration, the manufacturers recognize this, and the solution now becomes to educate the consumer on what his or her options are.

1. Streaming Internet Media

While streaming media has been going on for years now, there is suddenly a huge upsurge in popularity with the general public. Further building up the excitement and the market are Netflix and Hulu with new deals coming out practically weekly between them and the movie companies. There is no question that the world is paying attention to streaming media; from the consumer, to the device manufacturers, to even the film studios.

2. Hardware Advances

The technology is here that enables you to record, store, share, and stream your media content from just about anywhere, to just about anywhere! Best of all…it is fairly inexpensive and getting cheaper! Plus, the networking technology to move that media content across your network via Gigabit speeds or over wireless is here also. Now, everything is in place for...

3. Public Awareness

Finally, we come to the key part of the equation, the fuel that will ignite the Home Technology Industry ablaze: Public Awareness! It’s easy to see that people are becoming more aware of some of the options they have when it comes to scenarios like having the freedom to watch what they want, when they want, and literally WHERE they want. As public awareness becomes more and more widespread, the momentum of Home Technology Integration will increase exponentially to keep up with the demand.

The technology is here! What are you waiting for? The time is now everyone! Integrate that technology you love and surround yourself within your homes so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy a rich new Integrated World.

--- Content submitted from Home Toys ---

Connected TV market to hit 76% by 2015

While their presence was more subtle than 3DTV and not as in-your-face as non-iPad tablets, connected consumer electronics devices were more diverse and pervasive at the 2011 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, with every major manufacturer showing off new electronics that have their own built-in apps and can access content from the Internet.

With devices that incorporated complete Internet browsers, HDTVs that offered hundreds of applications, even set-tops that turned current HDTVs into a completely connected device, the theme of combining the home theater set-up with a PC experience was everywhere.

“We’re starting to see some real trends develop here,” said Kurt Scherf, VP and principal analyst with Parks Associates. “And connected TV is not just about online video.”

Consider: In 2010 less than a quarter of all HDTVs were connected, according to research firm Parks Associates. By 2015, Parks believes that number will hit 76% (more than 150 million units). The firm projects that by 2015 there will be more than $8 billion worth of transactions on connected consumer electronics devices, from e-purchases to gaming to VOD and streaming.

For the complete article, please click here.

Boxee may go to subsidized deals to compete with Apple TV

Boxee may turn to subsidies to help get the price down and better compete in the market, company founder Avner Ronen said in an episode of the This Week in Startups show.He mentioned that the $200 street price for a Boxee Box was "way too expensive" to get mass market adoption and floated the idea as one option for future models. Nothing was definite in the talk and might not necessarily come about with a future deal.

Ronen also provided some brief hints at the possible future of Boxee. Gaming was a possibility as he noted that games had often driven technology adoption, but it would most likely occur through the browser in HTML rather than through proprietary apps.

Boxee hasn't given out sales numbers but has taken a mixed approach to competing with Apple. The hopes to subsidize the Boxee are a first sign of intent to more directly challenge the Apple TV and Roku's Internet Player, both of which hit or dive below the $100 price mark through their use of cheaper but roughly as efficient processors.

For the complete article, please click here.

Sales of Internet-connectable TV devices soaring to 350 million by 2015

Consumer desire for on-demand and online video content will motivate sales of Internet-connectable TV devices to nearly 350 million units worldwide by 2015, setting the stage for intense competition in app development.

Parks Associates' Connected Living Room: Web-enabled TVs and Blu-ray Players forecasts worldwide sales of Internet-connectable HDTVs, Blu-ray players, game consoles, and digital video players such as Roku and Apple TV will grow approximately fourfold from 2010.

The market has reached the fourth generation of connected TVs, and all major manufacturers are debuting new models at CES with innovations in content aggregation, apps development, and user interfaces. Content options are finally catching up to the hardware innovations, and growing libraries of on-demand movies and TV available are starting to unlock the potential of connected TV devices as multifunction online entertainment and communications platforms.

The expanded presence of these devices will increase opportunities for apps developers – including third-party developers and giants such as Google, Samsung, and Yahoo! Consumers will also be key in deciding whether a controlled apps environment or the open-browser approach advocated by Google will be the dominant model for the connected TV market in the next five years.

Companies across the value chain – including content aggregation, broadcast television, delivery and management, CE, pay-TV providers, and retail – have significant opportunities to deliver content to a large number of new devices.

Access to premium and user-generated video is a main driver for adoption and use of Internet-connectable devices. Access to streaming music, online photos, social network updates, personalized news and information, and simple games are also popular features for current users and likely buyers.

The market for Internet-connectable device sales over the next five years has a strong international focus. With pay-TV penetration lower in certain European and Asia-Pacific markets and with the broadcast television community showing strong interest in supporting technologies for interactive television, connected TV devices will become de facto set-top boxes in many of these countries. At the same time, today’s pay-TV providers will embrace the delivery of managed video services to connected TV devices to differentiate, increase customer satisfaction, lower capital expenditures by deploying fewer set-top boxes, and reach new bases of customers.

DIVA TV's Viewster Online Video Available on TechniSat Hybrid Set-top Boxes

DIVA AG has completed a deal with TechniSat Digital GmbH to include its Viewster VoD widget on Technisat’s Hybrid set top boxes in ten markets beginning in 2011.

This continues the trend of pay-TV operators and technology suppliers racing to deploy online video and Web content services, particularly in Europe.

Other deals of note include:

ONO (Spain) and TiVO: ONO is the exclusive distributor of TiVo's advanced television services in Spain. Similarly, TiVo will become the exclusive software provider for all next-generation set top boxes deployed by ONO, including both PVR platforms and traditional "non-PVR" set top boxes. ONO and TiVo also expect to collaborate on solutions that make the TiVo experience available to consumers beyond ONO's cable footprint in conjunction with terrestrial and Internet delivered content - although specifics of these plans were not disclosed.

Telefónica and MeeGo-based Connected TV Devices (25 markets): In June, Telefónica announced it will jointly explore with Intel and Nokia how to leverage MeeGo's capabilities to provide content and applications to s smartphones, netbooks, tablets, and internet connected TVs.

MeeGo combines Intel’s Moblin and Nokia’s Maemo open source projects into one Linux-based software platform hosted by the Linux Foundation. MeeGo has already been endorsed by a number of key OEMs and application developers. MeeGo enables an open software environment for rapid development for a range of smart, PC-like devices and exciting new services.

DIVA TV launches its Viewster consumer service

From Digital TV Europe, Diva TV's Viewster service has been launched in beta. I had blogged about DIVA TV in September.

The company has struck partnerships with TV manufacturers including LG, Loewe, Philips, Samsung and Sharp to promote the service. The Viewster service will initially be available in over 30 countries, according to the company. In addition to offering content via connected TVs, the service will be available to mobile users with Android phones, with Apple's iPhone and iPad to follow. Content can be purchased as single shows or as packages, with payment made via credit or debit card, mobile debit of PayPal. A subscription model is set to follow when Viewster is fully launched in the first quarter of next year.

Connected TVs in the managed video realm - announcements from Widevine and ADB today

There were a couple of announcements today that point to an expanded role for connected TVs beyond "over-the-top" video. Instead, the connected TV can also serve as a gateway for managed video services. Companies such as Verimatrix, Clearleap, thePlatform, Cisco, Motorola, ActiveVideo Networks, Alcatel-Lucent, Nokia Siemens, and Ericsson have all made recent announcements in this area.

Now, ADB has joined the fray, offering a solution called the Virtual Gateway. This sofware solution distributes multimedia capabilities throughout the home. Some use cases that ADB highlights are a user's ability to enjoy pay-TV, music and videos from wherever they are in the home: subscribers can use their gaming consoles to tune to a pay-TV channel or watch recorded programs, or access music tracks and videos stored on their DVR and play them on their smart phones.

Also, Widevine continues to make announcements regarding its adaptive streaming solution. The company announced that it has signed a global agreement with LG Electronics (LG) to distribute Widevine’s live and on-demand adaptive streaming, virtual DVD controls and digital rights management (DRM) on LG connected products. Widevine’s DRM and adaptive streaming software are already included in 2009 models of LG Blu-ray players and home theaters shipped in the United States. This agreement enables LG to expand distribution to more devices, on a worldwide basis.

Widevine’s video optimization and DRM platform will now be included on a wide variety of additional LG products, including connected TVs. Widevine’s video optimization technology ensures that consumers using LG products receive an excellent quality of viewing experience for both live and on-demand content. Widevine’s DRM keeps premium content secure, regardless of the LG device to which it is delivered .

Opera offers content development kit for connected TV apps

The floodgates may be opening for app development on the connected TV. After Samsung announced that it was undertaking a more open applications development approach, Opera Software has now announced a content development kit (CDK). A key benefit to the CDK, Opera notes, is that it will allow Web developers create apps without having direct access to the device itself. Web developers will be able to create apps in HTML5 and HbbTV environments on a PC.

Apple's iTV rumor - a look at the numbers

Apple has invited the media to a music-themed event on September 1, leading to much speculation about what might be announced. Here are the potential announcements being kicked around:

• Revamp to the iPod lineup;
• TV show rentals for $0.99; and
• An "iTV" product that might be a stand-alone set-top box like the Apple TV or an integrated connected TV.

The big question regarding Apple is whether it will continue to pursue the development of a stand-alone set-top box or develop a fully-integrated connected TV. The market for the stand-alone boxes – what Parks Associates terms Digital Video Players – will hit ten million unit sales in 2014, with total worldwide household penetration of 50 million households. However, the connected TV market is significantly larger. Worldwide sales in 2014 are expected to exceed 120 million units, with total worldwide penetration of more than 250 million households. Apple will likely choose the stand-alone device path, as the integrated connected TV market is already dominated by large consumer electronics manufacturers willing to trade lower margins for higher volumes of shipments.

Parks Associates hosts 'Connected TV Outlook' webcast, August 26

Join Parks Associates on August 26 at 1 pm CENTRAL for the HomeGrid Forum sponsored webcast, Connected TV Outlook, and learn more about how the key technology trends behind developments in this space.

Kurt Scherf, VP, Principal Analyst, Parks Associates will present analysis and forecasts from Parks Associates examining the following:

-- Analysis on key business and technology drivers for connected TV devices
-- Consumer appetite & drivers for the purchase & use of these connected CE
-- Consumer and industry research from multiple Parks Associates surveys and market reports

This webcast is sponsored by HomeGrid Forum. HomeGrid Forum is a global, non-profit trade group promoting the International Telecommunication Union’s G.hn standardization efforts for next-generation home networking.

Click here for Thursday, August 26th webcast registration information.

One small TV to go, please...

Today, Verizon announced the development of an app that will allow streaming of FiOS TV to Apple iPads. Verizon's app further expands the growing TV Everywhere trend as well as the number of companies providing video content to the iPad platform. However, before you plan on watching reruns of Top Shot at the office, you may note that Verizon plans for the service to only be available inside the home for FiOS customers.

Consumption of PC video is increasing, but TV still main video source

More U.S. households are watching online video and on a wider variety of devices now than two years ago, but they are not sacrificing their TV viewing to do so. Digital Media Evolution II found 40% of all U.S. broadband homes now regularly watch long-form video on a computer. However, service providers can allay their fears of cord cutting for now as high use of PC video does not yet correlate with decreased TV viewing.

People are using online video to fill in the gaps. When it comes to watching TV shows and movies, nobody’s first choice is the computer. People will watch this content on a computer when it is not convenient or feasible to watch on a TV.

Households with a high incidence for viewing PC video are also heavy DVD users. Both DVDs and the Internet are non-linear video sources. That makes them somewhat similar from the consumer’s perspective. They don’t care about the distribution method so much as the experience, which will be enhanced through the ability to view premium content on a variety of devices. Service providers and other video retailers that offer high-quality, consistent multiplatform viewing experiences will come out ahead in the battle for consumers’ eyeballs.

Digital Media Evolution II quantifies and analyzes the market demand for emerging media platforms, features, and services.

What content will matter on the connected TV?

The obvious answer is premium video, including movies and TV shows.

Parks Associates' Digital Media Evolution II survey indicates that the basics (customized weather and traffic widgets) along with music and games will also be of interest. In fact, it is interesting to see the growth of consumer interest in gaming applications at the set-top box or connected TV.

This space is starting to heat up, and companies such as Accedo Broadband and OnLive could be significant players. Of course, as Michael Lantz from Accedo Broadband reminded us at the CONNECTIONS US Conference, it's difficult to get consumers to pay for the games. So how will these services be monetized?

Keep an eye on remote UIs. The concept of the "remote UI," which would provide a more consistent experience in search and discovery of content across different platforms, will be of significant interest to service providers and content owners.

At CONNECTIONS 2010, we learned about different technologies to facilitate this UI:
• HTML5
• AJAX CE
• The RVU Alliance

Securing the connected experience should go beyond the PC. At this year's CONNECTIONS Conference in Santa Clara, companies like Mocana remind us that security concerns will grow more prevalent as huge numbers of devices (including those aimed at M2M applications like smart meters) become more interconnected.

Please join us for our upcoming CONNECTIONS Conference in Europe this November. Visit www.connectionseurope.com for more information.

Google TV - Searching for Success

For at least a year or so, I've been doing my best to categorize all of the different solutions that are specially designed to bring Web content and applications to a "connected TV." I'm putting the term in quotes because there will be different ways to experience connectivity between the Internet and the display other than an embedded solution. For example:

• Connected game consoles: In the U.S., penetration of Internet-connected game consoles jumped 38% between 2008 and 2009, and are now at about 30 million households. We know that the console is being heavily implemented as a set-top box, as more than one-third of Microsoft Xbox 360 users are watching video on at least a monthly basis. We believe that online video revenues at the game console alone brought Microsoft and Sony north of $500 million in 2009.
• Connected TVs: Penetration is quite limited to date, but we expect that unit sales worldwide will exceed 130 million by 2014. In short, Web connectivity will soon become a built-in ubiquity in most televisions.
• Connected Blu-ray Players: Just bought a flat-panel TV and don't feel like replacing it for a Web-connected set? For a smaller investment, many Blu-ray Disc players come equipped with many of the same content services as what you'll find on the high-definition displays.
• Networked Digital Media Players: These are the devices such as Apple TV, the Roku player, and others that provide a relatively lower-cost option to connect a TV to online video services. Although we're projecting a pretty quick peak of sales in the U.S. followed by a decline as online video access becomes embedded into consumer electronics products, alternative set-top box platforms may have more significance in international markets, where they may actually be branded by broadband and pay-TV operators.

The market potential for Web-connected consumer electronics is significant, with annual worldwide shipments nearing 300 million units by 2014.

In light of this opportunity, 30+ technology companies are all aimed at bringing Web services to consumer electronics. Among them are companies in the "Connected Television OS" area that are working to build in applications and Web services directly into the TV itself. Among them are:

• Accenture;
• DivX;
• Google;
• IBM; and
• Yahoo!

Of course, while there are companies advocating an embedded solution, companies such as ActiveVideo Networks and Clearleap argue that Web services and interactivity can be delivered with transcoding done in the headend. Further, companies like Vuze indicate that the PC in the home is capable of transcoding and serving as an intermediary between the home computer and the television. So, there's plenty of room for debate.

Google is entering the market at a time where there is much indecision about what will be the ideal technology solution that will benefit the TV manufacturer, content owners, and advertisers. Certainly, Google's presence in Web advertising, including delivery and analytics, provide it with a huge potential for scale. One problem that has been troubling to the television manufacturers is how big their share of any potential revenue for online content might be. To date, the business models between television manufacturers and content providers or aggregators have been revenue sharing based on online video orders. So, the TV manufacturer may get a few pennies per VoD order. In a time when online video revenues on connected CE devices other than the game console are forecast to be around $180 million in 2010 and growing to perhaps $800 million by 2014, it won't be a a huge revenue stream. So, a deal with Google that can add advertising revenue to transactional monies would be a gain for the manufacturers.

Is Search Really a Problem?

So, while Google comes armed with the business model, I do wonder if Google has developed a solution for a problem that I'm not convinced is as dire as they indicate. After all, they lead their explanation video about Google TV discussing why it's difficult for consumers to find the content that they want on TV. Really? We might quibble about the benefits or detriments of the various electronic program guides that are in use today, but I think that the EPG is doing an increasingly effective job of allowing for search and discovery. And, if the Google TV use model means I literally have a Logitech keyboard positioned on my knees to manually type in search entries, I'm not convinced that this use case is going to attract many folks. Granted, the keyboard in the living room is going to be unecessary for most folks, as smartphones, tablet computers, and other interfaces allow for more text entry, but I'm just not sold on search (as Google presents it) as the killer app here. The television service providers are innovating every day with their own program guides, search, discovery, and recommendations. I don't think anyone will be lacking with decent search options for their TV.

Where are the Content Partners?

Another issue with Google is how much high quality content they'll bring to the table. Google's main content partner today is Sony. They will need to bring a number of major content players into the fold to have a successful solution. I'm sure that Best Buy will probably offer up Roxio CinemaNow content, but they'll have to expand beyond that. What's driving the demand for connected TVs is premium content, as the results from our recently completed Digital Media Evolution II study indicates.

I think that providing premium video-on-demand content is going to continue to be an area where the pay-TV providers excel. A couple of weeks ago, I had some time to try to catch up on video-on-demand. With credits available on my VUDU account, I tried that platform first. What I quickly found is that my Verizon FiOS service had the same movies, and the high-definition versions were available a whole lot quicker than the download for VUDU's HDX format. Now, The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the studios and the operators are in discussions to signficantly reduce the window between the theater and pay-TV availability. This makes sense. Interactive digital TV services are already in more than 40% of U.S. households. By 2014, it'll be more than 60%. That's a huge scale that the pay-TV operators have as an advantage. So, what are the online services going to offer that's any better?

Is the Walled Garden Really the Evil Empire?

Related to this point, Google's foray into a very open Internet approach is being much ballyhooed as a way of throwing off the shackles of the walled gardens provided by TV service providers and today's connected CE offerings. I'd argue that this latest round of consumer research would indicate that demand for open Internet access isn't what's driving consumers to a connected TV. They want good content, and they want it easy to find. Take a second look at the chart. I'm just not convinced that consumers want an open Internet experience for calendaring, music, photos, and commerce. I'm much more convinced that tailored applications - including tru2way, EBIF, LUA-based interactive features (available today from more and more pay-TV operators) are going to bring the Interactivity of the Web without the "Wild West" component of many fits and starts with searching, text entry, the back button, etc. If the walled garden approaches can deliver this in a controlled environment that doesn't overwhelm the average user and helps a provider deliver the highest-quality content available, then I don't see why everyone would necessarily want a browser-based approach in their connected TV.

Will Service Providers Care?

DISH Network is a partner here, but will Google find additional service providers to join? One question is what's in it for the providers? For DISH, a current lack of good interactive applications would be a reason for joining the fold. But, will you see the cable industry or AT&T or Verizon knocking on Google's door anytime soon? I doubt it. These companies are already developing their own interactive applications and services. In fact, if you compare the revenue potential between the online and pay-TV worlds, it's clear operators will still control the lion's share of revenues for services such as premium VoD and for interactive advertising. The revenues in the online world are certainly nothing to sneeze at, but the operators don't have to cede control to Google in order to pocket some serious revenues in the next few years.

Multi-platform Measurement

I do think that Google's entrance will now start to help refine how providers of online assets will work with consumer electronics companies to implement more multi-platform content and multi-screen audience measurement. The measurement and reporting is a particular area where some work is needed. The more that content providers, online companies, and CE manufacturers can work together to build consistent reporting and feedback mechanisms into their products, the more effective they will be in monetizing their Web services and attract more premium partners.

See You in a Few Weeks

This announcement certainly comes at an intriguing time, and we've got all kinds of speakers and sessions at the CONNECTIONS™ 2010 event that will speak directly to the rise of connected consumer electronics, digital content, and evolving business cases. We have keynotes, presentations, and discussions with many of today's leading vendors of connected TV and digital media solutions - among them 2Wire, Actiontec, ActiveVideo Networks, Alcatel-Lucent, Allegro Software, Alticast, Arxan Technologies, AT&T, BigBand Networks, BridgeCo, Cisco Systems, Comcast Interactive Media, Comcast Spotlight, comScore Inc., DivX Networks, Epix, ExtendMedia, Gigle Networks, IBM, Intel, Intertrust (representing Marlin), Latens, MEC (WPP’s Group M), MOD Systems, Motorola, Navic at Microsoft, NDS, Nielsen Online, Opera, Orange/France Telecom, PacketVideo, RedMere, Rovi, Roxio CinemaNow, Samsung, Sony, Technicolor, thePlatform, Verimatrix, Verizon, Vuze, XSpanD, Yahoo!, and Zenverge Check out our lineup, and we hope that you can make it to Santa Clara in a few weeks!

Service Providers Being Repositioned As Media Companies

The popularity of online video consumption is forcing service providers to reposition as media companies with new offerings such as TV Everywhere, according to this report, Online Video and Broadband Provider Strategies.

The number of U.S. broadband households watching premium online content doubled in the last year. Over 25 million U.S. broadband households regularly watch full-length TV shows online, and over 20 million watch movies online.

Connected CE devices are affecting the competitive ecosystem of the television industry, and while the current number of cord cutters isn’t substantial, service providers are concerned about these developments. Pay-TV providers are working to head off a possible shift that might devalue their services by offering TV Everywhere. These services supplement their traditional offerings, which might not dissuade anyone determined to cut the cord, but providers could use them as models for future business strategies.

Online Video and Service Provider Strategies also reports that consumers have yet to establish strong preferences on whether they get video and other value-added services from broadband service providers or over-the-top providers such as Hulu. Service providers can leverage this consumer neutrality and reposition themselves as media companies.

Samsung keynote at CONNECTIONS™ explores future of LCD technology and 3D TV

Parks Associates announced Scott Birnbaum, Vice President, Samsung LCD Group, will deliver the morning keynote, “TV Technology in the New Age of Consumer Buying,” at CONNECTIONS™ on June 9, 2010.

CONNECTIONS™: The Digital Living Conference and Showcase, in its 14th year, will take place June 8-10, 2010, at the Santa Clara Convention Center. CONNECTIONS™ is the premier event for research and analysis of connected home technologies and digital living solutions, with over 600 executives attending each year.

Mr. Birnbaum will speak at 10:00 a.m., June 9, on the future of LCD technology, the accelerated movement toward a 16:9 aspect ratio, and the prognosis for 3D in the home. He will explore the implications for TV design and manufacturing as consumers demand thin, energy-efficient form factors that provide crystal-clear, movie-like experiences.

He will also discuss the need for easy-to-understand data so consumers can understand and make informed choices about thinness, backlighting, energy consumption, contrast and aspect ratios, and refresh rates.

CONNECTIONS™ features multiple sessions on next-generation video services and the growing demand for interactive entertainment, including 3D and connected TV, personalization of applications, Internet video, and mobile applications. Sessions include industry-leading consumer research and executive analysis to highlight the next opportunities and future business strategies for video technologies and platforms, multiscreen experiences, and value-added services.

Google Said to Work on TV With Intel, Sony, Logitech

Google is working to bring Web software to televisions through a partnership with Intel, Sony, and Logitech , according to a recent BusinessWeek article.

Moving beyond the Internet search engine business, Google is now challenging companies like Yahoo, TiVo, Rovi, and Microsoft in delivering the Internet to TVs.

Parks Associates VP of Research, Kurt Scherf is quoted in the article, “it’s a sign of the legitimacy of Internet connectivity moving well beyond the PC and mobile spaces, which Google has tackled already. It completes the third leg of the stool.”

More than one-quarter of TVs purchased by U.S. consumers in January already are capable of linking to the Web through a Wi- Fi or Ethernet connection, according to another research company.

Web-enabled TVs currently on the market allow users to watch YouTube videos, view online photo albums, play games and stream movies from Netflix Inc.

To read the full article, click here.