Cynopsis: DIGITAL

02/17/09

Good morning, it’s Tuesday, February 17, 2009, and this is your first early morning digital briefing. 

Under pressure from next-generation smartphone platforms such as Apple’s iPhone and the Android-powered G1, Microsoft unveiled a new mobile operating system, Windows Mobile 6.5, at the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The new OS features an entirely new dashboard-themed user interface integrating emails, text messages, calls, appointments and Office Mobile functionality. The company says the interface will support both touch and non-touch handsets. A free “My Phone” service will enable users to manage and synch personal info through cloud-based servers, ensuring that everything is up to date. One cool feature allows Zune subscribers to access the system’s full library of music. Another is the voice search app Microsoft Recite which retrieves spoken notes and reminders. Microsoft’s answer to the App Store is the Windows Marketplace for Mobile, hoping to attract new and creative open source apps. All of this if very forward looking, but the company doesn’t expect to release the Windows Mobile 6.5 on devices until the second half of 2009. That’s a long time for current Windows Mobile OS users to wait. So far handset makers LG and HTC have committed to the platform.
 

 
As rumored, Nokia unveiled the “Ovi Store” yesterday – its own version of the App Store – designed to deliver applications to Nokia devices pre-integrated with the correct software such as its flagship smartphone the N97, planned for release in June. (Other Nokia phones will be able to download the software beginning in May.) Utilizing GPS, the Ovi Store will offer targeted content based on users’ social connections and physical location. Developers such as AccuWeather, Facebook, Rough Guides, Lonely Planet, Electronic Arts, Fox Mobile and MySpace will get 70% of the revenue generated from the storefront. Content providers will be able to get their work into the store via a single channel, Publish.Ovi.com, which is now open for developers.
 
TVLand.com is promoting season 2 of its reality series High School Reunion premiering on Wednesday with a new interactive microsite. It features a user-generated “Digital Yearbook,” extended and deleted scenes from the show, behind-the-scenes video taken by the cast, personal photo galleries, video cast bios and weekly blogs from cast members.
 
Following the official postponement of the digital transition, ION Television announced it is moving its scheduled launch of HD television transmission in 20 markets from February 16 to March 16.
 

 
Online ad outfit Betawave, formerly knows as GoFish, is launching a new online video syndication platform to deliver original video content to its youth-targeted publishing partners. The Betawave TV network will consist of several regularly-refreshed ad supported channels of content produced exclusively for the platform including lifestyle segments narrative by That’s So Raven star Raven Symone; shorts and full-length movies from CookieJar Entertainment; and Red Carpet Live – consisting of interviews shot and uploaded live from movie premiers and launch parties. Competition to attract kids traffic online is fierce and word on Madison Avenue is that media buyers are looking to spread the wealth to allocate at least half of their kids’ budgets outside of the large media portals such as Disney.com and Nick.com. Betawave aggregates smaller publishers like digital doll site Cartoon Doll Emporium with a total audience of 25 million or so to give advertisers the reach they need. “A lot of smaller publishers have built compelling sites with audiences of 1-2 million but they have trouble getting face time with ad agencies,” said Jim Moloshok, Executive Chairman of Betawave.
 
We haven’t been able to wipe out war or stave off hunger with adults running the show, why not ask kids to help out. Digital media publisher Kid Thing completed its Dear Mr. President e-book, selecting questions to ask President Obama from over 4,500 5-12 year olds across three continents. It’s available for free download for PCs only running Windows XP or Vista.
 

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM TV LAND

 
Adobe, maker of the ubiquitous web software Flash, made several interesting announcements in Barcelona:

• a full-featured version of Flash will soon be available for many of the leading smartphone platforms for deployment early next year including Windows Mobile, Google’s Android, Nokia S60/Symbian, and the new Palm Pre operating system. (No word yet on when or if Apple will ever make Flash available for the iPhone)
• A $10 million Open Screen Project Fund has been established with at least 20 partners to help make mobile software based on Flash more easily portable to other devices
• A new Adobe Reader Mobile SDK edition is ready to enable handheld devices to easily download, manage and display PDF content and eBooks

 
LG Electronics and Intel announced a collaboration around mobile internet devices that will bring the chipmaker’s architecture to future LG smartphones and mobile devices.
 

                                                                                    
Samsung unveiled a quartet of sexy new smartphones featuring a range of multimedia features:

• The Omnia HD phone, a touch-phone with a 3.7″ display, can record video in HD resolution or play video content in 640 x 360 pixel resolution
• The S8300 UltraTouch features a 2.8″ touch screen, an 8 megapixel camera and Samsung’s new TouchWiz interface
• The Blue Earth is an eco-friendly phone designed to resemble a shiny beach pebble. It utilizes a built-in solar panel to power itself, holding a full solar charge for 10-14 hours
• The Beat DJ and Beat Disc models target music lovers with high end audio technology powered by Bang and Olufsen

 
PacketVideo announced the commercial availability of PV’s mobile video application for the Apple iPhone, enabling the delivery of operator-branded TV and video services. Mobile operators are expected to offer the new iPhone application under their own brands via the App Store, enabling subscribers to view local live television channels and on-demand video clips.
 
Developer Raisix Inc. launched the handy new ColorMatch app for the iPhone which utilizes the device’s email, camera and touch screen features to help users match colors for shopping, decorating and home improvement projects. Use your iPhone camera to snap a picture then ColorMatch will suggest the perfect colors to go with it. Send your colors via email, right from the app or choose how you want to organize them by naming and saving them for later.
 

 
New York-based Travel Ad Network named Anthony Katsur as the company’s Chief Technical Officer, a newly created position reporting to Cree Lawson, Founder & CEO. Tony comes to TAN from Heavy Inc., where he launched the video monetization platform Husky Media Network and served as COO.
 

A CYNOPSIS MESSAGE FROM HOROWITZ ASSOCIATES

  .

 
President’s Day always provides the public with an incentive to look back at the history of the office. Check out brainy video portal Fora.tv‘s section on U.S. Presidents for some interesting insight from Henry Louis Gates on Abraham Lincoln’s view of race or to hear Richard Brookhiser read excerpts from his latest book George Washington on Leadership. Flora, which distributes its content using various social networks and bookmarking services including Delicious, Digg, Facebook, FriendFeed and Twitter, operates with funding from various donors but is also pursuing sponsorships. Hulu also got into the act with a nice collection of video segments about America’s founding fathers, sourced from NBCU’s educational portal iCue.
 

Later — Wayne
 Wayne Karrfalt for Cynopsis: Digital
02.17.09

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SITUATION WANTED:TV PRODUCER: Reality with network and cable credit seeks show producer/field producer position at prod. co. or network. Most recently series produced show airing on NBC O and O’s. (NY based) [email protected] (2/18)

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