Sunday, August 7, 2005|
Growing Up With Gadgets. Paul E. Jacobs is the chief executive of Qualcomm. By As told to EILENE ZIMMERMAN. [NYT > Business] 12:39:37 PM  comment
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Broadcast TV will never die.. When was the last time you recieved a live multicast feed across multiple networks over the internet ? Whats a multicast stream ? Its a stream of bits that can be just about anything, a software program, a movie, a game, a tv show. It doesnt matter.
When a file or live event is multicast, rather than having a copy of the program delivered, uniquely from each source to each destination (unicast delivery), the stream of bits is replicated through the routers on the network so that one copy exists on the network at any given time. The router basically grabs the stream and provides it to the users on its network segment that want it.
The value in doing this is that the bandwidth savings are huge. For live events its the only way to truly conserve bandwidth. For on demand, it even blows away Bit torrent type peer to peer delivery because the routers are always there to act as the peers on any network segment and you can control and monitor the distribution more cleanly.
But a network of multicast enabled networks, linked together to form a more efficient internet doesnt exist. At least that I know of. But it almost did.
Back in the late 1990s, Darin Divinia and our engineers were working hard with UUNet and other networks to test and optimize multicast tunnels on their networks and to peer them with some level of QOS so that Broadcast.com could deliver live events and files more cost efficiently.
We also worked hard with Microsoft Windows Media and Real Networks to deliver live events via multicast. We even had seperate links for users who were on multicast enabled networks to click on so they could pull a multicast feed of a live event at a higher quality. I think we may have even gotten as high as 12 pct of users on some events. It was one of the most important projects we had going.
But unless it has been hibernating somewhere without me knowing about it, the project died when I wasnt at Yahoo to champion it any longer.
this isnt to say that an internet with multicast tunnels routed throughout the net to any end user cant happen. Its just to say that it isnt anywhere I can find it right now. Without it, there is no such thing as bandwidth efficient LIVE internet TV. Without it, there is no equivalent to broadcast tv on the internet. Without it, there is no possible way broadcast tv, defined as what we see on major networks that own broadcast spectrum, ala ABC, CBS, NBC, WB, UPN, etc is going away anytime soon .
The internet cant support the equivalent of broadcast TV because the internet cant broadcast. It can deliever individual (unicast streams) streams, but thats it. This is why AOL streaming 350k simultaneous Live8 users was a big deal. Instead of a single 300k video stream that every one tuned into, every viewer had to have their own 300k stream. Thats a boatload of bandwidth and is expensive.
What happens when 80mm people want to watch the SuperBowl ? What happens when a measly 4mm want to watch a show ? What happens when they want to see the show in 1080i HD ?
As long as there are TV shows or events that can capture audiences in the millions, the only place to deliver those shows live will be on good old fashioned cable, satellite or broadcast or some other broadcast spectrum delivered TV. It aint gonna be the net anytime soon. Thats why broacast tv aint going away.
And while im on the technical side of TV, its going to be very , very interesting to see how IPTV plays out on networks. Traditional TV delivered on cable like networks is basically multicast. Its always on and viewers just turn the channel to tap into the channel feed. There is enough bandwidth for each channel, and the network can support an unlimited number of viewers
In the IPTV world, a TV signal for a channel is only delivered if someone has requested it. So if no one is watching VH1 Classics, the channel is not delivered over the network , saving bandwidth. Bandwidth conservation is particularly important in a world of ever expanding digital services including HDTV, where the capital isnt available or it doesnt make sense to add more bandwidth to the network.
But the problem with IPTV is the N+1 Disaster. In an IPTV world, there isnt enough bandwidth reserved on the network so that if every channel is requested , it can be delivered. Which means that its possible that someone could change to a channel, lets say BET Jazz, be the first to want to watch that channel in a while, and they would get a message saying it wasnt currently available, try back later.
That is the N+1 Disaster.
Networks can statistically optimize so that the chances of this happening are reduced, but they cant ever elminate it. Its going to be interesting to see what happens, when it happens.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments 12:37:50 PM comment
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HT Media IPO Oversubscribed. Indiantelevision.com: The initial public offering of HT Media Ltd (HT), which controls Hindustan Times newspaper published from several cities, received an overwhelming response from the market and got fully subscribed today within the first 10 minutes of its opening, market sources said. Most bids for the offering of up to 7.6 million shares were at the top end of a previously fixed price band of Rs. 445-530, wire agencies reported. The IPO, which will raise up to Rs 4.03 billion, comprises a fresh issue of 4.64 million shares from HT and 2.36 million sold by Henderson Private Capital (Mauritius), representing a near-five-per cent dilution by the private equity firm, which owns about 15 per cent in the firm.
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Universal Pictures Signs Indiagames To Develop 'Serenity' Game. Indiantelevison.com: Indiagames has signed a worldwide licensing agreement (excluding Japan) with Universal Studios Consumer Products Group to create mobile wireless content based on the Hollywood studio major's upcoming film Serenity. Indiagames will develop and publish a Serenity Space Shooter title, allowing game play as Captain Malcolm of the Serenity spaceship in a top-view flying game. Written and directed by Joss Whedon, (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel), Serenity is a futuristic action-adventure film scheduled for release in the Unites States and Canada on 30 September. [ContentSutra] 8:53:50 AM comment
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Anil Ambani Group To Bring All Telecom Businesses Under One Holding Co. Agencyfaqs.com: All the telecom-related ventures of the Reliance group, that are now part of the newly-formed Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Enterprises (ADAE) group, will be brought under Reliance Communications Ventures (RCVL) as part of the reorganisation of the Reliance group. RCVL is a special purpose vehicle that will ultimately be the listed entity. Speaking at a hurriedly called press conference on Wednesday evening, Anil Ambani said, "We are hoping to get the company listed before March 31, '06." The demerger will be a 90-120 day process as the scheme will first have to be filed with the courts, then the shareholders need to approve the scheme at an extraordinary general meeting. RCVL will be the holding company for the four Reliance telecom companies including the CDMA-based cellular service provider Reliance Infocomm (RIC), Reliance Communications Infrastructure (RCIL) which owns some telecom infrastructure, US-based undersea cable company Flag Telecom and the GSM venture Reliance Telecom. According to Mr Ambani, RCVL will hold about 66% in three companies: RCIL, Reliance Infocomm and Flag, but the details of holdings in individual companies were not immediately available. [ContentSutra] 8:53:39 AM comment
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Would you like Y50,000 with that? i-mode advances i-money. The UFJ banking group said it will start offering a service on Aug. 10 in which customers can use their mobile phones to obtain cash advances from automated teller machines. [i-mode Business Strategy] 8:53:23 AM comment
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O2 - customers rush in as shareholders exit. DoCoMo's UK partner O2 reported that it gained 232,000 customers in the UK in the previous quarter, taking its UK base to 14.6m. Analysts had been looking for growth of less than 100,000. [i-mode Business Strategy] 8:53:13 AM comment
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Steve Jobs: Customers Are Not That Stupid. "Carriers have gained the upper hand in terms of the power of the relationship with the handset manufacturers. And they're starting to tell the handset manufactures what to build. And if Nokia and Motorola don't listen to them, well, Samsung and LG will. [del.icio.us/nivi] 8:53:00 AM comment
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PS3 to support Mac OS X Tiger. Also: It's a good time to buy a laptop. [CNET News.com] 8:52:48 AM comment
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LeapFrog's TicTalk Cellphone For Kids.
The phone will be GSM, though it's unknown which carrier will carry it. It'll be available online this month, and will be in retail stores some time in Fall. Approximate retail value is $99.99.
Related
Product Page [LeapFrog] 8:52:37 AM comment
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Or rather, it's a cellphone for parents who want to keep an eye on their kids. LeapFrog has announced they're teaming up with Enfora to produce the TicTalk Parental-Controlled Cellphone for kids 6 and up. Like the FireFly kiddie phone, the TicTalk will have a bare minimum of functionality. All phone numbers are entered via a web interface and the device doesn't have a keypad, which means the kids can only make calls to approved numbers. Parents can set what times certain phone numbers can be called or received from. They can also send text messages to their kids, possibly to remind them to do their homework or something. LeapFrog wants the service to be pre-paid in chunks of 100 minutes for $25 — parents can then choose to monitor minutes used, as well as award additional minutes for good behavior. And it wouldn't be a LeapFrog if there weren't also educational games included with the phone.|
Behold The Power of 3G.
Samsung and the TD-SCDMA [Akihabara News] [Gizmodo]8:52:22 AM comment
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3G: the most revolutionary telecommunications technology EVAR. At least according to the phone companies spending all this money to deploy it. But the real power of 3G, as evidenced by a Samsung demo of TD-SCDMA, the Chinese-developed 3G standard? Video calls with somebody 5 feet away. Yes! — CL|
OK. I'll Eat My Hat. Treo 670 Runs Windows.
Here's a link round-up. God bless 'em.
Anonymous Treo Video Shot and Photos [DavesiPaq] 8:52:04 AM comment
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I don't know, dudes and dudettes. I |
XM's Buyout of WCS In Controversy; NAB Opposes. : This should be a fun ride: The National Association of Broadcasters has filed a petition with the FCC, calling for the Commission to deny the transfer of WCS licenses to XM Satellite Radio or at a minimum, remove XM's... [PaidContent.org] 8:51:50 AM comment
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Podcast: David vs. Goliath. : A very interesting story on how podcasting has exploded: In one of the shortest trajectories yet for a new Internet technology, podcasting has gone from the hands of indie developers to media giants in less than a year. Credit... [PaidContent.org] 8:51:41 AM comment
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Notebook prices breaking the $500 barrier. While desktop computer prices have largely stabilized, laptop prices continue to fall, and PC vendors are now aggressively promoting laptops for under $500 at major retailers. [Computerworld Mobile/Wireless News] 8:51:29 AM comment
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Why did Tapwave & Gizmondo fail?. The standard components, and open platforms have helped level the playing field between giants and start-ups. [Om Malik's Broadband Blog] 8:51:18 AM comment
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Why Video Gaming Consoles Fail. In response to my previous post on the reasons why Gizmondo and Tapwave failed, Andy Kessler, author of many fine books such as Running with the Bulls and more recently, How We Got Here, emailed and pointed out that the reason why most video game consoles fail is because from get go they lose money. [...] [Om Malik's Broadband Blog] 8:51:08 AM comment
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Why Murdoch Really Bought MySpace He is planning to create a competitor to MTV. Much like Viacom's CBS decided to use the broadband web to bypass cable and compete against the 24-hour news networks like CNN and FoxNews.
Guest Post by Robert Young
[Om Malik's Broadband Blog] |
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Apple Opens iTunes Japan. Japan Times, 5 Aug. 2005 Apple Computer Inc. launched its music-downloading service, iTunes Music Store, in Japan on Thursday with 1 million songs, most of which will be available for about 150 yen a pop, the maker of the hit iPod portable player said. Japanese music on Sony labels are not available on iTunes, said Sony Music Entertainment spokeswoman Kiyono Yoshinaga. "We are in talks with Apple, but we have not reached an agreement at this time," she said, declining to give details. [Wireless Watch Japan] 8:46:16 AM comment
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Felica TownPocket Project. WWJ Editors, 5 Aug. 2005 DoCoMo has teamed up with Urahara.org and TechFirm to launch a new Felica enabled service called TownPocket in Harajuku. Customers with RFID chip handsets will have access to easy registration for coupon campaigns, contests and prizes at 153 participating stores in the youth-trendy downtown shopping district. The campaign is set to launch on August 8th and organizers are targeting a total of 300 participating locations in the area by the end of September. [Japanese Press Release] [Wireless Watch Japan] 8:46:06 AM comment
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Tokyo Game Show Gears Up. WWJ Editors, 5 Aug. 2005 The organizers of the Tokyo Game Show 2005 (September 16 - 18) have just announced a summary of details for this years event. As of August 4, 130 companies are committed to participation, with 1,429 booth units reserved. The number of exhibitors exceeds the 117 at the last year's show and is the highest ever since the first Tokyo Game Show was held in 1996. We also noted they have booked 31 exhibitors from overseas, an increase over last year's total of just 18, and that DoCoMo will participate again as a "Special Sponsor." [Wireless Watch Japan] 8:45:43 AM comment
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DoCoMo 3G Adds 1.2 Million in July. WWJ Editors, 5 Aug. 2005 The latest subscriber numbers are in and DoCoMo added an impressive 1,196,400 new 3G accounts in the month of July! Compared to rival KDDI/au who only gained 312,000 new customers for their CDMA 1X service in the same period. KDDI did manage to sign-up 230,500 new customers to beat DoCoMo's 229,800 net additions. Meanwhile, Vodafone did gain 18,000 more customers than it lost in July, the stats show that they added 130,100 new customers for 3G. WWJ subscribers login for the full results. [Wireless Watch Japan] 8:27:44 AM comment
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Satellite radio firm has IPO. WorldSpace, the first commercial satellite radio company, completed an initial public offering (IPO) of its... [spacetoday.net] 8:27:04 AM comment
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How to eat sushi
Also the history of sushi, some good sushi restaurants, etc. in five blog entries (so far) by Noriko Takiguchi. I've been eating sushi for years, but there's way more for me to learn!
- isen [isen.blog]Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Watch for more. 8:25:53 AM comment
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Last update: 9/3/05; 2:23:53 PM .
