Seiko is going ultra-tech with this awesomely rad new watch made from e-paper. If you want one, though, you'd better show up with a baseball bat, crowbar, or something to wield off John Biggs other watch fiends, because only 500 are being produced. Yes, 500. It's being done on purpose to generate hype around these new ultra-tech watches, and Seiko thinks we're gonna fall for it. So what's so great about this watch, anyway?:

"The braclet-wristwatch features a thin, bendable e-paper trimmed in stainless steel which makes it a high-tech accessory without the geeky look. A black-and-white pattern of stripes on the watch changes every hour."

Ok...I ah....have to see a man about a baseball bat and ah...fly over to Japan.

Bendable e-paper watch [Popgadget]

12:24:36 AM    comment   

More thoughts on social media. Tonight’s unoriginal idea: radio for two. Grab a service like epitonic, which lets you create a personalised radio station based on your genre choices. Simultaneously stream to two people, either of whom can control the “skip” button.

Now you and your loved one can have a virtual snuggle knowing nobody else is listening to the same set as you, and your other half is hearing and enjoying just the same music you are — even if they’re the other side of the globe.

Next week, you can look forward to articles on why IPTV is such an innovative idea, and how IMS is going to unleash a torrent of telco service innovation upon us. Err. Not. Funny, isn’t it, how all those 3G TV and music services are creating facsimiles of old broadcast and unicast media when the users have shown a clear preference for doing things in groups of two or more…

12:23:00 AM    comment   

"India is at a different stage of development. The level of PC penetration is quite low in the country," Guthrie said, on the sidelines of the India Economic Summit. "It is a matter of time," she said. Guthrie was responding to a query on whether Star would make Internet investments in India, in line with News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch's strategy.

12:18:15 AM    comment   

Q. Considering parent company News Corp is getting ready for 'web world' and Internet-driven strategies, what are Star's plans in this regard?
As a creative content company we make great and entertaining programming Asia-wide. Keeping in mind various other aspects like protection of intellectual property rights, we do look at distributing our content (on various platforms) in an effort to monetize them. If distribution happens on the Internet and we at Star can figure out a business model for it, then that's fine.
In India, we still see that the Internet and PC penetration is reasonably low and it's not a mass market yet. But we'll see and continue to explore opportunities.

Q. Are there plans to aggressively exploit other aspects of digital media encompassing mobile and wireless tech?
We are technology agnostic. As are most consumers. Do you think a consumer really cares whether content is delivered via cable, or satellite or mobile? If the consumer doesn't care, why should we? We have great programming and our aim should be to make it available to as many people as possible. [ContentSutra]
12:07:59 AM    comment   

Earlier this year, when announcing their bid for the San Francisco wireless network, Google executives indicated that they plan to work closely with the incumbents including cable operators and the phone companies. Given the antagonistic stance taken by some Bell executives, it is safer that Google might be looking to work closely with MSOs on its next generation efforts such as video and voice over the Internet. Proof of this direction might be found in this job posting. The company is currently seeking software engineers who have ability to work cable systems. Amongst the requirements include experience in DOCSIS and DVB.

The details of posting indicate that Google is looking to take its “television” effort into the incumbent networks, and also extend them to the “third screen,” i.e. the mobile handset. As companies like Nokia and Qualcomm roll out their mobile video-only networks, Google could easily become one (or more) channel on those devices. On a more speculative tip, it could also mean that Google is looking to take a page out of Yahoo’s incumbent-partnership strategy and become a partner for non-US telecoms. They have a partnership with T-Mobile/Deutsche Telekom. Have a look at the posting, and see what you think, and comeback and leave a comment.

Update: Cynthia adds, “Comcast took the extraordinary step of partnering with Google for a bid on a share of AOL. And Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said he wanted to turn his company into the âo[ogonek]Googleâo? of video. “

12:05:10 AM    comment   

"Union Cabinet today gave its approval to undertake design, develop and launch GSAT-6 or INSAT-4E, a multi-media mobile satellite mission," Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi told reporters after the meeting. "It will have three main benefits -- introduction of satellite digital multi-media service, demonstration of mobile satellite application to strategic and social sectors and advancing the frontiers of satellite technology using large unfurlable antenae," he said.

12:04:34 AM    comment   

Instead of sending you yet another Big Trend, our end of year edition talks about VIRTUAL ANTHROPOLOGY, sharing some of our spotting methods and resources. From how to use Flickr as an anthropological goldmine, to taking virtual strolls past London shop fronts. Develop your own collection of sources, and delve into the lives of your customers!

12:02:55 AM    comment