Audio News for November 14, 2008

by | Nov 14, 2008 | Audio News | 0 comments

2009 Consumer Electronic Show  –  From January 8 thru 11, 2009, the CEA once again presents the world’s largest trade show for consumer technology. The Las Vegas extravaganza will feature over 2700 exhibitors in 30 product categories, more than 200 special conference sessions, and many awards programs. Content@CES will exhibit the latest developments in the content community and its impact on technology. The merging of digital entertainment and technology will be more apparent than ever as the largest display of content debuts alongside the latest technological innovations. Sony Pictures Television will have a special demonstrations, and daily episodes of Celebrity Jeopardy will be telecast from a special set built on the CES show floor. 20 market-specific TechZones on the show floor will focus on emerging developments and groundbreaking achievements.  For example, Qualcomm will highlight sate-of-the-art mobile devices and the latest in wireless applications. The Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards will take place at CES for the third year, honoring achievements in Science & Technology for TV and Advanced Media Technology.  The “specialty audio” exhibitors will be primarily in the Venetian Hotel. CEA online is at www.CE.org

Microsoft and Samsung Collaborations – South Korea’s LG Electronics and Microsoft have agreed to collaborate on mobile technology. The agreement ensures continued strategic collaboration in R&D, marketing, applications, and services in the field of converged mobile devices.  Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics announced launch of their Omnia touch screen handset model which is based on Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system.  Microsoft hopes its mobile operating system can challenge Symbian – the platform backed by Nokia and used in two-thirds of the world’s smartphones (those with computer-like capabilities).

The VCR is Dead – Last month JVC – the originators of the consumer videotape competition to Sony’s BetaMax – quietly stopped production of standalone VHS recorders. There are still a few TV/VCR and DVD/VCR combos but the VCR/VHS era has now drawn to a close. Sony’s U-Matic was the beginning of videocassette recording back in 1971 and it found limited pro use, but the first route for consumers was Sony’s BetaMax of l975.  The next year Matsushita brought out their VHS tape system and a format war ensued, with VHS emerging victor due to Sony’s isolationist stance (even though they had created the better product).

Two important Supreme Court decisions involved the VCR: One was the 1984 Disney/Sony suit alleging copyright violation, in which the court sanctioned home videotaping for time-shifting and personal use. The other case upheld the First Sale Doctrine, allowing video rental stores to buy and rent movies. DVD debuted in 1997 and became the prime rental format by 2003. Its success was made possible by an unprecedented agreement pooling the technologies of Toshiba, Matsushita, Sony and Philips.  Unfortunately this success totally failed to prevent the following format wars between DVD-Audio and SACD and between HD DVD and Blu-ray.

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