Reuters reports today that MSN will be streaming live the festivities from Times Square tomorrow evening. This will be the first live webcast of this annual and historical event. Visitors will have their choice of three different feeds showcasing various activities.
How far we've come in so short a time! Ten years ago, no one even knew what a video stream was. Now they're as familiar as the ubiquitous TV set.
I predict 2005 is going to be a landmark year for convergence. The lines between "old" and "new" media continue to blur.
No, it's not a new concept or topic. But it's being constantly reinforced. The latest study is from Dynamic Logic and is reported in Media Post today.
Rich media is truly still in its infancy. When creativity finally catches up with technology, the Web might finally carry its weight for marketers.
Acacia Research - again! As sent out by Business Wire:
"Acacia Research Corporation (Nasdaq:ACTG)(Nasdaq:CBMX) announced today that it has signed a binding Letter of Intent to acquire the assets of Global Patent Holdings, LLC, a privately held patent holding company based in Northbrook, Illinois, which owns 11 patent licensing companies including TechSearch, LLC (www.techsearch-llc.com). The acquisition would give the Acacia Technologies Group control of companies with 27 patent portfolios, which include 121 U.S. patents and certain foreign counterparts, and cover technologies used in a wide variety of industries. Eleven of the patent portfolios have been partially licensed and have generated over $40 million in non-recurring, gross licensing revenues to date. "
Affected Industries? -- Broadcast Equipment
-- Broadcasting and Data Transmission
-- Cache Coherency
-- Credit Card Receipt Processing
-- Data File Synchronization
-- Datamatrix Bar Codes
-- Dynamic Manufacturing Models
-- Encryption and Product Activation
-- Hand Held Endoscopes
-- Image Resolution or Enhancement
-- Interactive Simulation Systems
-- Interstitial Internet Advertising
-- Peer to Peer Network Communications
-- Programs for Resource Scheduling/Displaying Interrelated Tables
-- Spreadsheet Programs
-- Video Noise Reduction and Audio/Video Synchronization
Since when is there a business model for ripping people off?
Things are progressing quickly in the cell phone arena magnified by the proposed merger of Sprint and Nextel. The providers are betting that land lines are out, and people are going to be wedded to their cellular devices. Higher data rates that allow users to e-mail, surf the Web, trade pictures etc. are fueling the providers' hopes.
Yet a New York Times article today states cell phone users, at least here in the USA, are more wedded to talk than to interactivity with their cell phones. Clarity and reception are bigger issues than interactivity.
Does anyone really want to watch video on a cell phone? Apparently not now, but as the younger generation matures into adulthood, this could become as ubiqutous as our desktop computer is now.
Once again, technology is ahead of the consumer curve. Marketers and advertisers will have to be very respectful of privacy issues as this migration to handheld devices continues to gather steam.
E-Marketer reports the following:
Rich Media ad spending grew by nearly 37% in 2004, and growth rates of more than 25% are projected for the next three years. eMarketer predicts that rich media will overtake search to become the dominant form of Web advertising by the end of the decade. Learn more in eMarketer's Rich Media report.
We now need the creative side to catch up with the technology!