Roku Developing Hybrid STB
Roku is developing a hybrid STB, which will deliver both linear and streaming services for its partners. Sky will be the first Roku partner to deploy the new box, as part of its Now TV service in the UK.
Xiaomi to Enter Middle East
Dubai-based Task FZCO has begun to distribute Xiaomi smartphones in the Middle East and North Africa. Handsets will initially be available in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Amazon Continues Fast Growth
Amazon’s video streaming service saw strong growth in Q4’15, nearly doubling its subscriber base outside the USA – although the company does not provide hard numbers. The Fire TV media player is claimed to be the best-selling streaming media player in the USA
JCDecaux Result 28/01/2016
JCDecaux reported Q4 net profit at €983.9 million, up 6.2% YoY. Including the positive results of currency exchange rates, acquisitions, etc., the increase was 17%. For the full year 2015, net profit grew 4.2% YoY €3,207.6 million. Including non-operational effects, the increase was 14%.
Müller Leaves Tech Data
Marc Müller, MD of sales at Tech Data Germany, is to leave the company due to restructuring measures. Müller joined the company in 1996. Between 2002 and 2012 he worked at Tech Data Azlan. He will be succeeded by Michael Dressen, regional MD of Tech Data Germany and Austria.
Wireless Charging Rumoured for iPhone 7S
According to reports, Apple is developing a new wireless charging technology that looks set to debut on next year’s iPhone 7S. The new technology could allow iPhones and iPads to be charged anywhere in the home or office without being placed on a dedicated mat. Analyst Comment Technologies like this exist already, but rely on … Read more
Gou ‘Confident’ About Sharp Offer
After talking directly to Sharp’s financiers (Gou Goes Direct to Sharp Lenders), Foxconn chairman Terry Gou has said that he is confident of his firm’s offer being accepted in a takeover bid. It is rumoured that Foxconn has offered ¥625 billion ($5.2 billion) for the company, but Gou said that he could not confirm details … Read more
Sky Prices SkyQ
Sky has revealed the price of its SkyQ set-top box (Sky Overhauls STB, Prepares for UltraHD). The STB will cost £100 ($145) for installation, with monthly payments of £42 ($60) for the subscription. Non-Sky customers will need to pay £250 ($365). Separately, Carsten Schmidt, CEO of Sky Germany, has also said that the company began … Read more
Quelling the Screen-time Debate
In the final paragraph of my recent article, The Screen Time Debate Rages into 2016, I asked the reader “How should the display industry address the screen-time debate, especially since the concerns [about screen safety] are coming from ‘experts we trust’”? I suggested “with clear thinking, messaging, and marketing, this new challenge is surmountable.” In … Read more
Jasper Display Shows Working 4K LCOS
On a recent visit to Jasper Display in California, we had a chance to learn a lot about what the company is doing. Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) has been at the heart of the company for 18 years including a number of processor companies like S-Vision and eLCOS. The list of current LCoS panels … Read more
LCOS – It’s not Just for Displays Any More
We recently had a chance to visit with Jasper Display in their Santa Clara offices. Jasper is a silicon design house that started by specializing in Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) microdisplay. They still do this and have a 4K LCOS panel, but we also learned that LCOS and the underlying silicon backplane technology is … Read more
LIPA Releases Recommended Industry Practice for Measuring Speckle
Just before Christmas, the Laser Illuminated Projector Association (LIPA) released to the public its Recommended Practice: Measurement of Speckle in Laboratory Conditions. It is a guide for laser projector makers, installers, and theater operators to measure and compare this common laser attribute caused when coherent light bounces off a rough surface. The release of this … Read more
