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Rhapsody Realizes It Has Friends
Digital music service pioneer Rhapsody has been rather quiet of late, especially compared to the relative newcomers’ current jostling for position, and today it revealed what it’s been working on since being spun off from RealNetworks. Having switched its operations from web-based over to a dedicated online platform earlier this year, Rhapsody has now opened up a wealth of social engagement and sharing options that should help attract notice to a service that reports having more than 800,000 subscribers who pay for Rhapsody every month in actual cash money.
Adult Swim, PikPok and Grumpyface Threaten the World
Adult Swim is spreading its off-kilter sensibility onto a third screen with completely original games. Adult Swim Digital has partnered with PikPok and Grumpyface, independent game developers with which it already has a relationship, for this new initiative, the first result of which is PikPok’s 'Monsters Ate My Condo.'
VideoSurf Expands on TV Search, ID While Mobile
Video identification, search and discovery company VideoSurf Inc. continues to expand its reach by today launching a free iPhone app, which VideoSurf said is the first technology to use the iPhone camera for video recognition of TV shows. The product follows VideoSurf’s release of the Android version, which was updated earlier this month.
Sirius XM Raises Fees, Stock Price Follows
Sirius XM released details of its subscription price increase and issued its 2012 guidance Wednesday, and the stock market showed its general approval by pushing its share price up by 6.8 percent. CEO Mel Karmazin confirmed the basic Sirius and XM Select subscription would rise to $14.49 a month, effective January 1, 2012, with similar price adjustments for other programming packages.
Motorola Invests in Ooyala's Flexible Video Monetization
Ooyala Inc. confirmed an influx of funds from Motorola Mobility Ventures, the strategic investment arm of Motorola Mobility Inc., mere days after the online video technology and services company’s launch of Social TV for Facebook. The amount was unspecified, but the companies now characterize themselves as strategically aligned.
Verizon Chomps at Android App Confusion [with Infographic]
Responding to customer frustration with finding apps in the Android Market, Verizon Wireless and Chomp today announced a deal that will integrate Chomp's search technology into the newly redesigned Verizon Apps. This will add the capability to search by what an app does without knowing its name. Verizon Wireless is previewing its redesigned mobile app storefront, Verizon Apps, at the Verizon Developer Community which ends today in Las Vegas.
Conan O'Brien Sparks Interest in TV Everywhere
Turner Broadcasting is using the talents of Conan O'Brien and other stars from TNT and TBS to get viewers familiar with TV Everywhere, including what it can do and how to connect with it. The spots don't explain the entire process, however, since that would take longer than 30 seconds and is available only to pay-tv subscribers.
Android Users Prefer 'Angry Birds,' Pandora to Google+
Information and analytics company Nielsen today released its first mobile media rankings for Android, based on audience measurement data from the company’s new Nielsen Smartphone Analytics. This new service uses metered data from panel comprising 5,000 U.S. Android and iOS smartphone users to report actual consumer behavior. Nielsen Smartphone Analytics found that apps for Facebook, maps and mail had the highest active reach among U.S. Android users above the age of 18, not counting the Android Market app itself.
Clear Channel's iHeartRadio Plans to Clobber Pandora, Spotify
The reinvented iHeartRadio is now available in beta, open only to those who have “liked” its parent Clear Channel Radio on Facebook. The free service combines more than 800 live, professional radio stations with stations that are custom created on the fly to suit each listener. Pandora, Spotify and other custom music should keep on their toes.
Augment the Reality of 'The Playboy Club'
As if women on TV didn’t already involve enough augmented reality, a new promotional campaign from NBC and Bloomingdale’s uses GoldRun V2 to enable anyone and everyone to have their picture taken with stars from 'The Playboy Club' and other programs from NBC’s fall season lineup including 'Whitney,' 'Free Agents,' 'Prime Suspect' and 'Up All Night.'
