Japan's DLE to Launch New US Animation Channels with SyncTV - Virtual-Strategy Magazine

DLE mounts US-based content distribution service through multiple digital channels including Roku and Android devices

SyncTV, the leader in delivering television services to the largest set of Internet connected TVs, mobile devices, and other service-enabled devices, today announced an agreement with leading Japanese animation studio, Dream Link Entertainment (DLE) to distribute DLE’s original animation content to US audiences. By using SyncTV’s digital video distribution platform, DLE will instantly become an extensive service that can reach millions of US viewers through multiple digital channels including Roku set-top-boxes, Android-powered mobile devices, connected TVs, and more. SyncTV will create custom DLE-branded channels via device “apps” that are centrally managed by DLE via a single web-based interface.

SyncTV’s agreement with DLE enables DLE’s US-based content distribution service to its portfolio of original content, which includes the award-winning Eagle Talon Secret Society and popular TV titles like Coffy the Tomb Tyke. DLE is widely recognized in Japan as the leading FLASH animation studio and an early leader in web video distribution.

“Experience has taught us that the US youth market respects the originality and style of Japanese animation, so we believe our content will find a welcome home in the United States,” said Ryuta Shiiki, President/Executive Producer of DLE. “Given that the viewing of video content has become so fragmented recently, we greatly appreciate the ability to quickly reach millions of viewers across different types of media and devices through a single virtual Internet broadcast platform from SyncTV.”

“Our agreement with DLE shows just how easily content owners can enter new markets by using SyncTV,” said Yutaka Nagao, General Manager, SyncTV Japan. “Anywhere in the world where there are connected devices, there can be a new digital channel or premium application delivering unique content to people who want it. DLE has a great collection of very popular video content, and we are proud of our part in opening up a new market for the studio.”

About SyncTV

SyncTV and its content distribution platform offers video content and service providers a turnkey solution for extending their offerings to millions of viewers across the Internet. SyncTV partners with television networks, broadcasters, content distributors, and content producers worldwide to distribute media across all forms of entertainment media including Internet-enabled connected TVs, Blu-ray players, set-top boxes, smartphones, tablets, and more. In addition to Dream Link Entertainment, SyncTV works with many of the world’s top entertainment studios including NBC Universal, Jaroo, Kidlet, Wieder.TV, Aim Flicks, Oasis TV, The Concert Channel, and Bollywood Nirvana.

For more information, visit www.synctv.com or email info@synctv.com.

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Sony Rivals Pandora, Rhapsody With Cloud Music App - PC Magazine

Sony Network Entertainment has launched a cloud-based digital music app for Android users, rivaling similar services like Rhapsody, Slacker, and the newly listed Pandora.

"Music Unlimited (powered by Qriocity)" lets you instantly stream songs, sync your current music library, and create personalized playlists from a catalog of "over seven million songs" from the Big Four music labels: Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and EMI Music, as well as independent labels and publishers. Sony will also make song and artist recommendations based on your listening habits.

Subscriptions start at $3.99 per month for a basic plan and $9.99 per month for a premium, unlimited-streaming plan. Commitment-phobic? Sony is offering a 30-day free trial to new users. It is also letting U.S. PlayStation users try the application for free for the next 180 days.

The app is initially available to Android users running Android 2.1 and above in the U.S., France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand.

Music Unlimited launched in 2010 and has been available as a desktop, Bravia, PSP Portable, and PS3 application. The Qriocity Network, along with the PlayStation Network and other Sony online services, were subjects of a massive breach in April and May that compromised the data of millions of Sony users.

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Slingbox Rival Vulkano Flow Copies TV to Phones, Tablets - PC Magazine

Monsoon Multimedia said Tuesday that its Vulkano Flow, a $99.99 rival to the Slingbox, will now actually store recorded media on smartphones and tablets for later offline viewing.

Previously, the Flow - a set-top box that sits next to a DVR, and was launched this past January at the Consumer Electronics Show - only streamed live content to smartphones and tablets, allowing live TV to be "placeshifted" to digital devices.

Now, Monsoon will actually store the content on the tablet or smartphone, which must be connected via Wi-Fi to actually record the video to the device. Once on there, the video can paused, rewound, and fast forwarded, as a DVR can. (The Flow can also control and stream video from a DVR, Monsoon has said.)

The new Vulkano Flow capabilities are compatible with iPhones, iPads and Android devices, Monsoon said. To enable the connected device capability, however, users must also purchase the associated app for $12.99 each. The player software is free for Windows and Mac.

A representative of Monsoon said that more than one recording could be stored on a tablet or a phone for offline viewing. Although one might think that each video file could theoretically be copied, the video will be encrypted to prevent unauthorized copying, the Monsoon representative said.

Existing and proposed TiVo apps, as well as the SlingBox, allow content to be streamed to external devices, not stored. "You can watch live TV anywhere in the world, and what the news is is that you can directly record that television content to the mobile phone," the Monsoon spokeswoman said.

"The Vulkano line of devices has been created to offer consumers the ultimate flexibility in entertainment and we are proud to be the first to offer direct recording and DVR for mobile devices," said Colin Stiles, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Monsoon, in a statement. "Consumers are making smartphones and tablets an essential part of their every day lives and are expecting to view and browse the TV content that they pay for at their leisure, no matter where they are in the world."

Video can be stored on either the iPad, iPhone, or Android at "D1" or 640-by-480 resolutions or 352-by-240 resolutions. At maximum quality, each hour of video requires about a gigabyte of storage, the Monsoon representative said.

In related news, Sling Media has launched a beta program whereby users can sign up and watch their home Slingbox via a Google TV. "Soon you will be able to extend your complete living room HDTV experience to any TV around your home, or another TV in any location where you have an Internet connection," Sling said.

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