January 10, 2013

Products & Services...

— The Smart TV Alliance added five new members and an updated SDK at CES this week, with Panasonic, ABOX42, TechniSat, IBM and Specific Media joining the club; founding members include LG Electronics, TP Vision (Philips), Toshiba, YuMe, Obigo and Qualcomm. The SDK’s features include richer apps due to upgraded HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript specs; 3D video; MPEG-DASH support with more reliable audio and video quality, less stuttering and freezing; and better content choices, with updated digital rights management (DRM) features that reflect DRM requirements from content owners. In addition, app developers get a new common emulator that can test an app once to help ensure it will work with smart TVs.

— Remote-maker SMK Electronics Corporation teamed with CSR plc to unveil Bluetooth smart-enabled advanced remote controls at CES that incorporate CSR’s CSR1001 and CSR8510 A10 chip solutions (single- and dual-mode Bluetooth low-energy solutions optimized for human interface devices) and SMK’s Bluetooth smart-enabled remote controls. The devices are capable of pointing gesture recognition, low-latency voice command and device-to-remote “back channel” communications. Additionally, SMK says its smart-enabled remotes are six times more energy-efficient than models using earlier Bluetooth technology, with batteries lasting as long as four years.