The Hottest Observations from CES and TCA

So far I39m counting six things to keep handy on your radar when it comes to what we39ll see or how we39ll use TV in the near future Let me know if I39m missing something just surfacing on your radarKeep your eyes on1 The emergence of home automation on the TV set For years the idea of people using their TVs to control other objects in their home or apartment whether the thermostat or the microwave has been an appetizing aspiration of industry officials Whoever cracks the codes of both technology and public demand on this first can look forward to a lion39s share of the revenue as people have noted in some fashion Thanks to the Internet of Things movement that code appears close to being cracked At International CES major TV set maker Samsung indicated its desire to lead the way using SmartThings a tech startup acquired last August which makes sensors designed for integration into any communications deviceSamsung cochief executive officer B K Yoon giving an International CES keynote speech promises that by 2017 likely sooner all of his company39s smart TVs will incorporate those sensors and for this year 100 million will be allocated for home automation services among the company39s applications developer base In a followup interview with CNET39s Newscom SmartThings chief Alex Hawkinson declared TV apps will happen this year and ultimately TVs will become a big hub for home control apps and far moreAs everyone awaits a sign for how soon Vizio LG Panasonic and other major TV makers follow Samsung39s initiative other players are almost ready to serve automation via TV efforts among consumers Pittsburghbased MaxMyTV expects to introduce a TV plugin device matching automation with social media and other features Despite a failed effort to raise 250000 via Kickstarter last autumn Max39s organizers maintain they will go forward Separately one of the bestknown names in the entertainment world is about to unveil a supercharged automation via TV venture with all sorts of advanced features I caught a peek of their work last November at CES Unveiled in New York If they can deliver what I saw there they will draw a lot of attention No matter what this may be the new TV tech flavor that impacts the rest of the decade and beyond2 Intel39s Compute Stick an early candidate for most underreported development at 2015 Without coverage from popular Web site Engadget which was showcased by MediaBizBloggers contributor Shelly Palmer few International CES attendees and the world outside would have known that Intel is entering the plugindongel arena crafted by Roku Google Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV We39re talking devices that make TVs smart or smart TVs smarterCompute Stick coming out in March puts Windows 81 and its apps on the TV set plus video games Web browsing social media and other features aplenty Cost 149 for the Windows 81 version 89 for a Linux editionIntel didn39t help matters by not issuing a release about Compute Stick before during or after its CES exhibit and press activities Good news I39ll have an Intel executive on my Tomorrow Will Be Televised program later this month to showcase all3 Scripting with the stars big movie stars All of us should know by now that we39re in a big age of scripted TV thanks to the range of networks doing it year round more channels launching or relaunching an effort this year the work of Netflix Hulu Amazon and other smart TVavailable services etc Contributing to this push the last two years has been a growing group of Hollywoodbased producerswritersdirectors fed up with the current motion picture landscape who have concluded that TV is the better medium for the kind of cinematic work they want to do Think Steven Soderberg Cinemax39s The Knick and earlier this month Woody Allen with his Amazon series dealNow it looks like more than a few current movie stars are taking the hint They are making deals for big TV roles Oscarwinning actress Charlize Theron39s production company has an alliance with Universal Cable Productions and four you read correctly four series in active development plus at least three more under incubation Oscarnominee Scarlett Johansson is working on Custom of the Century an historical series Mike Myers just signed a twoyear HBO development deal and The Matrix star Keanu Reeves is producing New Angeles with budding TV organization Slingshot Global Media And let39s not forget Adam Sandler39s agreement to make a quartet of movies for Netflix You had better believe other big names will land on this ship soon4 Ultra HighDefinition39s transition from fringe commodity to mainstream We39ll learn over the next few weeks how big UHD TV sets were this past holiday season That will tip off buzz about how quickly or slowly people see UHD as a musthave experience If fast watch for news about content players doing more and more original UHD programming while the set makers promote smart TV apps to give these set models more sex appeal If slow expect more pricecutting5 VideoOnDemand39s place in all this Is this the year OnDemand on cable and satellite gets more attention thanks in part to the ability to insert timely local and national advertising And could this be the year some broadcast syndicator decides to offer samedaynightnextday VOD of their original programming Will those fans of Wheel of Fortune Jeopardy Dr Phil etc who can39t watch their faves when the local station runs them be freed at last Love to see that6 The number of upfront events ahead and who does them In this era of expanded original content networks not displaying in public what they have in store for advertisers and journalists risk falling under the radar screen of both constituencies Trust me that39s a place you do not want to be Will Cartoon Network TV One and other services caught in that bind learn their lesson and reverse course this upfront season How many new players like WGN America and the channels that launched last fall will enter the scene Is this the season multicast services step in Will Netflix and Amazon adfree for now use the season to get extra press mileageUntil the next time stay well and stay tunedThe opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaBizBloggerscom management or associated bloggers MediaBizBloggers is an open thought leadership platform and readers may share their comments and opinions in response to all commentaries

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The Hottest Observations from CES and TCA

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