The new 7.2 Channel TX-NR609 and 5.1 Channel TX-NR509 AV Receivers features the latest in networking capability available to home entertainment systems, although being class as entry-level. The AV Receivers boost support for DLNA, Wireless, Windows 7, Internet Radio and remote App control from Onkyo App for iPhone and iPod. The other new model is the TX-SR309, it is the only one of the three that does not support Networking.
A survey of over 2000 consumers by Accenture finds that British and American users of smart devices find it frustrating when these devices keep crashing and freezing. It highlighted the need for better performing devices that address the need of the user, smarter and more innovative. Of the users surveyed most of them said they would rather have simpler devices that work but still would like have surprise features now and then.
Rovi is to license its connected platform to Consumer Electronic (CE) manufacturers to integrate it into their devices. According to the ITVT website the pre-ported solution is expected to be available to CE manufacturers later this quarter. Android devices with the pre-ported app will enable users to share and stream their content from these devices to other connected devices in the home such as connected TV's, network-attached storage (NAS) devices, Windows 7 PC's, set-top boxes and DVR's, throughout the home.
Control4 is going through another round of funding, according to news out today they are currently embarking on a US$25m funding round. The company is now moving in the energy management solutions market as an addition to its already established home control solutions. Investors associated with the funding include Frazier Technology Ventures, vSpring Capital and Thomas Weisel Venture Partners.
Sunverge Energy (Sunverge) is pleased to announce the nation's first simple, cost-effective energy management system that intelligently distributes generation and storage of renewable energy. Capturing solar energy and storing it for use when it's needed most, Sunverge is addressing the inherent barrier to widespread adoption of renewable energy.
A Selected range of Samsung’s Blu-ray Home Theater Systems, HDTVs and Blu-ray players are to have the MTV Music Meter as one of their applications. The MTV Music Meter which as launched on selected smartphones (Samsung’s Galaxy series smartphones and Galaxy Tab tablet) and a website is used to track artists trending based on their social media buzz is now ported to the Samsung home entertainment platform as one of its apps.
Verizon is in another grid partnership, this time it is with eMeter, an application provider to the utility industry. Both companies have announced their collaborative effort to provide a cloud base smart meter data management solution to utility companies. The solution will be offered through Verizon’s IP Network by eMeter smart meter data management platform, offering utilities the peace of mind that their data will be secure and reliably delivered.
Anadigics has introduced a new WiMAX power amplifier solution for femtocells and other residential equipment, called the AWB7230. According to Anadigics the AWB7230 chip covers the full 3.3 GHz to 3.8 GHz band and supports 3.5 GHz WiMAX networks worldwide, and also provides the highest level of power efficiency available for such applications.
Qualcomm’s recently release media shifting platform Skifta, has become the first software platform to be certified by the Digital Living Networking Alliance (DLNA) under its new software certification program. Now, users with compatible DLNA devices can shift their contents to wherever they are more comfortable enjoying it. Skifta – beta currently available at the Android Marketplace as a free download for smartphones running Android version 2.2 and higher.
Alvarion, a provider of 4G networks in the Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) market, announced that Pennsylvania's PPL Electric Utilities is deploying Alvarion's BreezeMAX Extreme 3650 WiMAX solution as part of its smart grid communications network.