Is Virtual Reality Here to Stay?
Earlier this month, the New York Times released its first Virtual Reality Sunday subscription. Readers received Google cardboard virtual reality viewers in the Sunday edition and used them to immerse themselves into the NYTVR app, which hosts short non-fiction films that tell important stories. And early next quarter, Oculus Rift is set to release the first consumer version of its headset. YouTube and Facebook just enabled 360 degree videos for their platforms, perfect for virtual reality early adopters and web users alike. The groundwork is clearly being laid for virtual reality in the
Apps are Already Revolutionizing TV
Not so long ago, if I wanted to watch my favorite TV show (it was Battlestar Galactica, for the record) I had to make sure I was home in time to catch it live on SyFy. And if I missed it, I had to cross my fingers that there would be a re-run before the next episode began. For a serial show like Battlestar, skipping an episode was a serious problem. Missing a big plot point threw the whole narrative off and with no way to get back on course, I had to piece together what I missed through a mix of spoiler sites and friends. And then one day, I didn’t have to do that anymore. DVR’s became
Cable Honors Military Veterans Year-Round
Today and year-round, thanks to a variety of initiatives launched by operators and programmers, the cable industry joins the rest of the country in showing military veterans how much we value the sacrifices they have made. Through leveraging the influence, reach, and numerous resources within our industry, there are a myriad of efforts that support these individuals who have given so much for our country. NCTA is a proud member of Mission Media, an initiative that debuted in September 2015 to promote and support the career development of veterans in the industry. The initiative is a collective
Why Apps, not New Tech Mandates, Will Make for a Better TV Experience
Apple CEO Tim Cook said at the launch of the all-new app-based Apple TV, “The future of TV is apps.” We couldn’t agree more. To date, 56 million pay-TV provider apps have been downloaded onto iOS and Android devices alone, and there are an estimated 460 million IP enabled devices currently in the marketplace that support pay-TV apps. Silicon Valley and television viewers love TV on apps because they’re easy to use, easy to improve, and easy to authenticate. And anyone who regularly watches TV via an app knows they get better every day. Which is why it’s so puzzling that there continues to be a
For Kids and Media Use, How Much is Too Much?
Kids today are often more digitally connected than their parents. We see teenagers taking selfies and immediately posting to their social media accounts, or middle school students using a language app on their phones for Spanish class. But how much media time are kids logging these days, and are they making smart choices with their connectivity time? Common Sense Media recently released The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Teens and Tweens, a new study quantifying children’s media use. The numbers are predictably big: teens use media about nine hours a day, tweens around six hours. But it’s
Live Television Still Reigns Supreme
Remember when the DVR first became a thing? We watched TV with a new sense of wonder, pausing shows whenever we’d get up for a snack, and zapping through those annoying commercials. Then came apps. With the help of Wi-Fi and just one finger tap, TV content now streams directly to our phones and tablets. That latest Fargo episode will be there for us after we get off the airplane. But, low and behold, even with these new advancements catering to our schedules, recent data reveals most of us still manage to squeeze in chunks of time to watch our favorite programs live. According to Nielsen, live
INTX Spring Technical Forum Call for Papers is Open!
It isn’t really INTX season until the Spring Technical Forum call for papers begins. The Spring Technical Forum at INTX is the annual high-profile technology event presented by NCTA, CableLabs, and SCTE. It connects industry CTOs, developers, and scientists with leading industry technology ideas. It’s a scientific journal that serves as the industry’s record of breakthrough advances in technology and collection of new, problem solving ideas that define our industry. Authors whose submissions are accepted for publication will be invited to speak at this year’s Forum, happening at INTX in Boston
What Apps Mean for Your Television Experience
Where’s the remote? What’s on TV tonight? Is it my turn to pick what we watch? It’s such a nice night – why can’t I watch the game out on the porch? These were the questions we’d been asking each other for decades. And then seemingly overnight we all stopped. Why? Because the remote is now your smartphone. And because you know what’s on TV when you can watch pretty much watch anything on demand. And because you never have to take turns picking what to watch when every device in the house works as a TV. And because you can watch the game on the porch thanks to Wi-Fi. All of this is because of
Valuing the Voices of Experts
Change is easier, and often more effective, when it’s done with you rather than to you. Many times in the past, education reform has come from the top down, without teachers having a voice. We’ll never get “future ready” schools without the active involvement of educators in all aspects of the process. At Cable Impacts Foundation, when we embarked on the project to create “Building Your Roadmap for 21st Century Learning Environments,” a tool education leaders could use to map out and manage transforming their schools into technology-rich hubs of personalized digital learning and 21st century
Wait, What? People Still Like Watching TV the Traditional Way?
Want a Halloween scare? Get this: In a time when you can watch your favorite scary movies on pretty much any device with a screen, a recent report shows that–gasp–people still tune into TV the old-fashioned way. Ok, so maybe this isn’t as much a spook as it is a surprise for some people, but come to think of it, I would definitely choose watching Paranormal Activity this weekend huddled around my television set accompanied by friends and a bowl of popcorn. That over streaming it on my tablet in the dark all by myself! Findings by Pivotal Research Group reveal that TV viewership is stable and