Technologies
prnewswire | July 24, 2023
Inspired Entertainment, Inc. a leading B2B provider of gaming content, systems and solutions, announced today that it has signed a long-term contract extension as the provider of Virtual Sports to leading online gambling operator and Inspired's long-time partner bet365.
Under the agreement, Inspired will continue to provide bet365 with their latest products including licensed games giving bet365 the advantage of leading content for their Virtual Sports offerings.
"We are extremely pleased to continue our long-term partnership with bet365, the world B2C leader in Virtual Sports, offering up more than 30 channels of Inspired content around the world. They were the first operator to offer our Multi-Stream Matchday and Basketball products," said Brooks Pierce, President and Chief Executive Officer of Inspired. "We're thrilled for them to be one of the first operators to take our latest licensed products to grow their popular Inspired Virtual Sports portfolio."
Inspired has the largest and most diverse content portfolio currently available, including the most popular sport for every market. Over the last five years, Inspired's Virtual Sports have seen big growth in North America with the introduction of basketball, football, the first-ever women's soccer game, and coming soon, baseball.
ABOUT INSPIRED ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
Inspiredoffers an expanding portfolio of content, technology, hardware and services for regulated gaming, betting, lottery, social and leisure operators across land-based and mobile channels around the world. Inspired's gaming, Virtual Sports, interactive and leisure products appeal to a wide variety of players, creating new opportunities for operators to grow their revenue. Inspired operates in approximately 35 jurisdictions worldwide, supplying gaming systems with associated terminals and content for approximately 50,000 gaming machines located in betting shops, pubs, gaming halls and other route operations; virtual sports products through more than 32,000 retail venues and various online websites; digital games for 170+ websites; and a variety of amusement entertainment solutions with a total installed base of more than 16,000 terminals.
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Solutions
KOCOWA | September 28, 2023
KOCOWA+, the premier destination for Korean entertainment in the Americas, is launching a groundbreaking AI-driven search feature designed to revolutionize how users engage with their content. KOCOWA+’s game-changing use of KeyTalk AI technology promises to reshape the entertainment landscape by giving viewers unprecedented intuitive, personalized, and engaging content recommendations.
KOCOWA+ – A Trailblazer in AI-Driven Entertainment Discovery
KOCOWA+ has always been committed to maintaining its status as the ultimate destination for Korean entertainment. In a bold move, KOCOWA+ has embraced AI technology to optimize its metadata and broaden its reach, making it more efficient in delivering search results that deliver precisely what consumers desire across multiple languages and platforms. This leap into AI aims to help audiences across the globe find the Korean content they crave based on thousands of intuitive, multi-language, and context-aware metadata touchpoints.
"KOCOWA+ is taking a giant step forward in providing our audience with a deeply personalized entertainment experience. We're moving beyond basic recommendations and are excited to offer our users a level of engagement and discovery that goes far beyond the ordinary," said KunHee Park, CEO at KOCOWA+.
KOCOWA+'s AI-Driven Data Transformation
KOCOWA+ leads the industry as the first platform with AI-driven data transformation, enhancing viewer experiences across multiple touchpoints and languages. This move strengthens KOCOWA+’s strong technology backbone, which already enables KOCOWA+ to translate new K-Dramas, K-Pop performances, and other shows into three (soon to be five) languages within hours of their original airings in Seoul and make them available across the globe for consumption.
Setting KOCOWA+ Apart
This new feature marks a significant milestone in all content streaming and K-pop, Drama, Variety, and Movies, opening a realm of exploration and discovery for fans. KOCOWA+ has partnered with KeyTalk AI, innovators at the forefront of prompt engineering and AI transformation solutions, like the Mycelebs Star App, Maimovie, and Glamai.
Unlocking the Power of AI
Leveraging KeyTalk AI's platform, Mycelebs Star, a deep entertainment search source, users can now search differently. Instead of seeking "shows like Running Man," they can describe their preferences in natural language, leading to more delightful discoveries. This innovative approach enhances the user experience, allowing for more meaningful content exploration.
KOCOWA+ is poised to reshape the entertainment discovery landscape, making it more personalized, engaging, and accessible than ever before, just in time for viewers to discover their new fall lineup and visit some of their new classic horror movies like Train to Busan and The Wailing just in time for Halloween!
About wA and KOCOWA+:
wA is a global joint company between wavve, SK Square Americas, and the top Korean broadcasters KBS, MBC, & SBS. wA launched KOCOWA+, a subscription video streaming platform in the Americas, in 2017, with primary audiences in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil. KOCOWA+ provides a robust lineup of over 25,000 hours of Korean Dramas, Movies, Reality, and K-Pop content in multiple languages on its direct platform.
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Solutions
Media and Entertainment | September 14, 2023
Entertainment technology industry leader IMAX Corporation® (NYSE: IMAX) and PFT, the creator of AI-powered technology solutions for the Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry, today announced plans to expand their strategic relationship beyond theatrical and into the streaming ecosystem.
Under the arrangement, IMAX will expand access to its Stream Smart™ technology to PFT customers across Europe, Asia, and Australia. The expanded partnership will dramatically increase the global availability of Stream Smart™, which helps streaming platforms deliver maximum picture quality while significantly reducing distribution and storage costs.
"We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with IMAX, an industry trailblazer with a remarkable legacy of revolutionizing the global entertainment industry," said Ramki Sankaranarayanan, Global CEO of PFT. "For over a decade, CLEAR®, our flagship product, has spearheaded digital packaging and delivery services for prominent streaming platforms worldwide. CLEAR® & Stream Smart will help optimize our customers' encoding pipeline, so they deliver better streaming quality while optimizing CDN & storage costs."
"Many of Hollywood's biggest streaming platforms use Stream Smart™ to ensure quality and reduce costs, and we're excited to work with our partners at PFT to extend the reach of our technologies throughout key markets in Europe, Asia, and Australia," said Vikram Arumilli, General Manager of Streaming and Consumer Technology at IMAX. "Our suite of streaming technology products, including Stream Smart™, provides a best-in-class service for direct-to-consumer broadcast and streaming companies, and PFT's' ability to leverage this for their customers is a win-win for both organizations."
PFT and its parent company, DNEG, are industry leaders providing a full suite of technology and creative solutions, including IMAX post-production and 3D mastering.
IMAX and DNEG joined forces in 2022 for post-production, which included Indian films like Jawan, Pathaan, and RRR. This extended partnership will build upon the established theatrical relationship between IMAX and DNEG to develop a comprehensive video optimization solution. Stream Smart™ is an enterprise software product designed to deliver the best image quality and optimize delivery to unlock cost savings. This product was built from cutting-edge scientific advancements, state-of-the-art engineering, trusted studio relationships, and rooted in a real-world at-scale Emmy®-winning collaboration with Disney Streaming Services and SSIMWAVE.
Stream Smart™ will be the centerpiece of the IMAX showcase at IBC 2023. Sign up to meet with PFT and IMAX Streaming & Consumer Technology group at IBC:
About IMAX Corporation
IMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture, and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you've never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX systems to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, making IMAX's network among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe.
IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto, and Los Angeles, with additional offices in London, Dublin, Tokyo, and Shanghai. As of June 30, 2023, there were 1,718 IMAX systems (1,638 commercial multiplexes, 12 commercial destinations, 68 institutional) operating in 87 countries and territories. Shares of IMAX China Holding, Inc., a subsidiary of IMAX Corporation, trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the stock code "1970."
About Prime Focus Technologies
Prime Focus Technologies (PFT) is the creator of CLEAR® and CLEAR® AI. It offers streaming platforms, studios, and broadcasters transformational AI-led technology and media services powered by the cloud that help them lower their Total Cost of Operations (TCOP) by automating their content supply chain. PFT works with major companies like Walt Disney-owned Star TV, Channel 4, ITV, Sinclair Broadcast Group, A&E Networks, Warner Media, PBS, CBS Television Studios, 20th Century Fox Television Studios, Lionsgate, Showtime, HBO, NBCU, TERN International, Disney+ Hotstar, BCCI, Indian Premier League and more.
About DNEG
DNEG (www.dneg.com) is a world-leading visual entertainment services company for the creation of feature film, television, and multiplatform content, with worldwide offices and studios across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
DNEG's critically acclaimed work has earned the company seven Academy Awards® for Best Visual Effects and numerous BAFTA and Primetime EMMY® Awards for its high-quality VFX work. Current and upcoming DNEG projects on behalf of its Hollywood and global studio and production company partners include Spy Kids Armageddon (September 2023), No One Will Save You (September 2023), The Gilded Age S2 (October 2023), Nyad (November 2023), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (December 2023), Lift (January 2024), Dune: Part Two (March 2024), Mickey 17 (March 2024), Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (April 2024), Garfield (May 2024), Borderlands (August 2024), Furiosa (2024), That Christmas, Coyote vs. Acme, The Gorge, and Animal Friends.
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