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Microsoft may be making a $60 mini Xbox for xCloud game streaming

Stadia, Google’s ambitious cloud-streaming project aimed at gamers, is not exactly a one-of-a-kind service. We’ve seen similar services from the likes of GameCloud, Vortex, and Cloudzen. While they were all a nice idea, none of them really succeeded. A lack of big modern titles, coupled with unreliable connections at times meant that the services didn’t gain much traction beyond the initial novelty. Google, however, is perfectly poised to take the market by storm. With high-speed infrastructure all over the world, connections with hundreds of big companies, and a massive budget, Google developing Stadia makes a lot of sense.

Spotlight

Digic Pictures

Founded in 2002, Digic Pictures is an award-winning digital production studio focused on animation and asset creation for the video game industry and visual effects for feature film and advertising production. In addition, Digic Pictures provides motion capture services in its own Vicon T160 equipped mocap studio Digic Motion.

OTHER ARTICLES
Technologies, Business

The Big Fashion Industry Trends for 2021

Article | July 20, 2022

Last year the luxury fashion sector saw a lot of online chatter around men’s fashion, and some of the biggest conversation triggers were the same social movement – breaking gender stereotypes and fighting against toxic masculinity. Many brands and celebrities joined this cause last year and spread their influence through fashion and pop culture.

Read More
Business

Boost Your B2B SaaS Business with Live Streaming

Article | July 11, 2022

Live streaming is an effective tool to attract the attention of your potential clients in the B2B SaaS domain. You can influence users and prospects without stretching your marketing budget. In a survey by Wyzowl, it was reported that 86% of businesses were relying on videos as a marketing tool. All you need to make the most of this tool is a good device, a strong internet connection, and the right live streaming application. Live Streaming: It’s All about the Connection Every business focuses on creating connections with their prospects through every form of communication, like discord, social media and websites. As a medium, live streaming offers an exciting opportunity to make this connection interactive. Let us look at what it can help you do: Build Your Brand Real-time comments, likes, and shares take brand interaction to another level. You can reiterate your brand’s ability to responsibly respond to your customers and create a new benchmark for how you deliver customer experience. Since live streams are unscripted, you can also showcase your brand’s ingenuity in handling customer issues without any hang-ups. Connect With Customers A live stream will help you connect with your customers in a novel way. Not only will your customers participate in your brand journey, but they will also feel excited to learn about your offerings. Tapping into their curious minds and influencing their buying decisions will be easier once they become visually engaged in your stream. Get Instant Feedback Product enhancements are a result of priceless customer feedback. When you present your products to customers over a live stream, they understand the product features and benefits in real-time and offer their feedback instantly, so you know what you need to work on. This feedback can also be the fodder for your content and marketing strategies. Keep Customers Informed Customers prefer watching interactive videos more than reading detailed emails on products. Keep your customers informed and updated about your latest product information through regular live streams. You can highlight important product updates that can help customers elevate their businesses and address any concerns that might hamper your sales through a stream. Boost Your B2B SaaS Business with Live Streaming Now that we have seen what exactly live streaming can do for businesses, let us narrow it down to the B2B SaaS domain. Here is how you can improve your SaaS sales with live streaming: Speed up problem resolution Allow customers to request live streams on what they need. Through live streams, you can troubleshoot for them without making them wait in queues or for your responses over email. If you address one customer’s problem over the stream, it can help you reduce and eliminate similar problems other customers are facing. Conduct detailed product tours If you live stream your product tour, you can show your customers how it works in detail. Product tours will help you create a personal connection with businesses because you can highlight how your product will help them address their pain points. You can also answer questions in detail and communicate with them better. Save the videos as tutorials Your live streams can become tutorials for your customers. Your ‘How-to’ live streams can help them understand your product and solve their problems without any brand intervention or waiting period. Reel in the customers Give your customers a glimpse of the trends in the SaaS industry. Update them on industry events, expos, and conferences they can attend. Let them see what goes behind making the product and get their opinion on new product ideas. It’s a Wrap B2B SaaS leaders must develop appealing live streaming strategies to solve customer problems, identify their needs, and connect with them on new platforms to increase sales and product uptake.

Read More
Technologies, Virtualization

Ongoing transitions in gaming industry

Article | August 2, 2022

The gaming industry is continuously evolving with current transitions derived from VR/AR, blockchain, 5G and cloud computing. The aim of this transition is to fulfill requirements of gamers such as reducing the cost of gaming, developing more immersive experience, converting tools bought in games as transferable assets, enabling gamers to play graphic intensive games on low cost devices. Currently popular games are on the go to create augmented reality versions to be played on AR headsets with their mobile phones. The google stadia platform(a platform where graphic intensive games run in data centers and gamers can play them via web browsers) has also enabled the gaming industry to eliminate the computing limitations imposed by running games in mobile devices. The only barrier in coupling both technologies to have the best of both worlds is low bandwidth of 4G which will soon be expanded when 5G rolls out in the market. TRANSITIONS IN GAMING INDUSTRY The real time game play is currently not possible for games running in data centers and being rendered on web browsers of a gamer’s device as there is latency in reflecting the character’s action on the press of a button. Such a transition will eliminate the need for highly expensive gaming consoles which has been curbing the growth rate of the gaming industry. One more concern from gamers that’s being a barrier in revenue generation for the gaming industry is that the weapons, power packs, kits and tool kits bought in any game are simply virtual and become useless when they are done with the game. The idea to buy such time bound utility becomes insensible for players. So, now the gaming industry is evaluating the option to register these buyouts in games on blockchain which can later be used as a non tangible asset by players to trade easily. The gaming theory that’s getting popularised these days will eventually leverage the AR and VR technology to transform the education industry. The idea to provide customers with user manuals running in augmented reality that can enable a non trained worker to operate the machine is also booming. Solidworks by 3Dplm is one such tool that’s heading in this direction. The transitions mentioned above are quite exciting and the way gaming industry and mentioned technologies are evolving we can expect to get our hands on such exciting gaming technology soon too at a fraction of current costs.

Read More
Virtualization

Netflix versus Amazon Prime Video – depth versus breadth

Article | June 10, 2021

The first half of 2021 has been a year of continued change and disruption for subscription video. The global incumbent subscription video on demand (SVOD) leaders, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, have been busy signalling to the financial markets how they intend to entrench their market dominance in light of the ongoing market acquisition pushes unleashed by the D2C disruptors following the D2C ‘big bang’ moment of Q4 2019 – Q2 2021. Netflix announced in January that it was no longer going to borrow on the financial markets to fund its day-to-day operations – specifically for its content acquisition budget, which is now driven predominately by commissioning original content for its service. This leaves the SVOD leader with $14.9 billion of outstanding long-term debt to service as it seeks to live within its means by commissioning future content from its ongoing cashflow. In Q1 2021 alone Netflix spent $500 million on servicing this debt pile versus $1.7 billion in net income generated over the same period.

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Technologies, Business

Discord: A Novel Medium for B2B Marketing

Article | July 20, 2022

Last year the luxury fashion sector saw a lot of online chatter around men’s fashion, and some of the biggest conversation triggers were the same social movement – breaking gender stereotypes and fighting against toxic masculinity. Many brands and celebrities joined this cause last year and spread their influence through fashion and pop culture.

Read More
Business

Branded Entertainment in B2B: Why is it Important?

Article | July 11, 2022

Live streaming is an effective tool to attract the attention of your potential clients in the B2B SaaS domain. You can influence users and prospects without stretching your marketing budget. In a survey by Wyzowl, it was reported that 86% of businesses were relying on videos as a marketing tool. All you need to make the most of this tool is a good device, a strong internet connection, and the right live streaming application. Live Streaming: It’s All about the Connection Every business focuses on creating connections with their prospects through every form of communication, like discord, social media and websites. As a medium, live streaming offers an exciting opportunity to make this connection interactive. Let us look at what it can help you do: Build Your Brand Real-time comments, likes, and shares take brand interaction to another level. You can reiterate your brand’s ability to responsibly respond to your customers and create a new benchmark for how you deliver customer experience. Since live streams are unscripted, you can also showcase your brand’s ingenuity in handling customer issues without any hang-ups. Connect With Customers A live stream will help you connect with your customers in a novel way. Not only will your customers participate in your brand journey, but they will also feel excited to learn about your offerings. Tapping into their curious minds and influencing their buying decisions will be easier once they become visually engaged in your stream. Get Instant Feedback Product enhancements are a result of priceless customer feedback. When you present your products to customers over a live stream, they understand the product features and benefits in real-time and offer their feedback instantly, so you know what you need to work on. This feedback can also be the fodder for your content and marketing strategies. Keep Customers Informed Customers prefer watching interactive videos more than reading detailed emails on products. Keep your customers informed and updated about your latest product information through regular live streams. You can highlight important product updates that can help customers elevate their businesses and address any concerns that might hamper your sales through a stream. Boost Your B2B SaaS Business with Live Streaming Now that we have seen what exactly live streaming can do for businesses, let us narrow it down to the B2B SaaS domain. Here is how you can improve your SaaS sales with live streaming: Speed up problem resolution Allow customers to request live streams on what they need. Through live streams, you can troubleshoot for them without making them wait in queues or for your responses over email. If you address one customer’s problem over the stream, it can help you reduce and eliminate similar problems other customers are facing. Conduct detailed product tours If you live stream your product tour, you can show your customers how it works in detail. Product tours will help you create a personal connection with businesses because you can highlight how your product will help them address their pain points. You can also answer questions in detail and communicate with them better. Save the videos as tutorials Your live streams can become tutorials for your customers. Your ‘How-to’ live streams can help them understand your product and solve their problems without any brand intervention or waiting period. Reel in the customers Give your customers a glimpse of the trends in the SaaS industry. Update them on industry events, expos, and conferences they can attend. Let them see what goes behind making the product and get their opinion on new product ideas. It’s a Wrap B2B SaaS leaders must develop appealing live streaming strategies to solve customer problems, identify their needs, and connect with them on new platforms to increase sales and product uptake.

Read More
Technologies, Virtualization

3 Applications of AI in the Entertainment Industry

Article | August 2, 2022

The gaming industry is continuously evolving with current transitions derived from VR/AR, blockchain, 5G and cloud computing. The aim of this transition is to fulfill requirements of gamers such as reducing the cost of gaming, developing more immersive experience, converting tools bought in games as transferable assets, enabling gamers to play graphic intensive games on low cost devices. Currently popular games are on the go to create augmented reality versions to be played on AR headsets with their mobile phones. The google stadia platform(a platform where graphic intensive games run in data centers and gamers can play them via web browsers) has also enabled the gaming industry to eliminate the computing limitations imposed by running games in mobile devices. The only barrier in coupling both technologies to have the best of both worlds is low bandwidth of 4G which will soon be expanded when 5G rolls out in the market. TRANSITIONS IN GAMING INDUSTRY The real time game play is currently not possible for games running in data centers and being rendered on web browsers of a gamer’s device as there is latency in reflecting the character’s action on the press of a button. Such a transition will eliminate the need for highly expensive gaming consoles which has been curbing the growth rate of the gaming industry. One more concern from gamers that’s being a barrier in revenue generation for the gaming industry is that the weapons, power packs, kits and tool kits bought in any game are simply virtual and become useless when they are done with the game. The idea to buy such time bound utility becomes insensible for players. So, now the gaming industry is evaluating the option to register these buyouts in games on blockchain which can later be used as a non tangible asset by players to trade easily. The gaming theory that’s getting popularised these days will eventually leverage the AR and VR technology to transform the education industry. The idea to provide customers with user manuals running in augmented reality that can enable a non trained worker to operate the machine is also booming. Solidworks by 3Dplm is one such tool that’s heading in this direction. The transitions mentioned above are quite exciting and the way gaming industry and mentioned technologies are evolving we can expect to get our hands on such exciting gaming technology soon too at a fraction of current costs.

Read More
Virtualization

Netflix versus Amazon Prime Video – depth versus breadth

Article | June 10, 2021

The first half of 2021 has been a year of continued change and disruption for subscription video. The global incumbent subscription video on demand (SVOD) leaders, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, have been busy signalling to the financial markets how they intend to entrench their market dominance in light of the ongoing market acquisition pushes unleashed by the D2C disruptors following the D2C ‘big bang’ moment of Q4 2019 – Q2 2021. Netflix announced in January that it was no longer going to borrow on the financial markets to fund its day-to-day operations – specifically for its content acquisition budget, which is now driven predominately by commissioning original content for its service. This leaves the SVOD leader with $14.9 billion of outstanding long-term debt to service as it seeks to live within its means by commissioning future content from its ongoing cashflow. In Q1 2021 alone Netflix spent $500 million on servicing this debt pile versus $1.7 billion in net income generated over the same period.

Read More
MORE ARTICLES

Spotlight

Digic Pictures

Founded in 2002, Digic Pictures is an award-winning digital production studio focused on animation and asset creation for the video game industry and visual effects for feature film and advertising production. In addition, Digic Pictures provides motion capture services in its own Vicon T160 equipped mocap studio Digic Motion.

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Applications

ComingSoon Expands Entertainment News Coverage

PR Newswire | October 05, 2023

Evolve Media LLC, a passion-based publisher of some of the most influential internet brands since 1996, announced that its marquee entertainment site ComingSoon is continuing to grow and expand its coverage areas. ComingSoon will expand to new coverage areas, including Bollywood With traffic up 79 percent since April 2023, ComingSoon is expanding in order to continue its rapid growth since a redesign was launched in December 2022. The site is now broadening its entertainment coverage into new areas, including Indian films and television, Korean dramas, reality television, documentaries, and true crime. All of these new verticals will be easily accessible in the site's revamped navigation bar as coverage is rolled out. ComingSoon will also further commit resources to delivering top-notch anime, documentary and horror coverage, which have become key elements of the entertainment site. It will also continue to produce top-quality features and reviews that are just as engaging as they are informative, while also conducting interviews with some of Hollywood's biggest directors and stars. "Our goal is to make ComingSoon a one-stop destination for media consumers all over the world," said Todd Jacobs, Director of Content & Operations at Evolve Media. "With these strategic investments, ComingSoon will exponentially expand their global audience." "Thanks to streaming, we've seen entertainment around the globe become pop culture phenomenons," said Tyler Treese, Frontpage Editorial Manager of Evolve Media's Entertainment and Gaming Division. "International hits like Squid Game and Jawan have shown that Korea and India are producing incredible content, while anime continues to grow in popularity. We'll finally be able to cover these areas with the news coverage they deserve, and help fans figure out the next show to binge or what film to invite their friends over to watch." About Evolve Media, LLC Evolve Media is a premium publisher of leading enthusiast destinations for influential men and women. Leveraging proprietary advertising and publishing technologies, as well as hundreds of talented content professionals, Evolve Media offers premium and engaging content to its readers, while offering marketers the tools needed to execute custom, content-led marketing solutions that reach its audience of over 78 million people globally each month.

Read More

Products

Voicemod and CORSAIR Expand Collaboration to Drive the Future of Social Audio in Interactive Gaming and Content Creation

Voicemod | October 19, 2021

Voicemod, the world leader in augmented voice and interactive audio, today announced the expansion of its strategic B2B relationship with CORSAIR, a world leader in high-performance gear for gamers and content creators. Voicemod’s voice morphing technology is now directly integrated into the CORSAIR iCUE software platform, making it more easily available to CORSAIR’s 10 million users to create and shape dynamic social interactions and real-time engagement. Voicemod builds audio tools that make it easy for anyone to create a unique sonic identity. This collaboration with CORSAIR solidifies Voicemod’s B2B expansion strategy and mission to cultivate an ecosystem around the company’s interactive audio technology and voice avatars. Social gaming has dramatically evolved over the last 19 months, as the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed movement and made virtual connections more appealing. By utilizing Voicemod’s audio technology, gamers can shape and enhance their sonic identity for more engaging conversations with their teammates over the internet, regardless of location. The iCUE integration enables easy configuration of RGB effects and audio, creating richer experiences that drive participation and turn extended gameplay into meaningful and creative social interactions. We are delighted to integrate Voicemod functionality into CORSAIR iCUE, enabling users to configure all keyboard keys with easily accessible voice changers and soundboards.Working with the team at Voicemod has been fantastic and beneficial to us both, as Voicemod has already become the most popular app for Elgato Stream Deck. We're excited at the prospect of further collaboration and integration of more Voicemod functions in future CORSAIR products.” Matt Dresser, senior software product manager at CORSAIR. “We’re delighted to strengthen our bond with CORSAIR who share our vision forging the future of real-time engagement,” said Voicemod CEO and co-founder Jaime Bosch. “As our digital experiences move closer to an immersive metaverse, we want to enable users and content creators to shape how they sound and to create, use, and own their unique voice avatars and sonic identities. This collaboration with CORSAIR is an important stride toward that goal.” About CORSAIR CORSAIR is a leading global developer and manufacturer of high-performance gear and technology for gamers, content creators, and PC enthusiasts. From award-winning PC components and peripherals, to premium streaming equipment and smart ambient lighting, CORSAIR delivers a full ecosystem of products that work together to enable everyone, from casual gamers to committed professionals, to perform at their very best. About Voicemod Voicemod is the leader in real-time audio augmentation. Developers trust Voicemod’s audio technology to help end-users create virtual voices and define their sonic identities. As companies strive to build a responsible metaverse, Voicemod is the tool that helps gamers, content creators, and professionals of all skill levels find the voice that best expresses themselves as they play, work, create, and entertain.

Read More

Female-Owned Canela Media Secures Seed Round Funding To Support The Expansion Of Canela.TV

prnewswire | October 19, 2020

Canela Media, an industry-leading, Latina-owned digital media company announced today that it has closed a $3 million Seed round, bringing total funding this year to $5 million. The investment represents a significant growth milestone for the company that has primarily bootstrapped its way to #4 in Hispanic audience market reach. The majority-female and BIPOC syndicate was co-led by BBG Ventures and Reinventure Capital and joined by Mighty Capital, Angeles Investors, Portfolia's Rising America Fund, and Alumni Ventures Group. The new capital will be used to drive the continued growth of the recently launched free streaming service Canela.TV, that provides culturally relevant content to U.S. Latinos.

Read More

Applications

ComingSoon Expands Entertainment News Coverage

PR Newswire | October 05, 2023

Evolve Media LLC, a passion-based publisher of some of the most influential internet brands since 1996, announced that its marquee entertainment site ComingSoon is continuing to grow and expand its coverage areas. ComingSoon will expand to new coverage areas, including Bollywood With traffic up 79 percent since April 2023, ComingSoon is expanding in order to continue its rapid growth since a redesign was launched in December 2022. The site is now broadening its entertainment coverage into new areas, including Indian films and television, Korean dramas, reality television, documentaries, and true crime. All of these new verticals will be easily accessible in the site's revamped navigation bar as coverage is rolled out. ComingSoon will also further commit resources to delivering top-notch anime, documentary and horror coverage, which have become key elements of the entertainment site. It will also continue to produce top-quality features and reviews that are just as engaging as they are informative, while also conducting interviews with some of Hollywood's biggest directors and stars. "Our goal is to make ComingSoon a one-stop destination for media consumers all over the world," said Todd Jacobs, Director of Content & Operations at Evolve Media. "With these strategic investments, ComingSoon will exponentially expand their global audience." "Thanks to streaming, we've seen entertainment around the globe become pop culture phenomenons," said Tyler Treese, Frontpage Editorial Manager of Evolve Media's Entertainment and Gaming Division. "International hits like Squid Game and Jawan have shown that Korea and India are producing incredible content, while anime continues to grow in popularity. We'll finally be able to cover these areas with the news coverage they deserve, and help fans figure out the next show to binge or what film to invite their friends over to watch." About Evolve Media, LLC Evolve Media is a premium publisher of leading enthusiast destinations for influential men and women. Leveraging proprietary advertising and publishing technologies, as well as hundreds of talented content professionals, Evolve Media offers premium and engaging content to its readers, while offering marketers the tools needed to execute custom, content-led marketing solutions that reach its audience of over 78 million people globally each month.

Read More

Products

Voicemod and CORSAIR Expand Collaboration to Drive the Future of Social Audio in Interactive Gaming and Content Creation

Voicemod | October 19, 2021

Voicemod, the world leader in augmented voice and interactive audio, today announced the expansion of its strategic B2B relationship with CORSAIR, a world leader in high-performance gear for gamers and content creators. Voicemod’s voice morphing technology is now directly integrated into the CORSAIR iCUE software platform, making it more easily available to CORSAIR’s 10 million users to create and shape dynamic social interactions and real-time engagement. Voicemod builds audio tools that make it easy for anyone to create a unique sonic identity. This collaboration with CORSAIR solidifies Voicemod’s B2B expansion strategy and mission to cultivate an ecosystem around the company’s interactive audio technology and voice avatars. Social gaming has dramatically evolved over the last 19 months, as the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed movement and made virtual connections more appealing. By utilizing Voicemod’s audio technology, gamers can shape and enhance their sonic identity for more engaging conversations with their teammates over the internet, regardless of location. The iCUE integration enables easy configuration of RGB effects and audio, creating richer experiences that drive participation and turn extended gameplay into meaningful and creative social interactions. We are delighted to integrate Voicemod functionality into CORSAIR iCUE, enabling users to configure all keyboard keys with easily accessible voice changers and soundboards.Working with the team at Voicemod has been fantastic and beneficial to us both, as Voicemod has already become the most popular app for Elgato Stream Deck. We're excited at the prospect of further collaboration and integration of more Voicemod functions in future CORSAIR products.” Matt Dresser, senior software product manager at CORSAIR. “We’re delighted to strengthen our bond with CORSAIR who share our vision forging the future of real-time engagement,” said Voicemod CEO and co-founder Jaime Bosch. “As our digital experiences move closer to an immersive metaverse, we want to enable users and content creators to shape how they sound and to create, use, and own their unique voice avatars and sonic identities. This collaboration with CORSAIR is an important stride toward that goal.” About CORSAIR CORSAIR is a leading global developer and manufacturer of high-performance gear and technology for gamers, content creators, and PC enthusiasts. From award-winning PC components and peripherals, to premium streaming equipment and smart ambient lighting, CORSAIR delivers a full ecosystem of products that work together to enable everyone, from casual gamers to committed professionals, to perform at their very best. About Voicemod Voicemod is the leader in real-time audio augmentation. Developers trust Voicemod’s audio technology to help end-users create virtual voices and define their sonic identities. As companies strive to build a responsible metaverse, Voicemod is the tool that helps gamers, content creators, and professionals of all skill levels find the voice that best expresses themselves as they play, work, create, and entertain.

Read More

Female-Owned Canela Media Secures Seed Round Funding To Support The Expansion Of Canela.TV

prnewswire | October 19, 2020

Canela Media, an industry-leading, Latina-owned digital media company announced today that it has closed a $3 million Seed round, bringing total funding this year to $5 million. The investment represents a significant growth milestone for the company that has primarily bootstrapped its way to #4 in Hispanic audience market reach. The majority-female and BIPOC syndicate was co-led by BBG Ventures and Reinventure Capital and joined by Mighty Capital, Angeles Investors, Portfolia's Rising America Fund, and Alumni Ventures Group. The new capital will be used to drive the continued growth of the recently launched free streaming service Canela.TV, that provides culturally relevant content to U.S. Latinos.

Read More

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