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New Media News Every Morning

Lo and Behold! Google TV Unveiled

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There you go folks. Google has spilled the beans about its latest and grandest plan of conquering our lives. Google has just launched Google TV. This time Google is aiming to bring web contents we enjoy consuming on our computers to the sweetest spot in our homes – those areas where we sit back, relax and enjoy watching TV shows and programs.

But exactly is Google trying to bring in here? It’s not a TV set. It’s not a TV media player but what Google has been known for – software platform. And for Google TV, Google is interweaving the web and TV into a single platform.

Google TV will let us watch contents we enjoy from the web. It has  a built-in search with auto-suggest function, a web browser in Google Chrome, a TV homescreen console, and most importantly it has Android running in the background.

How will Google TV change our viewing habits? And how will it affect commercial TV programs. For our TV viewing habits, Google TV will give us more choices and possibly more TV viewing time. For commercial TV programs, this is like Google hauling competition. Google TV might blur the thin line that separates canned TV programs, to freely available online entertainment content.

So, what’s the big plan? Google is working with Sony and Logitech to bring in Google TV on set-top boxes, Blue-Ray players and other media hardware. Google is also releasing the Google TV SDK and web APIs to let third-party developers create more exciting and fun apps that will run alongside Google TV.

It’s going to be fun and exciting in the next few days. Google TV is certainly going to make waves. And if Apple rocked the tablet world recently, Google will certainly rock the TV world soon as well.

Justin.TV Finally Arrives on the iPhone

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For Justin.TV’s take on the iPhone market, it’s better late than never. While others have already made some applications that allowed online video streaming a long time ago, Justin.TV is banking on its million of users to make their iPhone venture a successful one.

Unfortunately though, Justin.TV’s iPhone doesn’t allow you to record your own video and stream it live yet. Although this feature is set for a future release. Still, the application is worth taking a look at as it brings some pretty good features.

The app lets you connect to your existing Justiv.TV account or create an account if you’re new to Justin.TV within the application.  The moment you logged in to Justin.TV via the app, you will be presented with a list of featured videos and screen caps.  You can tap on any of these videos and watch it stream on your iPhone. If you want to watch more videos other than the ones suggested by the app, you can always use the app’s search function. The app will also let you delete video channels from the menu initially given to you.

Another major feature of the Justin.TV iPhone app is the chat facility that you can find at the bottom right-hand corner of the video screen. It allows you to chat from within the app. You can also share channels with friends via the iPhone’s email facility. Future plans include sharing on Facebook, Twitter and other social networks.

The Justin.TV app is available now for free download from the iTunes Apps Store.

Via NewTeeVee

VEVO Seals Deal with EMI, Goes Live Tomorrow Night

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With partners such as Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and now also EMI Music, it seems like new premium music video and entertainment service Vevo, is off to a good start. Vevo is launching tomorrow and is aiming to capture music fans with professionally created video content.

A new generation of music fans and perhaps those who belong to the MTV generation will be available to enjoy a large selection of premium music content from a wide array of chart-topping artists. Vevo aims to follow the success of YouTube but for premium music content.

Take note, VEVO President and CEO, Rio Caraeff says their premium online music service is much more than just high-quality videos but also an original programming that hopes to strengthen the connection between artists and fans through a dynamic and engaging experience.

Vevo service debuts on this site – http://vevo.com. The site is currently closed and if you try to check it out, you will be redirected to the Vevo blog. In the meantime enjoy the promo gig by 50 Cent smashing up some old TVs. Surely a radical and violent way of promoting its upcoming service. Does this predict how VEVO is going to be once it officially launches? Hope not.

Hulu Dives into Music Videos, Kicks Off with Norah Jones

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Hulu, that streaming video site available only in the U.S. and which is consistently gaining some steam since its launch has teamed up with Norah Jones. This will bring Ms. Jones videos of songs from her latest album – the Fall available to all U.S. Hulu users.

Hulu, which is currently running the postscript of their  interview with Nora Jones has also put up a page dedicated to the singer. [Read more…]

MTV Networks launches the Comedy Tribe vertical ad network with JibJab

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MTV Networks (MTVN) has expanded its “Tribes” vertical ad network initiative with the launch of the humor-focused Comedy Tribe, anchored by ComedyCentral.com. Among the launch publishers in the new vertical ad network is JibJab.com, the producer of premium video content and digital greetings, which has signed an exclusive ad repping agreement with MTVN.

Under its agreement with JibJab, MTVN will serve as the exclusive sales force for all advertising inventory on the site, as well as JibJab’s popular brand integrations and custom sponsorships. During 2008, JibJab.com received 105 million visits and the company currently has over 6.3 million registered members.

MTVN’s Tribes are demographic-focused vertical ad networks anchored by the company’s core digital properties and extend to sites beyond its online portfolio. The Tribes are intended to offer advertisers extensions of the same audiences and content they find on MTVN sites, while offering greater scale and efficiency. The newly-launched Comedy Tribe joins MTVN’s Parenting Tribe, anchored by ParentsConnect.com, MTV Generation Tribe and Tribes from CMT, Spike and VH1. Through the Tribes initiative, MTVN currently sells inventory across more than 220 partner sites and offers 17 vertical targeting categories.