ClipBlast! unveils ClipBlast! Playbox, a detached, cross-platform viewer frame that can play video from sources across the Video Web. ClipBlast!’s patent-pending Playbox technology gives viewers a universal way to search, discover, watch and interact with video, while offering video content providers new audiences and new revenue opportunities.

ClipBlast! Playbox can be launched from a web page by clicking on text and image links. When launched, Playbox “floats” on top of the page, and can be dragged and positioned as the viewer chooses. As Playbox is launched, users can watch, save and send videos; expand to full screen; see other video recommendations; and continue to scroll through web page content while the video plays without ever leaving the site.

VancouverIAM.com is set to change the way internet TV and video journalism is created and the way Vancouverites interact with and view their city. VancouverIAM.com is a unique online platform and new destination for people who want to know what's going on in Vancouver. It provides Vancouverites with the tools and support to become video journalists, Internet TV and film producers, and active commentators on local politics and everyday issues about life in Vancouver. VancouverIAM.com is also providing specialized Internet TV channels to a range of local organizations that already include Vancouver Film School, Greenpeace Canada, Women in Film & Television Vancouver and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.

Research and Markets has announced the addition of “IP Multicast with Applications to IPTV and Mobile DVB-H” to their offering.

This book provides a concise guide to current IP Multicast technology and its applications, with a focus on IPTV and Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld applications—areas of tremendous commercial interest. Traditional phone companies can use IP Multicast technology to deliver video services over their networks; cell phone companies can use it to stream video to handheld phones and PDAs; and many cable TV companies are considering upgrading to IP technology. In addition to applications in industries seeking to provide high-quality digital video and audio, there are numerous other practical uses: multi-site corporate videoconferencing; broad distribution of financial data, stock quotes, and news bulletins; database replication; software distribution; and content caching.

TVover.net is giving away 1 free CONNECTIONS 2008 pass to the first reader that emails us at media@tvover.net with name, email, company, address and phone number.

CONNECTIONS: The Digital Living Conference and Showcase, hosted by leading research firm Parks Associates in partnership with the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), is the premier executive event focused on the market developments and growth factors for advanced digital lifestyle solutions. For twelve years, the following industries have participated at CONNECTIONS: new media, digital entertainment and gaming, home networks, Internet and television services, software and middleware, digital health, mobile applications and services, consumer electronics, and home control systems and security.

For more information about CONNECTIONS 2008, visit http://www.connectionsconference.com.

NXP Semiconductors will acquire the Broadband Media Processing business of Conexant System. With this transaction, NXP’s existing set-top box and digital TV operations will be combined with Conexant’s BMP business. The combined operations will create a top three player in digital video systems with the scale to establish a strong leadership position. The deal represents NXP’s fourth acquisition since independence and is the first for its Home Business Unit.

Conexant’s BMP business, which provides industry-leading solutions for satellite, cable and IPTV applications, accounted for US $205 million in revenue in 2007. Under the terms of the deal, NXP will pay Conexant US $110 million in cash up front, and additional consideration of up to US $35 million based on achievement of certain revenue milestones over the period from closing through 2009.

Warner Bros. unveiled two new broadband destinations and other key components of its multiplatform digital media business strategy at a New York press conference. The announcements, made by Bruce Rosenblum, President, Warner Bros. Television Group, include:

• The launch of TheWB.com, a premium, ad-supported, video-on-demand, interactive and personalized network
• The launch of KidsWB.com (formerly referred to as T-Works), a premium, ad-supported destination built around youth-oriented, immersive entertainment
• Advertiser support: Charter advertising and promotional partners include Mattel, McDonald's and Johnson & Johnson
• Distribution and marketing partners: Inaugural partners will include Comcast Cable, Fancast.com, AOL, a number of mobile carriers, and many more. Additionally, WBTVG has created an application on Facebook Platform for TheWB.com which will allow seamless integration of Facebook's social utility on TheWB.com, and TheWB.com's entertainment content on Facebook.
• Essence: Rosenblum also elaborated on another cross-divisional initiative, the multiplatform partnership between WBTVG and Time Inc.'s Essence Communications, previously announced April 21.

KyLinTV announces Macau Asia Satellite TV, MASTV, will debut for the first time in North America on KyLinTV and provide more international content to its Asian audience. MASTV offers quality programming on news, global finance, world events, entertainment, cultural shows sports and more. The news programs cover reports from Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China and international topics. MASTV also offers Mandarin dramas and Korean variety shows.

As the first television channel from Macau available on KyLinTV, MASTV focuses on promoting the prosperity and peace of the worldwide Chinese community. This mission mirrors KyLinTV's goal to encourage Chinese culture and language through the use of IPTV technology.

Anevia has deployed its innovative products within Ina. With 70 years' experience in TV, 50,000 programmes added each year, 3 million hours archived and receiving a hundred of 24/24 TV channels for copyright registration, becoming a leading company in the field of VOD and TV archiving.

Ina requires first-rate reliability, availability and storage capacity. In this respect, it chose Anevia's expertise to take the technological leap towards quality of service and mass archiving for professional users as well as the general public.

Velocix announces the availability of its revolutionary new FREE Velocix Accelerator digital delivery service. The new service is aimed at the growing and vibrant community of entrepreneurs and new start-up ventures, as well as larger organizations looking to distribute rich media such as video, music, games and software on-line. To be successful, these ventures need help from a global digital delivery partner to ensure that their website visitors receive a high quality consumer experience when downloading content, viewing videos or simply browsing web pages from anywhere in the world.

The new offering includes a 500GB per month delivery allowance for file download, video progressive streaming and website acceleration services all provided at no charge.

Internet World opens its doors for the 17th time, since first opening in 1992. The show features BBC Worldwide and Google amongst its speaker and is set to raise the bar once more, with it’s biggest event yet. This builds upon last year’s accolades, including Best Business Exhibition. As the fastest growing event in its industry, Internet World has been able to attract keynote speakers from industry leaders including ITV, MySpace and Nokia.

Internet World is a digital marketing forum that attracts a serious business audience. It is the only show that covers all the key issues relating to online strategy; all addressed under one roof, it provides an end-to-end solution for visitors. This is why 89% of attendees are involved in purchasing, with 20% of those companies having over 1000 employees. Although primarily a UK event, an increased number of worldwide exhibitors and delegates will be attending.

AT&T expanded the availability of AT&T U-verse IPTV and U-verse enabled AT&T High Speed Internet in parts of local Atlanta communities. AT&T will make U-verse services available to more homes throughout the area on an ongoing basis. AT&T U-verse brings together your TV, broadband and AT&T wireless services — all on one bill — with unique features that provide a new level of integration, convenience and control. AT&T U-verse services are all delivered over AT&T's advanced IP network.

Swarmcast’s Autobahn Platform will power all 2008 regular season games delivered live over the Internet on MLB.com’s MLB.TV in high-quality at 1.2 Mbps. With tens of millions of monthly unique users to MLB.com, 2,430 games and over 10,000 hours of live baseball being delivered over the 2008 season, this is the largest live streaming implementation of Internet TV in the world.

Built on Swarmcast’s patented multi-source streaming technology, the Autobahn Platform offers an unparalleled level of quality, reliability and scalability compared to existing solutions, where viewers experience rebuffering and other interruptions in service that undermine the overall user experience of online video. By blending multiple CDNs together, the Autobahn Platform bypasses limitations inherent to traditional streaming, ensuring that each viewer is watching video at the highest available bandwidth for their individual connection. On Opening Day, MLB.TV and Swarmcast delivered over 1.7 million live game streams, an unprecedented level of traffic that shattered previous opening day viewing records.

The CNN Digital Network posted yet another record-breaking month in March as it ranked No. 1 in total minutes among all News and Information properties for the 11th month in a row, ranking ahead of Internet stalwarts Wikipedia, Yahoo! News, MSNBC Digital Network and Weather Channel. CNN.com last month also set new records for the network in regards to online video streams served and mobile news usage.

According to Nielsen Online, CNN Digital Network generated 1.4 billion gross usage minutes in March, a 46 percent increase over last year, and maintained the network’s highest monthly audience in its 13-year history with 37.2 million unique visitors.

During the month, CNN.com served more than 116 million video streams, including nearly 4 million live streams served from CNN.com Live, the network’s live, multi-stream video service. The total monthly video streams served is a new record for for CNN.com, besting the 110 million served the previous month.

Viewers who missed the return of Lost and Grey's Anatomy to the CTV schedule last night can log on to their computers to watch the episodes right now at CTV.ca. CTV announced that the two series - along with fellow Top 10 hit Desperate Housewives - are joining the industry-leading, on demand line-up of programs on the CTV Video Player at CTV.ca, through an agreement with Disney-ABC International Television. It is the first time the three ABC Studios-produced series are being streamed on a free, ad-supported basis in Canada. Online streaming of Grey's Anatomy on CTV.ca is presented by Duracell and online streaming of Lost is presented by Volkswagen.

The deal includes full-episode streaming of the remaining new episodes from this season of all three series. Additionally, the last two episodes of each series broadcast before their recent hiatus will also be available. Each new episode will be available online following its West Coast broadcast on CTV. Also available on demand are episode recaps, episode previews and, in the case of Lost, exclusive online content. The new content, including last night's episodes of Grey's Anatomy and Lost, are available now at watch.CTV.ca.

IP-PRIME announces a major enhancement to its sports programming lineup through a new agreement with NFL Network, to bring the network’s 24-hour suite of football programming to telecom carriers using SES AMERICOM’s IP-PRIME IPTV service. IP-PRIME is the first truly “turnkey” IPTV solution that delivers the most robust and comprehensive array of digital and HD programming to IPTV providers in North America.

NFL NETWORK is the destination for all that happens around the sport of football, on and off the field – during the season and throughout the off-season. NFL Network airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis providing viewers with nearly 2,000 hours a year of original programming (NFL Total Access, NFL GameDay, Point After, NFL Replay, Playbook, Red Zone, College Football Now, NFL Top 10, NFL Scoreboard), eight live prime time NFL regular season games as well as 52 preseason games, college bowl games, NFL Scouting Combine and other cutting-edge, enhanced TV applications.