Cloud based DVR's are on the Way

According to hothardward.com, Comcast is currently testing a cloud DVR service called X2 in the Boston market. Cloud base technology offers consumers the ability to watch whatever programming they record wherever and whenever they choose to view it. The current test only allows for tests on iPhones and iPads and at present it is unclear when other types of devices will be added. At CES earlier this month STB manufactures like Cisco, Alcatel Lucent, Simple.tv,Tivo and others proudly demo-ed their versions of this technology however none of them had a large scale test in place at the time. MORE: hothardware.com - 01/20/14 Comcast Testing Cloud DVR In Boston, Take Your TV Shows On The Road by Seth Colaner

Twitter Testing TV Trending Feature

As we have reported here on SMM before, Twitter is getting even more cozier with the television industry. The move is hardly a surprising one: In February, Twitter acquired social TV analytics firm Bluefin Labs, a sign the site is doubling down on its social TV efforts. Twitter also teamed up with Nielsen in December to create the Nielsen Twitter TV Rating for the fall 2013 season, which will provide a "common benchmark" from which to measure a TV program's engagement.  So what Twitters next big bet on the TV business, a new feature that would see currently-trending television shows appear prominently within the timelines of users.

According to reports across the blogosphere, the 'Trending TV' experiment is currently being tested on a small percentage of iOS app users who are seeing a show-specific box at the top of their timelines when they refresh their feeds. In its essence, the proposition seems quite similar to second-screen apps like GetGlue and Zeebox that already use Twitter data to generate virtual chat rooms where viewers discuss ongoing shows.  Combine this with last month’s launch of Twitter TV Ad Targeting, a new service designed to enable Twitter and TV ad campaigns to be synchronized and its easy to see who is quickly becoming the next 800 pound gorilla?

Texting Ads to Shopping Carts

We all have probably seen prototypes of LCD screens an other simular technology placed on shopping carts, I've yet to have one catch my eye that truly seems feasible. While I will admit that video screens on carts could serve up engaging ads, they are expensive to purchase and difficult to maintain. Here's is finally a version that appears durable and likely to succeed while enabling advertisers to position their messages right between shoppers' hands.



Modstream has developed a shopping cart handles where messages are wirelessly streamed to a small screen in a hard plastic case that replaces the standard shopping cart handle. Advertisers and retailers log on to modstream.com to enter their messages, selecting stores where they want their message to appear. Messages can be run across a complete chain or targeted to specific regions, stores or times of day. Since the messages can be changed on the fly, it's easy to adapt the ads for short-run sales or clearance items.

Since a a high percentage of purchase decisions are made by consumers while they're shopping, it makes sense to target them while they're in the aisles. Modstream states that their message handles will stand up to rain and snow, and have a 5-year battery life. The system is currently being tested at Home Depot stores in eight states.