Sharp to release e-book

Japan's Sharp plans to enter the increasingly competitive e-book reader market later this year with a device that can read a new e-publishing file format of its own, states PC World.

The company will introduce an e-book reader in Japan before the end of the year and is also working towards a release outside of Japan.

The device, which has not yet been detailed by the company, is likely to hit the US after Japan and Sharp said it is already in talks with Verizon Wireless to release the device.

Panasonic and digital movie retailer Acetrax are joining forces to introduce a content service they believe will shake up the entire TV industry, reports Rapid TV News.

The new service is claimed to be Europe's first connected TV service offering a premium film store for owners of Panasonic's Viera Cast TV models with users having access to a catalogue of over 2 000 titles.

A key plank of the offering is that it does not charge monthly subscription fees, and users can also store and access their purchases from any combination of four registered devices such as TVs, Blu-ray players, home audio systems, laptops and Macs, say the companies.

Media server software company Wowza Media Systems says Sidsa, a Spanish-based international provider of audio-visual technology for broadcasters and network operators, has integrated its digital TV products portfolio with its Wowza's Media Server 2, according to PR Web.

This move is to extend the reach of customers' digital content to new Internet and mobile audiences.

CEO of Sidsa, JM Insenser, says: "Our collaboration with Wowza stays true to that mission as the performance, extensibility and flexibility of Wowza servers provide our customers exactly what they need to enable effortless delivery of their digital content to eager new Internet and mobile TV audiences."