Thread: I have been trying to imagine how GMST's ebooks or some type of portable screen product could evolve into a handheld screen for interactive TV and TV net access (secondary and simultaneous viewing product). I think a product as such could be huge once the ITV market really hits the tornado. I am imagining that viewers will not want their primary viewing screen (TV) cluttered or shrunken by internet content. Now I see that this product has been introduced. I wanted to introduce this here to see if any of the great thinkers on this thread would like to offer their thoughts. Pay close attention to the "Second Screen(TM)" product by Evolve Products. Please, no flaming regarding ACTV! I am invested in them as well as GMST, but I am certainly not trying to hype them.
Regards to all,
Scott
Wednesday April 26, 7:06 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
ACTV Licenses Patented TV-Internet "Bookmarking" Technology to Evolve Products, Inc.
Using ACTV's Patented Technology, Evolve Products to Create First TV Remote Control for the Convergence of TV and the Internet
NEW YORK and IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 26, 2000-- ACTV, Inc. (NASDAQ: IATV - news), today announced that it has licensed, on a non-exclusive basis, its patented TV-Internet ``bookmarking'' technology to Evolve Products, Inc. for integration into its Second Screen(TM) universal remote controls.
Evolve will pay ACTV a licensing fee for every remote control it manufactures which utilizes ACTV's technology.
Evolve's remote controls incorporating ACTV's bookmarking ability are expected to be distributed nationally by e-tailers and major consumer electronics outlets such as Best Buy, Circuit City, Sears, and Fry's in time for Christmas 2000.
Utilizing ACTV's bookmarking technology, Evolve's remote control will enable viewers to save addresses of Web pages (URLs) that are related to TV programming and view them later at Evolve's companion Web Site. Evolve developed its universal remote control to deliver highly customized content and advertisements based upon consumer demographics, TV viewing habits, and requests made while watching TV programs.
Kevin Liga, ACTV's Chief Technology Officer, noted, ``This relationship is another example of our technology being implemented into a rapidly expanding marketplace, and another indication of how we are using our strong patent portfolio to create new revenue streams for our company.''
``We plan to offer consumers a powerful, yet familiar way of converging TV and Internet experiences,'' said Frank O'Donnell, President and COO, Evolve Products, Inc. ``We came to the conclusion that ACTV offered the best solution to our needs and are excited about moving forward with them.''
ABOUT EVOLVE PRODUCTS, INC.
Evolve Products, Inc., based in Irvine, CA, has developed the Evolve Remote control, featuring a Second Screen(TM), which provides an ideal way for TV viewers to simply click on items of interest while they are watching TV. These opt-in viewer ``clickstreams'' allow viewers to get additional information on shows or products at Evolve's companion Web site.
Evolve offers consumers a free In Hand Program Guide(TM), Click Opportunity Buttons(TM) to request information easily while watching TV, participation in special contests and sweepstakes and voting in special polls, the ability to win points for frequent viewing of certain programs, and all the functions of a state-of-the-art universal remote control.
ABOUT ACTV, INC.
ACTV, Inc. (NASDAQ: IATV - news), with headquarters in New York City, has pioneered TV/Web convergence programming with its patented HyperTV© software solution. The company also created interactive one-to-one digital television with its proprietary ``Individualized TV'' software and programming capabilities. ACTV offers superior, practical solutions for television programmers, advertisers, cable operators, educators and consumers looking to leverage the emergence of digital television and the broadband delivery infrastructure.
ACTV has relationships with many of the dominant players in the Internet, television and digital technology fields, including key strategic relationships with Liberty Livewire LLC, Liberty Digital, Inc. (NASDAQ: LDIG - news) and Motorola's (NYSE: MOT - news) Broadband Communications Sector. For more information, visit ACTV's Web site at actv.com or visit hypertv.com. |
