Carrier IQ: SMS content never stored
The company at the centre of the smartphone data logging privacy scare has said it never stores SMS keystrokes and that mobile networks are responsible for the information that is kept.
The Carrier IQ software, installed on handsets from many of the world's top manufacturers, has been accused of logging keystrokes, including your SMS messages.
A video showing the software at work was revealed earlier this week bringing a storm which has already seen four lawsuits filed against the company.
However, speaking to the Register, Carrier IQ says it's software never stores SMS information and has reaffirmed its claim that the software only acts as an error logging tool used to improve networks.
Never logged
Marketing VP Andrew Coward explains: "Our mantra has always been to throw away as much information as early as possible and throw away what you don't need on the handset first."The content of SMS messages are never logged. There are two things that happen when SMS messages are received.
"One is, obviously, we count them, the ones that succeed, the ones that fail. We do also record the telephone numbers the SMSs are from and to.
"The content of the SMS is never stored and never transmitted"
Blame the networks
The company says that the information that it passes to network operators is actually 'less than they already know'Coward added: "We're not collecting data on our own behalf, and that's really important. The data that's being gathered is commissioned by the operators to be gathered.
"It's under their control, albeit sometimes in our data center, sometimes in their data center. We have no rights to that data.
"The other thing to think about is that while you potentially jump through all these hoops, the operators themselves are going to have all this information one way or another.
"The operators themselves will comply with law enforcement. They will have a huge amount of information even without our technology."
Operators and OEMs alike have attempted to distance themselves from the software, but both HTC and Samsung faces wiretapping charges.
Apple has said it had previously used Carrier IQ software on previous versions of iOS, but have phased it out with iOS 5.
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Sir James Dyson hits out at Chinese copycats
Sir James Dyson says China risks being thrown out of the World Trade Organisation for flouting copyright laws, including his own patented systems.
The inventor of the revolutionary Dyson vacuum cleaner and the AirBlade hand-dryer says China is creating an unlevel playing field by allowing its manufacturers to flagrantly copy innovations.
He says: "They [China] are running the risk of being expelled from the WTO. They are creating an unlevel playing field by taking our technology and selling it all over the world."
Double standards
Dyson accuses the country of double standards, by enforcing strict intellectual property laws on products coming into the country, but allowing domestic manufacturers to infringe patents.He says his company recently won a suit against a Chinese firm caught making a copy of Dyson's AirBlade hand-dryer, to little avail.
He added: "We had to put a private detective in their factory and take photos of them making the fans. Then we won the case and they were fined $7,500 but they didn't pay the fine and they just carried on.
Two speed process
Dyson also says that China's two-speed patent applications process also creates a disadvantage for foreign manufacturers and continues to allow flouting of his company's IP."Under WTO regulations, each country is supposed to treat foreign patent applications with the same speed as local applications.
"But they are passing Chinese application in months and taking five years for ours.
"If we have someone copying our products in China we cannot sue them until our patent is passed. This has not created a level playing field."
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US judge denies Apple's Galaxy ban request
Apple's worldwide bid to lockdown sales of Samsung's Galaxy range of smartphones and tablets has suffered a major blow after US judge declined an injunction request.
The company has been successful in blocking the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet in countries like Germany and Australia following claims that Samsung has 'blatantly copied' the iPad and iPhone.
However, the ruling from Judge Lucy Koh in the San Jose district court California means that ban will not extend to the United States in the ongoing war, which involves 20 cases in 10 countries.
In her ruling Judge Koh wrote: "It is not clear that an injunction on Samsung's accused devices would prevent Apple from being irreparably harmed."
Apple's case 'lacks merit'
A spokesman for Samsung said that the verdict upheld the Korean company's defense that Apple's case is without justification.Jason Kim: "This ruling confirms our long-held view that Apple's arguments lack merit."
The rivalry between Samsung and Apple appears to be becoming more heated by the day as Samsung continues to emerge as the only real hardware threat to the dominance of iOS devices.
It was also revealed on Friday that Apple had offered Samsung 'alternate designs' which, it claimed, didn't impede on its patents.
The offer was to counter Samsung's claim that Apple's patents were universal as they were defined by the functionality they provide.
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In Depth: Are cinemas under threat from video on demand?
Video on demand vs Cinema: Online buzz
When you can access films direct from your television, laptop, tablet, phone or game console, is there still a place for cinemas?The arrival of streaming video has not only made it easy for us to access films at times of our choosing wherever we happen to be, it has opened up a massive range of content for us to browse and be entertained by.
You can now enjoy 3D at home, along with surround sound, big screens and a wealth of inexpensive entertainment, all at the touch of a button.
Services like LoveFilm, Netflix, YouTube, Gracenote and iTunes are all making films available in our living rooms, and each person watching a movie at home means one less ticket sold at the cinema.
Cinemas do seem to be suffering: audiences are down (although box office takings are up due to increased prices) and 3D hasn't been the huge draw that theatre owners were hoping for. Who can save them? The film studios? Surely they'd never let cinemas dwindle away - movie theatres must be their lifeblood, after all.
In fact, the studios probably wouldn't be too upset by the loss of the cinema - it's typically the most expensive part of the film distribution process. Most films barely break even at the box office, and studios often see the theatre release of films as a loss leader. The studios recoup their investment with DVD sales and, to a lesser extent, on-demand rentals.
It would go against business sense to include cinemas in the film distribution process at all were it not for the massive amount of hype produced by a high profile film premiere. It's hard to do that with the release of a DVD.
Social media is stepping into that gap as red carpets give way to social interactivity. Create a good buzz online, and DVD and on-demand sales will be assured. If a film company can get enough people to 'Like' their film on Facebook, tweet the trailer, play the accompanying iPhone app or watch the teaser campaigns on their iPads, profits will rise.
But there's a problem: in this world of instant entertainment when and where you want it, the fact that you have to wait for a film to finish its cinema run before you can get it in your home seems increasingly outdated. It will therefore come as no surprise that moves are afoot to reduce the delay between cinema premieres and DVD or on-demand releases.
Ten years ago, you had to wait half a year after a film was released to get your hands on it at home - a gap that has since narrowed to around four months. Studios are trying to speed up DVD releases even further, but they face stiff opposition - and not just from cinemas.
The studios' argument is simple: most films have finished their cinema run after two months, so there is then a two-month wait during which pirate copies are the only way consumers can see the latest blockbusters. The studios say that cutting down the time it takes for films to be released on DVD or streaming services won't harm cinemas and will reduce piracy, but this strategy has met strong resistance.
Video nasties
In 2010, the cinema companies Odeon, Vue and Cineworld threatened to boycott Tim Burton's film Alice in Wonderland when Disney announced plans to release the DVD just three months after the first screening. It was only the day before the royal premiere in London, with Prince Charles in attendance, that Odeon lifted the boycott, having negotiated guarantees with Disney to protect the theatrical window.In May this year, Warner Bros, Sony, Fox and Universal all agreed to supply their films to a home premiere service from American satellite company DirecTV. Subscribers would page $30 a month for access to new films a mere eight weeks after their theatrical release, in full HD. Again this was met with an outcry - not just from theatres, but also some of Hollywood's biggest names.
A host of world-famous directors including Peter Jackson, James Cameron, Kathryn Bigelow, Michael Bay and Guillermo del Toro signed a letter to the studios titled 'An open letter from the creative community on protecting the movie-going experience'.
Here are few extracts: "Lately, there's been a lot of talk by leaders at some major studios and cable companies about early-to-the-home 'premium video-on-demand'. In this proposed distribution model, new movies can be shown in homes while these same films are still in their theatrical run.
"As a crucial part of a business that last year grossed close to $32 billion in worldwide theatrical ticket sales, we in the creative community feel that now is the time for studios and cable companies to acknowledge that a release pattern for premium video-on-demand that invades the current theatrical window could irrevocably harm the financial model of our film industry.
"As leaders in the creative community, we ask for a seat at the table. We want to hear the studios' plans for how this new distribution model will affect the future of the industry we love. And until that happens, we ask that our studio partners do not rashly undermine the current - and successful - system of releasing films in a sequential distribution window that encourages movie lovers to see films in the optimum, and most profitable, exhibition arena: the movie theatres of America."
Friends with benefits
The cinema industry has some friends in high places, but the service still went ahead. Although this type of protest may slow down the studios a little, it's unlikely to reverse the trend, particularly as so many more avenues are opening up for distribution of films.For the studios, it makes the most financial sense to strike while the buzz about a movie is still in the air. As mentioned earlier, studios are already eyeing up social media as a useful new revenue stream, and are experimenting with ways to monetise it.
In the US, anyone who 'Liked' Christopher Nolan's 2008 film The Dark Knight was given the chance to watch the film for 30 Facebook credits (or $3). This was an astute move - The Dark Knight's movie page has four million fans, giving studios a targeted audience for marketing.
"Facebook has become a daily destination for hundreds of millions of people," Warner Bros said in a statement. "Making our films available through Facebook is a natural extension of our digital distribution efforts. It gives consumers a convenient way to access and enjoy our films through the world's largest social network."
For their 30 credits, Facebook users got the film for a 48-hour rental period (iTunes, Amazon and Vudu only provide movies for 24 hours), and could click to watch it in their browser. Warner Bros was keen to point out this was just a test and not all feedback was positive, with reports of a missing HD option and poor streaming even on good broadband connections. It won't be long before this is a viable option though, and you only have to look at BBC iPlayer's 153 million programme requests in July 2011 to see that people are happy to put up with the quality of streamed video.
Miramax has followed suit with Miramax eXperience, its movie rental app for Facebook, which offers 10 films to rent, each costing 30 Facebook credits in the UK and Turkey. The company was open about the fact that its audience is already on Facebook, pointing out that it could build a platform on its own website, but people might not hear about it.
The service also has an aspect of social gaming, where users can cast their friends as characters in films. This is designed to help spread the word about the service.
Other companies have already made significant inroads in the online film distribution market. We spoke to Simon Morris, LoveFilm's Chief Marketing Officer, who was keen to point out that LoveFilm does not see itself as a competitor to cinemas.
"Film lovers all around the world visit the cinema for the unique experience it offers," he said. "LoveFilm's pioneering UK film delivery service was not created to compete with the cinema, but provide customers with additional choice and convenience. Different customers consume films in different ways and the fact that everyone has the choice to visit the cinema, get a DVD or stream a movie instantly on a number of platforms offers a number of choices that are beneficial to the customer."
When we asked Morris whether LoveFilm had any plans to decrease the time between films being released in cinemas and appearing for download on the service, he said he was unable to comment.
Saving grace
Smart TV technology company Gracenote is another business hoping to offer viewers something they can't get from cinemas. We spoke to Stephen White, the company's president, to find out more about the features he hopes to offer."Gracenote is developing technologies that further build on its roots in media recognition to create true interactive TV experiences for home cinema viewers," he explained.
"One example of this is our work in the area of Advanced Content Recognition (ACR), which allows a tablet or mobile phone to recognise scenes and transitions within a TV program or movie. For example, if a viewer is watching an episode of Law and Order on their HDTV, Gracenote's ACR technology would use the tablet's built-in microphone to identify the specific scene in the program. From there, all of the actors, music and advertising brands can be identified in that scene in real time and presented on the tablet.
"The potential for this type of technology is massive. Scene level recognition allows viewers to use their tablet or mobile phone to identify the clothing worn by the characters, the beverages they are drinking, the music playing in the opening credits and much more. Viewers can then link to an advertiser's website, buy the clothing, download the song and order the drink."
He too was keen to stress that the cinema experience is completely different to that of the home theatre and that he didn't feel the two overlapped: "Movie theatres give you the big-screen experience with an auditorium full of loudspeakers playing at reference level surround sound.
"Plus, going to the movie theatre offers a night out with your friends or loved ones, and you get to share the experience with a larger audience in a social setting. However, your home cinema experience is more personal. It allows you to lean back and enjoy new movies or old favourites from on-demand services and cable channels. You can hit the pause button, text friends and eat dinner, while still enjoying great sound and pictures."
Death of the multiplex
Despite these protestations to the contrary, if the situation were to change and you could get films on your television or PC on the day of their release, would you still make the effort to visit your local cinema to see them? Could interactive high quality video streaming spell the end for the multiplex?
Reports that traditional cinemas have had their day are nothing new; cinemas have already seen off the rise of television, VHS, DVDs and even Blu-ray, so will the threat posed by video on demand be any different?
We spoke to cinema chains Vue and Cineworld to ask what attraction cinemas could offer compared to watching films at home.
"A trip to the cinema is not just about watching a film; it is about the complete entertainment experience," Cineworld told us. "For example, the use of Real D technology that's used in all of Cineworld Cinemas' 3D screens has perfected a digital approach to 3D, allowing customers to now experience remarkable depth and clarity, pulling them into a film for a truly immersive experience.
Following Cineworld Cinemas' acquisition of the O2 cinema multiplex in June 2010, Cineworld is now able to offer customers the largest 3D screen in Europe, standing at 24.4m."
Mark de Quervain, Sales and Marketing Director at Vue Entertainment, agreed: "Watching the latest films at the cinema has always been a unique experience. People enjoy the combination of being the first to see the latest movie on the big screen and having the surround sound effect.
Vue offers a number of unique services to give our cinemagoers the choice to see the latest blockbuster in a variety of ways. Some of these include Vue Xtreme Screens, which are supersized 3D screens, VIP seating, Scene Screens, which include reclining seats and a private lounge and bar area, as well as still offering people the chance to see films on regular 2D cinema screens.
While more people are investing in wide screen plasma TVs at home and a surround sound atmosphere, going out to the cinema is more of an experience now than ever before and is regarded as a fun night out with friends and family, which is difficult to replicate at home."
So, are the big cinema chains concerned about the rise of video on demand services?
"Although there has been a rise in the ease of internet-delivered movies," said de Quervain, "the quality of these movies will never equal that of the cinema experience and, for serious moviegoers, will not replace the cinema as the ultimate entertainment vehicle."
Cineworld's spokesperson added: "Unlike internet-delivered movies, a trip to the cinema is about an immersive cinema experience rather than merely just watching a film. It is an opportunity to take time out from everyday life and treat yourself, whether on your own or with friends and family."
Video on demand vs Cinema: 3D boost
In light of recent media reports suggesting 3D is already fading in popularity, we asked Cineworld and Vue whether the technology has helped to boost audience numbers. Both cinema chains were positive about its impact."In 2010, one quarter of UK cinema revenue came from 3D films, showing the impact this technology for watching films can have," said de Quervain. "During 2010, the UK cinema industry benefitted from another great year with a string of blockbuster releases leading to a 2.7 per cent increase in industry box office takings compared to 2009," added Cineworld's official spokesperson. "3D was the most significant contributor to this increase."
Apart from 3D, what other technologies are coming to movie theatres to ensure cinema remains a more attractive proposition than watching films at home?
"The number of future technologies that could transform the cinematic experience are endless," explained Vue's de Quervain.
"However, an example of what is to come will soon be showcased at Westfield Stratford City [in East London], with the exciting launch of one of the largest all-new, all-digital cinemas in Europe - Vue Stratford City.
In a recent partnership between Vue Entertainment and Sony Europe, this new cinema will offer visitors the chance to experience the Breatht4King Vue Sony 4K projection system across all of its screens, delivering a spectacular visual experience from every seat.
"Cinemagoers will be amazed by the detail even on the largest screens" de Quervaim contined, "and with up to four times the megapixels of 2K and HD, cinemagoers will be taken away by the detail and fluidity of images.
Breatht4King Vue gives cinemagoers an immersive, engaging visual experience they simply can't get at home. Breatht4King Vue is further enhanced with Vue Profound Sound, in a Dolby 7:1 sound system. This professionally mixed sound will make cinemagoers feel like they are part of the action.
"What's more, with each auditorium in the cinema also offering SuperVue stepped stadium seating, every seat in the house will provide a perfect view of the wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling super-sized screens.
Vue Westfield Stratford City will set new standards with a stunning state-of-the-art cinema set in a wonderful location, and the installation of Sony 4K digital cinema projectors will form part of the potential roll out of Sony's new projection technology systems across all Vue cinemas over the next couple of years - revolutionising the cinema experience."
Live entertainment
Cineworld isn't sitting still either. "Cineworld is dedicated to making the customers cinema experience the best possible, and is constantly striving to develop new ways of doing this.With Cineworld leading the way with the switch to digital and 3D, Cineworld now boasts over 300 3D cinema screens across the country, including the colossal 24.4m 3D screen in the O2.
As well as the biggest blockbusters, Cineworld shows the best in world cinema, as well as live ballet, opera and theatre performances from around the globe. Cineworld also plans to bring a variety of live sporting events to cinemas around the country."
We asked de Quervain what the future holds for movie theatres. "The future of cinema is always evolving," he said. "Technology never stands still and as such we continue to develop with it. There is no doubt that cinema as it was even five years ago is a different and better experience today, with new products, service and experiences being offered.
In another five years, with digital fully installed and more mature, you will see cinemas as major entertainment centres offering an even wider and [more] diverse range of big screen content for people to enjoy, covering not only film, but more specialised content like documentaries, live sport, 3D concerts, comedy, gaming, interactive advertising and features will probably all be common place.
The public will probably be able to have more say on what is shown and when with demand-based programming a possibility.
"The quality of sound and picture will continue to evolve, with films being made in 4k resolution or higher [compared to] 2K now.
James Cameron is already experimenting with and successfully demonstrating how increasing frame rates when filming from the current 24 frames per second to 48, 60 or even 120 frames per second produces images on screen that are simply incredible when compared to today's digital standards. One thing that won't change in the future of cinema is that the appeal of unique shared out of home big screen experience that cinemas have to offer will remain, if not increase as they evolve."
Frame rate increase
There is already a new exciting film technology on the horizon, with a big name behind it. James Cameron is no stranger to bringing new technologies to cinemas; in fact, it's becoming a habit.In 2005 at CinemaCon (the official convention of the National Association of Theatre Owners), he and George Lucas urged theatre owners to upgrade to new digital cinema equipment so they could show the new wealth of 3D films. It worked, with many chains forking out $100,000 for the new equipment.
Fast forward
Cameron acknowledged his success at this year's CinemaCon. "Oh no, here's this guy again," he joked. "Every time he shows up at one of these things it costs me money."This time Cameron is proposing that film should be shot at higher frame rates. Movies are currently shot at 24fps, which means movement can become blurred or jerky when shown in 3D. He wants movies to be shot at 48fps, or even as high as 60fps.
He showed three films to demonstrate the difference it could make to the experience - one at 24fps, one at 48fps and one at 60fps. The audience was left with little doubt that there was a marked improvement.
As Cameron himself commented, "If watching a 3D movie is like looking through a window, then we've taken the glass out of the window and we're staring at reality."
Faster frame rates aren't a new idea. In the 1980s, Academy Award-winning cinematographer Douglas Trumbull proposed the same thing, and the process was used to make movies for rides in theme parks. It never caught on for normal films because of the cost - the extra frames meant a lot more photographic film was needed.
In the age of digital cameras, that isn't a problem. In fact, we're already treated to these frame rates when we watch sport on television. Film has yet to catch up because it still uses the same frame rates as were used in the early days of cinema.
Despite his opening joke, Cameron argues that the cost will be minimal for cinemas, because they will only need some new software updates for the current digital projectors and digital cameras are already capable of capturing film at higher frame rates. However, there is an extra cost when it comes special effects, with more frames meaning more post-production work.
This may make the agreement of the studios and producers the deciding factor, but if there's one person who could affect such a change, it's Cameron. He plans to film Avatar 2 and 3 at a higher frame rate, and Peter Jackson has already announced his intention to film The Hobbit at 48fps with the full backing of his studios.
As Jackson explained on Facebook, "We are indeed shooting at the higher frame rate. The key thing to understand is that this process requires both shooting and projecting at 48fps, rather than the usual 24fps (films have been shot at 24fps since the late 1920s). So the result looks like normal speed, but the image has hugely enhanced clarity and smoothness."
Cinema technology never sits still. A lot of big players don't think movie theatres will become extinct any time soon, and are willing to fight to make sure that it doesn't happen.
Video on demand can bring the movies direct to our TVs, PCs, phones and tablets, but until the cinema experience can truly be replicated at home without great expense, not to mention the need for a huge room dedicated to the purpose, there will always be bums on seats in the nearest multiplex.
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Review: Acer Aspire 5749
Keeping up with Acer is some task.
The Taiwanese company has come of age and is now one of the laptop manufacturers to be reckoned with. Its Aspire 5749 is another fine example of advanced features in a budget package.
From the outside, the laptop is uninspiring. Like many Aspires, Acer has concentrated less on the outward design and more on the technology inside. The light grey chassis is covered with a design that looks not unlike a sheet of metal flooring.
It's a world away from the deep, luxuriant red of the Dell Inspiron 14z, but at 2.3kg, the Aspire 5749 is lighter than your average laptop. We wouldn't have thought you'd have any problems carrying it around for a day.
There is a slight amount of flex around the edges of the keyboard, but this is minimal. The keyboard itself sticks resolutely to Acer's previous models – each key is individually raised above the chassis. It makes for comfortable typing, but crumbs and dirt may easily find their way under the keys.
The touchpad is nicely sized and located slightly further to the left than we've seen on other machines. The two click buttons are melded together as two halves of the same button, while a small section on the right of the touchpad will act as a virtual scroll bar. It's a nice feature that you might find yourself using often after a few experimental flicks.
Vast storage
Acer has seen fit to include 750GB of storage space on the Aspire 5749; a generous amount, considering the average we'd expect to find is 320GB. Even though you can buy external hard drives, it's always reassuring to have plenty of room to install programs and back up data on your native drive.Power comes courtesy of an Intel Core i3-2330M processor. It's pretty standard for this type of laptop, but manages to kick out a decent amount of power without costing the earth.
Graphical ability is mediocre thanks to an integrated Intel card. You shouldn't have a problem photoshopping your image collection or running high-def movies, but you'll probably want to hold off on ordering Modern Warfare 3 for now.
TechRadar Labs
Battery Eater '05: 169 minutes
Cinebench: 7847
3DMark 2006: 3120
If you do want to dabble with multimedia then you'll find this Acer's 15.6-inch screen is quite accommodating. It's not as bright as we've seen on other laptops, but there's a Super-TFT coating that is always welcome when watching films. The viewing angles are also pleasingly wide.
Three USB ports, an HDMI and VGA port and Ethernet socket make up the connections on offer here. The Acer Aspire 5749 comes with 802.11n wireless connectivity, but there's no Bluetooth support for wirelessly connecting peripherals. There's enough speed here, thanks to 4GB of RAM, which should be the minimum amount you look for when buying a laptop.
On the few occasions that we found the Acer lagged, it was when trying to stream high-definition video from the internet with several programs running in the background. Overall, though, it's a comfortably reliable and smooth performance.
Judging by the manufacturer's track record, if you decide to shell out on the Aspire 5749, you can rest assured there'll be a newer model out next week. But, at the same time, that shouldn't matter too much. This is a solidly built, value-formoney performer with plenty of storage space, even if its design leaves plenty to be desired.
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In Depth: 16 best TV streaming services
16 best TV streaming services
Within the last few years there's been a new explosion of TV in our lives. Before, we were content to watch television on a schedule dictated by the broadcasters, but things have moved on a long way since then.We now have a huge range of services that let us to get our fix of programmes and movies at any time and through a multitude of devices. No longer are we confined to the living room - the internet lets us watch TV anywhere in the house, while portable media devices like smartphones and tablets keep us entertained on the move.
Viewing habits haven't quite kept pace with technological advancement, so although the amount of time we spend watching television is increasing every year, we're still a long way from ridding our homes of the big TV - just 0.2 per cent of people in the UK watch TV exclusively online.
That's understandable considering most viewers have only recently just caught pace with the big-screen TV bandwagon. As the number of services increases, along with the number of ways we can access them, the future of TV becomes ever more muddled and confusing.
Which service do you trust to supply your programmes? Do you really need catch-up TV? Do you buy your movies through your TV provider, or should you stream them online? Most importantly, how much should you pay for it all?
Answering these questions isn't an easy task, and the service providers scrapping for world domination don't help either. We're here to cut through the jargon and tell you what's worth a second look.
We'll look at what traditional content providers like Sky and Virgin are offering, and what they're doing to keep pace with an ever-evolving industry. We'll also take stock of what the plethora of online services are offering to see if they can compete with the big guns.
BBC iPlayer
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer
The BBC, with its publicly supported TV empire, is a long-standing British institution, so it should come as no surprise that its digital service - BBC iPlayer - was the first of the online catch-up facilities to appear as broadband internet connections hit the mainstream.
This is part of the reason for iPlayer's popularity - the BBC has long been a symbol of the nation - but it's also head and shoulders above the rest in terms of content and delivery - at least for now.
In 2010 the BBC received 887 million requests for iPlayer, and that number is set to rise. iPlayer's content is made up almost entirely of TV shows, along with the occasional film, which have already aired on terrestrial TV and can be watched for up to a week after they're made available online. There's also a catch-up service for the BBC's radio stations.
What makes iPlayer even better is the browser-based service's desktop counterpart, which - once downloaded and installed - lets you save programmes straight to your PC and keep them for up to 30 days, giving you greater flexibility over when you watch your choice of shows.
The desktop app has another significant advantage over the browser version - and other catch-up services - because it lets you record an entire series of programmes with a simple click of your mouse - iPlayer will do the rest of the work for you.
iPlayer's other celebrated feature is high definition content, which is ripped straight from BBC One and BBC HD. However, if you have a keen eye for quality you'll notice that HD programmes seem to have been compressed somewhat so they can be streamed down the pipes without causing any hiccups.
With these impressive features available to anyone free of charge, iPlayer is clearly ahead of the game. Provided you don't have to watch something the minute it's broadcast, iPlayer will meet all your needs. If you're happy sticking to BBC content, it could even make Freeview TV redundant.
Anyone for tennis
iPlayer doesn't just offer catch-up TV either; it airs a reasonable amount of live TV as well - mainly sports broadcasts and the like. It's started to provide HD streaming too, with the recent Wimbledon tournament offered in glorious detail, albeit to a lucky minority in particular parts of the country.The BBC has attempted to broaden its reach by appealing to viewers who have an internet connection but don't necessarily want to switch on their PC to reap the benefits of its catch-up and on-demand TV service. That's why you'll find an iPlayer app in so many internet-enabled devices like the PlayStation 3, a range of smart TVs and the D-Link Boxee Box.
The BBC's final offering is its iPad app, which has been specifically designed to make the most of the service's features, which have been optimised for Apple's tablet. You can only stream iPlayer content over Wi-Fi at present, so you're restricted to using it at home or wherever you can find a wireless hotspot on your travels.
To date, no other catch-up service has managed to branch out to such a diverse range of media-consuming platforms, and iPlayer looks set to further capitalise on its growth as the BBC looks at ways of improving its mobile broadcasting.
One feature that might see the light of day is DVB-T2-Lite, which will let the BBC offer reliable live broadcasts on mobile devices with less impact on battery life. We have yet to see whether this will work with 3G networks and allow truly mobile TV consumption.
Verdict: 5/5
ITV Player
www.itv.com/itvplayer
The ITV Player, previously known as ITV Online, is the place to go if you want to sift through the range of programmes available on the broadcaster's channels. The service couldn't be simpler to use and everything you could want is within easy reach.
When you open a program, you might find yourself getting a little annoyed at the two adverts that play at the beginning, as well as subsequent adverts that play throughout the show, but this is how the channel is funded. This is ITV after all, not the BBC, and it doesn't benefit from TV licence fees.
According to the word on the street, ITV is looking into creating a mobile version of its online service so that the majority of smartphone owners can access its programmes on the move. If it does, it will usurp the BBC, which currently only has an app for the iPad, but is looking at other mobile options (see above).
Verdict: 3/5
YouTube
www.youtube.com
Ask someone what they think was the biggest internet revolution of the 21st century and they'll probably say it was YouTube. And with good reason - the user-generated video-blogging site has changed the online landscape forever.
It lets anyone, however well known they are (or not), whatever the quality of their content and wherever they hail from, upload their weird and wonderful videos for anyone around the world to watch at their convenience. The beauty of YouTube is that in the blink of an eye it's taken the broadcasting power from the bigwigs and placed it right in our hands.
OK, so it might not have stopped people wanting to watch a high quality, professionally made production in their living room TVs, but it's an insight into how TV might be produced in the future. After all with YouTube you don't need a big budget - or indeed any budget at all - to produce your own TV series and establish a massive following.
YouTube also lets you share high definition content all the way up to the mighty 1080p, and the site has even started experimenting with 3D viewing. The service isn't just dedicated to amateur video bloggers and filmmakers either - it also has a section where you can watch catch-up TV from the likes of Channel 5 and 4OD, as well as a variety of films and live TV events.
Although it's at a disadvantage in terms of the amount of relevant content it can offer through these channels, YouTube's key strength is its ability to find something you're interested in watching quickly and easily. If YouTube's catch-up function doesn't offer what you're looking for, chances are you'll be able to find it elsewhere on the site - after all, its users upload a staggering eight years' worth of content every day.
Multi-platform
YouTube has universal appeal, and it's no surprise that you can access its video-sharing resource almost anywhere, no matter what the device you're using. There are apps available for just about any mobile device, media player and smart TV, but the unique thing about YouTube is the way its content is shared between users.The site is a social powerhouse, with around 17 million people sharing their videos with an accompanying social network like Facebook or Twitter. Although it might sound like an excuse for one of your friends to annoy you with yet another video of a dog being beaten up by a cat or a dancing parrot, the sentiment is important: if everyone shared the programmes they watched live or via catch-up with their online associates, their viewing figures would no doubt increase dramatically.
Verdict: 4.5/5
Demand 5
www.channel5.com/demand5
Think waiting 20 seconds for programmes in ITV Player is bad? Then you won't like Demand 5, where the adverts are over a minute long. Surely on-demand TV should be instantaneous?
As with ITV Player there's also a smattering of adverts during each show, but you can choose to skip these. This aside, Demand 5 is making some pretty big strides to give its service something the other providers haven't picked up on yet.
Click on a programme and not only will you see the video, you'll also see a wide range of extra options related to it. For example, the new series of Big Brother has the addition of several tabs that allow you to check the show's Facebook page, see who's in the house and review the most memorable moments at a glance. These social tools transform the service from passive viewing to something interactive and much more compelling.
Verdict: 3/5
LoveFilm
www.lovefilm.com
While Blockbuster was bumbling about trying to stuff its shops with the latest movies, LoveFilm blitzed the market overnight. Its revolutionary rental service delivers films to your door, meaning getting what you want is as simple as clicking a button LoveFilm is now pushing LoveFilm Player, which lets you watch movies online, through a PlayStation 3 or via certain internet-enabled TVs.
There are over 6,000 movies online at the time of writing, so although it can't match the 70,000 or so available through its postal service, it's pretty impressive. LoveFilm even holds a small selection of free films, but these aren't great, and are really there so people can try the service before subscribing.
For the 6,000 titles available, LoveFilm has implemented an unusual selling strategy, making 5,000 open only to people who subscribe to its package deal. The remainder are available on a pay-per-view basis, with prices from 99p to £3.49.
LoveFilm hosts regular promotions offering free rentals for a couple of months to new customers, so our advice would be to try this before you commit to anything. The beauty of LoveFilm is that you can watch films online immediately, so there's no waiting for downloads.
Movies are streamed on demand, but there's a price to pay for instant gratification, and the quality of the movies is a little low. This isn't HD in all its glory, and is a bit disappointing on a big HDTV. Then again, those of us with slow internet connections may be thankful, because it works without hiccups.
Still, BBC iPlayer and MSN's VideoPlayer offer HD streaming, so LoveFilm has a little catching up to do. LoveFilm has an iPad app, but at the moment it only lets you order films by post, not watch them. However, if you're using a Flash-enabled browser (not Safari then) you can watch films online as you would on a PC. Not ideal, but it works.
Verdict: 4/5
iTunes
www.apple.com/itunes
Apple is a bit like Marmite - you either love it or loathe it - and the same goes for its media-rich offspring, iTunes. The store is targeted primarily at an audience of iFans - those with iPhones, iPads and everything else with an 'i' in it - although Apple also caters who want to download the latest TV show or movie to their PC, provided they don't mind watching it in the iTunes desktop app.
Apple is an American brand, so the store's content is biased towards American TV shows. This is no surprise - Apple is the dominant service in the US, with a 64.5 per cent share in the on-demand market last year.
Its biased selection isn't necessarily a bad thing, depending on what floats your boat. You'll also find the odd Brit show like recent comedy The Inbetweeners and classics like Blackadder. The film selection is quite impressive, but not quite as extensive as those of dedicated services like LoveFilm.
iTunes has one huge advantage though - most of its content (be it TV shows or movies) is available in high definition, which puts it head and shoulders above LoveFilm's standard definition line-up. You'll have to wait for it though - there's no instant access streaming here. You have to download anything you want to watch, and with the HD stuff that's going to take some time.
What makes iTunes a truly great service and a serious contender for the title of best on-demand provider is its ability to transfer any movies or TV shows straight to your mobile device. This means you can download a programme once and watch it wherever you are. Didn't have time to finish that movie on your desktop last night? Save it to your iPad and watch the rest of it on the way to work the following morning.
No other service currently offers so many ways to enjoy films and TV. You'll need to have an Apple mobile device, but that's to be expected. Should you have such a device, you can also use it to download and buy content through iTunes.
If you're stuck for entertainment on your travels you can access anything you need, although you need a Wi-Fi connection the content happens to be below 20MB, which is unlikely.
iTunes isn't perfect; it's a little bit clunky and slow at times, and unless you've already got an iDevice installed you might baulk at the need to install it just to get access to something you want to watch.
But that's the real Marmite bit of iTunes, if you want to do anything with it, it must be done through iTunes - there's no other way.
Verdict: 4/5
BT Vision
www.btvision.bt.com
Vision is BT's TV on demand service. For around £20 a month you get broadband, a Home Hub router and the all important BT Vision+ Box. This is a Freeview recorder that can access BT's on demand library. You can also upgrade your package for access to extras like Sky Sports channels for £12.50 each.
So what's it like living with BT? The system's interface has constantly evolved and at the time of writing has recently moved over to a white text on pastel blue look. Oddly, this makes the interface more difficult to see and navigate.
That minor gripe aside, BT is a well organised and thought out system. Recorded content comes from Freeview and on Demand program from BT's library. BBC iPlayer is a comparatively recent addition to the platform and BT has done a solid job implementing it. Movie rentals cost £4 for two days. For newer movies this makes sense, particularly if you fancy watching in high definition or 3D. You can't buy a blockbuster Blu-ray for that money.
The story isn't the same for older movies though. We sometimes find its cheaper to shop around and buy DVDs rather than rent from BT. The platform also boasts a huge selection of TV on demand. Episodes of major shows cost around £1 each which isn't bad value.
BT can be a bit cheeky though. We found a recent show was available for free on Channel 5's on demand services but cost £1 an episode on BT Vision.
In conclusion BT Vision is a well executed and stable platform. If you want to enjoy the latest movies at home it makes good financial sense too. When it comes to older films and some on-demand TV we recommend shopping around before streaming your evening's viewing from BT. There may be cheaper options out there.
Sky TV
www.sky.com
Murdoch's empire knows no bounds, and nothing says this better than Sky TV - the virtual monopoly that's stormed into the homes of millions of UK residents. Almost 40 per cent of households are subscribers according to Ofcom in its report on digital TV in 2010.
There are two reasons for this. Firstly, the Sky dish makes it easy to access a huge range of content. The second and more important factor is the range of programmes available to viewers, including a hefty selection of movie and sports channels.
The company's main focus is its regular TV service, which is where it makes its money, but it's still experimenting elsewhere. One of its most recent advances has been in 3D TV, letting the three million Sky+ HD customers enjoy their favourite programmes with an extra dimension.
That's not to say there hasn't been investment in other areas. Sky was one of the first TV services to offer mobile apps for viewers wanting to watch programmes on the move. Although limited to the company's sports channels, the Sky Go and Sky Mobile TV iPhone and iPad apps let mobile users watch live content where they are - even over a 3G connection (unlike the iPlayer app, which needs to be tethered to a Wi-Fi connection).
As with everything from Sky, if you want to use the apps you'll have to pay for the privilege. Sky Mobile TV costs £8 a month on the iPhone and a hefty £35 a month for the iPad. The Sky Go app is free, but you must be a Sky TV subscriber to use it.
It's a similar situation with the PC-based version of Sky's TV service, also called Sky Go. If you already subscribe to regular Sky TV, you can easily access any of the channels you already normally watch, including the live streams and any catch-up TV available. The catch-up service boasts over 500 movies, so there's plenty of up to date content to choose from.
Silverlight
Sky's video player does away with the Flash format in favour of Microsoft Silverlight, so Sky Go streams content perfectly without delay or interruption. It's a great feature, and we're surprised that it isn't more common.Non-subscribers have it much harder, as you might expect. Live streams aren't available unless you use Sky's Monthly Ticket facility, which ranges from £15 to £40 a month, and catch-up TV is heavily restricted, featuring only channels given to basic subscribers, like Sky One. Even then, you have to pay £1 to rent an episode.
It's worth noting that even if you subscribe to the Monthly Ticket you'll still need to pay nearly £150 a year for a TV licence. This leads us to wonder whether there's any point subscribing to a low-spec service from Sky when the majority of its channels are available through live or catch-up services elsewhere on the internet, which are covered by your TV licence.
The allure of subscribing to Sky is its wealth of premium film and sports channels. The internet-based Go service is tricky to use unless you know exactly where to click, and the current payment structure means it feels restricted to the casual user.
Sky Go has also branched out into the realm of gaming with Xbox 360 compatibility, which is convenient, because the console is likely to be sitting next to the TV in the living room anyway.
Verdict: 4.5/5
Virgin, TV Catchup, YouView and more
Virgin Media
www.virginmedia.com
Virgin Media and BT Vision are the only services currently available that combine a huge lineup of TV channels with a powerful broadband connection. Up to 100MB of fibre optic broadband is available to Virgin subscribers. The beauty of this is that your TV and internet data can be sent along the same line, and internet speeds tend to tally with what you pay for.
The recently demonstrated TiVo box demonstrates what this means for internet TV. The device is a PVR available in 500GB and 1TB versions, and it supports HD and 3D channels. The real advantage of the TiVo box is its built-in 10Mbps modem so you can access its catch-up and on-demand services.
The catch-up avenue gives you everything from the BBC, ITV, C4 and Demand 5 and puts it through your living room TV for free, so there's no rooting around trying to access different sites for different programmes. The on-demand side of things lets you watch TV, movies and music - generally for free, with a small charge to rent anything not included as standard - any time you like.
There's an added dimension to the TiVo box - it lets you use your mobile phone to find programmes and record them, even when you're not at home.
Virgin Media has around 160 channels on its books (19 of which are available in HD) and also includes a selection of Sky channels, so if you're planning to stray from Sky you can still access some of its services. There's even a Discovery 3D channel coming up.
Extra large
Subscribers wanting to access Virgin Media on a PC are also covered thanks to the Virgin Media Player, which lets you watch many of the channels available through its premium TV XL service. There's a caveat though - it will only work if you're subscribed to the TV XL service and Virgin broadband. If you're already paying a not insignificant £30 a month for the TV XL service, you might consider that a pretty big knife in the back from Virgin.It looks like the company is doing its best to bleed its customers dry by capitalising on the current trend for accessing TV services at a time that's convenient for them. At least Sky has some sort of loyalty to its customers. It's a shame, because Virgin's service has so much promise.
A good portion of the programmes available on the TV XL service can be watched online, and they're refreshingly easy to find - just use the channel chooser or category list to narrow down the programmes you're after.
Virgin Media goes some way towards compensating for these shortcomings by including catch-up TV in its line-up of online services, meaning you can watch programmes from a variety of other channels not currently available through its own service for up to seven days after they've aired. It's a bit of an odd one though, because these programmes are simply linked from Virgin's site, so you're not actually watching them through the Virgin Media Player.
With its TiVo box and a lack of mobile TV offerings, it's clear that - at least for now - Virgin Media is concentrating on increasing the number of people sitting down in the living room to watch its content on the box, rather than giving people more ways to view their favourite programmes on other devices.
Verdict: 4/5
TVCatchup
www.tvcatchup.comAccording to TV Licensing, if you're watching a programme as it happens live then you do need a licence, but if you're only watching on-demand services that show programmes after they're aired then you don't.
TVCatchup falls into the former category - despite its name, you need a TV licence because it lets you to watch TV as it happens. You can access content from over 40 different channels, including BBC One, Film 4 and Dave. Although the site states that these programs are free to watch, technically you still have to pay to watch them since you need to buy a TV licence, but it's a moot point if you already happen to own one.
Like other streaming sites, TVCatchup lets you watch content the moment you click the 'Watch now' button. The beauty of this particular catch-up service is that because the channels are live, if you're one of the unlucky people who have opted to use Freeview to save a few quid but can only get about four channels in your area, then TVCatchup serves to fill the void.
The quality of the service is about what you'd expect from Freeview, so it's not brilliant, but good enough for casual viewing. The only slight annoyance is that when you're watching a channel, you can't flick through the other channels quickly to see what else there is.
At some point TVCatchup would do well to offer this sort of functionality on the fly. None of the free-to-air HD channels are available, which is a shame, but TVCatchup does offer a low quality version of its channels, making it ideal if you're on a really poor connection or you just want something smaller to watch in the corner of the screen while you're doing something else.
For mobile users there's an iOS version that lets you watch content on the move. It's browser-based, so you can use a Wi-Fi or 3G connection to watch channels.
Verdict: 3/5
MSN Video Player
http://video.uk.msn.com
The MSN Video Player is a bit of a mashup between programmes you watch on TV and the sort of content you might find on YouTube, the theory being that when you get bored of watching a regular show you can switch to something a bit more light-hearted without having to open a new window and go to YouTube's website.
The TV content on MSN Video Player is a mixture of BBC, Channel 4 and MSN news stories, with some high definition material thrown in for good measure. All programmes are available in their entirety for as long as you want to watch them.
While the site doesn't offer anything particularly revolutionary, the player has a clever streaming system that uses Silverlight technology to scale the quality of the stream automatically according to the speed of your broadband connection. It works flawlessly and the quality is pretty impressive - certainly on a par with the iPlayer's HD content. You'll need to install the latest version of Silverlight to enjoy uninterrupted viewing.
If you have a media centre PC next to your living room TV then you should certainly take advantage of the MSN Video Player app built into Windows Media Center. It neatly adjusts the interface to suit Media Center's proportions.
Verdict: 3/5
Youview
www.youview.com
Still in its lengthy development stage - the launch is pencilled in for early 2012 - YouView is the culmination of all the best free live, catch-up and on-demand TV services. It combines Freeview and the most popular internet-based services and allows you to access them all through a single box connected to the internet.
This doubles as a PVR, letting you record anything you're watching. All the content is free, so the only bit you pay for is the box. This looks like one of the more promising services because it unites the best of what's available and means you can say goodbye to the paid-for TV monopolies.
Verdict: 2/5
BlinkBox
www.blinkbox.com
BlinkBox is in direct competition with LoveFilm, but it has an advantage, because as well as streaming movies, it lets you download them straight to your hard drive. There's a direct link available to download the WMV file, so you could even burn it to a disc or pop it onto a portable media player.
Like LoveFilm, there's an option to scale the quality depending on your internet connection. Sadly, there's no app to let you to stream it to a device like the PS3 yet, so you'll have to connect your PC directly to you big screen TV.
Verdict: 3/5
4OD
www.channel4.com/programmes/4od
Unlike many of the terrestrial catch-up TV providers, Channel 4's 4OD service keeps its programmes available online permanently, so you don't have to worry about any disappearing.
If you have children using your PC, you can set up a PIN to stop them watching adult shows - something that's often overlooked by other providers.
Although not found in the same part of the Channel 4 website, Film4 also has an on-demand function. This lets you to watch recently aired films and new releases independent of the channel. Unfortunately you have to pay a premium to do so.
Verdict: 3.5/5
Vimeo
www.vimeo.com
Vimeo feels like a slick, grown-up version of YouTube. It looks better, and although it lacks the wealth of content offered by its competitor, that's not a bad thing - Vimeo focuses on quality over quantity.
What really propels Vimeo above the likes of YouTube is its potential for users to create their own TV shows (in 720p HD) and get them seen by the world for free. You can create your own channel, but with over 190,000 already out there, your content will have to be good to stand out.
Vimeo even shows you how to record great footage in its video school. Some say that the future of TV could be made by the viewers, but Vimeo is already doing it.
Verdict: 4/5
Zattoo
www.zattoo.com
In a previous lifetime, Zattoo let you stream terrestrial channels for free, but that came to an end (opening up the way for the much slicker TVCatchup service) and the service now provides a range of channels from around the world, including Welsh channel S4C, Al Jazeera and even the God Channel.
The quality of the video is excellent given the low-key nature of the service. There's also an electronic programme guide available. It's a great tool for brushing up on a language, or if you simply want to see what's going on around the globe.
Verdict: 3/5
Tune in to the future
Although mobile and on-demand services are on the increase thanks to a lot of healthy competition, the British public still consider TV to be a bit of an occasion. Consequently - as the TV Licensing organisation has discovered - just 0.1 per cent of us take full advantage of the breadth of TV available, with the rest preferring to sit on the sofa and watch on increasingly big screens.
It seems we still like to consume TV when it's broadcast live, instead of watching it on catch-up services at a later date. The spectacle - the magic of the here and now - is lost in this new technology.
And there is a sense of magic involved in television, as Ian Logie Baird (grandson of John Logie Baird) points out. "TV invites us into other worlds so that we may escape the hectic pace of our own. It expands our understanding of the world stage and the roles we can play in it. There is no question television is playing a more central role in our lives than ever."
While the competition behind this new wave of TV is making it easier for us to access what we want when we want it, doing so can feel like like hard work, even though it's meant to make life easier.
Fragmented services
Internet-enabled smart TVs should have a huge impact on the UK market - at least in the short term - because they let those of us without paid-for TV services like Sky or Virgin access many of these fragmented services from our living room, without having to use a PC. The more apps become available for these TVs, the more we will be able to have our cake and eat it.Another of the difficulties with the current TV model is that content creators are tied tightly to distributors like Sky, so when you want to watch something specific, you're forced to sign up for the entire service to get to it. In the future, we might not face such challenges.
The internet has brought us an incredible amount of freedom, and it should have the same effect on the TV industry. In much the same way that magazines are now sold directly to the consumer through the internet, bypassing the newsagent, at some point the same will happen with TV and content creators will be able to sell individual programmes or channels to us.
It's no surprise that forward thinking TV services like BT Vision and iTunes are doing this already. The living room TV will certainly remain the main viewing tool for many years to come. Rather than being replaced with other devices, widescreen TVs will instead be supplemented by them.
Graham Thomas, Section Lead of Production Magic for BBC Research and Development, agrees: "The traditional method of watching TV won't be replaced. TV didn't replace radio many years ago and the same will probably happen with internet or mobile TV."
Thomas suggests that TV may instead evolve to suit its habitat, embracing the technology around it. "If you've ever watched Have I Got News For You, you might be aware that as well as watching the show, you can contribute to it over Twitter as it's happening, meaning that viewers can be directly involved in its outcome."
Richard Lindsay-Davies, Director General of the Digital TV Group in the UK, agrees: "We will see the rise of the second screen, where viewers will watch TV in the living room while interacting while using a second device like a laptop or mobile to interact with the content on the main TV, allowing viewers to have more choice and more control over what's on TV."
We've seen this sort of viewer interactivity since the days of Teletext. According to a poll of 4,000 people in the UK by Deloitte, more people than ever are browsing the internet while they watch TV - 68 per cent in fact. This time TV interactivity will be a lot more fluid, and viewers will be able to chat with others watching the show.
It's no surprise that social networking sites are getting involved in the game in a new and fashionable way. A Miramax movie app for the site is on the cards, and the BBC is planning to start selling Top Gear episodes for 93p a shot, allowing users of the site to watch them via an app built into the framework.
Paying the bills
Facebook's model is likely to succeed, since pay per view is the most viable means of monetising TV services. Pay as you go will give consumers ultimate flexibility and means they can get the best value from the TV they watch.However, there's no romance or sense of occasion attached to on-demand viewing. With so much content demanding your attention and money, how will you know what's good and therefore what to choose if nobody curates it for you? The future of TV might be an exciting one to watch, but it could also lack that special magic.
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