TPF ‘Emerging Tech’ Panel: Focusing on the User Experience

TEMPE, Ariz. — The panel assembled for Friday’s “Emerging Technologies” seminar at the Phoenix Forum emphasized that content delivery technologies currently in development are focused on improving web users’ experience and taking users beyond being passive recipients of content.

Moderated by Walter H of CCBill and Cave Creek Hosting, the panel included David Reisfeld of Level 3 Communications, Tim Ash of Site Tuners, Peter Goldstein from VideoBox.com and David Robinson of Evotum.

Robinson said that Evotum’s technology is designed to give web users an experience more like that of watching television, delivering full-screen, high quality video that is cross-platform compatible and that does not rely on the user having specific plug-ins or codecs installed.

“We’re agnostic across all platforms and formats,” Robinson said.

Goldstein spoke about VideoBox’s proprietary technology that allows users to select only the portions of scenes that they want to watch, and allowing them to stream or download clips accordingly.

Goldstein said that according to the data tracking that VideoBox has done, there is a clear trend among costumers towards using the highest quality file that their own technical resources will permit them to consume.

“As end users’ available bandwidth and the power of their machines continue to increase, users download the highest level that their pipe can fit, and that their machine can handle,” Goldstein said.

Reisfeld spoke about Level 3’s content delivery network (CDN) and the advantages of using CDNs generally, describing CDNs as a form of “outsourced infrastructure to serve content.”

“Instead of building out your own infrastructure, you outsource that delivery to the CDN,” Reisfeld said, drawing an analogy between CDNs and the services provided by Federal Express, which delivers packages through a variety of hubs throughout the world.

Some of the advantages of employing a CDN include the CDN’s ability to “mitigate network congestion,” and to “address the ‘last mile’ challenge.”

Ash, who specializes in optimizing landing pages to make most effective use of the traffic that a site receives, stressed the importance of analyzing user behavior and testing the efficacy of your site’s landing pages, tours and other crucial site components.

“None of you understand your users,” Ash said, adding that if one tests their assumptions extensively, they will learn that many of their preconceived notions are wrong.

“I’ve done lots of testing, and a lot of the time, I’m wrong,” Ash said.

At the end of the day, Goldstein said, the most important pending development is one that sounds incredibly simple, but has yet to manifest itself.

“We think it’s crucial that [it becomes] possible for you to easily download content from the web and play it on your TV,” Goldstein said, adding that while he’s sure that such a solution is bound to be crafted, it’s not yet clear which of the players in the market will be the first to develop it.

Related:  

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Streamster Launches 'Tip2Peep' Camera-Switching Feature

Live-streaming software provider Streamster has launched Tip2Peep, a new feature that allows viewers to switch between multiple webcam viewing angles by tipping the creator.

Tyler Wu Guests on Chaturbate's 'Sex Tales' Podcast

Tyler Wu is the latest guest on Chaturbate’s “Sex Tales” podcast, hosted by Melissa Stratton and Vanniall on the company’s “Camming Life” YouTube channel.

Fleshy to Launch Interactive Cam Site 'Eromote'

Male pleasure brand Fleshy has announced that it will launch an interactive, bidirectional cam site next month called Eromote.

XBIZ LA Show Introduces New 'Crib Crawl' Feature

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the 2025 edition of its flagship conference, the XBIZ Show, will debut a brand-new feature: Crib Crawl, offering attendees the chance to meet and greet representatives from leading brands and organizations in dedicated suites at the host venue.

Pre-Nominations Now Open for 2025 TEAs

The pre-nomination period for the 2025 Trans Erotica Awards (TEAs) is now open.

Byborg Invests $22.35M in PLBY Group

Luxembourg-based Byborg Enterprises SA is investing $22.35 million in Playboy parent company PLBY Group.

Supreme Court to Hear Oral Arguments on Texas AV Law in January

The United States Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments for Free Speech Coalition's challenge to Texas’ age verification law to take place Wednesday, Jan. 15.

2025 XBIZ Exec Awards Nominees for Online Industry Announced

XBIZ is pleased to announce the nominees for the online industry edition of the 2025 XBIZ Exec Awards, set to be presented as part of the annual XBIZ Honors ceremony on Wednesday, Jan. 15 in conjunction with the XBIZ 2025 conference.

Project 2025 Leader Claims Big Tech Companies 'Deliberately Fuel Pornography Addiction' Among Men

Heritage Foundation president and Project 2025 leader Kevin Roberts published on Wednesday the text of a speech in which he persists with his past claim that “predatory Big Tech corporations” are “deliberately fueling pornography addiction” among young men.

FSC Petitions 10th Circuit for Review of Utah AV Dismissal

Free Speech Coalition (FSC) on Wednesday petitioned the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit to review a decision handed down earlier this month by a three-judge panel of the same appeals court, which denied FSC the right to challenge Utah’s controversial age verification law by suing state officials.

Show More