CORDENONS, Italy – April, 26 2011 – Televisions are among the most widely adopted electronic devices in the world. We’ve all watched as enormous innovation around the TV — color screens, gaming consoles, DVRs, high definition, LCDs and 3-D — have all shaped our experience with content, entertainment and the devices themselves. Today the television is more than a simple, passive entertainment device. It has become a smart techology platform designed to give users the ability to consume a variety of entertainment types with an increasing number of connected experiences.
BLUROSSO created i-TV with high-end simplicity and connectivity in mind, with features like enhanced audio components, a Blu-ray player and full Internet access.
Global Industry Analysts Inc. expects the global market for Internet TV to reach $81.2 billion by 2017, showing that even though consumers are at home, they still want access to everything they would typically view on their phone, laptop or tablet — without any complex setup, four remote controls or a keyboard resting on their sofa or ottoman. BLUROSSO created the i-TV with just that in mind. Its features include high-end audio components, a Blu-ray player and full Internet access, ensuring that viewers are connected to the world they’ve become accustomed to.
Remember back to the experience of having a TV installed. How many devices were hooked up to it? One, three, maybe even five? Managing tangled wires, finding a clever way to encase the maze of plugs with an entertainment center or cleverly hiding them behind the wall was not a fun task. BLUROSSO’s concept combined with Windows Embedded technology brings security, stability and compatibility to consumers with thousands of interactive applications and devices with guess what? Only one power cable and no components to connect!
“Our vision is to create the perfect device for convergence of the Internet and television,” says BLUROSSO founder Claudio Nori. “People don’t want a PC and keyboard in their living area. They want an entertainment system simple enough that anyone can use, but powerful enough to access their personal videos, music and pictures, as well as to navigate the full range of multimedia available on Internet sites like YouTube and Hulu.”
The development team at BLUROSSO chose to work with Windows Embedded Standard 7 because it offers the power, familiarity and reliability of the Windows 7 operating system in a componentized form while allowing consumers to connect a multitude of devices to BLUROSSO’s intelligent TV.
Microsoft Windows Embedded is like an open door to a wide variety of multimedia applications, devices and services,” claims Nori. “It seems like every new portable and wireless device is Windows compatible.”
Since BLUROSSO was fairly new to the embedded world, the company was looking for an operating system that provided familiar programming tools and support resources. Windows Embedded Standard 7 met its specific needs by providing the applications and support it needed but went further to equip the development team with the capabilities to bring its product to market quicker.
“We needed to build a working prototype quickly to gain interest from distributors at major European electronics fairs,” recalls Luca Caregnato, software developer, BLUROSSO. “Thanks to the support of Microsoft and the quality of Windows Embedded technology, development of the system software took just four months, and we met all our critical deadlines.”
The product BLUROSSO created is called Vivaldi I-TV, an intelligent TV that reduces the number of devices in the living area by consolidating multiple functions, which in most cases can be launched by a click with Vivaldi’s remote control. The team at BLUROSSO looked to bring the ultimate viewing and luxury experience to its consumers by not only providing the latest embedded technology but by manufacturing its product with impressive materials like Italian leather, aluminum, carbon fiber and marble paired with a Virtual Dolby Surround sound system, Blu-Ray player and built-in webcam.
Imagine turning on your television with the wave of a hand or changing the channel in the same way you change screens with Xbox Kinect. Looking to the future, BLUROSSO plans to build on its new connected TV experience by exploring how it can use gesture control technology and is planning to provide integration with Windows Phone 7 handsets.
Visit BLUROSSO to find more information on the Vivaldi I-TV or some of its other products. For more news on Windows Embedded Standard 7 and other Windows Embedded platforms follow us on Twitter @MSFTWEB or the Windows Embedded News Center.
