• Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015
Review: Apple TV brings iPhone-like apps to the big screen
This screen shot made Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015 shows the App store on the new Apple TV. (AP Photo)
NEW YORK (AP) -- 

It turns out that Apple's streaming-TV box - aptly named Apple TV - isn't just for streaming anymore. Its latest incarnation, which ships this week, offers on the big screen just about anything you could previously only do on an iPhone or iPad.

Whether that's good may depend on whether you really want to buy shoes, browse home listings or read comic books on your TV. The new Apple TV looks to be a capable device for those purposes, although it's not flawless. Its streaming-TV features also trump those of its predecessor.

The new Apple TV will set you back $149, or $199 for a version with extra storage. Apple will still sell the old version for $69. Neither requires an iPhone or iPad, although either iDevice can simplify the Apple TV setup process.

THE BASICS
Apple TV has been a dependable streamer, but until now its repertoire was limited to a few dozen services. Sure, these included Netflix, Hulu and HBO. But Apple didn't let you add other channels - say, competitive videogame play from Twitch.tv - on your own.

That's all changed. The new Apple TV features an iPhone-like app store that lets you choose your own streaming services. And it's no longer pushy about steering you to iTunes and other Apple services. You can easily customize the home screen with your favorites.

Video quality on the new Apple TV maxes out at full high definition, known technically as 1080p. That should be plenty for most people. Video enthusiasts may complain that it doesn't support a higher-quality video standard called ultra-high definition or 4K, as several other streaming boxes do. But there aren't many 4K TVs or much programming for them available yet.

The Apple TV remote doesn't have a headphone jack, which other streaming devices like the Roku 3 and 4 and the Nvidia Shield offer to spare your family and roommates late at night. Instead, Apple TV supports Bluetooth wireless headphones. Although you need to buy those separately, I prefer them because it can be tricky doing chores with a remote dangling from your headphone cords.

It's not yet clear whether you'll be able to stream video from Amazon and Google Play. Both companies have competing video stores, and one sticking point could be the cut Apple takes on in-app digital sales. Other major services, including Google's YouTube, are expected on the Apple TV.

INNOVATIONS
The new Apple TV enables voice searches using the Siri virtual assistant. Request "Seinfeld" or Jennifer Lawrence, and Apple TV will look through catalogs for iTunes, Hulu, Netflix, HBO and Showtime, with more to come. You can even ask for "good documentaries to watch."

Although similar capabilities are available on other devices, Apple TV goes further in a few ways:

- The remote replaces traditional rewind and forward buttons with a laptop-style trackpad. By sliding left and right, you control playback and navigate the on-screen keyboard more quickly. Sliding down gets you settings and show details, when available. The remote also lets you control the TV's power and volume directly, something I've seen only with TiVo video players.

- You can control playback by asking Siri to rewind 45 seconds or jump ahead five minutes, though some services won't let you forward past commercials. Saying "What did she say?" will rewind video 15 seconds and briefly turn on closed captioning, when available. It works fully with iTunes for now, but the closed-captioning part doesn't work with all third-party services yet.

- You can ask Siri for a specific episode, such as the "How I Met Your Mother" episode with Katie Holmes. Guest stars tend to trip up rival devices.

BEYOND STREAMING
Siri offers weather, stocks and sports information. It was great for tracking Tuesday's World Series opener without watching the game. This feature isn't unique to Apple TV, but unlike the competition, Apple TV feeds you info without interrupting your video by sliding up results from the bottom of the screen.

I had to rephrase or repeat my questions a few times, especially if I was speaking quickly. As long as I enunciated clearly, results were mostly satisfactory. Apple TV's version of Siri, however, won't handle general Web searches.

Apple TV catches up with rivals in enabling games. The remote has sensors that let you navigate spaceships and swing baseball bats by moving it around. But a bigger potential lies in bringing other apps to the big screen.

You can browse home to buy through Zillow and places to stay on vacation through Airbnb. Images on the big TV gave me a better sense of these properties than phone browsing would. You can also shop through Gilt and QVC.

ROOM TO GROW
Apple still needs to persuade developers to make more apps that really exploit the larger, and often shared, TV screen. Many of the apps now available are limited to one user profile or account, making them difficult for others to use.

It would also be nice for Apple TV to work better with payment services. You can easily buy videos and games with your iTunes account, but non-digital products are another story. Airbnb, for instance, will let you "favorite" places to stay, but you'll need a phone or computer to book a room. It's not exactly the relaxed, couch-potato experience you expect from TV.

Generally speaking, though, the new Apple TV has taken an important first step into a broader world. Plenty of devices do video and games well. With a new range of non-streaming apps, Apple has an opportunity to do much more than that.

  • Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015
Miller Camera Support Equipment extends reach into Latin America via IntekTV
SYDNEY -- 

Miller Camera Support Equipment, which designs, manufacture and delivers professional fluid heads and tripods to the film and TV industry, has connected with Miami-based distributor IntekTV, which will become a distribution hub for Miller equipment in Argentina. This relationship allows Miller to further its global reach and continue expanding into Latin America.

“With IntekTV’s strategic location in Miami, and contacts throughout Argentina, Miller is proud to have it as a partner for this new endeavor,” said Gus Harilaou, regional manager for the Americas, Miller Camera Support, LLC. “Latin America as a whole has grown into a major broadcast production market, and Miller is excited to have IntekTV as its representative there. With its reputation, knowledge of the industry and technical expertise, we are confident that it will be a great partner for our company within the region.”

IntekTV will offer a full complement of Miller products, including the Arrow, Compass, Skyline and Cineline ranges, as part of its profile, to help grow the Latin American broadcast market.

  • Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015
Quantum Unveils Xcellis Shared Workflow Storage Solution
Xcellis End-to-End, Shared Workflow Storage
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- 

Quantum Corp. (NYSE: QTM) has introduced Xcellis™, a next-generation, high-performance, end-to-end, shared workflow storage solution that empowers users to boost their efficiency, productivity and creativity in delivering the products and services that drive their business. Consolidating media and metadata management, extending connectivity options for both Fibre Channel and Ethernet clients, and supporting hosted applications, the new system greatly enhances productivity in collaborative media environments by integrating the most important components of workflow storage into a single, easy-to-manage, fully scalable hardware solution. This solution supports online work in process, ingest and delivery, and archive through Quantum’s portfolio of Lattus® object storage, LTO tape and Q-Cloud® services, all running on the powerful StorNext 5 media workflow platform.

Today’s modern, high-resolution media workflows demand the highest levels of performance and collaboration out of the underlying storage infrastructure. At the same time, media content has long-term value and needs to be cost-effectively retained in an easy-to-access archive. Xcellis helps solve these challenges by combining the power of SAN and the low-cost connectivity of NAS in a single, continuously scalable system, thereby simplifying the storage architecture and streamlining operations. With Xcellis, workflows are enhanced to drive greater efficiency, productivity and creativity while also enabling long-term content archives using either private or public cloud infrastructure.

Xcellis takes workflow storage to the next level by integrating real-time and “non-real-time” media production support elements in the same system. At the heart of the new solution, the Xcellis Workflow Director controls shared client access privileges and provides simultaneous client connectivity across all popular network types, including Fibre Channel and IP for SMB, CIFS, NFS and Quantum’s higher-performing Distributed LAN Client (DLC) — while also supporting hosted applications. By bringing the functionality of multiple disparate components into a single system that occupies just 4 RU of space, the Xcellis Workflow Director both simplifies the overall storage architecture and streamlines operation and management. Optimized for modern workflows, Xcellis also recognizes that many operations do not require high-speed Fibre Channel and can instead take advantage of low-cost IP NAS connectivity. Xcellis improves productivity by eliminating the need for separate islands of storage and allowing all clients and workflow automation operations such as transcode, QA and delivery to share storage with complete transparent access to all assets and content, regardless of interface type or operating system.

Maximizing power
Xcellis takes maximum advantage of Quantum’s StorNext 5 platform to provide content production, distribution and archive with the performance and reliability needed to meet extreme production and delivery deadlines. Powered by StorNext 5, Xcellis offers:
• Streaming performance for ingest, transcoding and delivery, especially important for today’s high-resolution and HDR-enabled workflows.
• Optimized high-speed Fibre Channel SAN connectivity for which StorNext® is known, along with cost-effective LAN, SMB and NFS sharing options, with IP connectivity for easy deployment and integration into all broadcast and postproduction environments.
• Intelligent, policy-driven file movement across LTO tape (LTO-6 and LTO-7), LTFS, object storage and cloud archive systems for an optimal balance of media access and storage TCO.
• High-speed collaboration across Mac OS X®, Windows® and Linux.

Scalability
Xcellis users can start with the smallest possible system and scale smoothly to the largest possible system with no replacement of original hardware investment and no interruption. While nearly doubling the number of files that Quantum workflow storage can handle, Xcellis also enables users to:
• Scale capacity and bandwidth independently to realize the performance characteristics ideal for their operations, tuning performance to the roles of different individuals within the workflow.
• Protect and maximize their investment by paying only for what they require and eliminating disruptive and costly hardware changes as their system grows.
• Independently and economically scale performance and capacity, now up to 10 billion unmanaged files, or 1.4 billion managed files in up to 64 file system volumes.

StorNext Connect
Xcellis also features StorNext Connect™, the full-featured management tool that supports users in configuring, deploying and scaling the entire storage system and clients and also helps them to identify and resolve issues quickly for optimal performance and maximum uptime. Quantum is continually updating StorNext Connect, and Xcellis users will benefit from a newly enhanced customer self-install feature, as well as NAS (IP client) configuration within the StorNext Connect UI.

Updated StorNext Pro Solutions
StorNext Pro™ Solutions — complete turnkey workflow storage solutions custom-tailored to meet specific media industry challenges such as 4K production and Xsan refresh — have also been updated with Xcellis configurations. By leveraging the Xcellis Workflow Director, StorNext Pro Solutions now offer greater scalability and improved performance and connectivity options, providing even greater value for facilities requiring a turnkey solution.

Alex Grossman, VP, Media and Entertainment, Quantum, stated, “Xcellis shared workflow storage consolidates client access control, client connectivity and hosted application capabilities into a single solution with extraordinary in-place scalability. These advanced capabilities help users improve efficiency and productivity and meet ever-greater demands in high-resolution workflows. In addition, Xcellis offers flexible configuration and scalability options to reduce the cost and complexity of deployment while facilitating smart, simple and cost-effective growth.”

  • Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015
Canon expands Explorers of Light program
MELVILLE, NY -- 

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of its Explorers of Light Program, Canon U.S.A., Inc. announced it is welcoming new members into the program, including: Lindsay Adler, David Bergman, Jimmy Chin, Charles Glatzer, Joel Grimes, Peter Hurley, and Roberto Valenzuela. These new members add to the already impressive ranks of Canon’s program, expanding to align with a wide range of talented personalities that impact imaging culture and influence the way their audiences see the world. Many of these new Explorers of Light will be on hand at the Canon Booth (#121) at PhotoPlus Expo 2015, October 22-24 at the Javits Center in New York City.

The new ambassadors for the Explorers of Light Program go beyond the boundaries of still photography by sharing their work through gallery prints, the silver screen, Facebook, Instagram and more. These influential talents are constantly advancing their craft and helping to create new ways in which our world is visually captured and shared. The program brings these creative individuals together to offer their knowledge, photographic passion, and technical expertise while also acting as a conduit of two-way communication between Canon and various developing imaging markets.

“Our world is constantly changing, and Canon prides itself on being at the forefront of change. For 20 years the Explorers of Light program has enabled us to align with amazing professional photographers that educate and inspire, and now these new luminaries will help us to engage in meaningful two-way communication with exciting and emerging imaging markets,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. 

Since the creation of the program in 1995, Canon’s Explorers of Light have been leaders in their respective fields, garnering awards and accolades for their work. These individuals work with Canon extensively as representatives, ambassadors, educators, and role models for aspiring creative artists.  They participate in workshops, seminars, gallery showings and personal appearances throughout the United States.

  • Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015
Fodstad upped to CEO of Pexip
Åsmund O. Fodstad
OSLO, Norway -- 

Pexip, known for scalable, distributed collaboration software, announced that Åsmund O. Fodstad, formerly EVP of global sales and marketing at the company, has been appointed CEO. Co-founder and former CEO Simen Teigre will join the company’s board of directors and, through a transition period, serve as special advisor to the CEO.

Fodstad joined Pexip in April 2013 and has been EVP of global sales and marketing since January 2014. Prior to joining Pexip, he had 20 years of leadership experience working at companies such as Tandberg, REC, and projectiondesign, and as general manager for SuperOffice. Fodstad has extensive experience building global sales, marketing, and distribution networks. Based in Hong Kong, he developed Tandberg’s APAC business and led REC’s global sales beyond a billion dollars. In his New York-based sales leadership role at Pexip, he built a high-performing global sales operation and delivered strong commercial results for the company.

Since the incorporation of Pexip in April 2012, the company has experienced explosive growth and adoption of its innovative collaboration software in the global market. Fortune 500 companies across every vertical, leading education institutions, and public organizations have embraced the Pexip Infinity solution at record speed. Pexip customers are now using the Pexip Infinity platform at a rate of 100 million minutes annually, double the amount from just six months ago.

“It has been an incredible journey with the Pexip team over the past three-and-a-half years, building Pexip from the ground up to become a global disruptor in collaboration software,” said Teigre. “But being CEO of a high-tech startup is like running a sprint where the distance is a marathon — the race is thus best run as a relay. As CEO, I believe the time is now right to pass on the leadership baton.”

Pexip’s award-winning Infinity platform allows organizations to offer video, audio, and Web-based collaboration solutions to every employee via existing IT and cloud infrastructures. Built on a purely software-based and hugely scalable architecture, the platform is quick and easy to install, deploy, operate, and manage, allowing customers to capitalize on their existing investments, to create truly seamless virtual collaboration environments.

  • Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015
JVC demonstrates upgraded 4KCAM camera line at Photoplus Expo
JVC's GY-LS300
WAYNE, NJ -- 

JVC Professional Video, a division of JVCKENWOOD USA Corporation, will demonstrate its upgraded 4KCAM camera line for filmmakers and digital production applications during PhotoPlus Expo (Booth 1101), which runs Oct. 22-24, 2015, at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City.

“PhotoPlus is considered to be the largest photography and imaging show in North America, so it’s the perfect venue to show our upgraded 4KCAM camera line,” said Craig Yanagi, product marketing manager. “The GY-LS300 is the 4KCAM flagship camera, and it’s sure to get a lot of interest because of its new recording modes for digital cinema production and unique Prime Zoom feature.”

Variable Scan Mapping technology, available exclusively in the GY-LS300, adapts the camera’s Super 35 CMOS sensor to provide native support of MFT, PL, and EF mount lenses, among many others. The technology also drives the new Prime Zoom feature, which allows shooters using fixed-focal (prime) lenses to zoom in and out – without losing resolution or depth of field – using the camera’s hand grip zoom rocker. Prime Zoom can also be used as a lens extender for zoom lenses.

The GY-LS300’s new “JVC Log” gamma setting expands dynamic range by 800 percent for increased post-production color grading flexibility and greatly enhanced image details. Other new recording modes include Cinema 4K (4096x2180) and Cinema 2K (2048x1080), which offer a 17:9 aspect ratio for digital cinema presentations.

All 4KCAM camcorders – the GY-LS300, GY-HM200, and GY-HM170 – feature a new 70 Mbps recording mode for recording 4K footage on economical Class 10 SDHC/SDXC memory cards. Plus, every model includes dual XLR audio inputs, integrated handle with hot shoe and dedicated microphone mount, and LCD display and color viewfinder.

JVC will also preview a new slow motion 120fps HD recording mode, which will be added to the GY-HM200 and GY-HM170 models with a free firmware upgrade in December. “This new feature brings more creative options to producers, and demonstrates JVC’s commitment to upgrading cameras based on feedback from our customers,” said Yanagi. 

Both the GY-LS300 and GY-HM200 include a built-in HD streaming engine with Wi-Fi and 4G LTE connectivity. With support for various streaming protocols, the cameras can stream directly various content delivery networks (CDNs) and Web sites. The GY-HM170, JVC’s most affordable 4K camcorder, features a built-in 12x zoom lens (24x dynamic zoom in HD mode) with optical image stabilizer, as well as comprehensive video profile settings and wired remote control capability.

  • Friday, Oct. 16, 2015
AMIA sets keynote speakers for Digital Asset Symposium
Erik Weaver
LOS ANGELES -- 

The Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA) has enlisted keynote speakers Erik Weaver and John Downey for the Digital Asset Symposium (DAS), which takes place Nov. 18-19 in Portland, Ore., at the Hilton Portland & Executive Tower. This year marks the first time that DAS will run simultaneously with AMIA’s Annual Conference, taking place Nov. 18-21.

Weaver will open DAS Wednesday evening with an in-depth look at the future of digital media, and Downey will focus on the future of storage and the cloud in the second keynote following lunch on Thursday.

Weaver is a recognized expert on the intersection of the cloud with media and entertainment, and runs “Project Cloud” for The School of Cinematic Arts’ Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) at the University of Southern California (USC). The project unites senior leaders from the six major studios in developing next generation cloud standards, supporting Hollywood organizations and major cloud vendors, and producing proof of concepts. The group encompasses many aspects of the cloud including transport, security, metadata, long-term storage, and formation of an agnostic framework that unites key vendors and studios. Previously, Weaver was CEO of Digital Ribbon, Inc., a very early pioneer in the field of cloud-based computing.

Downey is founder and CEO of NextGen Storage, a company dedicated to accelerating the breadth and market adoption of next-generation, cloud-integrated storage technologies and services. In his role, Downey delivers thought leadership around data storage and data management technologies and their intersection with cloud computing. Prior to launching NextGen Storage, he managed enterprise storage strategies for Amazon Web Services.

Bringing DAS to Portland in conjunction with the annual conference and a half day edition of The Reel Thing Technical Symposium creates a comprehensive, cross-discipline look at media preservation and access. Since 2007, DAS has been a unique forum for a broad range of experts from content creators, technologists, storage specialists, systems designers, and archivists who tackle similar media management challenges.

“Whether you work in archives, entertainment, gaming, law enforcement, education, or beyond, the challenges of handling digital content can be monumental,” said Tom Regal, VP of Pro-Tek Vaults, who serves as DAS program chair. “The race to keep up with evolving technologies – and their impact on workflows, access, security, and content management – is universal. DAS is built around the idea that while our specific focus may be different, all of us working with digital media share core challenges and we can learn from each other.”

Additional speakers and session topics will be announced soon. Past participants have included authorities in the field from the WWE Network, Bandito Bros, Belgium Ministry of Culture, HyperTED, MoMA, John Hopkins University, Los Angeles Police Department, and The Living Archive.

  • Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015
CGV chooses Christie 6P Laser Projection For Big Screen In South Korea
Christie's laser projection system
SEOUL, South Korea -- 

CGV, a subsidiary of CJ Group and South Korea’s largest multiplex cinema chain, has installed Christie’s groundbreaking 6-Primary (6P) laser projection system in CGV Starium, which houses one of the largest screens in the world.

Located in the sprawling Times Square shopping mall in Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo district, CGV Starium is a deluxe 545-seat auditorium equipped with a giant screen that measures 32 meters in width--making it an ideal venue for installing the Christie CP42LH high frame rate 3DLP 4K RGB laser projector, which provides an ultra-bright and colorful platform for huge screen theaters. This makes CGV the first cinema chain in South Korea to deploy Christie’s pinnacle cinematic projection technology.

“We are very proud and excited to install Christie’s top-of-the-range CP42LH laser projection system in CGV Starium, which makes us the first cinema chain in South Korea to offer audiences an unrivaled 3D visual experience which, in my opinion, is the future of cinema presentation,” said Nochan Park, senior manager, Cinema Technology Team, CGV. “The moment we saw the amazing 3D visuals projected by the CP42LH, we knew this is what we have been looking for all along – high-brightness and natural 3D that further pushes the capability of high quality visuals to new heights. Over the last two decades, CGV has been fully committed in providing patrons with the best cinematic experience, and the decision to select the latest technologies from Christie reinforces our pledge to be the cinema chain of choice for movie-goers.”

The upgrade will replace CGV Starium’s existing Christie 4K dual xenon system with a state-of-the-art pair of Christie 4K laser projection heads, a 6P modular laser light farm with fiber-optic delivery, Christie 4K 3D high-bitrate server, and a new premium white screen. This particular system is designed to achieve over 14-foot lamberts onscreen in 3D and an astounding light output of 108,000 lumens, far exceeding any ‘ultra-bright’ industry standards. The CP42LH has been officially commissioned and commences regular movie screenings from today.

Henry Khang, general manager, Christie Korea, commented, “Our non-flashing 6P architecture is by far the most light-efficient 3D technology on the market, providing incredible brightness, enhanced color gamut and a remarkable contrast ratio. We are very pleased that CGV has selected Christie for its next-generation cinema projection technology and are confident that this installation at CGV Starium will deliver an unmatched cinematic presentation to movie-goers. The unique system design and configuration of this laser projection system will further distinguish CGV Starium as one of Asia’s most premier cinema venues.”

Anchored by the Christie Freedom laser illumination system, the CP42LH produces a color gamut that exceeds the DCI P3 color and replicates the Rec. 2020 space, making it the most advanced RGB laser cinema projection system available. It consists of rack-mounted laser modules where each module can produce up to 5,000 lumens of white light. Because of the scalability of this platform, up to 12 laser modules can be easily added, removed, activated or disabled depending on the brightness requirements. This provides up to 60,000 lumens per rack. Each laser module is also independently cooled, providing built-in fault protection, improved efficiency and ultimate reliability.

A number of cinema chains around the world have chosen Christie’s 6P laser projection system--since its rollout last year--as their preferred choice for a superior 3D cinema experience. Theater chains equipped with Christie laser projection technology include Seattle Cinerama, and Moody Gardens in North America. In Asia, the iconic Shanghai Film Art Center in China is the first theater to be fitted with the CP42LH.

Christie’s 6P laser technology has also been endorsed by Dolby as a foundation technology for Dolby Cinema, a branded premium cinema offering for exhibitors and movie-goers that delivers the best cinema experience ever. So far, the famous El Capitan Theater in Hollywood as well as AMC Theaters in Burbank, Atlanta, Houston and Kansas City across the United States are delivering this total premium cinema experience, while JT Bioscopen in Eindhoven and Hilversum in The Netherlands, and Cineplexx Linz in Austria have also commenced screenings using Dolby Vision, the visual aspect of Dolby Cinema, which is anchored by Christie laser projection.

  • Monday, Oct. 12, 2015
Dell moves into data storage market, buys EMC in $67B deal
In this Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012, file photo, the sun is reflected in the exterior of Dell Inc.'s offices in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)
NEW YORK (AP) -- 

Dell is buying data storage company EMC for $67 billion in a huge bet on a segment of technology that has proven to be more profitable than the slumping personal computer market.

The acquisition announced Monday marks Dell's latest attempt to lessen its dependence on the PC industry that it helped pioneer as demand for desktop and laptop machines weakens amid the growing popularity of smartphones and tablets.

The price makes this the largest deal ever between two technology companies, eclipsing Avago Technologies' proposed $37 billion acquisition of rival chipmaker Broadcom announced five months ago.

The Dell-EMC union is an illustration of how older technology companies are scrambling to adapt to the upheaval unleashed by Apple's introduction of the trendsetting iPhone eight years ago and the advent of digital services that are hosted in remote data centers so they can be reached by any Internet-connected device.

Since going private in a $25 billion deal completed in 2013, Dell Inc. has been investing in research and development and expanding its software and services business as those in the technology industry continue to struggle with soft PC sales.

EMC meanwhile has been shifting from a provider of data storage hardware such as on-premise data centers to offering a more comprehensive suite of products to businesses, from cloud storage to security offerings.

"Our new company will be exceptionally well-positioned for growth in the most strategic areas of next generation IT including digital transformation, software-defined data center, converged infrastructure, hybrid cloud, mobile and security," Michael Dell said in a written statement.

Dell will serve as chairman and CEO of the combined company. Joe Tucci, chairman and CEO of EMC, will remain in those roles until the deal is complete.

FBR analyst Daniel Ives said the deal means Dell is "no longer your grandma's PC company."

"It's a landmark, historic deal that really brings them into the enterprise market and makes them a behemoth," Ives wrote in a Monday note.

The deal had been rumored for weeks. EMC, based in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, makes data storage equipment and provides other IT services to companies. It also has an 80 percent stake in cloud-computing company VMware Inc., which will stay an independent, publicly traded company.

EMC has been facing tough competition in the storage sector as companies including Amazon, Microsoft and IBM have stepped up cloud storage offerings.

Forrester analyst Glenn O'Donnell said the deal is good news for EMC and its customers.

"Speculation has been somewhat scary for them, but Dell is a trusted player and a low-risk 'soft landing' for these customers," he said. It's a good move for Dell too, he added.

"Dell is fairly weak on storage, and EMC will help give it a full portfolio that it needs to compete with HP, Cisco, IBM, and the growing threat from Huawei," he said.

Shareholders of EMC Corp. will receive about $33.15 per share, which includes cash plus tracking stock linked to part of EMC's economic interest in the VMware business. That's a 19 percent premium to EMC's Friday closing price of $27.86.

Dell Inc.'s headquarters will stay in Round Rock, Texas. The combined enterprise systems business headquarters will be in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, where EMC is based.

The deal, which was approved by EMC's board, is targeted to close in the second or third quarter of Dell's fiscal year ending Feb. 3, 2017. It still needs approval from EMC shareholders.

Dell, started by Michael Dell in 1984 when he was just a teenager, went on to change the PC business with low costs, customized orders and direct sales first over the phone and later the Internet.

EMC shares rose 50 cents, or 1.8 percent, to $28.36 in afternoon trading Monday.

AP Technology Writer Michael Liedtke in San Francisco and AP Business Writers Michelle Chapman and Damian Troise in New York City contributed to this story.

  • Friday, Oct. 9, 2015
MAXON Cinema 4D Road Show Set For 8 Cities
MAXON's Cinema 4D R17
NEWBURY PARK, Calif. -- 

MAXON, developer of professional 3D modeling, painting, animation and rendering solutions, announced the schedule for its Cinema 4D Road Show. The tour kicks off in Los Angeles at the DMALA user group meeting on October 20, and will be making stops in Portland (October 22), Seattle (October 27), San Francisco (October 29), Vancouver (November 5), New York (November 12), Atlanta (November 17), and Washington, DC (December 3). The evening events welcome attendance from 2D/3D artists at all levels of experience and are designed to showcase the company’s powerful Cinema 4D software technology and innovation, its seamless integration with other industry-leading software toolsets, and foster opportunities for learning, networking and community.

During each leg of the road show, MAXON representatives will give a general presentation that includes an introduction to 3D, as well as a motion graphics and visual effects workflow demonstration showcasing the features in the newly released Cinema 4D R17--the latest version of the company’s 3D software solution--and its unmatched compatibility with Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and After Effects. MAXON will also be joined at each tour stop by industry-leading 3D guest artists who will present the latest techniques and creative approach to the Cinema 4D design and animation workflow on real-world projects.

“Creative professionals continue to seek ways to improve their skill set and maximize their creative potential and productivity,” said Paul Babb, president of MAXON US. “MAXON is committed to the artist experience and is excited to bring the road tour to digital artists and educators around the country to provide an intimate and fun setting where customers can learn how to get the most out of Cinema 4D.”

The MAXON road tour agenda includes a networking social hour giving attendees an opportunity to meet and converse in a relaxed atmosphere; light food and beverages provided. As an added bonus, attendees are eligible to win over $50,000 in door prizes that feature complimentary products from MAXON and its tour sponsors including: Dell, Adobe, Toolfarm, Nvidia, Greyscalegorilla, Tools4D Dem Earth, Insydium, aescripts, Red Giant Software, Lynda.com, Laubwerk, XFrog and Boris FX/Imagineer.

The admission fee of $5.00 includes the presentation, food and beverages and raffle prize drawings. Space is limited.

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