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Just because I cannot resist theelectromagnetic pulseof Apples media control machine, it does not mean I have to buy its products. And based on reports of a so-called iWatch, there arefour reasons I willnotbuy one.

To be sure, journalists are being briefed on the details of the iWatch on the condition that they do not name the briefers. A case in pointis the New York Times which wrote [the iWatch] is expected to come in two sizes and combine functions like health and fitness monitoring with mobile computing tasks like displaying maps. It will have a flexible screen and, like the new phones, will support technology that allows people to pay for things wirelessly.

The anonymous briefers told the Times that the iWatch will have a tougher-than-glass flexible display panel that is protected by synthetic sapphire; a postage stamp-sized circuit board; a wireless battery charger, HealthKit, for storing health data andHandoff for pushing contentamongconsumers Apple devices.

It is unclear to me why media outlets cannotname their sources for these reports are the briefers lives at risk if they are named?

Here are four reasons I will not buy an iWatch.

1. I do not understand the value of wearable health and fitness monitoring

I do not sharea passion for wrist bracelets that keep track ofhealth and fitness statistics. In my daily life, I do not see many individuals who wear such devices.

More broadly, I do not understand what personal pain these devices are designed to relieve. Perhaps people who were college athletes and got used to timing how fast they run and continue to crave the dopamine rush of those statistics are among the consumers who buy health and fitness monitoring devices.

I do not crave this information but I would certainly buy such a device if my doctor prescribed one. Since I do not anticipate that happening, I am confident that I will not buy any health and fitness monitoring device.

2. I do not see a compelling need for wireless payment

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4 Reasons I Will Never Buy An IWatch

Mozilla's efforts to keep mobile Firefox competitive include adding remote streaming-media support to a new build of the browser.

The star of Firefox for Android Beta 33 -- released Thursday night -- is the "send to device" video-streaming feature that enables you to stream videos on your mobile gadget to a TV or another second screen. When you load a site on your mobile device that includes embedded video, an icon will appear in the URL bar letting you know you can begin streaming.

Tapping the icon will open a list of connected devices you can stream to. Once streaming, a media control bar will open at the bottom of the screen that lets you pause, play, and close videos. The bar is persistent, so you can load other websites while streaming.

Using the feature with Roku requires one more step than using it with Chromecast. Roku requires you to first add the Firefox Channel to your Roku service.

Meanwhile, the also-just-released Firefox Beta 33 for desktops introduces a competitor to Microsoft's Skype and Google's Hangouts. Citing numerous services -- but not by name -- that require turning over personal information and account registration, the as-yet unnamed Mozilla service doesn't require anything except Firefox.

Powered by WebRTC (Real-Time Communication) -- the plugin-free browser protocol for streaming audio, video, and data -- Firefox's new service allows for free video calls between Firefox Beta users. To use it, you go to the Firefox Customize menu and add the speech bubble icon to your toolbar. Adventurous Firefox Beta users can test it out here.

Mozilla has been a long-time proponent of WebRTC, and Google was one of WebRTC's earliest adopters. Google has liberated Hangouts from requiring a plugin thanks to WebRTC, although using it requires a Google account while Mozilla's upstart system doesn't.

However, not everyone is a fan WebRTC. Microsoft would rather see its competing ORTC protocol, short for Object Real-Time Communications, adopted by browsers. Given that both are relatively new, it could be awhile before that standards battle gets resolved.

Full release notes for Firefox Beta 33 are available here.

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Firefox for Android beta ushers mobile streaming to Chromecast, Roku

BANGKOK

Since seizing power in May, Thailand's military government has kept a firm grip on local news media as part of efforts to clamp down on political dissent. Critics say the steps to control the media are getting more extensive and repressive as authorities continue a process aimed at eliminating political divisions and changing the political system.

The Thai military moved swiftly after the coup to summon editors and news industry executives to meetings, setting tough ground rules for news and reporting. Pichai Chuensuksawadi, editor in chief of the English language Bangkok Post, and a media veteran, who attended the meetings with the military, says the message is one of no-nonsense with close monitoring TV and radio news broadcasts. "Under previous governments the way they put on pressure [on the media] was different. But here it's clear," he said. "They use announcements. [But] they are willing to listen to a certain extent and make changes. The fact I think for television, for radio for satellite they are under the gun more than print media that's for sure. But it's a lot clearer - I'm not saying that's a good thing - the agenda is clearer." Some easing, but restrictions remain

In mid-July, the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) tried to outlaw any criticism of military leaders and punish publications and Websites that published offending content. Media associations succeeded in resisting the measures, and the military backed down.

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But restrictions still remain, such as bans preventing local television talk shows from interviewing academics and former government officials and analysts. High-profile Thai political dissidents and critics of the military regime who have fled abroad are mainly only quoted by foreign media. Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for the New York-based Human Rights Watch, says the bans on news reports highlight a clear message to the local media. "There's a deepening repression of critical media bringing out points of view that the military junta disagree with. What we're seeing is increased banning of reports, blocking of websites issues a warning to media both print and electronic media not to step across a line that only the military junta really knows where that line is," said Robertson. Thai media have become accustomed to "shadow boxing" with Thailand's powerful military. Since becoming a constitutional monarchy in 1932 Thailand has faced 12 coups and long periods of military governments. In the past, military leaders shut down all newspapers. After a 1991 coup and during a crackdown on pro-democracy protests in May 1992 many newspapers defied efforts at official censorship. In contrast, after the 2006 coup against the government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who himself faced charges of media meddling and suppression, military appointed Prime minister Surayud Chulanont promised a free press.

Self-censoring

Thai commentators say today's restrictions are more straightforward and grounded in the ruling juntas formal announcements. They also say the NCPO's backtracking over bans has led news organizations to self-censor to prevent the military from taking firmer control.

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Supinya Klangnarong, a media rights activist and National Broadcasting Commission (NBTC) member, who in 2006 won a case brought by former Prime Minister Thaksin in a $10 million civil and criminal law suit, says the media are fearful over the future. "A climate of fear is spreading at the national level and also the organizational level because of the coup and the martial law and all the criminalization of acts, especially up to the official, even at the NBTC - public figures - especially the officials are more sensitive - they could not tolerate criticism," she said. The Paris-based Reporters without Borders ranks Thailand, once one of the freest societies in South East Asia, at 130 out of 180 countries on an index of media freedom in 2014. The militarys harder line is already directly felt by some journalists. Chutima Sidasathan, a reporter on a Phuket-based web news service, who with an Australian editor, [Alan Morison], faces criminal defamation charges brought by the Royal Thai Navy after republishing parts of a Reuters report of July 2013 claiming Navy personnel were tied to human trafficking of Muslim Rohingya from Myanmar. Chutima says since the coup she has faced increasing harassment by navy personnel in Phuket. "In this time when the army took [power] in Thailand it makes my life more difficult when working. I've been intimidated from the Navy officer. So very disturbing about this issue. And then I keep telling them - so we are journalists - we can't keep silent," she said. The Bangkok Post's Pichai, says the junta is willing to listen to media concerns to ensure the government has a favorable image to the world. But he adds the military will also have no qualms about taking action if it is dissatisfied with the media's message.

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Thai Media Pressured Under Military Rule

Provides crucial software control layer for transparent hybrid network operations and managed migration to IP

DALLAS - Imagine Communications, a market leader of media software and video infrastructure solutions serving the global broadcast, multichannel video programming distributor and enterprise markets, today introduced the Magellan SDN Orchestrator, a software control system for managing hybrid baseband and IP facilities. An anchor component of Imagine Communications' Software-Defined Networking (SDN) portfolio, the Magellan SDN Orchestrator enables seamless integration of baseband and IP networks, protecting customers' existing technology investments while providing a clear path to an open, interoperable and IP-based future.

"Our announcement today is a major milestone for media companies, signaling that we have overcome one of their most critical challenges," said Charlie Vogt, CEO of Imagine Communications. "The decision to build a baseband or all-IP facility is no longer a difficult one since the Magellan SDN Orchestrator enables operational transparency between legacy and IP networks. This is the assurance that media companies need to move forward with their IP investment strategies, continuing to operate with today's staff and workflow processes -- yet migrating to IP at their own pace without disruption."

The Magellan SDN Orchestrator is one more example of Imagine Communications' focus on cutting edge innovation, taking full advantage of the flexibility, scalability and efficiency that next-generation IP-based architectures can offer while dramatically improving the way video is managed through broadcast facilities. It utilizes dynamic signal-flow connections, managing signal mappings, addressing, and translations between legacy protocols and IP. Due to this tight alignment across protocols and signals, the Magellan SDN Orchestrator understands the available resources, whether legacy or IP, and turns the "sea of equipment" into a set of defined, managed workflows that support the concurrent coexistence of IP streams, files, and baseband signals.

Media companies can now maximize their investments in high-quality video processing done in baseband/SDI/ASI technologies using familiar controls, while also managing on-ramps and off-ramps for baseband over IP via the software control layer. The Magellan SDN Orchestrator instantiates pre-defined workflows through commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) IP switches, providing professional broadcast performance for all connections. By leveraging the continued evolution of data center-grade COTS switching technology, the Magellan SDN Orchestrator enables media companies to use the latest generations of IP switches to ride the ever-improving cost/performance curve of the IT industry.

"Our unique, hybrid approach to SDN allows the entire bit flow to be software-defined, which significantly improves the way video is managed throughout broadcast facilities," said Steve Copeland, Director of Product Management for Imagine Communications. "Regardless of what equipment is underneath, the Magellan SDN Orchestrator provides an overarching management layer that makes everything look like a 'simple router.' It integrates the elements into one system with commonly used controls, and provides the necessary transparency and visibility required for our customers who need to support hybrid operations."

To find out more about the Magellan SDN Orchestrator, visit http://www.imaginecommunications.com, and come see Imagine Communications at IBC2014 in Amsterdam at Stand 7.G20.

About Imagine Communications

Leveraging more than five decades of innovation, Imagine Communications Corp. is a global leader of media software and video infrastructure solutions serving more than 3,000 broadcast, multichannel video programming distributor, government and enterprise customers spanning 185 countries. Today, nearly half of the world's video channels traverse through more than 3 million of our products deployed around the world. With a bold vision and commitment to IP-enabled, cloud-based, software-defined platforms and TV Everywhere, Imagine Communications is delivering billions of moments around the world anywhere, anytime and on any device. Visit http://www.imaginecommunications.com for more information, and follow us on Twitter @imagine_comms.

Source Imagine Communications

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Imagine Communications Introduces Magellan SDN Orchestrator for Managing Hybrid Baseband and ...

NEW DELHI: CBI chief Ranjit Sinha, who is ensnared in a widening controversy about his meetings with a set of people who could be impacted by the agency's investigations into mega scams and other cases, suffered a setback on Thursday when the Supreme Court turned down his plea to stop media from disclosing the identity of his visitors.

"We have no control over the media. We are not going to pass any order. Till we take a decision one way or the other, we expect people to respect the process," a bench of Justices H L Dattu and S A Bobde said, although it added that the issue was sensitive and needed to be reported with responsibility.

Sinha's counsel, senior advocate Vikas Singh, had requested the bench to stop the media from reporting the matter. "The way media is going about reporting the matter, the court must restrain them. This is urgently needed as someone's reputation is at stake," he said.

The bench refused to heed his plea despite Singh's persistence. "But by that time, the damage (to the reputation) will be irreversible. Who the CBI director meets in private capacity at his residence is his private affair. It (the reporting) is huge invasion of his privacy," he said.

The bench, however, maintained that the press has the freedom to report. "We know the press has freedom to report. But we expect that the press will be responsible in such sensitive matters." It told advocate Prashant Bhushan not to hand over the documents to anyone other than the court in sealed cover.

It posted the issues emanating from the visitors' register and the allegations relating to alleged scuttling of 2G spectrum scam investigations for detailed hearing on Monday and asked NGO 'Centre for Public Interest Litigation' to file an affidavit in support of the allegations.

It said, "We have perused the documents. After going through it, we feel it is desirable that you (the NGO) file an affidavit in support of the allegations, the documents as well as the note given by you (Bhushan)."

The bench said this after returning to Bhushan the voluminous visitors' register and the letter written by then special public prosecutor U U Lalit, now a judge of the Supreme Court who had objected to Sinha's plan to file a new affidavit in the 2G scam.

Sinha's counsel Singh said the court should not entertain the application as it had made wild allegations harming the reputation of a very important person who was handling investigations into several key cases.

He accused Bhushan of leaking the visitors' register details to media despite the court asking him to submit it in sealed cover. "It is more than evident who has leaked the details to media. It is a matter relating to brazen violation of someone's privacy. And it was being violated despite the court's observations to keep the matter in sealed cover. For Bhushan and Arvind Kejriwal, there is no law. They are above law. That can do anything they like," Singh said.

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Visitor book scandal: CBI chief requests media gag, SC refuses