Middleware
Apple introduces U2 iPod
MUMBAI: Software major Apple has introduced the new iPod U2 Special Edition as part of a continued partnership between Apple, U2 and Universal Music Group (UMG).
The new U2 iPod is based on the fifth generation 30GB iPod and holds up to 7,500 songs, 25,000 photos or over 75 hours of video and features a distinctive, all-black stainless steel enclosure, red Click Wheel and custom engraving of U2 band member signatures.
Apple VP worldwide iPod product marketing Greg Joswiak says, “We are thrilled to continue working with one of the greatest bands in the world to bring U2 fans a special edition of the world’s best digital music player. With its distinctive new design, including an all-black stainless steel enclosure, the new U2 iPod is sure to be a hit.”
U2 iPod customers will also receive 30 minutes of exclusive U2 video downloadable from the iTunes Music Store. The new U2 iPod is available immediately for Rs.21,400.
Featuring integration with the iTunes Music Store and the iTunes digital music jukebox, the new U2 iPod features Apple’s patent pending Auto-Sync technology that automatically downloads digital music, podcasts, photos, audiobooks, home movies, music videos and popular television shows onto the iPod and keeps them up-to-date whenever the iPod is plugged into a Mac or Windows computer using USB 2.0. The new U2 iPod features up to 14 hours of battery life for music playback.
The iPod requires a Mac with a USB 2.0 port and Mac OS X version 10.3.9 or later and iTunes 6; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows 2000, XP Home or Professional (SP2) and iTunes 6. Battery life and number of charge cycles vary by use and settings. Music capacity is based on four minutes per song and 128-Kbps AAC encoding; video capacity is based on H.264 750-Kbps combined with 128-Kbps audio; and photo capacity is based on iPod-viewable photos transferred from iTunes.
DENVER: Media’s pipes just got a jolt. In a move that could reorder the streaming-infrastructure universe, Mediakind has struck a $145m deal to snap up Harmonic’s video business — a mash-up designed to create the world’s No 1 independent, full-stack streaming-infrastructure player. Consider it the tech equivalent of fusing two high-definition galaxies.
Announced in Denver on 8 December, the agreement will be signed immediately after Harmonic completes its French works-council formalities, with closing slated for the first half of 2026, subject to regulatory nods.
The tie-up stitches together two long-time video-engineering stalwarts into what they claim will be a world-class SaaS streaming engine. The combined outfit expects more than $100m in annual recurring revenue, over $150m from appliance sales, and a laser focus on video — a rarity in a market increasingly swallowed by generalist cloud giants.
Beyond revenue arithmetic, the union promises sturdier financial and operational footing, giving jittery broadcasters a partner less likely to buffer mid-scene. By blending engineering teams, R&D hubs and road maps, Mediakind says it will push out next-gen features at a sprint rather than a shuffle — and keep its cloud-neutral stance intact across both cloud and appliance estates.
Mediakind chief executive Allen Broome called the deal “a meaningful step forward”, adding that the enlarged firm would deliver “enhanced product solutions” and accelerate innovation across its expanded portfolio. The combined entity, he said, would be “the leading independent streaming-infrastructure company”, giving customers a sturdier backline to power the future of video.
For Harmonic, the move lets it ditch the drama and tighten the shot on its broadband segment. Its chief executive, Nimrod Ben-Natan, said the transaction would, if completed, “advance the growth strategies of both companies” while landing its Video Business in a home committed to the next era of video delivery.
Davis Polk & Wardwell and Moelis are advising Mediakind, while Harmonic is flanked by Wilson Sonsini and Jefferies.
If all goes to plan, 2026 could see a newly muscled Mediakind-Harmonic hybrid stepping into the spotlight — a streaming-infra champion hoping to make buffering a relic and turn the industry’s next chapter into must-watch television.
