iWorld
Broadcom announces VideoCore mobile multimedia processor support for Microsoft Windows Media Video
MUMBAI: Broadcom Corporation has announced that its VideoCore mobile multimedia platform now supports Microsoft Windows Media Video. Microsoft’s implementation of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineer’s 421M video compression standard is popularly referred to as VC-1.
With integrated Windows Media Video support, Broadcom’s VideoCore mobile multimedia technology will enable new mobile TV services that will be rolled out in 2006. Support for VC-1 on the Broadcom VideoCore family of processors means that these devices are ready to be incorporated into next generation cell phones and portable media players designed to receive DVB-H and other forms of mobile TV content.
“Windows Media Video is a key technology in the evolving mobile TV environment. Ensuring support for VC-1 broadens the range of applications and end devices we can enable with our VideoCore processors, which are emerging as the multimedia solutions of choice for advanced mobile media players,” said Broadcom director marketing Multimedia Mobile Multimedia business unit Robert Swann.
“The Windows Media platform offers efficient content delivery capabilities that are key to making broadcast TV on mobile handsets a reality. Broadcom is providing an optimized video solution for handset manufacturers who are building new business models for mobile TV. By supporting VC-1, Broadcom’s family of VideoCore processors will be capable of delivering the highest quality mobile video experience to consumers,” said Microsoft Corp director of Windows Digital Media Kevin Unangst.
Mobile TV has attracted considerable interest as a new service offering for mobile devices, extending the recent trend toward video viewing on portable devices into the realm of live, broadcast television. ABI Research estimates there will be as many as 104 million users of mobile TV technologies by 2009, a trend that Broadcom technology is helping to enable.
Based on Broadcom VideoCore technology, the BCM2702, BCM2722 and BCM2724 chips support a complete range of standards for multimedia applications, including VC-1 and H.264 (MPEG-4 AVC) video codecs, and a complete range of audio codecs such as AAC+, WMA and BSAC. This flexibility and programmability make the processors ideal for any mobile TV standard being deployed and make a truly worldwide multi-standard mobile TV receiver possible.
In addition to supporting a broad range of technologies, VideoCore processors provide industry-leading power performance with the capability to decode both VC-1 and H.264 video while consuming less than 150mW. This unrivalled performance for a programmable solution will allow for extended mobile TV viewing times and battery life when compared to conventional software-based products.
VideoCore features a power-efficient, two-dimensional digital signal processing (DSP) architecture that is particularly effective at low-power multimedia processing. By being fully programmable, VideoCore technology enables developers to program and re-program different applications in software rather than requiring new chip designs for each new product.
e-commerce
Instamart and Duolingo launch street spell check campaign for Instaprint
Duo the owl fixes signboard typos across cities to showcase instant printing.
MUMBAI: If spelling mistakes had a sworn enemy, it might just be a bright green owl with a printer. Instamart has teamed up with language learning platform Duolingo for a quirky nationwide campaign that turns everyday spelling errors into a public spectacle while promoting its instant printing service, InstaPrint. The playful activation takes aim at the many misspelled shop boards and public signs scattered across Indian streets. From “saloons” that promise haircuts rather than drinks to menus and posters peppered with punctuation mishaps, the campaign sends Duolingo’s mascot Duo on a mission to restore linguistic order.
Armed with Instamart’s instant printing feature, Duo prints corrected versions of the mistakes on the spot and pastes them over the originals. The result is a series of humorous street interventions that have quickly begun circulating on social media.
Photos and videos of the grammar correcting owl have been widely shared online, with amused users reacting to the unexpected spell check patrol. One user joked, “Ab ayega na maza bhidu,” capturing the internet’s delight at the unusual campaign.
Behind the humour lies a practical message. The activation is designed to showcase the capabilities of Instaprint, Instamart’s printing service that allows users to print documents and posters almost instantly.
The company says the feature is meant for everyday needs such as printing resumes, visa documents or last minute posters without the usual scramble to locate a print shop.
Instamart introduced Instaprint in 2025 across select metropolitan cities including Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi. The service allows users to order printed materials directly through the platform, extending the quick commerce model beyond groceries and household essentials.
By combining Duolingo’s famously persistent owl with India’s street level spelling quirks, the campaign taps into the internet’s long running fascination with grammar mistakes while demonstrating a real world use case for instant printing.
After all, in a world full of typos, sometimes what you really need is a quick printer and a very determined language teacher.
