Brian Atkins

Multimedia Experience on Web-Connected CE Devices

Consumer electronics (CE) are changing from stand-alone single-function devices to products with increasing connectivity, convergence of functionality, and a focus on customer experience. We discuss the features that characterize the new generation of CE and illustrate this new paradigm through an examination of how web services can be integrated with CE products to deliver an improved user experience. In particular, we focus on one aspect of the CE segment, digital photography. We introduce AutoPhotobook, an automatic photobook creation service and provide a detailed look at how it addresses the complexity of photobook authoring through a portfolio of automatic photo analysis and composition technologies. We then show how this collection of technologies is integrated into a larger ecosystem with other web services and web-connected CE devices to deliver an enhanced user experience.

Automated campaign system

To run a targeted campaign involves coordination and management across numerous organizations and complex process flows. Everything from market analytics on customer databases, acquiring content and images, composing the materials, meeting the sponsoring enterprise brand standards, driving through production and fulfillment, and evaluating results; all processes are currently performed by experienced highly trained staff. Presented is a developed solution that not only brings together technologies that automate each process, but also automates the entire flow so that a novice user could easily run a successful campaign from their desktop. This paper presents the technologies, structure, and process flows used to bring this system together. Highlighted will be how the complexity of running a targeted campaign is hidden from the user through technologies, all while providing the benefits of a professionally managed campaign.