IBM today announced a new digital media strategy designed to speed up delivery of technology for managing audio, video and graphical elements from it and its partners.
The centerpiece of the strategy is IBMs new Digital Media Factory platform, a framework that unifies existing hardware, software and services from IBM and partner companies.
IBM hardware and software in the Digital Media Factory include IntelliStation workstations, Electronic Media Management System, Enterprise Content Manager, WebSphere For Digital Media, xSeries and pSeries servers, and storage solutions.
“[Digital media] is an emerging technology with far-reaching value,” said Dick Anderson, general manager of IBM Digital Media, in White Plains, N.Y. “This is the start of a long-term effort.”
Offerings being developed for specific industry applications as part of the Digital Media Factory framework include Interactive Media Services for Retail that lets retailers inform consumers about product availability using kiosks, interactive videos and enhanced imaging.
The Digital Media Factory also offers video surveillance and security management tools for government and businesses with such security needs, and Wireless IBM Digital Media, allowing wireless carriers to bring audio and video and graphic image content to consumers, IBM officials said.
IBM also announced two new business partners today for the Digital Media Platform, Liquid Audio Inc. and Ion Systems Inc., both in the DRM (digital rights management) space.
Liquid Audio, a provider of software and services for the online delivery of music, has entered into a licensing agreement with IBM, and the companies will work together to integrate IBMs EMMS (Electronic Media Management System) format and DRM technology into Liquid Audios upcoming v7.0 Liquid Player software.
Ion Systems, a company that develops technology to make it easier for people to read on-screen with what it calls “usability relationship management” software, will use IBMs EMMS for Publishing to protect digital content sold on its GalaxyLibrary.com Web site.