The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the official standards organization of the Web,  reports on the transition of TV to a service, identifying priorities to be addressed for Internet TV to become a widely available, open, cross-platform service.

W3C's proposes Open Web Platform as the one solution for application development, to "give designers cross-platform interoperability." Open Web Platform priorities will be adaptive streaming (constant stream of quality video despite bandwidth changes), home networking, metadata and Semantic Web technology, and the possible extension of HTML5 for TV.

"In a world migrating from TV as a device to TV as a service available on any device," says W3C's François Daoust, co-chair of the Workshop, "the W3C is looking forward to developing ubiquitous Web technologies to enable scenarios that combine local (e.g., from home network devices) and global (e.g. social networks) sources to enhance the user experience on TV."

Right now, devices and services mainly compete on content offerings rather than functionality. This will change, says W3C..."As television evolves further into a service, people will expect the service to be available on a variety of devices, and to connect smoothly with other favorite services, including social networking and shopping. As the number and diversity of devices grows (across multiple industries), interoperability challenges will also grow."

Go W3.org on TV and web of devices

Netflix confirms what was long rumoured-- the video service will launch in the UK and Ireland in "early 2012."

It won't offer DVD rentals though, instead promising unlimited streaming video-on-demand on PCs, tablets and mobile devices "for one low monthly subscription price."

No details on pricing or supported devices are available yet, though the company will announce more details "closer to launch" or at its Q3 2011 earnings call.

Netflix will face company in the UK from current video-on-demand market holder Lovefilm.

Meanwhile no official word is yet available regarding the Spanish Netflix launch, which reportedly happen on January 2012 according to FAPAE, the Spanish producers association.

Go Netflix to Launch in UK and Ireland in Early 2012

Go Spanish Eyes for Netflix

The co-founder of Skype and Rdio, Janus Friis, reveals his next project-- Vdio (pronounced "Vee-dee-o"), a Netflix rival to launch sometime in the near future (probably 2012) in the UK.

Very little is known about the service-- it will let users watch TV shows and movies, is currently in closed beta and the company thinks "people will love using Vdio."

No pricing details are available, either. Currently all the website offers is cycling shots from films and TV shows.

We will have more details as soon as they're available.

Go Vdio

Energy@home and the ZigBee Alliance announce a collaboration creating an integrated residential energy value added services platform for the European market.

The groups will make use of the four ZigBee standards-- ZigBee Home Automation, Smart Energy, Telecom Services and Gateway standards to offer smart appliance control, broadband network communications and an automatic meter management system.

Leading the Energy@home project are Electrolux, Enel, Indesit and Telecom Italia.

Go ZigBee Alliance and Energy@Home Collaborate on European Residential Energy Platform

The HomePlug Powerline Alliance launches Netricity Powerline Communications (PLC)-- a certification and marketing program providing compliance and interoperability testing for products built on the IEEE 1901.2 Low-Frequency Narrow-Band PLC standard.

Operating in low-frequency bands, Netricity PLC should be ideal for grid-to-utility meter and other long range outside-the-home applications (such as lighting and solar panel powerline communications), the Alliance says.

Netricity PLC will coexist with other HomePlug networking specifications-- HomePlug AV, HomePlug Green PHY and the forthcoming HomePlug AV2.

Some of the biggest energy providers in the world (including IBERDROLA and ERDF) already use the IEEE 1901.2 standard for smart meter to grid communications.

The HomePlug Alliance will reveal more details on the standard at the 2011 HomePlug Powerline Alliance conference this November.

Go HomePlug Alliance Announces Netricity Powerline Communications

The HDBaseT Alliance releases a Power Over HDBaseT (POH) addendum to the HDBaseT 1.0 specification-- delivering 100 W of power as well as audio, video, ethernet and control signals over a single cable.

POH technology delivers power to TVs and other devices over distances of up to 100m using either Cat5e/6 cable with standard RJ-45 connectors.

This way the HDBaseT "5Play" feature set is complete, the Alliance says.

The POH addendum should reduce CE installation costs (eliminating the need for an electrician) while helping manufacturers design thinner and more cost-effective devices by eliminated AC-to-DC elements.

Go HDBaseT Alliance Adds "POH" Capabilities to 1.0 Specification