GigaOM Pro

This week was a tumultuous one as Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast, wreaking havoc and destruction and knocking out power to millions. With the electrical grid still limping back to recovery, it’s not surprising that the most popular research on GigaOM Pro this week looks at the future of batteries. And, of course, with all eyes glued to TV, mobile, and computer screens as news reports rolled in, research content about media and the future of television also proved popular.

Market demand for batteries in consumer and industrial products continues to grow at a rapid pace, but innovations in battery technology depend on comparatively sluggish advances in materials science. In “Opportunities in next-generation battery technologies,” Brittany Gibson and Clint Wheelock take a look at the battery-innovation timeline with a specific focus on three market cornerstones: tablets, electrified vehicles, and grid storage (solar PV and community energy storage), noting that battery innovation is now more important and potentially more lucrative than ever.

Next, in “The state of cross-platform measurement across TV, online, and social,” Linda Loizides examines how the proliferation of online and mobile video networks and technologies have driven advertisers to focus on cross-platform media measurement to identify and grow their audiences. The fragmentation of audiences across online and mobile video, as well as the undeniable influence of social networks, has underscored the need to develop new, standardized metrics for this rapidly evolving market. Loizides assesses the current market situation and existing efforts and presents a list of recommendations to the industry.

Last, in “What the shift to the cloud means for the future EPG,” Mari Silbey outlines the evolution of television’s EPG (electronic program guide). The EPG is no longer a simple on-screen scheduling guide; it has changed in response to DVRs, online video, mobile video, and the growth of the cloud. As content exploration and discovery become the primary focus of today’s EPGs, device manufacturers and TV service providers are looking to interactive UIs and granular personalization to regain a foothold in this competitive marketplace.

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