You settle in to watch the latest HD streaming content only to be
constantly interrupted by stutters and stops as the buffering stalls
your video. Nothing like taking an hour and a half to watch an hour
long (or 44 minute long) show, right?
As broadband becomes more
and more commonplace, Microsoft and Akamai are joining forces to add
Akamai's AdaptiveEdge Streaming to Microsoft's Silverlight.
Using
Microsoft's new Internet Information Services 7.0 Smooth Streaming
(IIS7.0), users will be able to view HD streams instantly and without
pauses for buffering. The new Microsoft technology will adjust playback
to account for changes in connectivity speeds.
Akamai's digital media chief strategist Tim Napoleon had this to say about it.
"We've seen firsthand the growing demand for HD online content among our customer base."
Anything that lets me watch an hour-long show during my hour-long lunch hour is a good thing. —Leslie Shapiro
