Carlos Nicholas Fernandes

{{Infobox person

| name = Carlos Nicholas Fernandes

| image =

| birth_date =

| birth_place = Bombay, Maharashtra, India

| nationality = Singapore

| alma_mater = Booth School of Business, University of Chicago and University of Bombay

| occupation = Entrepreneur

| known_for = RecordTV.com, Network DVR

}}

Carlos Nicholas Fernandes (born 1976) is an inventor, founder and CEO of InstantTV, a service that offers Cloud DVR.{{cite web|url=https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2008024084|title=A System and Method for Recording Television and/or Radio Programmes Via the Internet|website=wipo.int|access-date=25 April 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.olswang.com/media/34009878/go_230_cloudpvr_v4_lo-res.pdf|title=Check-in to Law-Now and make sure you have all the legal know-how you need for your world.|website=www.olswang.com|access-date=25 April 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpFHE91mIDo|title=RecordTV CEO Carlos Fernandes Talks the Future of Television at Davos|last=Jakarta Globe|date=25 January 2015|via=YouTube|access-date=25 April 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2017/sep/03/customising-the-news-1652108.html|title=Customising the news|website=newindianexpress.com|date=4 September 2017 |access-date=25 April 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mediainfoline.com/techno/blaze-an-ai-based-conversational-bot-ventures-in-india|title=Blaze: An AI-based Conversational Bot Ventures in India - Media Infoline|date=17 May 2017|website=mediainfoline.com|access-date=25 April 2018}}

Early life

Fernandes was born in Mumbai. Fernandes started his first business when he was 12, selling water purifiers door-to-door.{{Cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/CanDoCarlos|title=Can-do Carlos|last=Singh|first=Kushwant|date=30 Dec 2003|work=Streats}} He went on to study Electrical Engineering from Bombay University, and completed an MBA from Chicago University.{{Cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/technology/in-other-news/170417/android-tv.html|title=Android TV: The future of the idiot box is online!|last=Parthasarathy|first=Anand|date=2017-04-17|website=Deccan Chronicle|language=en|access-date=2018-12-06}}

Career

= Initial years =

Fernandes moved to Singapore in 1998 and joined the Information Technology Institute (ITI) (later known as Kent Ridge Digital Labs and currently known as the Institute of Infocomm Research), which is a government research institute run by Singapore's Agency for Science Technology and Research. In 1999, he joined a startup called Ecquaria Technologies, where he developed and marketed software. Ecquaria had been founded by people who had previously been associated with Kent Ridge Digital Labs.{{cite web |url=http://sbr.com.sg/markets-investing/commentary/if-youre-young-and-business-minded-here-are-some-tips-you |title=If you're young and business-minded, here are some tips for you |date=3 Oct 2011 |website=Singapore Business Review |access-date=25 April 2018}}

== PerceptiveI ==

Fernandes founded PerceptiveI, a company that offered enterprise software solutions, in 2000.{{Cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/ComputerTimesITHeroes|title=Hail the IT Heroes|last=Chng|first=Grace|date=26 Feb 2003|work=Computer Times|publisher=The Straits Times}} The technology used in this company won many awards, both for Fernandes and the company.{{cite web|url=https://www.techinasia.com/event-nlb-series-start-it-from-ground-zero|title=Tech in Asia - Connecting Asia's startup ecosystem|website=www.techinasia.com|access-date=25 April 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://ubmchannelnews.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=29573&item=85817|title=News Releases|website=mediaroom.com|access-date=25 April 2018}} For his work, Fernandes was recognized by David Lim, the then Singaporean Minister for Information, Communications, and the Arts in 2003.{{cite web|url=https://www.imda.gov.sg/about/newsroom/archived/ida/speeches/2003/20061127101815|title=The Singapore Infocomm Industry - Creating the Next Wave of Growth - Infocomm Media Development Authority|website=Base|access-date=25 April 2018}}

== RecordTV ==

Fernandes purchased the assets of RecordTV.com, and added in technology that he had invented and patented in 2006 (along with Varsha Jagdale), in a way that would not violate the rights of copyright owners.{{Cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/6FrontRecordTVLaunchBT|title=Singapore firm offers free trial for online video recorder service|last=Lim|first=Roland|date=12 July 2007|work=The Business Times}} This allowed RecordTV users to legally record TV shows,{{Cite news|url=https://archive.org/details/6BackRecordTVLaunchDL|title=RecordTV shows with an online VCR|last=Siew|first=Alfred|date=24 July 2007|work=The Straits Times}} something which the original company had been sued for by the MPAA.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-apr-18-fi-52351-story.html|title=RecordTV.com Paying to End Suit|date=18 April 2001|newspaper=LA Times|access-date=25 April 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jun-16-fi-41445-story.html|title=Entertainment Firms File Suit to Shut Down RecordTV.com|last=MILLER|first=GREG|date=16 June 2000|via=LA Times|access-date=25 April 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2001/biz/news/recordtv-com-shut-down-1117797295/|title=RecordTV.com shut down|last=McClintock|first=Pamela|date=18 April 2001|website=variety.com|access-date=25 April 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/recordtv-com-to-sell-assets/|title=RecordTV.com to sell assets|date=23 May 2001|website=cnet.com|access-date=25 April 2018}} Later, the service was renamed to InstantTV and launched its own app.{{cite web|url=https://www.techgoondu.com/2015/01/03/with-instanttv-singapore-startup-wants-to-be-global-platform-for-linear-tv/|title=With InstantTV, Singapore startup wants to be global platform for linear TV - Techgoondu|date=3 January 2015|website=techgoondu.com|access-date=25 April 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.androidrank.org/application/instanttv_tv_in_an_instant_/com.recordtv.recordtv?hl=en|title=InstantTV - TV in an instant! - Androidrank profile|website=www.androidrank.org|access-date=25 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403234734/https://www.androidrank.org/application/instanttv_tv_in_an_instant_/com.recordtv.recordtv?hl=en|archive-date=3 April 2018|url-status=dead}}

= Current pursuits =

== Blaze ==

In 2017, Fernandes launched Blaze, an AI-based conversational news bot (chatbot) that was enhanced through human curation, in India.{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.in/WillBots-replace-Apps-in-next-5-years-Lets-take-a-look/articleshow/58029611.cms|title=Will Bots replace Apps in next 5 years? Let's take a look|website=businessinsider.in|access-date=25 April 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.theweek.in/content/archival/news/sci-tech/Anytime-anywhere-TV-here.html|title=Anytime, anywhere TV is here!|last=Parthasarathy|first=Anand|date=26 Apr 2017|website=The Week|access-date=2018-12-06}} It is accessible through Facebook Messenger.{{cite web|url=http://www.mobilityindia.com/blaze-an-ai-based-conversational-bot-ventures-in-india/|title=Blaze: An AI-based Conversational Bot Ventures in India - Mobility India|last=mobility|date=17 May 2017|website=mobilityindia.com|access-date=25 April 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://bestmediainfo.com/2017/04/human-ai-solution-is-only-way-to-balance-content-quality-blaze-rsquo-s-carlos-fernandes/|title=Human-AI solution is only way to balance content quality: Blaze's Carlos Fernandes|website=www.bestmediaifo.com|access-date=25 April 2018}} As of 2018, he was working on the fake news problem.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk7DSwhnD4Y|title=Hub Culture Davos 2018 - Carlos Fernandes, CEO and Founder of Blaze|last=Hub Culture|date=25 January 2018|via=YouTube|access-date=25 April 2018}}

RecordTV vs MediaCorp litigation

{{main|InstantTV#RecordTV_Pte_Ltd_vs._MediaCorp_litigation|l1=RecordTV Pte Ltd vs. MediaCorp litigation}}

Fernandes got into legal trouble in 2008 after MediaCorp alleged that RecordTV was using technology that violated copyright laws. Fernandes refused to shut down his company, and instead preemptively sued MediaCorp for groundless threats.{{Cite web |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/david-takes-on-goliath-in-realm-of-copyright/ |title=David takes on Goliath, in realm of copyright |date=7 July 2008 |website=ZDNet |language=en |access-date=2019-01-23}} He then claimed millions in damages and continued to operate its website.{{cite web|url=https://www.mirandah.com/pressroom/item/74-singapore-copyright-infringement-online-tv-show-recording-service-sued-by-broadcasting-company/|title=Singapore Copyright Infringement Online TV show recording service sued by Broadcasting Company|date=13 August 2008|website=mirandah.com|access-date=25 April 2018}} He even won the appeal, after MediaCorp decided to take the case further.{{Cite web|url=http://www.asiaone.com/News/The+Business+Times/Story/A1Story20101202-250486.html|title=Appeals court hits RecordTV's play button|last=Quah|first=Michelle|date=2 Dec 2010|website=The Business Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225000000/http://www.asiaone.com/News/The+Business+Times/Story/A1Story20101202-250486.html|archive-date=25 Dec 2018|url-status=live|access-date=2018-12-06}} [https://archive.org/details/5FrontPlayButton Alt URL]