-
Apple Music Updates Android App with Music Download Support for SD Cards[teaser]The Android app now offers an SD card download feature. [/teaser] Apple has released the latest version of its Apple Music app for Android. The update now allows users to download music to their SD cards on Android mobile devices. Though the iOS app does not include the new feature, Apple Music for Android now lets customers save music tracks to an SD card for offline storage. In addition, the upgraded app also includes access to the full schedule of Beats 1 shows and the ability to browse My Music by Composers and Compilations. The Apple Music service includes the entire Apple Music catalog of over 30 million songs along with curated playlists that are designed to fit your personal music tastes and features like For You, New, Radio, and My Music. Likewise, the service features live curated radio, including Beats 1, a 24-hour global radio station dedicated to music and music culture. Finally, Apple Music also offers a Connect feature that allows artists to share content directly to their fans. Apple Music version 0.9.5 is now available for Android users from the Google Play Store. An Apple Music subscription costs $10 per month and new users can receive a free three month trial. Source: Google Play via EngadgetPosted Fri Feb 5, 2016 at 01:30 PM PST by: -
Super Bowl Gear Deals: Up to 53% Off Projectors & 4K Ultra HD TVs[teaser]Amazon is offering big discounts on select projectors and TVs just in time for the big game! [/teaser] In preparation for Super Bowl 50, Amazon is running a special sale on select projectors and Ultra HD TVs from Sony, Samsung, LG, Epson, Optoma, and BenQ. Ultra HD TVs LG Electronics 55UF6800 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV - Currently $898 (47% off). Sony XBR65X850C 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD 3D Smart LED TV - Currently $1,998 (43% off). Samsung UN55JS8500 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD 3D Smart LED TV - Currently $1,698 (43% off). Sony XBR55X900C 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD 3D Smart LED TV - Currently $1,498 (40% off). Samsung UN60JS7000 60-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV - Currently $1,398 (33% off). Projectors Optoma HD37 1080p 3D DLP Home Theater Projector - Currently $949 (53% off). BenQ W1070 1080p 3D DLP Home Theater Projector - Currently $699 (36% off). BenQ HT2050 1080p 3D DLP Home Theater Projector - Currently $799 (33% off). BenQ HT3050 1080p 3D DLP Home Theater Projector - Currently $999 (29% off). Sony VPLHW40ES 1080p 3D SXRD Projector - Currently $1,998 (20% off). Epson Home Cinema 3000 1080p 3D Projector - Currently $1,099 (15% off). Epson Home Cinema 1440 1080p Projector - Currently $1,499 (12% off). Full Review Here! These deals will only be active for a limited time while supplies last. Make sure to stay tuned to High-Def Digest for more sales and special promotions!Posted Thu Feb 4, 2016 at 01:30 PM PST by: -
Amazon Brings Spotify Premium Support to Echo Smart Speaker[teaser]The voice controlled speaker now offers native Spotify support. [/teaser] Amazon has announced the arrival of Spotify premium integration for their Echo smart speaker. US subscribers can now listen to their music directly through the device. "We're extremely pleased that Spotify Premium subscribers can now listen to their favorite music on Amazon Echo," said Ian Geller, Global Head of Hardware at Spotify. "Creating innovative experiences is core to our mission. We know our users will love controlling music with their voice at home." With Spotify Premium on the Amazon Echo, users can simply ask Alexa to play any playlist, artist, genre and more from Spotify’s catalog. Beyond Spotify, Echo can also play music from Amazon Music, Prime Music, iHeartRadio, Pandora, and TuneIn. The speaker is an always-on device that uses Wi-Fi to connect to the cloud through Amazon Web Services. After waking Echo with the wake word "Alexa," the speaker provides similar functionality to Siri or Ok Google on Apple and Android devices, allowing customers to ask for information, music, news, weather, and more. Likewise, thanks to its cloud integration, Echo actually adapts to your speech patterns, vocabulary, and personal preferences over time. The speaker features Far-field voice recognition that uses seven microphones to pick up a customer's commands. A 2.5-inch woofer and a 2-inch tweeter are integrated as well, offering 360° omni-directional audio. The Amazon Echo is now available for $180. Spotify Premium currently costs $10 per month and new users can receive a 30-day free trial. Customers without a premium account can also stream Spotify music to the Echo from their Bluetooth mobile devices. Source: AmazonPosted Thu Feb 4, 2016 at 11:00 AM PST by: -
LG Set to Reveal G5 Smartphone on February 21[teaser]The new smartphone will be unveiled later this month. [/teaser] Through a series of teaser posts on Twitter, LG has announced plans to debut its G5 smartphone right before the Mobile World Congress kicks off in Spain. The new flagship Android handset will be introduced on February 21. Full details and specs for the G5 have not been revealed yet, but rumors indicate that the smartphone could feature a secondary screen, fingerprint reader, rear dual-lens camera, and Snapdragon 820 CPU. Likewise, the device could also include an all metal enclosure and an intriguing "accessory slot." To tease the big reveal, LG has tweeted a series of photos taken in NYC that all feature the number 5. In addition to LG, Samsung also recently teased plans to debut its new Samsung Galaxy S7 smartphone on the same day. Mobile World Congress will be held in Barcelona, Spain from February 22-25. Sources: LG Mobile Twitter, Engadget, The VergePosted Wed Feb 3, 2016 at 03:30 PM PST by: -
Séura Readies 84-inch Storm Ultra Bright 4K UHD Outdoor TV[teaser]A new outdoor TV model has been revealed. [/teaser] Séura has detailed the latest addition to its Storm Ultra Bright flagship outdoor TV lineup. The new Ultra HD model is 84-inches and is designed for use in the sunlight and all weather conditions. "We're always looking for ways to deliver better solutions for our customers," said Gretchen Gilbertson, CEO and co-founder of Séura. "Our new 84-inch Storm Ultra Bright offers stunning 4K UHD resolution, superior weather resistance, and cinematic scale for an unforgettable outdoor viewing experience." The 84-inch Storm Ultra Bright is geared toward outdoor use where other large screen options like a projector are not practical due to lighting concerns. The Ultra HD display is capable of producing an ultra bright 600-nit picture and uses a proprietary anti-glare screen coating. Likewise, the large-screen TV measures just 3.7 inches in depth and has been designed to be impervious to rain and snow with support for operating in temperatures ranging from -22 degrees to 140 degrees. Séura's 84-inch Storm Ultra Bright 4K TV is expected to start shipping in summer 2016 for a suggested list price of $19,499. In addition, the company is also releasing an 84-inch Séura Storm model ($14,999) that is designed for outdoor shaded use at that same time. Source: SéuraPosted Wed Feb 3, 2016 at 10:15 AM PST by: -
Sony Announces Plans to Release an Ultra HD Blu-ray Player[teaser]The company intends to offer its own player once the market grows. [/teaser] According to reports from TWICE and Pocket-lint, Sony has announced plans to release their own Ultra HD Blu-ray player. Though details on the potential player have not been revealed, the device is expected to arrive by March 2017. While Sony has already detailed its own collection of Ultra HD Blu-ray launch titles, the company did not unveil an Ultra HD Blu-ray player at CES. Instead, the manufacturer is reportedly waiting for the market to evolve with more titles before offering its own hardware option. With that said, Sunil Nayyar, director of Sony's U.S. TV business confirmed to TWICE that they plan on releasing a player by the end of the fiscal year, and Pocket-lint has indicated that a model will be ready in 2016. Currently, Samsung, Panasonic, and Philips are the only brands to announce Ultra HD Blu-ray players, with Samsung's model being the first set to hit the market in March. Sony's Ultra HD Blu-ray launch titles will be joined by discs from 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate, Warner Brothers, and Shout! Factory. In addition to Ultra HD Blu-ray, Sony is focusing on launching a new 4K HDR streaming service called ULTRA for its own HDR Ultra HD TVs. With that said, the company will not be using the recently revealed Ultra HD Premium designation for its high dynamic range displays, and will instead use its own 4K HDR labelling. Sources: TWICE, Pocket-lintPosted Tue Feb 2, 2016 at 03:45 PM PST by: -
Kaleidescape Partners with 20th Century Fox to Offer 4K Ultra HD Titles with HDR[teaser]More 4K HDR titles will be available through the company's media players. [/teaser] Kaleidescape has announced a new partnership with 20th Century Fox to bring the studio's films and TV shows to the Kaleidescape Movie Store. In addition, select titles will be available to download in 4K Ultra HD with HDR through the Strato Movie Player. "Our strategy centers around ensuring we foster easy and accessible ways for consumers to enjoy our content in the best quality across their devices," said Danny Kaye, EVP, Global Research & Tech Strategy, Fox Innovation Lab and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. "We believe in supporting secure and premium platforms and services, and as we recently announced our upcoming slate being available on 4K Ultra HD with High Dynamic Range, we are excited to share that our titles will be available on Kaleidescape's new 4K Ultra HD movie player." The deal includes new releases and catalog titles from Fox's library of films and TV shows like the 'X-Men' franchise, 'Die Hard,' 'Madagascar,' 'How to Train Your Dragon,' 'Shrek.,' 'The Sound of Music,' 'Birdman,' 'Homeland,' 'How I Met Your Mother,' and 'Modern Family.' Content will be available as premium quality HD digital downloads, and select titles will also be available in 4K Ultra HD with High Dynamic Range. The company's Strato Movie Player allows customers to download Ultra HD movies from the movie store with playback quality that matches or surpasses that of commercial theaters. In addition, the player supports lossless multichannel audio, and HDR content on displays that can process open standard 10-bit HDMI 2.0a HDR. The device is available with or without an internal 6TB hard drive that can store up to 100 4K Ultra HD movies, 150 Blu-ray quality movies, or 900 DVD quality movies. In addition to the new titles from 20th Century Fox, the Kaleidescape Movie Store currently offers over 11,000 movies and 2,000 television seasons, including 4K HDR titles from Sony. Kaleidescape's Strato Movie Player will be available in Q1 2016 for a suggested retail price of $4,495 with an internal 6 TB hard drive, and $3,495 with no internal hard drive. Source: KaleidescapePosted Tue Feb 2, 2016 at 11:30 AM PST by: -
Take a Look at the Making of LG's OLED Super Bowl Commercial with New Behind-the-Scenes Video[teaser]Go behind-the-scenes with LG's "Man from the Future." [/teaser] LG has released a new behind-the-scenes video for its recently unveiled Super Bowl commercial. The featurette includes interviews with producer Ridely Scott and his son director Jake Scott, and star Liam Neeson and his son actor Micheál Neeson. "The technology is so innovative, it lends itself to the visual sort of storytelling that you need to make an epic spot," said Sir Ridley Scott. "So this is a chance to help produce and bring that all to life in a way that entertains, informs and lets people see how amazing the OLED technology is." LG's Super Bowl commercial features Liam Neeson as "The Man from the Future" and focuses on the company's Signature OLED Ultra HD TVs. Recently announced at CES back in January, the new Signature OLED TVs offer perfect blacks and Picture-on-Glass designs. In addition, the flagship 77-inch and 65-inch class models have been certified as "Ultra HD Premium" and include full HDR compatibility with support for HDR10 and Dolby Vision. Check out the behind-the-scenes video below for details on how the spot was produced, including info on OLED tech, VFX, and the father/son dynamic behind and in front of the camera. As previously reported, in celebration of the ad LG is also offering customers a chance to win an OLED TV through a new Twitter promotion. Followers of the #ManFromTheFuture campaign on Twitter can get details about the sweepstakes and learn how to participate by visiting @LGUS on Twitter or www.lg.com/us/man-from-the-future. Likewise, LG recently announced a special Super Bowl sale on select TVs as well, including several OLED models. The current discounts include: 65-inch class 65EF9500 OLED 4K Ultra HD TV - $4,999 (17% off). 65-inch class 65EG9600 OLED 4K Ultra HD TV - $4,999 (17% off). - Beginning 2/7 above deals also include choice of 43UF6400 / LAS855M / LAS851M / or $300 Gift Card. 55-inch class 55EG9600 OLED 4K Ultra HD TV - $2,999 (25% off). 55-inch class 55EF9500 OLED 4K Ultra HD TV - $2,999 (25% off). - Beginning 2/7 above deals also include choice of 42LF5600/43LF5400/ LAS551H / LAS454B / or $200 Gift Card. 55-inch class 55EG9100 OLED 4K Ultra HD TV - $1,998 (20% off). - Beginning 2/7 above deal also includes choice of LAS454B/ or $100 Gift Card. 65-inch class 65UF9500 LED 4K Ultra HD TV - $2,499 (45% off). 70-inch class 70UF7700 LED 4K Ultra HD TV - $2,499 (38% off). LG's Super Bowl promotions will run through February 13 online and in retail stores. In addition, LG's Super Bowl 50 commercial will air during the game on February 7. Full pricing has not been announced for LG's G6 Signature Series OLED TVs, but the displays are expected to start hitting stores in the first quarter of 2016. Meanwhile, the company's similarly featured OLED65E6P Flat 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart OLED TV is currently available for pre-order at $7,000. Source: LG via PR NewswirePosted Tue Feb 2, 2016 at 07:45 AM PST by: -
.jpg)
DISH Launches Hopper 3 Whole-Home DVR with 4K Support[teaser]The company's latest DVR with 4K support is now available [/teaser] DISH has announced the release of the Hopper 3. The DVR was first revealed at CES last month and includes support for 4K on-demand playback. "Packed with industry firsts, Hopper 3 is the most advanced DVR in the world. It provides our customers with the innovative features they loved on our legacy Hopper DVRs, while additionally delivering the ultimate, conflict-free entertainment experience," said Vivek Khemka, DISH Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. "Since the introduction of our first-generation Hopper only four years ago, we have continued to invest in innovation. DISH has a history of being at the forefront of consumer entertainment technology, and I’m proud to say that Hopper 3 offers no exception." The Hopper 3 features 16 tuners, allowing customers to watch shows in multiple rooms, remotely view live content through DISH Anywhere, and schedule multiple recordings at the same time without any pesky conflicts. Under the hood, the device runs a Broadcom BCM7445 quad-core ARM application processor at 1.5 GHz, 21K DMIPS and features a 2TB hard drive for up to 500 hours of high-definition recording (or 2,000 hours of standard definition recording). For 4K playback, the Hopper 3 can decode and output 60 FPS and 10-bit color and can support H.264 and H.265. The device also supports HDMI 2.0 with HDCP 2.2, USB 3.0, and HDR10/BDA 2.0 encoded streams. In addition, DISH has announced partnerships with Sony Pictures, The Orchard and Mance Media to offer on-demand Ultra HD content to the Hopper 3 and 4K Joey, including popular titles like 'The Amazing Spiderman' and 'American Hustle.' Likewise, the unit will add a Netflix app in the coming weeks with 4K playback and integration into the Hopper's universal search results. Finally, the DVR also features a new 4K Sports Bar Mode which divides the screen into four quadrants, enabling customers to watch four different HD feeds at the same time. According to the press release, "Qualified new and existing customers can receive one Hopper 3 at no upfront cost. The Hopper 3 system requires a whole-home DVR fee of $15 per month and $7 per month for each Joey, including the newly available 4K Joey." Source: DISHPosted Mon Feb 1, 2016 at 02:00 PM PST by: -
Samsung Teases Galaxy S7 Reveal, Launch Event Set for February 21[teaser]The company's latest Galaxy products will be unveiled later this month. [/teaser] Samsung has released a teaser video announcing plans to detail its newest line of Galaxy branded products right before the Mobile World Congress kicks off in Barcelona. Rumors suggest that the conference will include the debut of the Galaxy S7 smartphone. Official specs for the Galaxy S7 have not been confirmed, but as many as three different S7 models are expected to be revealed, including flat and curved edge versions. Likewise, reports indicate that the upcoming device could have a touchscreen capable of detecting the force of a user's touch. A fast-charging feature is also rumored. To mark the upcoming announcement, Samsung has uploaded a teaser video featuring its Gear VR Headset, implying that VR could play a big role in the company's future mobile plans. Check out the teaser below! Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked Launch Event is scheduled for February 21 at 1pm EST in Barcelona, Spain. The conference will be live streamed on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/SamsungMobile. Sources: Samsung, Android Central, EngadgetPosted Mon Feb 1, 2016 at 01:30 PM PST by:
