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Amazon Will Not Charge Extra for Ultra HD Streaming on Prime Instant Video[teaser]The company has confirmed that Prime members will be able to stream 4K content under their current subscriptions. [/teaser] Assuaging fears that another price hike could be on the way, Amazon has officially announced that Ultra HD streaming will arrive at no extra cost for Prime Instant Video users. Likewise, the company has also announced several titles that are expected to be available in 4K this year. "We want to be the best entertainment destination for customers. We're confident that offering Ultra HD content, whether it's a TV series or a film, will help create the ultimate viewing experience and can't wait to start making it available this year. We've already announced that the Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek To Cheek LIVE! concert will be available in the premium resolution as well as Amazon Original Series including Transparent, Alpha House and the upcoming Mozart in the Jungle series, and we're excited to unveil even more titles that Prime members and customers can watch in Ultra HD later this year and into next year. Amazon Prime members will have access to a great selection of Ultra HD content on Prime Instant Video at no additional cost," said Michael Paull, VP of Amazon Digital Video. In contrast, Netflix has already enacted a price increase for subscribers streaming 4K content, bringing the monthly cost for Ultra HD streaming to $11.99 on their service. An Amazon Prime membership currently costs $99 per year, and includes free 2-day shipping, Prime Instant Video, Prime Music, Prime Photos, the Kindle Owners' Lending Library, and more. Source: AmazonPosted Wed Nov 12, 2014 at 11:00 AM PST by: -
1080p Netflix Streaming Now Available on iPhone 6 Plus[teaser]The company's iOS app has been updated to support the new iPhone's HD resolution. [/teaser] Netflix has announced the release of a new update for its iPhone mobile app. Version 7.0 now offers 1080p playback on the iPhone 6 Plus. iPhone 6 Plus users can now watch their favorite Netflix shows in full 1080p resolution, allowing them to take advantage of the handset's higher resolution and larger screen. In addition, the upgraded app also offers an optimized interface that shows more titles and larger images. Likewise, the app provides improved performance for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The iPhone 6 Plus features a 5.5-inch IPS 1080p Retina display with 401ppi and a 1300:1 contrast ratio. Meanwhile, the standard iPhone 6 features a 4.7-inch IPS Retina display with a resolution of 1334 x 750, 326ppi and a contrast ratio of 1400:1. Both models use an A8 chip with 64-bit architecture and an M8 motion coprocessor running iOS 8. An 8MP iSight camera and a 1.2MP FaceTime camera are included as well. 16GB, 64GB, and 128GB options will be available and each model will come in silver, gold, and space gray designs. A monthly Netflix subscription currently starts at $7.99 for SD streaming and $8.99 for HD streaming. In addition to iOS mobile devices, the service is available on a variety of smart TVs and media players, including the Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, Roku 3, Apple TV and Chromecast. Source: NetflixPosted Tue Nov 11, 2014 at 05:30 PM PST by: -
Best Buy Reveals Black Friday Gear Deals, Including a Samsung 4K TV for Just $900![teaser]The retailer has released its Black Friday advertisement preview. [/teaser] Best Buy has unveiled its Black Friday deals lineup. TVs receiving major discounts include a Samsung 55-inch Ultra HD TV, a Panasonic 50-inch 1080p LED, A VIZIO 50-inch 1080p LED, and more! Here's a rundown of some of the TV deal highlights: Samsung UN55HU6830FXZA 55" Class LED 2160p 4K Ultra HD TV - $900 Samsung UN55HU7250FXZA 55" Class LED Curved 4K Ultra HD TV - $1,300 Sony XBR55X850B 55" Class LED 4K Ultra HD TV - $1,500 Panasonic TC-50A400U 50" Class LED 1080p HDTV - $200 LG 55LB5550 55" Class LED 1080p HDTV - $480 VIZIO M502I-B1 50" Class LED 1080p Smart HDTV - $500 All deal prices should be active from November 27-29, 2014. Best Buy stores will open at 5pm on Thanksgiving and will close at 1am. Retail locations will then reopen at 8am on Friday. For a full listing of all of Best Buy's Black Friday deals, including more TVs and gear items like tablets and speakers, check out the company's online Black Friday Ad. Source: Best BuyPosted Tue Nov 11, 2014 at 04:00 PM PST by: -
Amazon Details 2015 Pilot Season Lineup for Instant Video Streaming[teaser]The upcoming original series will premiere exclusively on Amazon's digital video service. [/teaser] Amazon has revealed its full 2015 pilot season lineup. The seven shows will debut on Amazon Instant Video early next year in the US, UK, and Germany. "Our first pilot season of 2015 brings some of the greatest storytellers in the business to Amazon customers with works of novelty and passion. We're very excited by these shows and look forward to getting customers' reactions next year," said Roy Price, Vice President, Amazon Studios. Once the shows premiere, customers will be able to offer feedback to help Amazon decide which series will be picked up for full seasons. The eclectic collection of new programs comes from a varied list of writers and producers, including Frank Spotnitz ('The X-Files'), Carlton Cuse ('Lost'), Randall Wallace ('Braveheart'), Ridley Scott ('Blade Runner'), Shawn Ryan ('The Shield'), Robin Schiff ('Are You There, Chelsea?'), newcomer Lindsey Stoddart, and Alex Gibney ('The Armstrong Lie'). The full lineup of pilots includes: 'Cocked' - Created by Sam Baum (Lie to Me) and Sam Shaw (Manhattan – TV series), Cocked stars Sam Trammell (True Blood) as Richard Paxson, a family man and corporate lap dog who left his family in rural Virginia twenty years before and vowed never to go back. After some unfortunate circumstances, he is forced to leave the big city and return home to help his family’s gun business—one of the oldest in the country. But no good deed goes unpunished. Older brother Grady Paxson, played by Jason Lee (My Name is Earl), who’s a bachelor, playboy and gun aficionado, isn’t so happy to have him back, and Richard’s liberal wife and two opinionated teenage children are horrified by the world they have been thrown into. Hilarity, epic fights and emotional breakdowns ensue. Cocked also stars Brian Dennehy (The Good Wife) as Wade Paxson, Laura Fraser (Breaking Bad) as Hannah Paxson, and Dreama Walker (The Good Wife) as Tabby Paxson. The hour-long dark comedy pilot is directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts (Skull Island), and Erwin Stoff (Unbroken), Shaw, and Baum are Executive Producers.'Down Dog' - Blessed with good looks, a winning smile, hippie parents and a Southern California upbringing, life has been relatively easy thus far for Logan Wood (played by Josh Casaubon, I Just Want My Pants Back). In his late 30's, having coasted through romances with countless women and various random jobs, he now teaches yoga to the trophy wives, hot moms and aspiring celebrities of Santa Monica and Venice Beach. And he's damn good at it. But when Logan and his current girlfriend, a successful and attractive older woman named Amanda (played by Paget Brewster, Criminal Minds) who happens to be the owner of the yoga studio, break up, life starts to get more complicated. Down Dog also stars Lyndsy Fonseca (How I Met Your Mother), Will Greenberg (Halt and Catch Fire), Andrea Savage (The Life and Times of Tim), Amir Talai (American Dad), Kris Kristofferson (Lone Star), and Alysia Reiner (Orange is the New Black). The pilot is written by Robin Schiff (Are You There, Chelsea?), produced by Bob Cooper (RFK) and Michael Fuchs (Death in the Modern Age), and directed by Bradley Silberling (Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events).'Mad Dogs' - Mad Dogs is an hour-long dark comedy created by Cris Cole (The Bill), and Executive Produced by Cole, Shawn Ryan (The Shield) and Marney Hochman (Last Resort), Andy Harries (DCI Banks), Suzanne Mackie (All in Good Time), and Charles McDougall (The Mindy Project). Based on the hit UK series, Mad Dogs follows the twisted reunion of a group of underachieving forty-something friends—a mixture of single, married and recently divorced—who are all at different crossroads in their lives. Celebrating the early retirement of an old friend at his gorgeous Belize villa, grudges begin to emerge and secrets explode as their trip becomes a labyrinthine nightmare of lies, deception and murder. Mad Dogs is a twisted tale of friendship put to the ultimate test. As an inconceivable chain of events unfolds, cracks within the group widen before the friends realize that the only people they can trust are each other, the last people they want to be relying on. The pilot stars Steve Zahn (Dallas Buyers Club) as Cobi, Billy Zane (Twin Peaks) as Milo, Romany Malco (Weeds) as Gus, Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos) as Lex, and Ben Chaplin (World without End) as Joel. Mad Dogs is directed by McDougall and is being co-produced with Sony Pictures Television.'The Man in the High Castle' - Based on Philip K. Dick's Hugo Award-winning 1962 alternative history, The Man in the High Castle considers the question of what would have happened if the Allied Powers had lost World War II. Some 20 years after that loss, the United States and much of the world has now been split between Japan and Germany, the major hegemonic states. But the tension between these two powers is mounting, and this stress is playing out in the western U.S. Through a collection of characters in various states of posing (spies, sellers of falsified goods, others with secret identities), The Man in the High Castle provides an intriguing tale about life and history as it relates to authentic and manufactured reality. The hour-long dramatic pilot stars Alexa Davalos (Mob City) as Juliana Crain, Luke Kleintank (Pretty Little Liars) as Joe Blake, Rupert Evans (The Village) as Frank Frink, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Mortal Kombat Legacy) as Tagomi, Joel De La Fuente (Hemlock Grove) as Inspector Kido, Rufus Sewell (Eleventh Hour) as John Smith and DJ Qualls (Z Nation) as Ed McCarthy. The pilot is directed by David Semel (Madam Secretary, Heroes) and written by Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files), both serving as Executive Producers. Also executive producing are Ridley Scott and David W. Zucker, with co-executive producer Jordan Sheehan of Scott Free Productions (The Good Wife, The Andromeda Strain), and Executive Producers Stewart Mackinnon and Christian Baute of Headline Pictures (The Invisible Woman). In addition, Isa Dick Hackett will executive produce and Kalen Egan will co-executive produce on behalf of Electric Shepherd (The Adjustment Bureau). Christopher Tricarico (May in the Summer) is also Executive Producer.'The New Yorker Presents' - America’s most award-winning magazine comes to life in this half hour docu-series pilot. The New Yorker Presents is a completely unique viewing experience that features Tony-Award winner Alan Cumming (The Good Wife) and actor Brett Gelman (Go On) in a short film based on a story by Simon Rich (Saturday Night Live) and directed by Emmy Award-winning director Troy Miller (Arrested Development); a poem by Matthew Dickman; a documentary by Academy Award-winning director Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs) about biologist Tyrone Hayes based on a Rachel Aviv article; and an interview with famous performance artist, Marina Abramović, conducted by The New Yorker writer Ariel Levy. Academy Award-winning documentarian Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side) is Executive Producer, joined by Dave Snyder (Death Row Stories) and Dawn Ostroff (The Fashion Fund). The pilot is co-produced by Condé Nast Entertainment and Jigsaw Productions.'Point of Honor' - At the start of the Civil War, a Virginia family, led by their West Point bred son, John Rhodes (played by Nathan Parsons, True Blood), makes the controversial decision to defend the South while freeing all of their slaves. At battle against his northern brethren and his best friend and brother-in-law Robert Sumner (played by Christopher O’Shea, Baby Daddy), John leaves his three strong-willed sisters at home to run the plantation that is now without a free labor source. The choice to protect the life they have always known and defend the moral high ground will pit the family against one another and test their strength, courage and love. An hour-long drama shot entirely on-location in historic Virginia, Point of Honor also stars Annabelle Stephenson (Revenge) as Kate Rhodes, Riley Voelkel (The Newsroom) as Lorelei Rhodes, Hanna Mangan Lawrence (Old School) as Estella Rhodes, Patrick Heusinger (Revolution) as Colonel Palmer Kane, Luke Benward (Ravenswood) as Garland Rhodes, Adrienne Warren (Black Box) as Abby, Lucien Laviscount (Waterloo Road) as Elijah, and James Harvey Ward (Low Winter Sun) as Cutler. The pilot is directed by Randall Wallace (Braveheart), written by Carlton Cuse (Lost) and Wallace, and Executive Produced by Cuse, Wallace and Barry Jossen (Sex and the City). Point of Honor is being co-produced with ABC Signature Studios.'Salem Rogers' - In this half-hour comedy, Leslie Bibb (About a Boy) plays Salem Rogers, an overly confident, outrageously blunt, and hard-partying former supermodel who is forced to face her past and re-enter the real world after ten years in a posh rehab center. Intent on recreating her glamorous lifestyle and modeling success, she tracks down Agatha (played by Rachel Dratch, Saturday Night Live), her former assistant who has since built a career as an author of self-help books to help her win back the spotlight. Salem Rogers also stars Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle), Brad Morris (Playing House), Harry Hamlin (Mad Men), Toks Olagundoye (The Neighbors), Brad Morris (Cougar Town) and Scott Adsit (30 Rock). The pilot is written by newcomer Lindsey Stoddart, Executive Produced by Will Graham (The Onion News Network) and directed by Mark Waters (Mean Girls). Salem Rogers was submitted as part of the studio’s online screenplay submission process. Amazon Instant Video is available on a variety of smart TVs, game consoles, mobile devices, and streaming players, including the Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, Fire HDX 8.9, Fire Phone and the Roku 3. Source: AmazonPosted Tue Nov 11, 2014 at 11:00 AM PST by:
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HDD Gear Deal Spotlight: Up to 60 Percent off Mirage Speakers![teaser]For a limited time, Amazon is offering significant discounts on select speakers! [/teaser] As part of the online retailer's ongoing electronic sales and promotions, Amazon and the Woot! store are running limited time deals on Mirage speakers. Mirage Os3-Sat Premium Omnipolar Satellite-Bookshelf Speaker - Currently $125 (50 percent off its retail price). Mirage Unitheater Premium Left-Center-Right Omnipolar Speaker - Currently $300 (60 percent off its retail price). Mirage Omni-S10 10-Inch 800 Watt High-Performance Subwoofer - Currently $300 (43 percent off its retail price). Mirage OMD-15 Floorstanding Speaker - Currently $500 (58 percent off its retail price). Mirage OMD-15 Floorstanding Speaker (Rosewood) - Currently $750 (38 percent off its retail price). Mirage OMD28 Omnipolar Floorstanding Loudspeaker - Currently $950 (15 percent off its retail price). As always, 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 Mon Nov 10, 2014 at 05:00 PM PST by: -
LG Announces Android 5.0 Lollipop Update for G3 Smartphones[teaser]The company's flagship smartphone will be one of the first devices to receive the new OS. [/teaser] LG has announced the arrival of the Android 5.0 Lollipop OS for its G3 mobile handsets. The update will be available starting in Poland this week, and will then expand to other markets soon. "LG is absolutely committed to giving our customers the best mobile experiences available and bringing Android Lollipop to G3 owners as soon as possible is a top priority," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of the LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "The new features and improvements in Android 5.0 will bring a whole new user experience to the G3 and make it even better than it already is." Android 5.0 offers new design elements, improved notifications, advanced security features, and better performance. Meanwhile, the G3 smartphone uses a 5.5-inch Quad HD IPS panel with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 and a pixel density of 538ppi. Under the hood, the mobile device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 CPU, 2 or 3GB RAM options, 16 or 32GB storage options, and a removable 3,000mAh battery. A 13MP rear camera with OIS+ and Laser Auto Focus technology, and a 2.1MP front camera are included as well. In addition, the phone features a Floating Arc design, LG's Rear Key button placement, and a metallic skin with matte finish on the rear cover for a sleek and ergonomic construction. An exact US release date for the update has not been announced yet. Likewise, there's no word on when other LG devices will receive Android 5.0, but LG plans to announce an upgrade schedule soon. Source: LGPosted Mon Nov 10, 2014 at 02:00 PM PST by: -
HDD Gear Deal Spotlight: Up to 34 Percent off 4K Monitors and TVs[teaser]For a limited time, Amazon is offering significant discounts on select 4K displays! [/teaser] As part of the online retailer's ongoing electronic sales and promotions, Amazon is running limited time deals on 4K monitors from Philips and ViewSonic, and a Samsung Ultra HD TV. ViewSonic VX2880ml 28-Inch 4K Ultra HD LED Monitor - Currently $547 (34 percent off its retail price). Philips 28-Inch 4K Ultra HD LED Monitor - Currently $580 (28 percent off its retail price). Samsung UN55HU6950 55-Inch 4K TV - Currently $1,398 (30 percent off its retail price). As always, 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 Fri Nov 7, 2014 at 05:00 PM PST by: -
Verizon Releases Ellipsis 8 Android Tablet with XLTE Support for $250[teaser]The new 8-inch tablet is now available. [/teaser] Verizon has announced the launch of its latest tablet, the Ellipsis 8. The affordably priced Android device is XLTE-ready and features an HD screen. The Ellipsis 8 uses an 8-inch display with a resolution of 1280x800 and 189PPI. Under the hood, the tablet uses a 1.5GHz quad-core processor and a 5,000 mAh battery for about 14.51 hours of use and 288 hours of standby time. A 5MP camera and 16GB of storage are integrated as well. In addition, the device is powered by Verizon's 4G LTE network and also comes with XLTE-ready support for double the bandwidth. Verizon's Ellipsis 8 is now available from the company's retail and online stores. The tablet starts out at $250 without a contract and $150 with a two-year contract. Source: VerizonPosted Fri Nov 7, 2014 at 03:30 PM PST by: -
Walmart Prepping VUDU Spark Streaming HDMI Dongle[teaser]First details on the upcoming streaming stick have been revealed. [/teaser] Joining Google, Roku, and Amazon, it now appears as if Walmart will be entering the streaming dongle family with their own HDMI stick. Dubbed the VUDU Spark, the upcoming device will allow users to access the company's VUDU app on their TVs. While the VUDU Spark has yet to be officially announced, images and details have been leaked via a filing on the FCC database website. According to the documents, the dongle plugs into a TV's HDMI port and then connects to a user's Wi-Fi. Unlike other streaming sticks, however, it appears as if the VUDU Spark will only offer the VUDU app, letting customer's buy, rent, and retrieve digital copies of movies and TV shows through Walmart's service. Likewise, other potential features such as mobile app support have not been revealed. Walmart has not announced pricing or a release date. The VUDU service recently added several new features, including InstaWatch Digital Copies and a Share My Movies option. Sources: GigaOm, Engadget, FCCPosted Fri Nov 7, 2014 at 12:30 PM PST by: -
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Samsung Rumored to Be Developing 5.9-Inch 4K OLED Display with over 700ppi[teaser]An Ultra HD AMOLED screen could be used for the company's latest Galaxy Note. [/teaser] Rumors indicate that Samsung is set to mass produce a 5.9-inch Super AMOLED 4K display. The upcoming screen will likely be used for the Galaxy Note 5. According to a report from Phone Arena, the new screens will begin production next August and will use AMOLED technology and feature an Ultra HD resolution of 3,840x2,160. At 5.9-inches, the panel would offer a whopping 746ppi. The current Galaxy Note 4 offers a 5.7-inch AMOLED screen with a Quad HD resolution of 2,560x1,440. Based on previous release patterns, an August production date could coincide with the launch of the Galaxy Note 5. For now, Samsung has yet to confirm the rumored display, but the company did previously reveal plans to release OLED Ultra HD mobile screens in 2015. Meanwhile, while Samsung remains committed to mobile OLED applications, the manufacturer did recently announce a hold on big screen OLED development. Sources: Phone Arena via CNETPosted Thu Nov 6, 2014 at 05:30 PM PST by:
