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Barnes & Noble is Launching a Video Service This Fall[teaser]The service will offer movies on demand and will link with your UltraViolet account. [/teaser] Because we don't have enough services that offer almost the exact same thing as it is, Barnes & Noble has thrown its hat into the on-demand ring. The company will be launching a streaming service in the fall that allows customers to buy movies and TV shows and watch them through their Nook tablet. The movies and shows you buy through Nook Video aren't limited to Nook viewing, thankfully. Your downloads can be linked to an UltraViolet account, which gives you a few more options on how to play back our purchased videos. Source: Wall Street JournalPosted Thu Sep 27, 2012 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
DISH Now Offers High-Speed Satellite Internet[teaser]The speeds aren't remarkable, but if you're living in an area that other high-speed options aren't available, it's a big step up. [/teaser] For city-dwellers, it's easy to forget that some folks don't have many options for internet – if any. The folks at DISH have unveiled a new satellite internet service called dishNET that will almost certainly be welcome relief. The new service offers a 5Mbps download at $39 a month and 10Mbps download at $49 when bundled with America's Top 120 or higher programming packages. "Many unserved and underserved markets are years away from a telco or cable broadband build out, but dishNET is available today," says VP Brian McIntyre. "These services will have powerful, positive impacts for kids, educators, businesses, farmers and families -- no matter how far out of town they may choose to live." Source: EngadgetPosted Thu Sep 27, 2012 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Bowers & Wilkins Announces the CI 800 Series of In-Wall and In-Ceiling Speakers[teaser]The new line includes a three-way speaker with a pair of 7-inch low frequency drivers. [/teaser] Bowers & Wilkins has announced a new line of in-wall and in-ceiling loudspeakers designed for those who want optimal sound without actually having speakers visible in their room. There are a pair of two-way speakers launching , both of which offer up a one inch Carbon Based tweeter with Nautilus Tube, just like you find in their less subtle designs. They CCM 8.5 and CWM 8.5 sport a seven inch woven blue Kevlar cone driver that provides you with frequency response as low as 35Hz. The largest of the line is the three-way, in-wall CWM 8.3. This loudspeaker gives you the same one inch tweeter, but switches up the Kevlar driver to a five inch for better mid response. Picking up the bass is a pair of seven inch carbon fiber Rohacell bass drivers. This gets you down to 30Hz. Bowers & Wilkins says that thanks to a rotating center baffle, you can install this either horizontally or vertically. The new speaker line is due out by the end of this year. Source: Electronic House More: Bowers & Wilkins (PDF)Posted Wed Sep 26, 2012 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Verizon/TiVo Lawsuit Results in a $250 Million Payout for TiVo[teaser]With that settled, TiVo says Redbox streaming may be supported in TiVo units when it launches. [/teaser] The ongoing lawsuit between TiVo and Verizon has finally been settled. Because Verizon used TiVo's technology in its DVRs, the company now has to shell out $250 million - $100 million up front and $150 million divided into installments. With that settled, TiVo says that the company is looking to future distribution services such as the one being created by Verizon and Redbox. A big part of making a streaming service succeed is making it available to everyone who wants it, and getting Redbox Instant onto TiVos would be a huge boon. Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Wed Sep 26, 2012 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Sharp Will Cut Nearly 20 Percent of Workforce in Restructuring Plan[teaser]The company also plans to cut wages and sell or close international plants. [/teaser] Sharp is undergoing a major restructuring – one much more significant than it appeared to be. The company recently announced that it would be cutting pay for all employees, but it turns out they need to go much further than that. According to the Kyodo news, Sharp will be eliminating 10,966 jobs from its 57,170 person workforce. That's 19% of its employees. The company will also be cutting employee wages. Again. Sharp's plan right now is to sell off international plants and fringe businesses like its solar battery division. The company will also be analyzing its LCD TV and smartphone businesses and finding better ways to execute in those markets. Source: EngadgetPosted Wed Sep 26, 2012 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
Cable is Still Dominating the VOD Market[teaser]The internet is catching up, but cable and satellite operators still own the majority of the market. [/teaser] The National Polling Data group has revealed the numbers for VOD rentals and there's no question about who is in the lead. During the first half of 2012, cable and satellite absolutely dominated with a 48% share of the market. Over half of that was Comcast. The highest VOD provider that wasn't TV or Satellite was iTunes with 8% and numbers dropping from there. Of course, part of the reason for the difference is that subscription based video seems to be favored online, with more folks hitting up Netflix for their content than renting individual titles from Amazon and Vudu. Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Tue Sep 25, 2012 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Redbox Instant Will Provide Streaming and Disc Rentals by the End of 2012[teaser]There's no word on pricing quite yet, but we're quite curious about what this will mean for Blu-ray rentals. [/teaser] Redbox, once a fledgling chain of rental kiosks has grown into a massive force of, well, still rental kiosks. Things are changing though, and the company will taking to the internet with a movie-focused streaming service. Subscribing to the service will get you streaming content, access to digital purchases through Redbox and a monthly allotment of disc rentals. There's no word on pricing yet, but it should be very interesting to see what happens with Blu-ray rentals – whether or not there will be a Netflix style upcharge. The service is currently testing internally with around 500 Redbox employees. The company plans a short public test before rollout, which is expected by the end of this year. Source: EngadgetPosted Tue Sep 25, 2012 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
The Simple.TV DVR is Shipping Next Week to Kickstarter and Pre-Order Customers[teaser]The DVR, which streams to your web browser, smartphone, tablet or set-top, will be available to order by the end of this month. [/teaser] The Simple.TV DVR is one of those products that probably wouldn't exist in the first place if it wasn't for Kickstarter. It's a niche product, but a very cool one for a specific group of customers. The Simple.TV DVR connects to your antenna or cable through a coax adapter and then records and streams broadcast television to your internet browser or dedicated apps for iOS and Roku. What the Simple.TV DVR doesn't do is handle channels outside of the freely available broadcast channels. That means no 'Breaking Bad,' no 'Weeds' and no 'Game of Thrones.' If you shell out $49 a year for the premium service - $149 for lifetime – you'll be able to do more than just record and play back to devices in your home. You can stream to your app or internet browser no matter where you are, and you'll have a more pleasant experience thanks to a program guide, series recording and program details. Source: Electronic HousePosted Mon Sep 24, 2012 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Vizio's 58-Inch 21:9 TV Comes to Costco and Sam's Club[teaser]The Cinemawide is finally coming to stores, which means customers finally get to look at it! [/teaser] Buying a TV sight unseen is a little scary anyway, but when it's as different as the Vizio Cinemawide, it's an even bigger leap. The 58-inch set with a 21:9 aspect ratio is definitely not for everyone, and even for those with a desire for the resolution, it's something that needs to be seen first. Thankfully, Vizio is finally putting their 58-inch Cinemawide set into stores. If you live near a Costco or a Sam's Club you can go check out the Cinemawide now. Of course, one of the big questions is the content that will be shown on the screen. Stores like this tend not to be the best at keeping their TVs looking nice, so we're hoping not to see a stretched out 16:9 image. Source: EngadgetPosted Mon Sep 24, 2012 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
The $99 Roku Streaming Stick Available in October – Vudu Hits Roku Players Today[teaser]As long as you have a Roku HD or Roku 2 you can enjoy 1080p, 7.1 channel video from Vudu. [/teaser] The folks at Roku have just announced the release date of their streaming stick, which gives you Roku features without taking up any real space in your home theater. It plugs in to an MHL-enabled HDMI slot and is powered from there. It's a pretty slick setup all told. "The Roku Streaming Stick extends our platform beyond the set- top box and into a range of consumer electronics devices," says SVP Chas Smith. "Manufacturers can now deliver a complete streaming experience without painstakingly building it themselves." In other news, Vudu streaming has finally come to Roku devices, allowing for high-quality HD streaming through your Roku HD or Roku 2. Source: EngadgetPosted Thu Sep 20, 2012 at 09:00 AM PDT by:
