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Netflix Now Supports Android Tablets[teaser]The new update also gives Canadian and Latin American customers the ability to stream on Android. [/teaser] If you're one of those who went the Android route with tablets, you'll be happy to know that Netflix is finally available for your device. That is, assuming you're rocking Honeycomb. The new Netflix app is excellent news for our neighbors to the north and our neighbors to, like, the way south or something. Canada and Latin America - we assume that means everyone that can subscribe to Netflix as of the last expansion - now have access to Netflix streaming on their Android phones and tablets. Android users can download the new app now, directly from the Android Marketplace. Source: Netflix BlogPosted Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Sony's SimulView 3D Gaming Display Comes November 13[teaser]The 24 inch display was made just for gaming, hence the new 3D feature. [/teaser] When you're watching a movie, you want to be fully lost in the world and don't mind being sucked in to a larger screen. When you're gaming, especially competitively, things are different - you want to be able to view the whole screen quickly and not get lost, lest you lose your edge. Sony's new PlayStation branded display is made specifically for gaming. It's a 1080p 24 inch TV with LED edge lighting and a 240Hz refresh rate. It also does 3D, but what's even cooler is the special SimulView mode that Sony has baked into the set. When playing with or against a friend, SimulView does away with all the annoyances that come with playing split-screen. Instead of dividing the screen down the middle, it gives both you and your friend a full screen experience. Both of you wear 3D glasses and it arranges things so that each of you sees a 2D full screen version of the game. It's a pretty slick setup. Sony says that larger versions of the set may be created based on demand, but for how 24 inches is where they're sticking. It carries and MSRP of $499 and will be available on November 13th. Available for Preorder from AmazonPosted Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 07:30 AM PDT by: -
Virgin's TiVo is Getting Spotify, App Support, and Improved Upscaling[teaser]You'll also find full integration with the BBC iPlayer and a revamped YouTube app. [/teaser] Virgin Media's TiVo is getting a significant update that the company says will be coming before Christmas of 2011. There are plenty of improvements, and even the addition of a brand new service. Spotify seems to be this year's Netflix. Having it on your device is standard and not having it means you're losing out on some sales. Virgin doesn't have to worry about that, since Spotify is coming in the next update for Premium subscribers. Virgin is also adding support for the iOS based TiVo app, which was previously unavailable on their model. The BBC iPlayer will be getting full integration to the service so you won't have to use a tuner for iPlayer viewing. Also improved is the YouTube channel, which now fully supports the new YouTube layout and lets you view movies in HD. Plenty of other tweaks have been added too - better upscaling, better controls and skippable songs in music playlists. Source: EngadgetPosted Fri Oct 21, 2011 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
High-Def Digest-Digest: October 20, 2011by Dick Ward [teaser] It's been a big month so far, what with all the happenings and goings on. We finally get to see the trailer for 'The Avengers,' 'Arrested Development' is coming back, and Sony Bravia TVs are catching fire. Yeah, it's not all good news.[/teaser] Blu-ray News 'Star Wars' and 'Thor' Mark a Dramatic Surge in Blu-ray Sales We're giving some credit to 'Thor' here, but I think we can all tell which of the two brought record Blu-ray sales numbers. 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' Blu-ray Announced Behind the scenes footage, documentaries, featurettes, and commentary from the director and writers are all on disc with 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes.' You can get your stinking paws on it December 13th, you damn dirty ape. Ha! 'Godzilla (1954)' Gets Criterion Blu-ray Treatment Now that's what I'm talking about. Classic artsy fartsy movies may be enough for some, but a little Criterion love for 'Godzilla' is nice to see. You'll get features like crazy, a new 1080p digital transfer, and an uncompressed mono soundtrack when the disc hits shelves January 24th. 'Good Morning Vietnam' and 'Dead Poets Society' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray January 17th will be a good day for Robin Williams fans, or anyone who likes good movies really. 'Good Morning Vietnam' delivers the comedy while 'Dead Poets Society' gets a little more serious with it. Both movies will carry an MSRP of $20. 'The Avengers' Official Trailer Now Available Alright, so it's not technically Blu-ray news. But hey, it'll come to Blu-ray eventually and if it's anywhere close to as good as it should be, you'll be buying it. The music isn't great, but otherwise the trailer is incredibly cool. Watch it now, then watch it again and again until the movie is finally out. Gear and Industry News 40 Inch Bravias May Catch Fire - Sony Issues Recall If you have a 40 inch Bravia you need to click the link, check your model numbers, and make sure your TV isn't going to overheat and burn down your house. At the bare minimum, get one of those Jiffy Pop thingies with the handle and set it by the remotes. If you don't have this TV, move along - nothing to see here. 10 New Episodes of 'Arrested Development' are In the Works - Netflix Among Bidders One of the most beloved comedies of all time (and yet another brilliant show canceled by Fox) is finally coming back on the air. Until that happens, feel free to watch the series again like I do once every few months. Comcast Introduces "MyTV Choice" No-Contract Channel Packages Based on Interests Instead of Tiers It ain't perfect, but it's a damn good start. Eliminating tier based packages in favor of these new interest-based packages makes a lot more sense for consumers. Now if only we could build our own cable packages by selecting only the channels we wanted then we'd have a winner on our hands. Premium On Demand Version of 'Tower Heist' Cancelled Due to Theater Pressure I was really interested to see how 'Tower Heist' performed as a premium on demand title - a good response could mean a step forward towards early home distribution. As it turns out, we're not going to know quite yet. Netflix Changes Back - No Qwickster After All Netflix is back to one service and Qwickster is canned. The newest problem is solved but the price change remains in place. Anyone else get the feeling this is a New Coke sort of scenario?Posted Thu Oct 20, 2011 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
Roku Adds FyreTV for Adult Movie Streaming[teaser]Want a little smut mixed in with your streaming? Roku's got it. [/teaser] Ever since Vudu dropped porn from the menu, streaming smut to the TV has been fairly limited. You could use an HTPC of course, but in terms of set-top boxes, you had to get a special box with a dedicated purpose. It seems those days are at an end, as Roku has added the popular adult movie provider FyreTV to its channel lineup. You'll have to sign in to Roku to enable the channel, and you'll have to sign up for a FyreTV membership to access videos. Videos are available for purchase and unlimited plans are available starting at $9.95 a month. You'll also get one free video for signing up. Fyre TV's site advertises that there's more than just Roku in the future. Blu-ray players, the Boxee Box and even the PS3 are listed as "coming soon." Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Thu Oct 20, 2011 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Technical Standards for Ultra High-Definition TV are Now in Place[teaser]Could we end up with a format war between UHDTV and 4K2K technology? [/teaser] Just when you were getting used to 1080p, something new is around the corner! In the ever increasing desire to improve, researchers have been working on a new technology called ultra high-definition television. Unlike 3D tech, which wasn't properly standardized at launch and is still struggling to get to the point where all 3D technologies are compatible, UHDTV has already put a standard in place. They're in agreement about most of the important technical details so working on new TVs should be a little simpler moving forward. While you may not think a 33 megapixel 7680 × 4320 resolution is entirely necessary, the folks at the ITU Study Group point to glasses-free 3D as one application that absolutely requires the most resolution available. Source: Broadcasting & CablePosted Thu Oct 20, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Price Drops on Large TVs Expected from Big Brands this Holiday[teaser]Depending on the company though, discounts may be a little more disappointing than in the past. [/teaser] Alright, we know. TV prices drop every year. Still, the data on just who is doing what for the 2011 holiday season is quite interesting. There's a bit of a changeup expected from previous years, with the biggest drops on large TV prices coming from the bigger, more established brands. Sanyo worked its way into homes last year with an incredibly cheap 60 inch set at Walmart, but researchers suggest that value-oriented brands will be focusing on sets 42 inches and smaller for 2011. In the 50 inch and above space, brands like Samsung and Sony are expected to dominate. With recent tragedies in Japan and Thailand, some companies warn not to expect anything too impressive though. "Panel availability will be a little tight for Q4," says Toshiba VP Scott Ramirez, "so being more aggressive than last year may not make sense." Source: TWICEPosted Thu Oct 20, 2011 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
Dish and Blockbuster Take a Marketing Tip from Timeshares[teaser]Listen to the pitch, get free movies and games. [/teaser] If you've been to any hot vacation destination, you've probably been approached to attend a timeshare meeting. They're slick deals if you don't mind blowing a little time and you have the force of will to resist a hard sell. In exchange for that time you'll get things ranging from show tickets to gift cards. Blockbuster and Dish are rolling out a similar promotion. If you go into a Blockbuster store and listen to a Dish Network pitch then you'll get a free game or movie rental on the spot and a free subscription to Blockbuster by Mail for 30 days. "You set up an appointment with one of our representatives and they give you the whole run down," explains one Blockbuster employee, stating that they will then "give you all the information and they can sign you up for a free membership." This isn't running in all Blockbuster locations, but if you want a free rental and you don't mind sitting through a sales pitch to get it, this might not be a bad setup. Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Wed Oct 19, 2011 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Vudu to Start Streaming 7.1 Channel Dolby Surround[teaser]The newest 'Pirates of the Caribbean' film is the first to offer it, with more on the way. [/teaser] Sure, Netflix is pretty far behind when it comes to picture quality and still stuck in stereo for most titles, but Vudu is making it a little harder to argue the inferiority of streaming content. The picture quality of the streaming service is incredible and now they're tweaking the sound. 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,' has come to Vudu with one added surprise - 7.1 channel Dolby Digital Plus surround. It's the first film on the service to offer 7.1 channel surround sound and thanks to a partnership with Dolby, it's not going to be the last. "Today is just the first step," says Dolby VP John Coulin, who has his sights set on more than just Vudu. "We look forward to having the opportunity to work with additional content providers to deliver premium-quality 7.1 surround sound to more consumers." Source: TechCrunchPosted Wed Oct 19, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
The Boxee Box Gets Spotify Streaming[teaser]You'll need to be a Premium subscriber to use it though. [/teaser] Spotify has been getting a lot of love since it launched here in the U.S. As a music streaming service it's top of the line, and different receiver and smartphone makers have been rushing to get an app added to their devices. The Boxee Box is the latest to add Spotify - the free app is available now - and the company is clearly stoked to include the service. As Andrew Kippen writes on the blog, "After a week with the Premium subscription, I deleted all the other music on my phone and now just use Spotify." There are two bits of disappointing news however. First, Boxee software users don't get the added Spotify love, only Boxee Box users. Second, you need to be a Premium subscriber to use the service on your Boxee Box. Source: Boxee BlogPosted Wed Oct 19, 2011 at 07:30 AM PDT by:
