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iTunes Replay May be the Streaming Service Apple Fans Have Been Waiting For[teaser]Sources say Replay will allow you to re-download music and videos that you already own and may include streaming content. [/teaser] The folks at AppAdvice.com have learned about a new service that Apple will be launching in the near future called iTunes Replay. According to the site, it's going to be launching in the next few weeks and will give users the ability to re-download older content that they've purchased. It's also reported that iTunes Replay will let users stream their owned content to Apple TV and iOS devices so you won't have to worry about downloading your music and movies to every device you own. There's no word yet on a subscription plan for iTunes music or video content, but that would seem to be the next logical step. If Apple could step in with a streaming service that's competitive with Netflix, there could be massive waves in the market. Source: App AdvicePosted Fri Aug 5, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Comcast CEO: "No Streaming Business Model That Works For Us"[teaser]Subscribers are down again for Comcast, but the company has no plans to try and expand into a different business model. [/teaser] Comcast hasn't been doing so hot. They're losing subscribers at a significant rate - nearly 250,000 in the last quarter - and their profits are getting lower. There are two big things that Comcast needs to think about at this point. The first is customer retention. The second is alternate income. One of the more obvious solutions, and one that seems simple enough to jump on, is launching a streaming service for non-subscribers. Something along the lines of Hulu or Netflix. CEO Brian Roberts says that the idea has crossed his desk, but there's not a business model that will allow the company to reap mountains of profits (the kind that can tip over and kill a man!). He also suggested that trying to bring in new customers with this service isn't something that Comcast is necessarily interested in. "I think it's better when you already have a relationship with the customer to add these services on," he says. Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Fri Aug 5, 2011 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
2012 London Olympics are Getting the 3D Treatment[teaser]Though the official broadcaster hasn't said anything, a broadcasting gear maker has confirmed it. [/teaser] The Olympics is an event that almost always marks the adoption of new technology. In recent years broadcasters have been playing with online streaming, but for the upcoming events it seems they'll be giving a strong showing to 3D. According to EVS, whose equipment is being used at the games, there will be as many as 10 different venues with a 3D setup. This could be a big driver for 3D television sales, which haven't been doing so hot lately. Whether we'll see these 3D events in America is a bit of a mystery. NBC has the rights to the Olympic broadcasts, but they haven't revealed any details on 3D plans. Source:Posted Thu Aug 4, 2011 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
CBS Nearly Doubles Operating Profit - Partial Credit Goes to Streaming[teaser]Netflix and Amazon deals helped CBS increase their income by 97 percent. [/teaser] Movie studios and broadcasters often point to streaming content as something that will eventually be the downfall of the whole industry. Cheap and even free access to content is a worrying trend for them, but not for the folks at CBS. Last year, CBS brought in $440 million, which is nearly double the $223 million brought in the previous year. A good chunk of that income came from streaming services like Netflix and Amazon streaming deals. The secret to working with streaming services, according to CEO Les Moonves, is to work with shows that no longer have value to the company. We have three ‘CSI’ [programs] that are now on the air and aren’t part of these Netflix deals or the Amazon deals." Moonves says that once they're off the air though, he expects the streaming money to start rolling in. Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Thu Aug 4, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
LG Announces Its New LW9800 TVs[teaser]Nano LED lighting and Cinema 3D technology are among the selling points for the new high-end set. [/teaser] Havis Kwon, president of LG Electronics, is a big fan of the new 9800 series. "We've set a new benchmark in connectivity, picture quality and sheer viewing enjoyment," he says, calling the LW980S "the crown jewel of TVs." The 9800 line boast smart TV and connected TV features, but there aren't any specifics yet on just what those entail. It handles 3D as well, using passive technology rather than the active technology that most manufacturers are using. This gives you lighter glasses and, according to LG, an absence of crosstalk and flickering. LG's 9800 doesn't just play 3D video - it can change over a 2D signal to 3D as well. The quality of that automatic conversion is yet to be seen, but being able to transition is nice either way. One of the big selling points of the 9800 is the Nano Full LED backlighting technology, which spreads out the light evenly across the screen. Local dimming in the 980S is done in 2,300 individual segments. LG will be showing these sets for the first time publicly in September at IFA Berlin. Hopefully we'll find out more details then. Source: EngadgetPosted Thu Aug 4, 2011 at 07:30 AM PDT by: -
Hitachi May Exit TV Business[teaser]At the very least they'll be scaling down and outsourcing manufacturing. [/teaser] Hitachi has been in the TV business for a long time, but that may end up changing soon. The company is considering what to do about its lacking sales and two options are being considered: outsourcing, or closing its doors. Hitachi isn't the first name people think of when discussing high quality TVs and, to be honest, it's probably not the second or third either. That reputation, or the lack of a reputation, probably hasn't helped Hitachi stay in business. The other thing that may end up driving the company out of the TV business it's been in for 55 years is competition. Specifically, competition from Korean manufacturers like LG and Samsung. Their low costs allow them to price TVs low and keep profits high. Source: EngadgetPosted Thu Aug 4, 2011 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
DVD Streaming Service Zediva Shut Down by Courts[teaser]Anyone else surprised that it took this long? [/teaser] The folks at Zediva had an interesting idea. Instead of buying the streaming rights to a movie and then letting customers select from a range of options, they would simply stream the DVD. This method of streaming gave them some options not available to Netflix - like the ability to watch special features. Of course, as soon as the studios caught wind of this they had a strong reaction, and a very negative one at that. Streaming movies without paying licensing fees isn't exactly something that made them happy. The courts sided with the studios, saying that Zediva was not a virtual video store as it claimed to be. Instead it was ruled that their service was along the lines of Netflix and Hulu and therefore Zediva would have to shut down. There's no word on when this will occur, since at the time of this writing, the site is still up. Source: Hacking NetflixPosted Wed Aug 3, 2011 at 12:00 PM PDT by: -
Sony Making Big Changes to the TV Business[teaser]Sony may be selling a lot of sets, but the money just isn't coming in the way they need it to. [/teaser] The folks at Sony have one hell of a big job ahead of them. They need to turn a TV business that hasn't been doing great into one that's at least making them some money. CFO Masaru Kato says the company is ready though, and already has some big ideas. He says that the restructuring of the Sony TV brand will be thorough. Every aspect of the television business will be looked at, questioned and improved. It seems that some plans are already underway, which is almost certainly a relief to Sony shareholders. "Even though we haven't yet decided how to announce the plans," says Kato, "they'll be implemented immediately." Source: EngadgetPosted Wed Aug 3, 2011 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
Over-the-Top Video Now In More Homes Than DVRs[teaser]Around 13 million homes have over-the-top video services but no DVRs. [/teaser] Not long ago, when the TiVo first hit the market, it seemed as if the DVR was going to be a given. If you're watching TV after all, it'd be far better to enjoy it on your time and skip through all the commercials. Currently DVRs are in 40.5 million homes, and research firm Magna Global expects that to hit 63.1 million by the end of 2016. That would make over half of the homes in the US. It's an impressive number, but it pales in comparison to over-the-top solutions. Right now, 45 percent of homes have an over-the-top device capable of streaming content from online sources. By 2016, Magna says that number will rise to 57 percent of homes, or a cool 71 million. Not too shabby. Source:Posted Wed Aug 3, 2011 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
AUO Waiting Until 2014 For OLED to be Feasible[teaser]Specifically, they're estimating that commercial use won't hit until 2014. [/teaser] It seems like OLED television has been "right around the corner" for years now. Pretty much every TV maker with an interest in the technology says that we'll be seeing OLED sets on store shelves soon. AUO is at least a tad bit more realistic. The company is expecting that OLED televisions will finally be feasible for commercial use in 2014. Keep in mind of course, that saying something is ready for commercial use is a far cry from saying that it's ready for the general public. It's the usual line of reasoning for the OLED issues - high prices, low production and limited interest in the tech. Of course, get those prices down and that interest will start to rise astronomically. Source: EngadgetPosted Wed Aug 3, 2011 at 07:00 AM PDT by:
