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Boxee is Heading to iPhone, iPad, and Android Mobile Devices[teaser]They've also worked out a deal to handle payment processing and subscription models, but let's be honest, the mobile Boxee is the exciting part here. [/teaser] The Boxee Blog has a way of dropping big announcements like they were casual things. Take the latest entry from Andrew Kippen for example. His post talks about a new solution for processing customer payments that would allow for subscription content. But down at the bottom of the post he writes, "Vindicia’s flexibility also makes it possible for us to enable payments on our website and across mobile platforms like the iPhone, Android, and iPad." And admittedly, that's not a clear indicator. He says payments will come via iPhone, not content. It's the last sentence in the post that gets exciting. "Boxee’s eventual expansion to these platforms will pave the way for universally accessible content no matter where a user is (we love this idea!)." So there it is. Boxee is, hopefully after the release of the Boxee Box, is going to start making its way onto our mobile devices. Source: Boxee BlogPosted Thu May 13, 2010 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
Showtime is Finally Going Online[teaser]"There’s nothing to announce at this time," says spokeswoman, but sources say it's coming soon. [/teaser] If you're an HBO subscriber, you already know the joy of getting your content anywhere you please. The same goes with Epix, but it's not until recently that Showtime has started talking about taking content online. The site will offer content in a way similar to that of rival HBO. You'll be able to access shows and movies online, provided you're a Showtime subscriber. It's a little late in coming, but web based Showtime content is on the way. There's no set date for the launch yet, and exactly what content will be available is a mystery. It'd be great to have shows like 'Weeds' and 'Californication' available on the same day as they air. Jeff Bewkes of Time Warner, the folks who own HBO, called out HBO's site and wide range of content availability as an attraction for customers. "All the HBO subscribers in the United States are going to have HBO programming on demand across every device," he said, "That is a powerful offering." Source: Business WeekPosted Wed May 12, 2010 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
South Korea is the First to Broadcast 3-D Over the Air[teaser]Four major networks will begin 3-D broadcasts within the next few weeks. [/teaser] On May 19th, South Korea will start testing over-the-air 3-D broadcasts. It all kicks off with the 2010 Colorful Daegu Pre-Championships Meeting, which, from the look of it, appears to be a track meet. It may not be the most exciting event to broadcast, but it's live, OTA 3-D. The South Korean broadcasting company seems to be leading the charge is SBS. They're starting with three hours of 3-D programming a day on May 19th and expanding for the summer, when they'll be showing 25 matches from the FIFA World Cup. Other broadcasters, like the education oriented EBS, won't be focusing on live 3-D quite as much, and don't know just how much they'll be able to use it. They specialize in documentaries though, which could result in some pretty impressive sights. Oh Nam-seok is an official from the KCC, which you can think of as a Koran FCC. "This is the first time anywhere in the world that live 3D television will be tested on a land-based network," he says, adding "The participation of all four terrestrial television networks will contribute to accelerating the road toward commercialization." Source: Korea TimesPosted Wed May 12, 2010 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
Highlights from The Bonus View: We Have a Winner!![teaser]The Bonus View is humming along nicely, with plenty of excellent HD highlights for you this week, including the winner of that Blu-ray player![/teaser] So far we've asked some of life's most important questions, like, "Where do you get your HD content?" We've also recapped the weekend box office, reported on the week's big videogame releases, checked in with Doc Brown, CIA psychiatrist, oh, and we've announced the winner of that free Blu-ray player! So there you have it, visit the blog, leave your comments, share your favorite stuff on Facebook, and come back tomorrow for more. Check out The Bonus View now!Posted Tue May 11, 2010 at 02:25 PM PDT by: -
Win a Home Theater Makeover for Dad[teaser]Stuck for a Father’s Day gift? Throw in with Fox and MGM for a chance to win a new home theater. [/teaser] Alright, sure, there are problems with the “Upgrade Your Dad” promotion. For starters, a 55 inch Philips TV, home theater system and Blu-ray player may not actually be an upgrade. But that depends on your dad. More importantly, the drawing isn’t until July 7th. Still, Fox is giving you the chance to win some cool gear in order to help promote their Blu-rays, both new and old. They’re pushing titles like ‘Hang ‘em High,’ and ‘The Man in the Iron Mask,' which are out today. If your dad is into westerns, you can pick him up the 'Magnificent Seven Collection' which includes all four movies. More of a Clint fan? 'The Man with No Name Trilogy' is hitting shelves one June 1st, and includes three movies on three discs. And of course, Fox would like to remind you that the James Bond movies do exist on Blu-ray. Be careful when buying the collections though. No matter how badly you want to own 'Dr. No,' it might not be worth it if you have to have 'Die Another Day' sitting next to it. Source: Fox "Upgrade Your Dad" Father's Day SweepstakesPosted Tue May 11, 2010 at 12:55 PM PDT by: -
FCC Allows Analog Output Block for New Movies[teaser]The MPAA won out on this one. If you’re not using HDMI, it’s about time to start. [/teaser] Chances are, you’ve got all of your components connected via HDMI and this won’t affect you. But if you don’t, you may want to consider the upgrade. The latest ruling from the FCC allows the MPAA to block your analog outputs using Selectable Output Control (SoC). It’s a measure to stop piracy, of course, and would completely shut down your component output. There are some pretty big limits to what can be done with SoC though. First off, it can only be used for VoD movies that haven’t been released on Blu-ray or DVD. Second, it can only last for a maximum of 90 days. If you’re using HDMI, or you just don’t order VoD, then you’ve got nothing to worry about. Those running component to a TV or projector that doesn’t support HDMI though will have to find a workaround. Source: Zero PaidPosted Tue May 11, 2010 at 11:00 AM PDT by: -
StreamTV Fails to Appear[teaser]The date has come and gone, and we’ve got nothing to show for it. [/teaser] Remember that cool StreamTV listing that went up on Amazon a month or so ago? It had a promised release date of May 7th, but a quick check reveals nothing new. The thing about the StreamTV sets is that they’re unlike anything being offered at the price by larger companies. Imagine snagging a 55 inch LCD set with internet streaming capabilities and a 500GB hard drive for a mere $2,299. Oh yeah, and it has a Blu-ray player built right into it too. The more expensive sets in the mystery line boasted 3-D capability, a “Super Blu-ray Player” and a glasses-free 3-D experience. Amazon shows them all as being temporarily out of stock. It’d be great to have these hit the market, especially if they’re well made TVs that are actually at that price point. But for now, it looks like we’re going to have to write this off as vaporware. Source: AmazonPosted Tue May 11, 2010 at 09:00 AM PDT by: -
CBS is Getting Friendly with the iPad[teaser]Actual content is on the way this fall. [/teaser] The iPad is a brand new device that’s been incredibly successful. But there’s a problem. It doesn’t support Flash, which is a standard for websites across the internet, especially video streaming services. One such service is CBS, which currently dishes out a single episode of Survivor and a few other clips to iPad users. If you visit on your computer though, you’ll be treated to a huge range of video clips. CBS VP Anthony Soohoo says that’s all going to change this fall, when the company rolls out a new HTML5 compliant portal just for the iPad. There won’t be any changes to the main site though. If you’re browsing on anything that’s not an iPad, you’ll get the standard Flash treatment. Source: MacRumorsPosted Tue May 11, 2010 at 07:00 AM PDT by: -
HD Price Drops Increase Consumer Spending by 12 Percent[teaser]And according to the CEA, 65 percent of all US homes have an HDTV. That's a nice step up over most estimates. [/teaser] The Consumer Electronics Association has a good reason to show some bias, but the new study is heartening no matter how you look at it. To start with, spending on consumer electronics is up. The new study showed that the average home spent $1,380 on CE products in the last year, which is $151 above the last study, taken six months ago. According to the CEA, one of the biggest reasons for the increase was price drops on everything high definition. The CEA also found that 65 percent of homes have an HDTV, which is a huge increase over most estimates, which put it at 53. 25 percent said they were going to buy a new TV in the next year (I've been saying that for two years now) and 85 percent own at least one computer. Men spent the most, with an average of $969. Women came in at $631. Source: Home Media MagazinePosted Mon May 10, 2010 at 10:15 AM PDT by: -
WD TV Live Adds Windows 7 "Play To" Feature[teaser]Playing networked video and music just got a whole lot easier.[/teaser] If you haven't gotten to check out the Play To function of Windows Media Center 12, you're missing out on one of the coolest features added to the software in a long time. With it, you can select a file and play it on any connected device. Alright, it doesn't seem that cool initially, but think about trying to watch a video on your Xbox 360, PS3, or whatever else you use for streaming from your desktop. If you've got more than a few files in there, it can be a slog. With Play To, you can navigate on your computer, rather than wrestle with a clunky remote interface. Western Digital says it's something users have been asking for. "We regularly engage with WD TV Live enthusiasts in our online community. Many have been asking for a way to "push" media from their PCs to their TV or home theater system, especially from laptops" Source: Western DigitalPosted Mon May 10, 2010 at 08:00 AM PDT by:
