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Sky will launch an internet based TV service in the UK in the first half of 2012

admin — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:05:00 +0000

UK pay TV service Sky has just announced its quarterly results, and despite adding 100,000 subscribers as well as notching its "highest ever first-half adjusted operating profit" it will launch a new internet TV service, available to anyone in the country with a broadband connection. Sky describes the new over the top (OTT) service as being aimed at the 13 million UK households who don't currently subscribe to pay TV, with access available via "PC, laptop, tablet, smartphone, games console or connected TV." Initially, it will offer Sky Movies on demand joined by sports and entertainment options later, with access based on either monthly unlimited subscription or "pay-as-you-go" pricing. As far as the company's basic services, it will continue to develop its existing Sky Go product for standard pay-TV subscribers and zeebox iPad companion app, although this seems to initially be a worth competitor for things like Lovefilm and recent UK entrant Netflix. We have plenty of questions about what it will offer cord-cutters and cord-nevers in the UK when it launches in the first half of this year, we should find out more on the earnings call shortly. Until then, hit the PDF link for more detailed financial breakdowns, or check out the IPTV service press release after the break.

Update: Still waiting for Sky Go on Android? The company mentioned during its presentation that the app will finally arrive on Google's platform in February, starting with Samsung Galaxy and HTC handsets. It will also have new channels, including Sky 1, Sky Living and Sky Arts, plus, of course, the new Sky Sports F1 HD channel. The company is also expanding its broadband reach, with plans to cover a million more homes by June 2013, and add a Sky Broadband Unlimited Fibre option. For 20 a month, it offers 40 megabit download speed with no usage caps based on BT Fibre.

Continue reading Sky will launch an internet based TV service in the UK in the first half of 2012

Sky will launch an internet based TV service in the UK in the first half of 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 03:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lovefilm Instant UK lands on LG Smart TVs, shrinks postmen’s movie collection

admin — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:31:00 +0000

As the streaming TV wars hot up in the UK, Lovefilm is steadily strengthening its arsenal: its Instant streaming service is already available on 175 devices, and now you can add LG's April-2011-onwards Smart TVs to that list. Despite the Korean tellies already having over 250 apps, Lovefilm claims its software is the first for streaming movies and TV; and if that's not good enough for you, it even works with LG's Magic Motion remote à la Harry Potter. UK viewers who might have been tempted by Netflix's streaming-only proposition will now have a harder decision to make, especially now that the Amazon-owned service has a competitively priced (£5 to Netflix's £6) Instant-only package. Got an LG and want to know more? Then scoot on over the break for the full PR.

Continue reading Lovefilm Instant UK lands on LG Smart TVs, shrinks postmen's movie collection

Lovefilm Instant UK lands on LG Smart TVs, shrinks postmen's movie collection originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hulu announces first original scripted show ‘Battleground’, plus more proprietary programming

admin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

2011 treated Hulu pretty well it seems, and it's clearly hoping new original content will make for an even better 2012. For starters, the service will be parading its first original scripted series, political drama Battleground, while fans of Morgan Spurlock's Hulu-only A day in the life will be pleased to see it return for a second season. More docu-fun comes in the form of unorthodox city-tour series Up to Speed, from Dazed and Confused director Richard Linklater. Battleground hits screens this Valentine's day, and Morgan returns in March. You'll have to wait until summer for Up to Speed, but at least you'll have plenty more Face Match fodder in the meantime. Hit the PR over the jump for the official blurb on the new shows.

Continue reading Hulu announces first original scripted show 'Battleground', plus more proprietary programming

Hulu announces first original scripted show 'Battleground', plus more proprietary programming originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo and VIA Technologies A30 internet TV set top box bumps up your boob tube’s IQ

admin — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:27:00 +0000

Lenovo's known for making quality computers, but the company's plans for a television set top box have been in the works for months, and now the day has finally come. Lenovo, along with VIA Technologies, has launched the A30 internet TV device that packs a 1.2GHz VIA Nano CPU and VX900 media processor. Further hardware details are scarce at this point, but we do know that the A30 will have a BesTV service providing new and exclusive content, including movies of unknown origin "within a month of their release date," along with picture-in-picture functionality and, of course, internet access. There's mobile functionality too, as your smartphone can serve as both the box's remote and as an additional screen on which to view content. Naturally, Lenovo's not telling how much it'll cost, but our friends in the Far East will be able to pick one up in Q1 of 2012. PR after the break.

Continue reading Lenovo and VIA Technologies A30 internet TV set top box bumps up your boob tube's IQ

Lenovo and VIA Technologies A30 internet TV set top box bumps up your boob tube's IQ originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roku unveils Streaming Stick, squeezes box into MHL dongle

admin — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:14:00 +0000

The latest innovation from Roku CEO Anthony Wood and his squad? After reducing the size of its players to a mere hockey puck, it has now managed to fit all the necessary hardware into this tiny dongle, that plugs into the HDMI port of MHL-compatible HDTVs. Mobile High-Definition Link ports, were intended for users to hook up their mobile phones simply for control and charging all-in-one, but also powers this unit which packs WiFi and all into one tiny package and can even be controlled by the TV's remote. Now, HDTV manufacturers can build TVs that function as dumb displays without it, but become smart TVs featuring the Roku experience we've become accustomed to just by plugging one in. The other benefit? No more obsolete smart TV hardware when the updates stop flowing. While Roku has a decent track record in this regard, if you ever need a more powerful unit, it's a lot simpler to swap out a simple dongle (expect a good/better/best pattern for functions like gaming, etc., following the player line) to add features than changing an entire HDTV.

Best Buy's Insignia-branded line is the first scheduled to take advantage with pack-ins when the stick debuts in the second half of the year, although it will work with TVs from other manufacturers (Samsung, Toshiba, etc.) that meet the spec, but we don't figure the big boys will be willing to sacrifice their existing smart TV platforms very quickly. We're told the price (it will be available both as a standalone and pack-in) should be in a similar range to current Roku players, which the company also announced it has shipped 2.5 million of to date. Check after the break for the press release and pics showing how it fits in an HDTV.

Continue reading Roku unveils Streaming Stick, squeezes box into MHL dongle

Roku unveils Streaming Stick, squeezes box into MHL dongle originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Show off your smartphone photog skills with Sony Ericsson’s vscreens

admin — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 21:55:00 +0000

Have you been jonesin' to show off those Epic 4G Touch camera skills on a bit bigger screen? Sony Ericsson has you covered with vscreens, a website / app combo that gets your trip to Everest on your flatscreen to secure bragging rights. Once you install the app from the Android Market, point your internet browsing screen -- PC, Google TV and PS3 included -- to the vscreens website. From there, you simply scan the QR code that appears on your display and presto, you're showing off that trip to the Adirondacks like it's your job, sans cables or Bluetooth. If you're looking to give it a spin, you'll find all you need via the links below. And pretty soon, you'll be able to showcase those Galaxy Nexus panoramas at your next dinner party. Pretty sweet, huh?

Show off your smartphone photog skills with Sony Ericsson's vscreens originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google TV 2.0: app developers get final add-on for Android SDK

admin — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 10:45:00 +0000

If you hadn't heard, Google TV is (over)due to get a major boost with Honeycomb and access to the Android Market. We've seen a few compatible apps leak out thanks to Google's early efforts to woo developers, but it's only now that we're getting the final add-on for the Android SDK. It brings a couple of revisions, like better placement options for the action and navigation bars, but more importantly it delivers the message that two-point-oh is almost two-point-here.

Google TV 2.0: app developers get final add-on for Android SDK originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 06:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Roku announces Disney partnership, YouTube channel in the works

admin — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 20:32:00 +0000

Roku has been charming the pants off Google and the suspenders off Mickey. The media streaming company has shed light on both the development of a YouTube channel and a partnership with Disney. After an unofficial attempt at viral video stardom was quickly squashed by Google, Roku has confirmed via Facebook plans for a new YouTube channel. In another win for Roku addicts, the company launched a Disney channel where fans of the cartoon crew can ingest short form content from Disney.com, including animated shorts, movie trailers and music videos. As the first connected device to offer content from the Magic Kingdom, the friendship gives Roku some serious leverage over its competitors, just in time for the holiday spending spree.

Continue reading Roku announces Disney partnership, YouTube channel in the works

Roku announces Disney partnership, YouTube channel in the works originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 16:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japanese 3DS to get 3D TV service, North America waits with bated breath

admin — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 08:29:00 +0000

3DS owners outside of Japan can look forward to missing out on yet another Nintendo sponsored video service -- at least for now. With the help of Fuji TV, Nintendo's Itsu no Ma ni Terebi (or "SpotPass TV") will bring a number of short format 3D TV programs to the fledgling handheld, including shows featuring cute animals, sumo wrestling idol girls, and daily tips on performing magic tricks. Like its Wii predecessor, this video service is currently a Japan-only affair, but there's still plenty of summer left for the big-N to make good on its GDC Netflix promise.

Japanese 3DS to get 3D TV service, North America waits with bated breath originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 04:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Archos Arnova is ready to exterminate your clock radio, your Squeezebox too

admin — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 03:34:00 +0000

The consumer electronics company with the phlegmatic name has just dropped its latest device on us, and for once it isn't a tablet or some form of PMP. It's the Archos Arnova, a fancy clock radio, with a 3.5-inch touchscreen in the middle plus the ability to connect to 12,000 streaming radio stations and 1,500 "web TV" channels too. If that's not enough you can play media directly from an SD card or pull it over your local network via uPNP. Why, you can even view pictures on there, if you don't mind squinting. What you can't do is know how much money to save or when you'll need to save it by if you're looking to buy one, as Archos hasn't seen fit to tell us that just yet.

Gallery: Archos Arnova

[Thanks, Joshua]

Archos Arnova is ready to exterminate your clock radio, your Squeezebox too originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Feb 2011 23:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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