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Viacom is working on a low-cost, sports-free TV package
The cable industry continues to struggle mightily against being neutered by a generation of cord cutters. In that effort, Viacom CEO Bob Bakish announced on Monday that his company is working to develop a low-cost "entertainment pack" for its customers that forgoes high-fee sports and broadcast stations.
Sling tries to lure customers with an AirTV bundle
Sling has realized that it also needs a dirt-cheap hardware offering to help hook wary users into cutting the cord. That's why it's heavily discounting the AirTV Player, which lets you access local channels and Netflix, from a single, Roku-esque box. Normally, the device would set you back $130, including three months of Sling service, but can be yours for $50, depending on your subscription fee.
GoPro's $100 accessory puts Karma's gimbal (almost) anywhere
When GoPro launched Karma at the end of the last year, company CEO Nick Woodman was keen to point out that it's "So much more than a drone." That statement was mostly referring to the bundled handheld grip, which uses the stabilizer from the quadcopter, bringing smooth video to ground-based activities as well. Now, there's a new member of the Karma family, with the self-explanatory name of "Karma Grip Extension Cable." The accessory (pictured on the left, above) brings the gimbal's video-smoothing skills to even more points of view. Albeit at a price.
Verizon reportedly wants in on this streaming TV thing
It looks like Comcast isn't the only cable operator considering a Sling TV-like live streaming service. Verizon has also been acquiring the digital rights to TV stations like CBS and ESPN, according to Bloomberg. However, unlike Comcast, which is rumored to be offering such a service only to its internet customers, Verizon plans to launch it nationwide this summer.
Comcast could chase cord-cutters with 'Xfinity Instant TV'
For years we've seen Comcast preparing to distribute video like an internet service instead of traditional cable methods, and now there's word it will roll the project out widely. While recent rumors indicated Comcast has signed deals preparing to compete with other video services nationwide, Reuters says that "Xfinity Instant TV" will only be available for Comcast internet customers when it launches later this year. It's an expanded version of what we already know as Comcast Stream, the $15 per month cloud DVR-equipped package it's been testing in a few areas since 2015. In something that's probably not a coincidence, it launched the same month Comcast announced that for the first time ever it had more customers subscribing to internet service than TV.
Comcast is considering a nationwide streaming TV service
Comcast is laying the groundwork for a streaming TV service similar to DirecTV Now in markets it currently doesn't serve, including New York and LA, according to Bloomberg. It reportedly obtained nationwide TV channel rights from several unnamed cable networks using "most favored nation" clauses in its contracts. It hasn't got plans to offer anything yet, but is holding those rights as a card to play if online services like AT&T's DirecTV Now and Sling TV catch on.
Verizon offers pre-paid FiOS service plans
Verizon announced on Monday that it is making its FiOS fiber-optic data, voice and television package available as a pre-paid service. That means you won't need to submit to a credit check, pay a deposit fee or even leave a credit card number to get access.
Viacom's new boss nixes streaming services scheme
If you were hoping to see current Daily Show episodes on Hulu, you're likely out of luck in the short run. Viacom's new CEO, Bob Bakish, explained the company's new strategy in an earnings call Thursday, saying that he wants to "reinforce the value of the pay TV ecosystem."
Verizon is reportedly exploring combination with Charter (updated)
AT&T bought DirecTV for $48.5 billion in 2014 and now it looks like another wireless carrier is interested in getting into the television business. The Wall Street Journal reports that Verizon is exploring a combination with Charter Communications that would bring together millions of customers from the two companies. Charter and Time Warner Cable merged in 2016, a year after the two sides announced a $55 billion deal. This comes ten days after the New York Post suggested either Charter or Comcast could be likely takeover targets for Big Red.
Google WiFi review: A hassle-free router comes at a price
Google's not new to the hardware game, but with its "Made by" range, the company is making a concerted effort to marry its smart software with the gear we run it on. We've already tried the Pixel phones, Daydream View VR headset, Chromecast Ultra and Google Home, but until now, there was one Made by Google gadget we'd yet to test, and it's the one that arguably ties all the rest together: Google's aptly named WiFi router.
TiVo appears to be testing cloud DVR recording
While a few companies have tried on network/cloud DVR features, TiVo has always been associated with storage that's sitting right in your living room. Previous leaks pointed to a new TiVo box, codenamed Mantis, that might do network recording of OTA channels, but now Dave Zatz posted this picture, showing that there may be similar features in the works for the existing Bolt DVR.
Sling TV is joining Comcast's X1 cable platform
Sling TV's over the top internet service is about to arrive in an unusual landing spot: Comcast's cable boxes. The two companies just announced a partnership that will put the IPTV service on the X1 platform in the future, with 425+ channels including a number of multicultural offerings. According to the release, all Sling TV packages will be available on X1, with pricing consistent with other platforms. There's no word yet on exactly when the two will come together, but Netflix went from beta to fully available in just a couple of months, so that could bode well for the pairing.
Cox brings its internet data caps to Florida and Georgia
Like it or not, you're going to have a hard time escaping the clutches of landline internet data caps. Cox has expanded its trial 1TB data caps from Cleveland to include customers in Florida and Georgia. Once a two-bill grace period expires, you'll have to pay $10 for every 50GB of data you consume over the limit. You'll start getting warnings if you reach 85 percent of your cap. It's not clear if or when Cox will expand the trial or make it permanent, but it won't be shocking if it becomes a mainstay.
Native Union made a USB hub that blends into your home
If you're reading this, chances are you're a gadget freak and may need to recharge multiple devices on a daily basis. That's when you're greeted by a pile of messy cables plugged into a dull-looking and maybe under-powered USB hub. Cable boxes may hide the ugliness, but they're bulky and don't actually solve the issue. Not one to admit defeat, Native Union -- the mad folks behind the marble iPhone case -- came up with the ultimate solution: a stylish, cylindrical USB hub dubbed Eclipse. On the outside, it looks like a piece of home decor thanks to its wooden top, but it's really the inside that got our attention: as you touch the top gently, the main body slowly rises up to let you uncoil the cables tucked inside, while the base emits a subtle halo for night-time usage. It's rather mesmerizing to watch.
FCC fines Comcast $2.3 million for shady billing practices (updated)
Comcast is no stranger to customer complaints, but today the service provider's practices cost it $2.3 million. That fine will settle an FCC investigation into whether the company was charging its customers for services and equipment that they didn't authorize. The practice of so-called "negative option billing" charges subscribers for items that they don't explicitly turn down. The FCC explains that the practice forces customers to spend the time and effort to contact the cable company to dispute the charges and seek a refund.
Comcast's Netflix-on-X1 beta test starts rolling out today
It seems odd to hear, but it's real: this week Netflix will start to become available on Comcast cable boxes across the country. Announced a couple of months ago, the partnership is rolling out slowly as a beta test, so interested Comcast customers with the X1 platform can go to the Comcast Labs section on their cable box and opt-in. If you don't see the app right away, don't worry, as it will become available to more people over the next few weeks. A formal launch that will put the app in the usual X1 listing for millions of customers will come later this year, and Netflix shows and movies will appear in the video on-demand and search results too.
FCC boss shares a fresh compromise on set-top box rules
The FCC and cable companies have been butting heads for nearly a year over how to regulate set-top boxes, and today FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler outlined his latest plan in an LA Times op-ed. The new plan to "Unlock the Box" is a compromise that embraces some earlier suggestions from the cable industry. Notably, Wheeler's proposal calls for pay-TV providers to create free apps that consumers can download on the device of their choice, such as Roku, Apple TV, Xbox One, PS4, smart TVs, or Windows, iOS and Android devices. Or, consumers can keep their set-top boxes.
Get ready for simple USB-C to HDMI cables
More devices are starting to ship with USB-C connectors built-in, and today groups behind HDMI and USB announced another way to take advantage of it. That method is HDMI Alt Mode, which means cable manufacturers can build a connector that plugs directly from the port on your phone, laptop or other device into the HDMI port on a TV or monitor. With this spec, there's no additional dongle or adapter needed in the middle.
ESPN will roll out a streaming service that bypasses cable
Today The Walt Disney Company released its quarterly earnings report, but the most interesting news has to do with ESPN. Disney confirmed reports it's making a $1 billion investment in BAMTech, a spinoff from MLB's Advanced Media business that, among other things, works on technology for streaming video services like HBO Now. The big news, however, is that BAMTech is working on ESPN with a "direct to consumer" (read: you won't need cable or satellite to get it) "ESPN-branded multi-sport subscription streaming service."
Washington state sues Comcast over its 'deceptive' service plan
Comcast doesn't have a stellar reputation for delivering what you pay for, and Washington state is taking the cable giant to task for that shoddy service... if not quite in the way you expect. It just filed a lawsuit against Comcast demanding more than $100 million over the allegedly "deceptive" nature of the provider's Service Protection Plan. The $5 monthly package ostensibly saves you from technician fees when you ask for a non-essential house call, but the company conveniently didn't tell most customers that the plan doesn't cover cable wiring inside your walls -- you know, the most common wiring there is. Customers reportedly lost "at least" $73 million in wasted subscription fees as a result.
