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PlayStation Vue adds 200 more local broadcasters in time for fall TV
The price for PlayStation Vue may be a bit higher than it used to be, but in quite a few markets it just added more local broadcast channels, which is particularly worthwhile since subscribers can no longer opt out of them to save a few bucks. Sony announced that including 200 recent additions, more than 450 local ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC affiliates are now streaming. The expansion comes just in time for viewers hoping to cut the cord on cable or satellite and still watch football or network TV shows without adding on rabbit ears. It does get tricky when it comes to using features like the DVR due to rights issues, but Sony's FAQ should explain what is allowed where. For a list of newly-added stations, just take a look here. Sony claims that 97 percent of the US population has access to at least one broadcast station now -- hopefully they're all the right ones to keep you caught up on fall TV.
Sony says it’s the beginning of the end for PS4
The PS4 era is entering its final stages. Speaking to investors, PlayStation boss John Kodera outlined the company's three-year roadmap and it seems console sales are not expected to be a major source of revenue going forward. This is largely due to declining sales which is, Kodera notes, typical of the usual profit- and life-cycle of consoles. It does also suggest a new console might be on its way -- likely the PS5 -- but Kodera didn't give away any specifics.
You can now sign up for PlayStation Vue without a TV
While Sony's TV-streaming service PlayStation Vue has been around for almost three years, it's currently facing stiff competition from the likes of Sling TV, DirecTV Now, YouTube TV and Hulu TV. To stave off its rivals, it's been adding features like multi-picture viewing as well as beefing up its sports offerings. Today, Sony announced three more updates, all of which are designed to make the service more mobile-friendly. Of note, you now no longer need a television to sign up for PS Vue.
PlayStation Vue drops its cheapest packages, now starts at $40
Until now, in some areas, PlayStation Vue offered "Slim" versions of its streaming TV packages that dropped local TV channels and cost $10 less than the standard options. Now, as it's rolled out local broadcasts from more networks and in more places it has pulled the plug on those Slim options. Without the $30 per month Slim Access bundle, now its cheapest offering is the standard Access package that costs $40 per month.
Baseball fans rejoice: MLB Network is on PlayStation Vue
Baseball fans have more reason to pick up a PlayStation Vue membership now as Sony's subscription service has just added the MLB Network to its roster. The addition comes right in time for the April 2 start of the Major League Baseball season along with exclusive coverage of the World Baseball Classic semifinal and championship games tonight and tomorrow.
PlayStation Vue makes its Apple TV debut
You can already find PlayStation Vue, Sony's proprietary streaming service, on most every device in your living room. It's native on the Playstation 3 and 4, available on Android TV, Roku boxes, Fire TV and Stick, not to mention compatible smart TVs. You can also find it on Android and iOS devices as a mobile app, which can be streamed to Chromecasts. Today, that ecosystem grew a bit more with the announcement that Vue is now available on Apple TV as well.
PlayStation Vue drops all Viacom channels
If you're a subscriber to Sony's PlayStation Vue streaming service, here's some bad news: it's discontinuing all Viacom content starting November 11th. That means that channels like Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon and Spike will no longer be available on Vue. In a blog post, the company stated that the decision was "the best way for us to continue to offer the most compelling value to our fans," which suggests that cost could've been an issue.
Sony's PlayStation TV service comes to Mac and PC browsers
After coming to Android TV last week, PlayStation view has arrived on Mac and PC browsers, meaning it's available on just about every device you can think of. It'll work on Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge and even Internet Explorer 10+ browsers, Sony says. The web service has some "unique features," including a mini-player that you can shrink to the corner of a browser window while you look for more content.
PlayStation Vue is on Android TV now, Mac and PC later
Sony keeps getting more serious about its cord-cutter service, PlayStation Vue. After announcing support for Android mobile devices in June, the company has revealed that its streaming app is now available on Android TV. If you have a set-top box powered by Google's platform, or a compatible TV, you just need to make sure you're running Android OS 4.4 or higher and you'll be good to go.
PlayStation Vue comes to your Roku player
Come next week, you'll be able to watch your PlayStation Vue programming from pretty much anywhere. Sony announced on Tuesday that the streaming platform is available on Roku devices and will roll out to the Android OS next week.
Vue wants you to crowdfund film screenings with your mates
Unless you've invested heavily in your own home theatre setup, it's unlikely that you're going to match the experience of watching a film at the cinema. UK movie chain Vue knows this, so instead of just letting you pay to go and see new releases, it wants you to you club together with your friends and family to put on a showing of your own. Think of it as Kickstarter, but for your favourite movies.
Sony's PlayStation Vue internet TV gets Chromecast support
Back in November, Sony said PlayStation Vue would soon start working on the Chromecast. Now, having teased that over a month ago, the electronic company's finally making its internet TV service friendly with Google's $35 dongle. The only caveat is that this feature's only for iOS users right now, since Sony doesn't have a PlayStation Vue app available on Android. There's no word on when, or if, that's going to change, which means you have to own a compatible device if you want to get a subscription.
Over a million Brits have reserved seats for 'Star Wars'
If you hadn't noticed already, the world is riding a megatsunami of hype over the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens -- or every nook and cranny of the internet is, at least. The movie has just premiered in the States, and will be debuting in the UK this Thursday to a record-breaking audience. Last week, cinema chain Vue said it'd already sold 290,000 tickets for the flick, but new figures from The Hollywood Reporter now put that total at over 355,000. Odeon has also fielded around 500,000 bookings, according to the UK Cinema Association, and taking other theatres into account the new Star Wars has definitely smashed the UK pre-sales record with "way beyond 1 million" reserved cinema seats.
'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' is breaking UK pre-booking records
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is still a little over a week away from premiering in cinemas, but already the movie has broken some UK ticket sales records. Theatre chain Vue announced today that the film has now sold 290,000 tickets at its UK venues alone, overtaking the previous record of 284,850 tickets held by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, which hit screens back in 2010.
PlayStation Vue adds Epix Hits to its streaming selection
You might not be able to catch Optimus Prime on Netflix anymore, but soon you'll be able to see the autobot on PlayStation's TV alternative. After expanding its reach in the US, Vue has announced that it will offer Epix Hits to the digital buffet of content already available. Joining the ranks of Machinima and a variety of channel packages, you'll be able to flip between gaming and blockbuster movies like Transformers: Age of Extinction all from the one place. Epix Hits offers a free 30-day trial, with the option to add it onto your Showtime subscription or even as a standalone monthly purchase. Even if you're not a fan of Michael Bay, the service still has a relatively low cost of entry and plenty more to keep you watching.
PlayStation's streaming TV service rolls out to Dallas and Miami
Looking to stream Sony's TV service to your PS3 or PS4? Living in Fort Worth and Fort Lauderdale? If that particularly specific Venn diagram has you smack in the middle, then good news: PlayStation Vue launched there, today. While it won't be on your iPad or Vita just right now, expect compatibility to roll out as soon as Sony deems it ready -- then that Venn diagram overlap will get at least a little bigger.
This is Sony's streaming TV service, PlayStation Vue
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-366276{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-366276, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-366276{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-366276").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Wondering what Sony's new live streaming TV service, PlayStation Vue, looks like in action? Well, if you live in Chicago or New York City or Philadelphia, you can go try for yourself on PlayStation 3 or PlayStation 4. There's a seven-day free trial! But if you're one of the billions of people outside of the trio of introductory markets, we've got a video walkthrough for you above.
Sony's PlayStation Vue TV service to launch in the next two weeks
Sony's PlayStation-based streaming live TV service won't go live nationwide until sometime later in 2015. If you live in Chicago, Philadelphia or New York City, however, the service lights up "in the next two weeks." That's according to Sony Computer Entertainment head Andrew House -- he's the top PlayStation exec at Sony. House told the Wall Street Journal as much in an interview today, though he stopped short of providing details on pricing or launches in other parts of the US.
Sony to stream two World Cup matches in 4K at a London cinema
Sporting events are often used as a testbed for new broadcast technologies, and this year's World Cup is no different. The BBC is already piloting 4K transmissions (albeit internally) from Brazil, but Sony has dreams of hitting the big screen. The official World Cup sponsor announced today that it's teaming up with Vue Cinemas to deliver a quarter final match and the final in Ultra High Definition (UHD) live via satellite to Westfield's Vue Multiplex, which'll host events on the 4th and 13th of July. Sony says tickets will be limited, by which it probably means the audience will be full of corporate types, but intends to offer a few to some "lucky fans." We've contacted a representative and will share exactly what we know in due course.
Avaak Vue Gen 2 wire-free video monitoring hands-on
Peeping Toms and would-be spies, rejoice! The Vue wire-free video cameras have reached the second generation and now add motion detection and a more rugged outdoor version to the mix. Pricing is a mixed bag: kits start at $199 and include a motion detection camera, the base station, and the mounting base. Extra cams can be had for $159 for an individual outdoor camera with motion detection, indoor camera with motion detection is $129, and a run of the mill indoor camera is $99. The brilliant bit here is this is pretty much a zero setup affair: attach the cameras to the included magnetic mounts (with adhesive, no less), fire up the base station, and off you go. As with many devices launched recently, mobile apps are key, and the Vue's apps are a decent bunch. We had a peek at both the BlackBerry and iPhone flavors -- Android is also supported -- and either will allow video from the remote cameras to be recorded, some small amount of zoom and pan, grab screen shots, and have a peek at all your cameras at once. The required online service to manage it all is free for the first year and $19.95 per year after; you can keep opting for the free version after the first year, but lose the mobile app support, pan / zoom, and all recording features. What's the fun in that? More pics in the gallery below! %Gallery-119635%
