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Comcast's X1 set-top box helps you buy concert tickets
Comcast isn't stopping at offering movie tickets through the X1. It's using Ticketmaster's platform to sell Kelly Clarkson tickets with the help of its set-top box. Say "Kelly Clarkson Tour" to the remote and you'll go to a promo screen that will show you nearby concert dates and start the ticket purchasing process if you just have to see a show. Unfortunately, you can't complete the purchase on your TV -- you'll instead receive a text code on your phone that you use to finish the process. Still, it might be easier to browse on the big screen if you've already been curled up on the couch.
Nationwide Comcast outage is here to ruin your Friday
We hope you weren't planning to start your pre-Independence Day weekend with a streaming video marathon... you might have to put it on hold. Comcast has confirmed a nationwide outage affecting internet access, TV and voice. While it wasn't specific about which areas were affected, the worst-hit regions appeared to involve the Atlanta area, large portions of Florida and parts of the northeast (including Boston and Philadelphia). San Francisco and Seattle are also running into trouble.
Comcast cable service goes box-free on LG TVs in early 2018
Comcast has already started offering access to Xfinity TV without a set-top box, but your choice of TVs has been limited -- we hope you like Samsung. However, you're about to have a wider selection. LG's 2017 and 2018 televisions will have access to Xfinity TV directly through the set once a beta app arrives in early 2018. You'll get the same X1 guide as well as access to live and on-demand programming (including your cloud DVR), just without the hassle and cost of extra equipment. Logically, it'll start with 2017 4K sets before moving to the as yet unannounced 2018 hardware.
Comcast's all-in-one Xfinity Stream app arrives February 28th
Say goodbye to the Xfinity TV app as you knew it... not that you'll necessarily mind. Comcast has unveiled a replacement mobile app, Xfinity Stream, that promises to cover just about everything you can do with your TV subscription. You'll have in-home control, out-of-home live streaming and remote DVR access, but you'll also get some of the features you're used to from your X1 set-top box, such as music channels, favorite channel filtering, Common Sense content ratings and a Spanish guide. You won't have to stay in the living room to get some of the nicer perks, in other words. The app reaches Android and iOS on February 28th.
Comcast's Xfinity TV app for Roku starts beta testing
It's been nearly a year since Comcast announced work on its "Xfinity TV partner app" for Roku and Samsung, and now the Roku version is ready for testing. The Xfinity TV beta app is now available in the channel store, with access to "live and on demand programming, including local broadcast and Public Educational and Governmental channels, as well as their cloud DVR recordings." According to Comcast, this test is so it can check out the performance and add features, before the official launch happens later this year.
Comcast deal lets you buy 'Star Wars' from your set-top box
It's not that hard to get Star Wars: The Force Awakens through digital sources, but Comcast doesn't want to be left out. It just struck a deal that brings Disney's movies to the Xfinity TV store, both online and from your TV proper -- if you want to watch the adventures of Rey and Finn from your set-top box, you can. Only The Force Awakens is available right away, but Comcast will fill out the catalog over the "coming weeks."
Comcast brings personalized TV notifications to X1 users
Comcast isn't done improving its X1 cable box. Over the past few months, the company has added a variety of new features to the device, including the ability to record extra-long events and more. Today, Comcast is keeping that trend going by adding notifications support to X1, which will let users receive personalized alerts directly on their TV. Those can be from Evernote, Gmail, Instagram, Jawbone, LinkedIn and "many" others, according to Comcast.But since you definitely don't want notifications to get out of control as you're watching a show, Comcast teamed up with IFTTT, the recipe-based, if-this-then-that web service. This means there's an option to control when you want your screen to be alerted, simply add the Comcast Labs Channel on IFTTT and you're all set. Or, you know, you could choose not to use the feature altogether -- those Instagram "likes" aren't going anywhere.
Comcast's Ultra HD app launches today -- but only on Samsung TVs
It's almost time for CES to come around again, but Samsung and Comcast are just getting around to fulfilling the promise of 4K streaming they made at the last show earlier this year (DirecTV launched last month). The Xfinity in UHD app arrives today on Samsung's 2014 Ultra HD TVs (which also have high-res video from the likes of Netflix, Amazon and Samsung's $300 hard drive add-on) and right now, it's offering up every episode of Chicago Fire, Suits and Covert Affairs at no additional charge to customers. In February, they'll be joined by Parks & Recreation (futuristic 2017 teaser trailer embedded after the break), but there's no word on content beyond that. Looking for 4K service on other platforms? Comcast VP Matt Strauss says it will come to other platforms with Xfinity TV Go access later in 2015, plus an upgraded X1 cable box that will launch next year.
Comcast Xfinity TV adds 18 live-streaming channels with USA, HGTV and more
Just in time for the official start of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, Comcast has added a load of new channels to its Xfinity TV offering, including options for watching the first second round upsets. Alongside March Madness viewing with access to TNT, TBS and truTV, key additions to the live-streaming library include A&E, Bravo, Cooking Channel, E!, Food Network, HGTV, History, Syfy, USA and more. Of course, this is on top of the more than 25,000 on-demand options for watching at your leisure. All of the new channels are available via either Xfinity TV on the web or Xfinity TV Go for iOS and Android.
Comcast is bringing its online Olympics coverage to Xfinity TV subscribers
By its nature, conventional TV offers limited coverage of large sports events like the Olympics -- much to the chagrin of fans. Comcast's Xfinity TV subscribers won't have that problem with the Sochi Olympics, though. The cable giant is bringing its NBC Sports Live Extra app to X1 set-top box owners for the first time, giving them 1,000 hours of live Olympics video streams that would previously have required a desktop browser or a mobile app. Comcast is augmenting its regular coverage with recent technology as well. X1 users in some regions will get to watch prime-time coverage through Xfinity On Demand as soon as the programming begins, and all Xfinity TV customers can use SeeIt to switch to an Olympics broadcast when it's mentioned on Twitter. While we'd like to see the NBC app available through other TV providers, it's still good news for athletics enthusiasts who insist on big-screen viewing.
Comcast discontinues AnyPlay in-home IPTV device, preps cloud Xfinity TV apps
Back in 2012 Comcast rolled out AnyPlay, a headless (read: not connected directly to a TV) cable box that turned its live TV channels into internet streams users could watch on iOS or Android devices inside the home. Now in 2014 Comcast is discontinuing the AnyPlay service and nudging customers towards other options like Xfinity TV Go and other new features it will roll out later this year. Like a Slingbox that only worked within the house, compared to other cable TV apps AnyPlay had the advantage of directly supporting all the channels, but the downside of requiring additional hardware. It also looks like the leased Motorola Televation boxes that did the TV-to-IPTV magic will be going back soon, as the mobile apps will disappear from stores after March 31st. So what's in store for the future? Last week at an investors conference, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts showed off a new Xfinity TV app that brings full live TV, video on-demand and DVR access on phones and tablets. We showed you the app last year, which Roberts revealed is being tested in Boston this month and is scheduled to roll out across much of the country this year. It's all part of the new X1 / X2 TV platform which brings more apps to the TV and "turns mobile devices into virtual TV sets" -- hopefully without blanking them out nationwide. Multichannel News adds that Comcast is also testing out gateway devices from Arris that, like AnyPlay, don't connect to directly to a TV, but will push video throughout the home to TVs and mobile devices alike. Comcast also mentioned that at the end of last year, it added to its total number of TV customers for the first time in over six years. We'll see if these new features -- along with cheap internet combo packages -- can pull in more customers, or if people choose life with another provider, or no traditional TV service at all.
Comcast's X1 remote app gains voice commands on iOS, Android update in the works
A little added interactiveness with living room essentials goes a long way. With that in mind, Comcast today announced it's boosting its iOS X1 remote control with newly minted voice commands, something the company's been working on since earlier this year. Xfinity TV subscribers using the X1 platform will now be able to search for content by (quietly) shouting different vocal orders at the application, including, but not limited to, things like "Record," "Watch Gossip Girl" or "Find the Yankees game." While the new feature is only available on iOS at the moment, Comcast says its devs and engineers are "also working on voice control features for Android phones and for traditional remote controls." The X1 app update doesn't appear to be live just yet, but be sure to keep an eye on the App Store as it should be arriving pretty soon.
Comcast readies Xfinity Watchathon Week for March 25th, will give customers all-access to premium TV series
Well, well, it looks as if Comcast has planned something relatively major for Xfinity TV subscribers. The company just announced that from March 25th through March 31st, it's set to give customers an all-access viewing ticket to a plethora of TV series from various networks, which will also include on-demand content for those with the proper All Video On Demand credentials. Thanks to the Xfinity Watchathon Week, as it's formally known, folks with an Xfinity TV account can have the chance to check out shows from networks they may not be subscribed to, including ones such as HBO, Showtime and Starz, as well as others like A&E, AMC, BBC America and many, many more -- so yes, you can catch up on (or watch for the first time) Mad Men, The Walking Dead, Downton Abbey, The Sopranos and, of course, Girls (!). There are still quite a few days to go until Comcast's Watchathon kicks off, so, perhaps, now might be the perfect time to set a cal reminder and start stacking up on some popcorn.
Intel confirms partnership with Comcast, brings Xfinity TV viewing to Intel-based devices
Well, there's no new set-top box box per se, but most of those rumored Intel / virtual cable TV details have come true here at CES. Intel just announced a new partnership with Comcast, which will enable Xfinity TV viewers to watch television on Intel-based devices in the home. According to Intel, the collaboration will enable users to tap into Xfinity TV on "IP set-top boxes, Ultrabooks, Intel-based all-in-one PCs, tablets and smartphones, as well as smart TVs in the home." It's like Tru2way, but slightly less restrictive. Evidently, the back-end magic is being handled by Intel's Puma 6MG-bsaed XG5 multi-screen video gateway. In other words, this is Comcast opening up live TV streaming to more than just the HDTV connected to your set-top box, but unfortunately, there's no mention at all about this working remotely. We're also getting the impression that Intel's pitching this kind of scenario to other pay-TV providers, and if we hear of any others hopping onboard, we'll be sure to let you know. Update: It appears the box itself is actually being produced by (recent purchaser of Motorola's set-top box business) Arris. There's a few more details in Arris' press release after the break, we'll be checking it out for ourselves later this week. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Comcast quietly updates DVRs with ability to list stored programs from the web, mobile apps
While being able to schedule DVR recordings from your mobile device is nice, an update currently being pushed to some Comcast DVRs is adding the ability for users to check exactly what shows are stored there from an app or web browser. Previously the only remote info users could get from their DVRs was the percentage of storage currently in use and what recordings were scheduled to take place, but now users can see individual recordings, choose to watch any of them now, change their deletion priority, or even delete them remotely. Hopefully that doesn't lead to any unintentional interhousehold griefing as users manage the often inadequate hard drive space in their cable DVR, but it can certainly put ones mind at rest to know The League (or whatever your show of choice might be) was successfully archived. The update is quietly being pushed out as a software update for the DVR itself, and should appear automatically for users on the web or in their iOS app's DVR manager (Android users can access it as well, but via the browser). We noticed the change after our Motorola DVR got an update that also made the name of a channel appear under the number when typed in from the remote. It worked well, although a few much older recordings were not listed online every new one was, which could explain the quiet rollout that Comcast confirmed to us just began yesterday. One other change taking place at the same time is a new Xfinity TV Player app for iOS that is focused solely on streaming VOD, mirroring a similar app already out on Android. While the Xfinity TV app on the platform has handled streaming duties since 2010, the dedicated player has a different menu and even player interface, and we wouldn't be surprised to see the feature excised from the general app eventually.
Comcast Xfinity TV Player for Android updated with beta support for Jelly Bean, Nexus 7
Comcast subscribers who have already received their Nexus 7 tablets or are sporting Android 4.1-powered phones should cast an eye towards Google Play for an updated version of the Xfinity TV Player app. Version 1.0.2.001 adds beta support for Jelly Bean in general and the Nexus 7 tablet specifically. It also fixes a nasty bug that would leave users stranded after upgrading their operating system, and promises a UI designed for 7-inch tablets in the next update. We saw Netflix get a compatibility update for Jelly Bean the day it launched, and Sky Go only just made the jump to supporting Ice Cream Sandwich, whether or not you have access to this app, have early adopters spotted any other laggards that might stop working when a long-awaited upgrade hits devices?
Comcast, Scripps deal brings more internet streaming video on Xfinity TV
While some pay-TV providers are tied up in nasty battles with the studios that provide them content, Comcast and Scripps have just inked an agreement to bring the company's lifestyle programming to cable subscribers over the internet. As noted in the press release (embedded after the break) the multi-year deal brings HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Cooking Channel, Travel Channel and Great American Country to Comcast's TV Everywhere portal, via mobile (and "other" devices) and on Scripps websites. Probably not a minor element in the deal is the inclusion of support for Comcast's on the fly ad-insertion for VOD, which should push the efforts of both partners along, although potentially unskippable ads could be less viewer friendly.
DOJ looking into whether Comcast, other TV giants are unfairly (knee)capping Hulu, Netflix
The Department of Justice may have taken Netflix chief Reed Hastings' net neutrality complaints about Comcast as a lot more than just sour grapes. It's reportedly conducting an investigation into whether Comcast, AT&T and other TV providers are anti-competitive in their data restrictions. The Wall Street Journal cites primary concerns that Comcast's Xfinity TV cap exemption might unfairly punish competing services, but also claims that officials are worried the caps themselves steer viewers away from internet video, helping the incumbents cling to legacy TV for just a little while longer. On top of its cap anxiety, the DOJ may be looking into policies requiring traditional TV subscriptions just to watch online. None of the involved parties have commented on or confirmed the investigations, so there's no guarantee of any full-fledged lawsuit. Still, while TV operators insist they're being fair and need to keep data use in check, that might not deter legal action when the DOJ has supposedly questioned Hulu, Netflix and other relative newcomers who feel they're being squeezed. When Sony postpones its IPTV goals after fretting over US data caps, it's hard to imagine that there aren't at least a few raised eyebrows in Washington.
Comcast Xfinity TV Player app brings VOD streaming to Android devices
After introducing video on-demand streaming for mobile devices on the iPad early last year and iPhone last May, Comcast has finally extended the courtesy to Android users as well. Unlike its iOS counterpart however, on Android there's a separate Xfinity TV Player (simply labeled "Player" in the launcher) app from the Xfinity TV remote control app. It's a free download from Google Play for devices running Android 2.3 or higher and when we checked it out just now it was smooth but plain looking, although it a native tablet interface at launch is a nice touch. Beyond the usual VOD selections (including HBO Go and more) there's also support for Comcast's Streampix subscription service within the app as it promised back in February. One odd quirk noted by Android Police is that on rooted devices the app apparently requests root permissions, but still works if they are denied (could be worse). There aren't many other details available yet, if you want to try it out grab your Comcast account info and hit the source link to give it a shot.
Comcast video on-demand comes to Boston area TiVo Premieres Monday
Now that Comcast has started delivering its video on-demand to TiVo Premieres, the company has now revealed the second area where access will be turned on is Boston, starting Monday. The news was announced in a tweet from Head of Corporate Communications Steve Wymer, and as Gizmo Lovers notes, was likely held back as Comcast announced its own X1 platform would launch soon in Boston as well. We're now more than a year past the original announcement, hopefully this is just the start of the rollout as it picks up the pace, if the two companies work well together maybe Comcast could be on the list for that six-tuner Pace box at some point. Update: And just like that.. it was not announced. Steve has indicated he was actually RTing someone else, and no date has been confirmed for the rollout of Comcast VOD on Beantown TiVos.
