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1TB My Passport Cinema drive puts 4K Ultra HD movies in your pocket
New super high-res televisions are already here, but with Ultra HD Blu-ray still yet to debut, the best available way to get 4K video on that screen is with streaming and, now, downloading. Western Digital has a Vidity hard drive ready that is ready for storing Hollywood's movies in the highest quality available, and playing them back on compatible screens. Right now the list of compatible devices is limited to Samsung's UHD TVs (2014 or 2015) with the M-Go app, and Fox is the first studio out of the gate with compatible movies. WD's $90 1TB, USB 3.0-connected My Passport Cinema drive meets the spec, is being packed in free with new Samsung TVs, and comes preloaded with The Maze Runner, Exodus: Gods and Kings, X-Men: Days of the Future Past, The Wolverine, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, The Fault in Our Stars, Let's Be Cops and The Other Woman -- two of them are free off the bat.
Samsung will soon let you download 4K movies
The few 4K video services that exist right now typically require that you stream whatever you're watching -- not very practical given the subpar state of broadband in some areas. You won't have to settle for a mere 1080p for much longer, though. Samsung is teaming up with its frequent media partner M-Go to launch a 4K movie-download service that uses the UHD Video Pack hard drive to store those extra-sharp blockbusters and dramas. Supposedly, it'll offer the "highest quality content" that Samsung owners can get. It's all engineered to a spec designed by the Secure Content Storage Association -- a digital DRM team up backed by Western Digital, Fox and Warner Bros -- although what those specs aren't isn't quite clear yet. The company hasn't said when you'll get to try this Ultra HD offering beyond a generic 2015 window, but it'll work with both SUHD and regular UHD sets.
Samsung is closing its video store, but your purchases will survive
Samsung revealed that it was shuttering its book and music stores not long ago, and today it's saying goodbye to its last paid content portal, the Video and Media Hub. The tech firm has announced that it's closing the shop on August 1st to "focus on exciting new video products" -- and, no doubt, to stay on Google's good side. You won't be left high and dry as a customer, unlike what we've seen with other recent service closures. Samsung has struck a deal with M-Go (one of its partners for 4K video) to let you transfer any purchases to M-Go for no extra charge; make the move and you'll get both $5 in credit as well as 50 percent discounts on up to two movie rentals.
Samsung's Ultra HD TVs will stream 4K video from Amazon, Comcast, DirecTV, Netflix and more
Samsung's Ultra HD TVs won't sell themselves -- they need the content to justify all those extra pixels. To that end, the Korean tech giant has just announced partnerships with companies that will deliver 4K to the masses. Amazon, Comcast/Xfinity, DirecTV, M-Go and Netflix are all working with Samsung to stream the higher-resolution video format through their native Smart Hub apps. You won't necessarily have to subscribe to a service to get extra-sharp media, though. Samsung is going to sell a UHD Video Pack that stuffs a hard drive full of 4K documentaries and movies, and it will offer downloads of additional shows throughout the year (for a total of 50), similar to the service Sony launched last year. Ultra HD content still won't be ubiquitous in the wake of the deals, but they might give you a good excuse to buy your dream TV a little early.
M-Go launches streaming app for Vizio Smart TVs
If you were one of those who took a chance on M-Go when it entered the internet streaming arena in January, listen up: you have a new way to enjoy your flicks now that it's rolling out an app for Vizio Smart TVs. This is the latest addition to the growing roster of compatible devices that you can use to rent / buy movies and TV shows on the subscription-free, pay-as-you-go service. Besides the new app, looks like M-Go's also making an effort to stay true to its "people-friendliest" promise by revamping its website for easier navigation. These developments might make M-Go harder to dismiss for potential users despite many similar services out there, and who knows -- if it continues to expand its offerings, more people could give it a second look in the future.
Vizio Co-Star update brings new Google TV UI, native Amazon and Vudu
Vizio's Co-Star hub is still one of the cheapest points of entry into the Google TV world, so it's comforting to see the set-top box getting an update -- albeit somewhat behind Google's own pace. The previously promised release mostly focuses on giving it the third-generation Google TV interface, including the mini-guide, YouTube pairing and (through a future Android app update) voice-guided search. Viewers on the prowl for more content get a few additional perks through new apps for M-Go and Vudu video streaming, as well as a truly native Amazon Instant Video app. Should Vizio's tiny media center inhabit your living room, you can expect the upgrade to arrive over the air within the next few weeks.
M-GO video on-demand movie service launches, streams to PCs, Samsung and Vizio players
Rushing in the door with yet another way to rent/buy movies over the internet, M-GO is promising it's the "people friendliest" service we've seen so far. Backed by Technicolor and DreamWorks Animation, it's ready to stream movies PCs through their web browser, as well as connected devices preloaded with its apps including Vizio, Sony and Intel ultrabooks. To live up to that friendly moniker, M-GO promises that if you're looking for a movie it doesn't offer, it will search other stores to find it for you, Flixster style. It also builds a profile of content you like and provides suggestions, sports an "easy as pie" interface as well as support for up to 5 profiles per account to help households browse through their preferred and owned content. On top of that it supports Ultraviolet -- and potentially other digital lockers -- to let users access the content they've already paid for, and has licensed content from NBCUniversal, Paramount Pictures, Relativity Media, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution. We couldn't pull up our Ultraviolet content just yet when we tried it, but with an Android app and plans to show up on LG and RCA devices soon we'll probably have more opportunities to test it soon. Check after the break for the press release with all the details and a preview video, or hit the source link to give it a shot yourself.
Vizio tops accessories off with two Google TV-powered players
It turns out Vizio's plans for Android don't stop at just tablets and TVs, as it's list of accessories being announced for 2012 are two Google TV powered set-top boxes. The VAP430 Stream player picks up where the Revue left off (and directly competes with Sony's NSZ-GS7 network player) adding the Google TV experience and access ot streaming media in any existing setup. Meanwhile, the VBR430 Blu-ray player adds discs to the mix of a VIA platform (standard and Plus) that stands to benefit from a new VOD app, M-Go from Technicolor that should bring first-run movies streaming directly to TVs. There's a few other add-ons mentioned in the PR (after the break) including a Skype webcam, iPad dock and soundbar, but all of those are available now. Like the other products Vizio has announced at CES, shipping dates and prices are still TBD.
