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PlayStation Vue's multi-picture mode comes to Apple TV
You don't have to pick up a PS4 to take advantage of PlayStation Vue's multi-picture mode in your living room. Sony is introducing the multi-view feature to the Apple TV (not pictured here) on March 18th through an update, and it'll even one-up the PS4 version by supporting four channels at once instead of three. If you absolutely have to keep tabs on news and sports, you won't have to feel like you're missing out.
How to watch the Super Bowl: A cord-cutter’s guide
We all know you don't have to be a fan of American football to watch the Super Bowl. The NFL's Big Game, which this year will be played between the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams, goes beyond the sport. Even if you don't like who's playing (we're looking at you, Tom Brady), the Super Bowl is the perfect excuse to get together with friends and enjoy a day full of seven-layer dip, chicken wings and, of course, booze. Thankfully, in 2019, the NFL is making it easy for everyone in the US to watch Super Bowl LIII, even if you don't have a cable or satellite account.
PlayStation Vue adds Cheddar's online-only news channels
Cheddar's internet-only news channels have been available on cord-cutting services ranging from Hulu to YouTube TV, but there's been a glaring omission: PlayStation Vue. That ends today. Sony has added both Cheddar Business (the more tech-focused channel) and Cheddar News (general news) to Vue's bundles, making it easy to keep up with the day's news when you're done playing Red Dead. Anyone can access Cheddar Business regardless of tier, but you'll need to pony up for an Elite or Ultra package to get Cheddar News.
How to stream New Year's Eve 2019 countdowns
If you'd rather stream New Year's Eve celebrations in North America than venture outside, you'll have plenty of options... including a novelty or two. The most notable example comes from Times Square itself, which will show the New York City ball drop for 2019 in all its glory. However, you can also watch well-known game streamer Ninja play in Times Square using Twitch. You're covered if Fortnite is more to your taste than champagne, in other words.
The best ways to stream live sports
If you're a sports fan, there's nothing quite like kicking back on the couch, cracking open a cold one and watching your favorite team rise triumphant over the other guys. For the longest time, it was thought that the only way to have such an experience was via a TV coupled with a cable or satellite subscription. That's because, for the most part, sports are best enjoyed live, and watching live TV hasn't always been the province of cord cutters. Things have changed in the past few years, however. Not only can you now stream most live sports on your computer or your smartphone, but you don't even need a cable or satellite provider to do so, which can potentially save you plenty of money. Yet the process is less easy than you'd think -- it depends a lot on what sport you're into and which teams you support -- and there are occasionally local blackouts to contend with as well. But with the cord-cutting movement gaining momentum recently, it's now a lot easier to watch live sports online than it's ever been, as long as you know what to look for. For the purposes of this guide, we decided to focus on the five major sports that are most often watched live -- American football, baseball, basketball, ice hockey, and domestic and international soccer -- though we also offer information about other sports like tennis and golf where relevant.
Apple's TV app gets live and on-demand shows with PS Vue integration
PlayStation Vue, Sony's sneakily growing video service, has earned the distinct honor of being the first streaming TV provider to be integrated into Apple's TV app. Subscribers will now be able to watch live and on-demand content through the TV app on Apple TV, iPhone and iPad, instead of only in the PS Vue app.
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.
PlayStation Vue prices are going up $5 per month
PlayStation announced today that it will be raising the price of its four PlayStation Vue multi-channel bundle plans this month. Access, Core, Elite and Ultra packages will increase in cost by $5 per month starting July 24th. "At PlayStation, we are always evaluating the PS Vue service to ensure we are providing a compelling value to our customers," the company said in a statement. "Unfortunately, we must increase the price of our multi-channel plans to keep pace with rising business costs and enable us to continue offering a better way to watch the best in live sports, entertainment and news."
How to watch the World Cup 2018
For soccer (er, football) fans everywhere, the next four weeks are going to be all about the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. The globe's biggest sporting event, which takes place every four years, is kicking off Thursday, June 14th, when host nation Russia takes on Saudi Arabia at 11AM ET. And yes, we know the USA team won't be there, but football is bigger than just one nation. So even if you won't get to cheer on the Stars and Stripes this year, there's still plenty to look forward to at the World Cup.
PlayStation Vue adds select live Fox primetime shows
PlayStation Vue announced a new live Fox channel in 34 different local areas. Previously, Fox was only available on demand and not as a live feed. While this will replace the current on-demand channel, Vue users will still have access to VOD content from Fox. The service recently lost all Sinclair-owned local networks, many of which were Fox affiliates, in addition to ABC, CBS and NBC
PS4's revamped video section focuses on shows over apps
If you have a PlayStation 4, there's a good chance you use it as a video viewer. However, you'll also know that it isn't ideal for that role -- you have to hop between apps just to see what shows are worth watching. Sony is aiming to fix that. American users now have an overhauled TV & Video section that shows new and trending video from a range of services, including live channels on PlayStation Vue. It's much like the carousel interface you see in apps for Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, complete with featured and themed sections. You can still launch the apps first if you prefer, but it's now much easier to skip directly to what you want to watch.
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.
Hulu dives into eSports with four ESL-made shows
A handful of TV networks have started to incorporate more eSports content into their lineups and now eSports have made their way to streaming video on demand as Hulu and ESL have teamed up to create four new eSports series. "eSports appeals to a younger, more digitally savvy audience so Hulu is a perfect platform to build out our original content and expose the world of eSports to new audiences," ESL Senior VP of Global Media Rights and Distribution Nik Adams said in a statement.
PlayStation boss Andrew House will leave Sony at the end of 2017
In 2011 Andrew House took over a troubled PlayStation brand from Kaz Hirai and has since restored its place as a leader in the gaming industry. Now, Sony has announced he's stepping down from his post as president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment. SIE came to be in early 2016, spinning off everything PlayStation and Sony Network as a subsidiary of Sony based in California. According to a press release, he will be replaced by current deputy president John (Tsuyoshi) Kodera effective immediately but will remain in a new position as chairman through the end of the year to smooth the transition. These days the PlayStation 4 family is on top of the sales charts, sports a game library stocked with desirable exclusives and is reaching into new technology like VR. But when House originally took the reins, he had a tough job ahead of him coming off of a disappointing run with the PS3 that included "$599 US dollars" and a hacking incident that took down PlayStation Network for more than a month. House has been with PlayStation since the beginning, working in Sony's marketing and communications department on the launch of the original console, eventually running the PlayStation business in Europe as of 2009.
Amazon brings voice control to Hulu and other video apps on Fire TV
You can already use Alexa voice commands to steer some video playback on a Fire TV, but Amazon is about to throw the doors wide open. It just unveiled a slew of partners that will use the Video Skills Kit to add Alexa support to their video apps, and these are definitely companies you'll recognize: Hulu, PlayStation Vue, CBS All Access, Bravo, Showtime and multiple NBC apps will all take spoken playback commands. You might not have to lift a finger to skip backwards in The Handmaid's Tale or switch live channels in Vue.
PlayStation Vue's $10 sports add-on includes NFL RedZone
You already get a healthy dose of sports with a PlayStation Vue subscription, but what if you need more? Sony is happy to help. It just launched a $10 per month Sports Pack that adds 13 channels, including season-specific and regional networks. It's particularly big for football fans: you'll get the game day-focused NFL RedZone and (for college games) ESPN Goal Line. ESPN Bases Loaded provides a college baseball fix during the NCAA championship, ESPN Classic offers on-demand sports and Outside TV caters to the adventurous crowd.
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.
AT&T's DirecTV Now expands its local channel lineup
As pay TV subscriber growth declines, regional content affiliates are looking for more ways to bring in customers (and their money) via digital platforms like Sling TV, Hulu, PlayStation Vue, and DirecTV Now. One way to stem the tide of vanishing local cord-cutters is to offer more local programming, which could entice customers to bundled internet TV packages. AT&T's Direct TV now service just announced that it has more than doubled its own live local channel line up, adding local NBC, ABC and FOX affiliates around the US. The company claims that the expansion gives DirecTV Now local coverage for almost 70 percent of US households.
PlayStation Vue gets an expensive, dedicated eSports channel
ESL is bringing its live competitive gaming channel, eSports TV, to PlayStation Vue. For the uninitiated, PlayStation Vue is Sony's internet-based TV streaming app, offering viewers cable-like online TV packages. As the world's largest eSports company, ESL's new channel aims to broaden competitive gaming's appeal by giving gamers access to 24/7 eSports content in the U.S. Since launching in Europe last May, eSports TV has quickly gained a following, finding its way into an impressive 5 million EU households. Unfortunately for eSports fans, the channel is only available with a $54.99 a month PlayStation Vue Elite subscription.
Sling TV's $5 Cloud DVR arrives on Android and Roku
Sling TV's Cloud DVR feature is slowly becoming available for more subscribers. Now folks who use Android and Roku devices to stream live TV can pay $5 extra a month to store 50 hours of video on Sling's servers for anywhere/anytime viewing -- half as many hours that beta testers had access to in November. Of course, the Cloud DVR tools (like rewinding and skipping commercials) aren't available across every channel, which puts a damper on having them in the first place. And it even calls the entire feature's name into question, to be honest.
