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LG smartphone rumor suggests a 'second screen' add-on
Samsung has already teased its future of "Infinity Flex" foldable devices that blur the line between phone and tablet, and while we'd heard LG would show off something similar at CES last week, it didn't. Now CNET cites anonymous sources indicating that we'll see a new mobile device from LG at Mobile World Congress 2019 that supports an optional "second screen" attachment, described as a sort of case with a screen. That could give it extra display area rivaling devices like Samsung and Royole, and as Google has already committed to supporting Android devices with changing screen sizes, we'd expect to see more companies give it a try. The odd configuration could also explain some of the recent trademarks that surfaced from LG including Foldi and Duplex. CNET isn't clear on whether or not this adjustable device will be the mainstream G8 device, or perhaps a separate device like LG's previous G Flex series, but it will be something to keep an eye on as MWC's opening approaches on February 25th. We're expecting to hear more about Samsung's flexible plans and the Galaxy S10 on February 20th, and we wouldn't be surprised if LG also makes a pre-show splash with new mobile hardware.
PlayStation's redesigned phone app focuses on socializing
If you've ever used the PlayStation App on your phone, you know how dodgy it has been since launch. Never mind the dated looks -- its interface was a hodgepodge that was never particularly helpful in any one area. At last, though, it's getting a makeover. Sony has released an overhauled PlayStation App for Android and iOS that not only drags the look into the modern era, but borrows more than a few cues from social networking apps. It's dominated by a Facebook-style "what's new" feed that puts your friends' PS4 activity front and center, and clearly does much more to encourage comments and sharing. Even profiles have a more social look, and you get quicker access to your friends list and notifications.
HTC U Ultra review: Bad decisions in a beautiful body
I was almost giddy when I reviewed the HTC 10 last year. After years of casting about for the right approach, the company built a phone that seemed like a clear step in the right direction. Fast forward to January 2017: HTC revealed the $750 U Ultra, a glossy flagship that represented a totally new direction for the company. The phone packs a huge screen, a second display for quick controls and an AI-powered virtual assistant that promises to subtly help you out during the day. It's an ambitious device, certainly, but what's life without a few risks? Unfortunately, looks aside, HTC's newest phone feels poorly thought-out. At the risk of sounding too grim too early, the HTC U Ultra is beautiful, expensive and misguided.
NBA's new second-screen app syncs with games on TV in real time
The NBA is rolling out a new fantasy sports app called InPlay, which will let fans have a second-screen experience during nationally televised games. It's a slightly different concept than services like Yahoo Fantasy: InPlay syncs stats by recognizing audio from any NBA match being broadcasted on TV, using your iOS or Android device. Once you pick the player you think is going to do well, the application will show you how many points he's earning you in real time. And if you end up outperforming everyone else playing the game, the league says you could win official NBA swag. You can download it now from the App Store or Google Play, but you won't be able to play it until tonight's games. After that, the app should work with broadcasts on ABC, ESPN, NBA TV and TNT.
Nintendo's awkward TVii service will shut down on August 11th
Remember Nintendo TVii, Nintendo's weird television hub for the Wii U? Don't worry, most people don't -- and in a few weeks you'll never have to think about it again. Nintendo just announced that the service is shutting down on August 11th.
popSLATE gives your iPhone a second (not so useful) screen
Like most smartphone users, I unlock my screen incessantly so I usually run out of battery when I most need it. But popSLATE promises to be the rehab for my swipe-screen addiction. It's a smartphone case with an in-built E Ink screen that can personalize the back of an iPhone 6. I could use it to flaunt my favorite pictures or if I run out of battery, at say, an airport, I'd be able to flip my phone over to scan my boarding pass. It seemed like the perfect solution for my excessive phone usage. So I turned the back of my phone into a second, always-on screen for about a week.
Google Play Movies & TV for Android improves second screen tools
If you've splurged for a Chromecast or pre-ordered the newfangled Nexus Player, streaming from Google Play to your television just got better. Mountain View's Movies & TV app for Android update brings actor and soundtrack cards to your mobile device, putting that requisite casting gadget's display to good use while you watch. Not all content will showcase the new feature though, so you'll have to look for the Info Cards badge when making a selection. Material Design is being applied in other bits of software, and with this latest version, Movies & TV gets a fresh flat coat of paint to match. The Watch Now tab serves up more recommendations and trailers can be watched right inside the app. If you're not seeing the update just yet, sit tight: it's rolling out to all users over the course of the next week.
'Madden 15' will bring EA's CoachGlass app to the PlayStation 4
Remember that Xbox exclusive "CoachGlass" app that pushed to push Madden NFL 25 tips and play advice to the second screen? It just got a little less exclusive. In a new post detailing the app's Madden 15 implementation, EA revealed that the feature will be available on both Xbox One and Playstation 4 platforms. While there's no word as to why the feature is no longer an Xbox exclusive, its former status won't be forgotten: the app is keeping the Microsoft-inspired name. There are a few cosmetic changes too -- the app has been redesigned to make play data easier to read, and it focuses more on statistics than suggesting strategies.
Hulu Plus adds phone and tablet remote control to PS3, PS4 and Xbox One apps
If you've been enjoying the second screen-style remote control experience on Hulu Plus for the Chromecast, the streaming video site just announced similar support is coming to other devices. First up are the Hulu Plus apps for PS3, PS4 and Xbox One, and other devices are expected to add support soon. Similar to the second screen control Netflix and YouTube have offered -- Hulu is not using the DIAL protocol those two built yet, but an in-house solution, we're told it will add DIAL support in the future -- you'll need apps on both devices, logged into the same account. Then just punch the cast button, and you can throw video from mobile to TV screen, control playback or browse for something new to watch without interrupting the action onscreen. Also like Netflix it has lock screen controls, so you don't have to unlock your phone or tablet just to press pause. It should be active in the apps already, so all you need to do now is find something to watch.
Dish Explorer for iPad can now recommend shows and turn on your TV
If you own one of Dish's Hopper DVRs and have ever been stumped as to what to watch next, you'll want to grab the latest version of Dish Explorer for the iPad. The new app now recommends shows based on your viewing habits; watch a lot of crime dramas and Dish may suggest the others you've missed. The update also introduces direct control over the TV's power and volume, so you won't have to go hunting for that lost remote. Head to the App Store for an upgrade if either new Explorer feature sounds appealing.
ABC to stream the Oscars for the first time, but only for select viewers
ABC will be streaming its live coverage of the Oscars this weekend for the first time ever, but there are some important caveats. First, the awards show will only be viewable through Watch ABC on the web or through ABC's iOS and Android apps, both of which require a cable subscription for access. What's more, you'll need to live in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh-Durham or Fresno in order to stream the event, since Watch ABC isn't available nationwide. Even then, you'll need a Cablevision, Cox, Charter, Midcontinent, Verizon FiOS, Google Fiber or AT&T U-Verse subscription if you wanna see whether Her takes home best picture. If you don't meet the above criteria for streaming, "The Oscars Backstage" second screen experience will be available to all viewers regardless of their location or service provider. This will pull footage from multiple cameras positioned on the red carpet and in the backstage area. As you might expect, folks with full access can toggle back and forth between the extra content and the live show. Last but not least, Variety reports that highlight clips will be posted to Oscars.com five to 10 minutes after they air. The 86th Annual Academy Awards happens this Sunday, March 2nd at 8:30PM ET/5:30PM PT. [Image credit: Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images]
WWE Network wrestling is now streaming on virtually every device you own
WWE promised that Americans would be watching body slams and piledrivers on a myriad of devices toward the end of this month, and that moment is finally at hand. WWE Network apps are now available in the US for almost every major platform under the sun, including Android, Apple TV, iOS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Roku players, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. In all cases, you'll pay $10 per month to stream live wrestling events as well as beyond-the-ring content like documentaries and classic matches. The app also serves as a second screen companion when you're watching live TV shows. International grappling fans will have to remain patient, however -- WWE Network won't reach other countries until late 2014 or early 2015.
GetGlue and i.TV combine to create tvtag for iPhone, focus on real-time updates about live TV
After powering second-screen, connected-TV experiences for other companies including DirecTV and Nintendo's TVii app, i.tv acquired TV check-in service GetGlue last year to pull those experiences together. Now, GetGlue is relaunching as tvtag, an advertising-supported, one-stop information and social network centered around television watching, full of information from broadcast partners, augmented in real time by a team of live curators and TV viewers. At launch, the reworked app is available only on the iPhone, but CEO Brad Pelo tells us a version for Android is due in a few days, with a web experience and iPad-ready version launching shortly after that. The i.TV app is sticking around for now, but will be updated in the future, while DirecTV and Nintendo are already lined up for integration with the new platform. The check-in and sharing features -- and built-in user base -- from GetGlue remain, but it's the curated info that the company expects will separate it from other services. The "taglines" are built by more than 50 employees creating high-level tags for live TV (covering the majority of what viewers are watching, on any channel), which users then fill in with additional captures, comments and reactions. It's also why tvtag thinks users will choose to open this app over Twitter and Facebook while they're watching TV, with the ability to search info from sources like IMDb and Google, or add to the tagline with their own notes and doodles. Those taglines are available for browsing later for DVR viewing, but this experience is about live TV. For events like last weekend's Grammys or Pro Bowl, and the upcoming Super Bowl, it can push play-by-play updates, as well as constantly refreshed stats and field positions. Other than the big social networks, competition to provide synced TV info on other screens like your phone, tablet or PC is fierce, with everyone from Google Now, Dijit's recent acquisition Miso and Yahoo's IntoNow offering similar features. IntoNow is one of the most similar, adding the ability to ID TV content via audio and a complete feed of images from live TV channels to the mix. tvtag is more than an app however, and since it can open up access as an SDK or API, we may see its features and content pop up in other apps and on other devices soon. Still, given the following GetGlue has been able to attract we expect to see plenty of tvtag shares popping up in our timelines -- we'll see if its exclusive information and tight TV-focused environment are enough to keep its audience coming back.
Zeebox update for iOS lets you follow TV show news before the air date
Zeebox's value as a TV show companion usually fades quickly once the credits start rolling, but it should be useful around the clock in the wake of the latest iOS app update. A fresh My TV feature lets viewers follow TV shows like they would a Facebook friend; you can now catch news and chat with fans well before an episode airs. Regardless of when you load the app, it should also be easier to join TV discussion rooms. Android users can't join the party just yet, but Zeebox promises a My TV update for their platform in late January.
Xbox One vs. the PlayStation 4: A battle over services, not chips
If you start counting from the Magnavox Odyssey, we've been playing console games for seven generations now. Yes, it's crazy to think of, but it's even more alarming to realize that the industry has been in an all-out "war" since generation three. For better or worse, competition became a part of the hardware cycle. The players (you know, Sega, Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft) have changed several times through the years, but until recently, the game hasn't -- the console wars were fought over who had more bits, what had the most RAM and how fast a machine could render frames. Now, as we kick off generation eight, we're seeing a very different kind of contest. We're not saying that hardware specifications don't matter -- they absolutely do -- but this time, the two leading armies are packing painfully similar heat. On paper, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 really aren't that different. So, what's going to win the war? Software, services and brand.
i.TV acquires GetGlue to boost its stake in second screen viewing
We may be witnessing the creation of a rare giant among second screen apps. Online guide producer i.TV has just acquired GetGlue, giving it control of one of the largest TV check-in services. The two aren't revealing the terms of the deal, but GetGlue will keep running; i.TV plans to integrate its services over time. Just what that means isn't clear at this stage, although the expanded company will say more early next year. Suffice it to say that the deal is promising. When i.TV and GetGlue have previously teamed up with big names like Nintendo and Sony, we'd expect the combined entity to have an even greater impact on our TV viewing habits.
Sony's PlayStation 4 will require a Day One update, mobile app to be released pre-launch
Sony's PlayStation 4 US launch is now less than a month away and -- surprise, surprise -- it's going to require a Day One system update. The company just announced today that a significant software patch (about 300MB in size) will be necessary to enable a slew of functionality, like Remote Play on PS Vita and the Share button, that Sony's been championing through the year. Also going hand-in-hand with this patch is the release of Sony's second screen PlayStation App, which will be available on November 13th in the US (just two days before launch) and on the 22nd in Europe on both Android and iOS.
Shazam app users can vote for X Factor acts starting November 6th
Shazam's TV syncing has largely been passive so far, but it's about to become more of a two-way street. App users who watch The X Factor from November 6th onwards will get to both vote for acts during the broadcast and submit those choices as soon as final voting begins. As you'd expect, viewers enraptured by the performances will also have plenty of chances to buy songs and browse supplementary content as well. Shazam's new level of interaction won't be especially deep, but it certainly beats picking winners through old-fashioned calls and text messages.
ESPN Sync brings dedicated real-time sports coverage to the second screen
After its slow but steady implementation of companion features in its mobile and web services, ESPN is ready to go live with its first dedicated second screen sports app. With its ESPN Sync, the broadcaster will focus first on its Spanish-language channel, ESPN Desportes, delivering real-time news, sports scores and interactive live videos for major sporting events. The company has trialled all manner of real-time features in the past -- from tickers, to fly-bys and other additional goodies -- but ESPN Sync is the first to tie them all together. It's chosen a great time to launch too: the app will debut just in time to distract you during the Mayweather vs. Canelo fight on September 14th. ESPN's new web platform will also play host to more than 60 events over the next year, streaming games from the MLB World Series, NFL Playoffs, NBA Finals and football soccer matches from the world's biggest leagues. ESPN Sync is available on iOS, Android and desktop devices, but be warned -- you'll only get the most out of it if you know your fuera de juego from your contraataque.
Disney's Second Screen Live asks moviegoers to bring their iPad this time (video)
We all know the drill by now, and if you forget there's usually a warning: please turn your mobile devices off / silent, the movie is starting. For a special Second Screen Live showing of Disney's The Little Mermaid however, it's going to be different as moviegoers are encouraged to use their tablets for an augmented experience. Disney has created an iPad app for viewers to download before they get to the theater, which mirrors apps we've seen for home viewing with synchronized games, sing-a-longs and trivia. That's no coincidence, since the movie's return to theaters is timed ahead of its Blu-ray release on October 1st. Viewers shouldn't worry about this encroaching on their Oscar-season previews however, as it's limited to a monthlong run at the El Capitan in LA starting on the 15th, and limited showings at select other theaters (listed after the break) nationwide starting on the 20th. This is Disney's first public use of the tech after a trial run last fall alongside Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, which had a response it described as "positive." For a family movie likely loaded with kids we can see where this might be more enhancement than distraction and maybe even for certain niche midnight screening-type environments -- but if anyone whips out a slate at Machete Kills, Her, 12 Years A Slave or Gravity we're calling the usher.
