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'Battlebots' reboot will air on ABC June 21st
We knew the Battlebots TV show would crawl out of its early 2000s grave for another six episode run on ABC, and now the network has announced when. Sunday June 21st at 9PM, Battlebots will once again light up screens with robot vs. robot combat, now enhanced with the elimination of weight classes, the addition of onboard cameras and "a greater emphasis on the design and build elements of each robot." The competitions didn't actually stop once Comedy Central turned the TV lights out in 2002, so in a few months we should see how a decade or so of maker culture has advanced the sport -- as long as the producers' desire to add backstory doesn't get in the way. Hey, it can't be worse than Fuller House. [Image credit: nerdabout/Flickr]
'Battlebots' is coming back to TV this summer
That's right, Battlebots is coming back from its place in the early-00's vault for a six episode run on ABC this summer. In its original run the show featured "talent" like Sean Salisbury, Bil Dwyer, Bill Nye, Traci Bingham and Carmen Electra, but there's no word yet on who will be hosting this time around. The most important part of course should be the bots themselves, which will still be homemade but are promised to be "bigger, faster and stronger than ever before." It looks like the show is also taking some cues from last decade or so of reality TV (for better or worse), by delving into the design of each robot and the people who build them. The show last aired on Comedy Central in 2002, but developments like 3D-printing and the Maker movement are just a part of the progress we've seen since then. We're still months away from finding out if Battlebots has a place after its long hiatus, but until then you can check out some highlights and an oral history of the original series.
DirecTV's new deal lets you watch ABC, Disney and ESPN online
If you subscribe to DirecTV, you're about to get a few more ways to tune in online. As part of a renewed deal with Disney, the satellite TV provider will get Watch ABC, Watch Disney and WatchESPN streaming services in early 2015. You'll also see more viewing features on regular channels, and the two companies will "explore new opportunities" for internet-only offerings. There's no question that DirecTV is a bit late to the party when it comes to embracing Disney's more advanced services, but better late than never, right? [Image credit: Associated Press]
Hulu's new Disney-ABC deal brings 'X-Men' and 'Resurrection'
While Amazon and Netflix take their fight to the awards arena, Hulu is still looking for ways to make its content library stand out. Of course, it has plenty of recently or currently airing TV shows, but these days it's all about the exclusives and that's at the heart of a new deal between Hulu and ABC / Disney. According to a blog post, Hulu is the "exclusive subscription video on-demand" home for Resurrection, Mistresses, and those Devious Maids episodes you've been meaning to watch. While we wait for The Wrong Mans to fill in the holes, it's also adding some non-exclusive shows, including the X-Men cartoon (RIP Saturday mornings, and it looks like they're not on Netflix anymore), Melissa & Joey, Alias, Body of Proof, Twisted, Make it or Break It, Spider-Man and Iron Man: Armored Adventures.
Facebook now has its own 60-second newscast from ABC
In a hurry and can't wait around for the nightly news? Well, Facebook and ABC are teaming up to fix that. As ABC tells it, Facecast: The One Thing is the first daily newscast made for social media and hosted by an evening news anchor. That anchor, of course, is none other than the network's David Muir. Each episode is 60 seconds long and you can catch it on the World News Tonight Facebook page (naturally). ABC promises it'll deliver breaking news, economic stories and sports using video, photos and infographics. You know, like a typical newscast, but condensed and targeted, perhaps unsurprisingly, at mobile users. What's on the debut episode? Talk of the new Star Wars trailer, the Saint Louis Rams' "hands up" pose and a few other topics as well. We've embedded the post below in case you're curious -- it'll only take a minute.
ABC News teases "exclusive access" following Apple's "historic announcement"
Well it's not as if we really need any more reason to get pumped up for Apple's mega event tomorrow. Not only did Eddy Cue state earlier this year that Apple's product pipeline in 2014 is the best he's seen in 25 years, but we also have this tantalizing tweet from the well-connected Jim Dalrymple. Holy shit people, hang on to your hats, this is going to be a wild ride. - Jim Dalrymple (@jdalrymple) August 28, 2014 We're holding Jim, we're holding. Meanwhile, ABC News this evening put up a teaser stating that ABC anchor David Muir will be the only reporter with "exclusive access" to Apple on the eve of the company's "historic announcement." Words matter, and you can bet that the phrase "historic announcement" was not chosen lightly, especially given Apple's unwavering desire to control its own narrative. Historic announcement -- clearly this has to be much bigger than new iPhones and, as John Gruber phrased it, "a watch that counts your steps and shows you notifications as they come in." We'll know soon enough what type of tricks Apple has up its sleeve, but it stands to reason that today's event could be a pivotal moment in Apple history. As for the ABC News teaser, well, one can only assume that Muir will be treating us to some interviews with a few top-level Apple executives. Recall that Muir previously interviewed Tim Cook, Craig Federighi and Bud Tribble as part of Apple's 30-year anniversary celebration of the Mac. Now why Muir? Why ABC? Well with respect to Muir, I imagine that he garnered enough trust from Apple the first time around to be called back up for "exclusive" duty. Meanwhile, the choice to air the Apple exclusive on ABC is much easier to figure out: ABC is owned by Disney, whose CEO Bob Iger currently sits on Apple's board. Keeping it in the family. via AppleInsider
Twitter can now prompt attachments via hashtag
Thinking about using a hashtag in your next tweet? Watch out -- Twitter might use it as an excuse to attach a video or image to your message. A promotion for ABC's new TV comedy "Selfie" revealed that Twitter can now prompt users to attach media to a tweet based on the hashtags they use. iOS users who compose a message with #SelfieABC, for instance, will be asked if they want to attach the TV show's first episode in the tweet.
Amazon Fire TV scores live video apps for Disney, MLB and WWE
The launch of Flappy Bird Family last week probably wasn't going to make you rush to buy a Fire TV any time soon, but don't worry -- Amazon has a few more aces up its sleeve. The Android-powered media hub is now getting a slew of extra apps, many of which expand the video selection to areas that Amazon simply can't cover. You can now tune into MLB.tv and WWE Network if you need a live sports fix (real or otherwise), and you can entertain your kids with Animal Planet and Watch Disney. If you're the patient type, you'll also be glad to hear that NFL Now, Watch ABC, A&E and Dailymotion are due later this year. These additions likely won't make you chuck your Apple TV or Roku box, but they might get you thinking about a Fire TV if you'd previously ruled it out.
Apple TV gets ABC News, PBS Kids and a brand new Flickr app
You'd think that the steady stream of new Apple TV content would have slowed to a trickle by now, but nope -- far from it. Apple has just delivered a handful of fresh channels that include the free ABC News service (not to be confused with the authentication-based WatchABC), PBS Kids and the cricket-focused Willow TV. Flickr's app has also received a long, long overdue revamp (shown below) with a densely packed Explore section, an elaborate personal page and improved search. And we'd be remiss if we didn't mention the new AOL On channel -- yes, you can now watch Engadget videos and other clips from our corporate overlords. Whatever content tickles your fancy, you just have to wake up your Apple TV to check it out.
Amazon lines up a drama from writers behind Braveheart and Lost
Amazon clearly doesn't think that one politically charged show is enough to counter Netflix efforts like House of Cards. The online retailer turned media producer has ordered a pilot for Point of Honor, a drama set on the cusp of the American Civil War and originally planned for ABC in 2011. The setting is intriguing, although the real highlight of the would-be series may be its pedigree -- Braveheart's Randall Wallace and Lost's Carlton Cuse are writing the story for the initial episode, while Wallace will also direct. Amazon will still have to gauge viewer reactions to the pilot before it greenlights a full run, but the talent involved so far is promising. [Image credit: Don Sniegowski, Flickr]
What you need to know about Aereo's battle with broadcast television
Today, the United States Supreme Court will spend one hour hearing the latest arguments in an old, important debate that affects everyone watching television in the US: Who owns the airwaves? ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and others use the broadcast frequencies our TV antennas pick up; the government regulates those frequencies; and cable companies pay broadcasters to re-broadcast those frequencies. But the answer to who owns them remains nebulous. That is at the heart of today's case -- "American Broadcasting Companies, Inc., et al. v. Aereo, Inc." -- being decided by the highest court in the United States. And the decision stands to leave a massive impact on how Americans consume television, regardless of which side wins.
Broadcasters' backup plans for thwarting Aereo include live TV streaming
The big US broadcasters are primarily leaning on legal action to shut down Aereo's antenna-based streaming TV service, but what if the startup prevails in court? Apparently, the media giants aren't too worried; they have some backup plans. The Wall Street Journal claims that CBS is considering a subscription-based video service of its own that would offer both live and on-demand shows for a few dollars per month. While it would still include ads, there might also be an option to pay for Showtime's premium programming.
Dish and Disney's new deal cuts into ad skipping, allows for internet-only video service
TV networks have long been embroiled in a legal battle with Dish over ad skipping built into the Hopper DVR, but the two sides are finally starting to lay down their arms -- and there may be a few perks for viewers as a result. Disney and Dish have reached a TV distribution deal that gives Dish the rights to stream Disney-owned channels online, both through services like WatchESPN as well as an internet-based TV service from Dish itself. In other words, you may not need a satellite dish to start watching. There is a catch, of course. Both companies have agreed to drop their lawsuits, but Dish will have to prevent Hopper owners from skipping ads on Disney-produced shows until three days after they air. The move should appease Disney advertisers that depend on three-day audience ratings. The agreement should still give Dish subscribers more ways to watch TV, but it could lead to other broadcasters demanding ad skipping limits -- and one of the Hopper's main features could be much less useful.
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]
Netflix's first taste of 'Star Wars' coming with exclusive 'Clone Wars' series in March
Sure, Netflix has a multi-billion dollar deal with Disney, but Star Wars content has been noticeably missing from its sizeable catalog. That's about to change, however, after the streaming giant announced it has signed an exclusive agreement to bring the final series of The Clone Wars, dubbed "The Lost Missions," to all 44 million of its subscribers on March 7th. Netflix says the 13-episode season will be accompanied by director's cuts of the previous five Clone Wars seasons and the feature film, making it the only subscription service to offer such content. Netflix has slowly added more Disney content in recent months, but it'll ramp up significantly when first-run live-action and animated films come to the service in 2016. There's no word on whether we'll see the Star Wars feature films later down the line -- we'll make sure to enjoy the multiple new Marvel mini-series in the meantime.
Apple's Tim Cook: 'There is no backdoor. The government doesn't have access to our servers'
Apple isn't colluding with the NSA to hand over user data and CEO Tim Cook wants you to know that. In fact, Cook feels so strongly about this issue of security that he's gone on record saying the government would need "to cart [Apple's employees] out in a box" to get access to its servers. That choice soundbite comes from a sitdown interview, airing tonight on ABC, during which Cook elaborates on what he sees as public misperception stemming from the recent NSA scandal. To counter that, Cook said he's been "pushing very, very hard" for more transparency into Apple's internal practices, a move he hopes would help to set the record straight with the general public. Cook is also expected to touch upon other topics outside of the NSA breach, like the company's heavily-anticipated plunge into wearables, and the measures Apple takes to maintain secrecy surrounding its product roadmap. You can watch the teaser clip from the full interview with Cook just after break.
Aereo vs. TV networks case will be heard by the Supreme Court
Aereo launched its service that makes over-the-air TV available over the internet back in 2012, and quickly faced a lawsuit from big media companies (ABC, Fox, CBS and others) claiming it's illegally distributing their content. Today, the Supreme Court announced it will hear the case, titled ABC, Inc., v. Aereo, Inc. (docket 13-461). Other than Aereo's fledgling service, at stake is the ability of broadcasters to charge pay-TV companies for the right to carry their signals. If Aereo wins, there have been indications that cable/satellite services might buy it or build their own version, cutting the broadcasters out of a large sum of cash. Both sides have pushed for a decision by the Supreme Court, and Aereo just released a statement saying "We remain unwavering in our confidence that Aereo's technology falls squarely within the law." Aereo and others like Cablevision have suggested this case is critical for the cloud computing an cloud storage industry, as well as tools like DVRs. According to Bloomberg, going by the court's schedule it should hear the case in April and rule on it by early July. If the case doesn't go their way, some major TV execs like Les Moonves have suggested an approach akin to taking their ball and going home. Last spring he stated CBS could switch to cable-only distribution in "a few days," -- if the Supreme Court upholds several lower court decisions in Aereo's favor, we could find out soon how serious of a threat that is.
Want to stream ABC shows the day after they air? Better get cable
As the legions of cord cutters continue to grow, companies are looking for any way to keep customers tied to their increasingly archaic (and offensively priced) pay TV subscriptions. ABC is just the latest network to get in on the frustrating practice, by requiring users sign into their cable account if they want to watch shows online the day after they air. On January 6th the change is coming not only to Watch ABC, but Hulu as well. Though, if you subscribe to Hulu Plus you'll still have access the next day. Otherwise you'll have to wait a full week after an episode airs to stream it for free. Of course, ABC is hardly alone in the practice. Fox did the same back in 2011, while premium outlets like HBO and Showtime have limited their streaming services to verified pay TV subscribers since day one (with a few experimental exceptions). The list of participating TV services includes all the usual suspects, including Time Warner and FiOS, as well as new comers like Google Fiber. If you've got any nagging questions you can check out the FAQ at the source or call Watch ABC's customer service at (800) 230-0229.
Broadcasters take their case against Aereo to the Supreme Court
Fox may have been making an empty threat when it said it would go the paid TV route, if Aereo continued to stream its content online. But, that doesn't mean the broadcasters were just going to stomp their feet and let the start up carry on with it's plans to expand its streaming and cloud DVR offerings. Today, a group that includes not only Fox, but ABC, NBC, Telemundo, Univision, PBS and CBS petitioned the Supreme Court to hear their case. Lower courts have refused to grant an injunction against Aereo, completely tossing out claims of unfair competition en route to the steps of the Supreme Court. The broadcasters' case relies on convincing judges that streaming terrestrial television signals qualifies as a "public performance," and as such is a violation of the Copyright Act. Aereo counters that its thousands of antennas that are assigned to each subscriber are no different than a consumer going out and purchasing an antenna themselves. Essentially, they're claiming that customers aren't paying so much for the stream itself, as the antenna and the location where it's mounted. Much of Aereo's case is built upon a precedent set in 2008, when Cablevision won a case regarding its remote DVR service. Of course, the companies will have to convince the Supreme Court to hear its case in the first place. The 209 page petition (which you can read here) lays out its case and asks the highest court in our nation to make a decision whether or not the rebroadcast is, in fact, a public performance. It might be sometime before we know whether or not Chief Justice Roberts and crew will listen to arguments from the parties concerned, but rest assured we'll be watching this story closely.
Watch ABC brings its mobile TV service to Android phones
Hey, Android phone users, you can watch Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on your device now that the Watch ABC app has finally arrived on smaller screens running the platform. Like its counterpart apps for iOS, Kindle Fire and Android tablets, it comes with live streaming and on demand viewing. Location restrictions still apply, of course, and you have to be a subscriber in NYC, Philadelphia, LA, Chicago, Raleigh-Durham, San Francisco, Houston and Fresno. Unfortunately, its list of officially supported devices (below) is disappointingly short, but the network says it should work on more phones running Android 4.0.3 or higher. Perfect, if you're looking to drown your work week sorrows this weekend while watching Rebel Wilson. Officially supported devices: Samsung Galaxy S 2 Samsung Galaxy S 3 Samsung Galaxy S 4 Samsung Galaxy Note Samsung Galaxy Note 2 HTC One Google Nexus 4
