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iPad Netflix and ABC Player hands-on over MiFi 3G and WiFi (with video)
Having ABC's entire catalog of programming stowed away in your iPad is a great trick that gets you within earshot of Hulu-level awesomeness. Granted, that's not quite what the free ABC Player provides -- we're only finding a handful of episodes for most shows -- but it's a start, especially considering how great the content looks. Flipping the iPad on its side automatically takes you to a full-screen view that streams almost instantaneously over a fast WiFi connection, though we've found one annoying bug -- triggering the orientation lock immediately pops it back to portrait, effectively rendering the lock useless within the app. Connected to a Verizon MiFi with good EV-DO Rev. A signal strength, we were pretty blown away by how good the video still looked; it took only a few seconds longer to start streaming, but otherwise, it's a fantastic option (of course, your 5GB monthly cap might be bruised and battered to a pulp within a few days if you're a heavy user). Netflix looked great, too, though the interface isn't as slick as ABC's -- it's clear that these guys threw the app together in a hurry. The first thing you see when you open it, for instance, is the company's standard web-based login -- it's literally just the Netflix website. Don't get us wrong, it works just fine, but there were definitely plenty of opportunities for iPad-specific customization here. The trend continues after you log in, where you see the same view you're already familiar with when you peep your queue and Watch Instantly selections from a browser on a PC. Streaming worked quite well in both orientations; it appears to just use the iPad's in-built video player, and that's fine with us. We noticed some stuttering over 3G after we stopped filming our demo, but the good news is that it only happened once, and the footage looked just as good over the MiFi as it did connected to our cable modem. Follow the break for video of both ABC and Netflix in action. %Gallery-89680% %Gallery-89687%
iPad apps: defining experiences from the first wave
There are now over 1,348 approved apps for the iPad. That's on top of the 150,000 iPad-compatible iPhone programs already available in the App Store. When Apple's tablet PC launches, just hours from now, it will have a software library greater than that of any handheld in history -- not counting the occasional UMPC. That said, the vast majority of even those 1,348 iPad apps are not original. They were designed for the iPhone, a device with a comparatively pokey processor and a tiny screen, and most have just been tweaked slightly, upped in price and given an "HD" suffix -- as if that somehow justified the increased cost. Besides, we've seen the amazing potential programs have on iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile and webOS when given access to a touchscreen, always-on data connection, GPS, cloud storage and WiFi -- but where are the apps that truly define iPad? What will take advantage of its extra headroom, new UI paradigms and multitouch real estate? Caught between netbook and smartphone, what does the iPad do that the iPhone cannot? After spending hours digging through the web and new iPad section of the App Store, we believe we have a number of reasonably compelling answers. Update: Now includes Wormhole Remote, TweetDeck, SkyGrid, Touchgrind HD, GoToMeeting, SplitBrowser, iDisplay, Geometry Wars and Drawing Pad.
Official Netflix app will stream to iPad
Many iPad owners will use their devices to watch television shows and movies. Netflix and ABC want to make that easy with their official iPad apps. And no, this is not an April Fools prank. Appadvice has posted screenshots and details of how the subscription will work. The app will be free and available at launch on April 3rd, allowing Netflix customers to stream video directly to their iPads. The nice thing is that you can watch a bit of a movie on your computer, and then pick up where you left off on your iPad (and vice versa). You'll also be able to browse and manage your queue from the app. US television network ABC is also offering an app. This free app gives customers Wi-Fi access to some of their most popular shows, like Lost and Grey's Anatomy. You can even browse the network's weekly and monthly schedule to find just the show you're after. We've been expecting Netflix to offer something for a while, and the ABC app isn't entirely unexpected either, as the network 's corporate parent's biggest stockholder is someone we all know. Now if only Hulu would pull the trigger.
WSJ: CBS bringing free HTML5-encoded TV shows to the iPad, ABC plans detailed
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that ABC and CBS are hard at work adapting episodes of their TV shows for the iPad, with both set to offer streamable programming to new slate owners immediately upon launch. Their delivery strategies diverge slightly -- ABC will use the app that was unearthed (and confirmed by us) this morning whereas CBS will stream through the browser (hello, HTML5!) -- but the eventual user experience will be a commercial-supported affair that should be familiar to those who've used their respective online streaming services already. All that remains now is for NBC and Hulu to fall in line, as expected, and your portable media consumption menu will be complete. It'll also be interesting to see what happens to iTunes Store pricing for episodic TV programming, which will soon be up against free (or in Hulu's case, potentially subscription-based) alternatives. Update: And here comes the official presser for ABC's plans, alongside ESPN SportsCenter XL and a handful of Disney apps.
Netflix streaming, ABC, and 1,348 more iPad approved apps revealed
Look, we're not sure what appadvice is using to back its claims, but it's been pumping out supposed iPad app leaks for a few weeks now with screenshots and videos that tell a convincing story. Now they've linked us to a host of new iPad apps with Netflix and ABC player being two of the most notable. The free Neflix app is said to be launching along side Apple's slate on April 3rd letting Netflix subscribers browse and manage their queues. More importantly, it will also allow subscribers to stream Netflix's online collection of videos. Of course, if this is true then we expect to see a Netflix app land for the iPhone and iPod touch as well in adherence to Reed Hastings' previous comments. There's also a free ABC app tipped for April 3rd giving iPad owners WiFi access to full episodes of shows like Lost and Grey's Anatomy. And with CBS seemingly getting into the HTML5 game we suspect that the demand for Hulu in the US will dampen if all this comes to fruition -- especially if Hulu adopts a subscription model. Not enough? Then check out the 1,350 (and counting) approved iPad apps in the source link below or preview 700 of them in a video after the break where you'll also catch a few more Netflix and ABC screenies. We'll have to wait until Saturday to see how many of these actually appear in the iTunes App Store. Update: Looks like these apps are coming straight from Apple's app database since AppShopper is also showing Netflix and ABC Player iPad apps. Don't believe it? Then why not grab some screenshots of your own direct from Apple's servers. This is legit folks. [Thanks, Sean M.]
NYT: Hulu planning iPad app, might be subscription based
We've been hearing whispers about a Hulu app for the iPad since the day Apple's tablet was announced, and things are starting to pick up steam: the New York Times says four different people familiar with Hulu's plans have said the app is coming, and that it will potentially require a subscription fee. That either makes a lot of sense (if you're a TV network exec looking to keep the Aston padding on your paycheck) or absolutely none at all (if you're everyone else), but it certainly seems like it's happening -- especially since Hulu CEO Jason Kilar told the Times that he's "open to subscriptions as a complement to the ad-supported model." That's as close to a confirmation as we've ever heard, but we've got a feeling Apple's putting the full-court press on Hulu and other networks like CBS -- we'd expect to see this go from rumor to reality relatively soon.
iPad the star of Modern Family
Warning: This post contains spoilers about the latest episode of Modern Family. You have been warned. One of my favorite TV shows, Modern Family, was all about the iPad tonight, just days before the big release. The main character, Phil Dunphy, is thrilled at the prospect of receiving an iPad for his birthday, which coincides with the device's release. Of course, the show is a sitcom -- so it doesn't go as smoothly as he hoped. Throughout the episode, Phil's wife waits in line at an Apple Store while she has her kids asking everyone they know if they can get their hands one on via Twitter, Facebook and text. It all works out in the end when Phil's youngest son pulls an iPad out of a paper bag for his dad. It certainly was real and not a prop. After singing the happy birthday song, Phil blew out the "candles" atop an animated cake on the iPad's screen. Perhaps ABC's corporate parent's biggest stockholder was able to pull one off the production line in time for the show's filming several weeks ago. It sure was clever of Apple to have such thorough product placement on one of the season's most popular new shows. You'll see three more screenshots after the break (sorry they're blurry). You can watch the episode in its entirety here.
Screen Grabs: Phil Dunphy gets an iPad
Poor Phil Dunphy -- it might look like his life is an attractive and blissful TV family idyll, but all the man really wants is an iPad for his birthday. And all ABC really wants is a fat wad of product placement green. Video after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
WABC-7 comes back on Cablevision, return to Oscar watching at DEFCON 4
Just that fast, the situation has been defused, as ABC-7 has suddenly reappeared on the screens of Cablevision viewers. It's been off for less than a day but despite missing a great Magic/Lakers matchup earlier in the day it's on just in time to see if Avatar actually takes the Best Picture trophy home for the 3D camp. The statement from WABC-TV president Rebecca Campbell: "We've made significant progress, and have reached an agreement in principle that recognizes the fair value of ABC7, with deal points that we expect to finalize with Cablevision. Given this movement, we're pleased to announce that ABC7 will return to Cablevision households while we work to complete our negotiations." No word on what those "deal points" are, but as long as our friend @Gartenberg gets to watch his Castle it's probably all for the best.
WABC-7 pulled from Cablevision on the eve of the Oscars or two days before Lost
Depending on your personal calendar, the removal of WABC-7's signal from Cablevision in New York is potentially tragic for different reasons but all in all it's a very familiar scene. Fresh off its standoff with Scripps over Food Network and HGTV, Cablevision is rumbling with Disney over the same issue that nearly caused Time Warner customers to miss Fox-broadcasted bowl games around New Years Day (and yes, Senator John Kerry is involved, again) -- will the cable company pay to carry what's available free OTA? With both sides firmly dug in slinging accusations back and forth via screen crawls and press releases (propaganda from both sides embedded after the break) the most interesting wrinkle is Cablevision's suggestion that users just go online and check out primetime programming via ABC.com or Hulu (or grab an antenna for some digital TV love, whatever works.) These things can turn at a moments notice so we'll wait see if the fighting is resolved in time for an afternoon NBA Finals flashback as the Lakers take on the Magic, or for the 82nd Annual Academy Awards at 8:30 p.m. No matter what happens, if things aren't back to normal by Tuesday we'd evacuate the city, a Lostie without their fix is a dangerous thing.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation wants to be on the iPad
ABC is making moves to bring their content to the iPad, but before you get all excited about seeing the Lost conclusion on Apple's tablet, let us point out that we're talking about the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, not the guys who write Jimmy Kimmel's checks. The down-under version has told Adobe that they want to build content for the iPad as soon as possible, and while Flash is tied up in a lot of back-and-forth lately, ABC confirms that they're excited to bring some kind of content to the iPad, even though they're not sure exactly what content yet. Why? They're convinced the iPad is a whole new outlet for content consumption. They aim to use the iPad to "bring about a very different relationship with our readers than other platforms," and their head of strategic development says the iPad could create a whole new category of mobile content. While the iPhone is made for more quick hits of content delivery, the rep says that "with [the iPad] you can imagine people sitting back on the sofa and enjoying something longer." After seeing the form factor in action at Macworld last week, we can, too. It'll be very interesting to see the types of content that come from a device like the iPad, and it's great to see big content companies jumping at the chance to create it. [Via iPad Insider]
Poll: How did you watch Lost?
Lost has been one of our favorite shows since it first started airing and a mainstay on more than one HDTV. As the first episode of its final season has just ended on the East coast, we're wondering how your TV habits are affecting how you watch it. So let us know, are you following along with liveblogs to get every second of action just like everyone else, or choosing to go at your own pace? %Poll-41129%
WSJ: Apple likely to push TV subscription option in 2010
The WSJ and the New York Times, among other outlets, are reporting that Apple is in preliminary discussions with ABC and CBS (at a minimum) about a possible subscription plan arrangement for broadcast and cable TV channels. This idea was noted by All Things D in November, which cited a target price of $30 a month for subscription access via iTunes. If the company can get content providers signed up, the service would be likely to launch next year, say both papers. It's also possible that Apple's Lala purchase could play into this new model, with 'shows in the cloud' and micropayment options that would improve the user experience for TV-watching. Meanwhile, the NBC-Comcast deal might throw a wrench into the works for Apple, and it's not clear that the other broadcast and cable networks are inclined to make a deal at this point; while CBS has few cable assets to protect, and ABC/Disney have a powerful vote in favor of collaboration with Apple, the other companies may have more to lose by throwing in their lot with the iTunes juggernaut. NBC, in particular, has a hit on its hands with the ad-supported Hulu site, now the second-biggest programming provider according to comScore. If only there were some kind of portable viewing device that could play back your videos...
The Bachelor weds HDTV in its fourteenth season
Likely as much of a triumph for the cost effectiveness of shooting in high-definition as proof of its mainstream acceptance, the fourteenth season of ABC's The Bachelor will be the first to air in HDTV. As viewers tune in for this weeks episode of stupid human tricks and absolute degradation, they can take comfort in knowing every tear, argument and rose ceremony on the way to wedded bliss will be captured in 720p. Hey, with Jon & Kate off the air we needed this one, don't judge us.
Poll: Did you like the new show V?
The ratings are in and ABC's V was the highest rated series premier this season with a rating of 5.0, a 13 share which equals 13.9 million viewers. Of course this doesn't mean that many actually liked it and since we were pretty split here at Engadget HD, we wanted to know what you thought of this new Si-Fi show. %Poll-36532%
HDTV Listings for October 23, 2009
What we're watching tonight: ABC (720p) has Ugly Betty at 8 p.m. CW (1080i) has Smallville at 8 p.m. USA (1080i) has Monk at 9 p.m. and the series premiere of White Collar at 10 p.m. CBS (1080i) lines up Ghost Whisperer at 8 p.m., Medium at 9 p.m. and Numb3rs at 10 p.m. MyNetworkTV (1080i) has WWE: Smackdown at 9 p.m. Cartoon Network (1080i) has Star Wars: The Clone Wars at 8 p.m. Fox (720p) has Brothers at 8 p.m., 'til Death at 8:30 p.m. and Dollhouse at 9 p.m. TLC (1080i) airs Say Yes to the Dress at 9 p.m. and Wedded to Perfection at 10 p.m. ESPN2 (720p) has Rutgers/Army football at 8 p.m.
HDTV Listings for October 22, 2009
What we're watching tonight: ABC (720p) has FlashForward at 8 p.m., Grey's Anatomy at 9 p.m. and Private Practice at 10:01 p.m CBS (1080i) has Survivor at 8 p.m. Fox (720p) has Yankees/Angels ALCS Game 5 at 8 p.m. TLC (1080i) has the season premiere of American Chopper at 9 p.m. and Heavy Haulers at 10 p.m. NBC (1080i) has Community at 8 p.m., Parks & Recreation at 8:30 p.m., The Office at 9 p.m. and 30 Rock at 9:30 p.m. CW (1080i) airs The Vampire Diaries at 8 p.m. and Supernatural at 9 p.m. WGN (1080i) has WWE Superstars at 8 p.m. FX (720p) has It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia at 10 p.m. TNT (1080i) has Nuggets/Lakers preseason basketball at 10 p.m. ESPN (720p) has Florida State/North Carolina college football at 8 p.m. ESPN2 (720p) has CD Chivas USA/Chicago Fire MLS action at 8 p.m. Versus (1080i) has California/Florida UFL football at 7 p.m.
HDTV Listings for October 21, 2009
What we're watching tonight: CBS (1080i) has The New Adventures of Old Christine at 8 p.m., Gary Unmarried at 8:30 p.m., Criminal Minds at 9 p.m. and CSI: NY at 10 p.m. ABC (720p) lines up Hank at 8 p.m., The Middle at 8:30 p.m., Modern Family at 9 p.m., Cougar Town at 9:30 p.m. and Eastwick at 10 p.m. NBC (1080i) tosses in Mercy at 8 p.m. and Law & Order SVU at 9 p.m. Fox (720p) has Glee at 9 p.m. FX (720p) has Nip/Tuck at 10 p.m. TLC (1080i) has I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant at 8 p.m., King of the Crown at 9 p.m. and Toddlers & Tiaras at 10 p.m. Discovery (1080i) has Mythbusters at 9 p.m. Syfy (1080i) has Ghost Hunters at 9 p.m. and Destination Truth at 10 p.m. Travel (1080i) has Man vs. Food at 10 p.m. Comedy Central (1080i) has South Park at 10 p.m. Spike (1080i) has The Ultimate Fighter at 10 p.m
HDTV Listings for October 20, 2009
What we're watching tonight: Fox (720p) has Yankees/Angels ALCS Game 4 at 8 p.m. ESPN (720p) presents 30 for 30: Who Killed the USFL? at 8 p.m. CW (1080i) has 90210 at 8 p.m. and Melrose Place at 9 p.m CBS (1080i) has NCIS at 8 p.m. NCIS: LA at 9 p.m. and The Good Wife at 10 p.m. ABC (720p) has Dancing with the Stars at 9 p.m. and The Forgotten at 10 p.m. Discovery (1080i) brings Dirty Jobs at 9 p.m. and Ghost Lab at 10 p.m. DirecTV (1080i) has Eyes at 10 p.m. A&E (720p) has Parking Wars at 10 & 10:30 p.m. FX (720p) brings Sons of Anarchy at 10 p.m. Syfy (1080i) has ECW at 10 p.m. History (720p) brings The Universe at 9 p.m. TLC (1080i) tosses in 18 Kids & Counting at 9 p.m.
HDTV Listings for October 19, 2009
What we're watching tonight: Fox (720p) lines up House at 8 p.m. and Lie to Me at 9 p.m CBS (1080i) has How I Met Your Mother at 8 p.m., Accidentally On Purpose at 8:30 p.m., Two and a Half Men at 9 p.m., The Big Bang Theory at 9:30 p.m. and CSI: Miami at 10 p.m ABC (720p) has Dancing with the Stars at 8 p.m. and Castle at 10:01 p.m. NBC (1080i) has Heroes at 8 p.m. and Trauma at 9 p.m. CW (1080i) brings One Tree Hill at 8 p.m. and Gossip Girl at 9 p.m. ABC Family (720p) has Lincoln Heights at 8 p.m. and Greek at 9 p.m. USA (1080i) has WWE: Raw at 9 p.m. TLC (1080i) brings Little People, Big World at 8 & 8:30 p.m., Jon & Kate Plus 8 at 9 p.m. and Ultimate Cake Off at 10 p.m. HBO (1080i) presents Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags at 9 p.m. ESPN (720p) presents Broncos/Chargers Monday Night Football at 8:30 p.m. TBS (1080i) has Dodgers/Phillies NLCS Game 4 at 8 p.m. Versus (1080i) airs Sharks/Rangers hockey at 7 p.m.
