Epix
Latest
Fake Steve Jobs to be a TV show
Dan Lyons, better known as blogger Fake Steve Jobs, has apparently signed a deal with Seinfeld writer Larry Charles to create a half-hour, single camera, satirical TV show about a Silicon Valley hotshot. As of now, Lyons is only writing the pilot script for the series, but since it's called "iCON," there will probably be plenty of FSJ's humor and voice in the series itself. It's set to air on Epix, which is a premium cable channel run by Viacom. The show centers around Tom Rhodes, a Silicon Vally big shot who's designed to be a composite of Steve Jobs and a few other big tech company names, and the "savage satire" is supposed to be "a study of ego, power and greed." That sounds like fun! Since "iCON" and the Facebook movie are both scheduled to begin production, it certainly looks like Hollywood is interested in digging into the recent Silicon Valley past for a little humor and drama. [via Apple Insider]
EPIX brings movie streaming to mobiles courtesy of Adobe's Open Screen Project
Already offering video to your TV and computer, EPIX is ready to unveil the third part of its "Big On Any Screen" service when it demonstrates a mobile version of the channel today at MWC 2010. It's teamed up with Adobe and the Open Screen Project for a Flash Player 10.1 implementation that it claims offers "highest mobile viewing quality available on mobile devices today," if it can match up with the Flash player available on PCs then it has a chance. The ability to pause a movie on the TV or PC and pick up later on your handheld is in the works as well. No word on where we'll see this launch or if your cell carrier will need to be tied to your TV service for access, but we'd figure Verizon's VCast will be near the top of the list.
EPIX coming to Mediacom Communications
The first movie network to launch as both an HD cable network and an online HD streaming service just got picked up by the 7th largest cable company in the US. Starting in April, Mediacom Communications' customers will be able to pay for access to the 24x7 HD feed as well as the ability to stream all of the same movies via EPIX's website. We're still on the fence about the value of this channel, on one had you get access to stream the content in high quality, but on the other there are networks that charge around the same price give you multiple HD channels. We haven't sat down and figured out how many movies you are getting access to compared to the multi-channel options, but ultimately the value of the online streaming isn't much to us since we prefer to watch HD on our HDTV. Regardless we're sure someone will be happy to have another choice for HD movies.
Where there's smoke there's EPIX, cable/online hybrid channel to arrive on Cox in April
Just as rumors indicated, the second provider to pick up EPIX will be Cox Communications, with the channel scheduled to arrive in April. Cox VP Bob Wilson acknowledged helping customers increase their anytime/anyplace access was key to increasing satisfaction, we'll see if the pace of additions is similar to that of FiOS. The service worked great in beta over our cable connection, we'll see if Cox can keep things moving smoothly everywhere. Check out the full press release after the break.
EpixHD to appear on Cox next?
Looks like EpixHD may have a second distribution partner soon, Bloomberg is reporting rumors that it is close to a deal with Cox to bring the premium movie network / online streaming service to its network in 2010. Analys reports peg as many as 1,000 FiOS subscribers per day signing up for the channel in its first month there, but that investors are currently focused on the slow progress in expanding to other carriers for Epix. more than a third of them take advantage of the online streaming, we'll see if capped & throttled cable customers have the same response.
EpixHD flips on social movie viewing online with ClipSync
EpixHD promised to bring the social media heat along with the online movie streaming component of its service, and now it has partnered with ClipSync to do just that. Netflix and a few BD-Live enabled titles might argue with the "first true Social TV platform" claim, but form what we can see, it should be very easy to pick up a viewing party of other EpixHD subscribers and catch a flick via your web browser while chatting. It looks like the network may also take a page out of the Blu-ray book with movie screenings featuring stars of the films, but that's still in the distance. Anyone up for another EngadgetHD viewing party?
EpixHD celebrates today's FiOS launch with weekend movie streaming passes for all
Right on schedule, the linear version of the three-screen focused EpixHD service will go live for FiOS TV subscribers starting at 8 p.m. Already VOD and internet accessible, launch weekend (and subsequent weekends) will spread high definition streaming cheer beyond just the fiber-connected as anyone can grab a 72 hour access pass to stream some movies (we don't recommend Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but pretty much everything else mentioned in the launch lineup or the official PR after the break seems good.) Chief Digital Officer Emil Rensing let us know what the trip from beta to reality has been like, and while there won't be many tweaks in the experience from our largely positive preview experience, expect additional features like movie extras, behind the scenes peeks and more to roll out across the site over time. EpixHD.com/invite has the 72 hour passes, while we hear the company Twitter isn't a bad spot to check for extended access while waiting for its "movies anywhere" strategy to become officially available in your neck of the woods.
Epix HD queues up Iron Man, Madonna and Eddie Izzard for online & FiOS launch October 30
Epix HD has locked down a launch date and lineup, confirmed for Verion FiOS subscribers so far, the festivities will kick off October 30th with television and online premieres of Iron Man, Madonna "Sticky & Sweet: Live from Buenos Aires," and Eddie Izzard: Live From Wembley. Other titles set for launch weekend are The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Madea Goes to Jail, Pink Panther 2, the Indiana Jones movie that sucked, Cloverfield, The Duchess and more. Epix has previously stated a goal to build the largest stable of movies online with a planned 3,000 titles available in the Epix Megaplex, you'll see if this whole new way of delivering a premium movie experience is all it's appeared to be very soon.Update: Epix just passed along the launch weekend schedule so check after the break for all the times (EST)
Leaked AT&T presentation confirms remaining WinMo releases for 2009, that employees can't spell 'proprietary'
Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.5 release is just a month away, and so too are the first phones that will utilize it. Boy Genius Report has managed to get its hands on one slide from a recent AT&T concall confirming a partial list of the handsets set to ship with the new, improved, more finger-friendly flavor of the OS, and even a few models that will be upgraded to it. Two from Samsung, the Epix and Jack, will receive version updates in October, while HP's Obsidian, earlier targeted for November, seems to have been pushed back to December, and LG's Monaco similarly has slipped to November. HTC's Fortress (a.k.a. the Pro2), however, will apparently be ready with bells on next month. As will we, dear readers. As will we.
Verizon to offer Epix movie channel / streaming service on FiOS, VCast
TV channel / online service combo Epix has finally locked up its first distribution partner, Verizon's FiOS TV. Not a lot of details are available yet, but Viacom CEO Phillippe Dauman says it can offer the service a la carte, in bundles with broadband, and even plans a mobile VCast offering. We've already had a peek at the in-beta HD streams and saw a lot to like, with planned access on three screens and flicks from MGM, Lionsgate and Paramount locked up for years to come Epix is shaping up as a very formidable offering prior to its planned October launch.Update: Epix hit us off with the official PR (posted after the break) but here's the most important details - in the coming weeks, Verizon customers will be able to access a preview of the network, either through their VOD menu on the FiOS set-top box, or by visiting EpixHD.com and entering their account info.
Epix HD 720p movie streaming service eyes-on
After making sure there was a domain name locked down for Epix, the new premium movie network formed by Studio 3 Networks (Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM) it was all about taking advantage of an early peek at the 720p Flash powered site to see what a new generation of home movie distribution has to offer. The tech end (opening up to invited users this week for beta testing) is powered by Akamai's variable bitrate streaming streaming technology, delivering up to 3mbps HD video with stereo audio all the way down (6 different levels) to 500kbps encodes. Where it surpasses current online offerings from the competition is the ability, thanks to the aforementioned studio backers, to provide many of the recent movies you want to see. Our impressions of the service and a few more pictures of the interface are after the break.
Samsung Pivot, a possible Epix successor for AT&T?
The slide here clearly identifies the Pivot as a "successor of BlackJack series," yes -- but the same slide deck also refers to the Samsung Jackie (the Jack's codename) as a BlackJack successor, so we wouldn't put too much stock in that. The fact is that this Pivot is a touch-capable WinMo device with QWERTY, and we can't imagine AT&T bothering to stock both this and the similarly-spec'd Epix at the same time. By and large, this seems like an ever-so-slight upgrade to the Epix, featuring 4GB of onboard Flash, a 2.6-inch QVGA touchscreen, AGPS, WiFi, and a 3 megapixel camera (up from the older model's 2 megapixel unit). It also has triband HSDPA for international 3G roaming, but curiously, it seems that it's lined up to launch with WinMo 6.1 -- at least at the time of this slide's creation, which has the phone pegged for an October launch. That'd be precisely a year after the launch of the Epix -- perfect timing for a refresh, and we wouldn't be surprised if they slipped 6.5 into the mix by the time that happens. Follow the break for a closer shot of the phone.
Akamai supports dynamic HD streaming on Adobe Flash, starting with Epix
Tucked away in Akamai's announcement of dynamic streaming capabilities and other tweaks to go along with its support for Adobe Flash Media Server 3.5 was the news that Epix -- the new joint venture from Viacom / Lionsgate / MGM launching first online then on cable & satellite near you as a new movie channel -- will be among the first to take advantage. We're the ability to seamlessly switch between HD and lower-quality feeds as bandwidth and CPU power demands will be appreciated by viewers but it's still not even clear what the new venture's website will even be, with epix.com still pointing to this. That's sure to be cleared up by launch (still slated for later this month) right?
Epix (and it's Hollywood backers) looking to shake up premium cable
Now that it finally has a name, the Viacom / Lionsgate / MGM backed Epix can finally be a bit more forthcoming about its plans as a premium movie channel to rival HBO, Starz and Showtime. Now the question is whether the new channel will get the $1.50 per subscriber fee it's asking from potential cable and satellite providers, which could make that planned fourth quarter launch dicier than first imagined. Still, the studios seem entrenched behind the idea of improving their prospects for profiting from their newest, hottest movies like Cloverfield, even in these economic times, so we wouldn't be surprised to see a very Big Ten Network-style standoff in the making.
Studio 3 Networks' epix is the new home of Lionsgate, MGM & Paramount movies
The joint venture formed by Viacom's Paramount, MGM and Lionsgate finally has a name -- Studio 3 Networks -- and today announced at NATPE '09 that its "next generation home entertainment service" with both broadband delivery and a traditional TV channel (possibly headed to a digital basic lineup near you) will be branded epix. Still most important about the new brand is that due to expiring content deals with Showtime, epix will have exclusive access to Paramount, Paramount Vantage, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Films released theatrically on or after January 1, 2008, plus all MGM, United Artists and Lionsgate flicks from the beginning of 2009 on and a release window two months shorter than the 11 months of other pay channels when it launches in the fourth quarter of this year. Still unclear is exactly where we'll be able to enjoy all 17 remastered* James Bond movies, the Indiana Jones series and more in crisp high definition, as Multichannel News caught president Mark Greenberg mentioning epix could find its way to the aforementioned digital tiers to boost satisfaction on HD content, but didn't set any quality expectations for an Internet or VOD experience. Prior to launch, expect VOD Internet access, while afterwards "authenticated" cable subscribers can get access to DVD extra-styled content online. Still, as Download Squad mentioned, first order of business should probably be buying up the epix.com, epix.net or epix.tv domain names since they're already taken.[Via Multichannel News & Download Squad]
RED teases some more in preparation for November 13th
This is just mean. With 10 days to go before Red goes official with its Scarlet and Epic announcement, we get this image: a teaser for those of us already teased. Sure, it doesn't look like much now (don't bother looking at the EXIF: nothing), but it's enough to prompt RED Digital Cinema's CEO, Jim Jannard to write that "the most aggressive speculation will not come close to what we will announce Nov. 13th." Careful Jim, our expectations are already pretty high.
Samsung Epix SGH-i907 gets reviewed: it's a mixed bag
The Samsung Epix, as it's known on AT&T, recently joined the herd of others cluttering up the carrier's shelves after being known elsewhere for the longest time as the SGH-i907. For those teetering on a purchase, the cats at Pocketnow have some valuable insight you should probably chew on first. For starters, they found the screen to be stout and the optical joystick to be "fantastic," though the dearth of in-box amenities was a bit of a letdown. On a very positive note, the reviewer never once had to initiate a soft reboot, and the ginormous 1800mAh battery got him through a solid 1.5 days of heavy usage before calling it quits. Unfortunately, the lackluster software suite was the Achilles' heel; critics found that Samsung's Windows Mobile overlays and additions were ho hum at best, and the complete omission of a soft reset hole was just unacceptable. The bottom line? You should probably give this one a handle in-store before buying blind -- as lovely as some aspects are, you don't want to buy into a device that's frustrating to use.
AT&T's Samsung Epix now epically official
It's already been floating around for a day or two, but Samsung and AT&T have decided to go ahead and follow up their latest WinMo smartphone's release to stores with... oh, you know, some actual press material. The i907 Epix rundown goes something like this: Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, 3.6Mbps HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth, 2-megapixel cam, AGPS with AT&T Navigator, Video Share support, 320 x 320 2.5-inch touchscreen display, and one of those crazy "optical mice" for on-screen navigation when using the touchscreen itself is just too much trouble. Get it now (or yesterday, if you were really on the ball) for $99.99 on a two-year contract.
Samsung's i907 Epix filtering into AT&T stores
We've gotten a number of reports today that the Samsung i907 Epix is turning up in sundry AT&T stores across the lands, and those claims are certainly backed up by a fresh retail unboxing of Sammy's WinMo 6.1 Professional monster for AT&T that's turned up over on Boy Genius Report. "Monster" is the right word here, too, in light of Mr. Genius' claims that the Epix seems to be just about the thickest device offered by the carrier outside the beastly Tilt -- not the news we wanted to hear about a QWERTY handset that looks from a distance to be no more imposing than a BlackJack. The optical mouse is cool, don't get us wrong, but is it cool enough to justify a conspicuous bulge in our pocket?[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Trio of AT&T phones comes to light, Pantech Matrix released Thursday
This week is the week for Pantech and Sony Ericsson fans on AT&T to break out the bubbly and throw a wild, crazy party, because the trick dual-sliding C740 Matrix will be joining the W760a (check the gallery) for release on Thursday; they'll be available for $79.99 and $129.99, respectively. Down the road, we're now seeing signs of a Pantech "Slate" running $49.99 and a Samsung "Propel" for $79.99 (in three available colors, no less), the latter of which is signed up for a late October release, but we really don't know much more about 'em.We don't have dates, but it looks like that Samsung Epix will suck $199.99 out of your wallet after rebates, and the Fuze will run $299.99. Finally, we're seeing an AT&T "Quickfire" that's due in late October just like that Samsung Propel -- but unfortunately, we don't know much about this one, either. Any educated (or completely wild) guesses?[Thanks, Kal]%Gallery-33944%
