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HBO Go coming to game consoles, bringing all-you-can-eat HBO to the TV
While you may have been surprised to learn that the Wii was the most popular game console for Netflix users, you should not have been surprised to learn that over "half of all Netflix users connect via a game console," as reported last week. It's similarly unsurprising to learn that Time Warner is looking to expand the reach of its popular HBO Go service from the web and mobile to connected TVs and – cue drum roll, please – video game consoles. With over 4 million downloads for the mobile apps, Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes says, the HBO Go service is considered to be a hit. Subscribers of the premium cable channel can access every episode of HBO's many original series, from Deadwood to The Sopranos to Game of Thrones. Extending access to the television is an obvious next step; however, it's unclear if Time Warner would charge for TV access, like Hulu has with its Hulu Plus offering, or treat all screens the same, also known as The Netflix Strategy. In addition to the price, we also don't know a date for availability of the service. Tell you what, HBO – let us subscribe to your fancy service and skip the onerous cable TV plan, and you've got yourself a deal!
Netflix negotiating for Dreamworks Animation movies?
Netflix will reveal its financial results for the second quarter tomorrow (better known as the one before they raised prices) and already we've got a juicy rumor about the company signing up Dreamworks Animation flicks for streaming. Bloomberg reports that Netflix would replace HBO's agreement for these movies, while The Hollywood Reporter's sources indicate HBO actually offered to end its deal early after signing up movies from Summit Entertainment and because it anticipates more animated flicks from other studios. If the rumors are on target, with Dreamworks also reporting earnings this week we're likely to hear confirmation soon. Besides that, Hacking Netflix also has the low down on a couple of other Netflix tidbits, including that it's recently spun off DVD operations are moving to their own offices, and a rumor that Weeds creator Jenji Kohan is working on an original show for the service. The over/under on Engadget Netflix posts this week is set at 3.5.
Rise and Shiny recap: City of Eternals
City of Eternals is somewhat of an enigma to me. I've heard of it off and on through the last few years. I've seen it before, and it doesn't seem as though it has changed much, if at all. I am familiar with it just because I have been covering games for a long time, yet I've never really checked it out. Sure, I poked my head into it through Facebook once or twice, but to be honest, I didn't really like what I saw. I am all about independent, different-looking, or not-so-pretty games... heck, if I weren't, I'd have nothing to play but bloated "AAA" grindfests. But there's just something about the skinny-jean, pleather-wearing vampire scene that I cannot stand. My wife is into True Blood, the campy, vamp-heavy, naked-people festival that shows on the HBO network, but at least the show has fun with it and builds up interesting characters. City of Eternals seems to be stuck in that cheesier area of vampire fandom, though. Still, I played it over the last week and started to enjoy it a bit, for a few different reasons. Click past the cut and I'll tell you about it.
Boxee Box survey floats the possibility of premium channels, PPV sports
If you're wondering in which direction the developers over at Boxee may be thinking about heading you can consider the questions in the latest survey mailed out to users. The second round of questions gauges the interest people may have in subscribing to premium channels over the internet, like HBO or Showtime and how much they would be willing to pay, with another question focusing on the possibility of pay-per-view football games. Of course, actually negotiating for access to premium channels (HBO Go works through the browser after the v1.1 update) or anything NFL Sunday Ticket-related is a more complicated issue, but it is a possibility. Previous polls checked the temperature on features we've seen added like Netflix or a $199 price tag for the Boxee Box, and things that haven't shown up so far like CableCARD / OTA support or a version for videogame consoles. Get your opinion counted at the source link and yes, there is a write in portion for you to request updates for the PC version.
Eastbound and Down Season One and Two come to Blu-ray August 2nd
Been missing your dose of Kenny Powers in high definition? Don't worry, the wait is almost over since HBO is bringing both seasons of Eastbound & Down out on Blu-ray August 2nd. According to the press release, the season one DVD was HBO's best selling comedy SKU last year, which probably helped push it for a Blu-ray edition this time around. Special features include a typical lineup of behind the scenes featurettes, blooper reels, commentaries and deleted scenes, should you find either season worthy of their $39.98 MSRP.
HBO GO for iOS lets you play over 1400 programs from just about anywhere
HBO GO allows an HBO subscriber to stream over 1400 programs on a computer with a Flash-enabled browser, but just last week, a few days ahead of the scheduled May 2nd release, HBO released the HBO GO iOS app. This free universal app is pretty amazing. If you are an HBO subscriber and your provider is among the favored ones (AT&T U-verse, Xfinity, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Suddenlink, Verizon FIOS or some flavors of Comcast), you now have the ability to stream a world of HBO content to your iPad, iPhone (3GS or iPhone 4) or iPod Touch (4th generation) away from your home, as long as a WiFi or 3G connection is available. Given the size of the iPad screen and the design of the app, the experience of navigation and viewing is far more enjoyable on an iPad than other iOS devices when using HBO GO. On the iPad, the app works in both landscape and portrait mode, but on anything else navigation can only be done in portrait mode, while programming plays in landscape mode.
HBO Go mobile app hands-on (video)
HBO Go has been live on the iTunes App Store and Android Market for just a few short hours, but we've already put it through the paces, poking and prodding on our iPad and iPhone, to see what all the hubbub's about. We're pleased with the hefty amount of video that HBO's offering up here, and the interface is pretty intuitive as well. Still, browsing through the myriad content on the iPad's larger screen is definitely a bit more leisurely than on the iPhone's 3.5-inch counterpart. Both apps sport the same feature set, so searching for content, saving things to watch later, and blasting updates to Facebook and Twitter will work well on whichever device you choose. To make the deal even sweeter, it's free for current subscribers, so there's really no reason to not check it out for yourself -- unless you don't have HBO, in which case we have a video walkthrough embedded after the break. Update: Sorry Android users, but it looks like the only supported versions for the Android app are 2.1 - 2.3.3. However, we're getting reports that it does function in the browser -- so long as you've got Flash installed, of course. We're also told that the HBO Go site works just fine on the PlayBook as well. %Gallery-122541%
HBO Go hits iOS and Android, free for subscribers
Don't ditch that premium cable subscription just yet. The long-anticipated HBO Go app just hit the iOS App Store and Android Market, bringing original HBO series and a variety of blockbuster films to your mobile device. You'll need an HBO subscription with your cable provider to get past the login screen, but unlocking all that the service has to offer using our Verizon FiOS account took just a second, and we were off and running with Avatar less than a minute after launching the app. We'll have a full hands-on later today, but if you're an HBO subscriber with an iOS or Android slab, head over to your device's respective store to download the free app. [Thanks, Jason]
DirecTV's iPad, iPhone, Android apps will (NOT) have HBO Go streaming May 2nd (Update)
Just like the web versions of HBO Go and Max Go are accessible both through their own sites and various provider portals, DirecTV has announced it will include access to them in its own apps on iPad, iPhone and "select Android devices" at the same time native Go apps launch. There's no word on what restrictions may be placed on Android, if it's just Froyo or higher hardware with Flash accessibility, then that's one thing, but Netflix-style DRM tie ups could prove to be much more frustrating to our Game of Thrones streaming plans. The announcement came from DirecTV's official Twitter account which indicated the apps would progress beyond mere remote control and DVR scheduling on the same May 2nd date previously teased in HBO's YouTube trailer -- we'll wait and see how long it takes to be integrated into similar apps from competitors like Comcast and Verizon FiOS. Update: We've just heard from DirecTV that this was a "mistweet", as it turns out they won't be adding HBO Go access through their own apps and DirecTV customers will have to use the native HBO Go app just like everyone else. Check the @DirecTV account for the latest tweets, we'll put this one on the shelf next to the DirecTiVo for now.
Dish adds HBO Go, Max Go to DishOnline package, tweaks Netflix in the process
Just after adding Epix to its assortment of wares, Dish is expanding DishOnline with HBO Go and Max Go streaming. This follows last week's announcement by DirecTV regarding the services, but instead of highlighting the upcoming mobile apps, Dish's press release chose to point out that the HBO shows and movies subscribers can access won't be available on Netflix. An interesting choice, but we suspect it won't matter much while you're busy watching some Boardwalk Empire on your laptop.
HBO GO app to bring Tony Soprano to your iOS device
Need an Entourage of Sopranos to entertain you while you manage a Boardwalk Empire with your Band of Brothers? Starting in May, HBO subscribers will be able to enjoy "instant and unlimited access to the best HBO has to offer" using an iPad, iPhone or Android device. Time Warner subsidiary HBO, one of the leading premium television networks in the US, posted a teaser video promoting the upcoming mobile app on YouTube late last week. HBO began offering streaming services to its subscribers in February, 2010. Today, HBO GO, which offers about 1,400 titles from the network's library of movies and original TV series, can be accessed only from a desktop or laptop computer using a Flash-enabled web browser. Expected to arrive on May 2, the iOS and Android apps will further extend HBO's reach beyond the television... ironically, two years after the network ditched the long-running "it's not TV, it's HBO" slogan. Now, it's time to Curb Your Enthusiasm. Access to HBO GO is limited to customers who subscribe to HBO through a traditional cable television service provider. If you want to enjoy True Blood on your iPad, you'll need to sign up for television service and subscribe to HBO through Comcast XFINITY TV, Verizon FiOS, Cox Advanced TV, AT&T U-Verse or DirecTV. Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes insists the premium network has no current plans to allow customers to cut The Wire and put the cable bill Six Feet Under with an option to subscribe directly to the HBO GO service. For now, by bringing its streaming Extras to the iPad, iPhone and Android, HBO is giving its approximately 28 million subscribers one more way to avoid being Bored to Death while on the go. Continue reading to watch the official teaser video for the HBO GO mobile app. [via TiPb]
HBO Go app set to stream its way to iPhones, iPads and Android devices
Are you familiar with the HBO Go online streaming service that lets subscribers catch up on HBO's award-winning and ass-kicking TV content? Well, 'appy news for you, dear reader, for it's about to hit smartphones and tablets early next month. Android and iOS HBO Go apps have been teased by a new video on HBO's YouTube channel, with promises of "instant and unlimited access" to "every episode of every season" of your favorite shows, garnished with a selection of hit movies. The apps and streaming will be free to HBO subscribers, who'll be able to get their Sopranos nostalgia on over 3G as well as WiFi. May 2nd is the date on which the teaser video ends, though it doesn't explicitly say that the service will be enlivened then. We'll just have to wait and see. [Thanks, Joe]
Want Avatar in 3D without buying Panasonic? It's on HBO VOD
While Panasonic's exclusive hold on the Avatar Blu-ray 3D release still holds, if you want to watch James Cameron's work at home without downloading a rip or snagging a copy from eBay you can get it from HBO video on-demand. It's actually been available since early this month according to posts on AVSForum, where viewers seem to differ on the picture quality, while it's clearly not up to the Blu-ray copy if you're fiending for another trip to Pandora it should get you through. Of course, this just brings us close to par with the UK where the flick aired months ago on Sky 3D, but with licensing deals being what they are, we'll take what we can get for now. [Thanks, Mike]
HBO Go, Max Go streaming comes to DirecTV; iOS and Android apps still due later this year
Starting today, DirecTV subscribers with HBO and Cinemax (or possibly without, in our experience) have access to the HBO Go and Max Go online portals that stream original content like the upcoming Game of Thrones and various movies. While DirecTV mentioned it would roll out TV Everywhere style offerings of its own, this is the first we've seen that actually offers viewers their content away from the dish. Also notable in the announcement was a mention of Android and iOS clients for the Go portals, since the last we'd heard of them was word of an iPad app expected in six months... eight months ago. No word on what's causing the delay (there's already an app for Samsung's latest TVs that support Flash) but they're expected later this year -- we won't even bother asking about the new DirecTiVo.
Entourage: The Complete Seventh Season Blu-ray set arrives July 12th
One of our favorite summer TV shows will have a new season out on Blu-ray as HBO announced Entourage: The Complete Seventh Season will be available on July 12th. That gets the dual 50GB disc set out with enough time for fans to marathon their way through (while wearing Five Towns t-shirts and Viking Quest headgear, of course) before the eighth and final season kicks off July 24th. Extras include DTS-HD MA soundtrack, three commentaries, a behind the scenes doc and a featurette focused on season seven addition Sasha Grey. There's more details after the break, or you can just lay down $49.95 for a preorder.
DirecTV to add a few HD channels from HBO next week
If you've been waiting for new HD channels from DirecTV, and not just 3D, congratulations, as forum posts on DBSTalk reveal HBO Signature HD and HBO Family HD are headed to the service on the 30th. Of course, if you're not signed up for the HBO pack of channels it won't do much for you, but at least the rumored delay of the next season of Mad Men gives the satellite company a little more time to get AMC HD up and running. [Thanks, Joe]
HBO GO expands to 1400 titles, still doesn't check if you subscribe
Although it still isn't very interesting to surround sound snobs, HBO GO is streaming more content then ever into your home. And by your home, we mean those who happen to subscribe to Comcast, Cox, FiOS or AT&T U-Verse -- oddly, Time Warner cable isn't listed, sure they aren't the same company anymore, but still. Now according to the release, the number of offerings is up to 1400 movies, shows and documentaries and it requires that you actually subscribe to HBO. What is odd is that just like the first time we tried it, we are able to watch all the programming via any internet connection using our provider user ID even though we haven't subscribed to HBO in years. We're still wondering, with you, how long it'll be until we can subscribe to this without actually paying for the rest of cable TV, but for now at least, it is the status quo.
Netflix passes 20 million subscribers; focuses on ISP disputes, HBO, Facebook in Q4 results
Netflix just released its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2010 and of no surprise to anyone who was paying attention last year it did quite well by passing 20 million subscribers, more than double its base at the start of 2009. However, per Biggie's Law mo money = mo problems, and it took the opportunity to respond, surprisingly sharply, to potential threats from its Hollywood content providers and the ISPs its Watch Instantly service streams over. News of note going into 2011? A huge focus on personalization including new integration with Facebook and a mention that Apple TV has already surpassed the iPad in viewing hours. It also showed off the one-click Netflix button on an unspecified (looks like Toshiba to us) remote and compared the "consternation" over its success to the rise of Fox as a broadcast network two decades ago. We'll hop on the earnings call in a few minutes for more details, check after the break for more of the details.
HBO lines up 3D programming via video on-demand
If you have HBO's HD VOD via your cable provider (i.e. Comcast or Verizon FiOS) congratulations, as you should also have access to a few 3D movies. Multichannel News reports Coraline, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Monsters vs. Aliens and Clash of the Titans are all available for your viewing pleasure. Of course, since it's HBO we're expecting some cropping/compression malfeasance but why don't you give it a look and tell us how they're doing.
HBO GO, MAX GO now available on AT&T's U-verse
U-verse subscribers with HBO and Cinemax can start getting their fix online now, since their U-verse login now access the HBO GO and MAX GO websites. According to the press release, HBO and Cinemax content will soon be accessible on U-verse Online as well, if you're not to clear on what having 1,200 hours of content at your fingertips from anywhere with internet access might be like, check out our eyes on from when the service launched on FiOS TV earlier this year.
