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Microsoft sells Mediaroom to Ericsson, pulls focus to Xbox TV
Microsoft's Mediaroom IPTV business now belongs to communication tech company Ericsson, allowing Microsoft to focus its attention fully on the Xbox."With the sale of Mediaroom, Microsoft is dedicating all TV resources to Xbox in a continued mission to make it the premium entertainment service that delivers all the games and entertainment consumers want – whether on a console, phone, PC or tablet," Microsoft Vice President Yusuf Mehdi writes in a blog post.Mehdi writes that Microsoft will partner with a range of content creators, studios, networks, labels and distributors for the next generation of TV, made "more simple, tailored and intelligent." Mediaroom is the tech behind AT&T's U-Verse, Telefonica and Swisscom, among other services, and powers 22 million set top boxes worldwide.
Microsoft agrees to sell Mediaroom to Ericsson, goes all-in on Xbox
A fortnight after rumors surfaced hinting that Ericsson was lobbying to buy Microsoft's Mediaroom IPTV unit, both companies have announced that a deal has been signed. Microsoft VP Yusuf Medhi blogged that as the Xbox has become the heart of Redmond's home entertainment strategy, Mediaroom has become a resource-hogging distraction. The Mountain View-based IPTV outfit powers AT&T's U-Verse as well as similar VOD services from companies like Deutsche Telekom and Telefonica, and will be folded into Ericsson's Business Support Solutions outfit. The deal's expected to close in the second half of the year, with neither company talking about how much the sale cost.
Microsoft reportedly selling its MediaRoom IPTV unit to Ericsson
It's not been a great few years for Ericsson, but the company is looking to cheer itself up by bidding for one of Microsoft's cast-offs. According to Bloomberg's usual cabal of persons familiar with the matter, the beleaguered networking giant is gunning for Redmond's MediaRoom IPTV Unit. As Microsoft's home entertainment ambitions now center around the Xbox, MediaRoom, which powers AT&T's U-Verse, is deemed surplus to requirements. Spokespeople for both companies declined to comment, but we're left wondering whatever happened to Microsoft's grand plans for Project Orapa (sic).
WatchESPN streaming reaches AT&T U-verse subscribers
U-verse subscribers often have some bandwidth to spare; it's only fair that they make the most of it with some streaming sports. Appropriately, AT&T and ESPN have just flicked the switch on WatchESPN support for those who subscribe to U-verse TV service. As always, viewers can tune into live and on-demand content from a computer, an Xbox 360 (with an Xbox Live Gold subscription) or their Android and iOS devices while on the road. The sports partnership is also just the start: AT&T notes that all flavors of Watch Disney should be coming "soon," giving the little ones something to stream in between football matches.
Time Warner Cable's TWC TV app is now streaming on Roku
Time Warner Cable has already brought live TV streaming to iOS, Android and PCs, and now it's finally released its TWC TV service on a device for your TV. Now available on newer Roku players (and, we presume, whatever hardware is coming next), it brings up to 300 channels to subscriber's set-top boxes via the internet. Hit the link below to add the channel to your box -- assuming you have Time Warner cable + internet and your Roku is located in the house where you have service, of course. We've seen demos of the software on Samsung and Panasonic connected TV platforms before, and the Xbox 360 features similar access from a number of providers, so take that into account when guessing which one may be next up.
Westinghouse set to launch 'Roku ready' CES lineup of HD, 4K models
Westinghouse is already jockeying for CES 2013 position in the crowded connected-TV arena, saying it'll announce a bevy of MHL-compliant models at the show that'll work with Roku's HDMI Streaming Stick. That would presumably give the panel maker Smart TV options without having to bake the circuitry into the new models, letting Roku take the load in providing WiFi connectivity along with 400 channels like Netflix, Amazon Instant Video and Hulu Plus -- all accessible with the TV's remote. Westinghouse teased LED side-lit models ranging from 27- to 60-inches that'll have the option, along with UHDTV sets like the 110-incher it trumpeted earlier. Pricing and availability are still in the air until at least CES, of course, but considering the company's lack of a premium reputation and the fact that you'd also need to purchase the $99 Roku stick, we don't see them looking at the haut de gamme set. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
Samsung HDTVs get an IPTV app for LG U+ in Korea, most US providers are still slacking
Here in the US, Samsung has consistently pushed the idea of using its HDTVs to watch cable / satellite without a set-top box at CES for the last several years. So far it has actually managed to launch support for DirecTV and Verizon FiOS video via IP although other providers demonstrated are still missing (Time Warner, Comcast), and now it's launching IPTV support at home in Korea with LG U+. The app lets Smart TVs directly tune into any of 138 broadcast channels as well as video on-demand, apparently without any box in the house. While we wait for easier IP access stateside -- and it's going to be an even longer wait now -- Samsung's also rolling out IPTV access with Estonian provider Elion, while LG U+ has already announced a set-top box with integrated Google TV, NFC and more. Maybe next year really is the year we get to ditch the cable box -- but also, maybe not.
Google mulled adding home phone service in Kansas City fiber packages, backed away due to 'regulations'
One can only imagine the insane amount of red tape you'd have to endure in order to launch as a new Internet Service Provider, but evidently that pales in comparison to setting up shop as a new phone provider. According to a report from the Kansas City Business Journal, Google "considered offering phone services with its ultra-fast Internet and TV packages" in the Kansas Cities, but it backed away from the idea after "doing some digging into federal and state regulations." Milo Medin, vice president of Google Access Services, had this to say: "We looked at doing that. The cost of actually delivering telephone services is almost nothing. However, in the United States, there are all of these special rules that apply." It was also noted that Milo didn't feel as if the lack of a home phone option would be a huge detriment to everything else Google was doing, and considering the decline in landline connections these days, we can't say we disagree.
Google Fiber installations begin, come with a larger TV channel choice in the bargain (video)
A lot of readers in the two Kansas Cities are about to see the above sign taped to their door, and they'll be forgiven if it triggers an irrational level of excitement: it's the confirmation that Google Fiber deployments are at last underway. Starting this week in the Hanover Heights district of Kansas state's city, Google is extending fiber drops to the homes of early adopters and arranging for in-home appointments to set up whatever internet and IPTV selections they've made. The fiber team is also widening its pick of TV channels as a last-minute incentive, offering a slew of Fox sports and movie channels as well as Fuel TV, FX, National Geographic and Speed, among others. While we don't know how long it will take before the first wave of 1Gbps deployments are wrapped up, it should finally be safe to add "internet service provider" to Google's increasingly lengthy resume.
Microsoft posts job listing for Cloud TV engineers, promises 'ambitious new project'
Companies might want to keep covert projects top-secret, but the more mundane aspects of business life often seem to get in the way. Take this Microsoft job listing, for example, which reveals that the company is recruiting engineers to work on a new Cloud TV platform. The Mountain View-based team will work under Redmond's Mediaroom business, which already powers IPTV services like AT&T's U-Verse. Personally, we're hoping it's the genesis of a Steve Ballmer-fronted reality show.
YouView software update adds surround-sound, faster boot times and grouped recording
Rocking a YouView box? You'll shortly be in line for a software bump that'll give you a few handy tweaks. The update will speed up the device's boot-from-standby time, let you group recordings by series so you can watch 'em box-set style and pump out surround-sound audio if you've got the right gear. It'll also provide a few useful UI tweaks, like offering the option to hide BBC red button prompts, letting you roll live TV backwards by 15 seconds or forwards by 60 seconds. It'll be available on Humax-branded boxes over the next few weeks, followed by the TalkTalk branded units shortly afterward.
Korean IPTV service LG Uplus launches a Google TV-powered set-top box
While we've seen the Google TV platform spread to additional manufacturers and some new lower-priced form factors, LG Uplus (not the same as LG Electronics) is the first we've seen offering a set-top box for its IPTV service based on it. new and existing customers alike can opt for the U+TV G, which will blend live TV streams, video on-demand and Google TV apps. Rapper Psy will be playing a large part in a national campaign to promote the offering, and after making Korea the tenth country Google TV is available in, Google says it will continue to work with providers around the world. Jumping inside the cable box is a notable move for the project, however at home hasn't significantly improved integration beyond that originally offered by Dish Network, and it's not even built into the Google Fiber set-top box. Check out a few (oddly silent?) demo videos embedded after the break.
Cable, IPTV providers reportedly testing cloud-based HD gaming for launch next year
The next generation of consoles from Sony and Microsoft haven't even been announced yet but their best competition may be from your cable TV / internet provider, according to a report from Bloomberg. The only-too-eager-to-talk people familiar with the matter named AT&T U-Verse, Verizon FiOS and Time Warner Cable as services preparing tests before the end of the year with general availability planned for 2013. Comcast and Cox were also name dropped as potential candidates to bring console-quality HD games directly to customers, based on tech from startups like Playcast, CiiNOW and Agawi. Of course, while we've seen this sort of setup before (as seen above, check out an awesomely 90s Sega Channel ad after the break) and recently from OnLive and Gaikai, cloud gaming has yet to catch on in a major way. Whether this potential approach is all smoke or will actually turn into reality has yet to be seen, but after TV Everywhere we wouldn't be surprised to see providers toss in gaming as another incentive for subscribers not to cut the cord. [Image credit: Sega Retro]
BT to offer free YouView box with one-year broadband contract, £49 for existing customers
If you're not quite comfortable shelling out £299 for BT's YouView box, then you're in luck. Starting October 26th, the hardware will be free for new Infinity broadband subscribers who ink contracts that are one year or longer. Instead of relying on cable, the Humax-built device uses both aerial and internet connections to deliver content from more than 100 digital TV and radio channels including Channels 4 and 5, the BBC and ITV. With the IPTV box, users can sift through content that's aired in the past seven days, watch on-demand programs and record up to 300 hours of standard definition television or 125 hours of high-def video to a built-in 500GB hard drive. Current British Telecom subscribers pining for the subsidized box will be able to get their own for a £49 activation fee and a £6.95 delivery charge. Those eager for the gratis set-top solution will be able to order it online starting October 19th if they register interest with BT's website beforehand. For more details, check out the press release below.
Verizon sends invitations to closed trial of FiOS TV app for iOS with live streaming
Want to know the definition of frustration? Try being teased with a FiOS TV app that supports live streaming, only to be denied when the app shows up. The end to that (admittedly mild) form of torture may be in sight. Engadget has learned through a tip that Verizon is sending invitations among a limited group to test a new FiOS TV iOS app with the usual schedule browsing, DVR control... oh, and live TV. Flex View On Demand videos and local media should be on tap as well, although it's not clear whether or not any of the options will require an active link to Verizon's fiber or cellular networks to watch. The trial leaves some time to go before we're tuning in through a bedside iPhone 5; even so, it suggests the gap between hope and reality is about to close. [Thanks, Anonymous]
Motorola launches 10 new set-top boxes at IBC 2012
Motorola may have held a fancy event for the launch of its 2012 RAZR line up, but it's saved the unveiling of its new raft of set-top boxes for the IBC show floor. No fewer than 10 models running Moto's KreaTV OS are on display at the event, possibly putting a dampener on rumors of Google selling the business off. Four of the set-tops are earmarked for IPTV services, with the different options accounting for variations in storage capacity and processing power. An additional four bear the Microsoft Mediaroom branding, and are distinguished by their differences in HDD capacity, wireless performance and feature set. Two cable boxes round out the selection, offering cost-effective simplicity and DVR capability, respectively. If you'd like more info on the ins and outs of each model, check out the PR below for the family newsletter.
EchoStar HDX-410 set-top box runs native ICS, supports terrestrial broadcasts (hands-on video)
You may be familiar with EchoStar's satellite-based (Dish Network) and Sling Media (Slingbox) products, but the company also manufactures set-top boxes for third-party providers, as well as free-to-air services in the UK. It's this last grouping that'll be able to take advantage of the Android-based device we saw today, assuming it does in fact make its way to market. The HDX-410 runs native Ice Cream Sandwich, and is available in two versions -- one supports IP content and local storage exclusively, while a second can also accept terrestrial Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) programming, letting you play back live TV shows in addition to content from a local server, pulled from the web or stored on attached media or an inserted microSD card. It connects to the web using Ethernet or WiFi, and includes USB ports on both the front and the rear, Bluetooth, HDMI out, digital audio out and a standard-definition connection. It's also paired with a QWERTY keyboard-equipped remote manufactured by Philips with gyroscopic or directional-pad curser control, along with pinch/zoom gesture capability. We had a chance to check out the ICS box at EchoStar's IBC booth today, where the device was running Android 4.0.4 and an early version of the company's hybrid app, which groups "favorited" content alongside terrestrial channels, letting you use the standard channel up/down button to navigate through stored TV shows, IP content or live programming quite seamlessly, as if all of the media was playing from the same source. It's clearly not yet ready for primetime, but the interface was sleek and speedy -- the set-top box performed very well overall. EchoStar reps were unable to confirm whether or not the HDX-410 would be coming to market at all, but they did add that the solution may be made available to third-parties in the future. Click past the break to take a closer look in our hands-on video.%Gallery-164692%
Editorial: Cutting the cable cord is a young trend going in the right direction
This week I bought a Roku. Late to the party? Yes, but not as late as you might suppose. Roku has sold about 2.5 million streaming media boxes since the product launched in 2008. Approximately 1.5 million of those units moved in 2011, indicating an acceleration of demand. Coincidentally, those numbers roughly represent the cord-cutting movement: Reportedly, 2.65 million cable subscribers ditched their service between 2008 and 2011, with about 1.5 million of those defections happening in 2011. While cable cord-cutting is a trend, the movement is occurring in the context of customer inertia. About 100 million customers subscribe to cable, satellite, and other pay-TV providers (e.g. AT&T's U-Verse). The problematic value proposition of cutting the cord will probably keep massive inaction in place for the short term, but cannot, I believe, withstand long-term marketplace demands.
Aereo doubles DVR space to 80 hours for early adopters
Were you so entranced by Aereo's approach to over-the-air TV broadcasting that you signed up even while the legal battles were just getting started? You're likely being rewarded for your trust. The company has confirmed with GigaOM that New Yorkers who subscribed in the "earliest days" will have their cloud DVR storage doubled to 80 hours -- no limited period, no extra charge. There should likewise be some improved tools for overseeing all that extra space in the near future, although just what that might entail is left to the imagination. We won't fret about it much: given the service's still-tentative existence, any upgrades are icing on the cake for customers.
Rovi lands Google Fiber patent license deal, keeps program guides flowing
Rovi considers itself the master of TV program guides everywhere -- even if some disagree -- so it's almost inevitable that the company would negotiate a new patent license with Google. The deal puts all of Google Fiber's TV interfaces in the clear, whether it's the set-top box near the TV or the less traditional interfaces found on the web and the Nexus 7 remote. Considering Rovi's existing connection to Google TV, the new pact may cement the company and its partner in Mountain View as surprisingly close friends.
