media
Latest
iOS app Viggle trying to turn second screen TV watching into cold, hard cash
I've posted about the "second screen" idea before -- there is a growing trend among iOS and other mobile device users to both watch television or play games, and have their tablets or iPhones open and running apps related to that TV or gaming content, essentially using two screens at the same time. Viggle is another new app that is apparently going after that user, according to this article in the Denver Post, but with a new twist: They want to allow users to earn money by watching television. As you might imagine, the math doesn't quite work out yet; at Viggle's current rates, you'd need to watch a few days worth of television to earn just one $5 gift card. But Viggle's real potential is in the "check-in" aspect -- the app is also working on ways for users to "check-in" to the TV shows they're watching, and participate in promotions like earning a certain bonus for watching a certain show, or more bonuses for various ads. Now, Viggle's method of going about this seems a little shifty (you earn points that can be redeemed for deals), but I could definitely see a company working along these lines and creating sort of a Foursquare for media -- checking in whenever you happen to be watching or listening to something, and getting associated badges, deals, or whatever other offers on display for doing so. In fact, some apps like Dijit are aggressively pursuing a more social viewing experience. Viggle isn't quite out yet, and we'll have to watch and see how it does, but there's definitely lots of potential in the realm of apps that work in conjunction with and support the consumption of other media.
Facebook gets chatty, brings Comments Box plugin to mobile media sites
Chiming in on your favorite posts is about to get a little bit easier, now that Facebook has brought its Comments Box mobile plugin to media websites. Today's announcement comes just about a month after the social network introduced its Subscribe button, marking its latest efforts to enhance user engagement on mobile web platforms. According to Facebook, the new feature will use "social signals" to automatically detect the highest quality comments for each individual, with each thread ordered to show the most relevant and popular comments from a user's friends. There's also an integrated moderation function so, you know, play nice. Developers interested in getting in on the action can find more details at the coverage link below.
Apple promises 'education announcement' in New York on January 19th
We'd heard it was coming, and for the second year in a row, Apple has disrupted the natural flow of CES by announcing an event of its own. Granted, this one -- slated to be held January 19th at the Guggenheim Museum -- is packing far fewer implications than the Verizon iPhone event of 2011, but suffice it to say, anyone who enjoys "learning" should be tuning in later this month. If you'll recall, it was reported by TechCrunch that the event would be entirely related to publishing, with no new hardware on tap; Fox's own Clayton Morris followed up to say that it'd have something to do with iTunes. We're guessing it'll link somehow to iTunes U, and considering that Apple hasn't made a major public push into the land of EDU since the eMac, perhaps it's time that the company got things like Reading Rainbow into the hands of dazed and confused grade-schoolers everywhere.
Nielsen's 2011 media usage report: conventional TV still rules, but online viewing is skyrocketing
2011's come and gone, but Nielsen's media report on the year remains. The latest figures from the year that was have been published, and conventional television is still riding a wave of popularity. We're told that 290 million Statesiders are still ogling at least one television, with around one in three American homes (35.9 million for the mathematicians) owning four or more of the things. Across the wire, some 211 million Americans are online, with a staggering 116 million aged 13 and up accessing the mobile web. Other figures include 253 million DVD players owned, 162 million game consoles, 129 million DVRs and 95 million satellite subscribers. There's also some 111 million people watching timeshifted programming, and Netflix itself has four times the average viewing time per person, per month compared to the boob tube. Concerned about mobile? Android's US market share (again, according to Nielsen) is pegged at 43 percent, while the iPhone has 28 percent and RIM's BlackBerry OS claims 18 percent. Hit up the links below for more charts, numbers and things that your grandmother couldn't possibly care less about.
SugarSync updates Android and iOS apps, brings auto sync technology to videos
If you're jonesing to get your photos and movies from your smartphone back to the home computer without futzing around with cables, the folks at SugarSync have a new spoonful of sweetness for Android and iOS devices -- and with its free price, it should be easy to swallow. In the latest version, the company has applied its AutoSync technology to videos, which means that all media files can now be synced to the cloud and pushed to linked computers without user intervention. As this could involve a significant amount of data, AutoSync Videos works only over WiFi, and users may select from three compression qualities based on their desire for picture quality or upload speed. The latest SugarSync apps also feature a redesigned photos tab, which lets users view all their pictures -- not just the recent ones -- and offers quicker navigation along with larger, high-res previews. The company gives all users 5GB of storage absolutely gratis, so if you have a lot of media to unload, it may be worthwhile to hop aboard. You'll find the complete PR announcements just after the break.
PayPal's Scott Thompson becomes CEO of Yahoo; signing bonus probably stuck in a frozen account
Think you're having a good day? Try being Tim Morse, who was just relieved of the seemingly impossible task known as "being the Chief Executive Officer of Yahoo." After years of turmoil and bouts of bickering with Alibaba, Yahoo has just appointed Scott Thompson as its new CEO -- marking the introduction of a new year with the introduction of a new head honcho. Mr. Morse, who was standing in as interim CEO, will resume his role as Chief Financial Officer, and Thompson will become a member of the company's Board of Directors starting January 9th. Scott served most recently as President of PayPal, where -- so far as we can tell -- he did nothing to remove the draconian 'dispute' process that has jaded so many souls belonging to slighted eBayers. Bitterness aside, his primary focus in his new role will be to "continue the strategic review process to identify the best approaches for the company and its shareholders," and the release makes clear that Yahoo is "considering a wide range of opportunities for the company's business, as well as specific investments or dispositions of assets." Sounds fun, no?
Rumor: Apple media event slated for January?
On this slow-start Monday (the official observance of the New Year's Day holiday in the US, in case you were wondering why everything was moving like molasses), we have AllThingsD's Kara Swisher to thank for a neat tidbit of possible Apple news. The Dow Jones site is reporting that Apple is planning a media-related event in New York City this month. What would this "not large-scale" but still supposedly important event be? It's not about the next iPad revision, say ATD's sources, nor is it likely to be the hypothetical full-featured, large screen Apple TV announcement -- although Apple SVP Eddy "Mr. iTunes" Cue is part of the event team. It could be a partnership with a content company, similar to the News Corp/The Daily launch event. It could be a product announcement regarding live-TV streaming moving onto iTunes and the existing Apple TV, with happy network folk standing beside Tim Cook. Or, since we are getting into the Jetsons era, maybe Apple is introducing the Mr. Fusion. One thing's for sure, it's not a thermostat. At least, probably not.
Apple gearing up for 'media-related announcement' later this month?
Leave it to Apple to completely avoid CES, yet be one of the largest stories surrounding its dates. Much like last year's invite to what would eventually be the introduction of Verizon's iPhone 4, All Things D has it on good authority that the folks in Cupertino are spending their first hours back on the job planning a "media-related announcement" for later this month. Contrary to earlier beliefs, we're told by All Things D that this particular event won't be related to the next-gen iPad, and it's also "unlikely" to be connected to a "large-scale rethinking of its interactive television initiative." So, knowing what it won't entail... what will be talked about? According to unnamed sources, Apple SVP of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue is reportedly involved. For those unaware, Cue is responsible for a sizable chunk of Apple's media units, not the least of which include the App Store, iBookstore, iTunes Store and iCloud. Sadly, details outside of that are few and far betwixt, but you can bet we'll be keeping an ear to the ground for more -- even if it's smack-dab in the middle of a Sony CES keynote. Cough. Update: TechCrunch is reporting that it'll focus on the publishing sector, with no new hardware whatsoever on tap. Update 2: Clayton Morris has chimed in and confirmed that it'll be related to iTunes.
Roku brings v3.1 software update to first-gen boxes, Amazon Instant Video channel gets refaced
Early birds may get the worms, but early adopters aren't always as equally rewarded. But, as they say, maybe first-gen Roku owners should simply be elated that their box is still on the update trail. A week (and change) after the Roku 2 and Roku LT saw a fairly significant software update, the company is now pushing v3.1 to OG models. As the company says: "Unless your Roku player is smaller than a hockey puck, this update applies to you." The fresh bytes provide added enhancements to support the official Roku iPhone app, improved playback of MP4 files streamed over the internet and over USB via the USB Media Player channel, and the ability to purchase Roku players, accessories and toys within the Roku Channel Store. Furthermore, we're told that issues found when navigating channels that display content in a grid screen have been solved, and perhaps most importantly, there's support for Amazon's downright delightful new Instant Video channel. Every last unit should see the update pushed their way in the coming hours, but if you're not exactly the "patient" type, just head to Settings -> Playing info -> Check for update.
Holiday Gift Guide: iPad apps for the home
Welcome to TUAW's 2011 Holiday Gift Guide! We're here to help you choose the best gifts this holiday season, and once you've received your gifts we'll tell you what apps and accessories we think are best for your new Apple gear. Stay tuned every weekday from now until the end of the year for our picks and helpful guides and check our Gift Guide hub to see our guides as they become available. For even more holiday fun, check out sister site Engadget's gift guide. My iPad spends most of its time at home. I don't travel very often, and the 9.7-inch tablet is too large to throw in my bag while I run a quick errand. That's OK; the iPad may not trip the light fantastic, but it is my faithful companion at home. I, like many others, use the iPad while I'm cooking, watching television, or sitting on the couch. If you are gifting an iPad or want one for your coffee table, then you should check out my list of favorite iPad apps for the home. GoodPlayer (US$2.99) Good Player is a jack of all trades when it comes to video. It's a movie player, downloader and streaming media player which supports AVI, Xvid, Divx, DAT, VOB, FLV, WMV, MKV, MP4, RM, RMVB, AC3, HTTP, FTP, RTSP, MMS, SMB, MMSH, MMST, RTP, UPnP and UDP. I use it to stream media from my ReadyNAS, and it works exceptionally well. IMDB (Free) IMDB, the Internet Movie Database, is an excellent app for movie buffs. I use it all the time to look up actor information, cast lists, plot information and more. It covers old movies, current flicks and upcoming films. iBooks (Free) iBooks is an app from Apple that'll let you download and read eBooks from the iBookstore. It's perfect for reading on multiple devices as your bookmarks, notes, and last read page are synced wirelessly between all your iOS devices. Netflix (Free; service costs $8 per month) The Netflix app will let you stream movies and TV shows from Netflix's vast catalog. The UI was just redone, and the updated app looks even better than before. The app also tracks what you have watched and syncs this information between devices. I have an Otterbox case with a built-in stand and use Netflix all the time. Flipboard (Free) Flipboard is a magazine-style reader app that pulls content from your social networks and RSS feeds. It has a beautiful interface and is terrific for catching up on the news while sitting on the couch. Epicurious (Free) Epicurious is a cooking app that pulls its recipes from professional chefs and well-known cookbooks. The app has 30,000 recipes from Bon Appetit, Gourmet, Self, and other professional chefs and cookbooks. The app lets you save recipes to a favorites list and then add the ingredients to a shopping list when you're ready to get cooking. The app also has social media support so you can share your favorite recipes with Facebook friends and Twitter followers. Allrecipes (Free; $4.99 for the Pro version) Allrecipes is an online website that's filled with user-submitted and user-reviewed recipes. The iPad app taps into those recipes by letting you search for recipes by course, cooking method, or prep time. You can then filter the results by rating. If you're an Allrecipes member, you can buy the $5 pro version and sync your online recipes box to the iPad. It's an excellent, all-around app for finding new recipes. The Professional Chef by the Culinary Institute of America ($49.99) The Professional Chef is a reference guide for anyone with a passion for cooking. The app provides information on ingredients and how to buy the best quality when shopping. There's also cooking guides and video tutorials that'll show the best way to prepare and cook your ingredients. The photographs are stunning and the videos are professionally made, which makes its high price justifiable. Bento ($4.99) Bento is a free-form database app that'll help you keep track of anything and everything. You can use Bento to create a home inventory, keep a list of books, track the progress of home improvement projects and more. The possibilities are endless. Shopping apps (Free) Many people use the iPad to shop from the comfort of their couch and retailers are noticing. Major retailers like Walmart and Target have iPad apps; even smaller online shops like Newegg have joined the iPad revolution. Houzz Interior Design Ideas (Free) Houzz is an Interior Design app that'll help you remodel your house. It has over 200,000 high resolution photos that are organized by style, room and location. You browser the photos and choose the styles that you like. When you're done, you can show your ideas to an interior designer and bring them to life. Zillow (Free) Zillow's for the homeowner who's looking to buy or sell a house. The iPad app lets you search for a region and browse all the houses and land that are on sale. You can view the listing details including the price, taxes, number of bedrooms, number of baths and so on. It's an excellent resource for anyone in the market for a new home. Landscaper's Companion for iPad - Gardening Reference Guide ($4.99) The Landscaper's Companion for iPad - Gardening Reference Guide is the definitive guide to plants, tress, shrubs and bushes. The plant guide contains sun requirements, water usage, and growth characteristics for over 8500 plants. There's also 9,000 pictures, so you can see what the plant will look like when it's fully grown. Photo Measures ($4.99) Photo Measures is an app that'll help you keep track of measurements around the house. It lets you take a picture of your house and mark it up with measurements. If you need a new curtain, just snap a photo of the window, write in the measurements and save the doc for future use. It's perfect for your own work around the house, and is handy for creating plans to bring to a contractor. Best Baby Monitor ($3.99) Best Baby Monitor lets you use two iOS devices as a video baby monitor. You can connect the two devices using WiFi or Bluetooth. One device stays in the room with the baby, and the other (most likely the iPad) is with you. You can listen to audio and watch full screen video of your child's room. If it's night, you can turn on the flash to get a better view of your child. Photo by flickr user bfishadow (cc)
Samsung SE-208BW SmartHub packs DVD writer, we ask why then take it for a spin (video)
Is there any better way to ring in 2012 than to drop 129 bills on a shiny new wireless-enabled DVD burner? Absolutely. But if your New Year's resolution includes archiving smartphone pics to optical media and steaming DVD flicks over WiFi, Samsung is prepared to make those nostalgic dreams a reality, with its SE-208BW SmartHub. The premise here is quite familiar -- little black box takes content from an attached storage device and streams it to connected devices over WiFi, or over the Web. Samsung's twist on the traditional model brings optical media into the equation, however, with a CD/DVD burner enabling music and movie playback, along with remote file archival. You'll need to wait until late January (or perhaps early February) before introducing Samsung's shiny streamer to your wired or wireless network, but we got an early look at the new DLNA-enabled gadget today. If you've used an external DVD burner made in the last decade, you're already familiar with the form-factor employed here -- there's a slim disk tray up front, with full-size and mini USB connectors, Ethernet and a DC input on the rear. This is strictly a streaming device, so there's no HDMI or other AV connectivity -- you'll need to use an Android, iOS or smart TV app, along with Samsung AllShare or an FTP client to access content. We tried steaming 720p video and a few photos using the Android app and the AllShare application included with most recent Samsung devices, and everything worked as expected, with content loading quickly without any hiccups. You can access files on a connected HDD or USB flash drive remotely from the built-in FTP server, but you'll need to use Samsung's apps to stream DVDs and music CDs from that built-in optical drive, or to burn smartphone pics or other remote files to a blank disc. You can view content directly on your smartphone or tablet, or on a connected TV, using the former device to control playback. The hub also serves as an internet bridge, so you won't lose web access when connected directly over WiFi. There's nothing groundbreaking here, unless the absence of an optical drive has been keeping you from adding such a device to your collection, but jump past the break to see it in action.%Gallery-141063%
Mac 101: Encode media from Automator or the command line in Lion
There's an easy way in OS X 10.7 Lion to convert video or audio from one format to another, using a fixed suite of conversion settings. One approach uses Automator and can be launched from the Finder. The other uses the Terminal application and the afconvert (for audio) or avconvert (for video) command-line utilities. Behind the scenes, though, Automator is simply serving as a convenient front-end for the CLI tools. (You can also use the free Hoot app from the Mac App Store to do the same audio conversions.) The Automator method is the easiest to start with. Simply select the video or audio file you want to convert in the Finder. Under the Finder menu, choose the Services submenu, then "Encode Selected Video Files" or "Encode Selected Audio Files." You can also get to the Services submenu via the Finder's contextual menus; right-click the target file (or control-click, or on a trackpad, two-finger click) and the Services choices will be at the bottom of the pop-up menu. Finder menu / Services submenu Contextual pop-up menu Either approach will launch a dialog box where you can select your media conversion settings and the target file's destination. You can process one file at a time or, if you select multiple files, they'll be tackled in a batch conversion. The settings are slightly different for audio and video files, as appropriate to their media types -- you can experiment with the different settings to find the format that works for you. Video encoding settings Audio encoding settings For those of you more comfortable with the command line, you can use afconvert to encode an audio file from one format to another or avconvert to do the same with video. Type "afconvert -h" in Terminal to get a list of all the options you can use in the audio conversion. The avconvert tool is new in OS X Lion. Besides transcoding, it also lets you extract the audio or video track from a clip, change frame rates, add closed captioning and more. You read more about Automator video encoding and audio encoding at the Mac OS X Automation website. Additional information on the CLI commands can be found in Apple's Mac OS X Developer Library.
Study shows iPad owners read more magazines
The iPad is the perfect tablet for consuming magazines. It's the right size and its interactive features can make a magazine come to life. The Association of Magazine Media realizes that and asked 1,009 mobile magazine readers about their experience reading digital magazines. Not surprisingly, most respondents wanted more -- more electronic newsstands, more magazines, and more issues to read. In an age of digital entertainment which includes streaming movies, music and TV, it's encouraging that over 90 percent of respondents said their consumption of magazines has stayed the same, or even increased, since buying a mobile device. In fact, a majority (over 60 percent) expect their digital reading level to increase in the future and want even more magazines in digital format. Besides wanting more content to read, over 80 percent of digital consumers want to archive content for later viewing as well as share this content with friends or family. A majority (70 percent) also enjoy videos in their magazines, but want the clips to be one-minute or less. It's an interesting survey that suggests magazines are not dying, but have to learn to adapt to the needs of a growing number of digital customers. [Via Electronista]
Nook Tablet limits internal storage for non-B&N purchased content to 1GB
Well, this is definitely a bummer. Barnes & Noble has spent a fair amount of time talking up all of the Nook Tablet's internal advantages over the Kindle Fire, a list that includes 16GB of storage to the Fire's 8GB. That particular spec may not be quite as good as it looks on paper, however. It seems that Barnes & Noble is currently limiting internal storage on the Android slate to 1GB of content not downloaded directly from B&N. Bummer, right? Especially for those expecting to store their multimedia content on the device. It's not all bad, though. Keep in mind that, unlike the Fire, the Nook's got a not-so-secret weapon -- expandable memory via a microSD card slot located behind the tablet's distinctive loop. We've reached out to B&N for comment, and we're guessing a firmware update will remedy this PR nightmare in 3... 2... 1.... Update: Barnes & Noble confirmed that the above numbers are correct, but added that future multimedia download plans from third-party vendors will utilize the space currently devoted to B&N content only.
Ceton InfiniTV 4 USB tuner now shipping, offers infinite entertainment for $300
It's a little bit behind schedule, but the Ceton InfiniTV 4 USB has finally begun shipping, nearly ten months after it was first unveiled. Originally scheduled to ship on September 19th, this external CableCARD TV tuner is now available from Amazon, New Egg and other retailers for $300. For that price, you'll be able to record four HD shows at once, stream live shows to your PC or TV and access all your photos, music and Netflix account from a single device. Interested? Hit up the coverage link below to grab one for yourself.
Boxee updates iPad app to version 1.2, adds global Spotify support
It's only been a couple of months since Boxee unleashed its much anticipated iPad app, but the company has already come out with that much needed update to version 1.2. With the upgrade, users will be able to navigate across content sent to their Boxee Boxes using a remote control interface that's now located at the bottom right corner of the app. iPad owners can also pause video sent to their Box and pick up later where they left off, using the Boxee Media Manager. And, as expected, AirPlay sessions can now run in the background, giving you one less thing to worry about while lazing on the couch. On a related note, Spotify users can now use Boxee to access their accounts from anywhere in the world (previously, access was only granted in countries where Spotify is available). To get your app up to speed, check out the coverage link, below.
Google wants you to add writers on Google+, so do writers
Find an interesting article, add its author. That's the very simple idea behind a very simple feature that Google has just begun testing. As TechCrunch recently noticed, Big G has started rolling out a new "add to Circles" button within some search results, allowing readers to more easily and instantaneously follow their favorite web authors on Google+. Writer profiles have already been integrated within search pages, but until now, users had to actually click on author pages before following them. This new circle button, on the other hand, cuts out that middle click and seems like a logical next step in Google's ongoing integration. It also seems like a great way to help writers feel better about themselves, which we always support. And if you're not seeing it, you're not going crazy -- Google's just rolling it out to only a few users.
SlingPlayer app now available for Honeycomb tablets, priced at $30
It was teased back in September and now, it's finally arrived -- the SlingPlayer Android app optimized specifically for Honeycomb tablets. Available today on the Android Market, Sling Media's latest app allows Slingbox owners to stream TV directly to their slates, and features a new program guide, designed to help users browse content and change channels with greater ease. The SlingPlayer app for Android handsets, meanwhile, will continue to function on tablets in "compatibility mode," without exacting extra charges, though it won't offer the same resolution quality you'll find on a Honeycomb-laced device. Interested parties can grab the app for the familiar price of $30, at the source link below. Otherwise, click past the break for more details in Sling's refreshingly brief press release.
Arthur C. Nielsen Jr., leader of TV ratings and market research firm, dies at 92
Arthur C. Nielsen Jr., the man who turned the A.C. Nielsen Company into a global leader in market research and television ratings, has died at the age of 92. Nielsen's father founded the company in 1923 and was known for spearheading much of the innovation behind it, but it was the younger Nielsen who led the firm to prominence, after joining in 1945 and taking over as president in 1957. In 1948, he convinced the firm to devote $150,000 to building the first general-purpose computer, the Univac. Building off of his father's revolutionary TV audience measurement system, he later expanded A.C. Nielsen's reach to new areas, including the development of a coupon clearinghouse and data-tracking services for magazines and even oil wells. Perhaps his most impressive achievement, however, was his ability to maintain A.C. Nielsen's position as the nation's pre-eminent TV and media ratings firm, even amidst the proliferation of cable networks. Arthur "Art" Nielsen stepped down from his role as chairman of the company in 1983, a year before orchestrating its sale to the Dun & Bradstreet Corporation for $1.3 billion in stock. Throughout the course of his illustrious career, he served on the board of more than 20 companies, including Motorola and Walgreen, and advised three US presidents. But his life's work and lasting legacy could just as well be summarized by a simple proverb he learned from his father: "If you can put a number on it, then you know something." Arthur C. Nielsen passed away on October 4th in Winnetka, Illinois. He is survived by three children and seven grandchildren.
Arduino-powered lighting system infuses your LED with some Ambilight-like pizazz (video)
Why spend your hard-earned money on one of Philips' Ambilight displays when you can just make your own, using some Arduino-based wizardry and a little bit of elbow grease? Fortunately, Minty Boost creator ladyada is here to help. All you'll need is a strand of digital RGB LED pixels, a five-volt DC power supply (along with a female power adapter), any USB-equipped Arduino micro-controller and, of course, the appropriate Processing programming environment. You can find the full how-to at the source link below, but the results are pretty impressive -- a capture-based sketch system that's compatible with just about any media player. See it for yourself in the video after the break. [Thanks, Phil]
