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A sly Now TV update is culling sideloaded apps like Plex
Ever since the launch of the first Now TV box for just £10 in 2013, some buyers have been using the little streaming pucks in ways Sky hadn't originally intended. Cut through the branding, and Now TV boxes are just Rokus in disguise, complete with a developer mode that lets users sideload apps not available in the sparse Now TV store. But no longer, as Sky has quietly begun issuing an update to Now TV boxes that disables developer mode and purges any apps that've been installed on them using the loophole.
Sky's Now TV Combo packages go on sale
What began as a way for consumers to access Sky's premium TV content without signing a contract has now become a much wider ecosystem of subscription-free services. The Now TV Combo, announced just over a week ago, offers a mix-and-match approach to pay TV, broadband and phone landlines. And as of today, it's now available for public consumption. A new Now TV box developed by Roku, which adds support for linear Freeview channels, remains at the heart of the proposition and can be purchased outright for £40. On top of that, you can also buy Now TV passes to access Sky's entertainment, movies, sports and kids channels, as well as their on-demand libraries.
Sky's new Now TV box is full HD compatible after all
Sky's second-generation Now TV box goes on sale tomorrow, and the company's just been in touch to say it made a bit of a boo-boo on yesterday's announcement. You see, the new Now TV box is basically a rebranded Roku 3, and since that device supports full HD, 1080p streaming, we assumed Sky's reskinned version would too. We were told yesterday, however, that Sky's model was slightly different, in that it can only output at 720p like the first-gen Now TV box. As it turns out, this isn't true: the new Now TV box does support 1080p, but Sky content will continue to stream at a maximum resolution of 720p. Also, there are "no immediate plans" to make the jump to full HD, as Sky would rather not hinge the user experience on the speed of your internet connection. By coming clean about its mistake, Sky's actually made the £15 streaming puck a more attractive purchase. You can use the little set-top box to stream from plenty of content sources that aren't the Now TV app, so where available, you'll now be able to do so in glorious full HD.
Sky's new £15 Now TV box arrives this week
Sky announced a successor to its cheap and cheerful Now TV streaming puck way back at the beginning of the year, and today we've learned it's definitely going to meet its August release window. In fact, the little set-top box will be available through the Now TV website from this Thursday, August 6th, before hitting Argos the following day and other retailers "in the coming weeks." At £15, it's a fiver more expensive than the original Now TV box, but that extra cash buys you a faster processor, which should make the user experience that bit slicker, and an Ethernet port for ensuring stable streams if your WiFi is on the flaky side.
Sky's redesigned Now TV app hits the big screen ahead of new box
Sky might be gearing up to launch a new Now TV box next month, but that doesn't mean it's ready to forget about all the users of its current-generation streaming puck. Preparing for the arrival of its new Roku-inspired hardware, Sky has today released a fully redesigned Now TV app for its original Now TV boxes. If you're a regular user of the Now TV mobile apps, you'll recognise a host of familiar UI elements that've made the transition to the TV screen. And if you've only poked at the Now TV app from the comfort of your sofa, then you're in for an even bigger treat.
If Spotify was an '80s record store, it might've looked something like this
Have you ever wondered what a Spotify record store would've looked like in the '80s, or a Now TV-branded video rental chain? Me neither, to be honest, but that didn't stop Vodafone from including these fantasy locations in its retro-inspired "1984G Street." Set up a stone's throw from London's Covent Garden Tube station, the temporary, temporal anomaly was less 'street,' more handful of small pop-up shops with a nostalgia-meets-now vibe; much like Sony's PlayStation '94 20th anniversary store. It was just an elaborate PR stunt and brand awareness exercise, of course, as part of a Vodafone's ongoing campaign celebrating 30 years since its mobile network went live. It might've had something to do with 4G, too, given the name. David Hasselhoff rocked up in Knight Rider mode to officially open 1984G Street, which is fitting as he hasn't changed much in 30 years, despite eating more than his fair share of burgers off the floor. The morning I arrived, the Hoff and whatever crowd he drew had long departed, giving me plenty of opportunity to explore the strange installation.
Sky to release five limited edition Now TV boxes next month
Sky's Now TV puck is an inexpensive way to smarten up your TV, but perhaps you wish it looked a little smarter itself. In a bid to get its box on a few more Christmas lists, Sky's cooked up five, limited edition variants that swap the plain white exterior for something a bit more colourful, including one with a Lego Movie-inspired skin. Sky recently made a special edition puck to celebrate the newest series of The Walking Dead, but it was only available to competition winners. These five new designs will go on general sale November 24th with the same £10 price tag as a plain ol' Now TV box.
YouTube comes to Sky's Now TV box
Sky's done a reasonable job of bringing new channels to its Now TV set-top box, especially given the rebranded Roku is just a vehicle for selling short-term entertainment and sports passes to the contract-adverse. Today, that £10 box gets a little bit more useful, with the addition of an official YouTube app to the Now TV channel store. Sky can take credit for giving it the green light, but its arrival is no big surprise when the channel launched across the entire Roku range a few months ago (after being exclusive to the Roku 3 for a time). It's been possible to watch YouTube content on the Now TV box through third-party channels such as Plex, but the official app has a much better interface for searching and browsing. Unfortunately, it's slow to navigate to the point of frustration, but if you want to catch a quick fail compilation while the kettle's boiling, it'll do the trick.
4oD catch-up streaming comes to Sky Now TV and Roku boxes
A smart TV box for a tenner is a nice thing, but one that streams Homeland on demand is arguably even nicer. As of today, owners of a Sky Now TV media player should see 4oD among their list of free channels, alongside the existing options like BBC iPlayer and Demand 5. Meanwhile, Channel Four's catch-up service has also landed on Roku boxes this week, which makes sense considering that Sky has a sizable investment in that little hardware platform, too.
Sky's Now TV service comes to Roku streaming boxes in the UK
Sky's Now TV service is continuing its uphill battle against the armies of Netflix and Lovefilm today, setting up camp in Roku's streaming boxes. Matching its Xbox 360 launch offer, you'll be able to try the service for 30 days without charge, but it's added another enticing deal for the Roku launch -- pay a reduced price of £8.99 for the first three months before the regular £15 per month fee kicks in. As well as boasting its exclusive Harry Potter catalogue suitable for a holiday marathon, we've been told Sky Sports will finally be coming to Now TV "in a few months." Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Arts and Sky Living will also eventually be added to the service, but there's still not even a loose date for those. Now TV might not reach all the hardware it intended to before the end of the year, but at least with this latest launch, Roku can start showing Sky it was worth all that cash.
Sky's Now TV service hits Xbox, beckons you forth with 30 day free trial
After launching it on the PC, Mac, Android and iOS, Sky's adding another big platform to its Now TV service: Xbox. Gamers in the UK can now stream content at 720i, including the service's 11 movie channels. Those with a Kinect lying around can also use the peripheral to navigate around the offering. Interested parties can take advantage of a 30-day trial for free, after which they'll have to plunk down £15 a month for access to Sky Movies Pass titles from studios like Disney, Fox, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros. and Universal. The service has promised more content in coming months, including the launch of Sky Sports. For more info on the offering, check out the press release after the break.
Now TV launches in the UK, brings pay-as-you-go streaming to Mac, PC and Android
Sky is going online and ditching the contracts... sort of. The UK TV provider is launching a new service called Now TV that will take on more established properties like Lovefilm and Netflix. The streaming video service will initially be available on OS X, Windows and Android with iOS to follow shortly. By the end of the year it will also be available on Xbox, PS3, Roku and Youview. Initially Sky Movies will form the backbone of the service, with titles costing anywhere from £0.99 to £3.49 for playback, or you can purchase unlimited monthly access for £15. Eventually Now TV will expand to include Sky Sports, Sky 1 and plenty of other BSkyB owned properties. For more, check out the PR after the break.
