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AT&T's DirecTV Now service will be unveiled on November 28th
It seems like DirecTV Now has been in the works forever. Announced back in March as a competitor to Sling TV and PlayStation Vue, it's an online streaming TV service that'll offer 100 channels for just $35 a month. After months of teasing details, AT&T just sent out invites for an event in New York City on November 28th, where we'll finally get the full skinny about the service. It's still unclear when, exactly, DirecTV Now will launch, but we'll be on the ground at the event to learn more.
Apple fuels TV service rumors with cable exec hire
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple has hired Peter Stern (second from right), a former executive at Time Warner Cable. The paper believes that Stern will be working under Eddy Cue on the firm's "cloud services," whatever those may be. It's too early to jump to conclusions, but it's interesting to note that Stern was believed to be negotiating with Apple in the early days of its TV project. The paper also says that Stern feels that the business model of the set-top box is outdated and that the future of TV is apps. That's a sentiment shared by several of his new colleagues, including Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Nielsen starts breaking down TV streams by device next month
Nielsen already tracks what you're watching via gizmos like Apple TV, Roku and PlayStation, but has always lumped those viewing statistics together. That changes come April 25th when the ratings-minded folks start breaking over-the-top viewership data (Netflix or Hulu, for example) down by device, according to Variety. The "brand-level" connected device data will pull from Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast and Xbox in addition to the ones mentioned above. This should give content owners a better idea of what platforms their programming is being watched on most.
Amazon is working on a comedy starring Jean-Claude Van Damme
The man who calmly did the splits between two moving semi trucks and lived to tell the tale is starring in a comedy from Amazon. Jean-Claude Van Johnson has Jean-Claude Van Damme playing a martial arts actor who ditches retirement and steps back into his role as an undercover private contractor, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Yep, seriously: He's moonlighting as a spy/assassin when not filming a "reimagined action film version of Huckleberry Finn" in the show. Expendables scribe Dave Callaham is attached to write, so that should give a few clues of what to expect in terms of tone.
Amazon reportedly plans to build its own live video service
Amazon has found pretty significant success with some of its original shows -- particularly the Golden Globe- and Emmy-winning Transparent -- and it seems the company's TV ambitions don't stop with on-demand programming. According to Bloomberg, Amazon is considering an online TV service that broadcasts live and includes programming from major players like CBS and NBC. Dan Rayburn of the Streaming Media blog posted a similar report yesterday, noting that Amazon has been talking to multiple players in the content space to find out how much it would cost to license the content it wants. Rayburn says that its possible Amazon's just looking to know more about the economics of the market rather than make its own product, but either way it seems Amazon is interested in learning more about how it could launch its own live streaming video platform.
Aereo wins a grace period from injunction, keeps Denver and Salt Lake City open
Some broadcasters might have recently scored a victory against Aereo in court, but they can't party just yet. The startup just got a 14-day grace period from a six-state preliminary injunction (it has won its share of court battles, and this is considered its biggest legal setback thus far) handed down last week. That means the over-the-air TV service can continue any expansion plans in Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming... at least for a while. Current customers in Salt Lake City and Denver, sites in the affected states where Aereo is already available, should be able to continue enjoying the OTA service, as well. According to Deadline, the court granted Aereo a brief reprieve, because it "finds some benefit in allowing [its] customers uninterrupted service" while waiting for the Tenth Circuit's decision regarding the firm's appeal. Aereo, which is very, very used to being sued by now, will also face TV networks at the Supreme Court on April 22. If the startup wins, it could lead to an acquisition or, amusingly enough, a sudden boom in Aereo copycats.
Aereo strikes out in Utah, preliminary injunction shuts down local service
All good things come to an end: despite largely winning the war over its right to rebroadcast OTA TV signals over the internet, Aereo just lost its first major battle. The US District Court of Utah has granted a preliminary injunction against the service, effectively halting the company's expansion in the area. The decision teetered over what the court calls the "balance of harm," with each company claiming that the other's actions could irreparably damage its business in a significant way. Undeterred by Aereo's insistence that an injunction would devastate its own business, the court ruled in the favor of Fox Broadcasting's concerns over copyright infringement -- arguing that the potential damage to Aereo doesn't outweigh the damage it might cause to its opponent. As consolation, however, the court pointed out that the injunction only applies to the jurisdiction of the Tenth Circuit and will only curtail the company's expansion, not put it out of business. The decision is far from the final word on Aereo -- that's still up to the bigwigs at the US Supreme Court -- but it is the company's first major legal stumble since launching in 2012. It's definitely a step back, but company CEO Chet Kanojia seems ready to fight. "We are extremely disappointed that the District Court in Utah has chosen to take a different path than every other Court that has reviewed the Aereo technology," he told the Consumerist. "We are very sorry for the effect on our valued customers in the Tenth Circuit and we will pursue all available remedies to restore their ability to use Aereo." Check out the court's full decision after the break.
Aereo CEO reveals an Android app is launching this September
In more than one way, Aereo keeps growing and growing, and it looks as if it's getting ready to grow a little more. According to the International Business Times, Aereo CEO, Chet Kanojia, has confirmed to the publication that an official Android app for the TV streaming service is on its way. More specifically, Aereo's chief says the application will be launching in the month of September, which would be right around the same time as the unconventional cable provider prepares to debut in Chicago. No word on when exactly we can expect the Aereo app to arrive on the Play store, but given how August only has about two full days left in it, it's safe to say it'll be sooner rather than later. In the meantime, there's always the option to watch on your computer -- or, hey, maybe a dear friend would be kind enough to let you borrow an iOS device.
Aereo continues expansion, plans service rollout in Miami, Houston and Dallas-Ft. Worth
For a company's that's mired in legal red tape, Aereo's nationwide expansion isn't showing any signs of slowing. The streaming service, which uses an antenna / DVR system to deliver local broadcast stations, will soon launch in three additional major cities -- Houston and Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX; Miami, FL -- in a rollout scheduled to complete by the end of September. Interested parties can head to Aereo's site now to get a leg up on pre-registration for the service, with rates starting at $8/mo for 20 hours of DVR storage. Take note, the first month's gratis, but after that it's the same old subscription ball-and-chain just like any other. And, hey, at least this is one way to guarantee Moonves' content kingdom and his trusty Chenbot still have a home on your flatscreen or iPad or, you know, device.
Editorial: Is Chromecast the little dongle that could change things?
It is sold out at Amazon. It is sold out at Best Buy online. It is sold out at the 16 Best Buy stores closest to my home in North Carolina. The nearest Best Buy availability is in Roanoke, Va. (Amazon and Best Buy are the retail outlets sanctioned by Google.) You can buy it directly from Google at the Play Store, but as of this writing, the wait time for shipping has been extended to three to four weeks. In a world where people line up for hours to buy a $500 tablet, selling out a $35 dongle isn't necessarily a milestone, or an indicator of anything significant. But I'll hammer a prediction stake into the ground: Chromecast will create change in media consumption habits disproportionate to its price. Its power will come partly from its tech-candy pricing, but only partly. This little invention hits a few other sweet spots.
Aereo bringing online TV to Utah on August 19th
Online TV streaming service Aereo is going Manifest Destiny and headed westward, specifically to the fine state of Utah. The service is set to launch statewide on August 19th, just ahead of its September launch in Chicago. "Whether you live in Salt Lake City, St. George or Ogden," the company's PR announcement reads, indicating that the service isn't localized to any one major metropolitan area (like with previous rollouts). Should you self-identify as a "Utahn" and have interest in getting signed up, you can pre-register at Aereo's main site and get "priority access" when the service launches next month. For a look at which networks will be offered, head below for the official word from Aereo.
ITV Player revamp brings ad-free TV rentals, keeps the free catch-ups
As a profit-driven network, ITV has its work cut out in the online streaming world when the BBC's iPlayer looms overhead. How do you compete with a cultural institution? Its solution these days is one of sheer choice: it's launching a publicly available beta of its ITV Player refresh that offers TV show rentals. While viewers will have free, ad-backed viewing for the last month's worth of programming, they'll also have the choice of renting 30-day access to archived episodes at 49p (79 cents) each without the pesky commercials in between. Anyone who just can't get enough Collision can spring for a 90-day rental of a whole series at a lower total price, and the broadcaster is even planning trials of streaming-first episode premieres -- if only we were so forward-thinking in the US. We'd question the wisdom of anyone who really, truly needs an uninterrupted The Only Way is Essex, but at least those who want fodder for water cooler chats can blast through their pseudo-reality TV at a record pace.
Samsung 2012 Smart TVs get Amazon Instant Video streaming app, synchronicity with your Kindle Fire
Samsung just sweetened the streaming video pot for current and would-be owners of its modern Smart TVs. Viewers who've been craving Amazon Instant Video can download an app today to watch movies and TV shows through their 2012 set's internet link, in the event options for Blockbuster, Hulu Plus, Netflix and Vudu weren't already enough. It's not necessarily a cut-and-dried port, either -- Samsung is flaunting a redesigned interface tuned for big-screen distances and quick access to queuing, recommendations and captioning. Amazon junkies who wanted a larger canvas than their Kindle Fire HD now can't get much larger.
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]
TV Catchup for Android arrives on Google Play
TVCatchup, the excellent little TV-watching service has brought its app over to Android. The service, which we've found to be much more reliable than the BBC's live streams on our flaky connection, lets you watch nearly 60 free-to-air channels available in the UK. The ad-supported app is available for free on Google Play right now -- as long as you've paid your license fee, folks.
BBC iPlayer reaching Windows Phone within 'weeks,' will catch up with Sherlock on your Lumia (update: perhaps not)
We've see BBC iPlayer reach many devices over time, but it's been conspicuously absent on Windows Phone. Nokia has stepped into give us some relief, and it's now promising that a port of the TV catch-up service will be ready for your Lumia 800 "in weeks." Good news no doubt, although Nokia's encyclopedic knowledge of British TV streaming is also dashing hopes of using the Sky Go mobile app on Windows Phone anytime soon: the same Nokia rep doesn't see Sky being ready for a "good few months" at the earliest. As such, you'll have no problems keeping up with Doctor Who and Sherlock when they're airing, but we wouldn't count on watching live football matches for awhile. Update: Pocket-lint is reporting that it quizzed the BBC over this issue and got a firm denial about a Windows Phone version, which suggests that The Inquirer's report, or its Nokia source, may have made an illogical deduction.
Aereo gets unfair competition claim dismissed, still faces two claims of copyright infringement
Aereo's mini-antenna arrays started streaming OTA television broadcasts in Gotham a couple months ago in spite of the lawsuit filed by a few of New York's local stations to stop them from doing so. Today, it was able to dismiss its opponents' state law unfair competition claim under the theory of federal preemption. Essentially, Aereo argued (and the judge agreed) that the anti-competition claim was actually an attempt to vindicate the broadcasters' rights to control the performance of their copyrighted materials. Because those rights are granted under federal law, the state law claim was preempted and dismissed from the lawsuit pursuant to the Copyright Act. Despite this courtroom victory, Aereo still has a lot of legal legwork to do, as it still faces two copyright claims that could still shut down the OTA streaming party. Stay tuned.
Steve Jobs approached Leslie Moonves about streaming service, CBS exec says
At this point, it'd be more of a shock if Apple wasn't working on a streaming media service. Still, we're surprised to hear that Steve Jobs was personally involved in trying to corral support from the entertainment industry. CBS CEO Leslie Moonves revealed during a talk at the UCLA Entertainment Symposium that he has spoken with the Apple founder directly about providing content to subscription-based video service, but declined the invitation. Moonves was concerned about how signing on to such a service would impact existing revenue streams, including those from competing properties like Hulu. The CEO allegedly told Jobs at one point, "You know more than me about 99 percent of things but I know more about the television business."[Photo credit: David Shankbone]
New York Post discusses Apple TV, subscriptions
A report from the New York Post, relayed by The Loop, suggests Apple is negotiating with content providers for a new streaming TV service that'll launch by the end of the year. SVP Eddy Cue has been the point man in the negotiations, which are not proceeding as quickly as Apple would like. Apple is supposedly pushing for a service that will offer channels as apps on its Apple TV and other devices. The report claims Apple is also talking with telecommunications companies like Verizon and AT&T, hoping to strike a single deal that will encourage others to follow. Though it's probably too early for Apple to unveil this TV service, the company may show us a new Apple TV at the upcoming March 7 event. Earlier rumors from 9to5 Mac suggest Apple might be ready to unveil a new Apple TV and, along with other signs, pointed to the lack of inventory at retailers like Best Buy and Amazon as proof. The Verge today also noticed that many Apple Stores are out of stock of the Apple TV and will be restocked on March 7. [Via The Loop]
Switched On: New world recorder
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. When it comes to time-shifting television viewing, the conversation these days usually involves premium streaming services -- namely, Netflix and Hulu Plus. But consumers routinely shell out more than they do for either of these services -- in fact, sometimes more than for both of them combined -- simply to have more convenient access to the television from their existing cable or satellite subscriptions. Not only that, they're often willing to put up with a large, relatively noisy (and failure-prone!) box for this privilege. That box is the digital video recorder.
