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Time Warner Cable brings ESPN, Fox and Turner sports live streaming to apps, website
The newly-available-on-Android live streaming feature of Time Warner Cable's TWC TV app (and TWCTV.com website) has just gotten a major content upgrade, adding many national and regional sports feeds. It looks like ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, TBS, MLB Network, NBA TV and NHL Network are available in most regions, along with the applicable Fox RSNs. The full lineup of areas and channels is in the press release after the break. Of course, if you'd like to keep telling your significant other sports channels haven't been added yet and they will need to watch their reality show on the tablet while you use the big HDTV, then we can all just pretend this never happened.
TWC TV Android app finally updated with live TV streaming
Time Warner Cable users who prefer Android to iOS can finally enjoy live TV streaming on their Ice Cream Sandwich-enabled tablets and phones. As we learned when it debuted, DRM requirements are making live TV streaming an Android 4.0-only (devices that have been rooted however, are not invited) affair, but at least it's here. Subscribers can snag TWC TV 2.0 from Google Play at the link below, although they are encouraged to try uninstalling if they experience any glitches after upgrading. There's a blog post linked below with more details, but we're pretty sure a TV screen you can take to the can with you explains itself.
FCC to Verizon Wireless: You need more spectrum? Prove it by March 22nd.
By now, we hope you're plenty familiar with the ongoing saga between Verizon Wireless and the FCC -- no, not that little kerfuffle about data roaming complaints, but the biggie -- the proposed transfer of 122 AWS spectrum licenses from three cable providers to Big Red. While the FCC's latest move is merely a sign of due diligence, it's now pressing Verizon to supply additional information regarding its business, spectrum holdings and the proposed transfer -- all with a deadline on or before March 22nd. While many of the information requests are boilerplate material, the regulator specifically presses Verizon to substantiate its claims that it'll require additional spectrum in some markets as early as 2013. Further, Verizon must also provide an analysis of the proposed spectrum transfer between itself and Leap Wireless and its impact upon the deal with the cable operators. Regardless of Big Red's response, it seems safe to assume that Sprint and T-Mobile will each have some additional thoughts on the matter.[Tower photo via Shutterstock]
Netflix is in talks to partner with cable providers for bundles, could mean higher quality streaming
After CEO Reed Hastings recently hinted at the possibility of Netflix's Watch Instantly service coming bundled with cable services, Reuters is reporting the company has met with "some of the largest US cable companies" to discuss partnerships. The report goes on to mention it could stream through cable set-top boxes and appear as another line item on customer's bills, however for that, Netflix would have to rework content licensing agreements that bar its service from cable boxes, which has kept it off of TiVo Premieres offered by companies like Suddenlink and RCN. We've also spoken to the infamous people with knowledge of the discussions and are hearing that while deals are being discussed, what's initiated the talks is the increasing bandwidth load that Watch Instantly is placing on networks -- see the Comcast vs. Level 3 dustup from 2010.What the deals being discussed could bring is a setup where your cable company offers bundled services (TV, internet, etc.) that include premium access to Netflix -- higher quality audio and video streams that don't count against bandwidth caps, and maybe even a discount from the standard rate. Cable companies could obtain revenue from Netflix under the deal, and also keep customers around thanks to the advantages of the bundled offerings, while Netflix could have more reliable distribution for its video, and a leg up on competition from Amazon and Redbox / Verizon FiOS. We'll wait and see what happens, but in an interesting twist, Netflix could quickly join sports as a tool for providers to keep customers from cutting the cord, instead of a reason for it.
T-Mobile, Sprint and DirecTV file with FCC to halt Verizon's AWS acquisition
Ready for round two of the great spectrum wars? In what is undeniably an uncanny bit of wireless industry déjà vu, T-Mobile, Sprint, DirecTV, in addition to the Rural Telecommunications Group and six others, have filed a request with the FCC to halt its 180-day review of Verizon's AWS acquisition. According to the consortium's claims, documents submitted by Big Red and its cabler partners (Cox, Time Warner, Bright House and Comcast) in favor of the transaction are heavily redacted and therefore not in the public interest. The group is petitioning the Commission to place an absolute freeze on all of the operator's pending license transfers until full legal disclosure has been achieved. This latest Capitol Hill impasse comes right on the heels of VZW's own filing, in which it outlines an allegedly impending spectrum drought that would see specific pockets of its network hitting capacity by 2015. Neither the FCC nor DOJ have yet to weigh in on either of these proceedings, but, rest assured, this certainly won't be the last we hear of this mobile saga.
T-Mobile wants FCC to block Verizon's spectrum deals with cable industry
Call it sour grapes, posturing... whatever you want. The fact remains that T-Mobile has stuck its nose in the middle of Verizon's quest to bulk up its wireless portfolio. Big Magenta filed a request with the FCC on Tuesday, asking the regulatory agency to step in and block the transfer of AWS spectrum licenses from Cox, Time Warner, Comcast and Bright House to Verizon. The deals, which will cost the carrier roughly $3.9 billion, are already drawing interest from the Justice Department, which is concerned it'll place too much control in the company's hands. T-Mobile, the smallest of the nationwide carriers, is equally worried about the concentration of spectrum in Verizon's big red paws. Presumably, though, that has more to do with its inability to purchase it -- especially in the aftermath of the collapsed AT&T merger. Metro PCS and some public advocacy groups also voiced their opposition, while Sprint took a more measured approach, saying only that the FCC should look closely at the agreements. See, handset makers aren't the only mobile companies that can whip up a good legal drama.
HBO's PunchForce hits the FCC, turns fists into data... violent, violent data
HBO has been quietly working on its PunchForce tech since about 2010, when it tried to convince British star Amir Khan and Argentine boxer Marcos Maidana to wear the sensors for their light welterweight title bout. Neither seemed particularly eager. Now though, over a year later, the latest in fist-tracking technology seems to be nearing its big debut. Tiny wireless monitors, worn under the wrist of the gloves feed velocity and impact data back to a laptop with a special receiver -- all of which now have Uncle Sam's approval. The real fun though, is what happens next. The information gathered isn't meant to be locked away in lab, it'll be broadcast to viewers throughout the fight and, eventually, fed to accompanying apps, presumably alongside its PunchZone stats. Check out the gallery below for a behind the scenes glimpse of PunchForce and hit up the source link to peruse the full user manual.
Time Warner Cable's TWC TV launches for PC, brings live TV streaming to the desktop
After expanding its live TV streaming from iPads to iPhones, Time Warner Cable is going in the other direction and offering the service on PCs. The PC version of TWC TV launched today in beta -- still no word on streaming to Android devices or HDTVs yet -- but the Silverlight player will work on Windows and OS X, in Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari or Chrome. According to the official blog it has more than just streaming, with remote control over compatible set-top boxes and DVR scheduling also included. Of course, the same restrictions still apply here as they have on tablets and phones, with playback only while connected to your home network. If you're a Time Warner customer, hit the link below to sign in and try it out, or hit the blog for more details on what works where.
Batman: Arkham City shipped 6 million in 2011
Tucked away in the dark, crowded bowels of Time Warner's financial results statement for fiscal 2011 is news that Rocksteady's blockbuster, bat-centric beat-em-up (that would be Batman: Arkham City) has shipped 6 million units, as of December 31, 2011. Now, "shipped" is a much different statistic than "sold," but it's a strong figure nonetheless.It's difficult to tell how Warner Bros. Interactive did on its own in 2011, since its financial results are lumped in with two other Time Warner subsidiaries, (Warner Bros. Pictures and Warner Bros. Television), both of which brought in astounding amounts of money with their respective Harry Potter and Big Bang Theory licenses. Overall, Time Warner's "Filmed Entertainment" (tv, movies and gaming) reported revenues of $12.6 billion; a 9 percent year-over-year increase.The statement also mentions Mortal Kombat and "several LEGO titles" as key contributors to the division's successful year.
Time Warner Cable app streams live TV to iPhones, no longer iPad-only
After finally issuing a version of its TWC TV app for Android tablets and phones (sans-live TV streaming, for now) Time Warner Cable has finally made its iOS version, which launched last March on the iPad, compatible with the iPhone and iPod Touch. There's no additional charge for the app which allows for the aforementioned live TV viewing (as long as you're on your home WiFi) and DVR scheduling, and the accompanying blog post reveals the available list of channels has reached 196. We should probably mention that the app is unlikely to play nicely with any jailbroken iOS devices it encounters, so some extra hackery may be in order to get things working there. Otherwise, Time Warner customers can grab it now from iTunes at the source link below.[Thanks, Jason]
Samsung shows off integrated TV streaming apps and DirecTV RVU... again
Time Warner, Comcast, DirecTV and Verizon FiOS TV all displayed ways we could enjoy their service without a set-top box tied to our TV during CES 2011. A year later, while tablet apps have launched, living room progress is limited o DirecTV's HR34 soft launch and a limited Verizon FiOS app on Xbox 360 . So, here we are at CES 2012 with all four lined up at the Samsung booth under the N Service banner, again. Despite our disappointment over the delays, Comcast's app was slick, though limited to VOD-only just like the Xbox 360. Time Warner Cable's port of TWCable TV was similarly well appointed, although it lacked the DVR tie-ins of its Panasonic counterpart we saw earlier. The Verizon FiOS beta app was very rough around the edges, but allowed for either live TV or VOD streaming via the internet. DirecTV clearly had the best showing, but mostly because its implementation is actually shipping, and now is supported on more TVs. From what we're told, it's largely legal department, not technical concerns that are holding up the apps from launching, but until they hit Smart TVs everywhere you can peruse the pics in the gallery below.
Panasonic HDTVs show off Time Warner Cable IPTV app with live streaming channels, DVR access
Time Warner launched the TWCable TV live streaming app for iPad last year (Android streaming coming soon), and now at CES Panasonic is showing off a version for TVs. While it's still streaming TV channels from the internet just like the tablet version, the one Panasonic is demonstrating also has DLNA streaming access to anything stored in DVRs on the same home network. We're told the app should work on 2012 and 2011 Panasonic HDTVs, and while there was no word of a release date, the app appeared pretty polished. It's not clear if the cable company is making the jump fully to IPTV yet (or anytime soon), but if it's going to straddle the midpoint then Panasonic's sets are ready for a set-top boxless future. From what we hear, this could launch on multiple platforms later this year. Check out a few more screenshots in the gallery below, we'll let you know about any more details as they become available.
Time Warner Cable starts HBO and Max Go beta
It's been less than two years since HBO's owner Time Warner and Time Warner Cable were closely corporately related -- as well as AOL, Engadget's owner -- and one might think that ties remain. Those thoughts should be quickly dashed, once again, now that we know TWC's beta of HBO Go finally started this week. The limited trial for SignatureHome customers will be further restricted to computer based clients, but is expected to be short. It would have to be pretty darn short, though, to keep Time Warner Cable's December promise to launch "in the next month." This really makes us wonder how hard it could be to implement this type of thing -- we assumed HBO already had most of the required infrastructure in place. Then again, it has been about a year since a deal for ESPN3.com was announced and Xbox 360 fans with Time Warner Cable will tell you that it has still yet to arrive.
Warner Bros. pushing movie delays from 28 to 56 days for Netflix, Redbox and Blockbuster?
While HBO is reportedly not supplying DVDs directly to its rival Netflix, Warner Bros. is apparently flexing its muscle by working out agreements that will keep new release movies away from Blockbuster, Netflix and Redbox renters. This news comes from anonymous sources dropping a dime in the ear of AllThingsD's Peter Kafka, who reports the arrangements will be announced at CES, not long after Warner extended the window for Blockbuster to match the other two. This news comes at the same time Time Warner's CFO John Martin remarked upon "alternate" distribution channels as a way for it to move through a more challenging home video market. That means the company is focusing on things like day-and-date VOD releases with disc which it's seeking to protect from competition by cut-rate rental services like these three, likely by leveraging their desire for content to feed streaming movie offerings. According to Home Media Magazine, he believes the industry has "got to embrace these higher margin opportunities" -- which is probably going to leave just the older flicks in its 7,000 movie deep library for the rest of us trying to watch via subscription or $1~ rentals. Update: Bloomberg reports Redbox has denied reaching any revised agreement, and that its deal with Warner still calls for a 28-day delay only. We'll likely find out what the deal is in a few days, so stay tuned.
Justice Department antitrust division probing Verizon cable spectrum deals
Looks like AT&T isn't the only major carrier having issues with the guv'ment lately. Remember that 20MHz AWS spectrum that Verizon got from Cox Communications for a cool $315 million this month? How's about that juicy spectrum Big Red scored from Comcast, Time Warner and Bright House for $3.6 billion? Well, it turns out those deals are raising an eyebrow or two over at the Justice Department, which just launched an investigation into the matter. A spokesperson for the department confirmed the probe with Bloomberg News but declined to provide further details. A source familiar with the investigation, however, says the antitrust division is involved. Apparently, there's concern that the deal puts too much control of the airwaves in the hands of Verizon. For its part, Verizon declined to comment, saying it has yet to receive information about the investigation.
Sprint sues Time Warner, Comcast, Cable One and Cox for infringing twelve digital phone patents
Sprint's lawyers have been hanging out with nothing to do for a few days, so it's time for them to get back to work. The Now Network is now focusing its sights on Time Warner, Comcast, Cable One and Cox, slapping each one with a separate lawsuit claiming they have been infringing on up to twelve of their patents. The technology the companies have been using, Sprint states, relates to the transmission of voice data packets and was patented in the 1990s. Interestingly enough, several of these patents were the subject of its 2007 infringement case against Vonage, in which the VoIP company was ordered to fork over $80 million. In the filings, Sprint mentioned that the four entities "have realized the great value in this technology and have misappropriated it without Sprint's permission." Our world may be frightening and confusing, but it sure can be lucrative at times. And let's face it -- Sprint has quite a few bills to pay over the next couple years.
Time Warner Cable shows Android some love with My TWC app and TWC TV for phones
We're still waiting for Time Warner to bring its live TV streaming to Android, but the platform is enjoying some exclusive support today with two new apps. The first is the My TWC account management app which lets subscribers view their services, pay bills, adjust call forwarding and, soon, tap into their voicemail remotely. The other one is a new version of its TWC TV app, reformatted to work on phones even while the TWCable TV app on iOS is still a tablet only affair. iPhone and Android owners alike shouldn't have to wait long for their relief however, as the iPhone edition is slated to arrive in January, and ICS-enabled live TV streaming is still on the roadmap for "early next year." Hit up the corporate blog for the full feature lists and breakdowns, or just head over to the Android Market to install either free app.
Time Warner finally cuts a deal for HBO Go streaming, launches 'in the next month'
Ever since it launched early last year, the HBO Go library has quickly become one of the best parts of having the premium channel, however it wasn't part of the package for Time Warner Cable customers -- until now. The two companies just announced they have to an agreement which will see access to the streaming back catalog of films and TV shows (including Max Go) open up to TWC subscribers "in the next month" after a short beta period. We're not sure if this access extends to streaming via the Roku box or if it will be blocked (as it is on Comcast and DirecTV), but iOS and Android mobile devices are definitely in on the action. Check the Time Warner blog or press release ( after the break) for more details.
Verizon scores new spectrum from Comcast, Time Warner and Bright House for $3.6 billion (update)
Verizon has a pretty serious head start in the LTE race. To make sure it stays at the front of the pack, Big Red has entered an agreement with SpectrumCo (a joint venture between Comcast, Time Warner and Bright House) that sees 122 AWS spectrum licenses transferred to the carrier for $3.6 billion and some commercial agreements. The deal will allow the companies to become authorized retailers for each others products, eventually giving the cable companies the ability to offer Verizon Wireless service as wholesalers. For its part, the House that Droid Built scores a boat load of new spectrum that may become crucial in expanding its network and ensuring that speeds don't drop off significantly as more customers transition to 4G. Check out the full PR after the break. Update: Wondering how this impending love affair affects Comcast and Time Warner's existing deals reselling Clear's mobile broadband? Per CNET, not great, as the duo will gradually shift those using the WiMax provider to alternatives in the next six months.
Time Warner Cable's tablet app available for Android, live TV streaming still iPad only
As promised, a Honeycomb compatible version of Time Warner Cable's tablet app has arrived before the return of the NBA. Dubbed TWC TV in its Android iteration, v1.0 includes an integrated guide, the ability to act as a remote control, search TV listings, and schedule DVR recordings. So far it's only promised to operate on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Xoom tablets, but the notes indicate it should scale to whatever Honeycomb slate you happen to have handy at the moment. The marquee live TV streaming feature is still on hold waiting for the release of Ice Cream Sandwich, but if what you need is a couch companion instead of a kitchen / bathroom TV screen it's ready to go. Check out the Time Warner blog for more notes or just hit the Android Market link below to download it yourself.
