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Details, limitations of Xbox 360 Mediaroom 2.0 IPTV support
Three years after being unveiled at CES, Microsoft's Mediaroom software is finally coming to Xbox 360 (in the form of Mediaroom 2.0) "later this year" thanks to AT&T's U-verse service. But, that's all the details we had. Until today, when we spoke with Xbox's Aaron Greenberg as well as a Mediacenter spokesperson on the show floor who, between the two of them, managed to answer most of our questions. First, we asked Greenberg to explain the three-year delay between the technology's 2007 debut and this announcement. "Well, the technology that we showed [in 2007] was brand new and showing that it worked," Greenberg said. "What we then did was we went out to the IPTV content providers and said, 'Hey, now this is an option for you.'" And that option was, of course, to use the Xbox 360 to deliver IPTV content. Greenberg said, "So the technology works ... the Xbox 360 can serve as a set-top box, be a DVR, and run Mediaroom." But not so fast! We got a tour of the service and found a few disappointing shortcomings to that nominally appealing feature-set.
Xbox 360 getting Mediaroom IPTV 'later this year' via AT&T U-verse ... just three years late
Just three short years after the CES 2007 announcement that Microsoft's Mediaroom software would turn your Xbox 360 into an IPTV set-top box, Microsoft is finally ready to deliver on that promise (and no, the 2008 BT rollout doesn't count). "I'm happy to announce that later this year AT&T will also enable subscribers to U-verse to enjoy [the new Mediaroom 2.0] service on their Xbox 360 consoles," Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer told his keynote audience. This was in addition to U-verse support for Windows 7 and Windows Mobile, though the details on all three platforms end there. We'll be digging for more details at CES this week, but this is certainly promising news for the country's 2 million U-verse subscribers (and the "more than 20 million living units" that the service is purportedly available in).
Windows 7 Media Center gets Mediaroom support
During the Microsoft keynote, Ballmer mentioned that customers of IPTV providers like AT&T U-Verse will be able to watch TV on Windows 7 PCs, but he glazed over the how. The how is Windows 7 Media Center -- according to the press release that is available after the jump -- and there's no special hardware like a tuner required. The when wasn't mentioned because it is dependent on the provider, but when they do upgrade to Mediaroom 2.0, Media Center fans will have access to all the same content as a set-top like HD and on-demand, which is something pretty cool.
AT&T gives U-verse a streaming video portal without joining the TV Anywhere party
Not wanting to let it's cable and fiber competitors run away with all the streaming fun, AT&T has launched its own streaming video site in the vein of Sling.com and the various TV Anywhere related projects. Currently anyone who checks out the site can view all the content, including some provided by Hulu and CBS Interactive, but the plan is to include some walled off premium video for U-verse subscribers in the future.
AT&T also has a grudge against Cablevision
Looks like Verizon's not the only one to have beef with Cablevision's treatment of its MSG HD channels, now that AT&T has also petitioned the FCC to compel the cabler to sell the high definition feeds to its competitors. AT&T cites stats showing high definition is a big deal for consumers, with 45% saying they'd switch providers for a superior sports package, claiming it can't compete in Connecticut without the networks. Just as before, Cablevision claims it can do as it likes, that it already sells them every single game (in SD format) and that AT&T is a bigger company that doesn't need a bailout. We've had plenty of summertimes squabbles about who was and wasn't playing by the rules that ended with one side claiming they'd take their ball and go home, but we usually didn't bring the FCC in to settle it. The FCC is still on a five month clock to consider the complaints and the "terrestrial loophole," 'til it responds we can't guess how this one will end.
Walls are no longer a limitation for U-verse with new RF Point Anywhere remote
For those who have far too often felt confined by having to point remotes at the devices being controlled, news of AT&T's new Point Anywhere RF remote for its U-Verse customers should be a sweet siren song. The relatively simple remote is backlit for your convenience, letting home theater owners hide their set-tops away in a closet without having to go all aftermarket for a control solution. Changing channels from previously impossible areas like the bathroom, kitchen or outside comes at a cost of $49 for the remote and USB dongle, available from AT&T's online store beyond the read link. [Thanks, Anthony]
AT&T's U-Verse iPhone / iPod touch app launched
We're pretty big fans of AT&T's U-verse (though, alas, we're not lucky enough to live in an area where we can have it!), and we sort of figured a few days back when the company rolled out some new tweaks to its Total Home DVR that something like this might be on the horizon, and here it is. AT&T's rolled out a free app for the iPhone app store that allows users to access the entire program guide, search for specific shows, and schedule, manage and delete programs and settings. The Mobile Remote Access App -- as it's not-so-creatively called -- sounds like a real winner for those with both U-Verse service and an iPhone... but then, we still communicate primarily with quills and parchment, so what would we know? One more screenshot of the app (plus a video!) after the break.
New Total Home DVR, remote scheduling & guide features coming to U-verse
C'mon now, you knew as well as we did that AT&T couldn't just...stop after rolling out Total Home DVR to its entire U-verse service area, today it's announced a few new tweaks that it plans to roll out over the next few weeks and months. Look forward to the ability to schedule and manage recordings from any U-verse receiver, not just the DVR itself, a newly enhanced remote scheduling website and an On Demand top picks app to find movies viewers might like based on their past recommendations. If that's not enough, Starz is free for July, plus a speed bump to 12 Mbps for Internet Max subs and a slightly streamlined program guide that should make the Enter button a bit more useful while browsing or watching TV. Check out the PR for the full details as most of these will be rolling out in different markets over the next few weeks, or check out the video embedded after the break.
DirecTV CEO rumored heading back to News Corp
According to an Associated Press source, DirecTV CEO Chase Carey is in talks to return to News Corp. as Rupert Murdoch's second in command, which at least one analyst believes could be an indication the company will be sold outright soon, possibly to AT&T. Check out the read links for the business details, we're just wondering how a more permanent marriage of the satellite company and U-verse would work. Read - AP source: DirecTV CEO in talks to join News Corp Read - Analyst: Carey Departure = DirecTV Sale
AT&T adds 6 MTV Networks HD channels to U-verse
This was too much to wait another day for our roundup, U-Verse officially announced picking up 6 new feeds today from MTV, with MTV HD, VH1 HD, CMT HD, Nickelodeon HD, COMEDY CENTRAL HD and Spike HD going live nationally (what happened to BET HD?) as part of a lineup with more than 100 HD channels in every market. That enough to make you part of even more new customers in this quarter? Press release is after the break.
AT&T CallVantage: fare thee well, we hardly knew ye
CallVantage may have survived being sued by Vonage, but there's one thing it couldn't survive -- progress. After thrilling us for some time now by magically transmitting people's "voice" over something called the "internet," AT&T's VoIP service will begin weening off customers over the course of this year. Folks will be able to switch to either another AT&T service, transfer to another service provider, or drop off the communications grid altogether -- where they will finally have the opportunity to spend their lives in solemn contemplation, with nothing but the babbling brook, the sweet sound of songbirds, and a journal of their thoughts to keep them occupied. The company says that it's pulling the plug to concentrate on its U-verse voice service, which can only mean one thing: Watson's got to them. We knew that guy was up to no good.[Via MobileTechNews]
AT&T trumpets U-verse gains in Q1
AT&T's U-verse service just keeps on growing, with Q1 subscriber additions beating out those record Q4 numbers from last year, and up significantly from last year's 148,000 to 284,000. Now 1.3 million strong, it looks like offering dual tuner HD, 100 HD channels and Total Home DVR is having some effect. No word on plans for the future, although even with plans to more than double availability having slipped to 2011, we wouldn't be surprised to see the service rolling out in new areas soon. Now, about that Xbox 360 IPTV...
Microsoft, AT&T plug PlayReady / Silverlight DRM into U-verse without saying why
Microsoft's PlayReady DRM hasn't exactly set the world on fire since first popping up over two years ago on a bevy of wireless carriers, so we were surprised by today's news that it's being integrated into the MediaRoom IPTV platform, specifically AT&T's U-verse service. A Microsoft exec quoted saying "Through the power of software such as PlayReady and Mediaroom, AT&T will bring its customers an exciting new range of services and content" doesn't help, since that power has lead to very little over the last two years with one exception. This is the same Windows Media Player 10 compatible DRM used by Silverlight plugins, like the ones for Netflix and Sky Player TV, so while we'll make the leap of dreaming about Instant Watch coming to AT&T set-top boxes, reality is probably not only something entirely different, but also considerably more like the Xbox 360 IPTV fantasy & other Mediaroom features that have yet to see any release.
AT&T counting on new iPhone this summer; carrier apps to figure prominently?
Rumor has it that AT&T's gearing up for yet another door-busting, riot-inducing summer filled with new iPhone hardware, which would certainly jibe with everything we've heard in the past few months (never mind the fact that June is officially Apple's iPhone release cycle these days, and indeed, AT&T's apparently saying that the June cycle is becoming "a tradition"). That's not terribly interesting at this point -- what is interesting, though, is how AT&T plans to play it. Apparently, the carrier wants to ramp up its -- ah, how should we put this in a politically correct way -- "integration" with Apple's hardware, including a U-verse app that we're guessing will approximate the functionality to be offered by Verizon's FiOS. What really has us worried is not so much the U-verse app specifically, but the possibility that AT&T's sick and tired of having its crapware left out of its highest-profile device, leading to non-removable garbage like Cellular Video on a future iPhone's home screen. It's still a bit early to sound the alarm there, but you know, we're paranoid types around here. Meanwhile, it sounds like the new device is once again begin said to rock higher 3G speeds than the outgoing model, implying that 7.2Mbps HSDPA to match AT&T's latest infrastructure upgrades is plausible, if not probable. Finally, it's said that a $99 netbook running something other than Windows (don't suppose that'd be Linux?) will be launching this summer, following on the 3G-enabled Aspire One that hit Radio Shack late last year. Heads up, though, AT&T: give us an iPhone with your Mobile Email app on the home screen, and let's just say we can't be held accountable for our actions afterwards. We know you wouldn't do that, but just sayin'.
U-verse TV subscribers score interactive college basketball app
Make no mistake -- legions of cube-dwellers will be tuning into March Madness On Demand this Thursday, but those lucky / unlucky enough to be sitting at home in front of their U-verse TV DVR can enjoy one other luxury: an interactive application. AT&T has partnered up with Yahoo! Sports in order to add in a free college basketball U-bar app that will give March Madness fans the ability to view tournament brackets, their personalized completed bracket, game summaries and box scores, and video clips of game analysis / commentary with a simple remote click. Nah, it's no DirecTV-like four-screens-in-one, but it's definitely better than anything offered up on cable. Check out a simple video demonstration here.
AT&T's U-verse: now with 100+ HD channels in every market
Look out, pay-TV providers -- AT&T just broke out the big stick and announced that it's now beaming at least 100 high-def channels in every last one of its markets. In fact, that's more HD channels than any local cable competitor in any existing U-verse market. Just in case you were wondering, customers won't be dinged any extra for the new additions, with HD service being included with the U450 tier and available for $10 per month with any other U-verse TV package. So yeah, we're stoked as can be for those with access to this stuff, but can we get a little market expansion going on now that the century mark has been passed?
AT&T adds record number of U-verse TV subscribers in Q4
AT&T's overall Q4 earnings may have dipped 23.6 percent, but its U-verse unit has a few things going for it. Aside from passing the coveted one million mark in customers during the course of last quarter, the company also added a best-ever 264,000 U-verse TV customers. Moreover, the build currently reaches some 17 million living units, but we are told a bit of unfortunate news in terms of future expansion. Remember those plans to "more than double U-verse TV availability by 2010?" Yeah, that has already slipped into 2011, barely a month after the 2010 date was frantically shot out. Alright Verizon, time to get your deployment teams out of Massachusetts and make AT&T regret this, wouldn't you say?
AT&T gets proud: 100% of U-verse TV STBs meet or beat Energy Star requirements
It's hard to know how many other pay-TV providers could say this very same thing but are simply choosing not to brag, but AT&T's holding nothing back in its latest release. The operator has proudly come forward and proclaimed that 100 percent of its U-verse TV receivers meet or exceed Energy Star efficiency requirements, and all new Motorola and Cisco set-top-boxes will boast the accompanying Energy Star label. Not trying to stroke your ego or anything, AT&T, but way to be green.
AT&T's U-verse TV picking up seven Viacom networks in HD
Just days after AT&T announced that NHL Network HD would be gliding over to U-verse TV, in flies a report stating that Viacom and AT&T have linked up on a sweet new deal. Said agreement will enable seven new networks to join the U-verse TV EPG: MTV HD, VH1 HD, CMT HD, BET HD, Nickelodeon HD, Comedy Central HD and Spike HD. The deal also "renews carriage of the MTVN and BETN channels and VOD content featured on AT&T U-verse TV, and provides for carriage of new international channels, including MTV India, later this year." Now, let's wait and see if those monthly rates creep up any after the fact.
AT&T delivers U-verse in Salinas and Monterey, CA
During the chaos that was CES, AT&T saw fit to string its U-verse services to two new locales in the Golden State. Starting now, select homes in the Salinas and Monterey areas have access to U-verse high-speed internet, U-verse Voice and U-verse TV, though exact neighborhoods weren't mentioned. You know what that means -- get on the horn and see if your address is covered.
