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Livestream Broadcaster hands-on
According to CEO Max Haot the logical next step for Livestream -- now well established as a reliable service for bringing live video feeds to the internet -- is just to get more people distributing live video by any means necessary. To that end, the company is jumping into the hardware business with this palm-sized Livestream Broadcaster unit that just went up for preorders a few days ago. With a subsidized price of $495, it connects to video cameras directly over HDMI then reencodes and uploads the video on the fly to the company's servers (unlimited streaming costs $45 per month, each encoder comes with three months free) via Ethernet, WiFi or a 3G / 4G USB dongle. Even on the wireless-internet challenged LVCC floor it was sending several streams and enabling user control via buttons on the unit itself, or remotely from a PC or iPhone / iPad. These boxes are still on target to ship at the end of May and and showed off everything those without the backing of a tech / media conglomerate (cough), like small businesses or independent bloggers, would need to make their productions available for viewing as they happen.
Livestream Broadcaster pre-orders available now, shipping at the end of May for $495
A vivid memory of Cisco's would-be FlipLive streaming camera is all we've got, but thankfully there's existing devices out there like the Livestream Broadcaster to help fill that void. Priced at a whopping $495, Livestream's Broadcaster allows it to be paired with an array of shooters via HDMI and used to stream live high-def vids to any Livestream-equipped device over Ethernet, WiFi, or with a 3G / 4G USB dongle. Aside from being capable of sending out 1080i waves, the Broadcaster can also push 720p and 480i resolutions (in case you don't feel like being a bandwidth hog), while all video and audio encoding is done with H.264 and ACC, respectively. It's also worth noting that the near 500 bucks includes a three-month sub to Livestream's service, which usually costs an extra $45 per month. For now, this bright red streamer's only available to Euros and Americans, with shipping set to commence by May 31st.
Roku celebrates 100 channels in the UK and Ireland, says more are on the way
Hitting any milestones or goals are usually worthy of a celebration, and on this occasion it's Roku's turn to party on. The LT, HD, XD and XS creator is flaunting the reach of 100 channels in its UK and Irish boxes, adding over 60 since its launch date back in January. The outfit isn't planning on slowing down anytime soon, though, saying more channels are expected in the upcoming months and that it aims to bring the one-channel-per-day model to streamers across the pond. Congrats, Roku, congrats.
Amazon Instant Video app for the PS3 brings both Prime subscriptions and VOD along
While Amazon has continued to grow both its video on-demand and all you can eat Prime Instant Video services content-wise, playback on the TV is still limited to relatively few devices. You can add a major one to the list however, since the app has just started popping up on the PlayStation 3, as pointed out above by Joystiq. While the Xbox 360 has always supported the downloadable files brought over from PCs since the days of Unbox, beyond the Roku boxes and a limited selection of Blu-ray Players and HDTVs, the PS3 is immediately the service's most widely available connected TV platform. If you're looking for it, it should pop up right below competitor Netflix under the video services tab the next time you power on your console.Update: PlayStation.Blog has posted some official information -- hit the link below or check out a video demo embedded after the break.
Netflix updates iPad app for Retina display
Updated to clarify that the app changes affect UI elements only, not video quality. Netflix has rolled out the Retina-ready version of its video streaming app for the iPad. You can grab it for free from iTunes. The video service requires a minimum $7.99 monthly subscription. Of course, the iPad's display is actually much higher resolution than even an HD video stream -- there's no change to the streaming quality in this build (Netflix says HD streaming is coming soon) but at least the app's interface elements will look razor-sharp. New feature list: - Improved artwork for new iPad Retina Display - Fixed VoiceOver support - Improved playback on external displays - Numerous fixes and stability improvements
HBO GO teases vocal controls via Kinect, coming soon to Xbox 360 (video)
We knew it'd be arriving on April 1st, but now we're actually longing for it. HBO has just released a half-minute teaser propping up the impending release of HBO GO on Xbox 360, and while it's available on a plethora of other platforms, being able to verbally command HBO (through Kinect, of course) to play your favorite shows just takes the enticement up another level. Care to see for yourself? Tap that video just after the jump.
Daily Update for March 12, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Plex Media Server upgraded, Google TV app gets a reboot
Real-time media streamer Plex has been refreshed on Google TV, following the smart TV's own recent firmware upgrade. The UI now looks easier to navigate with quicker access to recently added content. When it comes to the streaming media itself, you'll still need to have a Plex server setup on a separate PC or Mac but the app still supports your dedicated myPlex content and your friends' shared files. Plex's latest Media Server update also solves some iOS app problems alongside a handful of other stability and compatibility issues. The new Google TV version of the catch-all media platform isn't live just yet, but you can grab last month's version at the source and gird yourself for the incoming update.
Texas Instruments dual WiFi module lets your tablet connect to your TV and the web simultaneously (hands-on)
Texas Instruments is helping to lead the way when it comes to mobile computing -- when we want an early look at what's to come months and even years down the road, TI is always one of our first stops. At this year's Mobile World Congress, the semiconductor leader wasn't shy about showing off its latest innovations, including those from its manufacturing and design partners. Today's demo focused on wireless video streaming -- a concept that engineers are approaching from every imaginable angle, and that is bound to make its way to consumers in a very big way within the next few years. TI's flavor is based on WiFi, and offers a dual-connection solution, letting you pair a tablet with a TV using peer-to-peer while also creating a second link between the tablet and a wireless router for Internet.We took the tech for a spin using one of TI's development platform tablets and an external WiFi dongle (shipping versions will be integrated), and everything worked as described, though the video stream was noticeably choppy and compressed. TI reps explained that they dialed down the bitrate in order to maintain a connection at the MWC expo hall, which, as you might imagine, probably had a wireless signal density greater than any other room in the world. The tablet we saw was running a very slick context-aware UI that displays one of three home screens based on your current location -- there's one for work (that displays your calendar), one for home (media and home automation controls) and another for travel (restaurant reviews and weather). Pushing content from the tablet to the TV seemed to be seamless, and while both the UI and wireless functionality may appear to be ready to make their way into your home, TI isn't making any announcements about availability. There's no need to wait for a teaser, however, which you'll find just past the break.%Gallery-149212%
Adobe announces Project Primetime video platform, Highlights available now for iPad (update: video)
If you've been wondering what Adobe had in the works after laying Flash Player for mobile to rest, the wait is over. The outfit has unveiled the codenamed Project Primetime, the "industry's first fully integrated video technology platform" that will offer television-esque viewing sessions across your web-enabled devices. This tech plays nice with all "major" mobile platforms -- including iOS -- as well as desktop operating systems and smart TVs. Touting a workflow that pulls together streaming, content protection, analytics and advertising, the software will allow media providers to offer live and on-demand viewing on a number of internet-friendly devices. The first portion of Adobe's project, "Primetime Highlights," is available today for the iPad and showcases a video editor (pictured above) alongside the Auditude ad platform. Don't fret, though, support for other platforms is coming later in the year. While Primetime is on display for the first time at MWC, parts of the new tech will see daylight throughout 2012. If you're looking for some more details, hit the full press release below. Update: We added a quick video demo from the Adobe Blogs below. [Thanks dude2k5 for the heads up.]
Report: Nintendo negotiating Wii U video content streaming
It makes sense. More individuals are streaming Netflix on their consoles and, as of last summer, the Wii was used to stream Netflix most often. According to a report on AdWeek, Nintendo is working out deals with major content providers right now for the Wii's successor, the Wii U.AdWeek's sources say that Nintendo is aiming for parity between video streaming and gaming, much like what Microsoft did with the latest version of the Xbox 360 Dashboard. Sources say Nintendo held meetings back at CES in Las Vegas focusing on sports and music -- one source in particular says that Nintendo is working with Comcast right now for cable distribution rights.It's all pretty forward-thinking stuff for Nintendo, if true. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata recently spoke about NFC payments and microtransactions on Wii U, showing an interest in broadening the system's financial model. The Wii U will launch by "the year-end season."
Hulu CEO recaps the year 2011: 1.5 million on Hulu Plus, no new owner
2011 has come to an end and somewhat surprisingly, Hulu has not changed owners. Following what has become a quarterly habit, CEO Jason Kilar has taken up his blogging pen to recount the company's successes. Hulu Plus has grown to include 1.5 million paying subscribers, which he expects will make up more than half of Hulu's business later this year, while adding 105 percent more content. Expect that trend to continue, with plans to invest $500 million or so in content next year. Of course, this may not do much for those dissatisfied with its ad-supported business model and windowing of content, but right now the focus seems to be on pleasing content owners, who he claims can profit more per subscriber with Hulu than any other service. Check the post for more details and feel free to speculate in the comments what 2012 may hold for the video streaming site -- our money is still on a surprise buyout by Lycos.
PSA: UFC, VUDU, other video apps now available on Xbox 360
A slew of new video apps have debuted through Microsoft's updated Xbox 360 dashboard, including the UFC app and VUDU. Here's the full list: 4 on Demand (C4) -- United Kingdom ABC iView (Australian Broadcasting Corp.) -- Australia Dailymotion -- Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, India, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland , Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States, South Africa Demand 5 (Five) -- United Kingdom M6 -- France MSN Video -- France UFC on Xbox LIVE (UFC) -- Canada, United States VUDU (Wal-Mart) -- United States You can download each app through the video tab on your Xbox 360, assuming you're in a region that supports it.
Myriad Alien Vue brings Google TV apps to existing HDTVs, set-top boxes (video)
Couch potatoes may soon be able to get a more complete Android app experience without leaving the living room, or picking up a tablet or smartphone. Myriad's new Alien Vue is a customizable OEM platform that enables TV and set-top box manufacturers to bring Android to their existing products, adding support for apps designed for Google TV and HTML5. Myriad is the developer behind Alien Dalvik, which allows you to run Android apps on non-Android devices, including iOS and MeeGo. Alien Vue brings that concept to the living room, and includes a branded app store, web browser and portable device control, letting you control your TV and other home theater devices using a phone or tablet. But unlike Dalvik, it'll be up to manufacturers to add support for Vue -- you won't be hacking your TV and installing the software yourself. We'll be bringing you a full hands-on from CES, but jump past the break for a quick video demo.
Lovefilm's movie streaming will switch from Flash to Silverlight on PCs in 2012
As it prepares for Netflix's 2012 UK invasion, Lovefilm appears to be taking a page out of its competitor's strategy, and it's all because of the studios. When streaming to Windows PCs and Macs it will only support Silverlight as of the first week in January (we should mention it's coincidentally timed alongside a particular electronics show), ditching Flash encodes for its video. Like Watch Instantly, that will mean a lockout for non-Intel Macs and Linux users who don't have a player that supports the necessary DRM, but it's just those three letters that are behind this. Streaming Project Manager Paul Thompson writes on the company blog that Silverlight beat out Flash and new challenger HTML5 in order to meet studio's anti-piracy requirements, as well as take advantage of its Smooth Streaming adaptive bandwidth adjustments. Everything will stay the same on other streaming devices, while Netflix has been able to support Chromebooks via plugin and is rumored to be working on a Netflix solution, we'll have to wait and see if Lovefilm can do the same.
Plex releases new mobile and desktop clients, gets Flash and Silverlight support to go with a fancy new UI
You have many choices for your media streaming needs, and Plex is doing its damnedest to get you onboard its bandwagon. Plex is well known for its multi-platform flexibility, and the arrival of the myPlex media server platform makes sharing your content across devices easier than ever. To go with that cloud capability, Plex has released a new version of its desktop and mobile clients as well. The updated code brings a slick new UI and myPlex support, plus Flash and Silverlight video capability to Plex Media Server along with official Windows support -- including integration with Windows Media Center -- and a laundry list of bug fixes and stability tweaks. A full rundown of all the new goodies plus plenty of screenshots of that revamped UI can be found at the source below.
CRTC won't regulate Netflix as a broadcaster in Canada
Netflix may be a streaming company, but that doesn't make it a broadcaster -- at least, not in Canada, and not according to the CRTC. Despite calls from existing broadcasters to the contrary, the agency today opted not to regulate Netflix and other so-called "over-the-top" services -- which would have, among other things, made them subject to the same Canadian content requirements that broadcasters must comply with. While it hasn't completely closed the door on changing its tune in the future, at the moment the CRTC says that there's no evidence the services are harming traditional broadcasters, and that regulating them could in fact discourage innovation and make it difficult for Canadian companies to compete outside of the country.
Microsoft reveals new TV providers including Verizon and Comcast coming to Xbox 360 (video)
Just as the rumors indicated, Microsoft is bringing video from a number of providers beyond the ones it initially announced to the Xbox 360 in its fall update, including big guns like Verizon and Comcast. While Verizon is promising "a selection" of its live TV channels on the Xbox 360 as expected, Comcast is only bringing its Xfinity TV video on-demand offerings (no AnyPlay powered live TV -- yet) to subscribers when it launches "in the coming months." Other notable providers include Lovefilm (UK, Germany), BBC TV (UK), HBO Go, and Syfy. As promised during E3, the services integrated with Xbox will offer support for search across all available video, as well as support for Kinect voice and gesture controls. The universal search is looking good since it pulls together various services into one UI (as we discussed on our podcast yesterday), but the reality is content providers and geographical limits on what services you can pick from are still throwing up walls between users and content. Check after the break for PR detailing what you'll be able to access and where, as well as a video intro to all the tasty new TV services. %Gallery-135845%
MS: 42% of US XBL Gold members watch average of 1hr of video content a day
With Hulu Plus, Netflix and Zune on the Xbox 360, now more than ever the console is becoming a bastion for those looking to digest video content. During a preview of the upcoming Fall Dashboard update for Xbox Live, I spoke with senior product manager of Xbox Live entertainment, Terry Farrell, and asked him for some hard data. "42 percent of Xbox Live Gold members in the U.S. are watching an average of an hour of television and movies on their Xbox, every single day," Farrell said. Each month, that adds up to "more than 30 hours of digitally distributed television and movies." Farrell also revealed that over the last year, Xbox Live has seen three times the use of video content on the Xbox 360 console, spread across Netflix, Hulu Plus and Microsoft's Zune rental service. With the new Fall Dashboard update, Microsoft is looking to make it easier to present this video content, both through use of Bing search (which works via the controller and Kinect) and what the company hopes is a more intuitive and navigable user interface. Also, YouTube.
Google remains committed to TV business, expects more partners soon
Wondering what Mountain View has in store for Google TV -- that half-baked content platform available on only a small handful of devices? Well, it's not going away, apparently, and may even cross the Atlantic into Europe next year. Google Chairman Eric Schmidt is currently making waves in Scotland, giving Edinburgh International Television Festival attendees a rather vague overview of what the next generation of Google TV may look like. Schmidt said that the service has yet to take off because it's currently integrated with (a rather limited selection of) TVs, which we don't tend to upgrade more than once or twice a decade. He added that additional hardware and content partners will be coming soon, though, and didn't deny that Google TV could end up on Motorola cable boxes -- an obvious move, given the company's recent acquisition announcement. With widespread implementation and many more content partners, Google TV could definitely be a hit, but with ABC, NBC and CBS still unwilling to come onboard, the struggling service likely has a very rocky road ahead before it can be deemed a success.
