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Virgin Media customers can now log into Sky's Movies and Sports iOS apps
Virgin Media said last month its TV subscribers would soon be able to use Sky's iOS apps for getting their film and sports fixes on the move, and as of today, that's now possible. If your Virgin TV package includes Sky's Movies and Sports channels, then their respective iOS apps should let you log in with your Virgin account details. Furthermore, the same sign-in option is now available through Sky's websites, which should placate Android users while they wait for the same functionality to be added to Sky's apps on their platform.
Apple TV gets two new apps: Fox Now and CNBC
One of the things you can't find on the Apple TV is an official store for apps, but this hasn't kept the tiny box from becoming a solid device for entertainment purposes. To make things better, the Apple TV is adding Fox Now and CNBC to its ever-growing content repertoire, though there are the usual pay-TV caveats to consider. If you do have the right subscription, however, you can unlock each application's full potential right away, which means access to a lot more videos, live and on-demand. Fox Now, for its part, features full episodes from different shows, including Glee, Family Guy, New Girl and Masterchef. CNBC, meanwhile, lets you watch a live stream of some of its programming if you're a cable subscriber; as 9to5Mac points out, there are on-demand clips available within the news-focused channel, but that's as much as cord-cutters should expect. Both new apps are showing up on our Apple TV already, so be prepared to see them on yours the next time you power it on.
Netflix is looking to pay someone to watch Netflix all day
Ploughing through your new favourite series on Netflix is something you probably enjoy doing after a working day, but what if it was your working day? You see, Netflix has a fancy recommendation engine that suggests movies and shows you might like based on your prior viewing habits. To do that successfully, it needs information from a special group of humans that goes beyond the basics like genre and user rating. "Taggers," as they're known, analyse Netflix content and feed the recommendation engine with more specific descriptors if, for example, a film is set in space or a cult classic. In short, these people get paid to watch TV all day, and Netflix is currently hiring a new tagger in the UK. There's obviously a little more to the job than binge-watching House of Cards, but with perks like working from home, flexible hours and a free Netflix subscription, you'd be mad not to throw your hat into the ring. [Image credit: keirstenmarie/Flickr]
Sky Go streaming no longer free on consoles from July 29th
Sky has begun to inform Xbox 360 owners who watch TV on their console via the Sky Go app that come the end of July, they'll need to start paying for the privilege. Sky Go is free to anyone with a subscription to the satellite TV service, and allows you to use your smartphone, tablet, computer or console (for the next month, anyway) to watch TV when you're out of set-top box range. Sky Go Extra is a paid version that also lets you download content for offline viewing, as well as upping the number of devices you can use to four instead of two. It's this Extra tier that Xbox 360 users will need to pony up £5 per month for (after an introductory price of half that) if they wish to continue using Sky Go on their console after July 29th. This only affects the 360 currently, and ironically it comes just after Microsoft cut the requirement for a paid Xbox Live Gold account to use video streaming apps. With Sky Go coming to the PS3 and PS4 later this summer, however, it feels very much like Sky is making a calculated move to turn a free service into a paid one just before a bunch more people get access. Update: Sky has confirmed this applies to all consoles, so when the PS3/PS4 apps launch, they will also require a Sky Go Extra subscription. Company quote after the break.
BBC's iPlayer revamp goes live for everyone
The BBC unveiled a heavily redesigned iPlayer web client a couple of months ago now, but if you ignored the prompt to opt-in and see the new UI for yourself, we're afraid you can't fight change any longer. Today, the BBC's taken the fresh-faced iPlayer layout out of "preview" mode, thereby retiring the old interface and ushering users to embrace the new one. Aside from looking different, there's now a greater onus on finding new content to watch, and between the launch of the new iPlayer and now, the BBC's already added more ways to filter programmes within the category and favourites tabs. Redesign virgins are best off jumping in and checking it out, and if you're sad you didn't get to say goodbye, the updated apps for set-top boxes and other TV-connected gear are still in preview mode, and the Android and iOS apps are still just like you remember them until they get made-over in "the coming weeks."
Twitch streams more live video than the WWE, MLB and ESPN combined
Video games now have more online spectators than traditional sports. Crazy, right? It's crazy. According to Qwilt, a company that provides video caching services to content creators, Twitch is now the most popular live streaming site in the US. The outfit's analytics group says the streaming site is more popular than UStream, the WWE, ESPN and MLB.com combined, owning a massive 43-percent share of all live streaming traffic. It's slightly shocking from a cultural standpoint, but we can't say we're entirely surprised: with the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and even mobile platforms offering average gamers the chance to put on a show, Twitch is hosting more than a million streams per month. There's simply more content: Twitch streams gameplay 24 hours a day. ESPN has to wait for a sporting even to actually happen.
Netflix speeds soar on Comcast following controversial deal
The past few months have been very active for Netflix, as it's faced new challenges with getting its video streams into homes. It responded to customer complaints and dropping average speeds by making a new connection deal with Comcast, while others like AT&T and Verizon also lined up with their hands out. For Comcast users at least, the recent deal between the cable provider and Netflix does seem to be bearing fruit. Thanks to the agreement -- which allows Netflix to connect its network directly with Comcast's infrastructure to bypass the bottlenecked third parties -- average speeds for streams on the network have surged up to 65 percent, going from 1.51Mbps in January to 2.5Mbps in March. Netflix also notes that it has also seen "early improvements" as a result of its deal with Telenor, an internet service provider in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. "We are dedicated to delivering a great streaming experience and invest in continually improving that experience," states Netflix on its blog. Even if similar deals are on the way with other ISPs, so long as net neutrality only covers traffic over the last mile, Reed Hasting likely has a few more furious Facebook messages in store.
Amazon brings BBC's Sherlock, Dr. Who and more to Prime Instant Video
Amazon's Prime Instant Video streaming service is no stranger to BBC content, but today the two have inked a new deal to bring more British TV shows to the platform formerly known as LoveFilm. There are a bunch of seasons of Sherlock and Doctor Who now available to binge-watch, as well as classic comedies like The Office, Red Dwarf and Ab Fab. Far from an exclusive deal, Amazon's basically playing catch-up to arch nemesis Netflix here, which snagged rights to more or less the same library around this time last month. Still, with only a seven-day catch-up window on BBC's iPlayer (currently, anyway), better access to the archives on any service can only be a good thing.
All screens welcome: watching sports is now easier than it's ever been
Opening Week is upon us and Major League Baseball teams have already started their quest to win this season's World Series, while fans all over gear up for what will hopefully be a very exciting year. And for those who can't make it to the ballpark on a regular basis, keeping up with their favorite team has become a relatively easy feat. A few weeks ago, the MLB, NBA, NHL and others struck a partnership with Time Inc. to launch 120 Sports, with the idea being to provide an online hub that delivers sports video content in a timely manner and across different platforms. This announcement came shortly after the introduction of NFL Now, an all-new digital network that aims to immerse football fans in the ultimate viewing experience -- there will be full on-demand games, highlights, analysis and a lot more to watch. Both initiatives signal how American sports leagues are adapting to the times by introducing viewing experiences that aren't necessarily tied to being at home. Not everyone will be satisfied with the way the content is delivered, but it's worth acknowledging that leagues like the NFL, NBA and MLB are going the extra mile to try to give people what they want.
IOGEAR's latest matrix switcher can stream different video sources to up to four receivers
IOGEAR may've departed from the all-black styling we're used to this year, but it hasn't been able to dream up anything sexier than another utilitarian title for its latest matrix switcher. The "Long Range Wireless 5x2 HD Matrix Pro" does all the same things IOGEAR's existing switcher announced at CES 2013 can: wirelessly beam uncompressed 1080p video and audio from any of five digital or analog sources to a receiver plugged into another TV. What you get with the "Pro" version, however, is twice the range (up to 200 ft), and way more importantly, the ability to stream to up to four different receivers instead of just one. They can each pull video from any of the input sources, too, so every daughter box can hit up the main unit up for different content. There is a mark-up for that extra functionality, though -- the Matrix Pro will retail for around $700 when it launches later this year.
TiVo co-founders joining forces for yet another set-top box
How on earth are you supposed to fill your days after leaving the successful set-top box company you created? Well, if you're TiVo co-founders Mike Ramsay and Jim Barton, the answer is to start all over again. You see, after Barton resigned from TiVo in early 2012, he and long-gone chum Ramsay set up InVisioneer, which has the pair "gearing up to do it again." Domain registrations, online polls and a barebones Twitter account serving up YouTube links are among the footprints Zatz Not Funny has been following to see what the new company is up to. Job listings say the outfit's crafting "a product that sits at the nexus of exciting trends in video, mobile, and social." It seems to have already passed through the FCC in the form of Qplay, a small TV adapter with HDMI-out and an iPad app for controlling it (according to the user manual). Most recently, a little more info popped up on InVisioneer's site, but has subsequently been taken down. This included word that Qplay will provide "new ways to discover, play and share video content," as well as imagery of an iPad app with YouTube and Vine among the tabs. With so many ways to get content from the web to your TV already, we'd hope for Ramsay and Barton's sake that Qplay has an innovative hook. They probably don't need reminding, though -- they're partly responsible for how saturated the market is in the first place. [Image credit: Zatz Not Funny]
Rdio shutters Vdio movie streaming service, offers Amazon gift cards as compensation
Rdio was a bit late to the game when it announced its movie streaming service, Vdio, earlier this year. The spinoff site was available in beta form in the US, the UK and Canada, offering blockbuster flick rentals for $6 and movie purchases for up to 20 bucks. Rdio took Vdio offline today, however, citing an inability to differentiate its offering in a very crowded market. Customers who purchased movies and TV shows or have unwatched rentals will receive compensation in the form of Amazon gift cards, while promotional credit will expire. Click through for a surprisingly succinct FAQ.
YouTube finally arrives on Nintendo 3DS with ironic lack of 3D playback support
If you're looking to head straight from Super Mario 3D Land to the land of cats and hate, you'll no longer have to switch devices, as YouTube is now available on the Nintendo 3DS. You can grab the app from the 3DS eShop in North American and Europe just as Nintendo promised, where it'll join the likes of Netflix and Hulu, which itself launched just last month. Videos appear on the top screen and can be controlled by the triggers and buttons, while suggested videos, stats and search options are displayed below. The one feature that you'd think would be a no-brainer is conspicuously lacking, however: support for 3D videos.
Looxcie 3 gets a new, square design so you can stream video from your kid's chest
Action cams typically go hand-in-hand with the dudebros risking life and limb for adrenaline, and are named to match. Looxcie's target demo's a bit different. Beyond embracing the pun (and creative spelling) at its utmost, the company's new Looxcie 3 aims to get even more wearable with a squarish design that weighs just 1.3 ounces. And if the Looxcie 3's promo shots are any indication, the company's hoping you'll strap this video streamer to your kid's chest and share that whimsy over WiFi (in 480p) live to Facebook. Or record and edit captured 720p video and stills from your smartphone (Android and iOS are both supported). The $100 compact cam supports microSD expansion up to 64GB so you should have plenty of space to keep the cherished memories (or banal moments) stored. You can order the Looxcie 3 now at the link below, but just FYI, the kid leashes are sold separately.
Netflix recruits creators of 'Damages' to premiere a psychological thriller original series
No one can deny Netflix is betting big on its original content -- and for very good reasons, mind you. In light of this, the video streaming giant is already preparing to premiere yet another series of its own: a psychological thriller from the brains behind the television show Damages. Netflix announced today it has signed up Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler and Daniel Zelman to create a 13-episode original, with the plot focusing around "a family of adult siblings whose secrets and scars are revealed when their black sheep brother returns home." The new series, which will be produced by Sony Pictures Television, is expected to start production in early 2014 -- Netflix hasn't revealed the official name yet, but we'll let you know as soon as we find that out. [Image credit: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP]
Wuaki.tv streaming video service exits beta in the UK
The Rakuten-owned, web-based Wuaki.tv video service announced today it's officially ready for prime time in the United Kingdom. Following what the company's calling a successful beta launch earlier this year, which helped it lure in "tens of thousands" of new subscribers, Wuaki.tv appears ready to go head-to-head with streaming services like Lovefilm, Netflix and, thanks to its flexible pricing scheme, iTunes. Moreover, Wuaki.tv points out that being available in Spain, and now the UK, only marks the beginning of its plans for The Old Continent, where it is aiming to be "fully launched in main European countries by 2015."
Amazon adds AirPlay streaming, IMDb integration to Instant Video iOS app
There are many ways to get ahead in the online content game, and one of them is to make sure your services play nice with competitor hardware. To that end, an update to the Amazon Instant Video app for iOS that dropped today means you can now stream to Apple TVs via AirPlay for the first time. In addition, version 2.1 integrates reviews and various info from IMDb, as well as giving you more ways to find things to watch. Concurrent downloads are now supported, and the changelog also boasts improvements to the UI and "offline experience." All in all, it looks like a pretty significant update, so go ahead and hit up the source link to try it out.
Roku 3 finally goes on sale in Canada for $110
It wouldn't surprise us to hear that some people in Canada have already managed to snag a Roku 3. But, the truth is the miniature video player's just now officially hitting shelves there, nearly six months after its release in the US. Evidently, The Great White North availability signifies a footprint expansion for Roku's newest box, and it provides interested Canucks streaming access to over 450 channels -- even newly minted ones like Livestream's. The Roku 3 will be available for $109.99 at many brick-and-mortar and online shops across Canada, including Future Shop, Best Buy, Staples, Walmart and more.
Amazon's Lovefilm reaches deal with Warner Bros. to stream Batman, Thundercats and other animated series
It's only been about a week since Lovefilm struck an agreement with Viacom, but the Amazon-owned service is already preparing to add more video content to its streaming repertoire. As part of yet another deal through Warner Bros., Lovefilm's going to be distributing a plethora of animated series owned by the renowned movie studio. This means Lovefilm users will have access to "more than 15 years worth" of various Batman animated series, as well as others like Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League and Thundercats (yes, that includes the 1980s original). We're interested to hear which series you're looking forward to the most, so feel free to sound off in the comments below. Oh, and don't forget: thunder, thunder, thunder, Thundercats ho!
Lovefilm gets MTV and Nickelodeon through streaming deal with Viacom
Earlier this year, Amazon reached a deal with Viacom to keep many of the media company's shows on Prime Instant Video, even scoring some exclusive content along the way. Now it's time for Amazon's other streaming service, Lovefilm, to benefit from a similar agreement. As you'd expect, Lovefilm's UK subscribers will now be able to enjoy a variety of content from Viacom networks, including shows on MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon. And fret not if you don't enjoy shows like Jersey Shore -- at the very least you'll have the likes of SpongeBob and Go Diego Go! to keep the kiddos busy while you catch up on Man v. Food.
