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TiVo's Summer 2014 update makes it even easier to find something to watch
Despite arriving nearly a year after the TiVo Roamio launched, this update looks to be one worth waiting for. To address the age old problem of choosing what to watch, TiVo has two new features that make that much easier. The first is a new third column added to the My Shows view that makes it possible to browse recorded shows by category (movies, kids, sports, etc). You can easily choose which categories are shown -- who watches kids shows anyway? -- and in what order, or revert to your old ways completely (check the demo video embedded after the break to get a feel for how it works). The other new feature is in the same vein, bringing on-demand and web app options to the traditional guide and giving us flashbacks of Windows Media Center's similar option. TiVo Premiere owners will also be very happy with their version of the update since it adds the aforementioned new features but doesn't stop there. As Zatz Not Funny points out, users are reporting much needed speed improvements with an "updated, modern design" that brings it closer to the Roamio experience.
ESPN mulls streaming Major League Soccer to fans without cable subscriptions
ESPN's latest Major League Soccer news could be a boon for cord-cutters. At the moment, there are a few different ways to watch the sports channel's soccer football offerings, but they require a pay TV subscription to do so. According to Reuters, though, that could change in the future. Company president John Skipper says that he's looking for ways to increase revenues for his company and sees a direct-to-consumer sales approach as a possible step toward that. The reasoning? Well, he forecasts that digital advertising revenues (online ads, bumpers during V-O-D broadcasts) will be the "most promising" area of growth over the next two to three years. Skipper mentions the network's recent purchase of rights to digital MLS broadcasts is a clue to future plans, but was quick to note that none of these plans are "very far along." Despite that, Reuters' anonymous sources still claim that a firm plan could be in place within a few months and that the games could be offered through the ESPN3 app -- hopefully via Roku too. [Image credit: Associated Press]
NPD: premium TV networks losing subscribers as streaming services continue to grow
Don't color us surprised by The NPD Group's latest report, one that highlights the decline in subscriptions for paid TV networks over the last couple of years in the US. According to the research, there was a six percent overall drop in the amount of subscribers to channels like HBO and Showtime in the past two years; conversely, video streaming services had a four percent growth in that same period of time. As of August 2013, NPD says 32 percent of American households were subscribed to a premium TV network, while 27 percent held an on-demand streaming subscription. Not surprisingly, the findings note that Netflix is leading the way among US folks, although Hulu Plus and Amazon Prime aren't far behind and have experienced "the biggest growth benefits in the category." A sign o' the times indeed -- and with companies like Netflix producing great original content, these numbers will likely keep getting better for members of the streaming pack. Update: As reported by The Wrap, NPD has pulled the original report from its website, and is reviewing its data, after HBO, Showtime and Starz all claimed their numbers show recent growth instead of decline.
BBC iPlayer tablet viewing overtakes PC for the first time
If you needed further proof tablets are affecting PC usage, the BBC has something it wants to you show you. Eight months after it first saw iPlayer viewing on tablets overtake phones, the broadcaster reports that over Christmas, the rise in iPad, Hudl and sales of other slates helped push tablet viewing past PC streaming for the first time in iPlayer history. The BBC says it saw almost a million downloads (941,000 to be exact) of its iPlayer mobile apps between December 21st and New Year's Day, as viewers rushed to catch up on the Beeb's festive programming. Although PCs overtook tablets again before the New Year, the return of big shows like Sherlock could positively skew tablet viewing figures once more, giving us an idea of what trends to expect in the coming year.
Xbox 360 Time Warner Cable app finally gets video-on-demand
It's been a long wait for Xbox 360-faithful wanting Time Warner Cable video-on-demand through their console, but the feature has finally arrived with some 5,000 promised titles (there's good news for Roku users too, where TWC TV has added VOD to go along with that new YouTube app). If you somehow still aren't entertained, well maybe chatting with other TWC customers via the app's messaging feature will do the trick. This seems a tad redundant when the 360's native messaging client is a few button presses away, but we dig having another way to spoil the latest New Girl for our pals.
Comcast's Xfinity TV Store brings movies, TV shows you can keep to its cable boxes and apps
First revealed in rumors last week, the Comcast Xfinity TV Store is now available, selling movies and TV shows. Until now the cable company has offered its traditional video subscriptions, PPV and video on-demand rentals, but now it's offering more transactions of a more permanent nature. Pricing and content is similar to that of other digital sores like Amazon VOD, iTunes and Vudu, but it has the extra edge of working with user's existing cable TV set-top boxes for viewing on TV, just like Verizon's Flex View. Of course, most of us have one (or three, or five) boxes ready to access digital content but that may not be true for everyone, and any of the millions of customers with access to Comcast VOD should be able to use this. On other platforms, the videos also stream to PCs via the Xfinity Purchases website, and the apps for iOS and Android have already landed. One of our main questions concerned what would happen if a customer leaves Comcast, and while the content will still work, they'll need to complete an account transfer within 60 days to keep access. There's a demo video showing how this all works (embedded after the break) and all the online moving parts appear to be live, for those interested. In the end however, its very typical pricing, DRM and content means that while the studios will be happy with another storefront, we're not expecting it to shake things up anytime soon.
Comcast might start selling movies via its cable boxes, instead of just renting them
According to the infamous "people with knowledge of its plans," cable TV giant Comcast will move from renting video on-demand movies to selling them, in rumors reported by Reuters and The Wall Street Journal. Hollywood studios love pushing the digital sales of movies and have recently expanded efforts to release flicks early for purchase on internet services, weeks before they come out on disc. Any offering by Comcast will probably be similar to what's already out there from stores like iTunes, Walmart's Vudu and even Target, except that instead of just digital access through the Xfinity website and apps, viewers could watch movies right on their cable boxes as well. According to the WSJ, the offering will not be tied to other stores using Ultraviolet authentication, at least at first, so any digital collections will have to start fresh -- something that may not appeal to end users who could find access restricted if they switch service or move to a non-Comcast neighborhood. Verizon FiOS TV already sells movies to end users through Flex View, while Dish Network is mentioned as considering a similar move. One thing that could make Comcast's dive into movie sales more interesting however, is if it follows up on a 2011 patent dug up by Fierce Cable, describing a Groupon-style method of adjustable prices that lower if more people rent or purchase first-run movies while they're still in theaters. Unfortunately, what we'll probably see is just another video store indifferent clothing, but we'll know more once it's officially announced.
Gogo Vision teams up with Magnolia Pictures to offer films in-flight before theatrical release
High speed web browsing and airborne streaming make Gogo an essential element of any tech obsessed traveler's itinerary, but the company thinks it can offer a little more. Today the firm announced a deal with Magnolia Pictures that will put select films on its Gogo Vision VOD service before they hit theaters. Starting next month, passengers will be able to rent The Last Days On Mars and Best Man Down for the usual $3.99 fee, the former of which will be available a full month ahead of its theatrical release. While these inaugural films probably won't break any box office records, the influx of fresh, early access content will certainly be a boon for fliers who forgot to bring a book. So, flying anywhere next month? Skip past the break for a peek at your November viewing options.
Sky adds 'The Wire' and other high-profile TV box-sets to its VOD collection
With the news that Netflix is being brought to Virgin Media's TiVo boxes, Sky needs to cook up some sort of response. That's why the broadcaster has thrown some money around to offer those premium US dramas everyone raved about before Breaking Bad (The Wire, The Sopranos and Mad Men). If you own a Sky+HD box and use Sky Go, you can now binge down on those shows, plus offerings like Seinfeld and Boardwalk Empire. The new collections will be added from tomorrow, nestled alongside existing domestic fare like I'm Alan Partridge and The Inbetweeners. At the same time, Sky has let slip that more channels will be coming to its Catch-Up TV service including Discovery, Star, Watch, G.O.L.D. and E! -- hopefully meaning we'll never again miss an episode of The Soup ever again.
PS3 gets pay-per-view streaming with Live Events Viewer app
PlayStation is expanding its streaming footprint one piledriver at a time with the new Live Events Viewer. Announced at E3 and available today, the app will let you buy and watch pay-per-view events -- starting with this Sunday's WWE SummerSlam -- directly from your PS3 without the need for a cable subscription. Sony is promising that new programming will be available on a weekly basis and that there will be free content in addition to PPVs, too. All that's available right now are UFC and WWE specials, but according to the US PlayStation Blog, concerts, races and "other entertainment events" are en route. You could also get your scripted and unscripted fisticuffs fix on the Xbox 360, but you need an active Xbox Live Gold subscription to use them.
TWC TV app hits Samsung TVs with VOD access, live TV coming soon
Even as Time Warner Cable's relationship with CBS keeps the tag "it's complicated" the cable company has launched a version of its TWC TV app for Samsung's Smart TV platform. We've seen prototypes in years past, but now that it's officially available the app is ready to run on 2012 and 2013 model year TVs. Unlike some of the other versions, this one is video on-demand compatible only, although support for live TV channels is promised by the end of the year. If you don't have a Samsung TV but do have Time Warner Cable, we've heard some more information about plans for other platforms. The Xbox 360 app (with Kinect support) is due in early to mid August, while updates for Android / iOS / Roku are expected in the next few months. There's no firm confirmation of a client for Sony's gaming consoles, but the PS3 is still listed on internal documents, so we'll have to wait and see on that. Samsung TV owners can snag the app by hitting the Smart Hub button on their remote or downloading it from the video category in the app store, let us know if it's worth the wait.
Blinkbox goes HD for Game of Thrones season three, available July 15th
Tesco's VOD service Blinkbox beat all other UK players to the punch when it hosted the second season of Game of Thrones well before the box-set launch, and it's doing the same with season three. It's only just ended, but from July 15th, the latest series will be available to download or stream in its entirety, and what's more, its arrival marks the first time HD content has been accessible on Blinkbox. You'll also be able to watch season three in SD, should you want to, and both previous seasons will get HD options when the third lands. Pricing isn't yet confirmed, but we'd expect the cost to be similar to that of season two, which was £1.79 (around $2.80) per episode, or £17.99 (around $28) for all ten. If you haven't seen Game of Thrones yet, and we highly recommend you do, you've got just over a month to prepare for the Blinkbox launch and subsequent marathon.
DirecTV scores a batch of 4K TV trademarks, content remains a pie in the sky
Despite the flood of 4K TVs that are emerging this year, there won't be a lot of content to play on them in the near future short of space galleries and the World Cup. The team at DirecTV can't provide an immediate solution, but it's at least getting ahead of the curve with a spate of new trademarks. The satellite giant now owns trademarks for the terms 4K, 4KN, 4KNET, 4K Network and 4KNetwork, the lot of which would cover broadcasts, streaming and VOD -- all hinting that the company is at least toying with the prospect of a 4K-only channel or service. Don't get your hopes up, however. DirecTV has declined comment, and there's a big difference between securing a trademark and having the resources to do something with it. We'll have to wait for sufficient capacity on TV networks -- and in our wallets -- before 4K TV channels exist as more than names. [Image credit: Brian Cantoni, Flickr]
Southwest Airlines' on-demand WiFi video reaches all capable aircraft (video)
While we're gradually acclimating ourselves to the idea of watching in-flight video on our own devices and schedules, many airlines aren't quite in step with the idea. Count Southwest Airlines among the more enlightened, then, as its video on-demand system has just finished rolling out to every WiFi-equipped aircraft. If you hop aboard one of the company's Boeing 737-700 or 737-800 jets, you can pay either $5 per movie or $5 for flat-rate TV access on a WiFi device, whether or not you're paying for an internet link. About a quarter of Southwest's vehicles currently go without -- we wouldn't expect VOD on a short hop just yet -- but all new aircraft and AirTran overhauls will see the upgrade. We're mostly content to know that we won't have to always resort to the biggest airlines to keep ourselves occupied during long-haul expeditions.
Sky Go Extra will let users download shows to their mobile devices for £5 a month (update)
Being able to watch Sky TV on the go using, erm, Sky Go, is great, but streaming video away from your home router can often be costly, especially if you're on EE's basic LTE plan. Thankfully, the broadcaster is looking to launch Sky Go Extra, which, if The Telegraph is to believed, will allow up to four users to download anything from the Murdoch library straight to their mobile device. Adding such functionality to your family's viewing habits will set you back £5 a month (after a two month free trial) but that also includes unlimited access to the company's first-window movie catalog, a jewel it's paid heavily to keep out of the hands of rivals such as Netflix Lovefilm. Update: And it's official! PR's after the break.
M-GO video on-demand movie service launches, streams to PCs, Samsung and Vizio players
Rushing in the door with yet another way to rent/buy movies over the internet, M-GO is promising it's the "people friendliest" service we've seen so far. Backed by Technicolor and DreamWorks Animation, it's ready to stream movies PCs through their web browser, as well as connected devices preloaded with its apps including Vizio, Sony and Intel ultrabooks. To live up to that friendly moniker, M-GO promises that if you're looking for a movie it doesn't offer, it will search other stores to find it for you, Flixster style. It also builds a profile of content you like and provides suggestions, sports an "easy as pie" interface as well as support for up to 5 profiles per account to help households browse through their preferred and owned content. On top of that it supports Ultraviolet -- and potentially other digital lockers -- to let users access the content they've already paid for, and has licensed content from NBCUniversal, Paramount Pictures, Relativity Media, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution. We couldn't pull up our Ultraviolet content just yet when we tried it, but with an Android app and plans to show up on LG and RCA devices soon we'll probably have more opportunities to test it soon. Check after the break for the press release with all the details and a preview video, or hit the source link to give it a shot yourself.
Sky refreshes mobile app, lets you remotely download on-demand content to your Sky Box
Sky is ensuring that you'll have some TV to binge on once all of that turkey's been polished off. It's updated the Sky+ app to include on-demand listings, letting you set programs to download to your Sky Box remotely. That way, if you're trapped upstairs, you can tee-up a half-day's worth of Game of Thrones to make leaving the TV room worth your while. That said, if you just want to watch the shows while you're pretending to shoot the breeze with your relatives, there's always Sky Go. Update: Sky has added that remote downloading only currently works while at home (presumably on the same network), but it's planning to add a roaming functionality at a later date.
Redbox Instant pricing, apps and service details revealed by support site
Details about the still-in-alpha Redbox Instant internet movie service have suddenly become more clear, as GigaOm dug up a link to support pages (apparently now password protected) that show off service prices and even screenshots of the website and apps. As noted there, any of this could change before it rolls out to the public, but they show off an unlimited subscription that goes for $6 per month, with a smaller catalog than what Netflix offers, but with recent flicks like Iron Man 2 and Thor. For $8 ($2 more) per month, customers add credits for four DVD rentals each month (no rollover), while video on-demand access to movies starts at $0.99 and goes up. In a disappointing move for Linux users, it appears Redbox and Verizon have selected Silverlight for the web player just like Netflix, instead of Flash like Amazon's Instant Video. Currently, Android, iOS, Xbox 360 and Samsung's Smart TV platform are on deck for apps (check out more screens at the source link) and the page suggests that public launch could come December 17th. Assuming these details hold up, is this enough to pull you away from Netflix / Amazon Prime / Hulu Plus, or maybe add-on another subscription to the pile?
Warner, Redbox agree to 28 day delay on disc rentals, UltraViolet support for Redbox Instant
Redbox and Warner Bros. were at odds in January when Warner wanted to extend the window before discs hit kiosks to 56 days, but now the two have come to an agreement that keeps it at a 28 day delay. When their previous deal expired Redbox said it would find other ways to obtain discs and offer them day and date to its customers, although actually finding them in kiosks could be tough. The new two-year deal covers movies that debut after January 1st, 2013, and claims to improve economics for both Warner (which has apparently seen fit to eliminate the delay entirely for brick & mortar renters) and Redbox. Additionally, Redbox has joined with the DECE team and will support UltraViolet with its upcoming Redbox Instant service. With the new deal, it can offer UltraViolet digital access to Warner movies, and distribute movies through its subscription service. We'll have to wait for Redbox Instant to launch to know more information about that, for now check out the details in the press release after the break.
Lovefilm to start letting users log in with their Amazon info, Kindle owners are up first
Amazon purchased UK movie streaming site Lovefilm nearly two years ago and only now are the two showing some sign of integration. In order to make the app work on Kindle Fire and Kindle HD devices users have to link their Amazon and Lovefilm accounts, and from then on they can sign in with their Amazon credentials on the web or other devices. According to the FAQ posted to announce the switch, anyone that isn't rocking a Kindle but wants to login with their Amazon info anyway will be able to eventually, just not yet. Of course, this is all just a bit premature since the Amazon tablets are still a few days away from launching in Blighty, but if you're carrying around a US import you should see Lovefilm's service pop up in the next week. What this means for Lovefilm as a standalone brand in the future -- as the streaming wars continue to heat up -- remains to be seen, but one less password to remember is a a movement we can easily get behind.
