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Digital Media Bytes

A periodic roundup of relevant news… Comcast Appears to Soft Launch First 4K DVR Dish Network is quietly putting Android TV in hotel rooms DISH Hopper integrates with Amazon Alexa for hands-free TV Amazon Video can now stream in 4K on Xbox One S Android TV to gain new home launcher and Google Assistant with … Read more

Microsoft Shelves Xbox One DVR

To deflect the bad news, ahead of what sounds like a number of interesting reveals next week, after crunching the numbers Microsoft has announced their intention to pass on the messy, potentially limited but free Xbox One DVR functionality: After careful consideration, we’ve decided to put development of DVR for Over-the-Air TV on hold to focus our attention on … Read more

Digital Media Bytes

A periodic roundup of relevant news… Live television headed to Amazon Fire TV. Microsoft prepping a Roku-fighting Xbox streamer? Xiaomi to launch 4K Android TV in US as Google discontinues Nexus Player and Nvidia Shield sees nice updates. Both Apple and Google are developing Amazon Echo voice control home companion competitors. DISH HopperGO sidecar now available to offload Hopper DVR recordings … Read more

Halo 5 is $10 Off via Amazon Prime

With two A-list shooters landing within ten days of each other this fall, a choice had to be made. Having taken the Call of Duty multiplayer beta for a spin in August, I quite prefer it to last year’s edition… but quickly grew bored. I do appreciate the swiped Titanfall jetpacks and wallrunning, but it’s mostly the same old, same old. So … Read more

Xbox One To Receive Makeover, Courtesy Windows 10

Amongst the predictable onslaught of rehashed new games out of E3, comes word that the Xbox One is set to receive a significant makeover – courtesy new Windows 10 underpinnings. And it really can’t arrive soon enough as I find the current interface unwieldy and disorienting. Granted, I am middle-aged and perhaps my synapses don’t fire as fast … Read more

Xbox One Going Windows 10, Getting Background Music

Given Microsoft’s strategy to deploy Windows 10 across all computing devices, including computers and smartphones, I guess it’s not entirely surprising they intend to similarly unify the Xbox One onto the platform later this year. Whether or not this translates into a less crazy user interface remains to be seen, but it does seem highly likely that background music streaming will be one compelling benefit of migrating to the new operating system. It’s a feature I’m surprised we haven’t seen more – and something I periodically have appreciated from the WDTV Play and Amazon Fire TV.

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The Microsoft DVR Is Dead; Long Live The Microsoft DVR

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Microsoft’s been in the DVR business for eons… and in all sorts of forms, like this long-forgotten LG set-top. They’ve also excelled at ignoring and exiting the DVR business. Which is why it should come as no surprise that Windows 10 will not feature any sort of Media Center experience. In fact, I wouldn’t have even thought to ask the question. Well, amidst release of the currently limited function Xbox One TV tuner comes word that television recording may return (via a more suitable platform in my estimation).

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