TV Shows

More Widgety Widgets from Verizon

Okay, so I’m a little behind on my FiOS TV widgets. In the last few weeks Verizon has introduced two new ones, bringing MLB and Yelp into the FiOS fold. The new widgets do pretty much what you’d expect. MLB brings you news, scores, stats, and player updates, and if you’re an Extra Innings subscriber you can also get customized alerts for up to ten different teams. Meanwhile the Yelp widget offers a local business directory with customer ratings, and details on venue pricing, parking, etc.

The big question here: do users want this stuff on their TVs? I’ve generally been a fan of Verizon’s widget work in the past, but TV widgets are now in direct competition with ever-present apps on smartphones, smartbooks, and (smart?) slates or tablets. Users may not always have a mobile or computing device nearby, but when they do, it’s often going to be the better choice for looking up specific information or engaging in social interaction. Think about it. Are you more likely to tweet on your TV or from your phone?

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The Future of TV… is TV

As a follow up to the failure of CableCARD and customer service post, I’m back in business. Cox Communications reps continued to reach out yesterday, but I was frustrated and beat down – and not interested in providing any more explanations of the issue or facilitating additional troubleshooting. So they went about resolving the situation on their end. Not sure what was done, but my entire channel lineup is now available on the TiVo Premiere (with it’s own set of issues that we’ll get to). Which dovetails nicely with the question of cutting the cord…

As attractive as it may seem to dump the cable co, it’s not really an option in our household. We enjoy our premium TV. And we enjoy the (usual) simplicity of our setup. There’s no question that over-the-top video is now everywhere. And expanding. Yet, the selection remains unpredictable. As does the quality of content and delivery. (Low-res Alf reruns on Hulu entertain for all of ten minutes. OK, maybe 20, Mr. Shumway.) However, there are options… for tech enthusiasts like us. But for most folks, beyond STBs with integrated Netflix or YouTube streaming, Internet-sourced content in a lean-back environment is a mystery.

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The Masters in 3D at Sony Style

With a Sony Style store around the corner, I headed out yesterday for a peek at the Masters Tournament in 3D. It was just me, one avid golf fan, and a Sony Style staffer. In other words, the viewing event clearly wasn’t a big draw for the store. Nonetheless, Sony sucked me in, and I … Read more

Get Your Golf On… In 3D Of Course

I’m still reveling in last night’s glorious NCAA tourney championship game, but for those with an interest in The Masters and Tiger’s upcoming return to golf, there are now multiple ways to get the experience in 3D. Comcast, Cox, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, and Shaw in Canada (plus two unnamed European operators) have all nabbed … Read more

The Olympics – Big Screen Edition

Sure it’s 2010 and you can now get your Olympics fix online (albeit with some headaches), but if you’re home in front of the big living-room screen, why not take advantage of the all-HD experience? NBC Universal is offering coverage on NBC, USA, MSNBC, CNBC, and Universal HD, and, as in years past, the broadcast … Read more

The Top (Pantsless) Ads of Super Bowl 44

Fortunately, I don’t need to come up with the perfect ‘Ads of Super Bowl 44’ lede as NewTeeVee pretty much nailed it: Beer solves lots of problems, women hold men back from their dreams and this year, pants are optional. But I can’t say there are any commercials we’ll remember beyond this week. My personal … Read more

How’s Your Cable Company Treating You? (HD)

Being enrolled in auto-pay, I rarely see a cable bill. However, now that Dexter and Californication have come to an end for the year, I took a look at my latest statement before canceling Showtime ($16/mo) earlier this week. When I moved over the summer, from a Comcast region to Cox, I gave up several … Read more

To Xfinity and Beyond! (For real this time.)

That’s right, today is the day that Comcast officially launches it’s version of TV Everywhere, not quite in time for Hanukkah. While the Xfinity name is somewhat unfortunate, it appears we’re supposed to think of the service as the next generation of Project Infinity. For those of you paying attention, Comcast launched Project Infinity back … Read more