Well that was fast. Within weeks of Anthony Wood prognosticating about virtual MSOs, Bloomberg reports that Dish is working on a new stripped-down TV package to be delivered over the Internet. According to the news agency, Dish is in talks with Viacom, Univision and Scripps. The satellite operator would also bundle broadcast content in with … Read more
Now that the industry has come to grips with the fact that consumers want to watch TV on multiple screens, there’s growing momentum behind video gateways. (Gateways combine regular television with IP video, and allow users to share content across a home media network.) The big winner to date has been the Arris six-tuner super … Read more
Despite being announced three times (1, 2, 3), the Roku Streaming Stick isn’t yet available… however, release nears, as the Stick just passed through the FCC and it seems we’re still on track for an October launch. Roku’s goal with the Stick is to bring “smart TV” capabilities to perhaps dumb sets, without actually requiring a box. But, … Read more
Out looking for a couch, we swung by the neighboring Bang & Olufsen whilst percolating our seating options. And, boy, were we wooed by B&O’s relatively new BeoPlay A3. Labeling this product an iPad “dock” doesn’t do it justice — not to mention, we hear the dock is dead. This BeoPlay is basically a speaker chasis … Read more
2012 Nest left, 2011 Nest right. While perusing the FCC’s seemingly limitless database of upcoming gadgets, looking for something streamy, I landed upon what looks like the second generation Nest learning thermostat. And, I gotta say, the timing is fortuitous… Because, as a new home owner with dual climate control units, I’ve been stockpiling my … Read more
Amid new Roku apps and the launch of the Roku Streaming Stick, company CEO Anthony Wood also let slip this week that Roku “has been in talks” with companies about introducing new lower-cost, broadband-only TV services. Wood said at a recent industry event that he expects a new virtual MSO to pop up in the … Read more
Roku has updated their free Android and iPhone apps with “Play on Roku” — a new feature to beam local photos and music to your television screen via Roku media streamers ($50 and up). I took the photo sharing feature a quick spin under iOS 6 and it works as advertised. In fact, I’d say … Read more
If you caught our TiVo Stream review, you know we dig the new DVR accessory ($130) that streams live and recorded TV around the home to our iOS devices. But it’s not without its shortcomings. And word on the street is Android support may not arrive until 2013. Further, owners of jailbroken iPads and iPhones … Read more