Two recent events have put the video download Battle Royale on hold… 1) Ben wants his Apple TV back – and who can blame him, I’ve been sitting on it for months. 2) Sony finally entered the fray with a Playstation video store, and I don’t own a PS3. Maybe I’ll get to it, maybe … Read more
At a (work) event in NYC last week, I managed to sneak in a few minutes with the ZvBox. The device essentially broadcasts all PC output over existing coaxial cable to a television in your home. Unlike a typical media extender or something like the D-Link PC-on-TV device, the ZvBox sits at the computer and … Read more
Since acquiring Movielink about a year ago, Blockbuster’s been relatively quiet with the property… The Movielink video download service has carried on in the interim. However, according to the Dallas News a rebranding under the Blockbuster name is nearly complete. A few hundred Total Access members have been provided beta access in a program that … Read more
I’m impressed with the D-Link DSM-330 DivX Connected HD Media Player’s interface and ease of use and the playback quality for formats supported out of the box. There is a market for this type of device, similar to Apple TV, and there’s compelling online content that will appeal to many with this media extender. Unfortunately … Read more
TiVo’s not the only primary television add-on with web video intentions. Verizon is currently beta testing web video on their set-top boxes and their initial marketing partners include Veoh, Blip.tv, Break.com, and YouTube. Unlike TiVo which taps directly into YouTube’s H.264 content, Verizon utilizes their Media Manager PC software as an intermediary. Sites are indexed … Read more
A short while ago I speculated that Verizon would be offering VOD content around the Olympics. A day later the news came out that NBC U and Verizon had indeed done a deal, with on-demand clips and event replays coming to both FiOS TV and V-CAST. Right now on FiOS TV you can already get … Read more
Once the DTVPal was released a few weeks ago, I went ahead and requested two government-issued $40 “coupons” – which are more akin to plastic gift or credit cards. While we’ve still got several months until the digital television transition, there’s a finite amount of vouchers so I’m staking my claim now. Actually, it’s a … Read more
Jabra BT8040 on 12seconds.tv There’s no question the Jawbone offers the best Bluetooth headset noise cancellation technology. But it’s also uncomfortable and pricey. I picked up a Jabra BT8040 for $50 at Best Buy last week for the smaller form factor and multipoint pairing. Thus far, both incoming and outgoing sound quality have been good … Read more