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
After weeks of leaks, the Roku 4 finally breaks cover. As expected, new 4K and 801.11ac capabilities receive top billing, Also, not too shabby is the additional of optical output, unlike the majority of its streaming competition. And the mystery of that top port or sensor is finally solved. It’s neither. But, rather, a remote finder button used in conjunction … Read more
By way of the FCC, and my pals at Liliputing and AFTVNews, I’m pretty sure we’ve uncovered the next Fire TV … and if the filing clues are any indication, it will indeed arrive with 4k capabilities. At the moment, there isn’t a whole lot of 4k content, plus both Amazon and Netflix preloaded onto many … Read more
(Reuters) – Walt Disney Co’s studio unit said customers of Amazon.com Inc and Microsoft Corp’s video services will gain apps to their online movie service. Disney Movies Anywhere can now be accessed through its new app for the Microsoft Xbox 360 and for Amazon’s Fire tablets, Fire TV and Fire TV Stick. Walt Disney Studios added that … Read more
Word on the street is that Apple TV will gain Siri-powered “universal” search with a rumored new $149 model being unveiled next week. Which would be quite curious if they also deliver a more open app platform as, suddenly, Apple iTunes video could compete directly against the likes of Amazon and Vudu. Presumably, should both come to pass, Apple would be … Read more
Plex, now triply confirmed for the platform, is just weeks away as TiVo begins rolling out software version 20.4.7 to Premiere and Roamio units. Its ultimate usefulness and quality will likely be governed by launching as a native app, like Amazon Instant, or living within the Opera TV app store. Neither Plex and TiVo have yet to respond … Read more
Why thank you, Evolution Digital for spilling the beans. We’d previously wondered if Plex might hit TiVo … given its recent Opera TV integration. And, now, we have part of the answer. What’s not yet known if this would be a native app, like Vudu, or an app-within-an-app via Opera. What’s also not known is box support and … Read more
About the same time TiVo rolled out Vudu last fall, Verizon similarly deployed Ultraiviolet to their FiOS TV set-tops. Whereas TiVo went with a 3rd party app, Verizon has natively integrated the UV content locker within On Demand. And my pal Tim took it for a quick spin yesterday. Within the FiOS On Demand UI, you’ll … Read more