Apple TV to get long-anticipated upgrade?
For several years, Apple TV has been a mediocre product from a company that rarely accepts mediocrity. Left in the dust by a number of internet video-to-TV devices like Roku and even Microsoft’s Xbox 360, Apple’s offering has remained the same for a year and a half — and is more expensive to boot — $229 compared to Roku’s $99. But today, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster very publicly predicted that Apple TV will get… Continue Reading
Will the Wii jump into the TV set-top box game?
In an interview with Variety magazine, Lionsgate president Curt Marvis let slip that the Wii presents a major opportunity for Hollywood studios to distribute movies and television shows — and that this might be a reality before the year is out. While it isn’t written in stone, someone of Marvis’ stature probably isn’t just blowing smoke.
There are other indications a Hollywood-Wii deal might be in the works: Nintendo has already started developing a video-on-demand service… Continue Reading
ZillionTV takes a new approach to the set-top box
ZillionTV, yet another company serving on-demand internet video to television sets, has unveiled its set-top box to a largely unenthused audience. With Apple TV, Roku, Vudu, 2Wire, Boxee and more already battling it out, it seems doubtful that a player so late to the game will survive. But ZillionTV is taking a different tack that could either help it cut through the competition — or completely tank.
Considering that it’s led by Mitch Berman, veteran executive… Continue Reading
With instant access to movies, Hollywood has a rental problem
Hollywood has a problem. Consumers are opting for online movie rentals and streaming rather than buying DVDs or Blu-rays. And it’s hurting movie makers’ bottom lines.
Recent data indicates that DVD and Blu-ray sales fell off a cliff in the fourth quarter of last year, traditionally a strong quarter for sales as it’s the holiday time. Sure, we’re in a recession and spending is down across the board, but look at the other trend: movie rentals… Continue Reading
Roku’s second act: Amazon Video on Demand
When it launched last year, Roku was a compelling device because it was the first set-top box that streamed Netflix Watch Instantly movies to your television. Now, several other devices do that as well, including Blu-ray players, TiVo, the Xbox 360 gaming console and now LG televisions. Roku needed something else to help set it apart from the others — and today it got just that: Amazon Video on Demand.
Roku’s box will now have access… Continue Reading
Boxee raises funding as it goes after content, your living room
I need to install Boxee. I’ve been putting it off, but it needs to happen — like tomorrow. You see, the media center solution startup has a fairly straightforward way of getting content from providers like Hulu (the NBC and Fox-backed online video streaming site) to your Apple TV. This will allow me to eradicate cable — done deal.
But even for those without an Apple TV, Boxee offers a rich and interesting Apple TV (or… Continue Reading
Roku nabs funds for video and digital media delivery
Digital media device maker Roku announced today that it scored an undisclosed but substantial amount in third round funding. Famous for the Netflix Player — the set-top box that lets you watch any of Netflix’s “play instantly” movies or TV shows in your living room — the Saratoga, Calif. company plans to use the new money to further develop its flagship product and others that stream digital media to the TV.
Menlo Ventures provided the round,… Continue Reading
Stayin’ alive: Roku to open its box
Roku is a compelling little device — right now, anyway. The living room box streams Netflix “Watch Instantly” films. These are movies and television shows that Netflix members can watch anytime for free. The mixture of free instantaneous content and a box that costs only $99 is a nice combo. The problem Roku has is that competition from major players is coming fast.
But rather than sit back and die a slow death, Roku is taking… Continue Reading
Can hi-def porn save Vudu?
Vudu was sitting pretty 16 months ago. The set top box that streams premium content over the Internet to your television had over 5,000 movies from all the major studios except Sony and a bunch of smaller ones. This was impressive compared to its rivals, which at the time included traditional cable boxes and the first version of the Apple TV.
Times have changed.
Now the company faces competition from many of the big guns in the… Continue Reading
Digital distribution red hot: LG Blu-ray player to stream Netflix movies
Ever since Apple beefed up its Apple TV offering by announcing support for movie rentals from all the major movie studios back in January, the battle for digital distribution supremacy in the living room has been heating up. Recently, there’s been a string of big announcements and today brings another: LG is releasing a Blu-ray player this fall that will have the ability to stream Netflix movies to your television.
If this sounds familiar, it’s because… Continue Reading
The Roku box to expand beyond Netflix. Living room Trojan horse?
If you’re a subscriber to the DVD rental-by-mail service Netflix, you probably want to get your hands on the new Roku box. This device lets you stream any of Netflix’s 10,000+ “Watch Now” movies (movies that can be watched immediately over the internet for free with your subscription) to your TV set instantly. Quantities of the device are already scarce.
A new tidbit may make the device even more attractive: With a simple software download, other… Continue Reading
The Netflix Roku box tosses the freshly emerged Apple TV right back in the woods — and they’re thicker
After a lackluster start, things were starting to look good for the Apple TV device. With its 2.0 software update, the media streaming device was able to rent or purchase movies directly to television sets, play HD movies and thanks to a deal Apple cut with the major movie studios, had plenty of content. Just to top things off, Apple even cut the price of the device by $70. It finally looked like it could… Continue Reading