TVCatchup adds catch-up TV for UK’s major broadcasters

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For the first time, the ironically-named live-streaming service TVCatchup is offering catch-up TV. From later today, the outfit will be baking-in links to the UK’s four major broadcasters’ on-demand platforms to its own service — giving you a choice between watching live TV and binge-watching old episodes of Only Connect. While access to BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4OD and Demand 5 is currently limited to the browser, the feature will be rolled out to TVC’s mobile apps in due course.

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GTA 5 companion apps offer custom rides, virtual pooches, interactive maps

DNP Grand Theft Auto V companion apps offer pimped rides, virtual pooches, interactive maps

Need something to pass the time tonight while waiting for Grand Theft Auto 5? Developer Rockstar Games has you covered with a pair of free companion apps for its latest crime sim. The iFruit mobile app features two distinct portions with direct ties to your virtual criminal career, allowing you to customize your ride and train protagonist Franklin’s rottweiler. Los Santos Customs lets you get crazy under the hood and in the body shop, tinkering with your ride until it’s just right for either GTA5 or GTA: Online. Treat Franklin’s dog Chop well enough in the pet trainer Chop the Dog, and he’ll find hidden in-game loot for you. The iFruit app is iOS-only for now, but flavors for Android, Windows Phone and even PlayStation Vita are en route.

There’s also an e-version of the game’s manual, because Rockstar apparently couldn’t squeeze the full 100 page-plus tome into print for the retail box. What’s more, it features an interactive map, and is available now on the App Store and as a desktop app — an Android version is “coming soon.” Midnight doesn’t seem so far away now, does it?

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Via: Joystiq

Source: Rockstar Newswire, iTunes (1), (2), Rockstar Games (direct download)

YouTube testing Chromecast support for embedded videos

Chromecast achieves Zen

Anyone wanting to stream YouTube videos through a Chromecast currently has to visit YouTube’s website or run one of its mobile apps. Viewers may soon have more options, though, as Google has confirmed to GigaOM that it’s publicly testing Chromecast support for embedded YouTube clips on third-party web pages. Right now, access is random at best — the “send to” button only appears some of the time, and might not be available to everyone. The company says it’s monitoring feedback from these experiments, however, and it could offer embedded video support to more Chromecast owners if all goes well.

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Source: GigaOM

Must See HDTV (September 16th – 22nd)

After an all too long wait, GTA 5 has arrived — check out Joystiq’s review here. For a different source of violent content, you might also want to check out the series finale of Showtime’s Dexter this weekend or World War Z on Blu-ray. Breaking Bad’s penultimate episode is also on Sunday night, while other shows including Under the Dome and Million Second Quiz are packing it in for the fall. New arrivals this week include Fox’s controversial Dads, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, while Bones, New Girl, The Mindy Project and Key & Peele are all brand new. Look after the break for our weekly listing of what to look out for in TV, Blu-ray and gaming.

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Grand Theft Auto V arrives tomorrow, read Joystiq’s review right now!

Grand Theft Auto V arrives tomorrow, read Joystiq's review right now!

Despite some early leaks, the vast majority of humans can’t pick up Grand Theft Auto V until tomorrow, September 17th. Fortunately for our friends at Joystiq, though, they got to do a dive deep on the latest Rockstar Games flagship in an early review. In traditional GTA fashion, “You can run the streets of a fully-realized world, steal cars, cause chaos and attempt to flee from an extraordinarily irritable police force,” Joystiq‘s Xav de Matos writes. New to the series this time around is heist missions, which task the game’s three main characters (all playable) with, well, heisting valuables from a target (think: banks, jewelry stores, et cetera).

Though De Matos generally found the game worth his time, it sounds like the narrative beats are once again hampered by poor pacing and underdeveloped, over-the-top characters. “Since GTA V features three main characters with vastly different personalities, your time is split, and the narrative isn’t given enough room to resonate,” he says. There is of course much, much more to discuss, which you’ll find in the Joystiq review, right here. We’ve also dropped five minutes of gameplay video after the break, should your fires not be stoked enough already.

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Source: Joystiq

CBS Sports will stream Alabama vs. Texas A&M on its website, mobile apps

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When Alabama takes on Texas A&M in college football this afternoon, CBS will have more to offer than just a dedicated “Johnny Cam” following the Heisman winner all day (no, it will not be giving away autographed memorabilia). CBS plans to stream every SEC “Game of the Week” (most are TBD right now, check the schedule after the break) it broadcasts, and this one is up first. That means fans can watch on CBSSports.com or via its iOS mobile app (update: Android too). As an added bonus for fans, just like its Super Bowl live stream and in the NFL’s Game Rewind service, there’s an All-22 “eye in the sky” angle available as an alternative to the broadcast feed. Shot from a high view over the 50 yard line to show ever player on the field, it lets fans who dig the Xs and Os watch the way coaches do when they break down game film. Internet viewers will have the alternate camera angle plus live stats, Twitter integration, polls and on-demand video clips.

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Source: CBS Sports

Sony BRAVIA Smart Stick revealed, it’s Google TV in a Chromecast-looking dongle

Sony BRAVIA Smart Stick MHL dongle revealed with Google TV and Sony apps

The Sony NSZ-GU1 Google TV device we’ve seen pop up in FCC filings has been at least partially revealed today, and it’s called the Sony BRAVIA Smart Stick. The blog post doesn’t specifically mention any Chromecast-style features, but it is an MHL dongle that runs both Google TV and Sony’s own BRAVIA apps. The features are just like Google TV boxes Sony has released before, with a remote (that the FCC filings showed is at least similar to the previous ones) that has QWERTY and voice search support. Additionally, its “picture-and-picture” feature lets users see a browser in one window and TV in another. Since it’s a true Google TV device it can install and run Android apps from the Play Store, but any other details will have to wait until it’s officially announced on Sunday (the truly dedicated can dig into the source code, linked after the break). Of course this does leave one other question: Now that app support is available as a simple plug-in dongle, does that mean Sony is going to ship plain-jane HDTVs and leave the “smart” features for add-on accessories like this one?

Update: @CJ_000 points out the web-based instruction manual is up on Sony’s site, and should answer most questions about how it works. It also lists the pre-installed apps, and at least so far, Hulu Plus is not among them. We’re not seeing any DIAL-related features available to start with, so now we really want to know when it will be available, will it work with TVs other than Sony and how much will it cost?

Update 2: Reader Bryan points out a page in the manual that confirms this accessory is only for 2013 model year (and later) Sony HDTVs.

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Source: Sony Blog

ESPN Sync brings dedicated real-time sports coverage to the second screen

ESPN Sync punches realtime sports with secondscreen web app

After its slow but steady implementation of companion features in its mobile and web services, ESPN is ready to go live with its first dedicated second screen sports app. With its ESPN Sync, the broadcaster will focus first on its Spanish-language channel, ESPN Desportes, delivering real-time news, sports scores and interactive live videos for major sporting events. The company has trialled all manner of real-time features in the past — from tickers, to fly-bys and other additional goodies — but ESPN Sync is the first to tie them all together. It’s chosen a great time to launch too: the app will debut just in time to distract you during the Mayweather vs. Canelo fight on September 14th. ESPN’s new web platform will also play host to more than 60 events over the next year, streaming games from the MLB World Series, NFL Playoffs, NBA Finals and football soccer matches from the world’s biggest leagues. ESPN Sync is available on iOS, Android and desktop devices, but be warned — you’ll only get the most out of it if you know your fuera de juego from your contraataque.

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Source: ESPN Sync

U-Verse brings passive aggressive texts to your big screen with ‘TV Notes’

DNP UVerse TV Notes brings passive aggressive texts to any screen in the house video

Look out, your U-verse service is about to get naggy. With the newly launched TV Notes feature, you can send messages to any connected display in the house, either by set-top box or mobile phone if you’re out, and they’ll pop up in a hard-to-ignore spot on your screen. There’s also a scheduling option for setting messages to arrive at a specific time on a given channel or on a repeat basis. Oh, and blocking out the entire screen with one of these reminders is possible, too — perfect for telling the kids to dust the 65-inch plasma instead of just watching it.

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Source: AT&T

Distro Issue 107: How Edward Thorp gambled his way into wearable-tech history

Distro Issue 107 How Edward Thorp gambled his way into wearabletech history

Edward Thorp was banned from casinos in Vegas for counting cards. He even published a book on his system for winning at the blackjack table using the mathematical theory of probability. While working at MIT, he built what many consider the first wearable device for — you guessed it — beating roulette. In a fresh issue of our weekly, Donald Melanson profiles Thorp’s gaming of the system and how he ended up the unlikely father of wearable computing. Eyes-On has a look at Sennheiser’s cans, Hands-on grabs up both of the new iPhones and IRL takes a gaming focus. Jump down to your digital library of choice to snag your copy and settle in for a gadget-centric history lesson.

Distro Issue 107 PDF
Distro in the iTunes App Store
Distro in the Google Play Store

Distro in the Windows Store
Distro APK (for sideloading)
Like Distro on Facebook
Follow Distro on Twitter

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Source: iTunes, Google Play, Windows Store