Hasta La Gadget!

While we saw cable and IPTV providers promising pay-TV channels without a box (at least in that room) at CES 2012 we were skeptical, since we’ve been burned before, but now Verizon FiOS TV has followed up the launch of its app on Xbox 360 by quietly releasing the version for Samsung’s Smart TVs and Blu-ray players. Like the Xbox 360 app of course, you will need to already be a Verizon FiOS TV customer, so if it’s not in your area you’re still out of luck. One of our readers noticed the app pop up on his 2011 model Samsung HDTV, and Verizon just posted a quick video trailer (embedded after the break) previewing the app’s ability to tune into 26 live channels, as well as FlexView video on-demand content. Tipster ProphetBeal noted the channel changes seemed quicker than on the Xbox 360 app, although they were otherwise very similar. There’s a few more screens awaiting you at the source link, as well as a list of compatible devices.

[Thanks, ProphetBeal]

Continue reading FiOS TV app for Samsung HDTVs and Blu-ray players available with 26 live channels (video)

Filed under: Home Entertainment

FiOS TV app for Samsung HDTVs and Blu-ray players available with 26 live channels (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Aug 2012 12:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rovi considers itself the master of TV program guides everywhere — even if some disagree — so it’s almost inevitable that the company would negotiate a new patent license with Google. The deal puts all of Google Fiber’s TV interfaces in the clear, whether it’s the set-top box near the TV or the less traditional interfaces found on the web and the Nexus 7 remote. Considering Rovi’s existing connection to Google TV, the new pact may cement the company and its partner in Mountain View as surprisingly close friends.

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Rovi lands Google Fiber patent license deal, keeps program guides flowing originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Viacom’s frenemy, DirecTV, has announced that it suffered a net loss of subscribers for the first time in its history. The revelation came in its second quarter filing, which claimed that the exodus is actually a purge — due to a tighter credit policy and a change of focus toward “higher quality” customers. The dip in numbers hasn’t hurt the balance sheet, however, with revenues up seven percent to $5.65 billion, leading to a net profit of $604 million. This time out, there’s no reference to the recently-minted deal to keep Viacom’s stations on the service, believed to be in the region of $600 million per year — but we expect it to appear on the books in the next quarterly report.

Filed under: Home Entertainment

DirecTV waves goodbye to 52,000 subscribers in first ever net loss of customers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 09:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s not available to all, but if you’re running the latest version (2.08) of the Netflix app on your PlayStation 3 you may see a prompt for a new item called Netflix Max, spotted by one of our readers. Described by a PR rep we contacted as a “new user experience” the company is testing, the assistant talks to users directly and asks them to rate a few movies on the spot before providing new suggestions. The Noisecast was among the first to try out the new experience and even has a few tips on how to get it for yourself, although it didn’t work on our PS3, even after uninstalling and reinstalling the app to get the latest version. The blog mentioned it does more than simply rating movies also, as it sometimes asked users to select movies based on specific criteria, like the starring actors. It can be brought up by pressing the square button on your PS3 controller, although how much you enjoy the gameified experience may vary.

Pulling gems out of a catalog filled with older and lower profile movies is a complaint of many Netflix subscribers though, so any attempt to help is welcome, but we’re not immediately sure this is the way. According to Netflix, it’s waiting to see if the tool leads to “increased interaction” (read: more viewing hours / less likely to cancel, on average) before deciding whether or not to roll the tool out widely, so if you have it and like it, vote with your remotes.

[Thanks, Sean aka Prophet Beal]

Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment

Netflix testing ‘Max’ assistant on some PS3 users to improve movie recommendations originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Aug 2012 18:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fanhattan’s often been praised for offering a one-stop hub where folks can keep track of all their cherished entertainment shows, which has led it to become a crowd favorite amongst iOS users. Well, today the application’s expanding its TV guide services a little more, announcing it’s now showing content from 10 new providers, including HBO, Cinemax, NBC and, better yet, The CW — you know, because we just can’t miss out on the latest Gossip Girl episodes. In addition to these channel inclusions, Fanhattan’s also introduced a novel, Amazon-esque WatchList feature that pushes out alerts as soon as added shows (movies, too) are ready to be watched. If you’ve yet to give the handy application a try, you can do so now by grabbing it at no cost from Cupertino’s well-known app mart.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablet PCs, Software

Fanhattan updates iOS app with WatchList feature, content from Cinemax, HBO and NBC originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jul 2012 18:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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