Hasta La Gadget!

We knew DirecTV had a few things in mind for its various mobile apps, with the focus being on discovery features and an overall better experience. Now, following a refresh to the iPad app earlier this month, the iPhone version is getting updated to version 3.0. The highlights of today’s release are the completely overhauled look and user interface, which allow users to browse content in an easier way and have more customization options within the guide — things like setting your favorite channels. DirecTV also added a redesigned Info Page that displays more details about the content you’re interested in, while a new Watch Button will let you seamlessly choose whether you want to view something on your iPhone or TV. Oh, and just in case you’re still stuck in the old days, we should tell you that the company says this is the last update to support iOS 5, so any future versions are to only be friendly with iOS 6 or later.

[Thanks, Stuart]

Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, Software, HD, Mobile, Apple

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Source: App Store

Just in case you missed it during Sony’s Gamescom 2013 presentation (and our live coverage), the company kicked things off in a fresh way, letting the PlayStation 4 experience do all of the talking. No words were necessary as Mr. @yosp himself, SCE prez Shuhei Yoshida, casually sat in a chair flipping through the new UI and loading up a quick game of Killzone Shadow Fall. Whether you have loved or loved to hate the PS3’s XMB, this nearly three minute-long demo should fill in many blanks about what life will be like if you pick up one of Sony’s $399 boxes on or about November 15th. Check out the video embedded after the break plus a list of launch window games while you weigh the pros and cons of pre-ordering.

Filed under: Gaming, Home Entertainment, Sony

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Source: Shuhei Yoshida (Twitter)

Thanks to DVRs, you can watch your favorite TV shows anytime you want. TiVo’s new Roamio line of DVRs will let you watch anywhere you want as well. The Roamio DVRs let you record four to six shows at once. They also integrate with the TiVo app so you can browse shows and schedule recordings on an iOS or Android device. Best of all, you can stream or download media on an iOS device. But all of this wizardry comes at a price.

The first potential dealbreaker with Roamio is in figuring out which model to get, because the DVR has three models. There’s the Roamio, the Roamio Plus and the Roamio Pro. The Roamio can’t stream or upload media to mobile devices on its own. You’ll need to buy the TiVo Stream to get that feature. The Pro and the Plus on the other hand both have that streaming functionality built-in. But if you’re using an HD antenna, the Roamio is your only choice because the Plus and the Pro will only work with a Cablecard from your Cable TV provider.

If you’ve emerged from the jungle of jargon and you’re still interested in getting a Roamio, it’s time for the good parts. As I said, all three models work with the TiVo mobile app so you can browse shows and schedule recordings even if you’re not in front of your TV. The Roamio can record up to four shows at once, while the Plus and the Pro can both record up to six shows at once.

All three models also have Wi-Fi connectivity, although they still have Ethernet ports.

As I mentioned above, the Pro and the Plus will let you stream or download media to iOS devices. For now, this only works while you’re on your home network. But TiVo will soon add a software update that extends this feature to any Wi-Fi connection. Both the Pro and the Plus will also get an update that will allow you to watch live TV from an iOS device. In fact the only difference between the Plus and the Pro are their hard drives. The Pro has a 3TB drive while the Plus “only” has a 1TB drive, but since all three models have two USB ports, I’d say save your cash and get the Plus. You can connect additional storage as you need it.

You can order the Roamio, Roamio Plus and Roamio Pro from Amazon, Best Buy or directly from Tivo. The Roamio costs $200 (USD), the Roamio Plus costs $400 and the Roamio Pro costs $600. But you also have to sign up for TiVo’s service, which is another $15 a month. Whew. And that’s the TiVo Roamio line: confusing and a bit costly, but convenient. Now I know why people love Netflix so much.

[via TiVo]

In the least surprising news of the week, as DirecTV’s rights to the vaunted NFL Sunday Ticket package come close to their 2014 expiration date, rumors of who else may bid for them are starting and Google is right at the top. According to AllThingsD, league officials met with the internet giant today and among many topics, the package of rights to air all of the league’s games to out of market viewers came up. As suggested, the folks in Mountain View (and several other companies we can all think of) can certainly afford the reported $1 billion DirecTV has been paying — and YouTube has already shelled out to stream sports in the US and around the world — but whether or not the NFL would actually sell to them is still in question.

As we mused on this week’s Engadget HD Podcast, what’s kept the NFL from selling the package in a different way — explained by league officials as “really in the consumer’s best interest” — so far is a fear that other networks like CBS and Fox would want to pay less to broadcast those games. With billions at stake we’d be extremely surprised to see the status quo actually change, so while anything is possible your best bet without satellite is probably still a copy of Madden NFL 25 Anniversary Edition.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Google

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Source: AllThingsD

Many soundbars are designed for small or mid-sized TV sets, where price and space are top priorities. Samsung is bucking that trend with its newly unveiled AirTrack HW-F850: its follow-up to the vacuum tube-based F750 is built expressly for 60-inch and larger screens. As Samsung can afford a considerably larger bar, the F850 boosts the total power to 350W, up 40W from the F750. The company promises deeper bass from the subwoofer, too. As you’d expect, both Bluetooth audio and NFC pairing carry over from the F850’s tinier counterparts. Samsung expects to ship the extra-large soundbar to Europe in September; the company hasn’t mentioned pricing, although the F850 will likely command a premium over smaller AirTrack models.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Samsung

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Source: Korea Newswire (translated)