Hasta La Gadget!

Microsoft is prepping a remedy for Windows Phone 8 which will squash a bug that’s caused some devices loaded with the OS to reboot without notice. According to a statement issued by Ballmer and Co., Redmond and its partners have identified the cause of the restart woes and are working on pushing out an over-the-air update in December. However, Microsoft is remaining coy regarding what’s behind the mishap. Sure, a randomly restarting handset is cause for agitation, but remembering that the latest release of Windows Phone has accounted for the month of December might be a small consolation.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Microsoft

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Source: AllThingsD

The company with so much love it changed its name to fool its fans is at it again, this time killing the signal that provides guide data directly to many televisions and set-top boxes. You see, before changing its name from Macrovision, Rovi acquired Gemstar-TV guide in 2008 — which was probably most well known for the integrated program guide common in higher end TVs throughout the last decade. While most people just use the guide offered on their provider’s set-top, this guide is for those who actually use the clear-QAM or over-the-air tuner in their TV. The way it worked is that manufacturers baked the software into the TV, which would then tune into a local affiliate’s broadcast of a week’s worth of guide data. The setup successfully made it through the digital transition — minus the truckloads of analog-only TVs ceasing to work along the way — as new TVs featured a digital version of the service, as well as some digital converters, like the DTVpal DVR.

Continue reading Rovi is shutting down its OTA TV guide service without notice

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: Twice, AVS Forum

The Wii U has only just arrived (with all of its streaming apps) and we’re already discussing rumors for the next generation of Xbox. Meanwhile Comcast is letting users view TV on their mobile devices offline, and Verizon has launched live TV streaming to its iPad app. In sports news YouTube has locked up NBA D-League streaming, while ESPN continues to chase the bigger fish of the BCS Playoff games and the lure of TV money is helping shape conference expansion. We’ve also got news on a few new things to watch, so press play to listen in. We were having some RSS issues after the redesign, but those should be straightened out now — if you still notice any problems let us know on Twitter or in the comments below.

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Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh (@bjdraw), Richard Lawler (@rjcc)

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00:11:30 – Rumor: Microsoft preparing set-top box version of next Xbox, to be revealed pre-holiday 2013
00:20:41 – Nintendo Wii U (finally) gets YouTube app, works on GamePad too
00:22:25 – Comcast Xfinity TV Player update adds downloads for offline viewing on iOS, Android
00:25:15 – Verizon FiOS Mobile app for iPad updated with streaming access to 75 channels
00:29:45 – YouTube’s biggest sports deal so far will bring live NBA D-League games
00:32:33 – ESPN3 finally comes to Cablevision, WatchESPN ‘coming soon’ to Optimum TV to GO
00:36:00 – WatchESPN lands on Xbox Live with split screen viewing and more
00:41:30 – ESPN signs dozen year deal for Division 1 college football playoff games
00:46:10 – Big Ten Network carriage agreements may be motivating conference expansion
00:53:50 – Disney to shut down its Online streaming site
00:58:48 – CinemaNow adds Ultraviolet support to some of its movies
01:03:45 – David Attenborough’s Galapagos 3D begins airing New Year’s Day in the UK on Sky 3D
01:06:39 – Game of Thrones Season Two Blu-ray set arrives February 19th
01:13:00 – Must See HDTV (November 26th – December 2nd)

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Filed under: Podcasts, HD

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Verizon and NBCUniversal has struck a “TV Everywhere” rights agreement so that FiOS customers will be able to watch the media company’s entire programming portfolio live and on-demand via multiple platforms. In fact, some of the programming is accessible via the Verizon FiOS Mobile iPad app already, like USA, CNBC, MSNBC and Bravo. The agreement extends to retransmission rights from local NBC and Telemundo stations, future Olympic games and various Comcast SportsNet markets like Philadelphia, Mid Atlantic and New England. Hoping that exclusive movie rental window like the one in the UK will cross the pond? Don’t hold your breath, but Verizon FiOS customers shouldn’t have long to wait for the NBCUniversal package, which starts early next year.

Continue reading Verizon and NBCUniversal bring TV Everywhere to even more places

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Verizon

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Motorola may face a new contender to the Droid RAZR MAXX HD’s battery capacity crown. Lenovo’s quietly introduced IdeaPhone P770 at least theoretically challenges its American counterpart by cramming a 3,500mAh lithium polymer battery into a thicker 11.9mm (0.47-inch) body. That’s 200mAh more than Motorola’s energy champion, and enough for the company to flaunt a 29-hour talk time. That’s not quite as long as Motorola’s claimed 32 hours, but Lenovo has done something its American rival seemingly can’t — launch a phone with Jelly Bean. Motorola might rest easier in knowing that the the P770 is an unrepentantly budget-focused behemoth, carrying a 4.5-inch qHD display, a (possibly MediaTek-made) 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 4GB of built-in storage, an 8GB microSD card and both 5-megapixel rear as well as VGA front cameras. For the ¥1,699 ($273) Lenovo is asking for an off-contract model in its native China, the P770 could still be the first pick of many local phone owners on long-haul trips. It’s just a shame that the lack of 4G (and Lenovo’s domestic-first mobile strategy) likely means we won’t see a launch in the US.

[Thanks, FT]

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Lenovo

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Via: Unwired View

Source: Lenovo (translated)