Hasta La Gadget!

We didn’t doubt the reality of Netgear’s NeoTV PRIME (GTV100) Google TV box after the candid shots of it we saw last month, but as expected, the company has chosen to make it official at CES. In addition to providing access to your favorite on-demand streaming services, just like the standard, PRO and MAX NeoTV models, the PRIME adds all the Google goodies — live TV, the Chrome browser (Flash supported), Primetime, full access to the Play store and, of course, search. It’s also DLNA compatible and, with the pre-installed aVia app, can push media to your TV from USB drives and other storage sources hooked up to the same network, including Android devices. The PRIME is available from today for a cent under $130, making it less than Sony’s Google box, and $30 more than Vizio’s. Hopefully, a decent dual-sided remote will justify that extra $30 (we didn’t like Vizio’s attempt), but if you’d rather use your phone or tablet, a remote control app is available for anything running iOS or Android, too.

Continue reading Netgear’s NeoTV PRIME with Google TV gets official at CES

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD, Google

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Just like the suddenly inescapable 4K, it appears Google TV will be a buzzword for multiple new devices at CES like this Netgear NeoTV Prime (model # GTV100) which GTV Hacker discovered via a pair of curious FCC testing documents. It actually snuck through the FCC before the just-leaked ASUS Qube (more on that in a moment), revealed via a documents for both its Bluetooth-connected remote control and a wireless component, although the box itself remains under wraps. The remote packs a QWERTY keyboard, while up front there’s a touchpad plus the usual assortment of control buttons augmented with several app shortcuts for Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, Vudu, HBO Go and Crackle. It may be wishful thinking, but here’s hoping the inclusion of Amazon and HBO Go buttons mean dedicated apps are on the way, instead of the current website shortcuts. The wireless module is less revealing, only confirming the name, 802.11n, Bluetooth 3.0 and a lack of ad-hoc wireless network support. Check after the break for a couple of more pics, and info on where Google TV may be headed.

Update: We’ve heard a bit more about the box which is apparently in beta testing. At least at the moment, those button shortcuts are still tied to the webapps and some testers are complaining about overheating. We also have pictures of the box itself next to its remote, although it’s possible the design could change before launch.

[Thanks, anonymous]

Continue reading Netgear’s NeoTV Prime (GTV100) is the latest Google TV box outed by FCC filings (update: pictures!)

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Google

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Source: GTV Hacker, NeoTV Prime remote (FCC), NeoTV wireless (FCC)

The first step in any awesome developer adventure is to prove to developers that working with a group like NETGEAR is worth the effort – now that they’ve got Qualcomm Atheros on their team, that goal just got a lot easier. What the folks at the newly announced NETGEAR Developer Program are showing off today to get people pumped up for the program itself is Qualcomm Atheros’ Skifta. This Skifta app is not brand new, but it’s definitely making the whole idea of developing for NETGEAR hardware seem well worth the effort.

What you’ve got with Skifta is an app that allows you to control the media that exists on your home network. If you’ve got a NETGEAR drive sitting in your network, you can access all of the songs, movies, photos, and more in an instant. We’ve got it running on a Motorola DROID RAZR M here today – which just so happens to run a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 dual-core processor under the hood – and the process in gaining access to our media was more than just simple – it was just a couple of taps!

What you’re seeing here is our access to a slightly less traditional server, just to show you how versatile this system is. When we fire Skifta up on the DROID RAZR M, we see our Alienware gaming PC. This PC runs Windows 7 Home Premium and is connected to our wi-fi network with a collection of shared movies, photos, and songs.

We can choose to play a song straight from the Android device here – as shown, or we can connect to most DLNA/UPnP players around the house. You can connect to your PlayStation 3 if you want, or to your DLNA HDTV too – whatever you’ve got prepared. This process essentially turns your Android device into a one-stop-shop for controlling the media anywhere inside your home network. Open it up, scan, select, and play!

This is just one example of the wave of excellence that’ll surely be popping up in the NETGEAR Developer Program soon – stay tuned and get jacked for more!

NETGEAR Developer Program teams with Qualcomm for smart apps galore is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Most homes in developed countries these days come with not only any Internet connection, but rather, a speedy one at that. Having said that, the way we consume media has also changed rather dramatically, no longer do we rent DVDs from a store or a kiosk, but rather, we prefer to just stream whatever we want to watch right there and then onto the TV itself. Not only that, it has been possible for a fair number of years now to be able to record what we do not have the time to watch for consumption later on. Well, Netgear has introduced a trio of new streaming players to the masses, where all of them offer features such as 1080p HD, built-in WiFi, Intel WiDi, access to personal media and hundreds of popular streaming channels including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Vudu and many others.

All three of the new Netgear streaming players fall under the NeoTV name, where one unique point of these new streaming players would be the fact that they are one of the first few in the market to support the HTML 5 standard, a standard which is rapidly being adopted by content providers as the ideal method for streaming entertainment into homes.

You will find in the new NeoTV Streaming Players a widespread use of HTML 5, HLS, and digital rights management tools like Microsoft PlayReady in order to provide access to hundreds of HD streaming channels in addition to a variety of entertainment features, where you as the end user or consumer will be able to enjoy an outstanding home theater experience.

If you have wanted to get a smart TV but have yet to make the upgrade, then fret not – the new Netgear streaming players will be able to get the job done just as well for a presumably far more affordable price. Not only that, if you are not satisfied with the content availability or ease-of-use of your smart TV, NeoTV will be able to broaden your access to content and features apps which are capable of transforming smartphones into remote control devices, making it a snap to find and play content.

The streaming players are the NeoTV (NTV300), NeoTV PRO (NTV300S) and NeoTV MAX (NTV300SL), playing nice with Netflix, Vudu, Hulu Plus, YouTube, Best Buy CinemaNow, Pandora, Rhapsody and many other channels.

The whole Netgear NeoTV Streaming Player range is already in the US, where the NeoTV Streaming Player (NTV300), NeoTV PRO Streaming Player (NTV300S) , and the NeoTV MAX Streaming Player (NTV300SL) will retail for $49.99, $59.99, and $69.99, respectively.

Press Release
[ Netgear introduces new streaming players copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Netgear has updated its NeoTV range of set-top boxes, undercutting Roku and focusing on easily adding future functionality thanks to a new HTML5 interface. The three-strong NeoTV range kicks off at $49.99 for the NeoTV, complete with Full HD 1080p video and 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus surround sound support, and rises to $69.99 for the NeoTV Max with WiDi and a double-sided remote with full QWERTY thumbboard.

In-between there’s the NeoTV Pro, at $59.99, which also has WiDi but lacks the USB port and microSD memory card slot of the NeoTV Max. All three models support 1080p and have both WiFi b/g/n and ethernet connections – Netgear is keen to point out that Roku’s $50 HD model tops out at 720p and doesn’t support wired networks – and the boxes are 20-percent smaller than the previous generation.

Each remote has shortcut buttons for Netflix, Hulu Plus, Cinema Now, VUDU, Pandora, and YouTube, and it’s possible to preset the Netflix button to automatically load into the Kids’ mode interface if your offspring are more likely to be using the STB than you are.

Netgear has also redesigned the UI overall, both visibly and under the hood, and it’s now based on HTML5: that, the company told us, means it’ll be far easier to add new functionality in the future. Netgear will merely have to change its server-side plugins, and users will be able to access updated services such as additional content sources.

The Netgear NeoTV, NeoTV Pro, and NeoTV Max will go on sale this month in the US, and follow on in Canada in November. Availability for the UK, Europe, and Australia is pegged for November or December.

New Netgear NeoTV streaming players aim to wreck Roku is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.