Hasta La Gadget!

Think you’re safe from prying eyes when you turn off your computer or smartphone and flip on the TV? That might not be the case if you have a recent LG Smart TV, according to a UK blogger called DoctorBeet. He noticed that his new HD set was sending private data, regardless of whether a (rather hidden) toggle called “Collection of watching info” was turned on or off. In scanning through his router logs, DoctorBeet noticed that TV station metadata was transmitted (albeit to a server that appears inactive) each time he changed the channel. More insidiously, even the names of files on USB keys he inserted were being sent — including one he changed to “Midget_Porn_2013.avi” to prove a point. That appears to go beyond what we saw with its Cognitive Networks hookup, which was supposed to supply more features to users, not advertisers. We contacted LG, who made the following statement:

We’re looking into this now. We take these claims very seriously and are currently investigating the situation at numerous local levels since our Smart TVs differ in features and functions from one market to another. We work hard to get privacy right and have made this our top priority.

They said it could take another 48 hours to actually confirm or deny what’s going on — so, naturally, as soon as we know, you’ll know.

[Image Credit: DoctorBeet’s Blog]

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, LG

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Via: Y Combinator blog

Source: DoctorBeet’s Blog

Philips has just launched Cloud TV at IFA 2013, a service that’ll work on its latest Smart TVs including the hot-off-the-press Philips 9000 4K series. It’ll bring streaming of “hundreds of local, national, international and special interest channels” to 2012 or newer Philips Smart TV models. An app will also be available for those sets to scan all that content, most of which will be free. The company also announced Cloud Explorer, which will let you store your personal photos, video and audio by signing in to Dropbox or creating a new account through Philips. Both are now available in most of Europe and Russia, so if you’re pining for yet another cloud streaming or storage service, check the PR after the break.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD

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Imagine a world where Twitter and Westinghouse hooked up to make Smart TVs powered by Netflix, and that’s kinda what’s happening in China right now. Baidu has hooked up with TCL to let the former’s iQIYI video platform drive the latter’s newest TV. The TCL-iQIYI TV+ (as it’ll be known) is 29mm thick with a “top end” dual-core CPU running Android 4.2.2, and users will have free and permanent access to a library of around 200,000 high-definition video titles. Locals looking to snag the gear will have to save up RMB 4,567 ($746) when it launches at the end of today.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD

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There’s a problem with Smart TVs — they really aren’t all that smart. While having WiFi-equipped sets that can run apps and stream content from the web might make them seem smart, TV’s don’t actually know what content is onscreen when they’re showing, you know, regular broadcast television. (Which is still what those TVs are most used for.) Cognitive Networks, however, has figured out how to make those televisions aware of what’s happening onscreen, and LG is the first manufacturer to leverage the technology with its LivePlus service. LivePlus was first revealed at the launch of Showtime’s Sho Sync app last week, but the Cognitive Networks’ technology powering LG’s platform can do so much more than just display character backgrounds, trivia and other info. To fully appreciate the breadth of possibilities the tech provides, however, it’s important to know how it actually works.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, LG

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Even as Time Warner Cable’s relationship with CBS keeps the tag “it’s complicated” the cable company has launched a version of its TWC TV app for Samsung’s Smart TV platform. We’ve seen prototypes in years past, but now that it’s officially available the app is ready to run on 2012 and 2013 model year TVs. Unlike some of the other versions, this one is video on-demand compatible only, although support for live TV channels is promised by the end of the year. If you don’t have a Samsung TV but do have Time Warner Cable, we’ve heard some more information about plans for other platforms. The Xbox 360 app (with Kinect support) is due in early to mid August, while updates for Android / iOS / Roku are expected in the next few months. There’s no firm confirmation of a client for Sony’s gaming consoles, but the PS3 is still listed on internal documents, so we’ll have to wait and see on that. Samsung TV owners can snag the app by hitting the Smart Hub button on their remote or downloading it from the video category in the app store, let us know if it’s worth the wait.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD, Samsung

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Source: Time Warner Cable Untangled