Samsung tipped to acquire Boxee in their hour of need

Though the acquisition rumors from half a month ago hadn’t turned up any solid announcements as such, today’s report has Samsung picking up the Web-TV organization Boxee in full. According to Israel-based The Marker, Samsung has picked up the digital video startup for a cool $30 million, complete with 40 workers in tow.

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This acqisition would have Samsung continue to employ 40 workers from the group – and it’s not clear at the moment whether this represents the full set of employees from Boxee or not, mind you. Samsung is expected to use Boxee technology in their own future TV sets and set-top boxes while it appears that the Boxee Box itself may turn to dust.

Having originally been established as a software in 2007 with several rounds of investment leading up to a total of $28.5 million, creators Avner Ronen, Idan Cohen, Tom Rock, Roy Vulcan, and Gideon Kazin turned in 2010 to a bit of hardware called the Boxee Box in collaboration with the accessory and peripheral company D-Link.

Fast forward to 2012 and the Boxee dongle comes forth as Live TV, ringing in at $49 and bringing on web content in a tiny package. Boxee found itself the subject of scrutiny from cable groups and the company aimed for Cloud DVR services – now with not quite as solid a future ahead of them, it would seem that Samsung as picked a key moment to bring a pocketbook full of cash.

But remember – as with all tips and suggestions without comment from either company involved in an acquisition, we’ll need to wait for confirmation before we can say Samsung is bringing on Boxee’s next generation. Hang around and see what becomes of it!

VIA: Business Insider


Samsung tipped to acquire Boxee in their hour of need is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Netflix gains exclusive web streaming with New Girl

It would appear that the burgeoning comedy series New Girl will become Netflix next exclusive online series – and not just because Zooey Deschanel thinks it’s cute to watch television on a notebook. This deal appears to be kicking the show out from Hulu where it’s called home since birth – now you’ll be watching the full series on the big red network instead.

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This is also only the latest in a line of exclusive deals that web-based video streaming companies have initiated. The show itself will still be shown on television, and indeed you will not be able to see episodes any earlier than you’d have been able on Hulu, but here you’ll get the whole mess of them at once if you wish.

This show has been on for several seasons and, for a while last season, had been rumored to be going the way of the dodo due to mixed reviews. Here it would seem that the cast and crew are ready to stick around for some time to come.

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The addition of this show to Netflix exclusive series of shows is a bit more symbolic than it is game-changing. Netflix collection of home-made series grows at a rate roughly the same as they’ve added shows that appear on television before they hit the web, and with mid-tier additions like New Girl making their way to the network, it may only be a matter of time before they grab hold of more big-name beasts.

And keep shows alive, as well. How else would a show like Arrested Development been able to have a bonus season if not for the big N?

VIA: Bloomberg; Engadget


Netflix gains exclusive web streaming with New Girl is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2013, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Sony Begins Testing Improved Video Streaming Service For PlayStation Store

Sony is beta testing a faster and more adaptive format by offering a number of films at discounted prices.

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Time Warner Streaming TNT, TBS On Multiple Devices Starting This Summer

ABC looks like it won’t be the only television channel to offer an application making it possible for viewers to watch live TV on their mobile devices as Time Warner is now looking to stream some of its channels as well. […]

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Netflix retains lead in streaming video, YouTube in second

With YouTube hitting over one billion monthly users back in March, one would assume that the streaming video website leads the way in the category, but it’s actually Netflix that’s number one in streaming video. Netflix has accounted for a third of all internet traffic for the past three years, and today’s latest ratings keep the streak going.

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According to data from Sandvine, Netflix tops the list of “online video downstream sources” for the first half of 2013 (most likely thanks to House of Cards). The Reed Hastings-led company comes in at 32.3% on the list, with YouTube coming in at a distant second at 17.11%. And while other streaming services have claimed to have significant growth, today’s results show otherwise, with Amazon and HBO remaining stagnant for the most part. These two companies are at the bottom of the list with 1.31% and 0.34%, respectively, both of which are drops compared to last year.

Hulu, iTunes, and Facebook also made the list. Hulu, specifically jumped from 1.1% to 2.41% this year, making it the streaming video service to watch out for other than Netflix and YouTube. Granted, these results only track internet traffic on home networks. Things are a bit different when you only track mobile web traffic.

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YouTube came out on top in mobile streaming traffic with 27.33%, while Netflix is way at the bottom of the list with just 3.98%, proving that Netflix isn’t all too popular on mobile devices while on the go. Other services to make the mobile streaming list include Google Play, Pandora, and BlackBerry, although they were also down toward the bottom, with Facebook placed toward the top.

In Netflix’s latest quarterly earnings, the company boasted an increase of three million subscribers during the three-month period, which brings the service’s total user base up to 36 million. If the trends continue, Netflix will be a force not to be reckoned with, especially when they consume a third of all internet traffic. The company even went as far as saying that they contribute to the decline in piracy, but BitTorrent doesn’t believe it, saying that Netflix’s claims are fallacious.

VIA: AllThingsD

SOURCE: Sandvine


Netflix retains lead in streaming video, YouTube in second is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Netflix Updates PlayStation 3 Player With Improvements To Audio, Trickplay Mode

If you own all of the major video game consoles, you probably tend to use your PlayStation 3 when it comes to Netflix. Which is why we’re not entirely surprised to hear Netflix is announcing an update to its player on […]

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Nielsen Will Soon Launch Program That Counts Internet TV Viewers

Nielsen Will Soon Launch Program That Counts Internet TV Viewers

Watching TV has gone beyond sitting in front of your television screen to watch a show as it is aired as the inclusion of DVRs and online streams have made it possible to watch a new episode of your favorite show at any time. That’s why the Wall Street Journal’s report of Nielsen possibly launching a digital program to cover Internet streaming makes complete sense.

According to the WSJ, Nielsen’s TV ratings system will soon be able to count Internet views through its “Nielsen Digital Program Ratings” pilot program. The program will launch with participation from NBC, FOX, ABC, Univision, Discovery and A&E and will be able to track their respective shows’ viewership through streaming video that is posted on their respective website. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Netflix Ditching Microsoft Sliverlight For HTML5, Short Film Starring Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates Wants Kids To Learn To Code,

    

PLAiR device recollects Nexus Q laptop-to-TV video streaming

It would appear that the lost product that was the Google Nexus Q is back again – though not created with the same technology, exactly, and certainly not manufactured by the same brand. What’s appearing this week is a device by the name of PLAiR, made approximately the size of the palm of a human hand and attachable to the back of your television via its full-sized HDMI port (if your television was made in the past 10 years, you’ve got one). This device will allow users to play video from their laptop or smartphone wirelessly to the screen of their TV.

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Google released a device just over a year ago by the name of Nexus Q. This device was the size of a bocce ball and was revealed at a conference for software developers: Google I/O. Because we (SlashGear) were at the event, we were given this device to work and play with, and even went so far as to give it a full standard review. It works in a manner very, very similar to this new PLAiR device.

Unlike the PLAiR, the Nexus Q required an Android device to play video wirelessly to your television. It also took up significantly more space on your television stand. Here with the release of the PLAiR, we’ve also entered an age with our mobile devices in which wirelessly flinging video from ones smartphone to the TV is all but expected – the GALAXY S 4 does it, the HTC One does it, and with the dawn of Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, most future Android devices will do it too.

Unlike those devices, the PLAiR will not be using DLNA technology to connect your device to your television. Instead it uses a wi-fi signal emitted from the PLAiR hardware and picked up by your notebook, desktop, tablet, or smartphone – or basically anything that can connect to wi-fi and has a web browser.

Connecting to the PLAiR device (which will be connected to an HDMI port on one’s television) is done with a slight modification to the user’s Chrome web browser. So that is another must-have for this setup – if you can’t run Chrome, you can’t work with PLAiR. From there it’s a miniature button that floats above your YouTube videos and other app-bound videos galore – a single tap sends them playing on the television the PLAiR is connected to. Hulu doesn’t work here at the launch of this device, nor does Netflix – perhaps sooner than later though, we’ll see.

Now it’ll be a matter of marketing this device differently from Google’s Nexus Q. In that case, Google sent out the first wave of orders and gave everyone their money back because they estimated the costs to outweigh the benefits of continuing to work with the device. Perhaps we’ll see the return of that device in a new form next month. Make sure you join us at Google I/O 2013 through our Google I/O tag portal from the 15th to the 17th of May.

[via Dvice]


PLAiR device recollects Nexus Q laptop-to-TV video streaming is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Amazon Expected To Release Set-Top Box For Streaming Videos

Amazon Expected To Release Set Top Box For Streaming Videos

Amazon has already single-handedly shaken up the tablet market with its Kindle, and it looks like the company may be looking for expand its consumer electronics presence by planning to introduce a set-top box some time later this year.

According to people with knowledge of the matter speaking with Bloomberg, Amazon’s set-top box will connect to a person’s television to provide access to Amazon’s video services, one of which will certainly include the Amazon Video on Demand store and Instant Video service. The product’s development is being handled by Amazon’s Cupertino-based Lab126 division with Cisco’s former vice president of emerging products Malachy Moynihan leading the project. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Xbox 360 Gets The CW App With Full Episodes Available Shortly After They Air, Invisiplug Helps Hide Your Power Strip With Wood Grain Patterns,

    

Aereo’s Over-The-Air Streaming Video Service Launching In Boston On May 15

Aereos Over The Air Streaming Video Service Launching In Boston On May 15

Aereo has recently been in the news for its ability to offer streams for over-the-air broadcasts from channels like ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and PBS to then make them available on PCs and mobile devices for a monthly fee, and today, the company is announcing it will be bringing its service to the Boston area starting May 15.

Customers in the New York City area as well as a few others have been able to use the service as Aereo has installed a number of antennas within a supported area to retrieve over-the-air broadcasts to then allow its customers to watch them digitally whenever they like. Aereo also offers a cloud-based DVR to allow its customers to watch shows whenever they have time.

Boston residents who have pre-registered for Aereo are expected to receive an invitation to join on May 15, while potential customers who have yet to pre-register will be able to accesss the service after May 30. Hopefully the Boston area will be a little more welcoming to Aereo as the company had to fight their way to be made available in New York City by winning in court against TV networks for it to continue to offer its service.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: YouTube For iOS Gets Send To TV Feature With Xbox 360, PS3, Smart TV Support, OmniVision Announces Video-in-Video Camera Technology For Smartphones And Tablets,