Nov 06
Samsung has just teamed up with Yahoo, creating a multi-year partnership that will bring the search company’s interactive Connected TV platform to Sammy’s 2012 lineup of smart TVs More »
Nov 06
Yahoo and Samsung have joined up to bring interactive television to your living room. By combining Samsung’s Smart TV with Yahoo’s Broadcast Interactivity, viewers will have access to “intelligent content discovery.” This provides real-time content that operates alongside regular programming to complement what you’re watching, whether it’s a TV show, movie, or commercial.
When watching a show or commercial, viewers will be provided with on-screen prompts that provide additional content relevant to what is currently on. According to the press release, these prompts are “subtle,” and can be accessed using a remote or connected smartphone/tablet. Also provided with the service is trivia, show insights, and interactive gaming.
Said Vice President of Connected TV at Yahoo, Ron Jacoby, “By combining watching TV with engaging content, we can change the way audiences are entertained and informed. We are thrilled that our expanded partnership with Samsung extends our platform’s footprint, enabling our content partners and advertisers to reach many more consumers. Content owners can augment their programming, and advertisers can create compelling calls-to-action that allow audiences to engage on marketing messages the moment they are delivered.”
Both Showtime Networks and the National Geographic Channel are initial programming partners for the service. Real-time show identification is achieved via Yahoo’s SoundPrint technology, which works using “audio fingerprinting.” The combination of SoundPrint and Yahoo’s Connected TV creates the platform upon which the interactive TV is operated.
Yahoo and Samsung team up to offer interactive tv is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Nov 05
At 10pm EST, Bravo’s awful and totally hilarious self-parody of a Silicon Valley reality TV show, Real Startups of Atlanta, or some bullshit, premieres. We will be watching and liveblogging in Kinja. Related, we’re also trying to fend off the impending apocalypse that this show is trying to usher in. More »
Nov 05
We’ve had mixed feelings about Yahoo’s Connected TV platform, but Samsung appears to think that its the next big thing. The two mega corporations announced a multi-year partnership on Monday that will bring the restructuring internet company’s interactive television software to Samsung’s 2012 lineup of smart TVs. Far from the traditional clunky Facebook and Twitter smart TV apps, Yahoo’s setup brings interactive content to the programming that you’re watching, such as trivia, program statistics and other types of playable games. You’ll also have the option to use your smartphone or tablet as a surrogate remote control to view and share additional interactive content. As promising as this may sound, our biggest concern here is that this feature also recognizes commercials and may offer additional advertisements on top of the ones that you’re already viewing. Programming partners currently include: Showtime and National Geographic, which makes us wonder what kind of ad suggestions will run during episodes of Dexter — knives, duct tape and plastic wrap, anyone?
Continue reading Yahoo and Samsung announce multi-year interactive TV partnership
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Software, HD, Samsung
Yahoo and Samsung announce multi-year interactive TV partnership originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 22:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nov 05
As it stands, Hulu already has a huge selection of TV shows to choose from and watch, but it certainly doesn’t have every single TV show under the sun. That’s to blame on the fact that CBS didn’t have a license agreement with Hulu, meaning that no CBS shows were available on online streaming service. However, that’s about to change thanks to a new agreement between the two companies.
The deal between CBS and Hulu will bring more than 2,600 episodes of various programming from CBS over to Hulu Plus starting in January. Of course, newer episodes will be available for regular Hulu users who don’t have a Hulu Plus subscription, but much of the back catalog will only be available for paying customers.
Also, not only will modern CBS shows be available to watch (like CSI: Miami and Numb3rs), but classics such as Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, and I Love Lucy will also become available. The deal between Hulu and CBS spans multiple years, but it’s non-exclusive, which means CBS shows will still be available on Netflix as well.
It’s good to finally see all four major networks on board with Hulu. NBC and Fox were originally the only networks streaming their shows over Hulu, but ABC joined in on the fun in 2009. Finally, three years later, CBS is now a part of the Hulu family, and users will be able to browse even more shows starting in January.
Hulu welcomes aboard CBS shows starting in January is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Nov 05
CBS and Hulu make content deal, stream back catalog shows starting in January 2013
Posted in: Today's Chili 
CBS has been the lone Hulu refusenik among the biggest US broadcasters — even with rumors of licensing discussions underway at least two years ago, we’ve usually had to visit the network’s own site if we wanted a CSI fix without paying by the show. The deadlock is over at last now that CBS and Hulu have struck a deal. The agreement isn’t quite what we’d hope for, focusing almost exclusively on back catalog titles like Medium and Star Trek, although celebrity gossip junkies will like knowing that Entertaintment Tonight segments will be viewable the day they air on regular TV. We’ll have to wait until January 2013 for the selection to be ready — not to mention shell out for Hulu Plus to get full access — but there’s at least an end in sight to one of the longer content droughts in streaming video.
Continue reading CBS and Hulu make content deal, stream back catalog shows starting in January 2013
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD
CBS and Hulu make content deal, stream back catalog shows starting in January 2013 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 14:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nov 05
The blue oval may be headed out the door sooner than later if those “in the know” with Samsung are to believed about a full brand reboot around the time of CES 2013. Reports come from Channel News in Australia where they’ve got some anonymous sources speaking to the idea of a “more vibrant international brand image.” They’ve made it clear that this new look and feel will be brought on by none other than Brandstream and its powerhouse CEO Scott Bedbury.
This fellow Bedbury is known for creating the Nike “Just Do It” campaign that turned the company into an international beast of a brand. He also made Starbucks into the beast it is today with the comfy chairs and CD sales we now take for granted in coffee shops around the world. Samsung’s rebranding is said to be taking on a bit of a “feel” change, concentrating no longer so much on the “features and benefits” of the devices they sell, but on “lifestyle activities” instead.
History images via Samsung Village
We had a conversation about this sort of shift just this past week in a column by the name of Device Specs are Over, Long Live the Ecosystem. Basically what appears to be happening here is the peak of excellence in smartphones and tablets – or the peak of what consumers could possibly want in a device without getting something to back these devices up. Backing them up – that means creating a software and brand ecosystem to make them all worthwhile.
It’s as if there’s a world without roads and manufacturers have been selling bikes without making enough effort to create the paths that people need to ride them on. If Samsung does indeed continue on the brand ecosystem path they’re on now, a complete rebranding around the time of CES 2013 would certainly not be out of the question. Here’s looking forward to it!
Samsung brand reboot reported for CES 2013 is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
Oct 29
As a profit-driven network, ITV has its work cut out in the online streaming world when the BBC’s iPlayer looms overhead. How do you compete with a cultural institution? Its solution these days is one of sheer choice: it’s launching a publicly available beta of its ITV Player refresh that offers TV show rentals. While viewers will have free, ad-backed viewing for the last month’s worth of programming, they’ll also have the choice of renting 30-day access to archived episodes at 49p (79 cents) each without the pesky commercials in between. Anyone who just can’t get enough Collision can spring for a 90-day rental of a whole series at a lower total price, and the broadcaster is even planning trials of streaming-first episode premieres — if only we were so forward-thinking in the US. We’d question the wisdom of anyone who really, truly needs an uninterrupted The Only Way is Essex, but at least those who want fodder for water cooler chats can blast through their pseudo-reality TV at a record pace.
Continue reading ITV Player revamp brings ad-free TV rentals, keeps the free catch-ups
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
ITV Player revamp brings ad-free TV rentals, keeps the free catch-ups originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Oct 2012 12:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Oct 26
AUO develops IGZO-based, 65-inch 4K TV screen, vows high resolution without the high power
Posted in: Today's Chili 
It’s now clear that Sharp doesn’t have an exclusive lock on IGZO displays, even for the big-screen TVs that are still the company’s domain. AU Optronics has developed a 65-inch IGZO panel that wields the very light-friendly technology to reach 4K resolutions without the usual penalties — as the screen doesn’t need much backlighting to illuminate all those pixels, it can stay slim and keep the shocking energy bills to a minimum. The smaller size and miserly power draw also leave a real chance that any pricing will be closer to the mere mortal realm than current 84-inch behemoths. And while it’s mostly up to other companies to decide if and when they use AUO’s flagship display, we’ll have choices of our own should the IGZO TV still be too rich for our blood: the Taiwan firm has simultaneously developed a more conventional, 55-inch 4K screen with a wide color range as well as a 50-inch, 1080p panel with an extra-skinny 0.14-inch bezel. It’s at least good to know that there’s already competition for technology that’s just getting started.
Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD
AUO develops IGZO-based, 65-inch 4K TV screen, vows high resolution without the high power originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Oct 26
LG may have a massive 84-inch smart TV for those with big rooms and deep pockets, but the company’s TM2792 hopes to bring 3D and internet-connectivity to those with more humble aspirations. Measuring in at 27-inches, the “mini smart TV” announced back in August is LG’s attempt to cater for single-person households who don’t want to give up premium features like integrated WiFi and media streaming.
So, the LG TM2792 still runs at 1920 x 1080 resolution, and has an IPS LCD panel with broad viewing angles. It stands on a metal base and has ultra-skinny bezels, and LG supports 3D and 2D-to-3D conversion using its passive 3D system.
LG’s “magic remote” is supplied, and there’s input support for HDMI, VGA, composite and component, along with SCART, three USB ports, and an ethernet connection. The integrated WiFi supports WiDi and WiFi Direct, and the USB can handle MHL HDMI for directly hooking up your smartphone or tablet.
The new LG goes on sale in Korea this weekend, and will launch internationally later in the year. No word on pricing at this stage, though interestingly there’s already one third-part seller on Amazon UK listing the TM2792 for £563.49 ($908).
LG TM2792 compact Smart TV goes on sale is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
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