Hasta La Gadget!

Earlier this year, we mentioned that Verizon and Redbox are working on a new video service that could possibly rival Netflix. Well, after Verizon and Redbox announced its official name in July, we’re finally beginning to learn more about Redbox Instant. According to GigaOM, who managed to acquire details of the service, Redbox Instant subscriptions will start around $6 per month while VOD rentals and sales of newer titles is set at $0.99. There’s also an $8 per month Redbox Instant membership that will add four credits to the streaming package which can be redeemed for Redbox DVD rentals.

GigaOM adds that the video catalog of the new service is much smaller than Netflix’s and that it also includes some titles offered by the rival. Redbox Instant will be made available on the following platforms – web, Android, iOS, Xbox 360, and selected TVs and Blu-ray players. There’s no word about its official launch, however beta testers are saying that they won’t be able to “access the DVDs included in their subscriptions at some kiosks until December 17.”

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: BitTorrent Going Legal Next Year, Says Exec, This music video was made entirely by Instagram photos,

The folks over at Gigaom have scored a variety of exclusive details about the upcoming Redbox Instant by Verizon video streaming service. The Netflix competitor has been slated for launch by the end of the year, but no official details have been released. The service’s help section, however, was available publically online, and revealed quite a few details.

Sadly, if you head over to the Redbox Instant Help Center now, you’ll be presented with a login screen that requires a password for access. However, before the company locked down the pages, several pieces of information were gleaned. Subscriptions to Redbox Instant by Verizon will be cheap, starting at $6 a month. This subscription will provide subscribers with complete access to Redbox’s video library.

The next subscription level is priced at $8 per month, and includes four credits per month for movie rentals at Redbox rental boxes. To ensure the machine has the right movie, users can reserve the DVD online or with the service’s app. Unused rental credits expire at the end of the month, so don’t get your hopes up on letting them build over time.

For those who want to watch videos offline, such as during a plane ride or while on vacation, Redbox Instant also offers video-on-demand rentals starting at $0.99. The rented videos can be downloaded onto a device, such as a tablet, and watched offline. Meanwhile, all online streaming is performed using Silverlight. To start with, Redbox Instant will only be available online, and on iOS/Android gadgets, certain Blu-ray players and Samsung televisions, as well as the Xbox 360 console. Up to five devices can be used with an Instant account. If the help files are any indication, the service may be launching on or around December 17.

[via Gigaom]

Redbox Instant by Verizon details surface, hint at mid-December launch is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Nothing much has changed in this year’s mobile carrier satisfaction survey from Consumer Reports, with Verizon again being rated the best of the major providers, netting good scores for voice and data service quality, staff knowledge and issue resolution. The other big players also ranked in the same order this time around, with Sprint and T-Mobile following behind Big Red, and AT&T staying in last position. None of the bottom three scored particularly highly, especially in relation to voice service quality, and only four points separated them in the ratings. While AT&T had the worst value and data service quality scores, its LTE network was ranked the best of any carrier, and the least problematic. MVNO Consumer Cellular, which piggybacks on AT&T’s network, didn’t disappoint after last year’s overall first place finish, keeping the top spot and receiving great scores all round. Full results of the survey, which polled 63,253 subscribers, will be available in Consumer Reports’ January 2013 issue.

Continue reading Consumer Reports: Verizon ranked the best major US carrier, AT&T ranked the worst

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile

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Via: USA TODAY

Does Verizon have the best smartphone line-up of any of the US carriers today? With Samsung’s Galaxy Note II finally arriving, that may well be the case; the 5.5-inch phablet snuggles up on shelves next to the DROID DNA by HTC and the iPhone 5, and is priced at $299.99 with a new, two-year agreement.

That’s the same price as AT&T is charging for its version of the Note II, while T-Mobile apparently isn’t keen to actually sell any itself, with its $369.99 sticker. All demand a two-year agreement, though T-Mobile does have a prepaid option on the phone, with no monthly commitment but a $649.99 price tag upfront.

Still, even at $300 after subsidy, we can see demand for the Note II being high. It’s certainly a fast phone, courtesy of Samsung’s quadcore Exynos processor and – on the Verizon and AT&T versions – LTE, and the Super AMOLED HD 1280 x 720 display is bright and colorful, and works well with the digital pen for notetaking and sketching.

A 5.5-inch handset isn’t for everyone, but the niche for the Galaxy Note II has turned out to be larger than perhaps many expected. Samsung announced earlier this week that it had sold 5m of the phones into the channel worldwide.

Galaxy Note II hits Verizon with LTE is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Verizon and LG have teamed up to eradicate set-top boxes with the magic that is the Smart TV. Now Verizon FiOS customers can watch 75 broadcast channels on their Smart TV in addition to the provider’s Flex View service, which provides access to over 25,000 on-demand shows. Both a FiOS Internet and TV subscription is required, however.

Some of the channels offered by the service include HBO, TBS, VH1, the NFL Network, and the Food Network. Those who also have access to Flex View will have the added ability to buy or rent from a library of thousands of movies and TV shows. Flex View can be used from a mobile device or PC in addition to the Smart TV.

Vice President of Samsung’s Smart TV and Innovation Samuel Chang offered this statement. “The expansive selection of channels from FiOS TV and on-demand content from Verizon’s Flex View library further strengthens LG’s Smart TV platform, giving consumers of all ages a virtually limitless amount of entertainment on TVs, Blu-ray players, PCs, even tablets and phones. As we see more and more consumers adopting the multi-screen universe, LG continues to seek content and alliances that broaden our Smart TV offerings to provide the best experience on whichever device consumers choose to use.”

Security controls are available, allowing parents to limit what their children have access to. The FiOS app is available for all 2012 LG Smart TVs, which include models LM9600/8600/7600/6700/6200, LS5700, PM9700/6700/4700, as well as the BP620 Blu-ray player. Users can download the application via the LG Smart TV Smart World service.

[via Nasdaq]

LG and Verizon team up to provide 75 channels for Smart TV owners is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.