Reelgood’s universal streaming guide is coming to millions of smart TVs
By this time next year, it's expected that almost half of the smart TVs in the U.S. will have the Reelgood app installed on their home screens. With a truly universal content discovery engine that includes major services like Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and HBO, it could become the de-facto content guide for these viewers.
Fluance’s Fi20 is a furniture-grade Bluetooth speaker you can take anywhere
Bluetooth speakers are not only a dime a dozen these days, they also look like they cost about that much. So it's refreshing to see that Fluance's Fi20 is offering all the conveniences of a portable Bluetooth speaker in a design that looks like it belongs in a boutique hotel. Not bad for $150.
Amazon Prime Video on Apple TV updated with X-ray feature
X-ray has been a feature of Amazon Prime since the service's earliest days, and has been supported on virtually all of the platforms that let you access it. One very prominent hold-out has been Apple TV. That changed last week when Amazon quietly added the feature to its tvOS Prime Video app.
Not interested in football? Tivo lets you watch the ads and skip the Super Bowl
Hey, some people just don't like football. For these folks, the big draw to the Super Bowl is the multi-million dollar production that happens between downs, namely, the ads. Tivo subscribers who prefer these ads over the game can now skip the boring football parts and go straight to the commercials.
Cloud-based movie storage service Ultraviolet shutting down July 31
What was once thought to be the future of digital movie ownership will soon be no more: Ultraviolet is shutting down on July 31, leaving owners of movie digital rights wondering what will become of their online libraries. Though solutions exist, it may not be a smooth transition for everyone.
DirecTV Now sheds more than 250,000 subscribers in a single quarter
DirecTV Now's parent company, AT&T, released its subscriber numbers for the fourth quarter of 2018, and the news isn't good. The streaming service has seen a loss of more than a quarter of a million subscribers, raising questions about its ability to compete in the new world of over-the-air services.
Need a Coke? Hulu to start showing small, static ads when you pause your show
The next place you'll see ads on Hulu is when you're not watching video at all. The streaming service has announced it plans to show ads when viewers pause their shows using a new static format that the company hopes its customers won't find as intrusive as typical video ads.
Criterion Collection’s stand-alone movie streaming service to launch April 8
Rumors of a standalone streaming service powered by the Criterion Collection have been swirling for months, ever since its partnership with FilmStruck fell victim to that service's collapse. Now we have confirmation: The Criterion Channel will be launching April 8, starting at $10 per month.
Apple Music subscribers can listen and watch for free on American Airlines
An Apple Music subscription is a great way to listen to your tunes when on Wi-Fi or if you have a generous data plan. But on a plane? Forget about it. That is unless you fly domestically with American Airlines. Apple Music access will be free for subscribers starting February 1.
Tivo’s streaming apps will be limited to lower-quality video at launch
Tivo announced that it would be adding streaming apps for major platforms like Apple TV, Roku, Android TV, and Fire TV, but now we have news that these apps will face video quality limitations when they arrive. At launch, and for the foreseeable future, only 720p at 30 frames per second will be supported.
Samsung’s new 8K display chip could shrink bezel sizes to nothing
As the 8K revolution gets underway, Samsung is looking to a new display chip to improve the way 8K TVs perform, and how they can be built. By reducing the number of components needed, the new 8K chip could result in 8K TVs that have virtually no bezel, bringing the super high-res displays in line with 4K TVs.
Roku adds premium subscription options to its Roku Channel
The Roku Channel has been offering Roku users a big collection of ad-supported content for over a year. Now, that service is being augmented through the availability of add-on premium subscriptions to services such as Starz, Showtime, and Epix. The service is expected to be available on all Roku devices within weeks.
Speaker specialist Sonos reportedly plans to launch its own line of headphones
Could it be that Sonos, a company that has only made speaker and speaker-powering products since its inception, is finally ready to build it own headphones? That's the rumor that's circulating, and if true, it would signify a new chapter in the Sonos story, one that would take it outside the home for the first time.
Sling TV offers free shows, a la carte subscription channels to Roku users
Cord cutters rejoice! If you are among a select group of Roku users, Sling TV will be giving you free TV shows and the option to subscribe to individual channels without having to subscribe to the company's base level of channels. It also has some new features for finding the content you want.
Spotify adds artist-blocking feature, despite its denials
Though it continues to claim you can't do it, there's lots of evidence that Spotify has added an artist-blocking feature to its platform, making it easy for users to never hear a specific musician or band on any of the company's playlists, collections, or radio stations. But what does this mean for artists?
Spotify adds simplified Car View mode for Android users
What was once just a test is now a reality: Spotify is rolling out a new, simplified in-car user interface for all Android users called Car View. It automatically engages when the app detects a car Bluetooth connection, but it's not compatible with auxiliary or USB connections for now.
Report: Spotify preparing to launch $100 in-car streaming device
According to a report, people familiar with Spotify's plans say the company is readying a dedicated in-car music streamer that will cost $100. The device will work with any Bluetooth-enabled audio system and can be controlled by voice. No word on when such a device will launch.
Walmart abandons its plans for a streaming Netflix killer
Rumored plans for a Walmart owned, Vudu-labeled Netflix streaming killer have been shelved according to a new report from CNBC. Apparently Walmart got cold feet after it looked at just how much money it would need to invest in original content in order to successfully compete with Netflix.
Plex is the latest player to contemplate the subscription streaming game
With massive reach thanks to its client app being supported virtually every media device on the planet, Plex is now looking at the future of its media curation platform. That future likely involves more partnerships with subscription services like Tidal, but a free, ad-supported option could come, too.
Dolby’s secret recording studio app may soon exit stealth mode
In secret testing since June, Dolby's stealth recording and social network app may soon be ready to make an appearance if reports are correct. Dolby 234, as it is known at the moment, blends unique noise-canceling tech with Instagram-like audio filters, and a social component.
How much are the initials ‘LV’ worth? $700 if you put them on your earphones
In the world of high fashion, a few brands can always be counted on to charge premium prices. Louis Vuitton is one of these brands. The Vuitton-branded truly wireless earbuds look divine but sound the same as earbuds that cost $700 less. But what's $700 when you can wear LV in your ears?
Cord-cutting has grown by 48 percent in 8 years, according to Nielsen
People are continuing to ditch cable (14 percent of U.S. homes now participate in the trend) but not all cord-cutters are the same. In fact, there are two distinct groups within the cord-cutting universe, with a very small, yet growing third group that's worth paying attention to.
Roku adds automatic sign-out mode, for those with regular houseguests
Being able to use a Roku device for streaming your favorite shows while staying at a hotel or Airbnb is awesome. What is less awesome is leaving yourself signed in after you leave. Thanks to a new automatic sign-out feature, this fear should become a thing of the past for both hosts and guests alike.
Roku revamps entire line, adds 4K HDR models, stick-on form factor, $30 Express
Roku updates nearly its entire fleet of devices with 4K, HDR and a new $30 entry level set-top box for budget-conscious buyers.
Polk Audio’s Command Bar joins Alexa’s multiroom music party
Polk's Command Bar is a home theater soundbar with Alexa built in. But with a new update, it can also be grouped with Amazon's Echo products, and other third-party speakers, to produce a sophisticated multi-room, whole-home sound system, all of which can be controlled by your voice.
Smart speakers the likely cause of Chromecast Audio’s untimely demise
Goodbye Chromecast Audio, we hardly knew you. Google confirms rumors that it has killed Chromecast Audio, the inexpensive wireless dongle that let people stream music from their phones, tablets and laptops to any audio system they owned. Sales of smart, and Bluetooth speakers are the likely cause.
Dish is building Google Assistant right into its Hopper DVRs
For most of 2018, you've been able to control your Dish Hopper set-top box, through Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. But coming soon, you won't need a third-party device to make this happen, as Dish will be building Google's Assistant right into its popular set-top boxes.
Mobile audio gets an upgrade thanks to new Sonarworks apps
Sonarworks is used by audio engineers around the world to get more accurate sound from their headphones. That same tech has been available for a year to consumers under the True-Fi brand, but only on desktops. Today, the company added Android and iOS apps for the same abilities on mobile devices.
B&O’s Beoplay E8 earbuds eliminate the need for any wires
Fully wireless earbuds are all the rage and rightfully so. They're super convenient thanks to zero cables. And later this year, thanks to B&O's Beoplay E8 2.0 earbuds, even the charging case will be wireless ... for a price. An optional charging mat will free you from the last vestiges of cable-capture.
Sonos vs. Bluesound: A Hi-fi, Wi-Fi Speaker System Shootout
Canadian whole home audio brand Bluesound shoots for Sonos’s crown with high-end NAD and PSB components and high-res support. Is it the new king? We find out.
Is LG creating a multi-ratio TV with sliding speakers?
Widescreen TVs have always had trouble displaying non-16:9 content, giving us black bars on the top and bottom, or the sides. But if LG's sliding speaker TV patent becomes a real product, we could see an entirely new approach to the problem. It's not a shape-changing TV, but it might be the next best thing.
Apple Music could be headed to third-party Alexa devices ‘soon’
Fans of both Apple Music and Alexa were treated to a new integration this week that brings the music service to Echo devices. But Apple Music could be making an appearance on all other third-party Alexa smart speakers, as revealed by an Amazon representative. Could this be the beginning of streaming music nirvana?
Samsung revs up the picture quality of its high-fashion TVs for 2019
Highly prized for their ability to display more than just a black screen when turned off, Samsung's lifestyle TVs are getting updated for 2019, and we have all of the details ahead of the official launch which is slated to take place at CES.
Google Assistant gets the Marshall treatment with two new smart speakers
Marshall's Voice-series were already some of the most stylish smart speakers on the market, but now they're available as Google Assistant-compatible editions. This makes Marshall one of the few companies to support both Alexa and Google, albeit in separate models.
Phiaton’s active lifestyle headphones do noise canceling on a budget
Looking for a set of active noise cancelling earbuds that can keep up with your active lifestyle, without breaking the bank? Phiaton's Curve BT 120 NC could be just the ticket. At $79, they're no more expensive than good quality Bluetooth headphones, but they do a much better job of blocking noise.
Google Chromecast returns to Amazon just in time for the holiday shopping crunch
It's been a chilly few years between Google and Amazon, with each company taking increasingly nasty shots at the other. But things may be improving. Just in time for the holiday shopping crunch, you can now buy two versions of Google's Chromecast on Amazon, something that hasn't be possible since 2015.
Vizio is still rocking the Black Friday spirit with these TV and soundbar deals
If you missed out on all the great TV deals this past Black Friday and Cyber Monday, don't worry, Vizio has you covered. The company has some great discounts on its most popular 4K TVs and sounbar systems. But don't delay -- some of these deals only last one day.