Neues Apple TV für $99 bzw. €119

Apple TV also streams content from Netflix, YouTube, Flickr and MobileMe™, as well as music, photos and videos from PCs and Macs to your HD TV.

Leider wird die deutsche Version ohne Netflix oder einen alternativen Inhalteanbieter gelauncht. Dafür hat das Apple TV seine Festplatte und Dreiviertel seiner Größe verloren.

Apple TV users can choose from the largest online selection of HD movies to rent, including first run movies for just $4.99, and the largest online selection of HD TV show episodes to rent* from ABC, ABC Family, Fox, Disney Channel and BBC America for just 99 cents.

Und endlich kommt die Serienmiete — aber auch leider nur erst einmal mit Inhalten von ABC und Fox.

Und noch ein Leider: Das alte Apple TV wird nicht per Software Update die neuen Funktionen erhalten.

2010-09-01, 22:26, tagged with Apple, Apple TV, Netflix, Streaming, TV, tweet it

Samsung bringt Maxdome-Videothek als Widget auf Flat-TVs

Maxdome-Inhalte in HD-Qualität sollen über die per Software-Aktualisierung bereitgestellte Erweiterung ebenfalls darstellbar sein. Internet@TV versorgt die Zuschauer über eine Apps-Galerie mit einer Vielzahl von Diensten.

Das dürfte damit in Deutschland der erste kommerzielle VOD Content für Samsungs Internet@TV auf Basis von Yahoo! Connected TV sein. In den USA gibt es bereits zahlreiche Anbieter, wie Blockbuster und Amazon VOD, die in Deutschland leider aufgrund der Regio-IP-Einschränkung nicht laufen.

2010-08-31, 13:24, tagged with Amazon, Blockbuster, Maxdome, Samsung, Yahoo!, tweet it

Google plant weltweiten Bezahlvideoservice über YouTube

Google’s YouTube video site is in negotiations with Hollywood’s leading movie studios to launch a global pay-per-view video service by the end of 2010, putting it head-to-head with Apple in the race to dominate the digital distribution of film and television content.

Nur ein Nadelstich oder eine ausgewachsene Attacke? Auf jedem Fall gemein, zwei Tage vor Apples großem iTunes Event.

2010-08-30, 19:25, tagged with Google, TV, VOD, tweet it

Boxee beta

After experiencing all of the good parts of the latest and greatest Boxee, I want to be able to say that it’s the best media center application that I’ve ever used. Instead, I’ll say that it holds the possibility of being the best if it can transcend this rough patch and deliver on its considerable potential.

After playing for several days with the latest beta I definitely fall in love with the UI. Though the lack of (legal) content here in Europe makes the whole experience shitty.

2010-01-14, 11:40, tagged with Boxee, tweet it

Boxee getting boxed

It’s prime time for Boxee:

I am very happy to announce we have signed our first partnership with a CE company. At this point we can not say more about the partner or the specs of the device, but we can tell you we are working closely with them to make sure we deliver a great Boxee experience on it.

Hopefully the content owners may not dry them up.

2009-11-12, 22:14, tagged with Boxee, Hardware, Set Top Box, tweet it

Myka ION HD

Who thought, that Hulu would marry Boxee on a Set Top Box? That happened on the Myka ION HD player which is based as the name would suggest on the NVIDIA ION graphics. Plenty of options …

• XBMC support
• Wireless-N
• Blu-ray
• 4 Gig of RAM
• VGA, DVI, HDMI out
• eSATA, Ethernet and all kind of audio.

… in an ugly housing.

2009-11-08, 20:21, tagged with Boxee, Hulu, Set Top Box, tweet it

First Look: Apple TV 3.0

The highlight of the Apple TV 3.0 software update is its revamped main menu. Gone is the two-column grid introduced as a part of Apple TV “take two.” Instead, there’s a new interface that takes full advantage of widescreen TVs.

Looks like halfhearted try to me to add something other than the needed compatibility with iTunes Extras and iTunes LPs. Come on Apple — you can better.

2009-11-01, 18:04, tweet it