Cable TV

Cable giant Comcast has just announced a partnership with video game publishing giant Electronic Arts to launch a game-streaming service for its cable customers. Dubbed Xfinity Games, the service is launching as a public beta today, and will allow users to play games from their X1 set-top box while using a smartphone or tablet as a controller. Comcast says the service is aimed at families and casual gamers, and will feature 23 titles at launch. X1 customers can sign up for the beta at xfinitygames.com, and are said to be notified of entry within a few days.

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You know that video streaming has become an unstoppable force when traditional content providers and operators start flocking to it in order to stay relevant. In order to curb the loss of cable TV subscribers and, at the same time, harvest its growing number of cable Internet customers, Comcast, considered to be the country's largest cable operator, is finally giving in and has just announced its own Stream Internet TV package. It's not a total victory for streaming, however, as the fine print considerably limits what customers can access and where.

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Dish Network, claimes to be the nation's 2nd biggest cable provider, and T-Mobile, the very outspoken fourth player in the country's "four carrier" wireless industry (at least according to the FCC) are said to be discussing a possible merger scenario, with some claiming a very positive outcome for the two companies is close at hand. If true, the industry could witness one of the biggest mergers between traditional media and communications companies, both of which are being threatened by the growing strength of the Internet.

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It looks like we're unlikely to see Apple branded television sets anytime soon. Apple CEO, Tim Cook, said back in 2013 that Apple had a "grand vision" for television, but the latest interpretation of that concept is that moving further away from actual TV sets and closer towards an online viewing platform.The television set market is already highly competitive, with Samsung leading the pack. Apple may be reticent to fight for ground in the saturated market when it can always the lead in new, emerging markets, like Apple Watch in the smartwatch market. According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple is gearing up to compete with a new online TV service.

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Live-streaming from your smartphone is about to get even easier. Comcast is following the lead of live-streaming apps such as Periscope and Meerkat and adding a live-streaming feature to its X1 set-top-boxes. Comcast is introducing Xfinity Share, a new way for people to send live video feeds to from their smartphones to their own TV's or TV's of friends and family members. You'll just need the home phone number tied to their Comcast account to add friends to your contact list. Users will also be able to stream recorded video from their smartphone's camera roll.

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When we discuss ‘cord cutting’, a lot of the talk revolves around which service streams what content, and to which devices. Netflix helps, and Sling TV is a breath of fresh air. HBO NOW is setting a new trend, too. What about local channels, though? That’s still ‘traditional’ TV — and that’s where the FlatWave Amped comes in. An ultra-thin antennae, FlatWave Amped may bridge the gap for cord cutters who already get cable content elsewhere. Does it live up to our expectations?

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In the wake of the FCC's Net Neutrality vote, all web content is created equal. However, nothing is every black and white, and there is a new gray area when it comes to managed services. HBO, Showtime, and Sony Corp. are pushing for their streaming content to be treated separately and have talked to Comcast Corp. about being included in their separate data lane for "managed services."

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Those in the digital world that have fully embraced Apple‘s ecosystem might be in for a treat starting June this year. According to sources familiar with the matter, that will be when Apple formally announces its yet to be named Internet-based TV service, with a launch slated later in September. If true, this will finally provide some closure to years of on and off talks and rumors about Apple providing a service that will appeal to cord cutters who prefer a more basic programming package delivered over the Internet.

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While some cable TV providers seem themselves competing with video streaming services, Cablevision will be entering a different arena altogether. The cable operator will be launching a new service next month called Freewheel and it has very little to do with TV. The service, instead, offers mobile phone connectivity, but not just any kind. It will be powered and substantially limited to WiFi connectivity only, taking advantage of the million-strong WiFi hot spot network it has been establishing on its home turf.

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What is Sling TV? It’s not the Sling you might be thinking of for media consumption, but it’s close. While the Sling Player lets you broadcast content just about anywhere you like, Sling TV lets you subscribe to cable without having to go through a legacy Cable TV provider. It’s Internet cable, and comes courtesy of Dish. Maybe best of all, it only runs $20/month. For that spend, you get access to a variety of popular cable TV channels, including ESPN.

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The FCC might be a slow-moving agency, like any in Government, but they’re oddly in-tune with what consumers want (most of the time). A new proposal by FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler would give many TV addicts exactly what they want, giving Internet TV providers the same footing as legacy Cable TV providers. If passed, the new rules would make it impossible for a broadcaster to refuse to allow an Internet TV provider the right to carry their service specifically because they weren’t a cable provider.

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For some, the point of cable is having HBO. Where else are you going to (legally) get Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire? If you’re a cord cutter, or at least want to be, we’ve got good news. HBO is planning to offer a subscription service in 2015 that doesn’t require a cable subscription. That might sound dandy, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions. We know it’s web-based, and launchings sometime in 2015 — but that’s about it.

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