Samsung's headline TV for 2020 may be its weatherproof The Terrace intended to take 4K out into your garden, but that's not the company's only new model for the year. The Samsung Lifestyle 2020 series of more design-focused sets is getting an expansion with new Frame and Serif models, while there are also a whole pallet-load of new soundbars for those wanting an audio upgrade.
Samsung is extending its range of lifestyle TVs outside, with a new outdoor TV dubbed The Terrace for when you want to watch Netflix among the trees. It's the company's first dedicated outdoor TV, and as you'd expect it promises the same QLED 4K Ultra HD resolution and screen technology as its flagship indoor models.
HBO is making it easier for friends and family members to watch the same streaming content at the same time from different locations. Under a new deal with startup Scener, HBO users can co-watch content in the HBO Go and HBO Now apps using an extension and the Google Chrome browser. Unfortunately, the companies are remaining quiet about how HBO Max factors into this deal.
On Tuesday, Amazon announced that it is adding a 'Free' section to the top bar on the Fire TV interface, making it easy for users to find free content from a variety of sources. The content featured in the new menu is curated, according to Amazon, which says that users will find a mixture of movies, TV shows, news, and other ad-supported streaming options.
Hit musical Hamilton will come to Disney+ in July, Disney has confirmed today, adding another reason why it might be worth extending your subscription to the streaming service. It's the original Broadway production of the musical, filmed live onstage at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City.
Sony has introduced its new HT-G700 soundbar featuring up to 7.1.2-channel surround sound, three front speakers, and Sony's technology for 'vertical' audio reproduction. Sony has packed a large number of features targeting home theater setups into its new soundbar, including a center speaker that aids viewers in hearing video dialog without diminishing other audio.
Sony has revealed its 2020 line-up of portable Bluetooth speakers, with the XB23, XB33, and XB43 getting new drivers, better waterproofing, and bigger sound. The trio of new models kick off at $100 but, while at first glance they may look similar to what we've seen before from Sony, there are in fact some significant changes.
Spotify is launching a Group Session feature, a party control mode that enables two or more listeners to collaborate on a shared playlist. The new feature is designed to work with people in the same shared space, who might typically have had to pass around a phone or tablet in order to control what's playing.
With the COVID-19 pandemic keeping a lot of us inside at the moment, there are a bunch of people who are turning to streaming for entertainment. One website that's probably seen a big uptick in traffic is Twitch, which got its start as a video game streaming website but has since branched out to many different categories. Last month, Amazon rolled out a new feature called Watch Parties to all Twitch partners in the US in direct response to the stay-at-home orders issued by governments across the country, and today, it's getting a pretty major expansion.
As theaters around the US remain closed, Alamo Drafthouse has announced a new product that is available in your living room: Alamo On Demand. The new digital platform enables anyone to rent and buy digital movies, something they could already do on other platforms. There are some unique aspects to Alamo On Demand, however, including the curated nature of the catalog.
Sonos has revealed the big day it'll be releasing its next-gen S2 software, and with the new Arc soundbar on the scene we're finally seeing why this big change is so important. It's been a tough few months for Sonos, facing criticism from some of its most loyal users over the transition from the S1 software to this new S2 release on June 8.
Say hello to Sonos Arc, the company's new soundbar and its first to offer Dolby Atmos. Replacing the Sonos Playbar, the Arc squeezes eleven speakers into its long, minimalistic chassis, along with four microphones to work as a Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa smart speaker.