Sports fans recently got access to a new service that provides games and more for a low monthly fee, cable not required. Called ESPN+, the service offers access to the network's original content, such as 30 for 30, as well as some live games from major leagues and access to events. As of today, the streaming sports platform is now available through Roku devices.
The back and forth between Google and Amazon has become both entertaining and also frustrating for consumers. It is the common folk who get caught in between the clash of the titans and, at least for Amazon Echo Show and Fire TV users, that meant being deprived of the time-wasting joys of YouTube. While peace negotiations are supposedly on the way, hope comes from a new, outside source. Mozilla has just announced that the Firefox web browser is now available on Amazon’s Fire TV platform and, yes, it can play web videos, including YouTube.
Amazon has begun selling the Apple TV again, ending a two year standoff between the retailer and Apple, though supplies of the set-top box are already constrained. The two companies found themselves at loggerheads in late 2015, when Amazon announced it would be pulling the Apple TV from its virtual shelves. Ironically, the reason it gave to justify the decision was quickly thrown into disarray.
Google, while generous with its updates, follows a more or less strict timetable for its Nexus devices. Nexus phones and tablets are guaranteed two years’ worth of updates, including major Android version, nothing more but sometimes less. The odd exception seems to be the Nexus Player Android TV puck, which unexpectedly got Android Oreo in September, a year after it reached its end of life. Adding to the pleasant surprise is the addition of Google Assistant, which sneaked into the device via the November security update.
If manufacturers and tech companies are to have their say, everything will be controlled by voice in the not so distant future. And not just simple voice commands, mind, but smart voice recognition backed by natural language processing and machine learning. But as easy as simply uttering your command may be, there are still some things done faster with a single press of a button. That’s why DISH’s second gen voice remote for Hopper DVRs brings the best of both worlds together for the ultimate user experience convenience.
This week the folks at TiVo revealed a pair of new devices, both the TiVo BOLT VOX and the Mini VOX. These devices work with TiVo's first voice control remote - aptly called TiVo VOX Remote - and include "built-in personalized recommendations and intelligent predictions." Plus there's 4K to look forward to.
TiVo can perhaps be considered the granddaddy of modern-day DVRs and set-top boxes, but it has been shoved to the sidelines by numerous rivals, including those from big names in the tech industry. Not one to go down without a fight, the company was rumored to be working on not just a more modern box but also a remote control with voice support. Those are no longer rumors now that the TiVo BOLT VOX has appeared, disappeared, and now reappeared on Amazon, ahead of whatever announcement TiVo may have in store.
NVIDIA's most affordable SHIELD TV is now shipping, with the entry-level set-top box promising 4K HDR content support and gaming despite its lower price. Announced last month, the SHIELD TV 16GB lacks the dedicated gamepad controller that comes bundled with its more expensive siblings. However, it still could be the best option for those looking for a fairly platform-agnostic way to get streaming shows and movies on their TV.
Android might be big in the smartphone, and maybe even smartwatch, market, but it has not exactly taken other markets by storm. Despite an almost perfect fit, Android TV is still in a niche that’s growing smaller and smaller. The tides, however, might be changing and Android TV might soon be in every house. Or at least every house with a set-top box from cable, telco, and other operators. All thanks to ARRIS’ new range of UHD HDR set-top boxes with Android TV inside.
Voice is becoming a major form of communication, not between humans but between man and machine. From personal assistants on your phone to smart speakers in your house to the smart TV in your living room. OK, you don’t actually speak to your TV directly. You do so via a handy dandy remote control. Not one to buck the trend, TiVo, the granddaddy of DVR and streaming set-top boxes, will have a voice-enabled remote control soon. How soon? FCC-soon, by the looks of it.
Fame does have a price, as the Kodi, formerly XBMC, community is now finding out the hard way. The popularity of cord-cutting and set-top boxes led to the popularity of the open source Kodi home theater platform, which, in turn, lead to explosion of third-party add-ons. Not all add-ons, however, are created equal and some of them carry some legal liability. The worst case scenario did happen and one such add-on has been sued, causing other add-ons to quickly abandon ship before matter got worse.
Roku has announced the launch of the Twitter live streaming video channel, enabling users to watch videos hosted on the service. The Twitter channel, as with its video app for other platforms, presents both the video and a relevant tweet stream, giving viewers the best of both worlds. This represents a big launch for Roku, bringing an often requested video service to the popular streaming set top boxes and sticks. This video app has already been available on Apple TV and Android TV, among others.