set-top boxes

Analyst: Apple TV launch is 'imminent'

Apple's plans to debut a TV set are just around the corner, according to a report.

In a note to investors today about cable technology company Arris Group, Jefferies & Co.'s James Kisner says the firm has heard rumblings from industry contacts that at least one major cable operator has been doing some tests to see if it can handle the extra bandwidth such a product might bring.

"...Our discussions with industry contacts suggest that at least one major North American multiple system operator is working to estimate how much additional capacity may be needed for a … Read more

Boxee readying new set-top box with DVR support?

The makers of the Boxee Box set-top box appear close to releasing its successor in the coming months, and it could offer support for over-the-air live television, as well as DVR support and the usual cast and crew of Web apps.

Sadly, those looking for the next great aesthetic breakthrough from the company might find the leaked device a bit uninspiring. Photos supplied from The Verge indicate that the Boxee TV might shed its predecessor's cube-like design for a more conventional rectangular prism look with a matte black finish. … Read more

No new Apple TV this year, report says

Apple's plans to reinvent the way we enjoy entertainment in the living room are being pushed back another year, a new report claims.

Apple has decided to shelve plans to launch a new Apple TV set-top box this year after facing negotiation troubles with cable and media companies, Bloomberg is reporting today, citing sources. Chief among the disputes is how software would be implemented in the new device.

The companies also can't reach a deal on whether the box should be sold directly to consumers or offered through cable providers, Bloomberg's sources say.

The Apple TV set-top … Read more

Google wants to shop Motorola's TV set-top biz around

Google appears itching to get rid of the television set-top box business it inherited from the acquisition of Motorola Mobility.

The Internet search giant has hired Barclays to help it find buyers, according to Bloomberg, which cited anonymous sources and said the home business unit might fetch $2 billion.

That Google wants to sell Motorola's set-top box business and focus on smartphones isn't surprising; speculation of its desire to shed the business has popped up on numerous occasions. Google instead wants to mine Motorola's patent portfolio for a more potent legal weapon against Apple, as well as … Read more

Apple TV could double as cable box, report says

Apple's set-top box could be destined to stream live TV channels, according to a new report.

Citing "people familiar with the matter," the Wall Street Journal (subscription required) says that Apple has been in talks with cable operators in the U.S. to pitch its $99 streamer as an alternative to the set top boxes cable subscribers rent.

The report suggests no deals have yet been made toward that goal, but that Apple has at least talked with cable provider Time Warner.

The Apple TV has remained what Apple considers a "hobby" device when compared … Read more

Google may ditch Motorola's set-top box unit -- but it shouldn't

Just a few months after the deal closed, Google is reportedly already planning to break up Motorola Mobility and sell off some parts, according to a memo from Light Reading Cable.

In the memo, LRC editor Jeff Baumgartner writes that Google is planning to sell of the set-top box unit, in particular, as the bidding process would get started in September with hopes for a deal completed by the end of the year:

Multiple industry insiders and people in cable M&A circles confirm that Google has not yet started the formal sales process for the Home division, which … Read more

Google TV gets new audition with $199 Sony box, due July 22

Sony has finally said when it'll launch its next-generation Google TV set-top box it unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year.

Dubbed the NSZ-GS7 Internet Player with Google TV, the device will launch nationwide on July 22 for $199. Sony has already opened up preorders on the device on its online marketplace. In addition, the company has unveiled the NSZ-GP9, which adds Blu-ray support to the Google TV integration. That device will hit store shelves "in time for the holiday season," and will go on sale for $299.

Google TV has been somewhat of a … Read more

What the Wii U needs to succeed

It's trendy at this year's E3 to trash the Wii U. Nintendo's next-gen console has its work cut out for it: strange tablet-like GamePad controller, the challenge of making games for its dual-screen potential, the unknown price, and the looming question of whether Nintendo's core casual-gaming crowd has moved on to Apple's iPastures.

What if the Wii U were to succeed?

Nintendo has had a way of pulling rabbits out hats with strange hardware. I remember hating the Nintendo DS when it first was released; it became my favorite handheld. The original Wii was mocked for its name, its lack of HD, and its games-for-everyone mantra. It only became a household name.

If these things come to pass, I think the Wii U could succeed, too. … Read more

Cook sizes up TV prospects for Apple

Apple CEO Tim Cook dodged a handful of questions about whether the company is at work on a TV set, while making the argument that it's still an activity Apple is trying to improve.

During a live interview at the D10 conference tonight in Palos Verdes, Calif., Cook was asked how the company was looking to "change television," a question he dodged.

"Very uncharacteristically of us, we're staying in the Apple TV business," Cook said, adding that Apple was "not a hobby kind of company."

Cook added, however, that Apple has already … Read more