televisions

Sony has decided to split its television business in three as part of a broader strategy on the company's part to turn the ailing division around.

According to Reuters, which first reported the news, the three units will be LCD TVs, outsourcing operations, and next-generation TVs. The split, which will become official tomorrow, is designed to help the company "make clearer the mission and responsibilities" of the units, a company spokeswoman told Reuters in an interview published today.

Sony shareholders have been calling on the company to fix its television business for years. As Reuters points out, … Read more

Apple vice president of consumer applications, Jeff Robbin, is heading up a team at the company that's working on launching a television, according to a new report.

Citing multiple sources, Bloomberg says Robbin's team has a prototype in the works right now, but there is still a possibility that Apple won't even release a television.

Robbin's involvement in the Apple television is notable. After joining Apple more than a decade ago to head up the company's iTunes product, Robbin also helped create the iPod, making him a key player in the firm's executive lineup.… Read more

Netflix is planning to expand the availability of its streaming service to the U.K. and Ireland in early 2012, the company announced today.

Consumers who access Netflix will be able to stream both movies and television shows from the service, though the company has stopped short of providing information on its library. Netflix has also not commented on which devices will support its streaming service in those countries, but it did assure customers that it will be available on computers, mobile devices, and products that connect to their televisions.

Netflix's plans to expand to the U.K. and … Read more

Sony's long-awaited PlayStation 3D display will hit store shelves on November 13, the company said yesterday in a blog post.

Sony unveiled the 24-inch 3D set earlier this year at E3. The television lets gamers play titles in 3D, but adds a compelling function, called SimulView, which "delivers individual full HD screen visuals to each player in two-player mode." So, if gamers are playing a title in two-player mode, they can see full-screen visuals, eliminating the loss of screen real estate when they play games on other TVs in split screen. SimulView only works when both players … Read more

Amazon's Prime Instant Video streaming service is growing again, thanks to a deal the e-commerce giant has struck with Public Broadcasting Service.

According to Amazon, over 1,000 episodes from PBS' popular shows, including "Nova," "Masterpiece," and "Antiques Roadshow," will be available to the service's users. In addition, Ken Burns documentaries "The Civil War," "Baseball," and others will also come to the streaming service. Folks who watch PBS' news programs, "Frontline" and "Washington Week," will be able to watch the latest episodes the day … Read more

The majority of Americans who watch television take to their smartphones, tablets, and e-readers to maximize their productivity and entertainment while a show is on, a new study has found.

According to Nielsen, 42 percent of Americans who own tablets are using that device each day when watching television. On the smartphone side, 40 percent of folks turn on their handsets each day when watching a show. Just 14 percent of e-reader owners, however, use that device every day when they're watching a television show.

Given those figures, it might not be surprising to learn that just 12 percent … Read more

Sony has issued a recall on several Bravia televisions that were produced and sold since 2007, several reports claim.

According to the BBC, a total of 1.6 million of the affected sets have been sold worldwide. Citing a page on Sony's Europe Web site, the news service says Sony's KDL-40D3400, KDL-40D3500, KDL-40D3550, and KDL-40D3660 models, among several others, have been tagged as potential dangers.

"We have recently become aware of a potential issue affecting a very limited number of Bravia LCD TV models, which have been available for purchase in Europe since June 2007," Sony … Read more

Netflix has expanded its partnership with AMC Networks to bring many more shows to its streaming service.

The companies today announced that they have inked a multiyear agreement that delivers AMC hit "The Walking Dead" to Netflix. In addition, content from AMC's other networks, including IFC and the Sundance Channel, are also available on Netflix, thanks to the deal.

However, as with other deals Netflix has signed with television networks, there are some stipulations in this latest agreement. According to the companies, new seasons of "The Walking Dead," as well as "certain future AMC … Read more

At any given time, the majority of Netflix users are watching television shows, rather than movies, a company executive has revealed.

Speaking yesterday at the Mipcom conference in Cannes, France, Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said that "50 percent, and sometimes, 60 percent, of viewing (on Netflix) is TV episodes now," according to PaidContent, which was at the event,

Sarandos was quick to add that those statistics won't stop his company from focusing on bringing more movies to the streaming service. He reportedly said during his keynote address that the stats "can be misperceived as … Read more