tv

XFINITY TV Player 1.0.0.002 Review

Many users watch their favorite TV shows on their mobile devices using apps such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and Crackle. XFINITY TV Player, designed for use by Comcast subscribers, is the latest addition to the premium video-streaming genre. It makes a great attempt at being a valuable experience but lacks many key features that make both cable and mobile video great.

At 12MB the player is not excessively large for an application of its magnitude but nevertheless users should be cautioned if they are on a limited data plan and are not connected to Wi-Fi. The installation progresses smoothly and … Read more

Get a free month of Hulu Plus

Recently my media-center PC died (well, the hard drive -- when you start seeing boot-screen messages about "imminent hard drive failure," believe them!). All those episodes of "Community" and "Once Upon a Time" I'd DVR'd for later viewing -- gone.

Hulu Plus to the rescue! Yeah, you have to sit through commercial breaks (albeit way shorter ones than during regular broadcasts), but it's still the best (and cheapest) way to watch first-run TV shows.

A typical Hulu Plus trial lasts just seven days, but for a limited time, StackSocial is offering … Read more

The China Star in 'Iron Man 3': TCL debuts new TVs

Today TCL announced three new LED TVs, including a 50-inch, a 58-inch, and a monster 110-inch 4K TV dubbed "The China Star."

The Star will appear in the upcoming movie "Iron Man 3," and makes its appearance in a trailer for the film around the 2-second mark, happily ensconced in Tony Stark's living room.

In addition to its size and pixel count, The China Star boasts some impressive-sounding "technology," including (per the press release) "...active 3D technology, multitouch technology, intelligent and dynamic backlight technology, and ultra-high brightness of 800 nits. The massive … Read more

The new Xbox: Six things Microsoft needs to do

Microsoft has made it official: the next Xbox will be unveiled at a May 21 event in Redmond, Wash., just weeks before E3 opens its doors. This looks like the inevitable Xbox-PlayStation next-gen console war we've all been expecting.

What will it take for Microsoft to keep its strong foothold in the gaming industry? Here's what I'm looking for.

Be the ultimate TV-streaming (and movie-playing) box The Xbox 360 has already carved a great role for itself as a streaming-media hub, and rumors point to the next Xbox possibly being a true rival to a future Apple … Read more

Seven questions about Amazon's mystery streaming box

Is there a Kindle TV box on the horizon?

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, the answer is yes. Amazon is said to be readying its own streaming-TV box to take on the likes of the Roku, Apple TV, Xbox, PlayStation -- and every TV manufacturer that now builds smart-TV apps like Netflix and Vudu directly into televisions.

The Seattle-based e-tailer already has an ambitious home video strategy. Amazon Prime customers get thousands of free movies and TV shows (in addition to free shipping of real-world goods) with the $79-per-year membership, and the company is ramping up production of original series as … Read more

Amazon to release set-top box for Internet video, report says

Amazon plans to release a set-top box this fall that streams Internet-based video into consumers' homes, Bloomberg reported, making the e-commerce giant the latest company to target the TV market.

The device will plug into TVs and will give users access to Amazon's video catalog, including its Video on Demand store and Instant Video service, Bloomberg said, citing sources. Amazon's Lab126 division, based in Cupertino, Calif., is developing the product, the news service said, with Malachy Moynihan running the project. Moynihan is a former vice president of emerging products at Cisco as well as a former Apple employee. … Read more

Google Fiber's TV app lets users stream directly to an iPad

If you live in Kansas City, have Google Fiber, and also own an iPad -- you're in luck. As of Tuesday, the Google Fiber TV app for iPad is available in Apple's iTunes store.

Just what does this app do?

Well, besides doubling as a TV remote control, it also lets users search for programming, browse listings, access on-demand content, and pick shows or recordings to watch. The app also lets users watch any of these shows or movies directly on their iPad.

The Google Fiber TV app has been available to Android owners for about a month … Read more

Get a Vizio 32-inch LCD smart TV for $258

Sure, you can buy a 32-inch TV for around $200, but it won't have Wi-FI, it won't have apps, and it might just be refurbished. (Much as I love refurb gear, TVs are an exception. I almost always recommend buying new.)

For a limited time, and while supplies last, Dell has the Vizio E322AR 32-inch smart TV for $258 shipped (plus sales tax in some states). It's new, not refurbished, and definitely packing some bells and whistles.

First up: Wi-Fi. Which is good for second up: apps. Vizio offers a wealth of them, everything from Amazon Instant … Read more

DirecTV adding voice search to smartphone app this summer

With satellite and cable TV packages hovering around the "thousand channel" mark, the common complaint isn't that there's nothing to watch--it's that it's difficult and tedious to find what you're looking for.

That's the problem that DirecTV's upcoming voice search functionality is aiming to solve. While DirecTV already offers search functionality on its DVRs, the new voice search features let subscribers ditch the tedious text-entry process by speaking to the DirecTV smartphone app, which is available for both iOS and Android.

DirecTV is far from the first to bring voice search … Read more