television

Today, technology giant Microsoft and Chinese Internet service provider PPTV signed a partnership deal that will bring a new Web TV service to Microsoft's Windows Azure platform.

The deal, Microsoft's first cloud-based collaboration with a local Chinese new media company, will see PPTV's Asia TV Networks (ATN) launched using Azure as its core infrastructure, while the two companies have also agreed to explore further opportunities to work together in online TV and other areas.

ATN is intended as a "local showcase" for subscription online television, according to PPTV. Content can be uploaded by global content … Read more

One hour north of Los Angeles in a town called Santa Clarita is a nondescript studio location where showbiz magic is quietly being made. From the road, it looks like a series of warehouses but inside it houses the spectacular set and production facilities for the new CBS show "Vegas," starring Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis.

I took a drive up there this week and was knocked out by the look, the detail, and the scope of it all. Not only does it house a set for the fictional Savoy Casino Hotel -- the central setting of the … Read more

International Apple TV owners are complaining that they have been blocked from Hulu Plus.

According to The Next Web, which has obtained images of an error message displayed when users try to stream a show or film from Hulu Plus, those with an Apple TV and U.S. iTunes account are able to browse Hulu's selection of titles. Upon choosing one of those titles, however, a "Geo Restriction" pops up, telling them they cannot access the particular video.

"We're sorry. Currently our video library can only be streamed within the United States," the message … Read more

We send 300 billion e-mails, 200 million tweets, and 2.5 billion text messages through our digital networks every day, according to a report originally published in The Economist. In this crazy information age where there's no lack of data vying for people's attention, a picture really does say 1,000 words or 1,000 tweets!

And when it's good, it penetrates people's brains so they remember it. That's the key in the entertainment marketing business.

At CBS, we just unveiled our "key art" for the new season shows. "Key art" … Read more

After more than a week of failed negotiations that led to a service cut-off, television giants DirecTV and Viacom have reached a new agreement that will restore many of the media conglomerate's popular television channels to the satellite service provider's 20 million U.S. customers.

The agreement, described as "long-term," will see 17 television channels -- including Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, BET and Spike, among others -- restored. Viacom cut service for the channels on July 10.

"We are very pleased to be able to restore the channels to our customers and thank them for … Read more

More than just a tool for reading up on celebs and movies, the IMDb mobile app lets you access an enormous entertainment database, view movie trailers, read reviews, track shows, and even get notifications for updates on your favorite celebs. What's more, the Android tablet version is optimized for the larger screen, as it breaks up IMDb's sections into two functional panels.

IMDb opens up directly to a Home screen displaying new trailers, popular movies and shows, upcoming titles, and top news. If you log into your IMDb account, it also shows you recommendations for shows and movies, … Read more

The Doctor's impressive arsenal of technology is known to be finicky. The TARDIS, in particular, seems to have a mind of its own. Now imagine his sonic screwdriver is on the fritz and can only do one thing: operate a TV. You can have that sonic screwdriver.

The Sonic Screwdriver Programmable TV Remote at ThinkGeek is a note-perfect replica of the tool used by the latest Doctor, played by Matt Smith on the BBC.

The sci-fi magic happens when you use the remote's gesture-based command system. Rotate the sonic screwdriver for volume. Change channels with the flick of a wrist. It can also store up to 39 remote control codes to handle all the devices in your entertainment system.… Read more

TVFoodMaps for Android is an app that takes you on a tour of all the restaurants featured on your favorite Food Network and Travel Channel shows, using GPS. For self-proclaimed food enthusiasts, it is a veritable treasure trove of eating advice.

Launch TVFoodMaps, enable GPS, and watch the app immediately get to work searching for notable restaurants in your vicinity. The home screen lets you choose to do a keyword search or jump straight to a map of nearby hot spots. For users of the paid premium version, you can also browse by TV show and even get notifications when … Read more

The very best feature the iPhone ever had didn't exist until a year after the iPhone first debuted. It wasn't the Web browser. It wasn't the touch screen.

It was the apps.

While I remember the magical parts of owning the first iPhone, those aren't really what I think it will be remembered for. After all, touch screens, cameras, and all its other iconic elements have been appropriated by competitors.

The lingering bombshell that the iPhone has birthed is, needless to say, the idea of apps.… Read more