Consumer Electronics
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‘The Secret Life of Pets 2’ Coming to Digital Aug. 13, Disc Aug. 27 From Universal
The family film The Secret Life of Pets 2 will debut on digital Aug. 13 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and on demand Aug. 27 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. From the studio Illumination (Despicable Me, Minions, Sing), the animated sequel features the pets and their growing families in a new chapter that explores … Continue reading “‘The Secret Life of Pets 2’ Coming to Digital Aug. 13, Disc Aug. 27 From Universal”
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Post Subscriber Hiccup, Netflix Piles Praise … on HBO
After disappointing Q2 subscriber growth numbers, Netflix senior management on the fiscal webcast took the high road deflecting the subscription streaming service’s first domestic quarterly decline (since 2011) while adding only half of projected international subs. CEO Reed Hastings said it might be easy to “over-interpret” the lack of sub growth but that under similar … Continue reading “Post Subscriber Hiccup, Netflix Piles Praise … on HBO”
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Dish Bows 4K HDR-Compatible Streaming Stick
Dish Network’s AirTV subsidiary July 15 announced the launch of a 4K HDR compatible streaming stick, powered by Google’s Android TV operating system. The palm-sized $79.99 AirTV Mini device integrates Sling TV, Netflix and other over-the-top apps, in addition to OTA digital channels when paired with a compatible antenna and a Wi-Fi-enabled network tuner. “The … Continue reading “Dish Bows 4K HDR-Compatible Streaming Stick”
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Roku Remains Top Streaming Media Device in U.S.
Roku’s streaming TV platform accounted for more than 30% of U.S. sales of connected TV devices in Q1 2019, further increasing its lead in streaming TV platforms, according to the latest data from Strategy Analytics. The British research firm finds that there are more than 41 million Roku-based devices in use, including branded set-top devices, … Continue reading “Roku Remains Top Streaming Media Device in U.S.”
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Elon Musk at E3: New Teslas to Offer Game Play, Netflix Streaming
When Elon Musk arrived at the E3 video game convention in Los Angeles, he must have felt like the man who gulped pure oxygen after living with high-altitude sickness. After dealing with countless issues and enduring Congressional scrutiny with both Tesla and Space X, he spent a day stepping back into his roots — video … Continue reading “Elon Musk at E3: New Teslas to Offer Game Play, Netflix Streaming”
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E3: ‘Palpable’ Concern Regarding Packaged-Media Gaming, Pricing
As trade shows go, Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2019 in Los Angeles featured the usual blizzard of new-release announcements and industry scuttlebutt about the future of gaming consoles on land (hardware) and in the cloud. Sony’s gaming unit, Sony Interactive Entertainment, skipped the event entirely, leaving much of the floor to rival Microsoft. And it … Continue reading “E3: ‘Palpable’ Concern Regarding Packaged-Media Gaming, Pricing”
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Studios Reportedly Back Private Sector 5G Spectrum Allocation
Next-generation 5G wireless technology continues to get a lot of attention (and hype) — notably as an enhanced distribution channel for mobile video entertainment. Mobile data traffic worldwide is expected to increase from 28 exabytes monthly this year to 77 exabytes monthly by 2022, according to Statista. 5G is expected to add $2.7 trillion to the U.S. … Continue reading “Studios Reportedly Back Private Sector 5G Spectrum Allocation”
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Microsoft to Preview Xbox One ‘Console Streaming’ in October
Microsoft jumpstarted the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2019 in Los Angeles with the June 9 announcement of 60 new video games, an upgraded Elite 2 game controller and further mention of the pending Project Scarlett console, which claims to support 8K resolution, framerates up to 120fps and is slated to launch in 2020. This October … Continue reading “Microsoft to Preview Xbox One ‘Console Streaming’ in October”
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Video Game Show E3 Opens June 11 With New AR Experience
E3 2019, the biggest annual video game trade show, opens June 11 for a three-day run at the Los Angeles Convention Center. New this year is “The Unreal Garden @ E3,” an evolved version of the San Francisco-based augmented reality experience with new scenes and content. E3 delivers new immersive experiences to E3 attendees each … Continue reading “Video Game Show E3 Opens June 11 With New AR Experience”
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TiVo ‘Wins’ Another Round in Comcast Patent Dispute
TiVo June 4 received a favorable ruling by Administrative Law Judge MaryJoan McNamara of the International Trade Commission (ITC) that select aspects of Comcast’s cloud-based X1 video platform infringe Rovi’s patents. Rovi, which acquired DVR pioneer TiVo in 2016 for $1.1 billion, operates under the TiVo brand name. TiVo has a worldwide portfolio of over … Continue reading “TiVo ‘Wins’ Another Round in Comcast Patent Dispute”
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IHS: China’s TCL Brand Tops North American TV Market
With just about everything made in China, it’s little surprise a Chinese television manufacturer has unseated South Korea’s Samsung for top unit sales in North America. With China and the United States embroiled in a trade dispute, the rush to import Chinese TVs ahead of proposed tariffs is at a fevered pitch. China’s TCL unit … Continue reading “IHS: China’s TCL Brand Tops North American TV Market”
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Apple Replacing iTunes with Three New Apps
After 18 years, Apple iTunes is history. As expected, Apple June 3 previewed macOS Catalina, a new desktop operating system that replaces iTunes with three entertainment apps — Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and the Apple TV app. The three apps — unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Confab in San Jose, Calif., — are designed to … Continue reading “Apple Replacing iTunes with Three New Apps”