Archive for the ‘ZNF’ Category

Zatz Not Funny: New Netflix survey, TechVi interviews Boxee CEO, Cloud storage, and more

A periodic roundup of relevant news from our friends at Zatz Not Funny

netflix-survey

New Netflix Survey offers clues

Dave Zatz: Looks like Netflix is once again soliciting feedback via a branching web-based survey.

Catching up with Boxee (And introducing TechVi)

Dave Zatz: Randall Bennett, who you may recognize from Engadget and CNET, has independently launched an online video show called TechVi. In addition to hosting a panel riffing on recent tech events, Randall landed his first interview early this week with Boxee CEO Avner Ronen.

Will online streaming kill the best new show on TV?

Mari Silbey: It takes money to distribute video online – encoding, storage, management, and actual delivery – which makes short work of the dollars online advertising and download fees do bring in.

Let’s get cumulus: Your Cloud or mine?

Dave Zatz: At CES, I spent some time checking out the promising Pogoplug ($80) – which is both a device and a service. The small Linux device, available next month, turns any USB drive into both local and remote networked storage.

Zatz Not Funny: Pandora on Blackberry, iPhone OS 3.0, Roku, iPod Shuffle

A periodic roundup of relevant news from our friends at Zatz Not Funny

Pandora & IHeartRadio released on Blackberry

Dave Zatz: Two new (and free) music streaming apps have joined Slacker on the Blackberry this week.

iPhone 3.0 OS channels Xbox Live (plus cut & paste)

Dave Zatz: The first half of Apple’s presentation was geared towards developers and hardware partners, introducing support for new payment and device connectivity options. Both of which had me drawing comparisons to Xbox Live.

What’s next for Roku? (beyond YouTube & Blip.TV)

Dave Zatz: As I discovered last month, it looks like YouTube is headed to the little $99 Roku media player. And it turns out GOOG may not be the only new partner joining Netflix and Amazon Video on Demand.

New iPod Shuffle – shiny but tiny

Mari Silbey: Apple is making hay again with yet another news announcement: A very very tiny [iPod] Shuffle with 4GB of storage and a talking interface… Right off the bat I see a lot of things I don’t like about the new music player.

Zatz Not Funny: Amazon HD on TiVo, GiiNii Android device, Vudu update, Samsung BD-P1600 – Blu-ray Netflix and Pandora player

A periodic roundup of relevant news from our friends at Zatz Not Funny

Amazon VOD in HD on TiVo – coming soon?

Dave Zatz: After reading my post wondering where Amazon VOD in HD is, multiple sources have confirmed for me that TiVo’s implementation is currently in testing. While I still don’t have concrete timing details, and suspect we’re waiting on Amazon.com at this point, I’m told video quality is outstanding.

Letting the GiiNii out of the bottle

Mari Silbey: GiiNii was perhaps the biggest surprise out of CES in January. The company seemed to appear out of nowhere with a brilliant line-up of CE devices including C-U-C-Me cameras, PixPlus Wi-Fi photo frames, and a touch-screen, Android-based handheld called the Movit Mini (think iPod Touch with an Android OS).

The Vudu status report

Dave Zatz: It’s been awhile since we’ve talked Vudu here on ZNF, so it’s time for a 2009 status update.

Samsung BD-P1600: Blu-ray, Netflix, Pandora

Dave Zatz: Meet the  new BD-P1600 ($299.99), one of Samsung’s CES Blu-ray player announcements. This relatively slim piano black deck slipped into many Best Buys around the country over the last few days.

Accessorizing the Slacker G2

Mari Silbey: Last week Slacker sent me some accessories to try including a G2 dock, car charger, and arm band. They’re all available online for under $30 along with an FM transmitter (for the car) priced at $39.99.

Zatz Not Funny: CBS iPhone app, Hulu on OSX, Netflix streaming, green tech disposal

A periodic roundup of relevant news from our friends at Zatz Not Funny

CBS launches TV.com iPhone app

Dave Zatz: CBS may have recently lost out on Hulu content, but they’re pressing forward with their re-imagined TV.com initiative. And, yesterday, they introduced a free TV.com iPhone app.

Get your OS X Hulu fix via Plex

Dave Zatz: When one door closes, bust through a window? OS X users still seeking a Hulu fix after the Boxee run-in should download the new version of Plex.

Netflix streaming, the Internet’s changing our brains, and Cable goes online

Mari Silbey: I’ve been virtually absent from ZNF for the last two weeks, and my backlog of posts is growing out of control. So, in an attempt to catch up, here are a few related items I’ve found interesting of late.

Dumping gear the green way

Dave Zatz: If you collect as many gadgets as I do, it’s inevitable a percentage will outlive their usefulness. Which is why LifeHacker’s recent coverage of Best Buy’s expanded recycling program is nicely timed.

Zatz Not Funny: iPhone apps of the week, placeshifting cable TV, Hulu drops the hammer, mobile broadband choices

A periodic roundup of relevant news from our friends at Zatz Not Funny

The free media-centric iPhone apps of the week

Dave Zatz: Roxio Streamer is a brand new app that hooks into their OS X Toast 10 software ($80) to transcode and stream transferred TiVo video, EyeTV recordings, and a variety of other media from Mac to iPhone or iPod Touch over WiFi.

Cable’s new approach to Placeshifting

Mari Silbey: Although we’ve seen some minor attempts by cable operators to let subscribers place-shift their TV programs – witness Comcast’s Any Room initiative – for the most part cable TV customers are stuck watching their shows in one place. Today several news outlets are reporting that the big cable companies have a plan in the works to change that.

Hulu drops the hammer

Dave Zatz: I sort of figured this day would come… Based on my perception of the licensing/royalty complexities and content providers fear that a current web video catalog piped to the television competes with live broadcasts. Hulu has shown their true colors – spawned of big media and beholden to big media.

Choosing a broadband card (Verizon or Sprint)

Dave Zatz: In choosing a broadband card and service, most modern 3G hardware should be fine. Assuming you can get a good deal (which you usually can), the key factors in making a decision are access, coverage, and contract terms.

Zatz Not Funny: Kindle 2, Media Extenders, Netflix and Win Mob

A periodic roundup of relevant news from our friends at Zatz Not Funny

The Amazon Kindle 2

Dave Zatz: After months of leaks, speculation, and zero inventory, Amazon’s second generation e-reader has arrived.

The week in media extenders

Dave Zatz: With improving sales and increased consumer awareness of network-sourced content, perhaps AppleTV will graduate from “hobby” status later this year. At the very least, Apple’s showing a bit of life around this initiative by distributing a customer survey.

Netflix Queue Manager for Windows Mobile

Dave Zatz: CES is a huge event, so it’s no surprise we might have overlooked a few hidden gems… such as the Mobile Manager for Netflix demo-ed at CntrStg. As you might expect, given the app’s name, Mobile Manager for Netflix allows you to manage your queue(s) and see the discs you have at home.

Archerfish brings video analysis to Placeshifting

Dave Zatz: One of the most frequent requests I received while employed by Sling Media came from small businesses and higher-end home owners looking for more enterprise-esque video monitoring with placeshifting features, but at reasonable prices. While Sling hasn’t yet acted on this demand, video analytics firm Cernium answers the call next week with the release of Archerfish.

Zatz Not Funny: Roku and Amazon, Pulsar, Netflix, TiVo

A periodic roundup of relevant news from our friends at Zatz Not Funny

Roku’s Amazon VOD in Beta. YouTube next?

Dave Zatz: We knew Amazon Video on Demand was headed to Roku’s media streamer ($99) early this year. And now, via their forums, we have word that the service has entered private beta.

Pulsar, Satellite Radio on OS X

Dave Zatz: Earlier this week, I received Rogue Amoeba’s periodic email newsletter. Among other things, I learned they’re pretty far along on Pulsar – an OS X app that allows you to stream XM or Sirius online radio stations.

Netflix contemplates higher tier video streaming

Dave Zatz: Netflix CEO Reed Hastings previously and repeatedly seemed to indicate they’d never introduce a pay-per-view video download model or higher tiers of video streaming. However, it looks like that topic has been reopened for discussion. In a customer survey going around, Netflix wonders if we’d pay an additional $10 a month to stream “HBO original series and movies.”

TiVo Desktop 2.7 released

Dave Zatz: TiVo Desktop 2.7 has hit the streets. This Windows software update packs several enhancements.

Zatz Not Funny: SlingPlayer Mobile, the cost of music, FrameChannel, will your TiVo tweet?

A periodic roundup of relevant news from our friends at Zatz Not Funny

The future of SlingPlayer Mobile

Dave Zatz: While I’m not quite ready to speculate on Sling Media’s future retail presence and hardware initiatives, in light of recent defections, we do have a few clues as to their current mobile strategy.

The cost of music

Dave Zatz: We’ve finally seen some definitive proof that Sirius XM will begin charging for online streaming ($3/mo), Pandora has brought audio advertising into their web player/experience, and Apple, along with their studio partners, is implementing variable track pricing. Obviously, there’s also a sizable contingent of people who feel free to help themselves. In light of this, I’m wondering what folks think is a reasonable cost for music.

A sneak-peek pic from FrameChannel

Mari Silbey: Chances are reasonably high that you’ve never heard of FrameChannel. Wireless photo frames are still new in consumer adoption terms, and the idea of a content provider for these frames is a bit counter-intuitive. (Aren’t you just supposed to put your own pics on them?) Nonetheless, FrameChannel is expanding rapidly.

Will your TiVo tweet?

Todd Barnard: Some of the most influential people in social media recently attended a DiSo meeting to discuss the future of how their users’ activity will be published. One of the points discussed during the event was that activity streams are not just generated by people but that machines can also broadcast what they’re doing.

Zatz Not Funny: Internet TV widgets, iPhone shortcomings, Boxee set-top box and more

A periodic roundup of relevant news from our friends at Zatz Not Funny

Yahoo’s Internet TV widget platform

Dave Zatz: The biggest story of CES, given our focus here at ZNF, was the unveiling of Yahoo’s Internet TV platform. Of course, just as meaningful as the technology itself, are the multiple heavy hitting partners signed to deploy it beginning this spring.

iPhone shortcomings?

Dave Zatz: The Boy Genius is out with his top ten iPhone annoyances. While several can be filed as minutiae that won’t bother most folks to any great extent, I’ve yet to meet the perfect handset. The iPhone is no different, possessing a variety of quirks and limitations.

Boxee, finally living up to square name?

Dave Zatz: The Boxee team, flush with cash and excellent exposure, is seeking feedback on the prospect of directly embedding their experience into a hardware platform.

Evolution of the Verizon Hub

Mari Silbey: Tech specs are still fuzzy, but what we do know is that this is a POTS-based cordless phone system with a touchscreen for Internet access and integration with Verizon wireless and VoIP phone services. It’s meant to act as a digital photo frame, note board, family calendar, and widget station all at once.

Zatz Not Funny: Moxi, Sling Media, Wi-Fi photo frame trojan horse, missing at CES

A periodic roundup of relevant news from our friends at Zatz Not Funny

Digeo takes on TiVo with Moxi

Dave Zatz: Although units began shipping in mid-December (with little fanfare), Digeo CEO Greg Gudorf officially unveiled their long delayed and re-imagined retail Moxi HD DVR ($800) last week at CES. I’ve previously been critical of Digeo’s go-to-market and press/blogger outreach strategies, but I’ve never had a problem with their tech – in fact, the Moxi OS was ahead of it’s time.

The Slingified WiFi LCD

Dave Zatz: The Sling booth was my first stop at CES, yet I managed to walk right by the one real surprise. Sling’s 15″ WiFi monitor displays (only) streamed video from a “SlingLoaded” DISH ViP 922 DVR within the home. Sort of a SlingCatcher, without additional media adapter functionality.

Wi-Fi photo frame the new Trojan Horse?

Mari Silbey: While gaming consoles are still attempting to make good on their role as Trojan Horse in the living room , I have a new candidate for the job: Wi-Fi photo frames. As ridiculous as that sounds, a WI-Fi photo frame is really nothing more than an IP-based display, capable of receiving IP-based content.

What we didn’t see At CES

Dave Zatz: Not only did we witness a temporary cease fire in the “World’s Largest” flat panel CES showdown, a few other technologies played it low-key in Vegas…