Number of results 25 for ui

07/05/2013 - Samsung acquires MOVL to bolster its multi-screen TV efforts

Samsung acquires MOVL to bolster multiscreen TV apps

Samsung's desire for deep integration of TV services was painstakingly obvious when it unveiled the Galaxy S 4's WatchON feature. However, that may prove to be just the tip of the televisual iceberg: it's buying MOVL, the developer of Samsung's own SwipeIt media sharing as well as the MOVL Connect Platform and KontrolTV. We don't know exactly how the two sides will mesh, but MOVL expects to merge its connected TV savvy with the "scale and innovation" of its new overseer, according to a company statement at TechCrunch. The only safe prediction is that existing support for generic Google TVs and iOS will likely take a back seat.

Filed under: , , , ,

Comments

Source: TechCrunch


17/04/2013 - Arris closes deal to buy Motorola Home cable and internet biz from Google

About a year and a half after Google announced its acquisition of Motorola, it's closed a deal to sell the Motorola Home half to Arris. Motorola Home covers the company's cable TV and internet device, which combined with Arris' existing businesses creates what it's calling "the Premier Video Delivery and Broadband Technology Company." Meanwhile, Google keeps the Motorola Mobility half that covers its cellphones, tablets and of course, the related patents. The move cost Arris $2.2 billion in cash along with 10.6 million shares of its stock issued to Google. That's on top of 10.6 million shares for Comcast in return for its $150 million investment, making them equal part (7.7 percent) owners with the folks from Mountain View. What does all of this mean? Your next cable-provided box will probably say Arris on it, and any faint dream of Motorola-built Android TV set-top boxes becoming widely available is officially over.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Source: Arris


11/02/2013 - NBCUniversal dissolves G4, rebrands it as 'The Esquire Network'

NBC Universal dissolves G4, rebrands it as 'The Esquire Network'

Because nothing quite says "hip brand rejuvenation" like associating your channel with an 80-year-old magazine, NBCUniversal today announced the rebranding and makeover of its G4 television channel into "The Esquire Channel" (as in Esquire magazine). G4 primarily aired video game-centric programming, as well as a vast array of re-runs -- something NBC exec Bonnie Hammer doesn't think was the best idea. "Realistically, guys who are into gaming are not necessarily watching television," Hammer said, directly refuting the 2012 statistic that 49 percent of US households own a gaming console. "Let's create a real brand, define a space, understand who we are programming for." The New York Times reports that The Esquire Channel will be pitched as "an upscale Bravo for men," though it's not exactly clear what that means -- we'll find out on April 22 when the network goes live in 62 million homes.

For now, NBC's got demographics its targeting. Specifically, "a more educated, affluent, sophisticated male viewer," says the NYT piece. One thing it won't be? Reality shows with a noun and the word "wars" behind it. "Much of today's programming targets men in a one-dimensional way ... tattoos or pawn shops or storage lockers or axes of hillbillies," Esquire Channel's general manager Adam Stotsky said. It doesn't look like the channel's beyond reality programming altogether, with its first two shows being a cooking competition named Knife Fight and its other being a celebrity-based travel show named The Getaway. Nor is it beyond the aforementioned re-runs, announcing Parks & Recreation and Party Down as headed for syndication on the forthcoming channel.

[Photo credit: The New York Times]

Filed under: ,

Comments

Source: The New York Times


06/02/2013 - Liberty Global buys Virgin Media for $23.3 billion

Liberty Global acquires Virgin Media for $233 billion

Some British cable subscribers will soon have a new master: international telecom giant Liberty Global has just acquired Virgin Media for $23.3 billion in cash and stock. The deal gives Liberty an even larger stake in Europe than it had before and, if you believe the new partners, creates one of the bigger broadband companies on the planet at 47 million homes covered across 14 countries. Liberty also sees Virgin as good at tackling the business and mobile spaces that have been its relative weak points. How this will affect the UK isn't immediately apparent, although Virgin Media will continue to run under its existing name -- that moebius logo isn't going anywhere in the foreseeable future. We'll at least have some room to ponder the consequences when the buyout isn't poised to close until sometime in the second quarter.

Filed under: ,

Comments

Source: Liberty Global (PDF)


08/01/2013 - Dish Network makes an offer to buy Clearwire, even though Sprint was already buying Clearwire

Surprise news this afternoon as Clearwire announced it's received an acquisition offer from Dish Network, even though Sprint was already on the hook to snap up the company for $2.2 billion. According to the press release, a special committee of the Clearwire Board of Director's has decided to negotiate with dish based on its proposal, although it has not changed its recommendation of the current Sprint transaction. Predictably, Sprint is not taking the news well, producing a series of bullet points about why Clearwire can't and shouldn't sell to Dish.

Continue reading Dish Network makes an offer to buy Clearwire, even though Sprint was already buying Clearwire

Filed under: , , ,

Comments


28/12/2012 - Samsung expands Silicon Valley crib with 1.1 million square foot R&D center

Samsung expands Silicon Valley crib with 11 million square foot R&D center

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the most extravagant flashy lifestyle, the deluxe villa, the fly palace of Samsung Semiconductor Inc. It only exists as a pile of architects' drawings right now, and probably looks nothing like the Minecraft wonderment shown above, but when it's finished the 10-story San Jose structure will boast the following:

  • A new sales and R&D center, built in the stead of some existing Samsung offices, with floor space totaling 1.1 million square feet.
  • A layout that seeks to "encourage interaction among staff" and "foster connections with the community," while ultimately improving Sammy's "soft capabilities"
  • A parking garage and an "amenity pavilion" (whatever that is, we just know we can't afford one)

So, that's pretty much it in terms of detail. But to put all this into perspective, we're talking about an HQ that will be slightly bigger than Apple's recent 3,600-worker expansion in Austin, Texas -- or around a third the size of an infinite loop.

[Image credit: MinecraftModsDL.com]

Continue reading Samsung expands Silicon Valley crib with 1.1 million square foot R&D center

Filed under: , , ,

Comments

Via: SammyHub


20/12/2012 - Google sells Motorola Home cable and internet box business to Arris for $2.35 billion

Ever since Google announced it would acquire Motorola Mobility last year there have been questions about what it would do with the company's large internet and TV set-top box business, and now that question has been answered: it's selling Motorola Home to Arris for $2.35 billion in cash and stock. Another maker of cable boxes and modems, Arris says the acquisition will both increase its product offering, and increase its patent portfolio thanks to a license to "a wide array" of Motorola Mobility patents. The transaction has been approved by the boards of both companies, and they expect the deal to close in Q2 2013. The possibility of slipping Android / Google TV into the cable box business through the back door was a tantalizing one, but unfortunately probably not something shared by the operators that are Motorola's customers. We'll be hopping on a conference call to find out any more details in a moment, check out the press release after the break. Now, who holds the rights to that Motorola home automation tablet?

Continue reading Google sells Motorola Home cable and internet box business to Arris for $2.35 billion

Filed under: , ,

Comments


16/08/2012 - Bose's Latest and Greatest HDTV Offering is the VideoWave II
Bose is known internationally for their audio systems, but the VideoWave II, the next generation of their popular original home theater offering, gives users a 55-inch HDTV and all that is needed for a full home theater.

13/08/2012 - AirPlay Mirroring Versus AirParrot
One of the biggest perks of Mountain Lion, Apple’s latest operating system release, is that it gives Mac users the ability to mirror whatever is on their screen straight through to their HDTV with an AppleTV. It’s great for presentations, broadcasting the iTunes visualizer, or streaming online video and games right onto the big screen. But it won’t work correctly for everyone.

01/06/2012 - Engadget's summer gear guide 2012: home entertainment

In the interest of keeping cool this summer, we've put together a list of the hottest products out right now. From smartphones to e-readers and everything in between, there's no time like the present to re-up that post-spring-cleaning stash. So grab a popsicle or a cold one and dive in -- the water's just right.

Engadget's summer gear guide 2012: home entertainment

Forget heading outside to battle the sun, bugs and whatever other dangers may lurk in the wild -- we'll be inside near the TV. Of course, the summer programming schedule can often leave something to be desired, so we'll have to take that into account in our hardware suggestions going into the break. Also key is access to our preferred programming wherever it might be, broadcast or online. So, which devices are absolute must-have's to keep you chilling where the AC blows through October and beyond? Check past the break to find out.

Continue reading Engadget's summer gear guide 2012: home entertainment

Engadget's summer gear guide 2012: home entertainment originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 07:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

image/jpeg


31/07/2011 - Is Windows Media Center not dead after all?
Media Center running on Windows 8
When Microsoft disolved the eHome team that developed Media Center and renamed the MVP program to Windows Entertainment and Connected Home, there was some serious questions about the future of the product. While that question won't really be answered until September, when Microsoft is expected to reveal the feature complete beta at the company's Build Conference, a few leaked screen shots at TheGreenButton.tv show the same old Windows 7 Media Center running on Windows 8. We can't saw we're surprised, since all indications are that Windows 8 will be a dot-one release, in terms of compatibility with Vista and 7, so there's really no reason for Microsoft to pull it. We're not the only one who'd be surprised to see new features though, as everyone we know seems to agree it would be silly to think otherwise. The real scary\sad thing is that Windows 7 has been out for almost two years, and no other DVR has managed to match many of its features.

Is Windows Media Center not dead after all? originally appeared on Engadget HD on Sun, 31 Jul 2011 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

27/04/2011 - Dish completes Blockbuster purchase, receives more time to decide on store closings
Dish Network successfully completed its acquisition of Blockbuster today at a price of $320.6 million, and also was granted an extra 90 days to decide which stores it will continue to operate. According to MarketWatch, it successfully shot down objections including those of LionsGate and suggested it could both crossmarket its satellite service i the remaining stores, while offering Blockbuster's VOD and digital products to its satellite TV customers. We may have to wait until July 21 to know for sure which stores will stay open, but for now Dish says it's assumed about 400 leases and will have "near or below 1,000" stores when it's all said and done.

Continue reading Dish completes Blockbuster purchase, receives more time to decide on store closings

Dish completes Blockbuster purchase, receives more time to decide on store closings originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

05/12/2010 - Google spends a few more million, picks up Widevine DRM software firm
Two acquisitions in as many days? Say it ain't so! Prior to even unboxing Phonetic Arts, Google has now snapped up Seattle-based Widevine. Truth be told, you're probably taking advantage of the company's technology without even being aware of it -- it's used in over 250 million web connected HDTVs and streamers around the globe, and it's primarily designed to thwart piracy attempts while enabling consumers to enjoy content on a wider array of devices. As these things tend to do, neither outfit is talking prices, but it's fairly obvious why El Goog would want a firm like this in its portfolio. Moreover, it's borderline comical that Viacom's pushing an appeal in order to pit Google as an anti-studio, pro-piracy monster while it's spending hard-earned cash on a DRM layer. At any rate, Google's not getting into specific plans just yet, only stating its intentions to maintain Widevine's agreements, provide support for existing and future clients as well as "building upon [the technology] to enhance both Widevine's products and its own."

Google spends a few more million, picks up Widevine DRM software firm originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 05 Dec 2010 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

03/11/2009 - AT&T CruiseCast satellite service halts activations, will refund customers

Filed under: ,

It wasn't too hard to see this one coming after reports of "financial difficulties" and a potential early demise starting cropping up last month, but it looks like AT&T's CruiseCast in-car satellite service is now officially done for. According to RaySat COO Mike Grannan (AT&T's partner in the service), all new activations have now ceased, and existing customers will soon apparently be able to get a refund for the cost of installation, de-installation, equipment and service. For those keeping track, the service just launched in June of this year and, while no installed base numbers seem to be available, it doesn't appear to have caused much more than a blip on the radar, with it hindered in part by a hefty $1,300 up-front cost.

AT&T CruiseCast satellite service halts activations, will refund customers originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments



24/09/2009 - Toshiba's Cell TV still on for 2009 debut, now with Blu-ray

Filed under: , , ,

Just in case there was any doubt, Toshiba has confirmed plans to launch its halo product, the Cell (for Cell Broadband engine, similar to the one in the PS3) TV, with all the LED backlit 3D GUI, 3840x2160 resolution, and DLNA streaming capabilities one could want, in Japan by the end of the year. Thanks to the company's new religion, it will also feature a Blu-ray recorder to go along with the 1TB hard drive, though we can bet that will be axed before making its way stateside in 2010. Of course we're still looking forward to the Media Center Extender packing display expected here some time soon, but when an executive promises the "ultimate entertainment machine" we can't help but wonder what's in store. More detailed specifications and any pricing info other than "it will be fairly expensive" are still unavailable.

Toshiba's Cell TV still on for 2009 debut, now with Blu-ray originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 23:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments



21/08/2009 - Plasma and LCD TV Sales Increase in Q2 2009


Quixel Research’s newly launched report revealed that in Q2 2009 the Plasma TV was the only large screen TV category to show significant - up 31% in volume and 35% in value - growth quarter-to-quarter.

The harsh economic climate didn’t also slow LCDTV sales: the overall LCDTV market grew nine percent quarter-to-quarter and 22 percent year-to-year.


18/08/2009 - Samsung to Incorporate Rovi’s IPG Technology into Its HDTVs


Rovi and Samsung announced a multi-year, multi-country technology and patent licensing agreement that allows Samsung to incorporate Rovi's interactive program guide technologies into its next-generation TVs and other consumer electronics devices.


10/06/2009 - BG Radia's BGX-4850 in-wall subwoofer shakes loose a rave review

Filed under: , ,

BG Radia BGX-4850 in-wall subwoofer
It's been a while since we heard about BG Radia's THX Ultra2-certified in-wall subwoofers, the BGX-4850, so we were pretty happy to see that AVGuide put them to a review. Word to the wise -- don't scoff at the small 4-inch drivers used in this subwoofer; by packing 48 of those little cones into each module in a kind of boxer style layout (Porsche and Subaru fans take note), the BGX-4850 (combined with a 2,200-Watt amp and a healthy dollop of DSP) turned loose sub-20Hz response that the reviewer ate up. No smudgy, slow, plodding bass here -- quite the opposite, actually. The reviewer said the transient response may outpace some of the primary speakers with which it's paired; something good is going on here. Good enough, in fact, to net perfect 10s for everything but the "value" portion of the competition; somehow you just knew that $7,000 tag would catch a snag somewhere along the way.

BG Radia's BGX-4850 in-wall subwoofer shakes loose a rave review originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 11:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments



28/05/2009 - Microsoft Confirms Zune HD with XBox Live Tie-In

Microsoft is to launch the Zune HD this autumn and the device will have access to TV, movies and games through the Xbox Live Video Marketplace.
Essentially being lined up as a rival to Apple's iPod Touch, the new PMP will have a built-in HD Radio receiver, an OLED touch screen interface, wi-fi, a multi-touch UI for Internet Explorer.

22/05/2009 - Paradigm's Monitor 9 v.6 takes its turn in front of the AVGuide judges

Filed under: , ,

Paradigm Monitor 11 v.6
It looks like the crew at AVGuide is making its way through a drop shipment of Paradigm gear this week, and Paradigm's Monitor 9 v.6 floorstander did its part to hold up the company's rep. There's no shortage of competition in the $1,000 per pair price bracket, but the review credited the $949/pair Monitor 9 v.6s with delivering all the traits you'd expect of a speaker at the heart of Paradigm's floorstanders -- impact, dynamics, bass reach and volume; priorities that tend to fit quite nicely into HT applications. Interestingly, the reviewer also found the Monitor 9s to be a little darker in overall character with a somewhat laid back character -- something we've never experienced from a Paradigm speaker, but we're sure many consumers will appreciate. At this price point, you've got to make some compromises based on your priorities, but it sounds like Paradigm got a lot of things right in this model. (Stablemate Monitor 11 v.6 pictured)

Paradigm's Monitor 9 v.6 takes its turn in front of the AVGuide judges originally appeared on Engadget HD on Fri, 22 May 2009 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments



14/04/2009 - InFocus acquired by Image Holdings Corporation for $39 million

Filed under: ,


In a move that hopefully helps it bring home more of those slick Play Big projectors, InFocus is going to be acquired by Image Holdings Corporation for the tidy sum of $39 million, or $0.95 per share. The merger is expected to close in the second quarter, making InFocus a wholly-owned subsidiary of IHC,a company controlled by John Hui, one of the founders of eMachines. InFocus prez Bob O'Malley is saying all the right things, that its commitment to delivering innovative projectors hasn't changed, and since the company has made moves from expensive SD front projectors to the "knee" of the price/performance bend, we're willing to give them some time to figure it out.

InFocus acquired by Image Holdings Corporation for $39 million originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments


09/04/2009 - Monster Cable learns nothing, sues Monster Transmission

Filed under:


Wondering why Engadget still has a permanent ban on covering Monster Cable products, even after the company tried to make amends for its frivolous lawsuit and strong-arm settlement offer against Monster Mini Golf? Well, it's because the company hasn't actually changed its ways -- not only did we just catch them trying to peddle their overpriced snakeoil cables using rigged displays for the third time, Noel Lee's lawyers have dusted themselves off and filed a lawsuit against Monster Transmission, a performance auto supplier in Florida. Yes, Monster Cable is suing an American automotive manufacturing company in the middle of a recession. Brilliant PR move, don't you think? So yeah, the ban stands -- and we'd recommend steering your friends to any number of cable brands that are just as good, much cheaper, and far less burdened with the stink of desperation than any of Monster's products.

Read - Audioholics post on the lawsuit
Read - Monster Transmissions

Monster Cable learns nothing, sues Monster Transmission originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments


26/03/2009 - Aleratec slashes prices of Blu-ray recording wares

Filed under: ,


If you've been holding off on buying yourself a Blu-ray duplicator, bravo. Aleratec has just announced price drops of up to 65 percent on its 1:3 Copy Cruiser Blu LS LightScribe-enabled disc publisher and its 4x BD-R Blu-ray recording media. The former has seen a 25 percent dip down to $1,575, and for those unaware, it provides the ability to produce a trio of Blu-ray Discs at 6x each. The latter is potentially most riveting, with a 10-pack of "duplicator grade" BD-R media falling all the way down to $57.99 (MSRP). By our math, that's under six bucks a disc, and that's definitely hovering a lot closer to respectable than what we've seen in months past.

Aleratec slashes prices of Blu-ray recording wares originally appeared on Engadget HD on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 03:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments


18/02/2009 - Coinstar buys out Redbox, will test higher Blu-ray rental prices

Filed under: , ,


Redbox, the company made famous by its red movie rental kiosks, has been completely bought out by its majority owner: Coinstar. The announcement was made during the outfit's Q4 earnings call, and it's expected that the buyout was made in order for Coinstar to wallow alone in the windfall profits that are expected over the next few years. Speaking of profits, we're also being told that Redbox will start testing higher rental prices for BDs, much like Netflix has done, but obviously on a per-rental basis. There's been no word yet on just how high they'll push the Blu-ray rates above the standard $1, but you know you'll just suck it up and pay it. Not like you're reverting to DVD now, right?

[Via ZatzNotFunny]

Read - Buyout
Read - Increase in BD prices

Coinstar buys out Redbox, will test higher Blu-ray rental prices originally appeared on Engadget HD on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 04:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments


27/01/2009 - hhgregg continues to scoop up Circuit City business

Filed under:

Closed Circuit City store hhgregg signage
We wouldn't have predicted that when hhgregg started its Circuit City gift card program months ago that it would have come to this, but it's really just a natural extension of what the "naptown" retailer has been up to. Circuit City customers left in a liquidation lurch can turn to hhgregg (assuming one is nearby) for factory authorized service on items purchased from the big red plug that are still under the original warranty. Additionally, hhgregg is extending its Circuit City gift card amnesty program to April Fool's Day -- a fitting date to end the cakewalk music, we think. It's good to see a retailer stepping in to help out consumers, and this kind of action might score some loyalty points redeemable in more flush economic times.

hhgregg continues to scoop up Circuit City business originally appeared on Engadget HD on Tue, 27 Jan 2009 08:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments


Advertise with us and reach to an audience of thousands of High Tech professionals
All sections | Sections | All articles | News | RSS news feed