As the temperatures heat up, the availability of new network TV programming is falling off as it does every year, and Hulu is taking advantage of the lull to amp up its offerings of original content with ten new shows this summer. The shows include selections like Kevin Smith's Spoilers which is a chat about the summer's films, travel series Up To Speed and playground basketball comedy We Got Next. All ten shows are set to debut throughout the summer on both the free Hulu and paid Hulu Plus services. One thing subscribers don't have to wait for however, is a freshly updated version of the Hulu Plus app for iOS, which features a "re-engineered, optimized video player", new iPad GUI, support for retina display on the iPad and improved handling of AirPlay mirroring and HDMI video out. Version 2.5 can be found on iTunes, while a press release with details on all ten shows and video trailer are embedded after the break.
Continue reading Hulu delivers 10 new original shows for summer, iOS app update with iPad retina display support
Hulu delivers 10 new original shows for summer, iOS app update with iPad retina display support originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 06:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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As expected, Comcast is kicking off the rollout of its new X1 (previously beta tested under the name Xcalibur) DVR platform. The announcement was made at the Cable Show in Boston, and that's where it will be available first, some time in "the coming weeks" with a few other major markets following soon after. We've had a few peeks at the new UI over the last year or so but now we have a full gallery of shots of both the DVR software and accompanying X1 remote app that will be available first on the iPhone. The new guide looks very similar to the existing Xfinity TV remote apps for phones and tablets, formatted for HD screens and with support for recommendations from your social network and support for apps like weather, TV, traffic, Facebook and Pandora to start. The new set-top boxes it runs on have built-in tru2way and internet support, as well as RF remotes instead of IR.
Meanwhile, the X1 remote control app adds motion and gesture control to the current set of features, as well as more direct interaction with what's on screen, since it can be used to swipe through pages, type into menus and pause currently video with a shake. As far as pricing, Comcast says it will be available to new Triple Play customers with HD/DVR service at no additional cost -- no word yet on what that means for everyone else. Check the gallery below for a look at the new software, and check the press release after the break for more info.
Continue reading Comcast officially launches next-gen X1 DVR platform and iPhone remote app
Comcast officially launches next-gen X1 DVR platform and iPhone remote app originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 May 2012 10:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The short list of TV and internet providers that support ESPN's TV Everywhere play, WatchESPN, just grew by one with the addition of Comcast to a list that already included Time Warner, Bright House and Verizon. Part of a deal reached back in January, ESPN has managed to tie its live streaming service in with Comcast's Xfinity TV protocols, similar to the adjustments made by HBO to open up HBO Go streaming on the Xbox 360. One downside however is that for the moment Comcast customer access is restricted to the website (XfinityTV.com access is coming soon) and iPad / iPhone apps (an update is required first). The Android app that launched a year ago is, for the moment, not supported, although access there is promised "in the coming months." As we heard in January this just the beginning, as similar Watch services will be rolling out for Disney Channel, DisneyXD and Disney Junior as part of the mouse company's TV+ program. For now those live feeds of ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3.com (Buzzer Beater and Goal Line are available in their respective seasons) will have to do however, as the channels and cable services try to add more features and access to keep subscribers happy, or at least still paying, whether they're at home or away.
Continue reading WatchESPN finally streams to Comcast customers, but not on Android
WatchESPN finally streams to Comcast customers, but not on Android originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 23:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Nearly a year after it
debuted and caught our eye as an incredibly well structured Twitter client for the iPhone, Tweetbot's latest revision uses Apple's cloud servers to sync the experience instead of just content. Version 2.2's
iCloud based syncing of account settings, timeline position, DMs and Mute filters lets those deep in the iLife go from iPhone to iPad or vice versa without missing a beat. The only possible fly in the ointment? The tablet and phone version are still separate apps that cost $2.99 each, but satisfied customers who have already ponied up can start enjoying their seamless transitions as soon as they've updated.
Tweetbot for iOS updated with iCloud syncing of timelines and more across devices originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 14:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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In the wake of the
Path address book fiasco, Congressmen Henry Waxman (D-CA) and G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) have followed up their
initial query to Apple about privacy issues by contacting the people and companies behind 34 iOS apps. The list includes Tim Cook (again), concerning
Apple's own Find My Friends, Mark Zuckerberg and Path's CEO Dave Morin, among others. The letters themselves are open for viewing on the Committee on Energy and Commerce's website, and include questions about exactly how many times the apps have been downloaded, what information they transmit back from user's devices and what happens to that data. The devs have until April 12th to respond, and while we're not sure what will happen after that, we're pretty sure this ends with someone's Hall of Fame consideration in doubt despite seven Cy Youngs and more than 4,000 strikeouts.
Congressmen ask devs of 34 iOS apps about user privacy originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Mar 2012 02:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The TiVo iOS app has been updated v1.9, and whether you're on iPad or
iPhone there's a slew of new fixes and tweaks available. On both platforms, the Facebook login has been streamlined, there's To Do List / Season Pass management for Series3 DVRs, ability to create a WishList search and more. The iPad version features a new full-screen Browse UI (shown above) and collapsible folders while the iPhone receives high res retina display quality images.
Zatz Not Funny mentions those higher quality pics will come to the iPad as well in the next few weeks, while TiVo's blog post mentions all of these features will arrive in its
Android app(s) this summer. We say apps plural, because that's including a specialized Tablet version due in the springtime. For now however, the changelogs for the iOS versions are available at the links below.
TiVo iOS app updated to v1.9 with a few new features, Android tablet app on the way originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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We're still not sure how iTether
temporarily snuck into the App Store the first time around, but the developers behind that software have returned with a new version that skirts Apple's guidelines entirely. While Tether.com has standard apps available for BlackBerry and Android users, the new approach on iOS relies on creating an ad-hoc network from a PC, and then visiting the appropriate webpage on the iPhone. Log in to the website, and the company's "patent-pending" software does the job of tying the two connections together wirelessly through the magic of HTML5, no jailbreaking or other hackery needed. The cost for the service is $30 a year, although it's currently available for the first year at $15 -- no free trials, and of course what happens to your data plan is between
you and your carrier. Check out the video above for a demonstration or hit the company's website for more details.
Tether for iPhone returns as an HTML5-powered subscription service (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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If you've ever downloaded an app from iTunes then congratulations, you are a part of history. Just a few minutes ago Apple notched its 25 billionth download, thanking all involved for getting there, and of course (like it did for
10 billion, and
1 billion), gifting the lucky individual who crossed the line with another
$10k gift card. Not sure what you would buy with $10,000 in App Store bucks? That's ok, since you probably don't have it, but don't forget -- our official
Engadget and
Distro apps are free, and will love you back all the same. Remember way back in 2008 when all this
was fresh and new? Relive the iPhone SDK press conference via our liveblog right
here.
Apple crosses 25 billion App Store downloads, thanks all the little people originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Mar 2012 01:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Last year CBS and Turner Sports brought every game of the NCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball Tournament home in HD on four cable channels,
and streaming for free to PCs and iOS devices. While the broadcast plans remain the same this year, if you want to stream the 41 games broadcast on cable networks then you'll need to subscribe to an affiliated TV provider (all the major guys except Time Warner) and log into the TNT, TBS, or TruTV website on your Windows PC or Mac. For the other 41 games broadcast on CBS, CBSSports.com is your (free) online resource. Live streaming on mobiles (over WiFi or 3G) has been extended to the Android platform for the first time, however after being offered for free last year the rebranded
March Madness Live app will cost $3.99 this time around, which is still less than the
$10 it cost in 2010. Check out the press release after the break for all the details on what's viewable where -- cord cutting sports fans will want to make some alternate arrangements.
Continue reading March Madness streams to more platforms in 2012, but not everything is free
March Madness streams to more platforms in 2012, but not everything is free originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 19 Feb 2012 14:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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According to
CNET, a class-action lawsuit over the iPhone 4's troublesome antenna, aka
Antennagate, has been settled. The planned resolution will net US residents who bought one and presumably either $15 in cash or (
another?) free bumper case.
CNET quotes co-lead counsel Ira Rothken (who, by the way, also represents
Megaupload) saying that he believes the settlement is "fair and reasonable", affecting some 25 million people who will be notified by email and through print ads in
USA Today and
Macworld. Once they've received the heads up, they can go to www.iPhone4Settlement.com (not up and running yet) to register their claims. When the issue first came to light back in 2010 Apple suggested
holding it differently before saying it would
tweak its signal display formulas and, eventually, offering the free cases. Hopefully for the company and its users, this resolution puts the issue -- which is
not a problem on the new 4S -- to bed. We haven't received any response from Apple regarding the case just yet but we'll let you know if we do.
iPhone 4 antennagate class-action lawsuit settled, owners to receive $15 or a free case originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Enjoying your
Spotify tracks on the go just got a little better, at least on iOS, where an app update to v0.4.23 gifts users "very high quality" 320kbps music streaming (for Premium subscribers) and syncing, up from the previous max of 160kbps. Enabling the higher quality streams -- though heavy listeners may want to mind those bandwidth quotas -- is as simple as ticking the "Extreme" box in the settings, as shown above by
The Next Web to join in a quality that was previously only available via the desktop app or
in the living room. If you're just signing up or setting up the app again the one-tap Facebook log-in should also be a convenient addition (or not, if you don't use Facebook and insist on telling everyone you don't at every opportunity -- we heard you the first ten times). There's no word on updates for the other mobile platforms yet, but we'll keep an eye out.
Spotify iOS app update brings 320kbps music to mobiles originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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A few months of work by iOS hackers Grant Paul (aka chpwn), Steven Troughton-Smith and Ryan Petrich has culminated in the release of Spire, a new installer that will easily set up
Siri on your jailbroken iOS 5 device. While Apple has kept its little helper
exclusively constrained to the iPhone 4S, it now runs on iPads,
iPhone 4, iPod touches and the iPhone 3GS, and while that's
been done before they claim the other new trick is that it's legal, avoiding the copyright infringement inherent in previous hacks. When installed it will initiate a 100MB download of Siri directly from Apple so watch your bandwidth limits, and also be prepared to set up your own proxy server with donated info from an iPhone 4S to hold the line between Apple's backend and yourself. It's available on Cydia now so if you've been waiting for a way to get this feature for yourself it's not far away, however Troughton-Smith tells
9to5 Mac that the next major step may not come until the iPhone 4S is jailbroken and they can avoid the proxy server issues altogether.
Spire installer brings Siri to any jailbroken iOS 5 device, legally -- proxy still required originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 22:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Western Digital is making sure its hardware can keep pace in the media streamer arms race, matching recent additions by Microsoft and Roku by issuing updates of its own. New services added to the
WD TV Live and WD TV Live Hub boxes are Vudu (with HDX 1080p support,
unlike the Xbox 360), SnagFilms, XOS College Sports, SEC Digital, Comedy Time and Watch Mojo. To help users navigate through all the extra content, it also recently rolled out its own official iOS remote app, although
like Roku, there have already been a few unofficial options available as well. The WD TV remote is a free app and offers direct access to any of the services on your WD TV box and even multiplayer gaming provided all devices are on the same network. An Android version is said to be in the works, for now owners can check out all the details in the press release after the break or hit iTunes to download the app.
Continue reading WD TV Live, Live Hub get an official iOS remote app, Vudu streaming and more
WD TV Live, Live Hub get an official iOS remote app, Vudu streaming and more originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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While fragmentation is a rare(r) problem on
iOS there's still quite a few users rocking older versions on their devices. Unfortunately for them, ever since a recent update on the 16th they haven't been able to download any new apps from the App Store straight to their devices. While users of older iPod Touches and iPhones stuck on
3.1.3 by choice or incompatibility with newer OSes can still update the apps they already have and transfer software from iTunes on a computer, they can't buy or install new ones directly from the device. We were able to confirm the issue on one of our own devices, while there's a pretty lengthy thread in Apple's support forum about the issue, but no official response yet. We'll keep you posted if word comes that this is just a glitch or if the company has decided to leave those old versions on the outside looking in.
[Thanks, Domo]
iPhones, iPod Touches still on iOS 3.1.3 can't download new apps directly from the App Store originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Directly on the heels of an
update for its newest media streamers,
Roku has released its official iPhone remote app. Apparently "inspired by user feedback", it allows users to launch or rate channels, control the box with touches and swipes, and add or remove channels from their box directly from the app itself. Probably the best news about it is that it will work with all generations of Roku hardware, and can even pair to multiple boxes. Usage requires the box and iOS device be connected on the same network, and for users to sign in with their Roku account, but that's it. Hit the source link to grab the free app now, or check out a couple more screenshots in the gallery below, then let us know how it measures up to the numerous third party solutions (like
DVPRemote) currently available. Roku already promised an Android version is in the works, so we'll keep an eye out for that to arrive soon.
Roku's official iPhone remote app is available, has gesture control and channel selection for all originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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We don't know where you were ten years ago, but if you game at all it's safe to say that since then you've spent some time with the
Grand Theft Auto series. As it announced
last week, Rockstar is celebrating its jump into open world 3D gaming by releasing
Grand Theft Auto III for mobile devices on the Android Market (the number of compatible devices appears to have expanded since last week -- the Galaxy S II works, and Galaxy Nexus support is "coming soon") and iTunes. A trip back to 2001 will only cost you $5, and while the gameplay and controls are now touch panel optimized (check
Joystiq's preview experience
here), it also supports "select" USB gamepads on Android. Hit the source links below to start the 400mb~ download right now.
[Thanks, Camran]
Grand Theft Auto III now available on Android and iOS, ready to turn back the clock for $5 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 04:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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