Aug/100
Google TV demo shows off Dish Network integration, universal search (video)
For those still wavering over the possibility of dropping a few Ben Franklins on something rocking the Google TV logo this fall, maybe the best idea is to get to know this new flavor of Android a bit better. StuffWeLike grabbed video of a Comic-Con 2010 demo that showed off its universal search in a level of detail we hadn’t previously seen. Our earlier hands-on with Google TV partner Logitech (also included after the break) focused mostly on its ability to control other devices, but this has a decided emphasis on the user interface and what Google brings to HDTVs, particularly when fully tied in to Dish Network’s DVR, and its ability to shift seamlessly from internet to live or recorded TV and back. The second half of the video shifts the focus to the Google Queue, a single menu for DVR recordings and podcasts (video or audio.) The camera’s a bit jerky, but there’s plenty of info in those menus flashing by including icons for previously announced apps from Netflix and Pandora and an inadvertent cameo from vlogger RayWJ about two and a half minutes in.
Continue reading Google TV demo shows off Dish Network integration, universal search (video)
Google TV demo shows off Dish Network integration, universal search (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 06:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 
GTVHub, SimplyGoogleTV | 
StuffWeLike | Email this | Comments
Aug/100
Dish Network survey hints at Google TV pricing options
So just how much would you pay for a set-top box or Blu-ray player with Google TV built in? That appears to be what Dish Network is trying to find out with this online survey sent to potential customers, laying out some of the features offered and presenting several different pricing options from a one time up-front purchase of up to $300 at retail or cheaper possibilities with a monthly fee (pictured above). It also helpfully points out that Dish will be the only one with “advanced integration,” meaning search across internet sources, TV listings, VOD and programming stored on the DVR at launch to probe the potential of enticing switchers. Check out the gallery for all the questions and imagine what fits your budget before Google TV gets real this fall.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Dish Network survey hints at Google TV pricing options originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Aug/100
Dish Network to offer live TV streaming on its free mobile apps next month
Now that the SlingLoaded ViP922 DVR is actually available from Dish Network it’s ready to offer more features from the Sling Mobile side of the menu, with plans to add free live TV (or recorded DVR program) streaming to its own mobile apps. Right now, the iPhone and recently released iPad app (Android version due in October) just let the devices control the box and view listings information, but after an update in September it will offer similar functionality to the $29.99 SlingPlayer Mobile, minus all the IR blasters and potential compatibility issues. The best part? According to the Associated Press all this comes at no extra cost to Dish subscribers, other than the fee for the new DVR or broadband connected
612, 622, 722 and 722k set-tops hooked up to a Slingbox.
Dish Network to offer live TV streaming on its free mobile apps next month originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 16:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
Associated Press | Email this | Comments
May/100
Editorial: Engadget on Google TV
Google made a big splash into the home entertainment world yesterday with the announcement of Google TV — particularly because it’s partnered up with some major names like Sony, Intel, Logitech, Best Buy and Dish Network. That’s a lot of industry momentum behind a platform that’s trying to achieve what many believe to be impossible: marry the television to the internet. Will Google finally be the one to pull it off? To be honest, the Engadget staff is nowhere near agreement on this, so we’re just going to let everyone speak for themselves — read on!
Continue reading Editorial: Engadget on Google TV
Editorial: Engadget on Google TV originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 May 2010 20:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
May/100
Google TV: everything you ever wanted to know
Google made some waves yesterday when it announced the new Google TV platform, backed by major players like Sony, Logitech, Intel, Dish Network, and Best Buy. Built on Android and featuring the Chrome browser with a full version of Flash Player 10.1, Google TV is supposed to bring “the web to your TV and your TV to the web,” in Google’s words. It’s a lofty goal that many have failed to accomplish, but Google certainly has the money and muscle to pull it off. But hold up: what is Google TV, exactly, and why do all these companies think it’s going to revolutionize the way we watch TV? Let’s take a quick walk through the platform and see what’s what.
Continue reading Google TV: everything you ever wanted to know
Google TV: everything you ever wanted to know originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 May 2010 17:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
May/100
Google TV turns on at I/O: runs Android and Flash, partnered with Sony, Logitech, and Intel
As expected, Google just announced Google TV at I/O. There’s four billion TV viewers worldwide, making it the biggest market in the world, and Google’s after it in a big way — it’s a $70 billion ad market in the US alone, after all. According to Google, “video should be consumed on the biggest, best, and brightest screen in your house, and that’s the TV.” The idea is to merge the web and TV without compromising on either the web experience or the video experience, with a focus on discovery and personalization. Of course, since it’s Google, the interface is search-driven, so you can just type in things like “30 Rock” or MSNBC” to find channels and content — including upcoming content to record and content from the internet. Yeah, it’s kind of like the TiVo Premiere’s swivel search, but prettier — and there’s a Hulu logo on the screen, which is extremely intriguing.
Google’s not sharing hardware specs, but we’re told Google TV devices will have WiFi, HDMI, the Intel CE4100 processor, and… some will have an IR blaster to tune your cable or satellite box, which is just sad. (Like, 1997 sad.) The input devices will all have keyboards, and you’ll also be able to use Android devices as a remote, including using voice search to find content and sending content from the phone to the TV. The software is based on Android with Chrome as the browser and full Flash 10.1 support. Since it’s Android, there’s a version of Android Market — any app that doesn’t require phone hardware can run on Google TV. There will also be a Google TV-specific Android SDK launching in “early” 2011, along with the Android Market for Google TV.
As for partners, it’s just as we heard: Sony will launch Sony Internet TVs and Blu-ray players with Google TV in the fall, and Logitech will introduce a set-top box with a Harmony remote and an HD camera for video chat at some point in the future. Dish Network will also launch a Google TV box at some point, while Best Buy will promote the platform as a whole in-store.
Make sure to keep up with the latest from I/O in our liveblog!
Gallery: Google TV turns on at I/O
Google TV turns on at I/O: runs Android and Flash, partnered with Sony, Logitech, and Intel originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 12:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
Google PR, Google blog | Email this | Comments
May/100
Sony Internet TV, DISH first with Google TV this fall; Adobe, Logitech and others along for the ride
Sony will be first out of the gate with a Google TV powered device, with its “Sony Internet TV” devices — in the form of either an HDTV or a set-top box with Blu-ray player — arriving on shelves this fall. The rest of the partners were just as the rumors indicated, with Logitech adding a QWERTY Harmony remote, “companion box” to bridge the gap to existing home theater equipment and eventually video chat capabilities, Intel providing the CE4100 Atom processor at the heart of the devices and an Android 2.1 OS with Chrome browser brings it all together. DISH Network and Google have admitted to their ongoing trials but there’s no word on any release date,(Update: We didn’t catch it onstage, but DISH just announced it will enable “advanced integration” via HDMI on all of its HD DVR receivers this fall, details after the break) while Best Buy is already on board to sell all of this and inevitably offer to hook up those IR blasters for a fee, while Adobe is just happy to see another device that runs Flash 10.1. The rest of the details are in press release and video form after the break, but you can sign up for updates at Google.com/tv (developers check in here) or check out our ongoing liveblog right from Google I/O.
Update: Vic Gundotra just confirmed in a post-keynote press conference that TV will go international next year.
Sony Internet TV, DISH first with Google TV this fall; Adobe, Logitech and others along for the ride originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 13:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
DISH, Google.com/tv, Sony Android Developers | Email this | Comments
May/100
Google TV turns on at I/O
As expected, Google just announced Google TV at I/O. There’s four billion TV viewers worldwide, making it the biggest market in the world, and Google’s after it in a big way — it’s a $70 billion ad market in the US alone, after all. According to Google, “video should be consumed on the biggest, best, and brightest screen in your house, and that’s the TV.” The idea is to merge the web and TV without compromising on either the web experience or the video experience, with a focus on discovery and personalization. Of course, since it’s Google, the interface is search-driven, so you can just type in things like “30 Rock” or MSNBC” to find channels and content — including upcoming content to record and content from the internet. Yeah, it’s kind of like the TiVo Premiere’s swivel search, but prettier — and there’s a Hulu logo on the screen, which is extremely intriguing.
Google’s not sharing hardware specs, but we’re told Google TV devices will have WiFi, HDMI, the Intel CE4100 processor, and… some will have an IR blaster to tune your cable or satellite box, which is just sad. (Like, 1997 sad.) The input devices will all have keyboards, and you’ll also be able to use Android devices as a remote, including using voice search to find content and sending content from the phone to the TV. The software is based on Android with Chrome as the browser and full Flash 10.1 support. Since it’s Android, there’s a version of Android Market — any app that doesn’t require phone hardware can run on Google TV. There will also be a Google TV-specific Android SDK later this year.
As for partners, it’s just as we heard: Sony will launch Sony Internet TVs and Blu-ray players with Google TV in the fall, and Logitech will introduce a set-top box with a Harmony remote and an HD camera for video chat at some point in the future. Dish Network will also launch a Google TV box at some point, while Best Buy will promote the platform as a whole in-store.
Developing…
Continue reading Google TV turns on at I/O
Google TV turns on at I/O originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 12:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
Google | Email this | Comments
May/100
Cox "Plus Package" brings advanced Trio UI, 500GB multiroom DVR and more HD channels
Cox is ready to make a major leap forward in its user interface — goodbye SARA and Passport, we won’t miss you — with the newly developed “Plus Package” rolling out in limited areas during Q2 and throughout its service area by the end of the year. For the hardware Cox is bringing a Whole Home DVR solution to bear based on a Cisco 8642 HD/DVR with 500GB (3x more than the sizes currently offered) of storage, and MoCA-connected 1642 HD receivers, which are also necessary to tune to the new HD channels on the way delivered over Switched Digital Video (SDV) in the 860-MHz band.
The star of the show however is the new “Trio” program guide (video embedded after the break), a 16:9 interface that spaces out program info over three panes — channels on the left, programs in the middle, details on the right. TV programs can also be sorted grid-style, by themes, HD-only or favorite channels, while VOD lists titles, box art and detailed info in the three window style. There’s personalization for up to eight members of a household, as well as TiVo-style suggestions and related programming searches based on metadata. An exec told Multichannel News the new tru2way-built software started by realizing that “our guides were, in fact, broken” and this all-new approach is a step towards fixing that. Besides the TiVos and Moxis of the world, other service providers with similar setups include DirecTV, FiOS, Dish Network and U-verse and while we’d definitely like to see that middle pane expanded a bit to show more of each title, Cox could be the first cable company offering a set-top box that actually competes with any of them.
Gallery: Cox Advanced TV Plus Package
Cox “Plus Package” brings advanced Trio UI, 500GB multiroom DVR and more HD channels originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 May 2010 12:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
May/100
Cox ‘Plus Package’ brings advanced Trio UI, 500GB multiroom DVR and more HD channels
Cox is ready to make a major leap forward in its user interface — goodbye SARA and Passport, we won’t miss you — with the newly developed “Plus Package” rolling out in limited areas during Q2 and throughout its service area by the end of the year. For the hardware Cox is bringing a Whole Home DVR solution to bear based on a Cisco 8642 HD/DVR with 500GB (3x more than the sizes currently offered) of storage, and MoCA-connected 1642 HD receivers, which are also necessary to tune to the new HD channels on the way delivered over Switched Digital Video (SDV) in the 860-MHz band.
The star of the show however is the new “Trio” program guide (video embedded after the break), a 16:9 interface that spaces out program info over three panes — channels on the left, programs in the middle, details on the right. TV programs can also be sorted grid-style, by themes, HD-only or favorite channels, while VOD lists titles, box art and detailed info in the three window style. There’s personalization for up to eight members of a household, as well as TiVo-style suggestions and related programming searches based on metadata. An exec told Multichannel News the new tru2way-built software started by realizing that “our guides were, in fact, broken” and this all-new approach is a step towards fixing that. Besides the TiVos and Moxis of the world, other service providers with similar setups include DirecTV, FiOS, Dish Network and U-verse and while we’d definitely like to see that middle pane expanded a bit to show more of each title, Cox could be the first cable company offering a set-top box that actually competes with any of them.
Gallery: Cox Advanced TV Plus Package
Cox ‘Plus Package’ brings advanced Trio UI, 500GB multiroom DVR and more HD channels originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 May 2010 12:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Apr/100
Botched McAfee update shutting down corporate XP machines worldwide
We can’t officially confirm this yet but, We’re hearing from all over that a bad McAfee for Windows XP update is causing computers worldwide to shut down. Apparently DAT update 5958 deletes the svchost.exe file, which then triggers a false-positive in McAfee itself and sets off a chain of uncontrolled restarts and loss of networking functionality. Yeah, wild — Twitter is basically going nuts, and McAfee’s support site appears to be down. There are some fixes floating around out there, but it may be too late — the final tally of borked PCs today may reach into the millions. We’ve already heard anecdotally that an Intel facility has been affected, as well as Dish Network call centers, and we’re sure there are going to be more reports as the day wears on.
Update: McAfee just sent us a statement — they’ve pulled the update from their corporate download servers, and consumers shouldn’t be affected.
McAfee is aware that a number of customers have incurred a false positive error due to incorrect malware alerts on Wednesday, April 21. The problem occurs with the 5958 virus definition file (DAT) that was released on April 21 at 2.00 PM GMT+1 (6am Pacific Time).Our initial investigation indicates that the error can result in moderate to significant performance issues on systems running Windows XP Service Pack 3.
The faulty update has been removed from McAfee download servers for corporate users, preventing any further impact on those customers. We are not aware of significant impact on consumer customers and believe we have effectively limited such occurrence.
McAfee teams are working with the highest priority to support impacted customers and plan to provide an update virus definition file shortly. McAfee apologizes for any inconvenience to our customers
Ouch.
Update 2: The anecdotal numbers keep rolling in, and they’re not small — 30,000 machines are knocked out here, 60,000 there. Given that the only fixes right now involve techs spending time with each affected machine individually, things could get seriously messy. We’ll keep you updated.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Developing…
Botched McAfee update shutting down corporate XP machines worldwide originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Apr/100
Dish Network’s SlingLoaded ViP922 DVR to hit store shelves tomorrow (finally!)
Continue reading Dish Network’s SlingLoaded ViP922 DVR to hit store shelves tomorrow (finally!)
Dish Network’s SlingLoaded ViP922 DVR to hit store shelves tomorrow (finally!) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Apr 2010 14:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 
Satellite Guys | | Email this | Comments
Mar/100
Dish Network countersues DirecTV over signal reliability claims
Oh, don’t act surprised. As is the norm with these things, Dish Network has filed a countersuit against DirecTV. Last month, the latter company filed suit, claiming Dish’s “Why Pay More” ads were false and misleading. The countersuit, unsurprisingly, is also false and misleading advertising — in this instance, the claim “nothing comes close to the reliability and quality of DirecTV.” Dish asserts its signal reliability is exactly the same, 99.9 percent. Better strap yourself in, it’s gonna be a long and bumpy ride through the court system.
Dish Network countersues DirecTV over signal reliability claims originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
WSJ | Email this | Comments
Mar/100
Google TV: Android-based web platform for the living room, with help from Intel, Sony, and Logitech
There’s not a lot to see here — in fact, there’s nothing at all to see at this point — but The New York Times has it on good authority that Google, Intel, and Sony have teamed up to develop an Android-powered internet platform using Atom processors for televisions and set-top boxes. Dubbed Google TV, the apparent mantra seems to be making web app navigation (Twitter, Picasa, etc.) as easy as changing the channel. Joining the fun will be the peripheral casanovas at Logitech for, you guessed it, peripherals. It certainly isn’t novel territory, from as far back as WebTV to as recent as Yahoo! widgets — and from Google itself, be it Motoblur boxes or Dish Network trials — but the proof will be in the pudding, and for now, mum’s the word on any more concrete details. As they say, stay tuned.
Google TV: Android-based web platform for the living room, with help from Intel, Sony, and Logitech originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
NYT | Email this | Comments
Mar/100
Google and Dish Network testing TV search on Android-based set-top boxes
We’ve definitely heard of a few different Android-based satellite and cable boxes in the past year, but it looks like Google’s exploring a real move into living room: the Wall Street Journal reports that El Goog and Dish Network are testing a TV search service on a new box that runs on “elements” of Android. (We’re taking that to mean it’s a stripped-down version of the OS tailored for a set-top, not some totally crazy remix.) The box features a QWERTY remote, and users can search both Dish content and other services like YouTube, which sounds like the same riff TiVo’s trying to pull off with the Premiere. Unfortunately, none of this seems destined to hit consumers anytime soon — the WSJ also says the trial “is limited to a very small number of Google employees and their families and could be discontinued at any time.” Okay, but can we at least get some hands-on pictures first?
[Thanks, Jordan]
Google and Dish Network testing TV search on Android-based set-top boxes originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
Wall Street Journal | Email this | Comments
Mar/100
TiVo’s $200m damages award in EchoStar case affirmed, EchoStar to appeal (again)
Yes, there’s a certain other patent brouhaha in the news right now, but we’re not lying when we say these lawsuits take years to fully resolve. Take TiVo’s endless time warp patent lawsuit against EchoStar, which started in 2006 and involves just a single patent: the court of appeals just today affirmed the $200 million contempt judgment against EchoStar from September. Of course, EchoStar is going to appeal to the full appeals court — it always appeals — and if that doesn’t work we’d wager that this case will eventually be appealed to the Supreme Court for a second time. Don’t worry, everyone keep can keep recording Idol — this shouldn’t affect TiVo or DISH Network customers at all. Statements from both TiVo and EchoStar after the break.
Continue reading TiVo’s $200m damages award in EchoStar case affirmed, EchoStar to appeal (again)
TiVo’s $200m damages award in EchoStar case affirmed, EchoStar to appeal (again) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Feb/100
DirecTV suing Dish Network over Why Pay More ads, says there’s plenty of reasons
While we settle our disputes the old fashioned way (Judge Judy appearances) DirecTV’s taking its beef with recent Dish Network ads to a slightly different courtroom. The “Why Pay More” ad campaign has been running for the last year but it appears the latest “Man on the Street” spot (embedded after the break) is what has really upset DirecTV, claiming that its package costs around $20 a month more than Dish. The lawsuit filed Thursday claims the DirecTV services offers more, and higher quality channels than the one it’s being compared to, and according to Multichannel News, the company mentions many of the channels this ad is airing on aren’t a part of the Dish lineup being advertised. Of course, as long as it’s adding customers we don’t see Dish backing off the comparisons on its own anytime soon and you can just ask TiVo about how long it’s willing to take the heat in court.
DirecTV suing Dish Network over Why Pay More ads, says there’s plenty of reasons originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 13 Feb 2010 01:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 
Yahoo | 
YouTube | Email this | Comments
Dec/090
Comcast inches closer to buying NBC
It’s been over a month since we last heard anything about the rumored Comcast takeover of NBC, but things are slowly starting to move forward: Bloomberg says that NBC parent company GE has bought out Vivendi’s 20 percent stake in the broadcaster for $5.8b, with up to a $2b refund due back if the Comcast deal isn’t done by the end of 2010. That’s no small gamble — Comcast will have to clear a “gauntlet” of federal regulators from the FCC and FTC, who will scrutinize everything from the transfer of TV broadcast licenses in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles to the effects on competitors like Dish Network and Verizon, who will still want access to NBC’s huge stable of content and programming. Big challenges, to be sure, but we get the feeling this deal is going down one way or another — get ready for a rocky 2010.
Comcast inches closer to buying NBC originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 
Consumerist | 
Bloomberg | Email this | Comments
Nov/090
Google and TiVo partner to analyze viewer data, sell ads, get filthy rich
We’re actually sort of surprised that this hasn’t happened earlier, but TiVo and Google announced a data-sharing partnership today that’ll give the Google TV team access to TiVo’s second-by-second viewing data — anonymized, of course. That means advertisers who buy their TV ads through Google will only have to pay for the ads that customers actually watch — a system the networks obviously aren’t so keen on, but which makes total sense given Google’s pay-per-impression online advertising model. Google’s already processing a billion remote clicks a day as part of a similar deal it’s had with Dish Network since April, so the new TiVo data should just help Mountain View inch its claws even deeper into our everyday lives. Happy future.
Google and TiVo partner to analyze viewer data, sell ads, get filthy rich originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink 
BGR | 
Variety | Email this | Comments
Sep/090
Dish Network Media Center tuner hands-on
We have good and bad news after visiting the Dish Network booth first thing in the morning. We’re happy to say that Dish was proudly displaying a Dish Tuner for Media Center 7 at its booth. The bad news however is that it was just a “proof of concept.” Which means no matter how hard we tried, no one would tell us anything about price or availability. The other thing up in the air was if the actual implementation would be based on VIP211K HD STBs like the demo, or if instead there would be a dedicated tuner. The last unknown was around VOD or PPV, which we know was recently being tested, but still no word if it’ll make the final version. The other bad, but not unexpected news, is the fact that like the first generation CableCARD tuner for Media Center, all the content is copy protected. As for how it works, looks good, but the channel changing was slower than our CableCARD tuner enabled Media Center. We did grab a video, but you’ll have to wait until we can get it uploaded.
Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment
Dish Network Media Center tuner hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments