Expect Apple TV in 2014, Analyst Says

Apple will not launch its smart television in 2012, according to an analyst. However, the analyst thinks that a "full-fledged" TV is on its way and could arrive in 2014. In the meantime we can expect great things from the Apple TV set top bow.

J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz wrote a note to investors saying his research: "Does not indicated any looming TV-related product launch."

Moskowitz suggested that the "strained" economic conditions mean that it would not be wise for Apple to release a television this year, reports AppleInsider.

Moskowitz also notes that several television makers already offer "suitable" solutions. He said: "We are not sure that the Apple premium could prevail in the TV market, unless there is a radical change of the user interface, integration of the TV programming and data content, and use of gesture or voice control."

J.P. Morgan still views Apple as the company to "radically alter the TV landscape", just that Apple's approach will be slow. In the meantime, Moskowitz suggested that Apple might expand the Apple TV into "more of a set top box module."

"We believe Apple can design a smarter set top box to manage all components behind the end user's TV experience, as well as eliminate the oft-cumbersome user interface provided by the cable and satellite operators."

New features for the Apple TV could include universal remote capabilities through Siri or gestures, advanced set top box capabilities, DVR capability and gaming console options, Moskowitz wrote.

View the original article here

How to Use Plex to Get Media From PC to Roku Box

Here's how to use Plex, a free tool for streaming media from a PC to a Roku set-top box. And if your PC seems to be too sluggish to play media promptly, I'll give you some tips to decide when it's time to reinstall Windows.

My tiny Roku set-top delivers everything I could possibly want to my TV: Amazon (both Prime and Instant), Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and Pandora.

Well, okay, not quite everything: The Roku can't stream my personal library of music, photos, and videos without a little help from Plex, anyway. Plex works like a charm, though it can be tricky to set up. Here's how to get started:

1. Add the Plex channel to your Roku.

2. Download and install the Plex Media Server utility for Windows. This is the software that'll link your media library to your box.

3. Right-click the Plex Media Server icon in your System Tray, then choose Media Manager. That should open a new tab in your browser, which is where you'll set up the media you want to share with your Roku. It may take a minute or two before any options appear, so be patient.

4. Eventually you'll see five options for adding media to your library. The process is the same for all, so click one (say, Photos), then click Add and navigate to the folder containing the photos you want to add. Click Add again if you want to include additional folders.

5. When you've finished making your selections, click Add Section. Again, it may take a minute or two for your media to appear in the browser tab.

6. Now head to your TV, fire up the Roku, and choose the Plex channel. You should see your selected media channels, which you can now browse and view as you like.

If you have trouble navigating your media owning to filename confusion, check out Plex's Naming Guide, which is a bit confusing but can ultimately be of some help.

Also, if you have trouble with pixelation, grab the latest version of Plex Media Server directly from Plex.

So what if your system crashes a lot when you're trying to watch a movie? Does your system take a solid 10 minutes of boot-up time before the hard drive stops thrashing and you can do anything?

If programs won't run properly, Windows crashes often or takes more than a few minutes to boot, or you've got a malware issue you simply can't overcome, that's when you need to cut bait and start over.

I've reached that point with my system. So I'm making lists of all the essential programs and utilities I'll need to reinstall, backing up all my important data (including easy-to-overlook stuff like address books and iTunes folders), and syncing as much stuff to the cloud as possible (for ease of retrieval after the system wipe).

If you feel like this is beyond your capabilities consider hiring professional help. It'll cost you a few bucks, but certainly less than a new PC would.

View the original article here

Netflix Launches Snazzy New In-Browser Video PLayer

Netflix Wednesday rolled out a much-needed update to its in-browser video player. The new player features a revamped control bar, the ability to browse other episodes during playback, and informative text overlays that pop up when you pause the video for a few seconds.

The new player appears to have some issues with Google Chrome on Mac OS X -- if you try to start the player in Chrome running on OS X, you get a warning pop-up that says the browser is not yet supported. That said, it may still work on your particular machine -- if you click through the warning, you may still be able to get Netflix to run with no issues.

A Netflix representative explained to GigaOM that "Chrome on Mac support is a limitation of Microsoft Silverlight, not Netflix. It works on some Macs but not on others, so we allow it and give users a warning."

The first thing you'll notice when you open up the new Web player is that the picture now hits the edges of the browser window -- you're no longer looking at a little box within your browser. This is because Netflix has moved the control bar onto the picture -- it appears as an overlay when you move your mouse over the video.

The new control bar has a couple of new buttons, including a button that lets you change the language (if applicable) of the video and turn subtitles on or off.

If you're watching a TV show or a series, you can now preview other episodes from within the video. The "preview" gives you an image from the episode, as well as a brief synopsis. You can jump directly to that episode by clicking anywhere within the preview box.

The last major visual change is the lightbox-like text overlay that appears when you pause the video. After the video has been paused for a couple of seconds, the image dims and an informative text overlay pops up with the title of the movie/show you're watching, the rating (if applicable), the season and episode (if applicable), and a brief synopsis. This overlay disappears when you move your mouse over the video.

Netflix's browser app redesign comes after the company updated a few other platforms, including its tablet app and its Xbox 360 app.

Follow Sarah on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+.

View the original article here

New Sony Projector Can Show, Record Notes Scribbled Onto the Screen

Sony said Monday it will sell a projector that displays and saves notes scribbled onto the images it projects.

The projector comes with two battery-powered infrared pens, which it uses to track what is being written on the screen. Both pens can be tracked at the same time, and each can also be used as a standard computer mouse during presentations.

The company said the projector can be used in classroom settings to save comments written on screen during a lesson, then posted or used in future classes. In business settings, the device can be used as a virtual whiteboard and to save meeting notes directly to a computer.

The device will go on sale next month in the Japan, Europe and the U.S., at an estimated price of ¥260,000 (US$3,200). Sony intends to target academic institutions that could use it for classroom presentations, as well as traditional business customers, a company spokeswoman said.

Special software must be installed on the PC connected to the projector for the pen-tracking feature to work. It has HDMI as well as standard video inputs.

The Sony VPL-SW535C projector comes with a 3,000-lumen bulb, bright enough to be used in normal lighting, that will typically last for 6,000 hours. It also uses a mirror-based projection system that allows it be used very close to the screen -- Sony said it can throw a 70-inch image when mounted about 11 centimeters away. The projector itself is about 40 centimeters in length, and has a 10-watt speaker.

View the original article here

Slingbox Solo, $130

Sling Media's Slingbox Solo media streamer usually sells for about $160 online. Right now, though, you can snag one for only $130 at Buy.com--and shipping is free.

For hot tech bargains in your inbox every week, subscribe to the PCWorld Bargain Bulletin newsletter.

View the original article here

Sony to Launch 5GB Online Photo Sharing Service Next Week

Sony said Friday it will launch its online photo sharing service, "PlayMemories Online," next week.

The service will initially be available in six countries -- Japan, the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, and the U.K. -- from April 25, and will offer 5GB of free storage. The service will allow users to upload photos and videos taken with Sony cameras, using its "PlayMemories Home" software for Windows and Macintosh. Photos can also be uploaded from smartphones and tablets using an Android app that will be available from the Google Play store.

The photos can be shared online, or viewed using Sony's Bravia TVs or digital photo frames. Some Sony cameras equipped with Wi-Fi can also send images and videos directly to tablets or smartphones, which can then be uploaded to the service.

The service is part of a major effort by Sony to link its various products through online platforms, much the way rival Apple allows sharing with its iCloud service across its phones, tablets, and computers. Other manufacturers such as Samsung are also said to be rolling out their own cloud platforms.

Sony is also trying to incorporate its gaming products into the effort. Last month, Sony announced a new photo editing suite for the PlayStation 3, for use together with PlayMemories Online. Files stored on the gaming device can also be viewed and edited using Sony's handheld Vita and PlayStation Portable consoles.

The company is also working to strengthen its online offerings in other areas. It has grouped many of its online music, movies, and games into its Sony Entertainment Network, and is developing a PlayStation platform that will expand the brand beyond Sony-made consoles, on approved devices made by other hardware manufacturers.

View the original article here

XBox Live Adds HBO Go, MLB.tv and Comcast Xfinity Apps

The latest update to Xbox Live brings premium streaming video from Comcast Xfinity, MLB.tv and HBO Go right to your Xbox 360 console. The update, announced on Microsoft's Major Nelson's blog, isn’t a cable killer because users will still need a cable subscription to access the features.

If you're a subscriber of Comcast, HBO or MLB.tv, head to the Xbox's App Marketplace on your Xbox 360's dashboard and download your flavor of entertainment. In order to get all three, you'll need a Comcast Xfinity cable subscription with HBO (roughly $90 per month), an MLB.tv premium pass with all-device access ($25 per month), and an Xbox Live Gold membership ($60 per year) -- so you'll be spending roughly $1,440 for the added convenience of utilizing your game console as the ultimate media streaming machine.

Add in one of Microsoft's Xbox 360 Kinect Sensors ($150, not the $250 Kinect for Windows version) and erase the static dullness of clicking remotes. With the Kinect, you can control Xfinity and MLB.tv with your voice or using hand motions, or search HBO's entire catalog with your voice.

Comcast has declared that Xfinity On Demand on the Xbox will not count against your 250GB bandwidth cap, saving you some dollars.

"Since [Xfinity On Demand] is being delivered over our private IP network and not the public Internet, it does not count against a customer's bandwidth cap. XFINITYTV.com and the XFINITY TV app stream content over the public Internet and count toward the customer's bandwidth cap," Comcast wrote in its Xbox FAQs.

This has raised the ire of the net neutrality advocate group Public Knowledge, which, in an e-mailed statement to Ars Technica, claims that this corporate-determined differentiation between public and private Internet "raises questions not only of the justification for the caps but, more importantly, of the survival of an Open Internet."

View the original article here

Netflix Customer Satisfaction Rebounds

Last year was a year Netflix would like to forget. A series of service bungles had their customers grousing and leaving the service like rats from a sinking ship. Now, however, there are signs that the entertainment distributor has mended its fences with its subscribers and is poised for success in 2012.

A case in point: the most recent e-tailer customer satisfaction numbers from customer experience analytics firm ForeSee.

The company rates customer satisfaction with e-tailers on a scale of 0-100. While Netflix's rating, 81, was four points lower that what it was a year ago, it's two points higher than it was during the holiday season. In other words, it's trending upwards.

Click to EnlargeMore important, it has crossed over the magic 80 point mark, which ForeSee calls the "Threshold of Excellence." Scoring at 80 or above is an indicator of superior customer satisfaction performance.

With its score of 81, Netflix still placed in the top 20 e-retailers, which may surprise some considering the nadir it reached in its relationship with its customers last year when it lost 800,000 subscribers in the calendar quarter ending in September alone.

Improving customer satisfaction and some new strategic deals for greater international distribution of its service has made some Netflix watchers optimistic. "With the positive consumer numbers for the start of 2012, along with recent deals Netflix has made with major media corporations, the company is well-positioned to endure the rocky months ahead to emerge as a highly profitable company by the end of 2012," wrote Chris Frangold at Saving Alpha.

ForeScore, though, was more cautious about Netflix's future, especially since Amazon appears to be interested in invading the entertainment distributor's turf. "That is going to spell even bigger trouble for Netflix," study author Larry Freed, who is also president and CEO of ForeSee, said in a statement.

"The two companies used to vie for number one," he continued. "Now Netflix is floundering just as Amazon is making deeper moves into streaming video and even original programming. Netflix regained some lost ground, but it’s no longer a contender."

Netflix's troubles last year began when it decided to change its pricing plans. It abolished low-priced plans that combined receiving DVDs by mail with streaming video. It replaced them with separate plans for each, which resulted in a 60 percent increase for some subscribers.

The move caused customers to desert Netflix in droves, and the company's stock to nearly halve in value—to $160 from $300—in three months.

Netflix made matters worse by announcing that it was spinning off its DVD-by-mail business as a separate entity called Qwikster. It quickly retreated from that idea and strangled Qwikster in the bud.

Follow freelance technology writer John P. Mello Jr. and Today@PCWorld on Twitter.

View the original article here

BBC Walks on Wild Side, Decides to Air a Live Nature Documentary

[Image: BBC]Remember back when HDTVs were excessively expensive and the only thing worth watching in high-definition was a flock of flamingos in the BBC series, Planet Earth? Oh, how things have changed.

Now, we’re moving right past 1080p to 8k resolution HDTV sets and the Planet Earth series is coming back--and it’s going to be live. In the craziest, most ambitious nature documentary the BBC will record and broadcast live footage of wildlife happenings.

Planet Earth Live will follow animals from seven different locations around the world as they frolic around or fight for survival. The series will follow animals such as meerkats in South Africa, gray whales in the Pacific, and black bears in Minnesota.

The live series will air simultaneously in 140 countries starting next Sunday, May 6 at 7:50pm (British Standard Time), according to BBC One. The US broadcast, however, will not air on the same day or on BBC America. Instead, the series will show up on the National Geographic Wild channel--which will be re-labeled as 24/7 Wild--next Monday, May 7at 7pm Pacific.

[BBC via Engadget]

Get more GeekTech: Twitter - Facebook - RSS | Tip us off | Follow Kevin Lee

View the original article here

What Should I Look For When Buying a Home Theater Sound System

Pilege21 asked the HDTV & Home Theater for advice on buying a surround sound system.

A surround sound system turns a television into a home theater. Without it, you can never approach the audio experience intended by modern-day filmmakers (or even some filmmakers from the 1950s). Sure, your HDTV can probably fake surround, but it's not going to sound like the real thing.

That real thing requires a receiver (sometimes called an amplifier), and several speakers. YouReceiver can buy everything in a single package, or get the receiver separately from the speakers (you should purchase the speakers together). You'll get a better deal if you buy everything in one package, although hardcore audiophiles usually prefer to buy them separately.

Your receiver will process audio information from your DVD or Blu-ray player, as well as your DVR. You might also want it to process audio from your iPod, smartphone, tape deck, and turntable.

It must be able to send its amplified audio to at least five satellite speakers--the smallish ones that allow the sound to come from different directions--and one subwoofer. (That particular configuration is called 5.1. I discuss the alternative, 7.1, below.)

The receiver will also need multiple HDMI inputs, as wellHDMI as other inputs for older technology. And it will need one HDMI output, so it can send the video information to your HDTV while rerouting the audio to your speakers.

Your receiver should also decode Blu-ray's high-quality formats, such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.

Do you need a 7.1 system, or is 5.1 sufficient? In a 5.1 configuration, you have three front speakers near the television (left, center, and right), two surround speakers beside the audience (left and right), and a subwoofer for the low-frequency enhancement track (LFE). For 7.1, you get four surround speakers, so that you can get different sounds behind and beside you.5.1: Five satellite speakers and a subwoofer

As I write this, few 7.1 mixes are available, but that's changing. I don't consider 7.1 absolutely essential, but if your theater room is reasonably deep, 7.1 may enhance some movies. I'm happy with 5.1, myself.

I'm not going to recommend specific models or brand names. I haven't personally tested audio equipment in a long time, and am reluctant to make recommendations. However, you'll find other people's recommendations in the original forum discussion.

Contributing Editor Lincoln Spector writes about technology and cinema. Email your tech questions to him at answer@pcworld.com, or post them to a community of helpful folks on the PCW Answer Line forum. Follow Lincoln on Twitter, or subscribe to the Answer Line newsletter, e-mailed weekly.

View the original article here

Presented By:

The likely cause for this is that your browser, feed reader, or email application is configured to not accept cookies, or your reader may launch an external browser to view links without sharing cookies.

If you're using Internet Explorer, make sure your privacy setting is at medium or below. Select 'Internet Options' from the 'Tools' menu in your browser windowClick the Privacy tabAdjust your privacy setting if necessary
If you're using a reader that embeds Internet Explorer (examples: Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Feed Demon), you'll also need to select Internet Explorer as your default web browser. Open Internet ExplorerSelect 'Internet Options' from the 'Tools' menu in your browser windowClick the 'Programs' tab and check the box for Internet Explorer to check if it is the default browser and save your changeClose your browser, re-open it, and when prompted, select Internet Explorer as your defaultYou can then click on an ad in your newsletter and visit the site you wish to view

View the original article here

How to Connect Your HDTV and Smartphone With MHL

Are you wondering what it means to own a smartphone, tablet, or HDTV that's MHL-certified? Here's how MHL works, and how it can benefit you.

Back in 2009, Silicon Image developed a prototype mobile audiovisual interface called Mobile High-Definition Link to output high-definition content from a smartphone to a HDTV. A year later, Nokia, Samsung, Silicon Image, Sony, and Toshiba announced the MHL Consortium, a group developed to oversee the licensing and promotion of the specification.

MHL is an audiovisual interface standard for connecting a mobile device to HDTVs and other displays using a single cable that charges the device while providing up to 1080p video and digital audio, all at once. Since that cable employs the common Micro-USB specification, you don't need fancy or particularly expensive equipment to take advantage of MHL; if your phone or tablet supports MHL, it will plug right into your HDTV or other compatible viewing device via HDMI on the other side of the connection. Displaying HD audio and video through MHL doesn't even use all of the available pins on the cable, so the cable has room to transmit power as well.

You can use Mobile High-Definition Link to charge your phone and use it on your HDTV simultaneously.

That feature is important, because if you're going to use your phone to play high-definition video on your big screen, you're going to need a lot of power. After all, it's no secret why your smartphone battery sucks--it's that big, beautiful phone screen. Most phones today will encounter battery issues while pushing a 1080p movie to a massive HDTV; however, with an MHL cable charging the phone or tablet while it's playing, you'll have a juiced-up device that's ready for mobile use when you’re done watching the latest Hollywood blockbuster.

All MHL-ready HDTVs also include provisions to allow users to control connected mobile devices with the HDTV remote via CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) technology, which uses the HDMI connection to send commands to compatible smartphones and tablets.

More and more MHL-compatible devices are coming out every year, and chances are good that you already own an MHL-compatible smartphone or HDTV. LG, Samsung, and Toshiba all offer MHL-ready devices among their high-quality HDTV lines. You can find a ton of MHL-compatible smartphones and tablets, too. HTC, Huawei, Lenovo, LG, Meizu, Motorola, Pantech, Samsung, Sony--almost every major player in the mobile arena (save Apple) sells a product that is MHL-compatible.

And thankfully, setting up an MHL connection in your home theater is easy. The first step, naturally, is to buy an MHL-compatible smartphone or tablet; for our testing we used a Samsung Galaxy Nexus, along with a Westinghouse 37-inch 1080p HDTV. The television we used is not MHL-compliant, but that fact actually made it a perfect choice for our demonstration, because it helps to illustrate how easy it is to get this system up and running even when you don't happen to own two MHL-compliant devices.

Next you'll need to pick up an MHL cable that works with your mobile device and HDTV. This step is really simple if you happen to own devices from the same manufacturer (a Samsung Galaxy Nexus and a Samsung 55D7000 HDTV, for example), because you can buy an MHL cable direct from the manufacturer. Otherwise you'll need to buy a generic MHL cable that works with your smartphone or tablet. For our tests we bought the Samsung MHL-to-HDMI adapter, which will set you back about $17.

Here's a Samsung Galaxy Nexus alongside a Samsung MHL-to-HDMI adapter cable.

Next you'll need to obtain a good HDMI cable that can comfortably stretch from your HDTV to your mobile device. HDMI cables are a dime a dozen these days, and thanks to PCWorld Labs testing we know that expensive HDMI cables are a poor value unless you need to cover some serious distance. Buy some good cables that will last, but don't pay an arm and a leg for the privilege.

Now, if you have an MHL-compliant HDTV, plug your smartphone or tablet directly into your HDTV via the MHL cable, and you should be all set to start outputting high-definition video right from your mobile device. If you don’t own an MHL-compliant television, you need to take one additional step: After plugging your MHL-to-HDMI adapter cable into your HDTV's HDMI port as well as into the Micro-USB port on your mobile device, go ahead and plug a Micro-USB charger (which should have come with your smartphone or tablet) directly into the Micro-USB port on the adapter cable itself. This arrangement will allow you to output video from your device to your HDTV as usual, while also charging your device at the same time.

And that's it! The MHL system is completely plug-and-play: Your device will flip to landscape mode when it’s plugged in, and it will push the desktop display to your television. It’s important to note that when you're using an Android device on your HDTV, you will see only the mobile versions of websites, and you will have to navigate via the phone’s screen. However, you can use a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to navigate, and basically turn your smartphone or tablet into an impromptu PC.

With MHL you can charge your phone and use it to surf the Web on your HDTV at the same time.

The best thing about MHL technology is that it’s coming to many more things than just televisions. Companies such as Pioneer have developed in-dash receivers that work with Android devices via MHL (the product also works with iPhones via a different adapter) to allow hands-free calls and access to compatible apps via a large multitouch screen built into your vehicle’s dash. Roku has also joined the MHL revolution with its new Streaming Stick, a replacement for the normal Roku “puck” set-top box. This item works only with MHL-compatible televisions right now, but as more such devices are released, it won’t be long before something as small as a USB stick can replace every set-top box you have.

Even though it's still nascent technology, the future of MHL seems exciting. Do you already have an MHL-compliant device? Do you intend to get one? Let us know in the comments!

View the original article here

Wal-Mart Launches Vudu Disc-to-Digital Store Program: Here's How It Works

Want to turn your bulging library of digital video discs into high-definition video streams that you can access anytime without spending a fortune?

Walmart claims it has the answer: The company's rolling out its disc-to-digital movie store conversion program today, allowing you to bring supported DVD or Blu-ray discs--the company's joined hands with several Hollywood studios--to any Walmart store and unlock access to a streaming version of the video through Vudu.com, Walmart's digital content delivery service.

Here's how it works: You bring your physical DVDs or Blu-ray discs to a participating Walmart store, then pay $2 per disc to access the streaming equivalent through Vudu on supported devices, including computers, tablets, smartphones and game consoles--basically anything that supports Vudu.

Blu-ray users automatically convert to the high-definition version of a video, but standard-definition DVD owners have the option of paying $5 (instead of $2) to up-convert to the HD version. Out of the gate, the service offers over 4,000 titles, and it's available in about 3,500 stores.

But wait, do you get the same deal if your video disc is scratched? How many discs can you have converted at once? Can you keep the disc? If yes, what's to stop customers from passing discs around to friends? How about bulk-conversion discounts?

I called Walmart to get answers, and was told the first you'll need to create both a Vudu.com and UltraViolet account (the latter is the movie industry-led digital rights management process for converting discs to digital versions).

Once those two accounts have been linked, Walmart says you can bring your DVD or Blu-ray in for conversion, at which point a Walmart rep--typically located in each store's photo section--will ask for the email address associated with your Vudu account.

Next, you select whether you're after the $2 SD or $5 HD version--the Walmart rep confirms you can't have both, which is unfortunate for HD buyers who want an SD alternative on devices with low bandwidth or data-caps.

Assuming what you want is part of the program--so far, the Hollywood studios that are participating are Dreamworks, Fox, Paramount, Sony, Universal and Warner Bros.--your order's processed, and the Walmart sales associate stamps the inner ring of your disc with a label before handing it back over. This is to prevent you or anyone else from using it for conversion again. Note that movies with "extras" discs may or may not be fully converted--Walmart says support for extra media is at the discretion of each studio.

In theory, says Walmart, there's no limit on the number of discs you can convert at once. I'm assuming the company is betting that most people won't haul hundreds of discs in at once, though if enough people do, I'd wager limits will magically appear. Sadly, bulk conversions won't come with discounts, meaning someone with a moderate collection of 100 DVDs will spend $200 for a straight conversion and an incredible $500 for an up-conversion.

And since there's no physical conversion taking place, i.e. Walmart's just verifying that you own the discs and is unlocking access to already-in-place digital copies, you could argue the whole affair's just a stunt to get customers to pay yet again for content they already own. A wiser, more consumer-friendly move would have been to charge a monthly Vudu access fee, ala Netflix, and let consumers convert for free.

And when it comes to scratched discs, the Walmart rep told me he wasn't sure if Walmart has a policy against accepting them for conversion, since the company is merely verifying each disc is legit and not a rental, but told me that's probably left to the discretion of the sales associate. And lastly, yes, the videos are yours to view indefinitely...so long as Vudu and Walmart stick around.

I sold my 100-plus DVD video collection to a wholesale buyer online over a year ago when I signed up with Netflix and made a fair lot of money. If the prospect of paying for Walmart's disc-to-digital program doesn't appeal to you--depending on whether services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon offer the TV shows and movies you're interested in--you might keep that in mind as an alternative.

Matt Peckham writes for TIME and PCWorld. You can find him on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+, and follow Today@PCWorld on Twitter for the latest tech news and analysis.

View the original article here

IKEA Integrates Home Theater System into Uppleva Furniture Line

IKEA will manufacture a new furniture line called Uppleva that will integrate television, speakers, Internet connection, and multiple disc players into an all-in-one system. The overarching goal is not only simplicity but the desire to eliminate “cord clutter,” based on the responses to an IKEA-sponsored survey conducted this year that revealed what people dislike most about electronics.

The television and other electronics will be made by Chinese manufacturer TCL and include a single remote control for all the devices. This is to address the survey result that found that 60 percent of respondents have between three and four remote control devices at home.

The Uppleva (Swedish for “experience”) line will offer choices of HD LED TV sizes ranging from 24 to 46 inches, and in a variety of colors. It will also include Wi-Fi, USB ports for music players, and space for game consoles. The company is planning to launch in Sweden, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, Denmark, Norway, and Portugal in the fall, with a worldwide rollout in spring 2013.

For baby boomers, this concept harkens back to the 50s and 60s, when audio-video equipment was always integrated into furniture.

The furniture will arrive in IKEA’s traditional flat-pack packaging, which begs a few questions:

Who’s going to put this together? Are owners going to have to call Geek Squad to make sure it’s put together properly? Are the instructions going to be translated from Swedish or Chinese?

What happens when you want to upgrade? One of the reasons integrated furniture gave way to component systems is that when you upgraded from 8-tracks to cassettes to CDs (or, more currently, from DVD to Blu-Ray), you could easily swap out one player for a new one. Furniture is supposed to last, but technology keeps changing.

Is this IKEA and TCL’s way of selling the razor and the blade? In other words, when you do upgrade, will you only be able to swap out their systems? Otherwise, if you install a device from a different manufacturer, you immediately eliminate the simplicity of the integrated remote control -- and the cycle of clutter starts all over again.

View the original article here

Netflix Boss Blasts Comcast Over Bandwidth Caps, Net Neutrality

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings blasted Comcast alleging unfair implementation of net neutrality principles when it came to bandwidth caps for its Xfinity Internet service.

The Netflix CEO’s attack comes after he said he spent the weekend using video streaming apps, namely Netflix, HBO GO, Xfinity, and Hulu, when he noticed something: “When I watch video on my Xbox from three of these four apps, it counts against my Comcast internet cap. When I watch through Comcast’s Xfinity app, however, it does not count against my Comcast internet cap.”

Hastings posted his beef on Facebook to his 120,000 subscribers. Hastings called for Comcast to “apply caps equally, or not at all.”

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings. Credit: James Duncan Davidson/O'Reilly Media, Inc.He detailed that “if I watch last night’s SNL episode on my Xbox through the Hulu app, it eats up about one gigabyte of my cap, but if I watch that same episode through the Xfinity Xbox app, it doesn’t use up my cap at all. The same device, the same IP address, the same Wi-Fi, the same internet connection, but totally different cap treatment.”

“In what way is this neutral?” he asked. The short answer would be that it’s probably not. By exempting the Xfinity On-Demand TV service for the Xbox 360 from periodic data caps, Comcast is effectively giving an advantage to its own service over others such as Netflix, which count towards your 250GB monthly data cap.

However, Comcast has a strong defense of its own too: since the service is delivered via its own private IP network, and not over the public part of the Internet, the company can go around the net neutrality principles, where all services are equal in the eye of the Internet services provider. On its FAQ pages, Comcast explains: “The Xbox 360 running our XFINITY TV app essentially acts as an additional cable box for your existing cable service, and our data usage threshold does not apply.”

Yet the fact that Comcast doesn’t account Xfinity traffic to your monthly data cap is a boon for consumers. This means that you don’t have to worry how many hours of streaming video you watch until you hit the cap, and then get throttled or have to pay extra -- as long as you watch Xfinity. But companies like Netflix, who do not own the cable to people’s homes, are put at a disadvantage by Comcast’s preferential treatment for its own services (who can blame them?).

This probably won’t be the last time we hear from Hastings on net neutrality, just as this wasn’t the first time. Last month the Netflix CEO took to Facebook, commenting on Comcast’s net neutrality practices regarding the HBO GO app on the Xbox.

Should Comcast count Xfinity on-demand for Xbox towards your monthly data cap? Sound off in the comments.

Follow Daniel Ionescu and Today @ PCWorld on Twitter

View the original article here

Pass the Clicker: Today's Latest and Greatest High-Tech Remotes

Couch potatoes, rejoice: The remote control has come a long way in recent years. Gone are the days when you had to dig under the couch cushions prospecting for the clicker that controls the volume, and then fumble through the end-table drawers in search of the one that changes the channel. Today's remote controls can do it all.

And you have plenty of choices when shopping for a suitable controller. You can opt for the highest-end product, likely featuring a touch-screen and the ability to control everything from your TV to your PC-based music library to your thermostat. Or you can go with the familiar look and feel of a button-based, bar-style remote. If you don't want to buy a new device, you can download an app or buy an appcessory that turns your smartphone or tablet into a universal remote.

No single option is right for everyone. You may prefer to use your smartphone as your remote, or you may scoff at the thought of terminating a call just to change the channel. Not sure which option is right for you? Read on to learn more about four of the coolest remote controls on the market today.

Option 1: Touchscreen Hub

Logitech's $350 Harmony 1100 Advanced Universal Remote looks more like a tablet computer than like a remote control. It features a 3.5-inch screen with a backlight, so you can view it in the dark; and it uses both IR and RF wireless technology, so it can control devices that aren't in its line of sight. This remote connects to Windows and Mac PCs, where you can use Logitech's Harmony software to program the device to work with up to 15 of your gadgets. You can also program it to control multiple devices for activities such as "Listen to Music" and "Watch a Movie."

Option 2: Bar-Style Remote--and Beyond

Though the TRC-1280 Handheld Video Color Touchscreen Remote from Universal Remote may look like a standard bar-shaped remote control, it's anything but. This $899 Wi-Fi-based device is actually something of a whole-house-controller. You can use it to control your TV and home entertainment devices, as well as your security, lighting, temperature, and A/V components. The TRC-1280 comes with a 2.8-inch touchscreen that displays images from security cameras (so you can see into other parts of your house), and RSS feeds, for times when you want to catch up on the latest news. Universal Remote's products must be purchased from an authorized dealer (you can find one on the company's site), who will program the device to meet your needs.

Option 3: App

Why buy a new piece of hardware when you can adapt a device that you already own to function as a remote control? That's the idea behind the booming market in remote control apps. The trouble is that many of these products can control devices made by only a particular manufacturer. If you're a Comcast Xfinity subscriber, however, you can take advantage of the company's free Xfinity TV app, which lets you use your iOS or Android device to change channels and to browse TV and OnDemand listings. You can even use it to view a limited amount of content on your mobile device. Comcast's newer X1 app adds gesture-based controls. If you're not a Comcast customer, don't despair: Rivals such as Verizon FiOS and DirecTV offer remote control apps, too.

Option 4: App Plus Appcessory

If an app alone doesn't offer the features you want, and you're hesitant to spend hundreds of dollars on a dedicated remote control device, consider a compromise: the appcessory--a piece of hardware that, in combination with an app running on your smartphone or tablet, turns that device into a universal remote. The $70 VooMote Zapper is one such option. This small dongle plugs into any iOS device and works with VooMote's free Zapper app to enable you to use your iPod, iPhone, or iPad to control single devices or multiple home-theater components. In addition, you can customize it to work differently in different rooms.

View the original article here

Google TVs Made by LG Expected in U.S. on May 21

LG Electronics plans to release televisions running Google TV in the U.S. by May 21, according to a report.

The South Korea-based company made the announcement early Monday, but offered no details such as pricing, display sizes, or specs, according to Reuters. An LG representative was unavailable for comment at the time of this writing.

LG-made Google TVs have been expected for several months after speculation about an LG Google TV surfaced in November. The company followed up those rumors with a January debut of its Google TV plans during CES 2012 in Las Vegas. The gadget maker said its Google TV-powered sets would include LG Cinema 3D displays between 55 and 84 inches (diagonal), a 3D conversion engine that can turn any 2D TV show or movie into a 3D spectacle, and an LG Magic Remote including a QWERTY keyboard.

LG's anticipated Google TV launch will likely be welcomed by the search giant as it struggles to keep relevant its platform designed to merge the Web with broadcast television. The company in October launched an overhaul of Google TV with a new streamlined interface and Android app support. But two years have passed since its debut in 2010 and Google TV is still supported in the U.S. largely by Logitech and Sony devices.

Logitech announced in November that it will cease producing new Google TV devices after losing millions on developing and selling the Revue, a Google TV-powered set-top box. Sony is focusing mainly on its “four screens” strategy that will tie its televisions, smartphones, tablets, and PCs into one Apple-like ecosystem. Meanwhile, LG will sell Google TV-powered sets alongside its own NetCast smart TV platform.  Other manufacturers expected to roll out new Google TV devices include Vizio and Samsung.

Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt in December predicted that most TVs sold by summer 2012 will come with Google TV on board.

Connect with Ian Paul (@ianpaul) on Twitter and Google+, and with Today@PCWorld on Twitter for the latest tech news and analysis.

View the original article here

Giving Up Cable and Satellite TV

LiveBrianD surveyed the HDTV & Home Theater forum to find out who gave up cable TV, preferring to stream content off the Internet.

Whether you're using cable, satellite, or FIOS, you can save a bundle by discontinuing that service. So long as you keep your broadband Internet connection, you'll find plenty of entertainment.

To easily watch Internet content, you'll need either an Internet-capable HDTV, or an Internet-capable device that connects to your television. Either way, it should offer plenty of streaming options. You can buy a good, Internet-capable Blu-ray player for about $100.

Last spring, my family cancelled our Dish Network account, and no one has asked for it back. We subscribe to Netflix and Hulu Plus; our Blu-ray player supports both of them and combined they cost about $16 a month. I bought an antenna so we can get over-the-air broadcasting, and set up an old laptop as a DVR, allowing us to record broadcasts. Since that laptop is connected to the Internet, we can also use it to stream services that our Blu-ray player doesn't support.

We only missed satellite when the new season of Mad Men started. But we soon discovered that we can buy the new episodes off Vudu (a pay-per-view service supported by our Blu-ray player) for $2 each; that's a lot cheaper than cable.

Sports fans may miss more; if a game isn't conventionally broadcast, you probably won't be able to watch it live.

The solution isn't perfect. Image quality varies with Internet traffic, and sometimes a show just stops. (This happened to us in the last minutes of the recent Mad Men season finale.)

But for the most part, it works well. We have far more programs to watch than we have time to watch them.

For more details, see Cutting the Cord: How to Ditch Your Cable Company (which also offers some sports suggestions).

Read the original forum discussion.

Contributing Editor Lincoln Spector writes about technology and cinema. Email your tech questions to him at answer@pcworld.com, or post them to a community of helpful folks on thePCW Answer Line forum. Follow Lincoln on Twitter, or subscribe to the Answer Line newsletter, e-mailed weekly.

View the original article here

Netflix Agrees to Delete Former Users' Video History

If you've ever quit Netflix -- only to come crawling back once you've realized that Hulu only has TV shows and the MPAA is cracking down on other video-streaming sites, you've probably noticed that when you re-signup for Netflix your data is still on the servers. Even if you quit the service over a year ago.

Well, those of you crying privacy foul need worry no more -- Netflix has agreed to delete former users' video history and queue data within one year of their leaving the service. The company agreed to this stipulation in a settlement regarding a class-action privacy lawsuit filed against Netflix last year. The lawsuit accused Netflix of violating the 1988 Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA), which makes it illegal for video rental services to disclose viewers' video habits without written consent.

The suit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court of California in March 2011, was settled for $9 million with no admission of wrongdoing. $6.65 million of the settlement money will be paid to various privacy organizations, while $2.25 million will go to the lawyers (of course).

Netflix VP of Corporate Communications for Netflix Steve Swasey provided this statement to Paid Content:

"Netflix has settled a lawsuit related to the company’s compliance with the Video Privacy Protection Act with no admission of wrongdoing. This matter is unrelated to the company’s concerns about the ambiguities contained in the VPPA, which keep Netflix from offering its U.S. members the ability to share their instant watching information with their Facebook friends, an experience Netflix members currently enjoy in 46 other countries."

As you can see from Swasey's statement, this isn't the first time Netflix has had a run-in with the dreaded VPPA. The company has been trying to get its frictionless-sharing Facebook app onto U.S. users' computers, and the VPPA is all that stands in its way.

The VPPA was passed in 1988, after the video rental history of Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork was leaked and published. Though Bork's video history was "unremarkable" and contained such titles as "A Day at the Races" and "The Man Who Knew Too Much," the VPPA was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan.

In 2009, Netflix also found itself at the center of controversy regarding the VPPA when it tried to execute a research contest that involved disclosing demographic and behavioral data of individuals. Though the disclosed data was technically anonymous, it was determined that the data could be used to identify individuals.

Follow Sarah on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+.

View the original article here

Sharp's New 90-Inch Set Is the Biggest LED HDTV You Can Buy

Sharp's 90-incher (far right) next to its 80-inch and 70-inch sets. At this year's CES, Sharp emphasized sheer size with its 2012 HDTV lineup. Now it has an even bigger addition to go along with the 60-inch, 70-inch, and 80-inch sets announced earlier in the year, as the company unveiled its new 90-inch Aquos LC-90LE745U model at an event in New York City today.

The new 90-incher is a 1080p LED-backlit set (without local dimming, although demo videos at the event showed impressive black levels) with active-shutter 3D playback, a 120Hz refresh rate, and Sharp's "Aquos Motion 240" motion-enhancement technology for fast-moving images. The Wi-Fi-enabled set also has the usual range of connected features (Netflix, Vudu, Hulu Plus, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook).

There's also an "Aquos Advantage Live" feature that's found in other connected Sharp sets in 2012, and it sounds a bit like a remote PC-support tool. It allows a staff of technicians to troubleshoot your set remotely over a Web connection, access settings, and adjust them accordingly.

Sharp's 90-inch set (left), next to a 55-inch model.Weighing 141 pounds, the 90-inch set is about 5 inches deep and has a 1-inch-thick aluminum bezel. Despite its size and its 500-LED backlighting array, Sharp is touting the set as very energy-efficient, claiming that it will add only $28 to your energy bill over the course of a year.

With a screen size that's about three times larger than a 55-inch set, the LC-90LE745U absolutely dwarfed the fairly large HDTVs that were set up next to it at the event. I watched the TV from a couch about 7 feet away, and I wasn't able to see the lines of resolution. From that distance, watching movies on the TV felt a lot like sitting in the tenth row of a movie theater; it's more immersive than your normal TV-viewing experience, but the picture also looks brighter and sharper than your average cinema screen.

The 90-inch Sharp HDTV looks brighter and sharper than your average movie screen. Sharp is billing the LC-90LE745U as the "world's largest LED set"--and the price of admission is also huge. The HDTV will cost you a staggering $10,999, and it is shipping immediately. If you have that kind of cash and living-room space, you can pick one up soon at Magnolia Audio Video, HHGregg, or P.C. Richard.

View the original article here