10/23, 3:05pm
BBC considering launching international iPlayer
BBC Worldwide, the parent company of BBC, is considering launching a premium version of its iPlayer online service that would be accessible by global audiences. Such a service would allow viewers from outside of the UK to watch popular BBC programs, such as Top Gear and Torchwood as well as listen to streaming BBC radio stations. BBC executives have yet to commit to pricing but suggest they could charge per episode, potentially as high as $10 depending on the content.
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08/18, 1:20pm
PS3 3 Firmware
Sony at its Gamescom keynote today expanded some of its non-gaming services with the more formal launch of the 3.0 firmware for the PlayStation 3. The new update has a much improved interface that provides quicker access to the news section (now known as "What's New") as well as to shortcuts to the latest games and other downloads without having to leave the regular XMB front end. Users can also now see messages from friends directly from their profiles instead of having to burrow deeper into the system.
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08/11, 3:15pm
BBC holds on iPhone apps
The BBC is reluctant to commit to iPhone development, a new report alleges. The network already has a small selection of apps available, including ones for Radio Times and Lonely Planet. It is believed, however, to be cautious about going any further, as a result of the terms and conditions imposed on developers at the App Store. Apple's wording would expose the BBC to "unlimited liability," according to claims.
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07/14, 4:35pm
Comcast adds 17 networks
Comcast on Tuesday announced that its recently-launched On Demand Online streaming video service trial will offer content from 17 more cable networks, thanks to a series of agreements. The new partners include Rainbow Media, Scripps, AETN, MGM Impact and the BBC. The service, accessible via Comcast.net and Fancast.com, should not add any cost for Comcast cable subscribers.
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06/05, 12:00pm
BBC World News Live app
The BBC and Livestation have introduced a new app for the iPhone and iPod touch, BBC World News Live. Users are able to stream the BBC's 24-hour TV news feed, using either a 3G or a Wi-Fi connection. Low- and high-quality versions of the feed can be selected, though only the former is available over 3G.
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05/20, 5:05pm
Hulu coming to the UK?
The free online video-on-demand (VOD) service, Hulu, may be expanding for the first time to a market outside of the US, with a launch in the UK as soon as September, the UK's Telegraph reported on Wednesday. Sources close to the negotiations tell the daily newspaper that Hulu is in talks with the UK's ITV and Channel 4 for content partners, and the service would bring over more than 3,000 hours of American TV content. Content from the BBC is also being negotiated.
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04/16, 3:00pm
BBC cross-platform iPlayer
The BBC has released a completed version of the iPlayer Desktop, a cross-platform application that lets users download recent BBC programming, rather than simply view it on the web or TV. The app is based on Adobe's AIR platform, and is compatible with Mac, Windows and Linux systems. Access is restricted to residents of the UK however, and files are set to expire and delete automatically after a given timeframe, no longer than 30 days.
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02/19, 3:10pm
Philips GoGear Ariaz
Philips in an out-of-season event today revamped its GoGear media players with a pair of new models that are higher-end than usual. The GoGear Ariaz is pitched to audiophiles as a boost in audio quality with Philips' FullSound audio engine improving the frequencies and sound stage of compressed files. A bundled set of noise-reducing headphones also improve sound by focusing attention on the music.
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11/10, 7:45am
MGM on YouTube
Movie studio MGM and YouTube today are set to announce a deal bringing the former's movies and TV shows to the web video portal. The deal is currently an experiment and will see MGM launch a handful of full-length and primarily action-oriented movies, such as Bulletproof Monk, as well as a limited range of TV that will initially be limited just to episodes of the original American Gladiators.
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09/24, 10:00am
BBC radio on iPhone/iPod
The UK's official broadcaster, the BBC, has announced expanded support for the iPhone/iPod touch version of its iPlayer service. As of today the software now supports radio, allowing users to listen to episodes from a variety of programs up to seven days after the original airdate. The BBC's Mark Friend says that the option comes from adapting the network's normal digital delivery to suit the unique restrictions of Apple handhelds.
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08/13, 3:25pm
BBC upgrades to H.264, AAC
Later this week, the BBC will update its iPlayer streaming service with H.264 and AAC+ compression schemes, the UK broadcaster has announced. The move is aimed at supporting open standards, and additionally improving steaming quality, jumping bitrates from 500 to 800Kbps, according to Macworld. The compression schemes will offer improved visuals and sound for users streaming over Flash, currently the only way to access the BBC's media on a Mac. The network has already been broadcasting in non-Flash H.264 and AAC for its iPhone and iPod touch streams.
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06/27, 1:15pm
BBC iPlayer set-top box
The BBC is planning to build its own set-top box for iPlayer users, a report reveals. iPlayer is a free web service which allows TV license payers to stream the past week of BBC programming for free; it is typically accessed via computers however, with the exception of devices like the iPhone and the Nintendo Wii. The new set-top will hook up directly to a TV, and feed data from a broadband connection to effectively create an IPTV link.
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06/18, 3:30pm
YouTube Full Length Videos
YouTube has begun letting companies offer videos longer than the official 10 minutes on its site, according to a memo allegedly being sent to these firms. The message gives those with official presences on the video website permission to post videos that fit within a 1GB file size cap as well as to attach advertising to those clips. The reported official move follows known experiments that have included both the release of an independent movie last year and the more recent promotional release of an episode of The Tudors.
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05/21, 2:50pm
US Mobile Web Use Study
Americans browse the web on their cellphones almost twice as often as their British counterparts even without the help of web-friendly devices like the iPhone, according to a new study by M:Metrics. Despite the reputation of Europeans as more openly embracing smartphones, Americans in March were known to spend an average of four hours and 38 minutes per month on websites using their phones versus almost exactly two and a half hours for British users. The difference is largely attributed to the prevalence of flat-rate data plans in the US, which give customers either a block of data or unlimited access instead of the metering that more often exists in Europe.
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04/29, 2:20pm
BBC and iTunes
BBC today has announced that its programming is now available through the iTunes Store in the U.S. Starting today on iTunes, customers can purchase single episodes and complete seasons of BBC America's sci-fi series Torchwood, the the comedy Little Britain and hit drama series Robin Hood -- which premiered its second season Saturday on cable channel BBC America. During the run of the new season, Robin Hood episodes will be available on iTunes 24 hours after its premiere, Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Like other shows on iTunes, BBC's programming the U.S. for $1.99 per episode and can be viewed on a Mac or PC, iPod with video, iPhone or widescreen TV with Apple TV.
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04/18, 10:35am
Hulu Mobile Talk
NBC's Hulu TV streaming service is likely to expand beyond its web-only presence of today, the service's CEO Jason Kilar said this week at the NAB video production expo. While not committing to any one format, the company head explains that cellphones and "anything connected to the Internet" would be an ideal platform for the feature, which allows users to stream (but not download) episodes of NBC and Fox shows.
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04/09, 9:35am
BBC iPlayer for Wii
The BBC today said that its iPlayer is now available through Nintendo's Wii, marking the first time the TV catch-up service can be accessed through a game console. Currently in a test phase, the feature is available from a dedicated channel and lets UK-based gamers watch episodes of recent BBC shows as much as they like while they remain available on the site, which often keeps content for one or more weeks before they are removed for copyright reasons.
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03/13, 9:55am
BBC halts iPlayer 'hack'
The BBC has put an end to an exploit which allowed people to download its TV shows permanently, according to the network's news agency. By altering the user string of a URL on a desktop system, people were able to fool the BBC iPlayer into thinking it was operating on an iPhone or iPod touch. While the latter devices are only able to stream shows from iPlayer, the exploit enabled Mac or PC users to save clips, which could then be played any time after the seven-day window the BBC sets for iPlayer material.
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03/07, 9:05am
iPlayer for iPhone active
(Updated with BBC commentary) The early indications of a beta iPlayer client for the iPhone have been confirmed. Beginning today, mobile visitors to the iPlayer website can now watch a limited number of BBC TV shows, such as Whistleblower. The video has been specially converted to cope with the limitations of Apple's Safari browser, which cannot play Flash; it is most likely then that episodes are being encoded in streaming QuickTime.
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03/06, 12:30pm
BBC iPlayer for iPhone
MacNN has discovered that the BBC is reportedly working on a version of its iPlayer software for the iPhone and iPod touch, which was spotted ahead of Apple's announcements at 10AM Pacific. When visiting the BBC iPlayer website through the portable devices, a small, inactive link appears in the corner of the main window, indicating that a beta version of the player software will soon be available. Details have not been released, but with the SDK event due any moment, the BBC will hopefully put an official spin on the find.
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02/20, 9:10am
iPlayer for iPhone/Touch
iPlayer software will eventually be available in a form for iPhones and iPod touches, the BBC has announced. Having just released TV shows to the UK iTunes Store, and confirmed the arrival of a Mac iPlayer client sometime this year, the network now says that it is developing a version for Apple's most advanced mobile devices. The software should in fact be available "within the next few weeks," according to the Guardian, meaning that it may beat the Mac-specific client to market.
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02/18, 7:20pm
BBC content for iTunes
The BBC today confirmed earlier reports that it would distribute its televised content on the UK iTunes store, offering an initial selection of episodes from seven different series. The selection includes several episodes from the raunchy, but popular Doctor Who spinoff, Torchwood, and MI5 spy drama Spooks, as well as the offbeat crime series, Life On Mars. Most of the unveiled content goes for £1.89, with a few exceptions.
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02/18, 9:25am
BBC on iTunes this week?
TV shows from the BBC may soon appear on the iTunes Store, reports claim. Cited is an anonymous source in the TV industry, who claims that BBC Worldwide will announce its plans on Tuesday. The source further suggests that Worldwide's digital media director, Simon Danker, has already contacted a number of third-party production companies to let them know of the new sales market. It is unclear whether shows would be available solely in the UK, or also on iTunes sites in Canada and the US; BBC Worldwide is said to be under pressure, however, to send more income from selling shows to the core of the BBC, given a dwindling benefit from TV license fees.
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02/07, 11:15pm
BBC iPlayer for Mac
The BBC will reportedly be launching its iPlayer online video web service for the Mac platform by the end of 2008. In a self-published article, the BBC acknowledged the desires of Mac users that the player is currently in progress, stating that the initial PC release was concocted simply to reach the broadest amount of users in the shortest possible time. The BBC iPlayer is currently only available in the UK, with an international version planned at some point in the future.
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01/17, 10:20am
BBC iPlayer for Apple TV
The BBC is strongly considering offering its iPlayer web video service through the revamped Apple TV, says the company's technology director Ashley Highfield in his Internet blog. Apple's shift from purchase-only videos to a rental model would allow the British network to mimic the functions of the website while providing a more comfortable TV environment, he says. While the shows could still be free to watch, the Apple TV's system would avoid copyright issues by automatically clearing episodes after their viewing period is up, a feature that show producers currently "insist" upon for the website.
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12/13, 9:10am
BBC releases Mac iPlayer
The BBC today began official Mac support for iPlayer, the network's video distribution technology. The service allows residents of the UK to watch the last seven days of BBC TV programming for free; until today however, it was only available to Windows users, a situation which earlier triggered a petition claiming it was a violation of BBC policy. The ability to download shows remains restricted to Windows users, but Mac users can now stream video on their computers, as a result of a recent deal with Adobe for use of Flash.
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