05/09, 5:40pm
53 channels launch program, more to come 'in the coming weeks'
YouTube has announced that is is opening a program for a "small group" of providers who will offer a subscription service of video content starting at $1 per month, but averaging overall just over $3 per channel. Starting today, partners such as Sesame Street, UFC, National Geographic, Jim Henson and the rest of the test channels will offer paid content with a 14-day free trial.
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05/08, 4:43pm
Apps include local content as well as nationally syndicated programming
Media streamer hardware maker Roku has deployed a new app set, adding PBS and PBS Kids content to most of its line of video streaming set-top boxes within the US. Now available for streaming are shows such as American Experience, Antiques Roadshow, Frontline, Nova, Masterpiece, and Nature. Children's programming now available due to the new additions include Curious George, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Dinosaur Train, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, and Super WHY.
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05/06, 2:40pm
Apps rebranded under Creative Cloud brand
Adobe is focused on its Creative Cloud service this week at its Max conference, where the company has introduced updates to its broad range of software. The new offerings include video-focused utilities Premiere Pro CC, After Effects CC, Prelude CC, SpeedGrade CC and Adobe Story Plus, along with the audio-production app Audition CC. Many of the new apps will enable users to sync settings between computers and remotely collaborate on videos without downloading the source materials.
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05/02, 12:08am
New chipsets offer up to three times the performance of HD4000
Intel has revealed limited specifications on its fourth-generation "Haswell" Core-series processors' video circuitry. The upcoming chip line features a graphical power boost well above the third generation, with three discrete levels. One tier is aimed at power efficiency, with two tailored for increased video performance.
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04/26, 8:09am
Vine confirms Android version of video app in the works
Popular video app Vine will be headed to Android in the future. Co-founder of the Twitter-owned app Dom Hofmann confirmed to The Verge it will be ported, following its successful launch on iOS devices. The app, which allows users to create six-second video clips for sharing on social networks, is also reportedly going to include the ability to tag friends to a clip, in order to foster more sharing between users.
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04/23, 4:00pm
Apple lead steady from 2011, gains claimed from minor players' stores
According to information analysis firm NPD Group, the Apple iTunes Store holds a commanding lead in video digital downloads, both for movies and television shows. In 2012, the research firm claims that 67 percent of television show purchases and 65 percent of movie sales were made on Apple's marketplace, up slightly from 2011.
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04/19, 11:18am
Doctor Who, Top Gear named in Twitter video agreement
BBC America has signed a deal with Twitter to of the first "in-Tweet branded video synced to entertainment TV series." The announcement, made through Twitter itself, provides little detail in the way of what exactly the service entails, but does mention popular shows Doctor Who and Top Gear in the message, suggesting that video advertisements for upcoming episodes of BBC properties could soon appear on the microblogging service.
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04/17, 8:13pm
Justin Long stars as Jobs throughout his life in satirical biopic
A satirical look at the life of Steve Jobs starring former Apple pitchman Justin Long has debuted after being delayed slightly due to the bombing at the Boston Marathon on Monday. The film from comedy site Funny or Die, called iSteve, is an 79-minute romp through some of the well-known chapters of the life of Apple's co-founder and former CEO. In addition to Long -- who plays Jobs from the age of 19 onwards -- the movie stars Jorge Garcia (Lost) as Steve Wozniak, Venture Brothers voice James Urbaniak as Bill Gates and Michaela Watkins as Melinda Gates.
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04/16, 10:31am
New video ad spots could earn Facebook $4 million per day
Facebook may add video advertisements to the news feeds of its users, in order to supplement its income from its existing advertising system, according to a report. The social network is in talks with a number of agencies to fill as many as four ad-spots, and is planning to play as many as three video spots per day to its users.
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04/15, 10:00pm
Ability to queue videos for TV playback also added
On Monday, Google updated its YouTube app for iOS (free) with support for live streaming, one channel branding for video content creators, additional AirPlay and other wireless-video support for non-AirPlay devices such as smart TVs, a subscription feed to allow users to quickly find new videos on the channels they are subscribed to and general stability and performance enhancements. The live streaming feature will add native support for the previously web-only feature, which runs special events as a live telecast.
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04/09, 3:20pm
MST60 includes Miraconnect, Android equivalent to AirPlay
Electronics manufacturer Panasonic announced on Tuesday pricing and availability of its first-ever line of Streaming Media Players. The line-up, which were unveiled last month at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show, features two models -- the DMP-MST60 with Viera Connect and Miracast, along with the DMP-MS10 featuring IP video on demand.
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04/08, 10:52pm
Includes new interactive features for 'Game of Thrones'
Home Box Office has updated its HBO Go app to version 2.1, adding background AirPlay streaming that lets users pass video onto TVs and other devices using AirPlay while making the mobile device free to run other applications. The update adds general performance enhancements as well as some additional interactivity for Game of Thrones watchers: while the episode is streaming to another device, users can see additional content (mostly text- and photo-based) on their iPad, iPhone or iPod touch.
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04/05, 10:59am
ATMs in Boston to offer conversations with bank employees
Bank of America is adding video conferencing to its automatic teller machines. The video chat facility will allow bank customers to see and speak to tellers in order to perform more advanced bank transactions than would normally be available to an ATM user, as well as providing a more personal experience to users.
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04/03, 5:28pm
Content available for rental and purchase, no subscription service available
Music streaming purveyor Rdio is previewing its long-awaited next effort -- the video streamer Vdio. Calling it a "beautiful new way to buy, rent, and share your favorite movies and TV shows with your friends," the service is available today in pre-release form with a $25 viewing credit given to existing and new Rdio Unlimited subscribers.
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04/01, 10:26am
Looping mp4 video hints at MixBit capabilities
YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley has revealed the name of his upcoming video collaboration site, while also poking fun at his previous endeavors. MixBit was officially named by Hurley on Twitter, after hinting in a SXSW talk last month that he was close to finally launching the service, and claims it is not a competitor to YouTube
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03/29, 10:57pm
Twitter-owned short-form video app dogged by controversy
Adults-only social video app Vine (free) received an update from Twitter on Friday that now allows direct sharing of videos of any user in one's Vine feed to Twitter and Facebook. The update also adds the ability to embed a video onto web pages, though the process involves sending the code in an email to the user, and adds frames to shared and embedded videos, along with some bug fixes. The controversial app lets users create and upload six-second videos, and was subsequently changed to a 17+ age restriction on the App Store.
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03/28, 5:15pm
Live gameplay footage to be broadcast over YouTube
Google has created a set of APIs for sending video content from games to YouTube. The new APIs will make it easier for game developers to offer players the option of uploading gameplay recordings to the site, as well as being able to broadcast gameplay footage live as the game is played on a console.
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03/26, 6:19pm
Time Warner, NBC Universal, Viacom farthest in negotiations
According to reports, Intel is making progress again after some delays in negotiations with Time Warner, NBC Universal, and Viacom to fill out television shows and films for an online pay-TV service. Specific deals are being forged, with the media companies having signed off on the rough details of the service, with some aspects still to be settled.
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03/25, 3:20pm
Sources point to new video offering
Spotify is reportedly preparing to launch a streaming video service that may rival Netflix and other established players, unnamed sources have told Business Insider. The unconfirmed report suggests the company is already attempting to find partners that will help produce exclusive content, following a strategy already employed by Hulu and Netflix.
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02/27, 9:00pm
CAD company bought video app from Justin.tv last summer
Autodesk, best known for its CAD and drawing applications, is launching an all-new version of Socialcam, the socially-oriented videomaking app it acquired from original developers Justin.tv last summer, on Thursday. The current version of the app, still available for free on the App Store, has been described as an "Instagram for video" and features effect filters to give created videos a stylized look, along with easy cloud storage and social sharing abilities. The new Autodesk version will add 720p HD, high dynamic range options and new video effects.
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02/25, 8:15pm
Service available over 29 counties across NY, CT, NJ, PA
Aereo today announced that its Internet-repeating television service is now available to the more than 19 million people living in the New York City metropolitan area. The region includes 29 counties across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Previously, Aereo was only available to residents of New York City's five boroughs.
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02/14, 3:30pm
Injunction sought for banning, destruction of Sony cinema cameras
High-end camera manufacturer Red is suing Sony for patent violations. A pair of patents that relate to the compression of video in-camera in a “visually lossless manner” have been infringed on by three of Sony's cinema-quality cameras, devices that Red is seeking an injunction for to prevent sales and to have them destroyed.
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02/10, 2:57pm
Incendiary video continues to trouble Google
A court in Egypt has ordered for video sharing site YouTube to be blocked for hosting a video deemed blasphemous by a number of parties. Access to YouTube will be restricted over a 30-day period as it continues to offer the film "Innocence of Muslims" for viewing, something which has already provoked strong reactions in the last few months.
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01/31, 8:43pm
Move gives HBO users more reason to go with set-top box
Bloomberg is reporting that Apple and HBO are in talks to bring HBO Go, the company's app- and web-based Video On Demand (VOD) service, to the Apple TV. Existing HBO subscribers would then be able to access the HBO catalog of more than 600 hours of material on the Apple TV device without having to use AirPlay to "stream" it from their iPad or iPhone as is currently required. It is possible that HBO may even allow non-subscribers some form of limited "sample" access to the service, akin to how the BBC's Global iPlayer works.
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01/31, 7:30pm
Report focuses on iVOD, e-sellthrough; excludes Netflix
Apple's continuing resistance to optical drives (and specifically OS-level support for Blu-ray drives) may be an annoyance for some users, but demand for optical disc-based entertainment is experiencing a decline, making the company's move prescient. Thanks to the iTunes Store and Apple's modest but growing success with the Apple TV, a new report from the NPD Group ranks iTunes as the top provider of what it calls the "iVOD" (Internet Video On Demand) market, which doesn't include streaming services like Netflix.
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01/27, 5:01pm
Devices with H.265 hardware acceleration expected mid-2014
The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has approved the H.265 video standard. The new High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) promises to lower the amount of bandwidth required to stream current MPEG-4 H.264-standard content by half, potentially allowing mobile devices to view HD content over high-speed wireless connections with little to no buffering required.
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01/14, 5:17am
Refined single-participant live video broadcasting in Google+
Google has updated the Hangouts feature of Google+ that will help one-person broadcasts. Hangouts On Air will now default to a full-screen single-camera video for broadcasts, instead of showing a large image with a smaller thumbnailed view in the camera roster below, something which apparently has been added after numerous requests from users.
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01/08, 11:55am
Device uses Dyle broadcast network for video on iOS devices
Video import device manufacturer Elgato has announced a Lightning connector version of its EyeTV Mobile product. Using the same enclosure as the original EyeTV Mobile, the new model eliminates the need and expense of a 30-pin to Lightning connector adapter and connects directly the the new lineup of compatible iOS devices.
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01/07, 9:13pm
Kaz Hirai pushed benefits of 4K for consumers, industry at keynote
At its Consumer Electronics Show keynote speech, Sony has unveiled a range of "4K" (3840x2160) TVs, currently in the prototype stage. The display comes in a range of sizes, from the previously-announced 84-inch set, to a 65-inch, and 55-inch model, the latter two both new to CES. Supporting the televisions, Sony intends on launching a 4K video distribution system in the US the summer of 2013. The "UltraHD" system offers approximately twice the resolution (horizontal and vertical) of existing HDTVs, and four times as many pixels.
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01/07, 4:05pm
New projector aimed at new home theater users
Epson America today expanded its line of 3LCD home theater projectors with the 3LCD PowerLite Home Cinema 750HD. The new projector is tailored for families and first-time home theater enthusiasts as an affordable 2D and true 3D big screen entertainment solution. The Home Cinema 750HD is Epson’s brightest home theater projector to date -- projecting up to 3,000 lumens of color and 3,000 lumens of white brightness for dark or light rooms. Offering full HD in 2D or active shutter 3D with 720p resolution, the Home Cinema 750HD simplifies display of movies, videogames, sporting events, and other media.
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12/21, 8:16am
Existing eyeIO user Netflix likely to offer 4K media in future
Video processing company eyeIO has unveilled its second generation of video encoding technology. The new version includes a new option called StudioRes, which is capable of encoding 10-bit 4:2:2 H.264 video at a 4K resolution, as well as claims that it will encode video 45-percent faster than its previous incarnation.
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12/12, 6:52pm
Specifics of attack held by Malta-based security firm ReVuln
A remote exploit in some models of the Samsung Smart TV has been uncovered by researchers at security researchers-for-hire ReVuln. If unlatched, the security flaw could allow theft of social media credentials loaded into the television, remote copying of drives attached to the television, and also allow remote access of compatible video cameras and microphones attached to the television.
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11/14, 12:53am
Android, despite sales gains, still underused for web, streaming media
Mobile advertising analyst Freewheel has announced that the iPad and the iPhone are by far the most popular non-PC devices when it comes to streaming video. Together, the two devices make up more than 60 percent of all non-PC video viewing. The conclusion comes from analysis of more than 14 billion videos viewed through ad-supported apps (such as Hulu), which also found that viewing video on mobile devices has tripled since 2011 to a total of 1.3 billion videos streamed to users.
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10/31, 7:07pm
Macintosh compatible with add-on software
The market for video game recording is somewhat limited, and yet very demanding at the same time. Machinima directors and actors could use a recording tool, as well as professional gamers, or even just a journeyman gamer wanting to display his against-the-odds victory against the Xbox Live hordes. Not all games feature a clip-recording feature like more recent entries in the Halo series does, making delay-free third-party video capture and display virtually a necessity for such products. A recent release by computer video specialists Hauppauge updates a previously-released (and slightly flawed) product with enhanced recording resolution, as well as a no-delay passthrough feature. Does the HD PVR 2 Gaming Edition keep all its promises? Read our review and find out!
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10/31, 1:50am
Crowds, excitement in first nine countries documented
Apple has added a new video to its iPhone 5 page, a two-minute piece showing the lineups, crowds and general excitement surrounding the launch of the latest Apple smartphone in the initial set of nine countries. The video, which has also found its way unofficially to YouTube, shows off a number of Apple Stores and the employees, who are often as thrilled as the buyers to finally be getting their hands on the new device. Early buyers are seen being interviewed by local TV news crews, and working with the devices in-store.
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10/16, 8:10pm
Partnership combines offerings, offers end-to-end streaming solutions
Sorenson Media today announced a strategic partnership with RealNetworks to provide a complete solution to encode, manage and deliver online video content. The partnership offers jointly-bundled products as well as single-purchase capability from either vendor, and the two companies are actively exploring further integration and collaborative development of new offerings.
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09/25, 9:38pm
Upgrade to Pro version adds video, ringtone editing, more
One of the few third-party add-ons to OS X that is considered by many as essential as the operating system itself, Telestream's free Flip4Mac WMV Player (also distributed by Microsoft as Windows Media Components for QuickTime) has for years given Mac users the ability to play WMV format video and audio in QuickTime and on the web without having to think about codecs. The company has now officially inaugurated version 3.0 of the utility, which still offers free translation of Windows media formats, but now also includes a free player and new abilities.
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09/18, 6:04pm
Hire intended to head up Microsoft-funded video studio
According the sources familiar with the matter,Microsoft has hired Nancy Tellem, a former CBS television executive. Her role at Microsoft is expected to be oversight of original video content to be delivered to the Xbox 360 game console. Ms. Tellem will supervise a Los Angeles-based production studio that will generate both conventional television-like shows as well as interactive content that fuses television and game content.
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09/05, 12:33pm
All-in-one system uses five inputs, Windows 7
Livestream has started taking pre-orders for its portable video production switcher. The Studio HD500 is an all-in-one unit that expands on the work done with Livestream's camera-mountable hardware encoder, the Broadcaster, by creating an all-in-one live production unit that competes against the established TriCaster live broadcast and editing systems.
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08/30, 11:40pm
PlexPass subscribers gain access to beta software versions
Media streamer Plex received some significant changes on Thursday. Beyond a litany of bug fixes in today's server update, Plex has announced PlexPass, an optional subscription service giving users early access to features in-test and premium additions. The first of the new features available for PlexPass users is the new web client, which tests nearly as fast as the native OS X media manager, but also offers full media playback in-browser.
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08/24, 10:45am
Cloud architecture prevents taxing users' machines
Zoom.us is a new service that is offering users free video calling through an existing Facebook or Google login, and works with Macs, PCs and iOS devices to offer high-quality video conferencing with up to 15 participants by leveraging its own servers to manage bandwidth and processing, meaning users' computers are not as heavily taxed.
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08/09, 1:10am
Compact device projects iOS video to any surface
General Imaging has released the iPico, a hand-held projector with a pop-up connector that turns an iPhone or iPod touch into a portable multimedia solution. The device allows a user to easily screen videos, photos, and movies in real time, to virtually any surface.
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08/03, 8:53pm
Ruling: Embedding, viewing doesn't compound infringement
Judge Richard Posner of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has refuted a legal theory promoted by industry groups that calls embedding of third-party-hosted video copyright infringement. In Thursday's decision, the judge ruled that the video link aggregator site myVidster was not liable to adult video producer Flava Works (link may be NSFW) for users linking copies of videos uploaded by others.
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07/27, 11:00pm
Microsoft will deliver final version; pro edition available as well
Though its official name is Windows Media Components for QuickTime, the product maintained by Telestream and licensed to Microsoft that allows Mac users to view Windows Media-format audio and video files within QuickTime is known nearly universally in the Mac community as Flip4Mac, the product's original name. Telestream is now offering a preview of the next generation of the free video utility, along with a new independent Flip Player for Mac.
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06/28, 11:09pm
Major improvements in minor upgrade for OS X users
Alternative multi-platform and multi-format media player VideoLAN Client (widely known by its initials, VLC) has updated to version 2.0.2, which despite the minor version number is a significant if not major upgrade for the long-standing open-source player and converter. Mac-specific changes includes fixes to PowerPC Macs with certain video cards, osd and menu support, and HiDPI support for Retina display and high-resolution display Macs.
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06/23, 10:04pm
Overbroad subpoenas quashed, civil case closed
As previously reported, Internet service provider Comcast attempted to quash "John Doe" subpoenas in an adult video pirating case. The company had argued that the case was about "shaking down" its customers and pushing for settlements out of the 264 potential infringers rather than any interest in actually stopping the piracy. The company has now been handed a victory in court, as Judge Gary Feinerman ruled that Comcast was not in contempt of court for ignoring subpoenas from four adult video companies. The civil case was also dismissed.
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06/20, 2:05am
Session videos available to developers only
While over 5,000 developers were able to attend this year's Worldwide Developer Conference, many thousands more were unable to attend, either due to logistics, expense or the fact that tickets sold out in under two hours and were gone before coders on the East Coast had even awoken. In addition to the keynote which has been posted on Apple's site, iTunes and YouTube, the company has now released the session videos.
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05/15, 12:19am
One final release coming soon
The group of developers that had begun and maintained the Perian video-codec project over the last six years is calling it quits, and will release one more version of the popular video translator before shutting down support and posting the code on a public repository for others to (perhaps) take over. The final version "may or may not" work under Mountain Lion, and the code will eventually be posted on Google Code or Github.
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05/10, 9:16pm
Parody of 'Ghostbusters' shows fight against IBM
Less than a week after a previously-unreleased Apple sales force parody video surfaced on various sites (and finally on YouTube), a similar sales video from the era has also appeared on the video site. The previous film, "1944," based its satire on the company's "1984" commercial and portrayed Apple as engaged in a war with its main competitor at the time, IBM. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs appeared as President Roosevelt.
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05/04, 8:22pm
Retro looks and visual emphasis on tap
Two different companies have announced new plug-ins for Final Cut Pro X and related products that offer, respectively, rich historical photographic film stock looks and an easy way to call attention to specific items on-screen. Digital Film Tools is offering its Film Stocks plug-in for both Final Cut Pro X and Motion 5, and also offers a version that works on photos as well as other video editors. Ripple Training's Callouts are available through FxFactory.
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