No definitive word if Google is developing an Android-based satellite set-top box with DISH Network, but the Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google has been testing software with a small group of employees since last year that allows them to search DISH Network’s TV programming, get related web content to their queries, and create a personalized lineup of shows. Of course, as you would expect, the software integrates Google’s on-screen ad placement technologies. WSJ further reports that Google has been “prodding” a range of TV service providers and hardware makers to make use of its Android-based technologies for some time now. However, as the WSJ points out, convincing cable and satellite companies who closely guard their set-top box software and their overall programming experience isn’t going to be easy. So are Android-based cable/satellite set-top boxes and networked HDTVs something we’ll be seeing in the future? It looks like there may be a good chance of that. Attached image above is ISB Corp’s Android STB prototype shown in May of 2009. MORE »

For those who don’t own a PlayStation 3, PSP, or PSP go yet, Sony has just announced some news that may make you want to jump onboard. According to Sony’s press release today, PlayStation Network (PSN) has become the first entertainment system to offer HD movies for rent or purchase from all the major Hollywood studios. Titles from 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution will available in U.S. starting today and soon in the U.K., France, Germany, and Spain. FYI, you can also rent, purchase, and organize PSN entertainment content through your Windows PC for playback on your PSP device using Sony’s Media Go application [demo], or access PSN directly on the PSP via Wi-Fi. All movie rentals will available for progressive download to watch instantly or held for 14-days for later viewing (note: once you hit play you have 24 hours to finish viewing the video). MORE »

Today Boxee is announcing the availability of a new internet content app powered by Redux, an online community where users promote the best photos, videos, and links found online and associate them to user-created niche channels. Some of the popular channels on Redux include: 110% Awesomeness, Best Music Videos Ever, Art, WTF?, Fail Moments, Top Gear videos. But what’s great about having a Redux application on Boxee, is that it allows Boxee users, especially those using Boxee on their TV, to discover and view/rate highly-rated, crowd-sourced content at the press of a button. In addition, the new Redux app offers up two viewing modes for your enjoyment: Standard and TV (fullscreen — shown below). MORE »

The New York Times is reporting that both Walmart and VUDU have been informing Hollywood studios and CE manufactures of the deal today. While it hasn’t been officially announced (UPDATE: It’s official! Press release attached below), the acquisition is big news for the industry. As many of you know already, VUDU is a three year old internet movie streaming service who competes directly with Amazon On Demand, Blockbuster, Cinema Now, and Netflix. While VUDU may be the smallest of the bunch in terms of users, VUDU offers the best quality video experience, delievering content at 1080p HD with Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound, and has the largest number of supported net-connected HDTVs right up there with Netflix. What’s more, VUDU recently added an Apps feature (pictured above) with video channels/services that competes, some might say, directly with Yahoo! TV Widgets and to an extent, Boxee. All in all, a smart move on Walmart’s part to make a bigger impact with their movie business and, perhaps, even their retail business through a custom Walmart store channel in the future. MORE »

Wow! If you thought the 7-inch (800×480) display, Chumby powered Sony dash was a neat little table-top infotainment device before, now you’re really going to like it. Today Sony announced that the $199 dash will feature Netflix instant video streaming (and possibly Amazon Video On Demand) via its newly supported 1,500 app Sony BRAVIA Internet Video platform. That’s in addition to Chumby’s collection of 1,500+ widgets! (FYI, Chumby has a few Netflix widgets already, but they only help one manage their Queue or list Top Movies.) This new dash device, I must say, is becoming quite the adept little unit. Expected launch: April 2010. MORE »

The Wired Reader tablet app demo you’re about to see was created using Adobe AIR, while all the digital magazine content shown via the app was produced with Adobe InDesign. What’s interesting is that magazine layout designers, according to Wired.com, can create the print and tablet version of the magazine simultaneously using the same tool — unlike how print publications’ online properties are created today. All they really need to do is create an additional horizontal layout in Adobe InDesign for each print page to accommodate a tablet’s portrait and landscape modes. In addition, were starting to learn that Adobe is taking great strides to make Adobe AIR/Flash content available to all OS platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux) and device types, including Android-powered mobile devices and Apple’s iPhone/iPad (more on that here). Lastly, it’s obvious from the demo that advertisers are going to eat this medium up due the ad spots’ interactivity/metrics features, as well as the ability for users to track down ads through the page navigation with ease for later reference. MORE »

Good news for cable companies. Parks Associates’ All Eyes on Video study finds that the primary threat to the cable/satellite TV business is their traditional competitors — not online video portals or file sharing sites. In fact, the percentage of household who would consider discontinuing TV service in favor of online video only has dropped from 11% in 2008 to 8% in 2010. “The threat of cannibalization is real but misunderstood,” says John Barrett, director of research at Parks Associates. Interestingly, though, Parks Associates found that people who would consider switching to online video content exclusively currently watch around 10 hours of video through their PC or HTPC each week and rent DVDs far more frequently than the norm. However, some of those same people would consider subscribing to a “TV Everywhere” access setup where traditional TV delivery is combined with PC/mobile web browser based remote programming access. MORE »

The once counted out VUDU offering is now showing the world and its critics that the streaming 1080p HD video (w/ Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 surround sound) and VUDU App service is here to stay and one to be contended with. VUDU today announced at CES that the company’s app catalog now consists of hundreds of internet powered apps/programming which will be available across current and upcoming network connected HDTVs and Blu-ray players from Mitsubishi, Sanyo, Sharp, Toshiba, and VIZIO. As such, VUDU is now the leading provider of internet apps through network connected HDTVs surpassing Yahoo! TV Widgets (at least as far as I can tell). The full list of available VUDU apps can be seen after the jump. You can also read VUDU’s blog post on the subject here. MORE »

Today the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE) announced an agreement with its members on an open specification for digital entertainment called the Common File Format. What’s interesting here is that content providers just need to create three versions of a movie, for example, for distribution (i.e. portable, standard definition, and high definition) which then a retailer will sell at one price. From that point on, a consumer can then access (via download or streaming + protected by 1 of 5 forms of DRM) and play the content from any DECE enabled device that will check the cloud-based authentication service / digital rights locker with a catalog of your purchases. So far 48 members – lots of them big names — across entertainment, hardware, retail, and delivery industries have joined the group. Additional specification details of the Common File Format will be made available to CES attendees this week and the public in general in Q1 2010. MORE »

We heard Comcast talk quite a bit about its “TV Everywhere” initiative recently at the NewTeeVee LIVE conference. Well, today Comcast is introducing XFINITY TV (Beta) to its cable customers. The new service can be accessed via Fancast.com or Comcast.net, requires a subscriber email address to login, and the installation of both a MOVE player and an Adobe AIR application according to AllThingsD. Once everything is configured, subscribers will then be able to tap into content from premium channels they’re subscribed to like HBO, Starz, Cinemax and view video on up to 3 authorized computers (kind of falls short on the TV Everywhere vision). In addition, Comcast will provide subscribers with a personalized home page presenting the various shows and movies one has access to. Drawbacks: No mobile or international access, requires a subscription to both Comcast broadband and TV service. MORE »