Streaming

HBO Go, now with AirPlay multitasking and Games of Thrones interactive enhancements

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 8, 2013

HBO's free iOS streaming software is a nice companion app provided you're already subscribed to the service.

And if you believe the continuing ramblings, the Time Warner-owned premium cable network is considering offering additional subscription options in the not-so-distant future, potentially allowing cable-cutters to subscribe to HBO for online-only access.

In the meantime, HBO has updated its Go app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch with two new useful features. The first will appeal to the fans of HBO's Game of Thrones series as they can now enjoy enhancements related to the show's interactive experience. The other improvement includes AirPlay multitasking capability. What's that, you ask?

Apple nearing deal with record labels, iRadio on track for summer release

Cody Lee ∙ April 5, 2013

From what we've been hearing, Apple's been having major problems with its so-called iRadio project. The music service was expected to launch earlier this year, but a recent report claimed things were delayed due to a dispute with record labels over royalty terms.

It appears, however, that there's finally light at the end of the tunnel. According to a new scoop from CNET, Apple is very close to signing a deal with both Warner Music and Universal Music Group, and it's planning to rollout the Pandora-like service this summer...

Potentially disruptive live-streaming app from ABC in the works

Christian Zibreg ∙ March 19, 2013

After CBS last week unveiled its free iOS app that gives you access to the network’s popular shows 24 hours or more after they air, we learn now that ABC is working on its own app for tablets and smartphones, one potentially making ABC the first of the American broadcasters to provide a live Internet stream of national and local programming, potentially very disruptive given the incumbent's existing business models. Of course, you won't get to stream premium ABC programming free of charge as a paid cable or satellite subscription will be required to use the app.

Nevertheless, the ability to watch such ABC shows as 'Good Morning America' and 'Nashville' on your iPhone or iPad as they broadcast could finally blur the artificial line between mobile devices and the traditional venues through which content providers distribute their linear programming...

CBS releases free iOS streaming app

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

Eager to watch episodes of CSI or Survivor on your iPhone, iPod or iPad? Now you can, as CBC this morning released a major new streaming software which gives Apple's iOS devices free access to the network's popular shows like The Late Show with David Letterman, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Survivor, Catch NCIS, How I Met Your Mother, The Young and the Restless and Elementary. Some of the shows will stream via the app 24 hours after they air, but most of the shows are being offered eight days following their initial broadcast...

Netflix rolls out the improved social experience to US viewers

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 19, 2019

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc82e7GGHl8#!

Netflix, the popular provider of on-demand Hollywood movies and television shows, Wednesday showed off a slew of new features aimed at making the experience more social and engaging. After being available internationally for well over a year, Netflix customers in the United States can now finally connect their Netflix account with Facebook.

This enables you to check out what your friends are watching and optionally share your favorite shows with them. Interestingly enough, there's a new Do Not Share button to mark those kinky videos you don't want your parents to know about. More Social Settings are available in Your Account on Netflix.com, where you can turn on additional sharing to Facebook or stop sharing altogether...

Lowball royalty offers said to be causing delay in Apple’s streaming music service

Cody Lee ∙ March 7, 2013

Multiple reports are out this morning, claiming that the reason we haven't seen Apple's streaming music service—which was expected to launch as early as Q1 of this year—yet is due to negotiation woes with record labels.

As usual, the problem stems from money. Apparently Apple is only offering the labels half of the royalty rate that they are receiving from Pandora. And the service could be delayed until the summer, or possibly longer...

Freemium YouTube music streaming service reportedly in the works, due later this year

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

Rumor mills have been churning out stories calling for a Google-branded subscription music service for some time now and today an exclusive report by Fortune sheds more light on the matter as the Internet giant is allegedly looking to tap its popular YouTube video sharing service to take on the likes of Spotify, Rdio and Pandora.

In capitalizing on the power of YouTube, Google presumably is hoping to draw its younger audience that typically streams high-quality music videos from YouTube's VEVO channel for free. The YouTube-branded product is said to be ad-driven and therefore free. It is also separate of Google's another music subscription service rumored to be coming to Android devices via the Google Play content store...

iTunes exclusively streams free David Bowie’s new album until its March 12 release

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

It's been a decade since musician David Bowie's 2003 album, "Reality". To promote his upcoming album entitled "The Next Day", Bowie turned to Apple's iTunes, the leading music store in the world which previously cut exclusive free streaming deals to promote new albums from the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ke$ha, One Direction, Matchbox 20 and Jack White.

That's right, iTunes is going to stream the upcoming David Bowie album in its entirety, free of charge, until its March 12 release. "The Next Day" can be pre-ordered for via iTunes right now, as either the $11.99 'normal' release or the $13.99 Deluxe version which comes with three bonus tracks. By the way, the album is Mastered for iTunes...

Pandora introduces 40-hour monthly limit on mobile listening due to rising royalty costs

Cody Lee ∙ February 27, 2013

Popular internet radio service Pandora announced today that it is implementing a new 40-hour-per-month limit on mobile listening. The announcement was made this afternoon via the company's blog, by founder Tim Westergren.

For most folks, this won't mean anything. Westergren says that Pandora's average users spend approximately 20 hours per month listening to Pandora across all devices. But for the 4% or so that go over, you'll have to start paying up...

Spotify redoes iOS app, squashes Lock screen bug

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Not to be outdone by Amazon's new Cloud Player app and Apple's roll-out of iTunes in the Cloud in a dozen European markets, Spotify, the popular Swedish music streaming startup, has revamped its iPhone and iPad client with a brand new interface and a handful of fixes, most notably squashing the annoying bug (no, not that one) which displayed the wrong track on the Lock screen...

Amazon launches Cloud Player on iPad

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 27, 2013

If you keep your music in the Amazon cloud, you were able to stream it to your iPhone and iPod touch through Amazon's free Cloud Player app. Today, the online retailer has pushed a major update which finally runs natively on iPads. It has an updated look on both the iPhone and iPad and new settings to manage caches and more. Cloud Player originally debuted on the iPhone eight months ago and the new version arrives just as Spotify has revamped its iOS client and Apple rolled out iTunes in the Cloud support in a dozen European markets...

Bloomberg: Google’s music streaming service launching worldwide in Q3

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 25, 2013

Piggy-backing on last week's reports by The Wall Street Journal and Financial Times asserting Google's been looking to enhance its Music service with streaming features akin to those of Spotify, Bloomberg today learned from its own sources that the service is likely targeted for a third quarter start. What's more, Google is reportedly planning to release this as a worldwide offering from the get-go.

One of the people familiar with Google's thinking told Bloomberg the service would work on both Android and non-Android devices, without explicitly referring to the iPhone...