Aereo

ABC said to be developing live TV streaming mobile app

Television network ABC is said to be in the works of creating a mobile app that would live stream its TV programming, according to The New York Times. If ABC does come out with such an app it will be the first U.S. broadcaster to embark on constant live streaming for smartphones and tablets.

ABC, which is owned by Disney, is known for shows like "Good Morning America," "Dancing with the Stars," "General Hospital," and "Grey's Anatomy." The live streaming app would supposedly bring all of these shows to users … Read more

Aereo expands cloud-based TV service to NYC metro area

People living around New York City now have access to Aereo's cloud-based television service, the company announced today.

Although Aereo was previously only available in New York's five boroughs, the company has expanded (PDF) its offering to people living in the city's metropolitan area. The region, commonly known as the designated market area, includes 29 counties in New York state, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. According to Aereo, that expansion has brought its total market size to 19 million people.

Aereo is a cloud-based television service that allows users to sign up and access shows across a … Read more

Facebook unfriends Twitter's Vine app

Friday's CNET Update is looking so Vine:

Today's tech news roundup looks at the latest skirmish between Facebook and Twitter. The new iPhone app Vine (owned by Twitter), lets users create six-second mash-up videos and share it on social media. But Facebook has blocked Vine from being able to find Facebook friends in the app. The move is similar to how Twitter shut off Facebook's Instagram from accessing its user data.

As the world is still learning what a Vine is, take a look at CNET's tips for using the app. Keep in mind that although … Read more

Updated Aereo app adds improved live TV streaming to Roku

The Aereo app on Roku boxes just became a much more potent alternative to traditional cable TV.

Aereo -- the Barry Diller-backed online video startup that streams local TV channels to multiple devices for a monthly fee -- had previously been available on Roku boxes, but it required an iPhone or iPad to use as a remote. But the updated app, which went live on Roku earlier this week, allows viewers to use an onscreen navigation with the standard Roku clicker.

Disclosure: CBS, the parent corporation of CNET, is currently in active litigation with Aereo as to the legality of … Read more

Aereo to bring its TV service to 22 cities this year

Courtroom challenges haven't put a damper on Aereo's ambitions.

The upstart TV service announced today that over the course of 2013 it plans to expand beyond its birthplace to 22 cities nearly coast to coast, from Boston in the East to Salt Lake City in the West and Birmingham, Ala., down South. To date, the Barry Diller-backed streaming over-the-air TV service has been available only in New York City.

Investors, too, still seem intrigued by the company's prospects. Aereo, based in Long Island City, N.Y., also said today that it has closed a $38 million Series … Read more

Digital entertainment in 2013: Five predictions

How much stock can you put in the many predictions being made for the tech sector in the new year?

Well, here's my record as a tea-leaf reader from last year: 1-for-2 on the major picks. That's right, I was wrong -- dead wrong -- when I said the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) would pass. Going into 2012, the entertainment sector appeared to have all the congressional support it needed to pass the legislation designed to make it easier for federal authorities to shut down accused pirate sites. The reason the defeat of the bill was such … Read more

Web media: The 5 biggest stories of 2012

Fun, fun, fun!

That's what digital movies, music, and books are supposed to be about. But for the people who create and sell the stuff, it's been all crumbs, crumbs, crumbs.

The past year was another tough one for the sale of entertainment media on the Web. The irony is that as more entertainment fare is sold online, the less profitable the businesses become.

Few, if any, online music services are profitable. In Web movie distribution, download sales are dismal. Even Netflix, the Web's top video rental service, saw a slow down in the rate it added … Read more

Share Karma's Wi-Fi, get free data

Friday's CNET Update is counting megabytes:

Today's tech news roundup looks at the Karma hotspot, which rewards owners with free data for sharing access with others. Karma gives 100 megabytes of data for every person who taps into the network, plus the owner gets another 100 megabytes that do not expire. Adding more data costs $14 for 1 gigabyte. Frequent travelers might find Karma appealing. FreedomPop is offering a similar concept for home broadband, giving free data every month and adding more to those that recommend friends.

Another startup wants to change how we watch broadcast television. Aereo … Read more

Aereo streaming joins forces with Bloomberg TV

Despite major TV networks claiming Aereo's illegitimacy, the streaming service now has an official cable TV partner: Bloomberg.

Aereo struck a deal with Bloomberg TV today to allow streaming news, according to The Wall Street Journal. Reportedly, Aereo will pay Bloomberg TV for its content, but the terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"We believe that our members will see deep value adding in Bloomberg Television as their 'go-to' source for financial news," Aereo founder Chet Kanojia said in a statement, according to the Journal. While Bloomberg TV announced that it was "pleased to have … Read more

Appellate judge compares Aereo's antennas to tax dodge

NEW YORK -- A federal appeal's court here sounded highly doubtful of Aereo's claims that by using thousands of tiny Internet-connected antennas to deliver live TV to customers, the company had successfully sidestepped copyright infractions.

Aereo is the Barry Diller-backed Internet video service that currently provides users in New York with live TV. For $12 a month, Aereo will connect subscribers, via the Web, to a tiny antenna that captures over-the-air TV signals and enables them to watch TV on their PC. Aereo managers don't pay a dime to access these shows.

They should, according to the … Read more