set-top box

Roku partners with Rovio for Angry Birds

Roku has inked a deal with Angry Birds creator Rovio to bring the company's video games to its set-top boxes.

The companies have entered into a "strategic partnership" that will see Angry Birds, Angry Birds Seasons, and Angry Birds Rio come to Roku's Channel Store, Roku said late yesterday. An Angry Birds video channel with game-themed animated shorts, as well as a marketplace to buy game-related merchandise, will also be available in the Channel Store.

However, a Roku representative confirmed to CNET today that the games will not be available on the company's current hardware. Instead, the titles will be made available to owners of new hardware expected to launch this summer.

Roku has come a long way since its initial set-top box launched in 2008. Earlier this year, the company announced that more than 1 billion content streams have been sent to TVs through its set-top boxes, which currently range in price from $59.99 to $99.99. It currently offers more than 250 entertainment options in its Channel Store, which basically acts as an applications store, allowing people to add those channels to their personal menu and watch the content associated with them.

Netflix, Hulu Plus, Pandora, and NBA Game Time are among the channels Roku offers.… Read more

New sports channels signal shift in Apple TV

It's becoming obvious that Apple TV is not a hobby anymore.

The company had famously referred to its set-top device that way when it premiered four years ago as a way of keeping expectations low. But with today's software update, Apple is being more aggressive about making Apple TV competitive with its set-top rivals.

As part of the iOS 4.3 update released today, Apple TV owners will now have access to MLB.TV and NBA League Pass. Both are subscription services for streaming live games over the Web, and like Netflix, which is already on Apple TV, … Read more

Roku adds first linear feed cable channel

Roku has inked a deal with WealthTV to bring a linear feed of the television network's programming to its set-top boxes.

If you're unfamiliar with the term, "linear feed," it's because Roku hasn't had anything of the sort until now. Unlike the other channels on the company's platform that provide on-demand access to programming, WealthTV's offering, which costs $2.99 per month, will act as a television channel, letting users drop in to see what's on. The network will be sending out its programming to Roku devices 24 hours a day, … Read more

Yahoo pumps up Connected TV; D-Link announces box for it

LAS VEGAS--Yahoo's Connected TV, its widget framework for TVs, is a low-cost way to bring Internet content to televisions. Yahoo's TV widgets don't give you the full Internet flexibility of a product like Google TV, but Yahoo Connected TV is cheap to build: it's available with a $250 22-inch Vizio set, for example. We first saw this platform at CES 2009, but for 2011 Yahoo is adding some features and partners to the initiative, including a standalone set-top manufacturer, D-Link.

The biggest new feature is content-aware technology. The Connected TV platform now knows what you're … Read more

Roku hits 1 billion streams to televisions

Roku has delivered 1 billion streams via its set-top boxes, the company said yesterday.

According to Roku, which also announced that it has sold 1 million set-top boxes, the average user watched 11 hours of content on a Roku device in December. The company said that at the end of 2010, its set-top boxes had 135 channels available, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Amazon Video On Demand.

Roku currently sells three set-top box units, the Roku HD, the Roku XD, and the Roku XDS. Prices start at $59.99.

Roku, which launched its first set-top box in mid-2008, finds itself … Read more

Vudu starts streaming 3D movies

Vudu's streaming service is now offering 3D movies, the company announced today.

The company's 3D content is currently available to select Samsung HDTVs and Blu-ray players. It will be made available to PlayStation 3 owners in "the next few weeks," a company spokesperson told CNET in an e-mail. Vudu's 3D films are coming to devices from Vizio, LG, and others in the next few months. The service will also be made available to 3D-capable Blu-ray players from Mitsubishi and Toshiba (among others), as well as the Boxee Box by the end of 2011, the Vudu … Read more

Apple TV to hit 1 million unit sales this week

Who said the Apple TV was just a hobby?

Apple announced today that unit sales of its tiny set-top box are expected to reach 1 million by the end of this week.

The Apple TV, which launched in September, is one-quarter the size of its predecessor, and allows users to rent and stream television shows and movies from iTunes on their televisions. The set-top box also features access to Netflix, podcasts, and Flickr. Users can stream music content from their computers, and use AirPlay to send multimedia content from their iOS-based devices to the Apple TV. It retails for $99.… Read more

Google TV update boasts better Netflix

Google has updated its Google TV software in an effort to make it more user-friendly.

After installing the new update, Google TV users will find improved Netflix integration. Aside from an improved interface and the ability to watch Netflix content, users can also add movies or shows to their DVD-by-mail queue from the updated app.

The search giant's decision to update Netflix is an important one. The previous version of Netflix on Google TV was antiquated. In fact, CNET's Matthew Moskovciak, who reviewed the Google TV-based Logitech Revue, said the software's "Netflix app is about two … Read more

Virgin Media launches TiVo box in U.K.

Good news, square-eyes: TiVo is back in Britain. Virgin Media launched its TiVo-powered set-top box this week, allowing your telly to access an app store and record things it thinks you'll like. Magic powers, basically.

The TiVo set-top box includes a whopping 1TB hard drive, which means you'll be able to store huge amounts of television, even in high definition. It has two tuners, with a third tuner being added in 2011.

Crave UK got a quick look at the box and it's everything we wanted: an incredible PVR with a powerful recommendation engine and a brand … Read more

TiVo drops DVR prices--with a catch

TiVo has crafted a holiday offer for its DVRs that will save customers cash in the short term, but potentially cost more over the long term.

The company announced today that consumers can buy the TiVo Premiere for $99.99 if they agree to a one-year service commitment. Even better, TiVo once again has a $0 down offer on its Premiere box with a two-year commitment. Those who want to get their hands on the Premiere XL will pay $299.99 upfront with a one-year commitment.

At first glance, this "limited time" offer seems like a winner for … Read more