cables

Fund this: Koo Dey Ta promises a la carte TV service

My Comcast cable TV subscription gives me access to roughly three gazillion channels. Of those, I routinely watch maybe 15. So why am I paying for channels I don't want?

Because I have no choice, that's why. Indiegogo campaign Koo Dey Ta promises to change all that if it hits its $150,000 fundraising goal. The service aims to deliver a la carte TV channels, meaning you can pay just for the ones you want to watch.

Intriguing, no? Although it seems like a long shot at this point, even the promise of such an option seems too … Read more

Set-top box setup: Which resolution is best?

Cable box or satellite box, DVR or digital media receiver, it's important to set the output resolution so it looks best with your TV.

But what looks best with your TV?

The answer is probably easier to find than you'd imagine.… Read more

Rumor Has It: The ultimate cable killer coming from Boxee?

According to the report, the rumored new device would combine a TV tuner with a DVR and media-streaming capabilities, so you could record over-the-air TV. Do you care? Emily does, but she could be alone on this one -- just like she's alone in not knowing who one of America's favorite stars is.

Also, Facebook might finally release a native Android app so HTML5 will stop holding everyone back from stalking their friends at the speed of light.

Speaking of light, Sony's next flagship phone could be made out of a Norse god's lightning bolt and … Read more

A better-sounding $5 alternative to Bluetooth or AirPlay streaming

My preferred and better-sounding alternative to wireless audio streaming is a simple plug-and-play solution: it's a wire. There are no hassles with pairing, synching, dropouts, or glitches, and a skinny wire can get the job done with the best possible fidelity. The wire is also "backwards" compatible with any portable device with a headphone jack, and any iPod speaker, hi-fi system, sound bar, or computer speaker you already own! Sit on your couch with your phone or tablet and play your tunes, with a wire running to the speakers.

Sure, if you never sit in one spot, … Read more

Retractable Spixi iPhone 5 cable sports authentication chip

Ever since we started using the iPhone 5, we've either been carting the Lightning-to-USB cable around or had to go out and buy a spare.

Those pesky cables, however, have a tendency to get tangled in our bags, as well as cause a mess on our desks, so we were intrigued when we spotted the Spixi from New York-based Escargot on Kickstarter. … Read more

Dish wants Viacom, MTV to sign on to Web service, report says

Dish Network is said to be asking cable networks such as MTV to consider offering their shows on a Dish-owned Web service, according to a published report.

In a Bloomberg story today, the news wire said talks have also involved Univision Communications and Scripps Networks Interactive, parent company of the Food Network.

Bloomberg says Dish's pitch to the TV companies goes something like this: offer a relatively small bundle of shows for Web viewing at a discounted price. Financial terms weren't included in the story. A Dish spokesman said the company wasn't offering "any guidance regarding … Read more

Cable companies eye video game distribution, report says

Cable companies are hatching a plan to take on console makers, a new report claims.

Verizon, AT&T, Time Warner Cable, Comcast, and others, are planning to launch a digital-gaming service that would allow their customers to play titles directly on their televisions without the need for consoles, Bloomberg is reporting today, citing several sources. According to Bloomberg's sources, those games would include everything from simple titles, like Tetris, to the most advanced games from major publishers.

Cloud-based gaming has quickly become a popular trend in the industry, with several companies trying their hand in that space. Steam … Read more

Some early iPhone 5 adopters stuck by Lightning -- literally

Apple's new Lightning cable technology has gotten kudos from reviewers for its smaller size and reversibility, though some users are experiencing troubles getting the USB end of the cables to unplug from their computers and other devices.

CNET readers have e-mailed us, pointing to a pair of support threads on Apple's site (here and here) in which several people describe problems getting the cables out of the USB ports on their computers, with some going so far as to break out pliers and even take their machines into one of Apple's retail stores to get the cable … Read more

NPD: Cable dominates Web in VOD rentals

Cable companies accounted for 48 percent of all on-demand movie rentals for the first half of the year, research firm NPD said in a press release Monday.

NPD said that the fastest growing segment in VOD are telcos, which grew 24 year-over-year. Telcos outpaced Internet video-on-demand rentals, which saw a 15 percent increase.

Paying an upfront fee for an individual movie rental is different from services like Netflix and Amazon's Prime service, which offers unlimited renting for a flat monthly price.

Grain of salt time: NPD notes that its numbers are strictly for VOD and did not include subscription … Read more

iPhone 5 preorders indicate hot demand

Friday's tech news roundup didn't plan ahead:

A rush of iPhone 5 preorders online have pushed back shipping dates at Apple and wireless carriers for at least two weeks. Some stores, like Wal-Mart and Target, are also offering iPhone 5 preorders for in-store pickup. The initial supply of iPhones for Apple preorders went in less than an hour, which is much faster than years prior. It shows that either demand is way up for this model, or Apple didn't have as many available for the preorder crowd (or a mix of both). We won't know for … Read more