Entertainment

There was a time when Sony was the first name in consumer electronics. The company's Trinitron TVs dominated the TV market for decades. In 1975, Sony's Betamax was the first widely adapted consumer video recorder format. The Walkman hit the market in 1979 and changed the way people listened to music, creating the personal audio market category. In 1982 the CD, which the company developed jointly with Philips, changed the way we listened to music even more. Sony extended its reach when it purchased CBS Records in 1988 and Columbia Pictures in 1989, and scored a triumph in … Read more

Apple's AirPlay, which wirelessly streams movies and music between devices, has a new competitor.

The Wi-Fi Alliance today announced the launch of Miracast, an industry-standard technology that will let users wirelessly transmit video and images from one device to another. As with Apple's AirPlay, users will be able to send the multimedia from, say, a mobile device to a big-screen television.

According to the Wi-Fi Alliance, a not-for-profit industry association of hundreds of companies, all Miracast products come with Wi-Fi Direct, meaning users won't need a wireless network to transfer the data. In addition, the technology automatically … Read more

Hulu Plus users who pay $8 per month for the service would expect to have the latest selection of television shows. But that might not be the case in every situation.

Peter Kafka over at All Things Digital today reported that Hulu Plus users are not able to watch the latest episode of "Shark Tank" on ABC. Those who access the free Hulu.com or ABC's own Web site, however, can watch the show -- which stars Mark Cuban and chronicles the investments venture capitalists are willing to make as entrepreneurs pitch them ideas -- without any … Read more

Twentieth Century Fox has announced a new way for customers to get their hands on its latest films.

Dubbed Digital HD, the new initiative is designed to allow consumers to stream or download the company's films from a host of services before they come out on Blu-ray or DVD. To make good on that promise, Fox announced today that the sci-fi film "Prometheus" is now available for download. The film will come to Blu-ray, DVD, and video-on-demand three weeks from now.

According to Fox, it'll continue to offer its latest releases digitally weeks before they're … Read more

Apple is helping accessory makers out with a neat new look at its latest iPods.

The company recently published the full schematics on its recently announced fifth-generation iPod Touch (PDF) and seventh-generation iPod Nano (PDF). The drawings might not be all that useful for the average consumer, but they're an important resource for developers and accessory makers.

With help from the schematics, accessory makers can design cases, docks that'll fit the new form factor, and much more. Apple's schematics include the standard dimensions, like width and thickness, but also show the amount of space between the top … Read more

Do you spend more time with a computer, smartphone, or tablet than your significant other? Your life serves as the elementary premise for a futuristic love story, "Her," in which the film's star, Joaquin Phoenix, falls in love with an interactive operating system.

The movie, directed by Spike Jonze and made in collaboration with Annapurna Pictures, also stars it girls Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, and Olivia Wilde. … Read more

Apple's plans to reinvent the way we enjoy entertainment in the living room are being pushed back another year, a new report claims.

Apple has decided to shelve plans to launch a new Apple TV set-top box this year after facing negotiation troubles with cable and media companies, Bloomberg is reporting today, citing sources. Chief among the disputes is how software would be implemented in the new device.

The companies also can't reach a deal on whether the box should be sold directly to consumers or offered through cable providers, Bloomberg's sources say.

The Apple TV set-top … Read more

BERLIN -- Sony announced a lower-cost $4.99 monthly option for Music Unlimited, a plan it hopes will increase adoption of the streaming-music service.

Sony announced its Sony Entertainment Network's $9.99-per-month music plan a year ago at the IFA consumer electronics show, letting customers tap into a library of 16 million songs using personal computers, PS3 game consoles, and Android devices. This year at the show, it announced the cheaper alternative, which offers the same library but which doesn't work on mobile devices.

"It's going to bring new customers in, that's for sure," … Read more

It took nearly two years, but "Avatar" on Blu-ray 3D is finally being offered in-store to anyone who wants to purchase it.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment today announced that the film version will be available globally starting October 15. The company will launch the movie in North America on October 16.

"Avatar" has been available on Blu-ray 3D since 2010. However, the film was offered exclusively to Panasonic customers who purchased one of the company's HDTVs or other devices. All others were forced to stick with the Blu-ray version.

Why it took so long … Read more