amazon instant video

You got an iPad...now what?

So, congratulations! Perhaps you're the owner of a new iPad this holiday season. If so, you've come to the right place. Apple's tablet is incredibly easy to use, but there are still plenty of ways to set up and optimize your iPad to take advantage of everything it has to offer. Some of these suggestions may be obvious; others might not.

Regardless, here's what I do when I take a new iPad out of its crisp white box. I think you should do the same. At the least, these tips should help you get on your feet.… Read more

Get free seasons of BBC America's 'Copper' and 'Luther'

Poke around Amazon Instant Video's freebies section and you'll often find pilot episodes of new TV shows, previews of upcoming seasons, behind-the-scenes bonus content, and so on. But an entire season of a critically acclaimed (if little-known) series? That you usually have to pay for.

Not today. For what promises to be a limited time, Amazon Instant Video is offering BBC America's "Copper" Season 1 HD absolutely free. (It's also available in standard definition.) That season consists of 10 episodes.

Also available: BBC America's "Luther" Season 2, again in HD or … Read more

Google Maps returns to the iPhone

Thursday's CNET Update is following directions:

Apple users can have more peace of mind while traveling thanks to the new Google Maps app. The app includes turn-by-turn directions and public transit information. Within a few hours after going live, Google Maps was the top free app on the iPhone.

Apple kicked Google's map off iOS 6, but Apple's version has been plagued with errors and even caused some people in Australia to be stranded in the wilderness. Some iPhone owners have avoided upgrading to iOS 6 to avoid using Apple Maps. Having Google as an option again … Read more

My post-iTunes life

iTunes 11 is finally here. I hear that it's a step in the right direction, correcting many of the missteps and redundancies that have crept into the bloated software over the years.

But I can't really give you a full opinion on iTunes 11 because I really haven't spent that much time with it on a personal level.

That's because I don't use my Mac for media.… Read more

iTunes vs. Amazon: What's the best video service on the iPad?

The future of TV, movies, and home entertainment feels like it's changing by the day, thanks to the impact of the digital revolution. Netflix is the top dog thanks to its $8 subscription streaming service, but your viewing choices are severely limited. For a la carte, pay-as-you-go services, Apple's iTunes has been the default choice for many when it comes to buying, renting, and viewing videos. Splitting the difference was Amazon's Instant Video: it offers a diverse library of pay-per-view TV shows and movies, plus a subset of "free" content for subscribers to the company'… Read more

Amazon renting '21 Jump Street,' 'Dark Knight,' others for 99 cents

Big day for Amazon. First came news of the new Amazon Instant Video app for iPad. Now, the company is offering dirt-cheap rentals on a bunch of new-release movies.

For just 99 cents, you can rent any of the following titles:

"21 Jump Street" "Act of Valor" "American Reunion" "Big Miracle" "Friends with Kids" "Lockout" "Mirror Mirror" "Safe House" "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" "Wanderlust" "Wrath of the Titans"

Not a bad list, eh? Amazon is offering … Read more

Back to the drawing board for Nexus Q

We're annoying the IOC with Wednesday's top tech headlines:

Digg has been reborn under the Betaworks leadership. This first redesign simply highlights top stories and popular stories, and users can save articles to read later on the new Digg iPhone app. Betaworks says it will continue to roll out new features, including comments.

After tepid reviews, Google announced it wants to hold off on launching the $300 Nexus Q media-streaming device until it adds more features. But anyone who preordered will get the current model for free.

The Olympics have strict marketing rules, but Beats Audio found a way … Read more

Amazon unveils Instant Video app for iPad owners

Amazon is serving Netflix some mobile competition with its new Instant Video iPad app.

Free for iPad users, the Amazon Instant Video app offers both Amazon Prime and non-Prime users the ability to purchase or rent any of the more than 120,000 videos available in the retailer's online video store.

Users can then stream the content to view it online or download it to catch it offline. Amazon Prime subscribers ($79 a year) get the better end of the deal. Prime members can stream thousands of movies and TV shows at no extra cost. Non-members must pay the … Read more

Google fills search with Zagat ratings

It's time to rate your world on Google+ Local, double down on secrets and lose the hashbang:

Google+ has teamed up with Zagat to add a new feature encouraging users to review local establishments. It's called Google+ Local, and even if you don't use Google+, you'll start to see these ratings pop up around Google search and maps.

Apple CEO Tim Cook shared some interesting comments at the D10 conference Tuesday. To summarize, Cook didn't say if Apple was working on a television set, he vowed that the company will "double down" on … Read more

Amazon seeks comedies and kids shows to rival Netflix

Seeking to boost original content for its Amazon Instant Video service, Amazon Studios today put out the call for pilots for comedies and kids shows.

Since it launched in November 2010, Amazon Studios had focused on films, both full-length features and shorter films. This is its first foray into episodic programming.

"In the course of developing movies, we've heard a lot of interest from content creators who want to develop original series in the comedy and children's genres," Amazon Studios director Roy Price said in a statement.

Amazon Studios works differently than traditional Hollywood production companies. … Read more