set-top boxes

Yes, Amazon makes the successful Kindle Fire tablet computer. And yes, it's reportedly considering offering a smartphone.

But a streaming video set-top box? Bloomberg reported Wednesday that Amazon plans to dive into that hardware business, citing "three people familiar with the project who aren't authorized to discuss it." What's Amazon thinking?

It's a crowded market already. Companies such as Roku and Boxee already make set-top boxes that can stream video content to televisions. Consumers can stream video from gaming consoles such as the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3. And they can catch streaming … Read more

A hotel near Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., is now using some of the iPhone and iPad maker's home entertainment technology in its rooms.

Starwood Hotels' Aloft Hotel has put an Apple TV in all 123 of its rooms, the company said today.

Of note, the hotel is located on the same block as one of Apple's external campus buildings, and just two blocks from its headquarters on Infinite Loop.

"Guests can choose among thousands of movies and TV shows from iTunes, connect to Netflix for films, Hulu for television shows, MLB.com for sports, and … Read more

Less than a day after a schematic of what appeared to be the fourth-generation Apple TV set-top box appeared in a U.S. regulatory filing, the company says it's not a new version at all, but a minor behind-the-scenes hardware change.

In a statement today provided to The Verge, the company said it had to file new paperwork with the Federal Communications Commission following a change to one of the internal components.

"We sometimes make component changes which require an updated model number for regulatory approval," an Apple spokesperson said. "The component changes we made don't affect product features and Apple TV customers will continue to have the same great user experience." … Read more

A new regulatory filing suggests Apple is readying a fourth-generation Apple TV set, one that looks a whole lot like the last two models, but with one minor difference.

That difference is size. The new version, which Engadget spotted in a filing with the Federal Communications Commission today, is 93.78mm around versus the current model's 98mm. It also carries the model number A1469, which differs from the current model's A1427 designation.

The filing comes on the heels of a reference to an unreleased Apple TV model inside of iOS 6.1, which Apple released to the public yesterday … Read more

Intel may offer a peek at its rumored cable TV set-top box to people attending the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week.

An unnamed source inside Intel said that the first working version of the chipmaker's set-top box will be shown at Intel's CES event on January 7, according to tips received by TechCrunch. A video distribution industry source familiar with Intel's plans also told the blog site that the rollout of the new service will start "soon," but couldn't provide a specific date.

TechCrunch's source further said that Intel is … Read more

Google apparently sweetened the sale of its Motorola set-top box business to Arris in an unusual way -- by largely indemnifying Arris against potential losses in a Motorola-TiVo patent tussle.

According to TechCrunch, which listened to a conference call Arris CEO Bob Stanzione held with analysts yesterday, Google has offered to cap any liability Arris might face in the event Motorola's set-top box business Home is found to have violated patents owned by DVR maker TiVo.

The trouble started in October when TiVo filed a patent-infringement claim against Motorola, saying that the Google-owned company's set-top boxes were infringing … Read more

Google has sold the Motorola Home set-top business -- which it inherited as part of its $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility earlier this year -- to the Arris Group, for $2.35 billion in cash and stock.

Under the terms of the deal, Google will receive $2.05 billion in cash and $300 million in newly issued stock, giving it a 15.7 percent ownership stake in Arris upon the deal's closure. Arris will also gain access to a collection of Motorola Mobility patents.

The broadband technology provider is expected to use the acquisition to enhance the … Read more

Google's apparent solicitation of bids for Motorola's set-top box business could come to an end later today.

Google has been accepting bids for Motorola's operation for some time but has set a deadline on the last bid round for today, The Wall Street Journal is reporting, citing people who are familiar with the dealings. The Journal's sources said that Google may extend the deadline if the offers aren't up to par, though.

According to the Journal's sources, Google expects the bids to reach between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, though they could go … Read more