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AOL rolls out 15 original Web series of its own

It seems like the new trend these days is to create an original Web series. We have Yahoo, Netflix, and Hulu doing it, and now AOL is also giving more of a push to its online programming with 15 new shows.

The company announced Tuesday that it has enlisted A-list celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jonathan Adler to either host or star in original Web series. AOL plans to debut all of the shows on its AOL On Network, which is the company's video platform, and across its 1,700 partner sites. The series themes range … Read more

Yahoo rolls out six original shows and new TV partnerships

Working to fulfill Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer's promise to make Yahoo a place where users will want to come every day, the company announced Monday that it will debut six new original Web shows in 2013.

The shows range from Ed Helms playing a miniature crime fighter to chef Megan Mitchell giving tips on outdoor grilling to actor John Stamos interviewing celebrities about losing their virginity.

"In the last year, we have more than doubled the original video programming on Yahoo! to become one of the Web's largest content publishers," Yahoo vice president and head of … Read more

LG's curved 55-inch OLED TV now open for preorders

After being the first TV manufacturer to launch an OLED TV, LG is now taking preorders for a new model featuring a curved screen. The 55EA9800, priced at 15 million Korean won (US$13,500), will be available starting from next month, but this is limited to the Korean market for now. Unfortunately, both availability and pricing for other countries will only be announced later.

Despite a sizable 55-inch screen, the 55EA9800 has an alluring 4.3mm-thin side profile and weighs just 17kg. Special "thin-transparent film speakers" are integrated within the panel's stand to maintain a sleek … Read more

XFINITY TV Player 1.0.0.002 Review

Many users watch their favorite TV shows on their mobile devices using apps such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and Crackle. XFINITY TV Player, designed for use by Comcast subscribers, is the latest addition to the premium video-streaming genre. It makes a great attempt at being a valuable experience but lacks many key features that make both cable and mobile video great.

At 12MB the player is not excessively large for an application of its magnitude but nevertheless users should be cautioned if they are on a limited data plan and are not connected to Wi-Fi. The installation progresses smoothly and … Read more

Get a free month of Hulu Plus

Recently my media-center PC died (well, the hard drive -- when you start seeing boot-screen messages about "imminent hard drive failure," believe them!). All those episodes of "Community" and "Once Upon a Time" I'd DVR'd for later viewing -- gone.

Hulu Plus to the rescue! Yeah, you have to sit through commercial breaks (albeit way shorter ones than during regular broadcasts), but it's still the best (and cheapest) way to watch first-run TV shows.

A typical Hulu Plus trial lasts just seven days, but for a limited time, StackSocial is offering … Read more

The China Star in 'Iron Man 3': TCL debuts new TVs

Today TCL announced three new LED TVs, including a 50-inch, a 58-inch, and a monster 110-inch 4K TV dubbed "The China Star."

The Star will appear in the upcoming movie "Iron Man 3," and makes its appearance in a trailer for the film around the 2-second mark, happily ensconced in Tony Stark's living room.

In addition to its size and pixel count, The China Star boasts some impressive-sounding "technology," including (per the press release) "...active 3D technology, multitouch technology, intelligent and dynamic backlight technology, and ultra-high brightness of 800 nits. The massive … Read more

The new Xbox: Six things Microsoft needs to do

Microsoft has made it official: the next Xbox will be unveiled at a May 21 event in Redmond, Wash., just weeks before E3 opens its doors. This looks like the inevitable Xbox-PlayStation next-gen console war we've all been expecting.

What will it take for Microsoft to keep its strong foothold in the gaming industry? Here's what I'm looking for.

Be the ultimate TV-streaming (and movie-playing) box The Xbox 360 has already carved a great role for itself as a streaming-media hub, and rumors point to the next Xbox possibly being a true rival to a future Apple … Read more

Seven questions about Amazon's mystery streaming box

Is there a Kindle TV box on the horizon?

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, the answer is yes. Amazon is said to be readying its own streaming-TV box to take on the likes of the Roku, Apple TV, Xbox, PlayStation -- and every TV manufacturer that now builds smart-TV apps like Netflix and Vudu directly into televisions.

The Seattle-based e-tailer already has an ambitious home video strategy. Amazon Prime customers get thousands of free movies and TV shows (in addition to free shipping of real-world goods) with the $79-per-year membership, and the company is ramping up production of original series as … Read more

Amazon to release set-top box for Internet video, report says

Amazon plans to release a set-top box this fall that streams Internet-based video into consumers' homes, Bloomberg reported, making the e-commerce giant the latest company to target the TV market.

The device will plug into TVs and will give users access to Amazon's video catalog, including its Video on Demand store and Instant Video service, Bloomberg said, citing sources. Amazon's Lab126 division, based in Cupertino, Calif., is developing the product, the news service said, with Malachy Moynihan running the project. Moynihan is a former vice president of emerging products at Cisco as well as a former Apple employee. … Read more