Apple TV 4K review

The new Apple TV can stream HD 4K TV. Apple’s new hardware puts the company on equal footing with Roku, Amazon, and Chrome, all of which already offer devices capable of 4K streaming. Apple TV 4K will be available on September 22nd for $179 with 32GB of internal storage or $199 with 64GB.

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Media and Broadcasting, Business

Microsoft’s xCloud game streaming arrives on iOS with some Apple restrictions

Article | August 4, 2022

Microsoft is expanding its Project xCloud service to the iPhone today. The software giant is launching a beta of xCloud through Apple’s TestFlight service, allowing xCloud testers to try the service on an iPhone or iPad. It’s the first time we’ve seen a cloud game streaming service appear on iOS since the days of OnLive — and OnLive’s iOS app wound up in limbo when Apple didn’t approve it. Google’s Stadia and Nvidia’s GeForce Now are still not available on Apple’s devices, either, and neither company has been able to tell us when that might change.

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Technologies, Virtualization

Apple's AR & VR headset may not need external input for orientation & motion detection

Article | August 2, 2022

Apple is continuing to investigate headsets like its "AR Glasses," as part of its exploration of Augmented and Virtual Reality systems. One such headset in future may utilize sensors that can detect angular rotation, such as that experienced when the device is placed on a user's head or removed. "[It] may be beneficial for the VR headset to be able to detect when a head-worn device (e.g., headset, eyeglasses, headphones, etc.) is being removed from the user's head, is being placed on the user's head, or both," says Apple in US Patent No. 10,557,724, "Angle detection of a rotating system using a single magnet and multiple hall sensors."

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Virtualization, Media and Broadcasting

Game On: These Entertainment Stocks Hit New Levels

Article | July 13, 2022

Some Chinese entertainment stocks listed in the U.S. got a boost last week after the People Bank of China (PBOC) said it would pump $173 billion into the economy. Since news of the report from Beijing hit the street, one of the biggest gainers was Chinese gaming giant NetEase Inc. (Nasdaq: NTES) NetEase, a partner of California-based Blizzard Entertainment in China, traded as low as $317.48 per American depositary share within the last couple of weeks, and soared as high as $347.95 apiece last week. NetEase rolled out its international presence in recent years in Japan and North America, lowering its China dependency.

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The Future of Tech: Gaming Consoles, the Xbox and PlayStation of Tomorrow

Article | February 10, 2020

Consoles have come a very long way since the arrival of first-generation machines from Atari and Coleco in the seventies. Even the original PlayStation (1994) and Xbox (2001) look dated compared to the 4K/HDR-capable machines of today, and that divide will grow even larger once the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X arrive at the end of 2020. But what about the future? More than once console makers have tried to break new ground, by focusing on functionality beyond gaming, but for the most part those attempts have failed. Nintendo has found the most success with specialized hardware that still focuses on games first, while Sony and Microsoft have seemingly understood that building powerful general purpose machines that are akin to PCs is their best and safest bet.

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Immutable

We are making digital worlds real. Immutable is advancing the world of NFTs through Immutable X, an industry-leading NFT minting and trading platform and Immutable Studios, an NFT game development studio.

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Popular Music Streaming Services 2020: Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, Tidal and YouTube

Apple | May 20, 2020

User-friendly apps that are updated frequently and have enough features without being overwhelming, Free version is impressively robust. Streaming music is cheap or even free in the case of Pandora and Spotify and outpaces any physical format when it comes to ease and convenience. Allows you to follow artists and to be alerted when they release new music or announce an upcoming show. It's easy to build your own playlists. When you're stuck at home, music can provide a sense of order amid the coronavirus chaos. Streaming music is cheap or even free (in the case of Pandora and Spotify) and outpaces any physical format when it comes to ease and convenience. Sure, vinyl may be making a resurgence among audiophiles, but if you're concerned about sound quality, then streaming still has a lot to offer. In some cases, subscription services can sound indistinguishable from, or even better than, a CD. We've checked out the leading on-demand music streaming apps and options services such as Spotify, Pandora Premium, Apple Music and Tidal as well as Amazon Music Unlimited and YouTube Music to see how each platform stacks up for your subscription buck. While most boast music catalogs of more than 50 million songs, each has its own unique pros and cons. We've also left out services that only play music in a radio format and don't offer a la carte listening. It's a close race between Spotify Premium and Apple Music but Spotify wins thanks to a fun, easy-to-use interface, an extensive catalog and the best device compatibility. Spotify also offers our favorite free tier. Without paying a dime you can still stream over Spotify Connect to numerous devices and you don't even need to provide a credit card. Apple Music is a close second and it's the only one of our top three with a digital locker to store your own library of songs (YouTube Music, below, is the other music locker option). If you own an Apple HomePod, you'll need this subscription service to summon music with your voice. Learn more: APPLE ACQUIRES NEXTVR, FORMER VIRTUAL REALITY STREAMING VIDEO SERVICE . “Apple Music has grown to become one of the most popular streaming services. It offers plenty of features and a wealth of discount options for families and students .” ~ Apple In third place is Tidal, which offers a wide selection of music beyond its most eye-catching urban names. Its higher-priced options are especially suited to people seeking the best audio quality. Currently it's a great deal too, offering four months of music for $4. So here's what we think of the the top six music-streaming services. It's worth noting that all of these services will work on the major platforms -- Android, iOS, PC and Mac. Actual device compatibility varies widely, particularly on smart speakers such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home. “Spotify is the pioneer in the music-streaming space, and it's arguably the best known. It offers a number of curated music discovery services, including its Discover Weekly playlist, and is constantly implementing new ones, such as Stations.“ Spotify is the pioneer in the music-streaming space, and it's arguably the best known. It offers a number of curated music discovery services, including its Discover Weekly playlist, and is constantly implementing new ones, such as Stations. The service's (now optional) Facebook integration makes sharing music on Spotify easier than competitors. Spotify allows you to send a track or album, collaborate on playlists with friends or peek at what your Facebook friends are listening to. Also newly announced is Group Session, which enables more than one user to add to playlists on the fly -- great for parties; anyone remember those? Spotify Connect simplifies connecting to wireless speakers and AV receivers, and it works on both the Premium and the free tier. Over time, Apple Music has grown to become one of the most popular streaming services. It offers plenty of features and a wealth of discount options for families and students. There's also ton of curated playlists, many hand-crafted by musicians and tastemakers, but it still lacks the robust sharing options built into Spotify. It combines your iTunes library with music you don't own, rounding out what you can play. A combination of human music experts and algorithms help find music you'll want to hear based on what you play. You can control what you hear or search for new music using Siri on iOS devices or Apple HomePod. Has a music locker via iTunes Match ($25, £22 or AU$35 a year). It's currently the only choice for Apple HomePod owners who want to request songs by voice. As you'd expect, the Android app and experience isn't as smooth as the iOS one. Learn more: WITH AMERICA AT HOME, FACEBOOK, GOOGLE MAKE MOVES TO WIN MORE OF GAMING MARKET .

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Apple acquires NextVR, former virtual reality streaming video service

Apple | May 14, 2020

NextVR’s eponymous VR video service never fully took off with users, despite offering 360-degree video access to select concerts and sporting events, including NBA games, WWE wrestling matches, and NHL highlights. But Apple apparently saw value in the company, and following weeks of speculation confirmed today (via Bloomberg) that it has acquired NextVR for purposes unknown. Based in Newport Beach, California, NextVR was an hour south of Los Angeles, where many of Apple’s TV+ operations are located. While Apple isn’t confirming the specific reasons for the deal, it’s quite likely that the NextVR team will become involved with future TV+ initiatives, enabling Apple to expand the breadth and/or literal depth of its video offerings. Apple TV+ currently offers only 2D videos, and no sporting or other live programming, though the company has been working on a mixed reality headset with an AR focus.

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Apple TV debuts Zero Sign-On support for Charter, without Spectrum app

VentureBeat | December 19, 2018

Originally promised back in June, a new Apple TV feature called Zero Sign-On has finally gone live with its first cable company partner Charter Spectrum just in time to meet Apple’s “this year” deadline. But part of the promised functionality is missing, and will most likely be delayed until 2019.During its annual Worldwide Developers Conference on June 4, Apple announced that tvOS 12 would include Zero Sign-On, a setting designed to dramatically simplify the app setup process for cable subscribers. Described as the next logical step after single sign-in, which unified multiple “TV channel” apps with the same login credentials, Zero Sign-On lets a cable subscriber simply hit a “continue” button to confirm that the Apple TV is using the provider’s network. Supported channel apps can then receive authorization without any additional effort on the user’s part.

Read More

Popular Music Streaming Services 2020: Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, Tidal and YouTube

Apple | May 20, 2020

User-friendly apps that are updated frequently and have enough features without being overwhelming, Free version is impressively robust. Streaming music is cheap or even free in the case of Pandora and Spotify and outpaces any physical format when it comes to ease and convenience. Allows you to follow artists and to be alerted when they release new music or announce an upcoming show. It's easy to build your own playlists. When you're stuck at home, music can provide a sense of order amid the coronavirus chaos. Streaming music is cheap or even free (in the case of Pandora and Spotify) and outpaces any physical format when it comes to ease and convenience. Sure, vinyl may be making a resurgence among audiophiles, but if you're concerned about sound quality, then streaming still has a lot to offer. In some cases, subscription services can sound indistinguishable from, or even better than, a CD. We've checked out the leading on-demand music streaming apps and options services such as Spotify, Pandora Premium, Apple Music and Tidal as well as Amazon Music Unlimited and YouTube Music to see how each platform stacks up for your subscription buck. While most boast music catalogs of more than 50 million songs, each has its own unique pros and cons. We've also left out services that only play music in a radio format and don't offer a la carte listening. It's a close race between Spotify Premium and Apple Music but Spotify wins thanks to a fun, easy-to-use interface, an extensive catalog and the best device compatibility. Spotify also offers our favorite free tier. Without paying a dime you can still stream over Spotify Connect to numerous devices and you don't even need to provide a credit card. Apple Music is a close second and it's the only one of our top three with a digital locker to store your own library of songs (YouTube Music, below, is the other music locker option). If you own an Apple HomePod, you'll need this subscription service to summon music with your voice. Learn more: APPLE ACQUIRES NEXTVR, FORMER VIRTUAL REALITY STREAMING VIDEO SERVICE . “Apple Music has grown to become one of the most popular streaming services. It offers plenty of features and a wealth of discount options for families and students .” ~ Apple In third place is Tidal, which offers a wide selection of music beyond its most eye-catching urban names. Its higher-priced options are especially suited to people seeking the best audio quality. Currently it's a great deal too, offering four months of music for $4. So here's what we think of the the top six music-streaming services. It's worth noting that all of these services will work on the major platforms -- Android, iOS, PC and Mac. Actual device compatibility varies widely, particularly on smart speakers such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home. “Spotify is the pioneer in the music-streaming space, and it's arguably the best known. It offers a number of curated music discovery services, including its Discover Weekly playlist, and is constantly implementing new ones, such as Stations.“ Spotify is the pioneer in the music-streaming space, and it's arguably the best known. It offers a number of curated music discovery services, including its Discover Weekly playlist, and is constantly implementing new ones, such as Stations. The service's (now optional) Facebook integration makes sharing music on Spotify easier than competitors. Spotify allows you to send a track or album, collaborate on playlists with friends or peek at what your Facebook friends are listening to. Also newly announced is Group Session, which enables more than one user to add to playlists on the fly -- great for parties; anyone remember those? Spotify Connect simplifies connecting to wireless speakers and AV receivers, and it works on both the Premium and the free tier. Over time, Apple Music has grown to become one of the most popular streaming services. It offers plenty of features and a wealth of discount options for families and students. There's also ton of curated playlists, many hand-crafted by musicians and tastemakers, but it still lacks the robust sharing options built into Spotify. It combines your iTunes library with music you don't own, rounding out what you can play. A combination of human music experts and algorithms help find music you'll want to hear based on what you play. You can control what you hear or search for new music using Siri on iOS devices or Apple HomePod. Has a music locker via iTunes Match ($25, £22 or AU$35 a year). It's currently the only choice for Apple HomePod owners who want to request songs by voice. As you'd expect, the Android app and experience isn't as smooth as the iOS one. Learn more: WITH AMERICA AT HOME, FACEBOOK, GOOGLE MAKE MOVES TO WIN MORE OF GAMING MARKET .

Read More

Apple acquires NextVR, former virtual reality streaming video service

Apple | May 14, 2020

NextVR’s eponymous VR video service never fully took off with users, despite offering 360-degree video access to select concerts and sporting events, including NBA games, WWE wrestling matches, and NHL highlights. But Apple apparently saw value in the company, and following weeks of speculation confirmed today (via Bloomberg) that it has acquired NextVR for purposes unknown. Based in Newport Beach, California, NextVR was an hour south of Los Angeles, where many of Apple’s TV+ operations are located. While Apple isn’t confirming the specific reasons for the deal, it’s quite likely that the NextVR team will become involved with future TV+ initiatives, enabling Apple to expand the breadth and/or literal depth of its video offerings. Apple TV+ currently offers only 2D videos, and no sporting or other live programming, though the company has been working on a mixed reality headset with an AR focus.

Read More

Apple TV debuts Zero Sign-On support for Charter, without Spectrum app

VentureBeat | December 19, 2018

Originally promised back in June, a new Apple TV feature called Zero Sign-On has finally gone live with its first cable company partner Charter Spectrum just in time to meet Apple’s “this year” deadline. But part of the promised functionality is missing, and will most likely be delayed until 2019.During its annual Worldwide Developers Conference on June 4, Apple announced that tvOS 12 would include Zero Sign-On, a setting designed to dramatically simplify the app setup process for cable subscribers. Described as the next logical step after single sign-in, which unified multiple “TV channel” apps with the same login credentials, Zero Sign-On lets a cable subscriber simply hit a “continue” button to confirm that the Apple TV is using the provider’s network. Supported channel apps can then receive authorization without any additional effort on the user’s part.

Read More

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