tv

California gets first commercial white-space high-speed Internet

Believe it or not, there are still parts of the U.S. that don't have access to high-speed Internet. But that's looking to change with the onset of TV white-space broadband technology.

The first commercial application of this type of service in the U.S. is coming to a rural area of Northern California called El Dorado County, or Gold Country. Internet provider Cal.net is partnering with network equipment provider Carlson to bring this region's residents something more than dial-up.

"Over 59,000 residents in our rural service area have had little or no quality … Read more

Intel loses key TV business engineer

Intel's fledgling TV business has lost one of its lead engineers, the company confirmed, potentially dealing a blow to its efforts to get the business off the ground.

Jim Baldwin, who served as vice president and general manager of engineering for Intel Media, has left the company to pursue other opportunities, an Intel spokesman said. Baldwin's LinkedIn profile, meanwhile, said he has retired from the company.

Baldwin couldn't immediately be reached for comment. The Intel spokesman said that the company has "a deep engineering leadership bench" and has taken steps internally to address the transition. &… Read more

CBS invests in TV-streaming tech provider Syncbak

CBS has made an investment in Syncbak, the company said today, giving it a minority stake in the television-streaming technology provider as it continues its focus on mobile.

Syncbak, a privately held company founded in 2009, makes location-based authentication technology that allows local television stations to stream their signals to in-market customers. Essentially, Syncbak "localizes the Internet" for broadcasters, networks, and TV studios, allowing retransmission of live television over the Web in much the same way it works over cable and satellite. The company's app is available for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, but it doesn'… Read more

With #Music, Twitter speeds its media domination march

When Twitter opened up its #Music app to everyone on Thursday, it was the strongest sign yet that the social-networking giant is aiming to become a media machine that dominates popular entertainment channels.

There's no doubt that many of Twitter's vast user base already have a deep interest in music, but until now there's been no structured way for artists or fans to leverage that. With the public launch of the company's new discovery service, Twitter has seemingly taken the next step to becoming an indispensable destination both for people to find new music to listen … Read more

Aereo throws punch in streaming battle by publishing ad in NYT

Live-television streaming service Aereo is revving up its fight against major U.S. broadcasters.

The company took out a full-page ad in the front section of The New York Times on Tuesday, making a case as to why its business isn't breaking copyright law.

"People have enjoyed the right to access over-the-air broadcast television using an antenna for over 70 years," the ad says. "About 54 million Americans use some sort of antenna to watch TV. This is not piracy. This has been part of the American way since the beginning of broadcasting."

Aereo is … Read more

What you need to know about TV power consumption

Since 2011 the FTC has required that every TV display a yellow and black Energy Guide label estimating how much it costs to run for a year. The label assumes a price for electricity (11 cents/kWh) and a baseline usage (5 hours per day).

The cost is tiny. A typical label can read anywhere from $6 for 32-inch LEDs to $38 for 65-inch plasmas (PDF). Per year. That's from 50 cents to $3.18 per month. If that's the definition of chump change to you, you're probably not alone.

That's the primary reason I stopped … Read more

Apple's iPhone 5S, low-cost iPhone, iPhone 6 may be delayed

As Samsung, Google, and Microsoft forge ahead with smartphones, smartwatches, and other smart devices, Apple could be experiencing production delays across the board.

According to Jefferies analyst Peter Misek, who recently visited Apple's Asian suppliers, the rumored iPhone 5S will most likely be delayed. It's previously been said that the device would hit stores by July. Misek also said that the possible low-cost iPhone launch could be pushed to this year's fourth quarter and an iPhone 6 probably wouldn't come out until 2014.

"iPhone 5S is having preproduction issues with mass production at least a … Read more

How the next Xbox can win the cable TV war

The battle for the future of television is just beginning, but it looks to be a long one. One of the key players is Microsoft, which has spent the past several years morphing its Xbox 360 from a straight-up gaming console into one of the best video-streaming boxes you can buy.

Of course, the current Xbox 360 is getting long in the tooth, and the next-generation model is expected to be announced soon, and to be available as early as the end of 2013. And TV services look to be just as central to the core of that device as … Read more

Apple will replace faulty Apple TVs for free

9to5Mac is reporting that according to internal communications, Apple has implemented a new policy at its retail stores and support centers that a small number of its Apple TV media devices may be faulty and be eligible for a free replacement.

The applicable systems are third-generation Apple TVs that are experiencing network connectivity issues where they either cannot locate or are unable to join wireless networks, or they can only successfully connect part of the time.

This issue affects only a small number of devices that Apple has identified. To qualify, your Apple TV's serial number must meet the … Read more

Twitter reportedly in talks for video content from Viacom, NBC

Twitter is in talks with TV networks Viacom and NBC to bring more video content to the microblogging site, according to a Bloomberg report.

The deals under discussion would allow Twitter to stream videos to its users in exchange for splitting the resulting revenue with the TV networks, sources told the news outlet. The deals could be finalized as early as next month, with arrangements with other TV networks to follow, sources said.

CNET has contacted Twitter for comment and will update this report when we learn more.

So far, Twitter's video experience has been limited. It launched Vine, … Read more