box

Apple's plans to reinvent the way we enjoy entertainment in the living room are being pushed back another year, a new report claims.

Apple has decided to shelve plans to launch a new Apple TV set-top box this year after facing negotiation troubles with cable and media companies, Bloomberg is reporting today, citing sources. Chief among the disputes is how software would be implemented in the new device.

The companies also can't reach a deal on whether the box should be sold directly to consumers or offered through cable providers, Bloomberg's sources say.

The Apple TV set-top … Read more

Adding blinking lights to anything is a surefire way to make it totally obnoxious. For some of you, that's a good thing.

Here are two techniques you can use to add sound-reactive lights to your stereo, boom box, computer, or pretty much anything that makes music.

The first option is to use something like an EL Wire Sound Kit. These are sold online from various places and include some combination of electroluminescent wire, a power adapter, and a special power inverter that drives the wire's power in response to sound picked up by an integrated microphone.

The whole … Read more

Google appears itching to get rid of the television set-top box business it inherited from the acquisition of Motorola Mobility.

The Internet search giant has hired Barclays to help it find buyers, according to Bloomberg, which cited anonymous sources and said the home business unit might fetch $2 billion.

That Google wants to sell Motorola's set-top box business and focus on smartphones isn't surprising; speculation of its desire to shed the business has popped up on numerous occasions. Google instead wants to mine Motorola's patent portfolio for a more potent legal weapon against Apple, as well as … Read more

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Who inherits your iTunes library? Why your digimedia may go to the grave.

- Meet a group of journalists in L.A. who share a passion for listening to police scanners.

- Bic geniuses who unveiled pen made for women get roasted by Internet.

- Let us not forget that Apple and Samsung are in bed.… Read more

You've probably heard the one about Apple and the HDTV it's reportedly working on, but have you heard the one about how the next Apple TV could double as a cable box? No? Well according to a Wall Street Journal report, that's exactly what's happening.

In other news, RadioShack reminds us that it exists by possibly joining with Cricket Wireless to offer no-contract phones, and a supersecret event invite from Motorola tells us, well, pretty much nothing. But we do have a couple ideas about what the event is for.

Thanks for watching, and don't … Read more

School is back in session, meaning students have folders full of syllabi, schedules, and other paperwork you're likely to reference as the semester goes on. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to carry all of it around with you all the time, without overloading your backpack?

Thanks to a handful of iOS apps, you can scan whatever paper documents you might need easy access to and store them on your iPhone, in the cloud, or on your computer with just a few taps.

I've found five apps that will help you quickly scan and organize documents. … Read more

Following yesterday's revelation that Apple was in talks to develop a new TV set-top box, more details are emerging about features the device will have.

One of the key features Apple plans to introduce with the device is a cloud-based DVR function that will let users view any TV show at any time, sources tell The Wall Street Journal. The feature would let viewers start a program minutes after it began, similar to a Time-Warner Cable feature called Start Over.

Apple is also reportedly interested in providing access to all episodes from the current season of a show, instead … Read more

Every time there's a significant update to either product, the e-mails start filling up my inbox: so now which is better, the Apple TV or Roku?

It's an understandable question, and one that only gets harder to answer now that Apple TV has recently added two, significant features: AirPlay Mirroring via Mountain Lion and a dedicated Hulu Plus app. While it used to be easy to give the Roku LT the edge for costing half as much and offering more streaming services, it's a much closer call with the Apple TV's standout features.

Let's take a look at the strengths and weaknesses of both boxes.… Read more

Thursday's tech headlines know how to speak your language:

Imaginations are running wild about an Apple TV cable box. The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple is talking to cable providers, but no deals have been made. Earlier this week Apple was granted a patent for its design of a cable box. But Apple is not alone in its hunt for cable deals. Microsoft's Xbox 360 has slowly been adding video from cable providers in its quest to be the one box to rule all home entertainment.

The Sony Reader is back with a new model, selling for $… Read more