hbo

My summer of HBO Go: What HBO's app can teach Netflix (and vice versa)

I woke up at 8 a.m., bleary-eyed. I realized something was wrong. It hit me: I forgot to watch "Curb Your Enthusiasm" last night. New episodes tend to post instantaneously, or at least a half hour after the start of broadcast. How could I have missed it? I started to plan when I'd watch.

Suddenly, I realized, I'd become TV Man again.

I've spent a summer trying out HBO Go, the iPad/Android/iOS/browser streaming-video app HBO launched at the end of April. While I bemoaned its limited availability for most people, I was able to get a trial code to look at the service--something I couldn't have done otherwise in NY, even if I still subscribed to cable (which I don't). Meanwhile, I'm still watching Netflix as my go-to general streaming service, although I'm considering a drop in my plan from two DVDs and streaming down to no discs at all.

Both HBO Go and Netflix represent two ends of a new world of streaming-video content that's simultaneously exciting and repelling customers. They tackle the issue from two different angles: Netflix is a standalone subscription service, an alternative to standard TV. HBO Go is a service that requires being part of an HBO-inclusive cable package in order to use; it's supplemental to standard cable as we know it.

At this point, neither one is perfect, but each can learn from the other. And I hope they do, because The New Television, as I like to call it, is something I love. I just don't want it to get muddied along the way.… Read more

Digital City 134: Streaming video services snub NYC; doing the new Netflix math

This week, we poll everyone on their favorite online music service, and find out why New Yorkers can't get the latest and greatest in streaming TV services. Plus, we've got some Spotify invite codes to give away!

Bonus: Download the show's jaunty theme song as a free MP3 here.

Nine Netflix alternatives

Netflix recently announced price increases that upset a lot of customers, to say the least.

Whether or not you're planning to cancel your own Netflix account, it's good to know what alternatives are out there. Here are nine Netflix alternatives:

DVD rental

Redbox Redbox rents physical discs through strategically located kiosks inside retail stores. You may have already seen them in your local drug store or grocery market; the all-red kiosks are hard to miss. To rent a title, you walk up to a kiosk, make your selection, and pay for it. For added convenience, you can also … Read more

Netflix bests Hulu in battle of apps

Strategy Analytics recently gathered some information about how the apps Hulu Plus, HBO Go, and Netflix are faring in Apple's App store.

The research firm's report collects the rankings for each of the companies' apps once a week. Strategy Analytics' data from May 2 to June 20 showed Hulu Plus to be well behind Netflix and HBO Go in popularity.

Some observers suspect that Hulu Plus has failed to catch on with consumers. One of the top complaints about the service is that Hulu Plus charges a monthly subscription in addition to requiring users to watch ads. Netflix … Read more

'True Blood' inspires bloodsucking V-Moda V-80 headphones

When it comes to fantasy shows on HBO right now, I'm more of a "Game of Thrones" kind of guy, but I've been hearing a lot of chatter about the new season of "True Blood" as well. As V-Moda continues to offer more personalized headphones, the company's latest addition to the lineup is a partnership with HBO to bring "True Blood" fans a special-edition V-80 on-ear headphone.

The hardware features dual "ear shield" covers that pop off and allow the user to customize the design to go along with favorite images from the show, including a night club, Fagtasia, and the Japanese symbols you see on the "Tru Blood" beverage. V-Moda goes a step further and even lets you choose your own blood type to laser etch onto the earpiece, bringing you that much closer to the action.

In terms of the headphones themselves, the V-80 model is V-Moda's lightweight mobile headphone that features dual 40mm drivers and an extra bass push without the hassle of popping in extra batteries (looking at you, Monster). Other accolades for the V-80 include a Kevlar-wrapped cable, integrated remote control and microphone, and a "True Blood" exclusive "exoskeleton" protective case with a blood vial zipper.

The True Blood V-80 headphones are available now at the HBO online store and other online retailers for $230.

More pictures of the True Blood V-80s after the break.… Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1498: Violent video games ok, "Cars 2" NOT (Podcast)

The U.S. Supreme Court strikes down California's attempt to ban the sale of violent video games to minors, arguing that the current ratings system is enough to let parents make informed decisions about what to buy. Unlike the MPAA's rating system, which led me and my 4-year-old to "Cars 2." Thanks for that, MPAA. Also, LulzSec tucks its puppykicker tail and runs away, but not before hacking a librarian and book-sharing Website. Nice.

Take that Netflix, HBO Go app sees big growth

If you don't believe cord cutting exists and that there isn't any competition between Netflix and cable programmers, then you needn't read on.

If on the other hand, you at least see the potential for Netflix to some day snatch customers away from the cable guys, then take note: this weekend HBO expects to see the 3 millionth download of the HBO Go app, which debuted on May 2, a company spokesman told CNET. There are 28 million HBO subscribers in the United States so the 3 million downloads would indicate that roughly 10 percent of the … Read more

Apple still trying to land films, TV shows for iCloud

Feature films could be part of Apple's iCloud launch next week.

In the past several weeks, Apple executives have stepped up their attempts to convince some of the major Hollywood film studios to issue licenses that would enable Apple to store its customers' movies on the company's servers, two sources close to the negotiations told CNET. Apple began discussing a cloud service with the studios over a year ago.

An Apple spokesman declined to comment.

Apple announced today that next Monday, the start of the company's Worldwide Developers Conference, it will unveil the iCloud, a long-anticipated service … Read more

HBO Go app hits 1 million downloads in first week

HBO's mobile app has apparently caught on quickly.

Speaking yesterday at the Streaming Media East conference, HBO co-President Eric Kessler said HBO Go's mobile application, which is available on iOS- and Android-based devices, was downloaded over 1 million times during the first week of availability. The free app launched April 29.

HBO Go itself launched on the Web last year. The service offers a wide range of HBO content, including movies, original series, and documentaries. Currently, it has about 1,400 titles available. However, the service is not available to everyone.

AT&T, Dish, Verizon, and DirecTV … Read more

Digital City 126: Apps a-go-go (or no-go), and the social media effect

In this episode, we talk about how cable companies' attempt to port their services to digital apps both frustrates and confounds us, the debut of the NFL 2011 iPad app, what's new in Netflix streaming, and how busy broadcast news was this week--from the royal wedding to the reported death of Bin Laden.

Bonus: You can download the show's theme song as a free MP3 here for a limited time! … Read more