Zatz Not Funny!

Microsoft: A 10-Year TV Timeline Before the Xbox One

Mari Silbey — Wed, 22 May 2013 18:14:31 +0000

Microsoft has been a frenemy to the pay-TV industry for a long, long time. So now that the company is taking over TV interfaces with its Xbox One HDMI pass-through feature, I thought it worth looking back over the company’s (sometimes torturous) history with pay-TV providers. (Note: Nothing on Media Center PCs or WebTV here. [...]

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Belkin & Sling Media Settle Patent Infringement Suit

Dave Zatz — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:21:43 +0000

While the Slingbox may be the most well known placeshifting technologies, there have been others… And Sling Media rival Monsoon, makers of HAVA and Vulkano devices, licensed their tech to Belkin under the @TV brand in 2012. Presumably due to Belkin’s broad retail footprint, Sling took issue and launched a patent infringement suit in January. Monsoon [...]

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Microsoft Xbox One: everything you need to know

Dave Zatz — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:59:54 +0000

http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/21/4352404/microsoft-xbox-one-everything-you-need-to-know

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Samsung To (Re)Enter CableCARD Fray

Dave Zatz — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:03:35 +0000

Just when you thought the FCC and Charter had put the final nail in CableCARD’s coffin, Samsung reveals plans (embedded below) to produce a hybrid cable+OTT set-top box for a fall 2013 launch. Assuming the FCC gets around to granting TiVo’s analog tuner waiver request in a timely fashion. Smart Media Player, an innovative product with a [...]

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Bose QuietComfort 20 Brings In-Ear Noise Cancelling

Dave Zatz — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:07:21 +0000

It’s come to my attention that Bose will soon launch the next entrant into their QuietComfort range of noise cancelling headsets. However, unlike the current QC 15 and QC 3, the incoming QuietComfort 20 moves to an in-ear design. While I’d have preferred an update to the on-ear or around-ear models, I’m told the QC 20 [...]

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Boxee Floats With The Cloud

Joel Ward — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:45:35 +0000

Fellow tech enthusiast and DC neighbor Joel Ward joins ZNF as a Features contributor. Beyond ZNF, Joel can be found at Joel Explains It All and @joelsef on Twitter. We at the Ward household like trying new things—or at least my wife and kids tolerate me periodically tinkering with our home computing, entertainment, and networking configurations. Entertainment-wise, [...]

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Logitech’s Last Harmonies Now Playing at Best Buy

Dave Zatz — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:49:37 +0000

Prior to the division’s potential sale, Logitech’s last Harmony remote control models have started arriving at Best Buy. The Harmony Ultimate and (soon) the Harmony Smart Control join the Touch and 650 on a revamped retail display. Both new models ship with a the “Harmony Hub” – which appears to represent the evolution of the Harmony [...]

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Roku 2 UI Refresh Now Available

Dave Zatz — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:36:18 +0000

After a March tease, Roku 2 streaming players are finally entitled to the updated interface (that ships with the Roku 3). While Roku has staggered the rollout over a two-week window, you can manually trigger an update via Settings > Software update > Check now… as I did. While I’ve only had the new UI a few days, I’m glad to see [...]

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Redbox Instant Headed To Google TV & Roku

Dave Zatz — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:16:48 +0000

Despite the sudden glut of video streaming services, the joint Redbox-Verizon initiative presses on. And, according to GigaOm, up next for the $8/month service will be Google TV and Roku clients. Given the Android set-top’s limited penetration, having failed to land on the “majority” of televisions, and upcoming retirement of Flash I’m somewhat surprised Redbox [...]

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Democracy, Amazon Instant Style

Dave Zatz — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:39:05 +0000

I’ll never understand the vehement hate the pilot received from die-hard Zombieland fans. You guys successfully hated it out of existence. -Producer, Rhett Reese

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