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Tag: tv

  • Commune to start retailing premium Samsung TVs

    Commune to start retailing premium Samsung TVs

    Singapore furniture retailer Commune has become the first non-electronics authorized retailer for selected premium Samsung TVs.

    The exclusive partnership is a first-of-its-kind for both Samsung and Commune. It is unusual for an upmarket interiors store to stock TVs – in this case, Samsung products that double as wall-mounted artworks when not screening video content.

    “Commune is honored to collaborate with Samsung, whose design-centric lifestyle TVs complement our modern contemporary furniture collections and home interiors,” said Commune Lifestyle COO & CMO Gan Shee Wen. “Like Samsung TVs, our furniture encapsulates quiet modernity, unifying function and effortless form with intelligent craftsmanship.”

    Consumers now have the opportunity to visit Commune stores in Singapore and see for themselves how the high tech premium Samsung TVs can seamlessly blend with modern furniture.

    “We are delighted to partner Commune to bring Samsung’s premium lifestyle TVs, The Frame and The Serif, to their stores,” said Samsung Electronics Singapore director, consumer electronics business Steven Koh. “Where design meets technology, this collaboration reinforces our commitment to providing consumers with enhanced sophistication and harmonious balance between form and function.”

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  • Vingroup unit partners with Google to make TVs

    Vingroup unit partners with Google to make TVs

    VinSmart, a unit of private conglomerate Vingroup, will produce smart televisions in partnership with Google, the company announced Wednesday.

    The partnership will allow the electronics producer to develop its Vsmart TVs on Google’s Android operating system.

    VinSmart is set to release the first five models, which have 4K resolution and Google Assistant in Vietnamese, next month.

    The TVs, which will have Dolby sound systems, will be made in Hanoi’s Hoa Lac Industrial Park.

    After Google, VinSmart will look for international partners to develop more smart products meeting global standards under a Vietnamese brand, Vingroup’s deputy director Le Mai Tuyet Trinh said in a statement.

    Tech expert Tran Manh Hiep said that VinSmart TVs will find it very difficult to compete in the high-end segment dominated by Samsung and LG. He said it is better that the Vietnamese company focuses on the affordable segment.

    VinSmart, established in June last year, has already introduced eight smartphone models, and exported them to Spain, Myanmar and Russia. It had announced in May that it has plans to expand this to India, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia this year. The company also said that it was looking into making air conditioners and refrigerators.

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  • Disney+ is already rocking the streaming industry with incredibly early milestone

    Disney+ is already rocking the streaming industry with incredibly early milestone

    One full year of hyping after Disney formally threw its hat in the Netflix-dominated video streaming ring, the most highly anticipated new platform of 2019 finally made its commercial debut yesterday, November 12. Today, November 13, the Mouse House is already boasting about the insane subscriber numbers of Disney+, which might explain why it was initially so tricky for so many users to access their family-friendly content.

    According to CNBC, which is quoting an official company announcement, no less than 10 million people have signed up for the surprisingly affordable and incredibly extensive VOD service roughly 24 hours after its Tuesday launch. While the platform’s free 7-day trial makes it impossible to know how many of those “subscribers” will actually end up paying for the service, the figure remains outstanding, giving Disney the perfect start in a very competitive and increasingly crowded market.

    It’s obviously not fair to make these comparisons, but Netflix barely added 6.8 million paying subscribers worldwide between July and September this year for a grand total of more than 158 million people, with Hulu, which just so happens to also be owned by Disney, lagging far behind, at around 28 million subscribers as of the end of Q1 2019, up by 3 million compared to the previous quarter.

    It’s almost hard to imagine just how fast Disney+ will be able to expand its reach when it becomes available around the world. Don’t forget, the November 12 launch was a US, Canada, and Netherlands-only thing, which makes the 10 million milestones that much more impressive. Then again, one important thing that may have helped inflate the number somewhat artificially (apart from the aforementioned free trial) is Verizon’s killer deal for both new and existing customers.

    Of course, Apple TV+ started off with a similarly “unfair” advantage over Netflix earlier this month, as recent iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Mac, and Apple TV buyers are all eligible for a free year of service, and we’re not seeing the Cupertino-based tech giant crowing over the platform’s achievements… yet.

    Clearly, the Disney+ debut can be considered a smash hit, which obviously makes sense given the sheer size and mainstream appeal of its library, as well as the low $6.99 monthly rate, all the premium features and perks included in that price, and the fact you can even share your account with family members and friends… for the time being.

  • Vingroup begins making smart televisions

    Vingroup begins making smart televisions

    VinSmart, the smartphone producing unit of Vietnam’s biggest private conglomerate Vingroup, has revealed its first 55-inch smart TV.

    The smart TVs are currently being manufactured in a factory in Hanoi’s Hoa Lac Industrial Park, and are set to be released around December this year, according to a Vingroup source who wished to remain anonymous.

    They will run on the Android TV operating system, which is currently being used by smart TVs produced by Japanese electronics-maker Sony, according to information leaked on tech forums on Wednesday.

    Users will be able to install applications from the Google Play Store, as well as issue voice commands in Vietnamese.

    The new smart TV has garnered thousands of comments on internet forums, many of which said it should be affordable so that it can compete with existing products of Sony and South Korean electronics-maker LG.

    VinSmart was established by Vingroup in June 2018, and produced its first smartphones just six months after. It has produced a total of eight models thus far. Last month, the company began selling four of its Vsmart models in Russia.

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  • YouTube TV subscribers can now offer 2 weeks of free service to friends

    YouTube TV subscribers can now offer 2 weeks of free service to friends

    It looks like YouTube TV is running a promotion aimed at its subscribers to bring more people under its umbrella. Many YouTube TV subscribers received a free trial code that they can share with friends and family who’d like to check out the service for the first time.

    The code is sent via email and contains a shareable link or code (or both) to make it easier for potential subscribers to redeem the offer. To offer the two weeks extended free trial code, you’ll have to forward the email to whoever you wish to benefit from the offer, or you could share the link directly.

    We can’t confirm if these 2-week free trial codes are given to all YouTube TV subscribers in the US, but if you get one, make sure to share it with whomever you want fast. The promotion will only last until October 16, so those who are given these codes have five more days to redeem them.

    Currently, YouTube TV offers access to more than 70 TV channels, including ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, AMC, CNN, Discovery, and ESPN. A cloud-based DVR service with unlimited storage that saves recordings for nine months is included in the $50 monthly subscription, which can be shared among six accounts.

  • Hulu announces new changes to its app to make it more accessible

    Hulu announces new changes to its app to make it more accessible

    Hulu continues to bring improvements to its app on as many platforms as possible. Although no new updates are available at the moment, the streaming service will be getting important accessibility enhancements very soon, Hulu confirmed in a blog post.

    In fact, if you have a Roku platform, the changes announced today should already be available for you, but Android, tvOS, iOS, and other living room devices will get these new features in the coming months.

    First and foremost, it’s worth mentioning that the update focuses on text legibility and screen reader capabilities. The most important change is the enhanced text opacity that will certainly improve readability.

    Hulu users can enable the screen reader, also known as the audio guide on some devices, by heading to settings to turn on the feature. These screen readers will assist viewers with visual impairments by vocally guiding them through the Hulu platform. Once the update is released for a certain device, it will be applied automatically, so you don’t have to search for anything yet.

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  • Aeon Stores Hong Kong fined over TV sale

    Aeon Stores Hong Kong fined over TV sale

    Aeon Stores Hong Kong has been convicted and fined HKD1200 (US$153) at Eastern Magistrates’ Courts for contravening the Product Eco-responsibility Ordinance (PERO) as a result of not informing a customer about its statutory obligation when selling a television set.

    A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said the department had received a complaint earlier about Aeon Stores failing to provide him with a free statutory removal service after the sale of a television set. EPD enforcement officers carried out investigations at the store and discovered that when selling television sets, staff of Aeon Stores made a false claim that customers must contact a recycler on their own to recycle their old television sets. In addition, staff of Aeon Stores did not inform customers of the sellers’ obligation to arrange a statutory removal service as well as the relevant terms. After collecting evidence, the EPD prosecuted Aeon Stores for contravening the relevant requirements under the PERO.

    The spokesman emphasised that according to the PERO, which came into effect on August 1 last year, when distributing regulated electrical equipment (REE), sellers must have a removal service plan endorsed by the EPD and proactively inform consumers in writing of the sellers’ obligation to provide a free statutory removal service as well as the relevant removal terms. Moreover, sellers must arrange a free removal service for consumers to dispose of waste equipment of the same type and provide a recycling label as well as a receipt containing the prescribed wording when distributing REE.

    The spokesman reminded all the relevant sellers that they must not make false statements to consumers or deliberately conceal the terms of their statutory removal service with a view to avoiding the relevant legal liabilities. Otherwise, they may contravene the PERO.

    First-time offenders are liable to a maximum fine of HKD5000 to HKD100,000 ($637–$12,755). A maximum fine of HKD10,000 to HKD200,000 ($1275–$25,500) may be imposed on a subsequent conviction.

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  • Apple TV getting tvOS 13 update

    Apple TV getting tvOS 13 update

    It’s not just iPhone users that are getting something new this week, but Apple TV owners as well. The new tvOS 13 is now rolling out to Apple TVs around the world, so prepare to check out a handful of nifty new features and improvements, especially if you like to play games.

    One of the most important changes included in the update, multi-user support lets Apple TV owners create multiple profiles that can be customized to provide layouts and recommendations that are relevant for each person using these profiles.

    Moreover, a new home screen is now available for Apple TV users, which accommodates full-screen video previews, a picture-in-picture feature, and a Control Center. Now, as far as the gaming improvements go, tvOS 13 brings Apple Arcade support, but it will also allow the use of Sony’s PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One controllers.

    Also, the Cupertino-based company added Sign in with Apple support, which lets you sign in with your Apple ID rather than requiring to create a username and password. Last but not least, the update adds some under the sea screensavers that were made in partnership with BBC National History Unit.

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  • Disney+ will offer 4K video, four simultaneous streams and more for only $6.99 per month

    Disney+ will offer 4K video, four simultaneous streams and more for only $6.99 per month

    Disney+, the beloved entertainment company’s new streaming service, will launch on November 12th priced at $6.99 per month. During the D23 Expo held in Anaheim, the company revealed some additional information about the Netflix competitor. For example, instead of dropping a whole season of an original show at one time, Disney will release them on a weekly basis. And the House of Mouse will allow Disney+ subscribers to stream content to as many as four devices at the same time and will not charge extra for 4K video streams. Subscribers will also be able to create up to seven different user profiles.

    Netflix, on the other hand, is known for releasing entire seasons of new shows at one time, encouraging the binge-watching crowd to watch a complete season of a show in one sitting. While it allows up to five profiles to be created, Netflix subscribers must pay more ($15.99 per month) for 4K resolution and to stream on four devices simultaneously. This is a strange position for Disney to be in, as many fans of its theme parks will attest to (a one-day ticket to one park is a princely $109). But there is plenty of competition for your subscription dollars and Disney+ needs to bring in some revenue before it can even think about matching Netflix in terms of cost.

    “With less than three months until launch, Disney+ will soon entertain and inspire audiences of all ages for generations to come, and we’re excited to preview some of the amazing original content being created for the service exclusively from our world-class brands today at the D23 Expo. Storytelling is the cornerstone of The Walt Disney Company and we’re thrilled to unveil a new slate of original shows from the Star Wars and Marvel cinematic universes, along with popular television franchises set to return with all-new series streaming only on Disney+.”-Kevin Mayer, chairman, Direct-to-Consumer & International segment, Disney.

    Disney+ will be a mixture of classic Disney movies and animation (don’t forget that Disney’s purchase of 20th Century Fox means that the service will include every episode of The Simpsons) and original shows. The company has access to quite a few popular titles that will be used to create new adventures of popular characters. As pointed out earlier this year in a report from Loup Ventures, how many times can someone watch The Lion King? More likely to drive growth for Disney+ will be new episodes using the same characters from popular Disney classic cartoon and live films.

    Disney announced yesterday that new originals are in development for Disney+ including:

    • The Mandalorian-the first live-action episodic series based on Star Wars which will follow “the travails of a lone gunfighter in the outer reaches of the galaxy far from the authority of the New Republic.”
    • High School Musical: The Musical: The Series-based on the popular High School Musical movies, this show “follows a group of students as they countdown to opening night of their school’s first-ever production of High School Musical.”
    • Lady and the Tramp-A “retelling” of the 1955 animated cartoon, but with real animal stars and CGI.
    • Noelle-A holiday-themed movie starring Anna Kendrick and Billy Eichner.
    • Encore!-This series brings former high-school musical castmates together to recreate shows they performed many years ago.
    • The World According to Jeff Goldblum-Enough said.

    Other shows announced include the return of Hilary Duff as Lizzie McGuire in a new series, Muppets Now which will reunite Kermit and Miss Piggy, and another live-action Star Wars show. The latter will focus on Obi-Wan Kenobi and will star Ewan McGregor.

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  • Hisense launches ‘Social TV’ with an interactive menus

    Hisense launches ‘Social TV’ with an interactive menus

    Television and appliance manufacturer Hisense has launched its brand-new interactive system for large-screen social scenarios in the Chinese market.

    Hisense’s Social TV with Hi Table will provide users with interactive scenarios such as six-party video chat, cinema sharing, 3D Avatar Karaoke, AI fitness, AI visual recognition, and multi-screen communication, among others.

    One application of the device is 3D Avatar karaoke, which employs 5G technology to allow users to sing karaoke together with online friends in virtual scenarios such as Tokyo or Paris.

    The six-party video chat and cinema sharing functions allow real-time chat with family and friends while watching TV shows and sports matches together.

    With its AI fitness function, the social TV allows users to exercise in their living room under the guidance of AI body posture.

    Hisense’s new 55-inch flagship social TV has a recommended retail price of RMB6499 (US$920).

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  • Apple TV+ will allow users to download content for offline viewing

    Apple TV+ will allow users to download content for offline viewing

    A report revealed that Apple’s video streaming service will be coming our way by November of this year, starting at $9.99 a month and likely with a trial period of some sorts to kick things off. Information about the features of Apple TV+ is scarce right now, but a fresh new leak may have revealed one of them – the ability to save offline content.

    New information was discovered in macOS Catalina (the latest version of Apple’s Mac operating system) that suggests that Apple TV+ will allow users to download content for offline viewing. While digging through the code of macOS Catalina, MacRumors discovered lines that refer to Apple’s upcoming TV streaming service. The code suggests that the platform will offer offline viewing, but “with limitations on the total number of downloads, downloads per show or movie, or the total number of times a show or movie can be downloaded.”

    As with most other streaming services, Apple TV+ will also have a limitation on the number of simultaneous streams. If a user attempts to stream on more than the allowed number of devices at once, they will be greeted with a notification to first stop one of the other streams.

    With TV+, Apple is entering a very crowded and competitive field, dominated by the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. It’s going to be an uphill battle for the iPhone maker, but the company has already reportedly invested around $2 billion in its streaming effort, so it evidently has faith in this endeavor.

    Sources with knowledge of the work claim that the company is considering a release model that offers “the first three episodes of some programs, followed by weekly installments,” in contrast to Netflix’s “all-at-once” strategy, where entire seasons are released on the same day for binge-watching.

    Services are among the biggest money-makers for Apple, so it comes as little surprise that the company was so eager to dive into video streaming. In fact, while Apple’s biggest cash cow is still the iPhone, services are right behind it, making Apple more money than the iPad and Mac. Apple TV+ is an integral part of the company’s drive to reach $50 billion in services sales by 2020.

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  • OnePlus TV confirmed to arrive in September

    After revealing the name of its upcoming TV, OnePlus announced today that the device will be launched on the market in September in just one country. If you’re looking to buy the OnePlus TV, you’ll be able to do that next month in India, as this is the first country getting it.

    In case you’re wondering why OnePlus decided to launch it India first, it appears that the Chinese company’s products have had great success in this country thanks to the many fans and supportive community.

    Over the past 6 years, we have achieved great success in India in large part because of our passionate and supportive community. Even after all these years, we’re excited to explore exciting new opportunities hand-in-hand with you. OnePlus TV is such an important product for all of us, and we can’t wait to see it in living rooms all over India.

    The good news is OnePlus announced it is working hard to launch the OnePlus TV in North America and Europe as soon as it establishes partnerships with most of the local and regional content providers because we all know “content is king.”

    Not many technical details about the OnePlus TV are known for the moment, but the company’s CEO Pete Lau said that “image and sound quality are fundamental features” the OnePlus must get right. He also said that OnePlus TV’s design and smart interconnectivity will probably make it even more exciting.

  • OnePlus reveals the name of its upcoming Android TV

    OnePlus reveals the name of its upcoming Android TV

    OnePlus has been dropping hints that it is working on a smart TV since last year. We had nothing concrete on the TV, up until it was listed on Bluetooth SIG, revealing that it will come in a big variety of sizes (from 43 all the way up to 75 inches) and have an LED panel.

    Little else was known, beside this, but just recently, a community representative took to the OnePlus forums and actually confirmed what the TV will be called, sharing alongside a (supposedly) final logo for the device. And, you guessed it, it’s called the OnePlus TV… wait, what did you expect? It’s the most logical naming scheme, and the company thought as much:

    “Yes, we are going to call our very first smart TV product “OnePlus TV” – simple yet to-the-point – as we believe there’s no other name that can best represent our value, vision and pride than naming it with our own brand.”

    The forum thread also reveals the official logo for the OnePlus TV (pictured above), which consists of the OnePlus logo with the letters TV next to it. Again, what else did you expect?

    Out of all the Bluetooth SIG listed OnePlus TV sizes, only the 75-inch version is said to be US-bound. Smaller OnePlus TVs will be launched in other parts of the world, with the 43-inch version, which is the smallest of the bunch, being an India-exclusive.

    Additional 55-inch and 65-inch OnePlus TV models appear on Bluetooth SIG as well, though it’s unclear where they will be released. Although OnePlus filed 40 model numbers for certifications on Bluetooth SIG, not all of them are different OnePlus TVs. These model numbers are merely indicators about the size and region where they will be launched.

  • Honor TVs launched by Huawei running it’s own OS

    Honor TVs launched by Huawei running it’s own OS

    Chinese smartphone brand Honor has launched a flat-screen television it claims “ushers in a new era for the future of TV”.

    Unveiled at the Huawei Developer Conference, the Honor TVs come equipped with three Huawei self-developed intelligent chipsets and is the first television set in the world to carry Huawei’s own operating system HarmonyOS.

    “Honor Vision is not just television as we know it,” said the company’s president George Zhao. “It defines the future of television with Honor’s ‘Sharp Tech’ innovations.”

    Zhao says the Honor TVs will play a more critical role in the future of smart family life. “It is not only a home entertainment centre, but also an information-sharing centre, a control-management centre and a multi-device interaction centre,” he said.

    Huawei launched Harmony to deliver what it describes as a “cohesive user experience across all devices and user scenarios”. Some industry analysts have already commented that the development of the OS mis linked to US tech giant Google discontinuing upgrades for Huawei devices running Android due to security concerns in the west.

    But Huawei says HarmonyOS will be optimised and gradually adopted across the brand’s smart watches, smart screens, in-vehicle systems and smart speakers. It will be released as an open-source platform worldwide to encourage adoption by other tech companies.

    Meanwhile, the new Honor TVs come with a ‘Family Note Function’, allowing users to transfer 600M images between their smartphone and display via Huawei Share software in just 20 seconds – that’s 100 times faster than transferring via Bluetooth.

    The Honor Vision sets will also act as an in-home control and management centre, using software called HiLink, an open ecosystem for the smart home. “The platform as well as the technology will be accessible to other smart home providers in the industry, allowing users to connect their preferred smart home products together,” the company said in a statement.

    The Honor Vision range of 55” 4K TVs includes 2GB+16GB standard versions and 2GB+32GB Pro versions, priced at RMB3799 (US$538) and RMB4799 (US$680) respectively.

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  • Hulu Live TV coming to Android TV in early August

    Hulu Live TV coming to Android TV in early August

    Hulu announced earlier today that its Live TV app will be available to Android TV users starting next month. The Hulu Live TV is already part of the Android 9.0 Pie update that is now rolling out to NVIDIA Shield TV units, but the app is said to be released in waves over the coming weeks.

    Anyway, starting early August, Hulu Live TV, and the updated UI will be available across a range of Android TV devices, including Sony’s Android TV, Xiaomi Mi Box, Hisense Android TVs, and, of course, NVIDIA Shield.

    In case you watch Hulu on any of these compatible devices, you’ll be able to subscribe to Hulu Live TVand gain access to live and on-demanded programming from more than 60 channels, including news, sports, and entertainment in one place.

    For the time being, the Hulu Live TV and the updated UI are compatible with the Android TV device mentioned above, as well as Apple TV (4th gen.), Amazon Fire TV devices, Amazon’s Echo Show, Roku devices, Xbox One, iOS and Android mobile devices, Nintendo Switch, select LG and Samsung TVs, VIZIO SmartCast TVs, Windows 10, Mac and PC browsers, and Chromecast.

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