Streaming video services and TV providers are always looking at ways to optimize and evolve advertising. Now, a new report from Variety details how and why both Hulu and AT&T plan to use start using new “pause ads” next year.
AT&T will soon have competition for its DirecTV Now service, according to a Bloomberg report, which says that Verizon is preparing to launch its own service in the summer.
Verizon Communications Inc. has been securing streaming rights from television network owners in preparation for the nationwide launch of a live online TV service, according to people familiar with the matter. The telecommunications giant plans to start selling a package with dozens of channels this summer.
The service is expected to be available via both set-top boxes and smartphones and tablets …
If you’ve been waiting for the all-in-one mobile TV solution that will let you finally get rid of your old-fashioned cable TV subscription, the latest DIRECTV app together with AT&T’s promised streaming services look set to at last make it a practical proposition.
The latest DIRECTV app lets you watch both live and recorded shows anywhere – including the ability to download shows from your home DVR to your mobile device to watch without a net connection. And if you’re on AT&T, DIRECTV streaming doesn’t use up your mobile data allowance.
Right now, you still need the cable connection and home DVR box, but that looks set to change in the final quarter this year …
AT&T and DirecTV’s $48.5 billion merger has been approved today following more than a year of regulatory review. The merger will see AT&T become the biggest pay-TV company, passing up cable company Comcast. AT&T says it will serve more than 26 million U.S. customers and 19 million users in Latin America.
DirecTV has announced an update to its iOS app today that adds support for Apple Watch. With the DirecTV app on Apple Watch, users can play, pause, rewind, and fast forward recorded content on any connected receiver directly from their wrist.
DirecTV announced a partnership with Fox Networks today that will see its subscribers gain access to content in Fox Now, FXNow, and Nat Geo TV apps on both Apple TV and iOS in addition to other platforms.
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For the first time ever, users who do not subscribe to DirecTV service will have access to the NFL’s Sunday Ticket service on their mobile devices and computers for the 2014 season. During previous seasons, Sunday Ticket users had to have an active DirecTV satellite subscription to stream the games. While no official announcement has been made, DirecTV has published a promotional page for the service, advertising the fact that users can now “access live, out-of-market NFL games without a DIRECTV satellite TV account.
Apple today has added three new channels to the Apple TV lineup: A&E, The History Channel, and Lifetime. Each channel does require a cable subscription to unlock full content, but it appears the most recent episodes of shows are available without unlocking the channels. At the time of launch, each channel only supports DirecTV, Verizon FiOS, and Cablevision Optimum, but the network says it will add support for more providers soon. While current cable provider support is limited, the A&E network did debut live TV streaming in its iPad apps just a week ago with support for a sweeping range of cable providers…
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DirecTV has updated its iPhone app that allows users to access live and on demand programming, as well as manage their DIRECTV DVR, with new voice recognition features today. Accessible from a new tab called “Voice” within the app, the Voice Search feature allows users to “speak to the app just as you would to a person” in order to find and play specific programs.
As you can see from the screenshot to the right, DirecTV has created a UI similar to Siri and other voice-based apps that allows users to see their dialogue as they speak. The app will also let users switch to a TV mode in order to view dialogue and results from Voice Search on their TV instead of the iPhone’s display.
With Voice Search, DirecTV said users will be able to “search for programs by mentioning title, channel, keyword, actor, time frame, genre and more,” and also “change the channel, record, and play content” at home. The new TV Mode also offers a view of personalized recommendations on the big screen.
The update has not yet hit the iPad app and the TV Mode will require users to have an Internet-connected HR24 DVR model or above.
DirectTV users can now do what Comcast, Time Warner and Optimum users can do – stream video in their homes to their iPads. The new 1.3.1 app (Free, iTunes) allows users to stream 40 channels of content…
Turn your iPad into a portable TV and watch your favorite shows in any room of your home.
– Quickly scroll through a list of channels available to watch on your iPad with a dedicated “Live TV Streaming” Module.
– Get tips in the help section to guide you through features in the app.
– Set parental controls to block live TV channels viewed on the iPad.
– Change start and end times to add padding to a program when setting a recording.
There is one caveat however. The new DirectTV doesn’t appreciate Jailbreakers and shuts down if it detects that it is being used on a Jailbroken device (below). Fix is here.
Channels that work with iPad below: