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HBO Now updated with iOS 9’s picture-in-picture iPad feature

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One of iOS 9’s most useful features on modern iPads is the ability to playback videos from the Home screen or other apps using picture-in-picture. Video services have to opt-in to supporting PIP, though, so it means App Store apps must be updated before the feature works.

HBO has done just that with their iOS 9 update for iPad, supporting picture-in-picture when you leave the HBO Now app while you’re watching a movie or TV show. The feature is only mentioned in the update for the standalone HBO Now service, however, so the HBO Go version which requires a cable subscription may not support it.
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Kindle for iOS adds a new font for digital screens, HBO Go now supports HDMI playback

Two interesting app updates out today that make enjoying media from your iOS device even better.

On the reading front, Amazon has updated its Kindle for iOS app to include a font called Bookerly that it says was designed especially for reading on a digital screen. The font, which was first made available on its Kindle Fire devices, is described by Amazon as “warm and contemporary.”
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HBO GO iOS app updated with fresh design to match new HBO NOW app

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Following the release of HBO’s new HBO Now app for its $14.99/month standalone streaming service, today the company updated its main HBO GO app with a similar, long-awaited redesign.

Here’s what HBO GO looked like prior to today’s update (left) next to the new design (right):
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HBO NOW standalone streaming service debuts on Apple TV, iPhone & iPad with 1-month free trial

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Apple TV HBO Now

HBO’s new standalone streaming service called HBO NOW has officially launched on Apple TV, iPhone, and iPad. HBO NOW allows subscribers to watch the premium network’s movies and TV shows online. The service is similar to Netflix as it’s delivered over a high-speed Internet connection rather than cable or satellite and doesn’t require long-term committments through contracts. Here’s how to get HBO NOW works:
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How-to: Setup and Use Chromecast to stream your content from a Mac and iOS device

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The Chromecast, Google’s streaming HDMI dongle came out last summer. It is compatible with any Android device running 2.3 or later, iOS device with iOS 6 or 7, and any Mac or PC. Initially, users were able to stream Netflix or Youtube from an iOS device and Android device, Google Play Movies and Music only on Android, or cast websites using the Chrome browser on a computer. The Chromecast works differently from Airplay in that you can multitask and do other tasks on the device or you can let it go to sleep while streaming.

Very quickly after its release, Chromecast has received support for Hulu +, Pandora, and HBO GO. Last month a major update added ten new apps including Plex, Vevo, Songza, Red Bull TV, Post TV from the Washington Post, Viki, RealPlayer Cloud, Avia, Revision3 Internet Television and BeyondPod. The most recent update the Chromecast received allowed users to stream Google Play Movies and Music directly from the Chrome browser on a computer.

In this How-to, we’ll discuss how to setup the Chromecast, use it with a Mac and iOS device and explore its gaming potential.


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HBO GO for iOS picks up Chromecast support

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9jA2km9TKM]

Google announced today Chromecast support for the HBO GO apps for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

This means HBO GO subscribers can now push content from their iOS Devices to their Chromecast-connected HDTVs. HBO GO casting is also available from the website from Chrome browser.

The actual Chromecast hardware is only $35 on Amazon (and if that’s not cheap enough, keep an eye on 9to5Toys for more deals) and offers a comparable experience in many ways to AirPlay on Apple TV. HBO subscribers can download and use the HBO GO apps at no additional charge from the App Store.
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iTunes just pips Netflix and HBO Go in streaming video satisfaction ratings

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A Foresee survey of consumer satisfaction with streaming video services found that iTunes got the top slot, just one point ahead of runners-up HBO Go and Netflix. Close behind were Amazon Instant Video, Crackle and Hulu Plus.

The average score across all streaming video services was 77 – ten points up on the previous year. Though looking at ‘mobile’ devices, 52 percent of all streaming on tablets and phones was actually done from home.

Source: Electronista

 

 

Big Apple TV 5.3 update adds HBO GO, WatchESPN, Sky News and more

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Apple has just pushed out a massive update to its $95 set-top box that brings the much anticipated HBO GO and WatchESPN channels to the platform. According to the Apple press release, users will be able to watch content from HBO and ESPN directly from their Apple TV without the need for a direct cable subscription though “HBO GO on Apple TV requires a subscription to HBO through participating television providers” (thanks mom and dad!). HBO GO on Apple TV was reported by Bloomberg earlier this year while ESPN talks have been going on for over a year.

Video by Matthew:


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HBO Go iOS app updated with AirPlay multitasking & new interactive features for Game of Thrones

HBO-GO-Game-of-ThronesHBO has pushed out an update to its HBO Go app in at least the US today. Version 2.1 brings AirPlay multitasking support, allowing videos from the HBO Go app to continue playing while users navigate to other apps. Also included in this release is enhancements to the interactive features experience for the network’s popular Game of Thrones series and the usual performance enhancements:

– Includes AirPlay multitasking capability — other apps can be used while video continues to stream via AirPlay.
– Enhancements to the interactive features experience for Game of Thrones
– General performance enhancements

HBO Go version 2.1 for iPhone and iPad is available from the App Store now.

HBO considers U-turn on cable-free access to HBO Go

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Reuters reported that HBO might consider a reversal of its previous position of not allowing access to HBO Go without a cable subscription.

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HBO Go launched 3 years ago to allow subscribers to watch shows on tablets, but the service is so far restricted to those who have a cable TV subscription with an HBO partner and pay a top-up HBO fee. Co-President Eric Kessler had previously, and rather naively, said in a video interview at VideoNuze that those abandoning cable TV for purely online viewing was “minimal” and a temporary response to the economy, and he said there was no reason to offer a standalone mobile service.

This position now appears to be softening, with CEO Richard Plepler recognizing that a growing number of consumers want to choose both content and viewing platform at will.

“Right now we have the right model,” Plepler told Reuters on Wednesday evening at the Season 3 premiere of HBO’s hit TV show “Game of Thrones.” “Maybe HBO GO, with our broadband partners, could evolve.”

Companies like HBO are faced with a difficult tightrope act. While they earn billions of dollars from their existing sales model, any new offering that risks cannibalizing revenue is a frightening prospect for the company. Equally, however, it’s clear that ‘cable-cutting’ —giving up cable TV subscriptions in favor of online viewing— will only increase. Failing to respond to this is not an option.

One number will be looming very large in front of HBO: 25 million. That’s the number of illegal downloads of its hit show “Game of Thrones”. While some substantial proportion of those people would download pirated content for free no matter what options were available, there is a growing phenomenon of illegal downloads by those who would be willing to pay for content simply because existing deals don’t allow them the freedom to simply pay for the content they want on the device they want.