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VLC media app gains Split Screen + Touch ID features on iOS, much more

VLC

[Update: VLC incorrectly included Apple TV support in today’s release notes. That release is coming “very soon” but not available today. The iOS/watchOS updates are out today.]

[Update 1/12/2016VLC for Apple TV is now available.]

The popular VLC app for playing a variety of media formats not supported by iTunes has now made its way to the new Apple TV. We heard in September that VLC for Apple TV was in the works, and last month the team started accepting beta testers. Today VLC for Mobile delivered a major update that includes the first Apple TV version as well as a handful of new features on iPhones and iPads.


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Opinion: It’s time to give movies and TV shows the Apple Music treatment

I don’t plan on subscribing to Apple Music when my free trial of the service runs out. It’s not really something I care to pay $10 a month for. I’m not an avid music listener; I sometimes put some hip hop on in the car, but that’s about it. For me, paying $10 every month for access to a large library of music that I don’t plan to use to the fullest extent just isn’t worth it, and I prefer to own what music I do listen to.

I also hate the idea of subscription software, like Adobe’s current Creative Cloud offering. Like my music, I’d rather own my software outright than pay a monthly fee to have access to it. The same is true for just about every other subscription service that’s out there.

So it might surprise you to find out that I think Apple should get into the TV and movie subscription business. What’s more, I’d be willing to pay every single month for access to that service. Why the difference of opinion on this topic? Keep reading and find out.


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Hulu for iPhone updated w/ Apple Watch remote app for controlling playback, Chromcasting, more

Hulu is out today with a neat update to its iPhone app that puts a remote for controlling playback and more right on your Apple Watch. Like most Apple Watch apps, the Hulu remote app is limited in what it can do on its own, but it becomes a handy utility once you start video playback on Hulu from your iPhone.
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60Hz TV tracker updated to version 4.0 with overhauled UI, smart queue, and much more

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60Hz, the TV tracking app we’ve previously covered, has received a massive update to version 4.0 today, introducing a completely redesigned interface and many new features to help you find new shows and keep track of your current library.

While version 3 maintained much of the same functionality as version 2 with a fresh coat of paint on top, the newest release has rethought the entire application completely with great results.


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Amazon Instant Video iOS app adds HD content, streaming over cellular

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The Amazon Instant Video app for iOS is getting a nice update today that brings streaming of content in HD as well as the ability to stream over a cellular connection. Previously users were only able to stream over WiFi, but will now be able to stream movies and TV shows on their LTE connection while on the go. 
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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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Apple adds FX NOW channel w/ on-demand TV & movies to Apple TV

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Following a report in July that Apple was planning on adding a new FX Now channel to Apple TV within 12 months, today the channel has officially arrived for users in the US. Like the FX Now app that was already available on iOS devices via an app for iPhone and iPad, the channel offers on-demand video streaming with content from the FX, FXX, and FXM networks. 
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Netflix updates its Apple TV and iOS apps with design refresh

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Last night Apple TV users started seeing a new channel icon for Netflix as the company recently updated its logo, and today both the iPhone and iPad versions of the Netflix apps were updated to version 6.0 which includes the new design.

The updates to both Apple TV and the iPhone and iPad apps don’t bring much else aside from the new logo and slight design tweaks, but the iOS apps do include bug fixes and faster video playback according to Netflix.

The Netflix channel update on Apple TV should be available without any software updates, and the latest version of Netflix for iPhone and iPad is available today on the App Store
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Hulu announces free viewing coming to mobile this summer

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At Hulu’s Upfront event in New York today, the streaming media company announced some interesting news for cable cutters and entertainment indulgers. Beginning this summer, viewers without paid Hulu Plus accounts will be able to view full episodes of TV shows via the Hulu mobile apps at no cost. The content will still be ad-supported, of course, as even paid members are exposed to advertising, but content will include full TV episodes. Currently, only Hulu members with a paid subscription can access content on mobile devices like the iPhone and iPad and free viewing is restricted to the web. Additionally, Hulu says the company will release “the next generation” of its Hulu Plus app for iPhone around the same time this summer.
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Rdio, Crackle, & Vudu updated with Chromecast streaming support

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Adding to the catalog of Chromecast-supported content, Rdio and Crackle are both adding the ability to play more content from your smartphone, tablet, or browser to your TV today.

Crackle has refreshed its Android and iOS apps with support for Chromecast streaming. The Sony-backed content provider serves up a number of movies and TV shows for free including comedian Jerry Seinfield’s “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” original.

Video streaming service Vudu has also added Chromecast support in the latest versions of its Android and iOS apps. The Walmart-owned service includes HD movies and TV shows with no subscription.
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9to5Toys Last Call: Seagate 4TB desktop HD $125, Toshiba 2TB portable HD $95, daily deals, more

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: TwitterRSS Feed,FacebookGoogle+ and subscribe to the new Safari push notifications feature.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:


USB 3.0 External Hard Drives: Seagate Expansion 4TB Desktop $125 (Reg. $170), Toshiba Canvio Basics 2TB Portable $95 (Reg. $150)

logitech-harmony-deal-amazonDaily Deals: Polaroid 1080p Waterproof Camera $90, Logitech Universal Remote Control $80, Craig BT Speaker $18more

Other great deals from today:

More great deals still alive:

New products/info:

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TV Shows seeing outage for some on Apple TV, iTunes Store (update: back)

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We’re receiving multiple reports from readers indicating that the TV Shows feature on Apple TV and on iTunes on Mac in the United States is seeing an outage. So, it’s not just you. Apple is yet to comment on the downtime on its official status page.

https://twitter.com/cmm6501/status/373129216117575680

https://twitter.com/HarleyQuinn7123/status/372927860270698496

https://twitter.com/jasonsandmeyer/status/373130575118630912

Update: We’re getting reports that TV shows are starting to come back for some users. 


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TeeVee 2 for iPhone, TV show tracking with a modern look [Review]

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In a world where Netflix releases entire seasons of TV shows at a time, like House of Cards and the new season of Arrested Development, personally, I find it increasingly difficult to schedule myself around when HBO wants to air a show or even when it has already aired something.

So when I shared a screenshot on Twitter a few months ago of Episodes, an app that allows you to follow and manage TV shows, a handful of people asked me which app this was I was using. Managing and tracking TV show scheduling is clearly something many people need a solution for.

TeeVee 2 is similar in that it allows you to follow your favorite shows on television without having to manually input any information aside for the name of the series.
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Netflix is now larger than HBO, now offers $12 family plan

Netflix.

Netflix, the streaming media company who just announced huge gains in its quarterly numbers, is now larger than HBO, according to Quartz.

After several strong quarters of growth, Netflix now has 29.2 million people in the US subscribed to its $8-a-month streaming plan, which is, for the first time, greater than HBO’s domestic subscription base of 28.7 million.

Quartz notes that Netflix, while not a cable network in the traditional sense, is now viewed more than any traditional U.S. cable market.

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From an internet service standpoint, Netflix is also fairing quite impressively, making up 33% of all downstream traffic, which is more than services like YouTube, Amazon Video, and most impressively, iTunes.

As part of the earnings announcement, Netflix also noted that it would begin offering a $12 monthly family plan that would allow 4 simultaneous streams.


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Apple adds option to download “Later” for movies and TV shows through iTunes in the Cloud

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Download-Later-iTunes-in-the-Cloud-moviesApple has recently added a new option for iTunes purchases on both the Mac and iOS devices running iTunes 11 and iOS 6 or later. Now, when purchasing content that includes a large download, such as movies or seasons of TV shows, iTunes will allow users to complete the purchase and opt to download the file at a later time. As noted by Macworld, Apple outlined the new option, which presents users with a dialog to “Download” now or download “Later”, in a recently updated knowledge base article.

Selecting the new “Later” option will add the purchased content to your “Purchased” tab in iTunes in the Cloud, meaning the feature is only available to those in countries that support iTunes in the Cloud (full list here). According to Apple’s knowledge base article, the option applies to content including: TV seasons, season passes, movie bundles, music box sets, or individual movies and TV episodes. 
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Apple rolls out iTunes in the Cloud movies and TV shows in France, Denmark, Greece, Norway, Sweden & Holland? (Update: Apple confirms)

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Update: TNW confirmed with Apple that a total of 12 countries have received access to movies in the Cloud, while France is the only to get TV shows today:

Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden have all received the service, which allows access to previously downloaded movies. Apple confirmed with us by email that France was the only country in this batch to receive iTunes in the Cloud for TV shows.

As first reported by French website iGen.fr, Apple appears to be rolling out iCloud access to TV shows and movies in France. The feature allows users to download content purchased through iTunes to various Apple devices, and it has been available in the United States and elsewhere since 2011. The site first noticed access to the movies and TV show sections in the iTunes desktop app but confirmed the content is also accessible from Apple TV in the country.

As noted by TNW, a small number of users on Twitter are also reporting that access to TV shows and movies in the cloud is also now available in Holland and Sweden.

Other readers have said the feature is also available in Denmark, Greece, and Norway:

It’s not clear if Apple has officially launched the feature or access has mistakenly been opened up temporarily. Apple has yet to update its iTunes in the Cloud availability page to reflect the rollouts.

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Movies and TV Shows oddly disappear from Apple TVs for many users

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[tweet https://twitter.com/jonveal/status/284257950065897472]

Several 9to5Mac readers, most of which are located in the United Kingdom, reported that movies and TV shows have oddly disappeared from the Apple TV menu. A thread on Apple’s Support forums confirmed many users are now experiencing the issue.

While the problem originally appeared to only affect users located in the U.K., more reports on Twitter, as highlighted in the selection of tweets below, from New York, France, Ireland, and Australia further confirmed missing icons. One user on Apple support forums claimed Apple informed him the icons would be restored soon and that the stores continue to work in the U.S. and Luxembourg:


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Apple rolls out Complete ‘My Season Pass’ feature on iTunes

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Similar to the Complete My Album feature that debuted on iTunes in the summer of 2009, Apple today launched a similar offering for television shows aptly named “Complete My Season Pass”. As you know, iTunes Season Pass lets users buy an entire television show season and have individual episodes automatically downloaded up to 24 hours after they air on the tube.

So, let’s say you previously purchased individual episodes of Desperate Housewives and now want to upgrade to the entire season, but without having to re-purchase the episodes you already own.

Well, per MacRumors:


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