The Federal Communications Commission announced new labeling recommendations for broadband services yesterday. Federal regulators are looking to provide consumers with clarification regarding specifics such as pricing, performance and data caps. “The new labels resemble the familiar nutrition-information boxes that the government requires on many types of foods,” explains The Wall Street Journal. “The disclosures would be displayed at the point of sale, which could include online or at an in-store computer or tablet, according to the FCC.” The move follows last year’s adoption of net neutrality rules to treat all Internet traffic the same. Continue reading FCC Introduces New Broadband Labels to Assist Consumers

While Rovi is holding off on litigation with Dish Network and EchoStar as it negotiates possible licensing extensions, the company has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against cable giant Comcast. In the Comcast suit, “Rovi asserts infringement by Comcast of 14 U.S. patents for features in the cable operator’s products,” reports Variety. “That includes the way that Comcast implements remote DVR recording, AnyRoom DVR and X1 search.” Rovi, which says it has licensing deals with eight of the top 10 U.S. providers, recently reached a deal with Time Warner Cable to extend its interactive program guide and licensing agreement to the end of this year. Continue reading Rovi Files Lawsuit Against Comcast Over Patent Infringement

Sony is expanding its PlayStation brand with the merger of Sony Computer Entertainment and Sony Network Entertainment into “one global interactive entertainment powerhouse,” according to the company. “Sony has consolidated its gaming and multimedia divisions under” Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), reports Tech Times. The new company will have headquarters in San Mateo, California and offices in London and Tokyo. Sony customers are “already seeing the early fruits of that effort with PlayStation VR, and the work will continue across a number of fronts,” said Shawn Layden, president of Sony Interactive Entertainment America. Continue reading Sony Merges its PlayStation and Network Entertainment Units

TBS comedy “Angie Tribeca,” TNT drama “Public Morals” and NBC drama “Aquarius” are among the broadcast TV shows that have experimented with binge releases, replicating the distribution model popular with streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon. Premium cable offerings will try the same this month. On April 10, all episodes of Steven Soderbergh’s “The Girlfriend Experience” and Andrew Dice Clay’s comedy “Dice” will be made available for streaming, but not on Netflix. According to Variety, “‘The Girlfriend Experience’ will premiere on Starz, and ‘Dice’ will bow on Showtime, dropping on their respective digital and on-demand platforms hours ahead of their cable-television debuts.” Continue reading Networks Join Streaming Services by Testing Binge Strategy

Amazon’s live streaming video channel Twitch announced yesterday that it is forming an e-sports league with Super Evil Megacorp, the startup behind battle game “Vainglory.” The three-year initiative will be the first of its kind for Twitch involving a mobile game. Nick Allen, director of e-sports operations at Twitch, said the tournaments could be held at public venues for in-person viewing as well as online broadcasts. “Twitch said viewers watched 150 million minutes of people playing ‘Vainglory’ last year, which debuted on iOS in late 2014 and Android last July,” reports The Wall Street Journal. Continue reading Twitch Plans its First Mobile E-Sports League with ‘Vainglory’

Sony is slated to roll out its 4K movie streaming service on Monday, April 4. First announced at January’s CES in Las Vegas, the new service will be called Ultra. Viewers will be charged $30 to purchase new Sony-produced films and $12-15 to upgrade pre-owned movies from their UltraViolet cloud locker. Ultra will also offer 4K HDR content such as extras previously only featured on discs. Consumers who buy a 2016 4K Sony TV will get four UHD movies bundled with their new television. Transactional VOD rentals are not expected to be an option featured with the launch. Continue reading Sony to Launch Ultra 4K Movie Streaming Service Next Week

According to a new study from Defy Media, teens and young adults still watch television content, but more commonly turn to YouTube, Netflix and other Internet sources for their video. The research indicates that “YouTube is must-have service for 67 percent of consumers 13-24,” reports Variety, “while only 36 percent cite pay TV.” In addition, the majority of respondents say they can live without cable or satellite TV. Younger consumers typically watch 12.1 hours of video each week on YouTube, social media and other online sources; 8.8 hours on Netflix and other subscription services; and 8.2 hours on television. Continue reading Study Notes Young Viewers Watch More Online Video Than TV

Foxconn, the Taiwan-based factory operator best known for assembling Apple’s iPhones, is acquiring two-thirds of Japanese electronics manufacturer Sharp, which supplies phone screens to Apple. The $3.5 billion deal, which follows a slew of public negotiations, rumors and setbacks, could provide Foxconn with leverage to make it a more attractive Apple partner. However, some analysts suggest that the acquisition will hand Foxconn an ailing and costly business. Foxconn is facing rising labor costs in China and a global slowdown in smartphones, while Apple diversifies its supply chain. Continue reading After Months of Setbacks, Foxconn Strikes Deal to Buy Sharp

Facebook has developed new equipment that will enable publishing partners to broadcast high-quality live video content over the social network. “Whereas before a live video on Facebook only required a smartphone or tablet to record the content, major publishers will now be able to integrate this technology into their control rooms, allowing for videos that have multiple cameras, remote segments and a more polished look,” reports Digiday. ABC News, the Denver Broncos and TMZ are among those that have been successfully using Facebook live streaming. Sources indicate Facebook plans to unveil the updated version during its F8 developers conference next month in San Francisco. Continue reading Facebook Readies TV-Quality Live Videos Over Social Media

Vimeo is promoting the original video content available for rent or purchase on its network by allowing viewers to access the same shows and movies directly from their TVs for the first time. Via an updated Roku app, viewers can now pay for and instantly stream selections from 30,000 titles. According to TechCrunch, when you “choose to buy from the new Roku app, you will be able to stream to any supported device — that way you can start watching on the big screen, then later return to view the programming on your smartphone or tablet.” In addition, Vimeo’s creator community should now be able to reach a wider audience. Continue reading Vimeo’s Roku App Makes it Easier to Watch Original Content

The Justice Department revealed it has learned a way to unlock Syed Rizwan Farook’s iPhone without help from Apple. Farook was a gunman in the San Bernardino shooting that killed 14 people. The announcement stalls the legal standoff between the federal government and Apple; the Justice Department will withdraw its efforts to enlist the tech company’s help in the investigation. While the news suspends the privacy vs. security debate, at least temporarily, law enforcement’s ability to open the device without Apple’s assistance raises new concerns. Continue reading Government Says iPhone Unlocked, Apple No Longer Needed

The much-anticipated Oculus Rift headset is hitting the market and its young inventor Palmer Luckey predicts that virtual reality will mark a more significant turning point in tech than Apple II, Netscape or Google. Luckey’s recent interview with NPR’s Kelly McEvers is available on the KCLU site. “Luckey muses about how VR may be better for the environment, why he recommends the novel Ready Player One despite its dystopian view of the VR future, how VR is facing similar pushback to the one faced by rock ‘n’ roll and swing dancing in their time and what ethical questions are raised by the use of VR for journalism.” Continue reading Palmer Luckey Talks Future of VR as Oculus Rift Hits Shelves

Twitter’s Periscope celebrated its one-year anniversary this weekend by announcing that 200 million broadcasts have been hosted via its app so far, with 100 million in the past three months. “In addition, 110 years worth of live video is watched per day across Periscope’s iOS and Android apps, which represents a 91 percent increase from last August,” reports VentureBeat. While primary competitor Meerkat is pivoting its live-streaming efforts, and new competition is expected from Facebook Live and YouTube Connect, “Twitter has placed a lot of weight on Periscope, especially as it focuses its vision around live events.” Continue reading Periscope Celebrates its First Year, Hits 200 Million Streams

Music streamer Vevo recently introduced more personalized music apps for Android, iOS and Apple TV that use recommendation algorithms. Now, the company is extending that personalization through new integration with Spotify, Twitter and YouTube that helps the platforms learn which artists users want to follow. Rather than reinventing the wheel, Vevo is importing data from Spotify, Twitter and YouTube to create a smarter and faster feed. “In addition, the company says that it has redesigned the overall onboarding experience to utilize machine learning techniques to help get users connected with the artists they like,” notes TechCrunch. Continue reading Vevo Gets Personal with Spotify, Twitter, YouTube Integration

The music industry has experienced an increase in streaming revenue and a resurgence in vinyl record interest. However, “a closer look shows that the big sales numbers that have sustained the recorded music business for years are way down,” reports The New York Times. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, sales revenue for music in the U.S. has remained around $7 billion since 2010. During that time, streaming via Pandora, Spotify, YouTube and others has been taking over CDs and downloads, as the “music industry finds itself fighting over pennies while waving goodbye to dollars.” Continue reading Music Business Faces New Challenges in Shift to Streaming