In an effort to better compete with major players such as Amazon, Google and Microsoft in cloud services, insiders indicate that Apple is developing a high-speed network and changing the way it builds data centers. While Apple has turned to network providers and tech suppliers in the past to support iTunes, iCloud, Siri and more, the company just announced a new streaming music service and is expected to launch an online TV service. Apple’s new initiatives will require faster, more efficient infrastructure to meet the increased demands for content delivery. Continue reading Apple Building a Faster Network and Upgrading Data Centers

Showtime plans to make its standalone Internet video service available on Roku and PlayStation devices when it launches early next month. The CBS-owned cable network originally announced that its OTT offering would initially be available through an exclusive distribution deal with Apple. The $10.99 per month service is the latest to target cord-nevers and cord-cutters who do not have traditional pay TV plans. Variety reports: “Showtime — similar to its arrangements with cable and satellite TV affiliates — will provide a recurring share of the monthly subscription fee to Apple, Roku, Sony and future OTT distributors, Showtime chairman and CEO Matt Blank said.”

Netflix announced this week that it has acquired distribution rights to “War Machine,” with Brad Pitt attached to star and David Michod to write and direct. In the $30 million range, the deal marks the biggest investment the company has made in a feature film so far. It is also the first time that Netflix has secured a deal with a global A-list star of Pitt’s stature. According to Deadline, “War Machine” is a satirical comedy based on the bestselling book about the war in Afghanistan by journalist Michael Hastings. It is slated for release in a small number of theaters late next year, but its primary home will be Netflix where it can be streamed to an international audience.

TiVo has confirmed that its new TiVo Online service will allow subscribers to stream DVR recordings in addition to live television programming via a Web browser interface. The site includes recommendations, an online guide, a search feature, and the ability to manage upcoming recordings and track favorites (including content available via streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu). The DVR maker is looking to address the evolving needs of viewers expecting to access TV on any screen by providing a tool that performs more like a modern streaming service. Continue reading TiVo Online Allows Users to Stream DVR Recordings, Live TV

Facebook has reportedly scrapped its plan to build a satellite that would have been used to provide cheap Internet access to developing nations. Due to the prohibitive cost (an estimated $500 million), the social giant has abandoned a plan that was never formally announced. However, if it decides to move forward, leasing a satellite from another provider could be an option. “Facebook has been exploring ways [to expand] Internet access — and along with it, access to its products — in emerging markets,” reports Business Insider. “One of the key ways is Internet.org, a Facebook-led initiative involving multiple companies to subsidize data costs in certain countries.”

An army of Internet trolls based in St. Petersburg, Russia has reportedly been coordinating complex disinformation campaigns, spreading hoaxes via social media, and wreaking havoc around the Internet. The so-called Internet Research Agency has “become known for employing hundreds of Russians to post pro-Kremlin propaganda online under fake identities, including on Twitter, in order to create the illusion of a massive army of supporters; it has often been called a ‘troll farm,’” reports The New York Times. The agency has used its information warfare against political opponents in Russia and abroad. Sources indicate there are numerous troll farms secretly operating by order of government authorities on multiple levels.

While the first day of Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference did not include any major surprises, the company unveiled interesting details about its much anticipated music service launching this month, new versions of its OS X and iOS operating systems, and software updates to its car, home and smartwatch products. Apple is replacing its Newsstand app with “News,” and Passbook has become “Wallet.” The company announced new partners for Apple Pay, including Trader Joe’s and JC Penney, and an upcoming compatible reader from Square. Continue reading Apple Announces New Products, Updates from San Francisco

The new Apple Music service, unveiled during yesterday’s WWDC in San Francisco, will be released for iOS the end of this month and will be coming to Android devices this fall. The service will allow subscribers to stream their favorite music, access curated playlists, and watch music videos and exclusive clips in HD for $9.99 per month. The company is also offering a $14.99 family plan for sharing Apple Music with up to five other people. Apple is adding a global radio station called Beats 1 that will be run by DJ and music producer Zane Lowe. Continue reading Apple Blends Streaming, Social, Radio for New Music Service

The Interactive Advertising Bureau conducted a survey across 24 countries regarding smartphone video viewing. According to “Mobile Video Usage: A Global Perspective,” mobile screens are increasingly being used to stream longer-form video. Findings indicate that 36 percent of consumers watch videos daily that are 5 minutes or longer. Full movies and TV shows are also viewed on mobile screens, especially in China. Respondents (including 50 percent in the U.S.) indicate that their video viewing on smartphones has increased year-over-year. Continue reading Study: More Streaming of Long-Form Video on Mobile Screens

The latest free update to Plex promises to make your home media server more secure. “Plex has teamed up with DigiCert to provide free SSL certificates for its media servers, meaning that your Plex server will now use ‘top-grade encryption,’” explains Digital Trends. “Not only does this mean it will be difficult to snoop on your streams, but your Plex box is now less of a target for hackers as well.” Secure connection support is being pushed automatically to the Plex Home Theater, Web apps, the Android and Windows apps and the preview Roku app. Secure connection support will later be available for iOS, game consoles and smart TVs.

In partnership with HTC, Valve is distributing its Vive Developer Edition to a number of movie studios, development teams and indie studios. The kit includes two Lighthouse base stations, a headset, a pair of single-handed SteamVR controllers, and the necessary cables and instructions. “The massive differences between creating a game that takes advantage of VR and traditional development makes it all the more important for dev kits like these to be distributed broadly, and well before titles are set to begin shipping,” reports Digital Trends. “Teams will need plenty of time to grow accustomed to the quirks of the new tech.”

Animated feature “Minions” — the upcoming prequel/spin-off to the popular “Despicable Me” franchise — is taking a new approach to marketing its summer release. Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment have partnered with Amazon in a first-of-its-kind deal to brand the retailer’s delivery boxes featuring characters from the film. The bright yellow boxes “help promote the movie not only by raising awareness about the brand itself, but by noting the date the movie arrives in theaters (July 10),” TechCrunch reports. “The boxes point also to a special Amazon URL. As it turns out, that website, amazon.com/minions, is a dedicated shopping site for all things ‘minions.’”

Amazon Allowance enables parents to establish a weekly or monthly payment schedule to credit their children’s Amazon accounts with a cash balance, similar to offering them gift cards. The service — which works for anyone, not just family members — provides recipients with a means of shopping without a credit or debit card. It is also targeting the next generation of young online shoppers. Retailers such as JC Penney, Target and Walmart have made e-gifting (electronic gift cards) part of their new strategies, according to Bloomberg. CEB projects that e-gifting will reach $14 billion in 2017, more than double last year’s figure.

PwC recently released its annual five-year forecast for entertainment and media, dropping the growth rate for ad spending on TV. Last year’s report projected a 5.5 percent annual increase in ad spending over the next five years. PwC has revised that figure to 4 percent through 2019, as original programming from streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon continues to compete with traditional television content. In the U.S., the number is even lower; ad spending on TV has been growing 3 percent annually on average. Continue reading Streaming Services Luring Viewers from Ad-Based Television

From desktops, laptops and tablets to game consoles and other CE devices, the Universal Serial Bus has been the industry standard for cable and connection interfaces for about 20 years. It has been speculated that USB-C, developed by the USB Implementers Forum, would soon become the successor to the USB standard. Intel announced during Computex in Taiwan last week that Thunderbolt 3 will embrace USB-C functionality, and initially offer data transfer rates twice as fast as Thunderbolt 2 and four times that of USB 3.1. Teaming the two could be a game-changer. Continue reading Thunderbolt Adopts USB-C, Universal Port of the Near Future