For years Google has been evasive about plans for its public cloud for computing and data storage. However, the company is soon to announce pricing, features, and performance guarantees for both startup and multinational companies. Google’s efforts are part of an escalating battle amongst technology companies to control government and corporate computing through public clouds. This battle includes such companies as Microsoft, IBM and Amazon. Continue reading Google to Announce Plan for Cloud Computing and Data Storage

More television fans are turning to “catch up viewing” for their favorite TV shows. Although video on demand is increasing in popularity, TV outlets do not really benefit. Advertisers do not see a point in supporting TV episodes more than a few days after the initial air date. Comcast plans to experiment with allowing advertisers to place the same commercials on older streamed episodes of TV shows that are featured with current episodes. Continue reading Comcast Plans New Advertising Approach for Video On Demand

YouTube is reportedly planning to launch its premium on-demand music service later this year, according to sources. The service, similar to Spotify, but including video, is designed for mobile music listeners. It is expected to offer a tiered approach, with an ad-supported free component and a premium option that includes unlimited access to a catalog of songs similar to the All Access subscription service available via Google, YouTube’s parent company. Continue reading YouTube Could Launch its On-Demand Music Service This Year

Entertainment media execs met with President Obama this week to discuss including copyright protections in new trade agreements and help in facilitating improved relations between Hollywood and Silicon Valley. During the meeting, the president offered his administration’s assistance in bridging the divide between the two industries. A priority in Hollywood is to stop search engines from linking to websites that stream pirated content. Continue reading Hollywood Executives Discuss Piracy with President Obama

Intel is reportedly asking about $500 million for its OnCue service, which the chipmaker developed before making the decision to no longer pursue its online pay TV ambitions. The company is looking to secure a sale by the end of the year, according to inside sources. Verizon, which has been talking with broadcast and cable channels regarding terms for a streaming TV service, is believed to be one potential suitor. Intel has also met with Samsung and Liberty Global. Continue reading Intel Looking to Sell Online Pay TV Service for $500 Million

Spotify and Bravo have announced a collaboration that will make the cable network Spotify’s first U.S. television partner to develop custom playlists for shows. The first playlists will be available on the day of the premieres of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” “Vanderpump Rules” and “Thicker Than Water.” Playlists will then be updated during the season with songs that reflect the characters and each show’s developments. Continue reading Spotify Joins Facebook and Twitter in Social TV Conversation

The National Football League and Major League Baseball are trying to convince the Supreme Court to grant broadcasters’ petition to challenge Aereo, a startup that enables unauthorized streaming of local broadcast signals. The NFL and MLB filed an amicus brief that suggests that if Aereo is not challenged, sports programming will likely switch over to cable. Broadcasters assert that Aereo undermines their ability to collect retransmission fees. Continue reading NFL and MLB: If Aereo Not Challenged, Sports May Go to Cable

Time Warner Cable and Discovery Communications have reached an agreement that will allow the cable company’s subscribers to watch shows from the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet online. Discovery had previously been holding out on letting its shows be streamed because it wanted better ratings measurement for viewers on mobile devices. Now that Nielsen will soon make that data available, Discovery says it is on board. Continue reading Discovery Programming to be Available via Online Streaming

Major League Gaming has worked to attract video game enthusiasts over the past decade and is now releasing its own premium eSports network, MLG.TV. MLG has tried different distribution platforms in the past for its events. The company, founded in 2002, has shifted from broadcasting its programs on cable networks to broadcasting online. They have also attempted multiple streaming plans, as well as a partnership with Twitch. Continue reading E-Sports Programmer Major League Gaming Launches Network

Nuvyyo is developing an affordable alternative to Simple.TV’s streaming DVR with its own Tablo DVR, a set-top box that streams both live and locally recorded broadcasts to Android and iOS-powered devices, as well as Roku players and Web browsers. Unlike other DVRs that often rely on cloud services or are linked to television, Tablo is an attractive option for consumers looking to cut cords altogether, and reduce long-term costs. Continue reading Cord-Cutting: New Tablo HDTV DVR is Driven by Tablet App

Sources confirm that Comcast, the nation’s largest cable operator with nearly 22 million video subscribers, plans to expand from renting to selling major studio movies directly through its cable boxes by the end of the year. Comcast will join streaming services such as iTunes and Vudu in offering the option to purchase titles in an evolving new window known as “early EST.” While viewers typically pay about $5 to rent a movie through VOD, digital purchases run $15-$20. Continue reading Cable Operator Comcast Has Plans to Sell Hollywood Movies

In its effort to get apps, games and entire desktops running on the cloud, Amazon is launching two new Web services. The first, AppStream, enables developers to run and render an application in Amazon’s cloud. It can then be distributed to users on a variety of platforms. The second, WorkSpaces, will allow virtual desktops to be managed through Amazon’s cloud, a solution that Amazon claims would run for less than half the cost of a company maintaining its own virtualization servers. Continue reading Amazon Unveils New Web Services to Stream From the Cloud

Netflix has launched a visually richer interface with rotating images for subscribers who access the streaming service via television. The new interface is designed to improve discovery and playback, in an effort to increase the amount of time subscribers watch Netflix content on their TVs. Three automatically rotating images will appear for each selected title, featuring a short synopsis for each TV show or movie, and easy access to recommendation tools. Continue reading New Netflix Interface Improves Video Discovery and Playback

Netflix has reportedly been approached with a new proposal that could bring movie serials, popularized in the 1930s, back to theaters. The plan would also provide Netflix with content sooner after theatrical distribution. The proposal calls for movie studios to produce miniseries comprised of one- to two-hour episodes that would be released in theaters about every two months. A few weeks after their theater releases, the episodes would then become exclusively available on Netflix. Continue reading Turning to Nostalgia: Will Netflix Bring Back the Movie Serial?

Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-West Virginia) introduced the Consumer Choice in Online Video Act yesterday — legislation that intends to safeguard competition in the online video market, by preventing cable and satellite companies from stifling growth of services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon. The proposal could be good news for consumers who complain about subscriptions that include channels they don’t watch, although industry pushback is likely. Continue reading Senate Commerce Chair Announces Bill to Bolster Online Video