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TiVo Central Online adds Now Playing and To Do lists

by Steven Kim posted May 24th 2009 at 2:36PM

TiVo Central Online Now Playing list
Series 3 and HD TiVo owners have a little bit of newness waiting for them at the TiVo Central Online website in the form of Now Playing and To Do lists for their bleeping and blooping DVRs. After playing around with the new features, we have to admit that while they come in handy for managing TiVo scheduling, but we're hoping that the improvements don't stop there. For example, we keep clicking on entries in the Now Playing list, expecting to get a placeshifted stream (or at least a "Keep until/Delete now" dialog; but the video remains safely locked away on our TiVo. While we're wishing, who do we talk to about getting a guide view that shows only our favorite channels?

PBS launches online video portal

by Steven Kim posted Apr 23rd 2009 at 10:09AM

PBS Video beta website logoBetween numerous reruns and our DVR, we can't recall the last time we missed a PBS program we wanted. All the same, we won't complain about having another way to soak up content that our pledge dollars help produce, and now PBS has opened up the beta version of its online Video Portal site with full-length versions of some of its programs. There's even some exclusive content -- the first episode of Time Team America is available on the site right now, well in advance of the July broadcast schedule. Sure, we're disappointed that not all the HD pixels made it to the website, but soaking up an episode of NOVA has got to be a better use of your cubicle time than working on your facebook page; not to mention this is another source for boxee to scrape up.

Tweeter site egregiously hacked as company bows out

by Darren Murph posted Dec 3rd 2008 at 9:56AM Breaking News


Not that we haven't seen websites hacked in good fun before, but this is downright disturbing. Just hours after getting word that the many faces of Tweeter were all fading away into the sunset (to put it nicely), an apparently disgruntled employee has showcased his / her 1337 hax0r skills by totally transforming Tweeter.com's main page. Let's just say it's less than becoming (and the block censor is ours), but the full screen grab is down below if you care to indulge. Hey, if you're going to burn a bridge, you might as well leave it in ruins, right?

[Thanks, Jason]

Update: Fun while it lasted! Now surfing over to Tweeter.com takes you to... nowhere. Check a cached page in the gallery below for a long lasting memory.

Gallery: Tweeter site hacked as company bows out

AVSForum suffers database failure, loses "tens of thousands" of posts

by Darren Murph posted Aug 11th 2008 at 1:58PM


Generally speaking, we don't much cover forums 'round these parts, but the AV Science Forum -- better known as AVSForum -- is the place to go to converse about all things AV-related. In what can only be described as a dramatic bummer, the website suffered a "a major failure in the database and backup storage." Due to the catastrophe, "tens of thousands" of posts were lost over the past week, and the boards have been restored to how they looked on August 2nd, 2008. We get this weird feeling the administrators will be implementing enough backup solutions to keep things humming along 'til the end of time after having this happen, though.

[Thanks, Big Wizz]

Netflix reverses decision, Profiles here to stay

by Steven Kim posted Jul 1st 2008 at 3:12AM

Netflix keeps Profiles
The small but very vocal minority of Netflix customers who made use of the Profiles feature have won a battle war, and the feature will not be going away after all. In the company's blog, the red-envelope overlords explain that the plan to kill off Profiles was intended to streamline the Netflix website by removing a feature used "by a very small minority." But the resulting hew and cry was heard loud and clear, and there are no plans to discontinue Profiles. Better yet, Netflix is now taking suggestions on how to make Profiles even better. So, put away your Cafepress "I want my profiles" shirt, wrest your incendiary cancellation letter from the postal worker and get constructive. If you've already cancelled your Netflix subscription, might we suggest a polite letter explaining how it was all a terrible misunderstanding and you now want to be reinstated at your previous rate?

[Via Slashdot]

Netflix to do away with Profiles

by Darren Murph posted Jun 20th 2008 at 9:00AM


Many of you Netflix users may have never heard of Profiles. For those that have, you'll probably be quite disappointed to hear that it'll soon be vanishing. Put simply, Profiles enables users to "set up separate DVD Queues under one account," and for any couples in the house, they can attest to the usefulness of said feature. Netflix is planning to eliminate Profiles on September 1, 2008, and its only explanation is that "the change will help it to continue to improve the Netflix website for all customers." Anyone perturbed about the change? Does it not bother you at all?

[Thanks, Kris]

Paramount launches Blu-ray support site

by Steven Kim posted Jun 12th 2008 at 8:04AM

Paramount's Blu-ray support site
Now that the Paramount is back onboard the Blu-ray train, it's going above and beyond in its efforts to fuel the format by creating a Blu-ray support website. Insert the joke of your choice about "life support" being more accurate; we still think Blu-ray is coming along fine. Paramount's new website will, naturally, promote the studios releases (complete with links straight to corresponding pages on Amazon), but also adds bits like new player announcements. A big chunk of the page is set aside for a "Coming Soon" Flash player, so expect to see some content poured in there, well, "soon." Given the growing pains Blu-ray is experiencing, we'd choose to remove the non-functional Flash player, but overall we applaud Paramount's effort. And yes, title announcements will buy a lot of forgiveness in our book as well!

[Thanks, Dave C.]

Samsung's Auto Motion Plus so fast, so real it requires expletive to describe

by Darren Murph posted Mar 11th 2008 at 3:47PM


It's not like we haven't seen HD-related websites hacked up before, but we're most certainly hoping some wiseguy (or gal) at Samsung didn't deliberately whip this one up. On a promo website for the firm's 120Hz Auto Motion Plus technology, it nonchalantly explains that said innovation enables the display to "keep it fast and real," but closes things out with a word typically reserved for less public settings. We're hoping someone cleans this up real quick like, but we've screen-capped the offending image above for the sake of comedy.

Update: It's been fixed -- fun's over, kids.

[Thanks, Wendell]

Blu-raydisc.com hacked, redirects to HD DVD Promo site

by Darren Murph posted Dec 21st 2007 at 4:33PM


Tried visiting Blu-raydisc.com lately? You know, that site created by the Blu-ray Disc Association? If you're a newcomer, go on and click that "United States" location button upon arriving -- and shield your eyes if you fear the sight of HD DVD. As of right now, some clever (and equally meddlesome) individual has hacked the website to redirect to the The Look and Sound of Perfect, which is the official website of the HD DVD North American Promotional Organization. Of course, it's impossible to say who did this or what's really going on, but it should provide a hearty chuckle if nothing else. Peep the gallery shot below for a full-screen image of the redirect result. You wanted a format war? Oh, you've got one.

Update: Seems to be fixed now -- 'twas fun while it lasted!

[Thanks, Tom]

Gallery: Blu-raydisc.com hacked, redirects to HD DVD Promo site

Time Warner Cable, Cisco team up on new HD website

by Darren Murph posted Aug 23rd 2007 at 8:14PM


While we've seen companies go out of their way in the past to provide customers with HD assistance, it looks like Time Warner Cable (partly owned by Time Warner, parent company of AOL, which owns Engadget) has teamed up with Cisco to give consumers yet another venue to have their questions answered. A variety of flashy help buttons enable befuddled individuals to select the kind of HDTV most suited for their viewing habits, learn the definitions of commonly used high-definition terms, and of course, goes on to plug TWC HD services. Sure, it's simply an interactive advertisement at heart, but at least it's giving consumers a drop of knowledge whilst fishing for their business.

[Via BroadcastingCable]

Blu-ray backers launch promotional website

by Darren Murph posted Jul 13th 2007 at 7:11AM


A website that should likely be dubbed "Hollywood in Blu-ray" rather than "Hollywood in Hi-Def" has recently emerged, and while it claims to be a more reputable site than those "other promotional portals," we aren't buying it. The site -- which is purportedly backed by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, and 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment -- includes the latest happenings in the BD universe as well as plenty of fluff to get you drooling over its silky smooth image quality. Notably, the site tends to address the desires of both early adopters and those just now taking interest in the format, and the running list of upcoming Blu-ray titles is indeed a nice extra. So go on, tag the read link to see what it's all about, but don't say we didn't warn you when you're overcome with Blu.

[Via VideoBusiness]




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