PlayON iPhone App in the App Store

PlayON.tv now has their app available in the Apple iPhone App Store! (app store link) (itunes link)

Starting today iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users can download the free PlayON Mobile app to their device.  This allows you to have nearly any streaming web content available in the palm of your hand from sources such as Hulu, MLB, NHL, Netflix, Amazon VOD, CBS, Comedy Central, TV.com, ESPN.com, ESPN3, CNN, PBS, PBS Kids, Fox News, SpikeTV, MTV and Vevo.  

Thats right, Hulu.com on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch without having to subscribe to HuluPlus.

The software requires the PlayON software for Windows running on a PC on your network (tdownload a free trial from PlayOn.tv -- after the trial users can subscribe to PlayON for $39 for the first year and $19 for each year thereafter).  Well worth it for giving us all this content on our iDevices, XBox360's, PS3's, Wii's, and any other DLNA compliant playback device.

So far the app looks good and is quite speedy (even compared to the previous HTML5 web interface on iDevices) and best of all, it works over WiFi or 3G.

Way to go PlayON!  Keep up the good work!

NHL GameCenter App Coming to the iPad!

I recently wrote an article about how you can get NHL, Hulu, and many other video sources on your iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad (plus your XBox360, PS3, and Wii) using PlayOn.  

Now, it looks like the NHL GameCenter folks have big plans of their own.  Many have noticed and asked about the "New: Connected Devices" feature shown on the NHL GameCenter sign-up screen.  While the NHL folks have been silent on this issue, I recently learned first-hand from the good folks at NHL GameCenter that they are in fact planning GameCenter Live support for the following "Connected Devices":

Playstation 3, iPad, Boxee, Roku, and Sony Bravia web-enabled HDTVs and Blu-Ray players. 

VLC now on iPad, Napster on iPad/iPod/iPhone

2 great headlines for iPad, iPod, and iPhone media hounds.

In the video department, the renowned VLC video player is available on the iPad for free from the Apple App Store!  This release was made possible by Applidium (and the newly published App Store Rules).  I don't have an iPad to test this one out, but maybe an avid reader of the blog can try it out for us and tell us all about it (@Samboni!?).  My first question: Will it play VOB files with menus?  It does look like it relies upon features currently specific to the iPad allowing it to get files from your computer during the sync process.  It also looks like HP is using a similar file sync method on its iPod and iPhone printer tool under iOS 4 so we may see VLC on our other iDevices soon.

In the music department, the infamous Napster released their app for iPod, iPhone and iPad today at the Apple App Store.  Users get a free trial (with the condition of signing up with a credit card -- beware, if you don't cancel you automatically start your $10 per month subscription).  I'll take the plunge on this during the free trial, but once you add up all of the recurring fee subscriptions I want (NHL GameCenter, Netflix, and now Napster), I need to start deciding which ones are worth it.  I'll update this post with my experience during my trial period.

Boxee Box about the size of a Coke Can!

Wow -- I've seen people posting concerns about the odd shape of the Boxee Box, then I saw how big it really is.

According to the Boxee Blog:


“Rest assured the Boxee Box will fit into your entertainment center. If the look doesn’t quite fit with your decor, not to worry. The RF remote means you can place the box out of sight and still control it. Of course, the Boxee Box prefers being on top.”


You could fit this thing anywhere!  And it really only needs 2 wires -- the power and the HDMI (since it has WiFi the network can be wireless or wired although clearly in this photo they show it with a wired network connection and all of the audio connectors in use).  Even fully loaded with all of its connections, you've got lots of options on where to put it.  And since it comes with an RF remote, you can choose to hide it or show it off (and make the SD slot even easier to access).


Read more about the Boxee Box and its new features (vs the beta) in my other articles or pre-order one from Amazon.com today!  I can't wait to get mine!

Streaming Video Anywhere with TVersity or PlayON

We've cut the cord on the cable/satellite and using Boxee on the main TV to watch Hulu, Netflix, MLB baseball games, NHL hockey games, and just about anything else available online, on the big-screen TV.  So what about the other 3 TV's?  Sure, free over-the-air HD is fine for network shows, but what if we want to watch Psych in the Den (there's no computer attached there but there is an XBox360).  What if the kids want to watch the newest Deadliest Catch on their iPod Touch?

In the near future, all the TV's in my house will have their own Boxee Box but until then how do we get more than 3-4 "local" networks?

There is a solution (actually a few, but, this article will focus on the option I chose to solve everything for multiple devices in my house).

How Will This Work?

It all hinges upon getting the content into your home from the internet either via Hulu, Netflix, or a download from uTorrent; then getting it to your PS3, XBox360 or iOS devices like iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch.  So how does one accomplish this?

Boxee Box's New Features

In my excitement about the Boxee Box pre-orders starting yesterday, I overlooked 4 great new features mentioned in the Product Description on Amazon that are quite noteworthy (and not in the free beta version)

1) When users of the free beta get their Boxee Box and sign-in... "the Boxee Box by D-Link will automatically import your account – making your favorite TV shows, movies apps, and shortcuts instantly available. Booyah."  That "Booyah" is a direct quote from the Boxee Box marketing team, but I second it -- "Booyah!"

2) It's an RF remote!  Double-Booyah! (ok that "booyah" was mine).

3) Looks like there's some new premium pay-per-view services that will be available based on the following quote: "If we can’t find it for free, the Boxee Box will connect you with premium options who can, instantly." 

4) Facebook/Twitter feeds (and it implies to me that you will even be able to post to facebook and  tweet using the QWERTY remote on your big screen but I am reading between the lines on that one...)

Boxee Box Pre-Orders

This Just In... (and first on my list of "What It Does" items from my welcome article)...

Pre-order the Boxee Box from Amazon.com!

At $199 this network based media playback device has great promise for the living room media portal.  And it even comes with a fantastic remote control with a built-in keyboard for easy searching of shows and movies!

Click here for the Amazon.com pre-order page: Boxee Box Pre-Order

Its got a great user interface for browsing  thousands of television episodes available for online viewing via Hulu, PBS, Discovery Channel, NHL Game Center, MLB, ESPN, and many more.  You're sure to find enough content for the entire family, and its super easy to search and navigate.  According to the Boxee staff,   they also plan to have Netflix integrated -- expect a press release on that soon!

Welcome

Welcome to my blog -- http://techhomeblog.blogspot.com

My goal is to provide you with useful information about every day technology applications for your home, especially digital media.

Topics and reviews will mostly focus on digital audio and video distribution throughout the home and the underlying technology.

Imagine sitting on the deck or the back yard with your iPod touch or iPhone, with wireless control of the music being played on the deck and in the kitchen.  Then, using the same device, starting a movie in the basement for the kids to watch.  All wireless, from anywhere in your home (and even away from home).