Verizon Communications announced that it plans to acquire AOL for $4.4 billion as part of its larger initiative to develop mobile video and advertising opportunities. As part of the deal, Verizon will pick up assets such as Adap.tv, Convertro, The Huffington Post, Moviefone, and TechCrunch, among others. According to AOL, the combination of networks will match the scale of Facebook and Google. Following the merger, expected to close this summer, AOL CEO Tim Armstrong will continue running the company and help build the growing content business. Continue reading Verizon to Acquire AOL in Push for Mobile Video and Ad Tech

DVR maker TiVo has confirmed that it is developing a legal version of the failed Aereo service, which combined cloud DVR tech with a system of antennas for capturing over-the-air TV and distributing the content online to subscribers via smartphones, tablets, connected TVs and Web browsers. Aereo filed for bankruptcy after the Supreme Court ruled it had violated copyright law, and then TiVo purchased Aereo’s trademarks and customer lists for about $1 million. The company has scheduled a July event in San Jose to discuss the new product. Continue reading TiVo is Working on Legal Version of Aereo Distribution Model

According to The Hollywood Reporter, “The Blu-ray Disc Association has completed an Ultra HD Blu-ray technical specification that will lead to the release of players and discs that support the new format. Manufacturers will be able to license Ultra HD Blu-ray beginning in July and, presumably, consumer products will begin to roll out later in the year.” The new format supports 4K resolution, high dynamic range, high frame rates and object-based immersive sound, explains THR. BDA notes that a “digital bridge” feature will enable content to be played “across the range of in-home and mobile devices.”

Samsung has unveiled its Artik initiative as part of its push to advance the Internet of Things by connecting devices including drones, fitness trackers, home appliances, light bulbs, security cameras and smartwatches. Artik “centers on tiny circuit boards that come packed with new processors, communication chips, sensors and other components,” reports The Wall Street Journal. “Samsung is also offering software and related services to help configure new devices and connect them to the Internet.” Last year, the company purchased startup SmartThings, which has become part of its strategy to develop a neutral platform for IoT.

As Meerkat and Periscope battle for the lead in live broadcasting via smartphones, Periscope is rolling out a version 10.4 update to make it easier for users to sign up. No longer requiring a Twitter account, users can now use the streaming app by simply entering a phone number. However, Periscope still recommends that Twitter users sign up for the app through its microblogging service since it is easier to identify other interesting users to follow. The update also makes it easier to reply to comments during a broadcast. Continue reading Periscope Update Allows Users to Sign Up with Phone Number

The Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao championship bout on May 2nd drew more pay-per-view purchases than any other boxing match in history. According to The New York Times, “An estimated 4.4 million viewers paid a record price of $89.95 to $99.95 to watch the fight, generating more than $400 million in domestic revenue, Showtime, HBO and the fighters’ promoters said. The pace of purchases was so great on fight night that the bout was delayed by about a half-hour to process the flurry of late orders. The total nearly doubled the previous record for boxing pay-per-view buys: 2.48 million, for the Mayweather-Oscar De La Hoya bout in 2007.”

Technology trade groups — including TechNet, the Internet Association, the Information Technology Industry Council, and the Computer and Communications Industry Association — have joined the Reform Government Surveillance group in support of the USA FREEDOM Act. The bill intends to limit federal government bulk surveillance programs in an effort to protect privacy while still addressing national security. The consortium supports more transparency and a change to the collection of bulk data. Continue reading Tech Groups Express Their Support for the USA FREEDOM Act

Speaking at last week’s Re:publica conference in Berlin, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings suggested that traditional TV as we know it has about two decades left to live, as Internet TV will continue its growth. “Over that time, Netflix will focus more on producing original content and owning the global rights to distribute those shows and movies,” explains Quartz. “The company aims to launch in every country by the end of 2016,” while it experiments with new video formats involving “unconventional episode lengths, interactivity, and virtual reality.” Hastings expects that the TV of the future “will look like a large iPad,” featuring an array of apps.

Shortly after its U.S. broadcast on HBO Sunday evening, pirated versions of episode five of the current season of “Game of Thrones” started to appear on file-sharing sites. Piracy-tracking firm Excipio notes that the episode was downloaded more than 2.2 million times globally in less than 12 hours. The new record comes “after HBO launched HBO Now with Apple and Cablevision, a $15-per-month broadband-only service that doesn’t require a pay-TV subscription,” reports Variety, suggesting that “an over-the-top Internet offering won’t necessarily put a damper on digital pilfering.”

Although there are more Android phones than iPhones, Apple has held the lead over Google in attracting apps in recent years. Many developers prefer iOS because iPhone users tend to spend more and are typically more sought after by advertisers. However, the large number of Android devices is starting to turn the tide. “Each individual iPhone is still more lucrative than a single Android device for app makers, but the overall size of the Android market is starting to be large enough to overcome the per-device difference,” reports Re/code. “Two recent studies suggest the Android ecosystem has started to overtake the one surrounding the iPhone.”

At last week’s Digital Content NewFronts, Snapchat announced that it plans to introduce 10-second video ads that will run 2 cents per view. “The new ad offering creates a new way for Snapchat Discover publishers to generate revenue,” reports Adweek. “Daily Mail North America CEO Jon Steinberg said his company was standing by to create those snaps for brands. To tout the media company and platform’s ongoing partnership, the Daily Mail’s presentation featured a special filter.” Snapchat’s Discover media service, which launched early this year, creates channels for brands interested in temporarily posting photos and videos.

The new credit card-sized $9 CHIP is a single-board Linux computer that features a 1GHz processor, 512 RAM, 4GB of storage, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and optional ports for VGA and HDMI monitors. The PocketCHIP enables users to add a touchscreen and keyboard. “Why do you need this thing?” asks TechCrunch. “A $9 computer — $19 with the VGA adapter and $24 with the HDMI adapter — is a wonderful feat. Like the Raspberry Pi, the medium is the message. Now that we have the ability to buy a tiny computer, we will all discover places we can use it.” As of press time, the CHIP had raised $678,366 via Kickstarter (well above its $50,000 goal).

While Apple is still busy negotiating deals for its upcoming streaming music service, the company reportedly has plans to promote the service with some free content. Apple will not offer free, unlimited on-demand streaming, similar to Spotify and YouTube, but Re/code says we should expect to see “a free trial period, which may range from one to three months… a feature that will let music owners upload a sampling of songs that users could listen to without subscribing to the service… a new version of Apple’s iTunes Radio, featuring stations programmed by human beings instead of computers, which could be localized for different countries.”

According to insiders, Spotify is reportedly in discussions with numerous media companies, TV networks, online video producers and magazine publishers to introduce short video clips to its streaming service as early as this month. The additional content would be available on Spotify’s mobile platform as part of an effort to keep users more engaged, challenge YouTube’s video dominance, and help the service sell more advertising. Discussions with potential partners are believed to be at an early stage and Spotify has yet to announce any deals. Continue reading Spotify Pursuing Major Media Companies to Partner on Videos

As part of upcoming expanded 4K content offerings via its Xfinity in UHD catalog, Comcast announced this week that it plans to launch an Ultra HD set-top box later this year. “The box, called the Xi4, will run on Comcast’s cloud-based, IP-capable X1 platform, enabling customers to create ‘virtual 4K linear channels’ via MSO’s UHD library,” reports Multichannel News. The company is also developing the Xi5 STB to support high dynamic range content. Late last year, Comcast launched an on-demand streaming app initially for Samsung UHD TVs.