Roku Adds New Search, Sports, Music Features with OS 12.5

Roku TV and the Roku player are getting new features including better search and discovery to complement its more than 400 free live linear TV channels. The upgrades will begin rolling out with the introduction of Roku OS 12.5 in the coming weeks. Highlights include the ability to follow a favorite sports team, new music channels and the ability to link Roku’s Photo Streams image-based screensaver to a Google Photos account, so personal pictures can be displayed between viewing events. The changes are across a wide range of features targeting sports enthusiasts and others, including technical purists and casual viewers who need help finding entertainment options. Continue reading Roku Adds New Search, Sports, Music Features with OS 12.5

Rovi Agrees to Acquire DVR Pioneer TiVo in $1.1 Billion Deal

Rovi Corporation has agreed to purchase TiVo Inc. for $1.1 billion, in a deal that merges two TV tech patent holders as companies including Apple, Comcast and Google are looking to control the set-top box. The FCC is proposing to allow customers who rent STBs from cable companies to “buy their own boxes or alternatives, which would open up what is now a largely closed market,” reports Bloomberg. “This deal was driven by an increasingly competitive set-top box market,” said analyst Paul Sweeney of Bloomberg Intelligence. “Cable operators such as Comcast are investing serious capital to develop next-generation boxes that are threatening the TiVo and Rovi platforms.” Continue reading Rovi Agrees to Acquire DVR Pioneer TiVo in $1.1 Billion Deal

Cable Subscribers Can Watch TV from Anywhere via NimbleTV

NimbleTV now allows users to stream live TV for free, no matter where they are. The cloud-based service can stream via computer, Android phone, iPad, iPhone, Roku and Apple TV. With any cable subscription, users can view the same channels as they can on their television, with the option to search for favorite shows. While expansion to nine other cities is expected this year, the user’s choice of cable company is currently limited to a subscription from an address in New York or Chicago.

Continue reading Cable Subscribers Can Watch TV from Anywhere via NimbleTV