Netflix for Apple TV Gains ‘Up Next’ Feature for Automatic Episode Playback [Mac Blog]
Netflix for the Apple TV was updated today to add a new “Up Next” feature, which lets users automatically select the next episode of a television show for playback. While easy playback of the next episode in a series has been long available on the web and in the Netflix app for iOS devices, it’s been noticeably missing from the Apple TV.
Prior to today’s update, Apple TV users were forced to return to the main series menu to initiate the playback of the next episode of a television show, a task that required several extra button clicks. As of today, playing the next episode of a series requires only a single click on the remote as the “Play Next Episode” option pops up as soon as an episode ends.
“Play Next Episode” on the Apple TV is slightly different from the playback feature on iOS devices and on the web, which begin playing the next episode in a series automatically after a short countdown timer. The Apple TV still requires user interaction to play a new episode.
Netflix’s new Apple TV feature comes as the company announces its Q2 financial results, with a total 50.05 million subscribers, up from 37.56 million in Q2 2013. Netflix saw $1.34 billion in total revenue during the quarter, with net income of $71 million.
‘Simpsons World’ puts the full series online, but you’ll need cable to watch everything
First, the good news: At its Television Critics Awards, Fox just announced the details of its plan to put every episode of The Simpsons online for streaming (also, Louie and Fargo have been renewed). Simpsons World will launch in October and let fans browse episodes, create their own playlists, search for/share clips and more. Before that, the FXX cable channel will run “the longest TV marathon in history” by airing the full 25-season / 552 episode run (just for reference, the first HD episode is S20E10, from 2009) in one shot, 24 hours a day, plus The Simpsons Movie, from August 21st until September 1st. The bad news? To access more than just clips, you’ll need a subscription with a participating cable provider. Simpsons World will live both on the web, and through the FXNow app on iOS, Android, Xbox and other smart TV platforms. From those in attendance, like Max Follmer of Brief, the app sounds very well put together, and will let fans do things like follow along with the script as it was originally written and immediately share quotes.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Source: Variety, Broadcasting & Cable, USA Today
Browse ‘The New Yorker’ archives free of charge for the rest of the summer
Let’s face it: We miss out on a ton of great content due to paywalls. After a recent redesign to improve reading via its website across a range of devices, The New Yorker has opened up its archive for the rest of summer free of charge. The repository houses issues dating back to 2007 that will be displayed with the magazine’s responsive layout, tidied-up look and larger images. Once the trial is up, the publisher’s paywall will be similar to that of The New York Times – unpaid web visitors can read a set number of articles, with paid subscribers gaining full access. Before now, the magazine allowed unlimited perusal of free stories while those marked as paid content remained locked away. No word on exactly when the free admission period is up, so you’ll want to take advantage before the leaves start changing.
[Photo credit: Chris Hondros/Getty Images]
1. Our entire archive-dating back to 2007-is available, for free, through the fall. http://t.co/dTmL9W4FWA
– The New Yorker (@NewYorker) July 21, 2014
Filed under: Internet
Via: The Verge
Source: The New Yorker (Twitter)
Netflix crosses 50 million subscribers worldwide
It looks like that (pending 2 years for existing customers) price hike hasn’t greatly affected Netflix’s popularity, as it announced today that it has 50 million customers altogether. About 36 million of them are in the US, and Netflix is about to launch in more European countries in September. The only real change we’re seeing mentioned in today’s earning report is that it’s about to start distributing in-store gift cards this fall, so you can give the gift of Netflix or join without having to pay online with a credit card. The company’s focus of course is how it’s building up a library of exclusive content, and it says Orange is the New Black became the most watched series in every Netflix territory when season two launched. Upcoming shows include Sense8 from the Wachowskis and the Daredevil series it’s making with Marvel, and it’s cast a number of big names for those shows already like Vincent d’Onofrio, Naveen Andrews and Rosario Dawson — check the gallery below for more details.
Developing…
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
Pirate hacks Modern Combat 5 and releases it to the world, Gameloft is not Pleased
Gameloft has been showcasing and ramping up the world for the release of the next Modern Combat installment that is slated for a July 24th push, Modern Combat 5. In a recent contest that the company hosted winners were offered a free copy of the new first-person shooter as a prize. Sadly, one of those winners cracked the game (opened it up so anyone could install it) and started distributing around the web on various torrent sites. Unsurprisingly Gameloft is not happy about the turn of events.
“As you can imagine I am really pissed off,” wrote Gameloft community manager Florian Weber.  “To anybody who got MC5 already, shame on you! We are making games for you and all you can do is pirate them?”
Gameloft has every right to be pissed off. Going on to say “Seriously, this is why we can’t have nice things.” He is right. Piracy is a factor that has played into many games shedding one time payments and switching to in-app purchases and some games never making their way to other platforms. Developers need to make money somehow.
“Anybody which is talking to me and shows in some way that he already has MC5 will get an instant ban.”
It doesn’t stop there though. Gameloft isn’t going to take this act of piracy laying down. They have beefed up their efforts and anyone with an illegitimate copy of Modern Combat 5 will be banned from playing the game. If the thought had crossed your mind to grab one of these pirated version of the game, you are better off just sitting on your hands until its official release in a few short days.
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Facebook’s new Save feature lets you read top ten lists later
Dying to know what the top ten best shows from the 1990s are, but just don’t have time to click through that Facebook link? That’s okay — the social network’s app is about to get a new feature: Save. Think of it like Pocket, but just for Facebook. Links, movies, places music and more can now be added to a “saved” list by tapping on the item’s options drop-down, enabling them to be viewed later through the app’s “more” tab. Saved items (like an interesting restaurant) can be re-shared to your friends, and if you forget to check your saved items for too long, Facebook will remind you. The update is rolling out to iOS, Android and web users over the next few days. A simple, but welcome change. Skip on past the break to see the new feature in action.
Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile, Facebook
BBC Sport apps for iOS and Android get Chromecast support
Four months after it updated the iPlayer app to play nice with Google’s Chromecast, the BBC has extended support for the streaming dongle to its sport apps. As part of today’s update, BBC Sport users can now stream live and on-demand video to their TV from their iOS or Android device. The feature comes just days ahead of the start of the Commonwealth Games, allowing the BBC to double down on its in-app coverage. That’s why it’s also included an option to set medal alerts and access dedicated sections for UK nations, letting you to catch up on related news, analysis and performance charts over the next couple of weeks.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet, Software, Google
Source: BBC Sport (App Store), (Google Play)
China now has more internet users on mobile devices than PCs
Want to know why traditionally PC-centric companies like Microsoft are pouring so much energy into their mobile efforts? Look no further than China, which now says that more of its residents are getting online with phones and tablets than PCs. Of the 632 million internet users recorded this June, 83 percent (527 million) were using mobile devices at least some of the time; meanwhile, 81 percent (512 million) hopped on using computers. Internet adoption was almost exclusively driven by ultra-portable gadgets, in fact. While overall internet use grew about 2.3 percent in the space of half a year, the number of mobile surfers jumped by 5.4 percent. The growth pattern suggests that many first-timers don’t have a PC at all — whatever’s in their pockets may be the only way they connect to the digital world.
It’s not too hard to see why the Chinese would eagerly embrace mobile data. Phone-friendly internet services like the Tencent Weibo social network and WeChat messaging are already huge despite their absence in other countries; the researchers counted 275 million socialites in their findings. Also, a combination of cheap devices and relatively low average incomes (the gross domestic product is just $7,333 per capita) makes it more practical for some people to forego an expensive computer. While we have yet to see a similar shift in the US and other big countries, it may just be a matter of time. Studies already suggest that you’re using your phone more often than your PC; if so, it may not be long before you question the need for a PC in the first place.
Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile
Via: Slashdot
Source: Reuters
Hip-hop producer J Dilla’s beat-making gear headed to Smithsonian
Last week, the Smithsonian announced two of J Dilla’s production tools would be displayed at the upcoming National Museum of African American History and Culture. Thanks to a donation from his mother (pictured above), the influential artist/producer’s custom Minimoog Voyager and Akai MIDI Production Center 3000 Limited Edition will be part of a collection that aims “to explore how popular music helped shape the nation’s history and culture politically and socially.” Before passing away in 2006, J Dilla worked with A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, The Roots, The Pharcyde and many more, creating unique sounds for each in addition to his own solo work. “Everyone who pays attention to hip-hop has heard J Dilla’s work whether they realize it or not,” said Timothy Ann Burnside, the museum’s popular music historian. “In the very demanding world of hip-hop producers, he was one of the busiest and most sought-after.” When the museum opens in 2016, Dilla’s instruments will be included in the “Musical Crossroads” exhibit — one of the venue’s 11 inaugural collections. If you’re unfamiliar with his work, there’s a brief introductory Spotify playlist from our Engadget channel just after the break.
Filed under: Misc
Via: Moog
Source: Smithsonian
iOS 8 Beta 4 Tidbits: Tips App, Control Center Redesign, New Display Options
Apple today released the fourth beta of iOS 8, which brings a number of improvements, changes, and bug fixes to the beta software that was first introduced on June 2.
iOS 8 beta 4 includes several minor interface tweaks and modifications that make the beta feel both faster and more polished. We’ve gathered up a comprehensive list of the enhancements that have been bundled into the release below, and to find out about all of the under-the-radar tweaks in iOS 8 so far, make sure to check out our iOS 8 Hidden Features Roundup.
Tips: The Tips app that was first hinted at during WWDC has surfaced in iOS 8 beta 4, giving users tips on how to use iOS 8 on a weekly basis. For example, there are directions on using quick notification responses, sending voice messages, using notifications for Mail responses, activating Siri hands-free, and more. The Tips app is a default iOS app and cannot be uninstalled.
Control Center: The Control Center has seen a redesign that removes the black borders around the icons on the top and bottom and turns icons white when activated.
Display Settings: There’s a new Display & Brightness section that’s been unbundled from Wallpaper, with options to adjust screen brightness, text size, and activate bold text.
HomeKit: The Privacy section of the Settings app has gained a new Home Data icon.
Messages: The Messages section of the Settings app has new options for Message storage that includes separate expiration options for Audio and Video Messages.
Additional features in iOS 8 beta 4 will be added here as they are discovered. Apple is likely to continue pushing regular updates to iOS 8 at two or three-week intervals to bring minor performance boosts and changes ahead of the operating system’s launch. iOS 8 is expected to be released to the public in the fall. For more information on iOS 8′s features, major and minor, make sure to check out our roundups.
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