| Last week, Apple TV picked up a feature that gives it a big advantage over other streaming boxes—at least in theory.
I’m talking about picture-in-picture mode, which in tvOS 14 allows video to play in a miniature window while another video plays in the background, either from the same app or a separate one. Picture-in-picture is a staple of some traditional TV services—most notably Dish Network’s satellite service—and I’ve heard from some folks who refuse to cut the cord without an equivalent on streaming devices.
Unfortunately, I haven’t found any popular third-party apps that actually offer picture-in-picture mode on Apple TV yet. The good news is that there’s a workaround, which uses AirPlay to make picture-in-picture work with a wide range of apps. And when it works, it’s pretty glorious. Read the full column TechHive. |
| Amazon’s new Fire TV Sticks: Amazon has given its $40 Fire TV Stick a long-overdue upgrade, with a 50% faster processor and support for HDR video. It doesn’t support 4K video or Dolby Vision HDR, so you’d still need a $50 Fire TV Stick 4K or $120 Fire TV Cube for those features.
Amazon has also announced a $30 streaming dongle called the Fire TV Stick Lite, which has the same processor and HDR support as the standard Stick, but lacks TV volume and power buttons on its remote. Oddly enough, though, the Lite version has an extra remote button that Amazon’s other steamers lack, linking straight to the Fire TV’s Channel Guide feature. I’ll always suggest spending a bit more for a remote that has TV volume and power functions, but that extra button could complicate the decision for some folks. Both the new Stick and the Lite version are up for pre-order now and will launch on September 30.
Meanwhile, Amazon is overhauling its Fire TV software to make it a bit less chaotic. The interface has fewer sections to navigate through, and your favorite apps will remain persistently visible along the navigation bar. You’ll also be able to switch between up to six user profile files, and if you say “Alexa, go to my profile,” it’ll recognize your voice and switch profiles after an initial setup process. Amazon says the software upgrade will ship on the new Fire TV Sticks first, and will roll out to other devices later this year.
Roku gets Peacock: Roku and NBCUniversal have made a deal at last, so you can now download Peacock on Roku streaming players and smart TVs. The app includes free episodes of many NBC shows and a collection of “channels” streaming live NBC content, while a $5 per month Premium subscription gets you access to more full seasons of NBC shows and Peacock originals, along with early access to late night shows and next-day access to NBC’s primetime programming. A $10 per month subscription removes ads on all but the linear channels.
The months-long fight between Roku and NBCU almost went in the opposite direction. The network threatened to pull its other apps from the platform last Friday, but the two companies found common ground later in the day. Variety reports that as part of the deal, NBC will offer some of its content for free through The Roku Channel, where Roku controls the targeted ads and stands to make more money on from what its users watch. Roku’s push to get more content onto its own channel is one reason the company has become less of a neutral party in the streaming wars than it once was.
There’s still no word of progress between Roku and AT&T’s WarnerMedia, whose HBO Max app has been unavailable on Roku players since its launch in late May. Amazon’s Fire TV streamers are still missing both HBO Max and Peacock, but at least you can sideload those apps on Fire TV as a workaround.
Sling TV’s watch parties: Sling TV has become the first live TV streaming service to offer a “Watch Party” feature with video chat. This will allow Sling subscribers to watch live shows or sporting events with faraway friends though a desktop web browser. Eventually, everyone will need a Sling subscription to participate, but Sling is letting subscribers invite friends and family into their chats at no charge through September 30. (The other participants will still have to create a free Sling TV account, which presumably means they’ll be signing up for marketing emails.) You can set up the Watch Party feature here. |
| Philo is working with Best Buy to bring down the price of its service for the first month. If you make a qualifying purchase of an antenna, streaming device, tablet, or TV listed here, the first month of Philo is free. You can also just sign up for Philo through Best Buy without buying anything and pay $10 for the first month, which is half off the usual monthly rate.
Unlike most live TV streaming services, Philo excludes channels from all the major broadcast networks and doesn’t offer any sports programming. As such, its collection of over 50 non-sports channels is considerably cheaper than other bundles.
It’s worth noting that the Best Buy deal doesn’t include a free trial. Philo’s own website does have a 7-day trial, but since the Best Buy offer is only for new subscribers, you’d have to create a separate account to try the service first. |
