Friday, May 26, 2023

Comcast new streaming service

Comcast is launching a low prices live streaming service. NBCUniversal, which is owned by Comcast, has the Peacock streaming service already. However, according to reports, they're looking to launch a service that would compete with Frndly TV or Philo.

According to TV Answer Man, the new service will cost $20/month and include Peacock Premium.

The service, which does not include any local or sports channels, will be offered to Xfinity Broadband customers in the coming weeks, the company said. Now TV, which will not require any equipment or contracts, will include a 20-hour DVR and three concurrent streams.

"With content and connectivity at the core of our company, we are uniquely positioned to build and deliver streaming entertainment offerings unlike anything else out there today," Dave Watson, Comcast Cable’s CEO, said in a press release. "NOW TV is a great example of how our company brings together its collective video experiences, innovative technology, and superior broadband service to deliver some of the best entertainment into one affordable streaming bundle."

Now TV will be available on the Xfinity Stream app. Supported devices at launch will include Xfinity Flex, Fire TV, iOS and Android-powered devices, and via casting through Apple AirPlay and Google Chromecast.

The lack of Roku support is surprising. First, Roku is the largest streaming platform. Next, the Xfinity Stream app has been available on Roku for years. However, Roku is noticeably absent from the list of supported devices.

My Streaming Life currently includes Peacock TV, although I will likely drop it soon. I have Frndly TV, so I'm not sure what the new NOW TV service would bring to the table.

Thursday, May 25, 2023

Max, formerly HBO Max

Max rolled out a couple of days ago. It was a fairly smooth change from HBO Max to just plain Max, but it wasn't completely seamless.

First, when I fired up the Roku to check it out, I saw the HBO Max app still on the device. "Okay," I said to myself, "the app needs to update."

Roku checks for updates every day (or more likely, every night), and I figured the last check was before the change was official. So, I checked for updates. There were none.

So, I launched the HBO Max app to see what would happen. What happened was the app called itself "Max" when the app launched, although the icon on the Roku menu still said "HBO Max."

I had to log in, as it had forgotten my password. Or, maybe it never had it. This may have been more than a cosmetic change, but a full change of the app itself. Whatever reason, I had to log in. So, I logged in. My profiles were still there once I logged in, but the avatars for the profiles were missing. It was easy enough to add a new one.

All my content was there. Everything was smooth sailing once I logged in. I rebooted the Roku and the login remained, allowing me to simply launch the app (still saying "HBO Max") and watch TV.

When I closed the app a second time, the Max icon was there. The cosmetic portion of the update finally happened.

Now, a month ago, I had subscribed to HBO Max as part of my rotation of apps. I'll subscribe to one app a month, then when that 30-day subscription is done, I'll subscribe to something else. My HBO Max 30-day subscription ends today, so I only had a couple of days to check out the app unless I wanted to extend the subscription. I don't want to do that, so I caught up on Rick & Morty and a couple of other things, and simply used the Max app.

It works as I expected, after the initial hiccup of losing my login and avatars, Max is what I thought it would be. My Streaming Life loses Max today, and it'll be a few months before I subscribe again. For now, though, it's working well.

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Android, now featuring pre-installed malware for your convenience

There's a new report out that's gaining traction, and it's not good news for Android users.

Trend Micro has reported that nearly nine million Android devices have been "preinfected" with malware. That is, the devices, mostly smartphones, have the malware on them when you open the box. The malware is installed as part of the operating system:

We identified over 50 different images from a variety of vendors carrying initial loaders. The more recent versions of the loaders use fileless techniques when downloading and injecting other payloads. With this latest development, public repositories for threat intelligence do not list these updated loaders and the forensic analysis of such devices and images have become significantly harder. However, we can still spot the download attempts through telemetry monitoring, and once the main component is identified we would have the decryption keys to decode the payload.

Comparing our analyzed number of devices with Lemon Group’s alleged reach of 8.9 million, it’s highly likely that more devices have been preinfected but have not exchanged communication with the C&C server, have not been used or activated by the threat actor, or have yet to be distributed to the targeted country or market. Shortly after our Black Hat presentation, we noted that the page hosting these numbers of their reach was taken down. But noting our detections for this investigation alone, we were able to identify over 50 brands of mobile devices that have been infected by Guerilla malware, and one brand we’ve identified as a "Copycat" brand of the premiere line of devices from leading mobile device companies. Following our timeline estimates, the threat actor has spread this malware over the last five years. A compromise on any significant critical infrastructure with this infection can likely yield a significant profit for Lemon Group in the long run at the expense of legitimate users.

So far, no list of manufacturers has been released, so we don't know which brands may be safe or which may be compromised. Although I don't know this, I suspect that it is difficult to tell whether a device was infected out of the box or infected later.

That means that, say, the Widget Brand phone may have the infections, but they may have come after the consumer got the device, while the Thingamajig Brand phone may have the malware from an infected installation. In that scenario, Thingamajig phones would be unsafe, while Widget phones would be safe, since the Widget was clean when it was purchased, but a careless user got the infection on his own. It would be unfair to Widget to lump them into the same category as Thingamajig.

Still, I am curious as to which phones have the infection. I'm also curious as to how they got the infected operating system files. There's no evidence that it came from Google, meaning that Pixel phones are probably safe (out of the box). Devices with minimal bloatware, such as Motorola, may be safe, but I don't know that. Heck, it could be that a breach happened at Google and the OS was flawed when Google sent it out. But we don't know that.

What we do know is that a bunch of Android phone users are walking around with malware, and not because of anything they did wrong, but because it came that way.

My Streaming Life has included Android devices, although I don't have any running at the moment. I'm now unsure about running anything with Android OS until I know more.

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Paramount+ price increase

It was announced recently that Showtime and Paramount+ apps would be merged into a single app. Now, the price increase -- you knew there would be a price increase, right? -- is known.

There was speculation that prices would go up $1 to $2 per month, and that turns out to be right on target.

Cord Cutters News published the details recently:

Paramount+ will be raising the price of its service by $1 to $2 a month account for the new Showtime content. The ad-supported plan will go up to $5.99 a month, and the ad-free version will go up to $11.99 a month.

When this merger happens, the Showtime app will be shut down later this year, and you will need to access Showtime content through the Paramount+ app.

In the last couple of years, Paramount+ has offered a Showtime add-on for only $1 or $2 more per month. Now that will be the regular price and regular service.

My Streaming Life has the $5 (soon to be $6) per month version because it's included with Walmart+. I don't know if Walmart+ will continue to include the service, but I hope they do.

Monday, May 22, 2023

TVs turning on or off

You ever have your TV just turn on for no identifiable reason? Or has your TV just turned off for no particular reason?

Some people run into this from time to time, and if they don't know why the TV is turning on or off, it can be quite frustrating.

So, why does this happen? There can be lots of reasons. TV Answer Man's Melanie Mayberry has a couple of articles about these topics. One included a common reason for a TV turning on:

One possible explanation for a television turning on by itself is an issue with the remote control. In some cases, the remote control may be malfunctioning and sending signals to the television without the user’s input. This can cause the television to turn on unexpectedly. It is also possible that the remote control has been accidentally pressed, such as when it is misplaced or sat upon, leading to unintentional activation of the television.

The article lists several other things to look at as possible causes. Give it a read. Give the other article a read as well, as it covers things that could cause your TV to suddenly turn off:

One of the primary causes of a television spontaneously turning off is related to power supply problems. These issues can include power fluctuations, loose connections, or an insufficient power source. To address this:

a) Check the power outlet: Ensure that the power outlet is functioning correctly by plugging in another device and checking if it powers on consistently.

b) Secure connections: Verify that all cables and power cords are tightly connected to both the television and the power outlet. Loose connections can disrupt the power supply and lead to unexpected shutdowns.

c) Power strip overload: If you are using a power strip or surge protector, confirm that it is not overloaded with too many devices. Distribute the power load evenly across multiple outlets or consider using a dedicated power outlet for your television.

There are other possible causes to check as well. Again, both articles are worth a read if you've run into any of that kind of behavior.

My Streaming Life has not been plagued by TVs behaving that way, but it's nice to know that if it ever does happen, I have some checklists of things to research.

Sunday, May 21, 2023

Amazon’s Fire TV Stick

Although I’m firmly in Team Roku, I have many friends and family who prefer Amazon’s Fire TV, particularly the Fire TV Stick, which is commonly referred to as the Firestick.

Cord Cutters News recently covered the ins and outs of the Fire TV Stick, and it’s an information video.

[YouTube]

My Streaming Life doesn’t include a Fire TV Stick, but it is a worthy option for cutting the cord.

Saturday, May 20, 2023

Freestream (Sling TV free) has gotten larger

For a long time, when mentioning free ad supported television (FAST) services, the first ones always mentioned were Pluto TV, Xumo, and Tubi. Those were never the only ones, but those were the biggest ones, the ones with the most free streaming channels.

Today, that's not so much the case anymore. There are more services that have hundreds of live channels, including Plex and Sling TV.

Plex is newer to the FAST game, but Sling TV has been doing it for a bit. They were just a smaller player insofar as free streaming was concerned.

Not any more. I read a news article recently that said that Freestream (what Sling TV calls their free tier) offers 370 such channels. That surprised me somewhat, even though I knew that Freestream already had over 300.

It's from an older way of thinking. Sling TV's free offerings were always less than the other, larger players in the FAST market. But when they branded the free tier as Freestream, they had expanded their number to over 300. Today, it's at 366. That's how many I counted. Cord Cutters News says over 370, but I think they're counting some that are simply links to on-demand catalogs rather than actual live streaming channels:

Sling TV's new free advertising-supported streaming television service now offers more than 370 channels after these new channels have been added and 41,000 on-demand titles. This makes it one of the largest free streaming services for cord cutters when looking at the number of free live channels.

Back when Sling TV topped 330 channels, its President released a statement. "This milestone is just the beginning of what we have in store for Sling Freestream," said Gary Schanman, Group President, Sling TV. "We are charging full steam ahead to deliver unparalleled free live sports, news and entertainment for consumers to watch popular games, catch up on the latest headlines or enjoy award-winning TV shows, all for free."

I trust my count. Whether my count or CCN's count is correct, it's still a lot. The only thing I really don't like about Freestream is how it's accessed. They call it "Freestream" but you launch the Sling TV app to access it. I know they're promoting their paid service, but it just seems counter intuitive to me.

Regardless, it's a good service worth checking out. My Streaming Life doesn't include its use, at least not a lot. That is, unless I see an article about it, in which case I'll check it out and watch it for a bit. It's worth a look, and should be considered on par with Pluto TV, Xumo Play, and Tubi.

Friday, May 19, 2023

Is ESPN about to kill cable?

Recent reports are saying that ESPN plans to move from cable TV, and that the move could kill cable TV.

I read the reports, most notable from the Wall Street Journal [subscription, but covered well in Cord Cutters News] that discusses the plans by Disney to move ESPN to a direct-to-consumer streaming service:

ESPN has begun securing flexibility in its deals with cable providers to offer the channel directly to consumers, the people said. The financial terms of those deals couldn’t be learned. The company is having similar discussions with pro sports leagues as those rights deals come up and has secured the same flexibility from at least two major leagues, the people said.

The sports-media giant took its first step into streaming in 2018 with the launch of ESPN+, a monthly streaming service whose live programming includes golf events, certain Major League Baseball and professional hockey games, as well as a variety of scripted and unscripted programming. It has 25.3 million subscribers.

But ESPN+ doesn't offer access to the ESPN channel itself, including high-value programming like National Basketball Association and National Football League telecasts that are only available on TV. Project "Flagship" is about helping ESPN transition the full channel to streaming.

While the headline of the Wall Street Journal article, as well as the Cord Cutters News story, mention the removal of ESPN from cable, the actual WSJ article does not cite any source for ESPN leaving cable. Rather, the implication seems to be that making ESPN available directly to consumers will allow customers to drop cable.

Well, I dropped cable a long time ago, even though ESPN was exclusively on cable at the time.

Today, I can watch ESPN, but need a streaming service such as Sling TV, YouTube TV, Hulu+Live TV, Fubo, Vidgo, or the like to watch the service. In fact, during college football season, the only reason I ever watch ESPN, I'll subscribe to Sling TV, then cancel when the season is done. I actually put a little more effort into it than simply that, and wind up paying for service for only four 30-day subscriptions, and that covers the entire season. I've given those details before, and will again, just not right now.

Back to the article, the idea is that with a streaming option for the full ESPN, more people will drop cable. Well, there already are streaming options. This may indeed make it easier for people to drop cable, but I must wonder how many are actually subscribing to cable simply for ESPN. There is no reason for that. If anyone wants to drop cable and still watch ESPN, they can.

My Streaming Life broke free of cable TV over a dozen years ago. More and more are doing the same. And if Disney does make ESPN available directly as a standalone app, I'd be very happy with that option.

Thursday, May 18, 2023

Paramount+ and Showtime merger

It was announced some time back that Showtime and Paramount+ would merge. Now we know the date: June 27.

Here's what I don't know, and wonder about: I have Parmount+ through Walmart+. It's the cheaper plan, with commercials, and no live local CBS. Is that plan going to remain? Or is it impacted as well? And does this mean that Walmart+ users will get a Showtime bonus of some kind? Will it remain as is? Will the perk of getting Paramount+ go away?

I'm curious about this, and so far have not been able to find out.

I like the Paramount+ plan that's included with Walmart+. The commercials aren't too intrusive, and quite honestly, with an antenna, the live local CBS isn't needed. But if this merger means the Walmart+ perk of the service goes away, I'll be disappointed.

Maybe I'm worrying over nothing. Maybe I'm worrying with good reason. My Streaming Life is good right now, so I'd hate to lose a service. But, if I do lose it, I'll add Paramount+ back to my rotation of subscription services.

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Goodbye WOW! cable TV

Around 10 years ago or so, I lived in the Columbus area of west Georgia and moved into a neighborhood that was served by a cable & Internet company I had not dealt with previously. The ISP was WOW!

They actually had a different name, but within a few months of my moving to their service area in Columbus, they were bought out by WOW! and I became a customer of theirs.

I was an Internet only customer, as I had dropped cable from another provider a couple of years before, and was only interested in Internet at the time. So I was never a cable TV customer of WOW! but I did like the Internet service and service techs that installed it.

Though I never had WOW! cable, I did read with interest a news article that said that WOW! was dropping cable TV as a service and offering YouTube TV instead.

"We are thrilled to begin offering YouTube TV and give our customers access to this best-in-class pay TV service. We are very pleased to deliver a seamless TV experience to our customers with this new partnership while continuing to execute on our broadband-first strategy," said Teresa Elder, CEO at WOW!. "This furthers our commitment to provide our customers with the highest quality services at the best value."

This news comes as multiple cable TV companies, including Frontier, have stopped offering traditional cable TV and gone streaming online. Frontier has, for some time now, offered YouTube TV instead of its traditional TV service.

I'm not celebrating the loss of cable TV service by WOW! I don't care for cable TV, but the WOW! folks with whom I dealt were always nice and polite, and they provided good service at a reasonable price. My Streaming Life began before my two-year service with WOW!, so while I never used their cable TV service, I'm still a little sad to know that there may be some cable TV technicians for the company losing their jobs. However, overall, I'm glad to see cable going away.