Relying on a wireless home network is typically far cheaper than using mobile broadband for smartphones and tablets. Even with today’s new Wi-Fi products, however, coverage can still be an issue and thus use up precious cellular data. Netgear’s $39 Wi-Fi extender aims to solve that. Read more »
Netgear is trying to compete with Roku, Apple TV and Boxee with its own streaming media player. The NeoTV has a few hundred apps, including Vudu, Netflix and YouTube, but lacks local playback capability and Hulu Plus. Should you buy it? Check out our review. Read more »
With myriad applications fighting for limited gigabytes on a mobile broadband plan or multiple users fighting for access to a wired home connection, what broadband users need is a connectivity thermostat that they can use to control how they can access their ISP’s pipes. It’s coming. Read more »
Bye-bye Roku, hello Android? Netgear is now looking at Google TV as a potential platform for future media player products. The company had briefly teamed up with Roku to sell co-branded set-top boxes in retail stores, but that partnership didn’t last very long. Read more »
Roku has confirmed that it’s struck a retail partnership to sell its broadband set-top boxes in Walmart stores. But the deal comes without the help of Netgear, whom Roku had partnered with last year to extend its reach into major retail outlets. Read more »
The only way to watch all the video you know and love from your PC on your TV is to connect these two devices with each other. However, there are a number of wireless solutions available if you don’t want to rely on yet another cord. Read more »
The television business is on the cusp of the biggest technological upheaval since the introduction of cable TV. The addition of Internet connectivity to living room devices will enable new functionality around programming services, program discovery, social networking, ad targeting and measurement — aspects of the TV viewing experience that have remained largely unchanged for decades. These trends have the potential to become the foundation for new economic models around how viewers pay for video service and how program creation is financed. In this report, we examine the leading contenders’ strategic positioning, relative strengths and weaknesses, and provide the early line on their odds of success. Companies mentioned include Google, Apple, Boxee, Roku, Vudu, Samsung, Microsoft and Sony. To see a full list of companies and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Today on the Net: Google and NBC Universal give up on their two-year old Google TV partnership, Justin.TV’s chief business officer leaves a week after the VP of product departed and Netgear is selling co-branded Roku boxes at Fry’s. Read more »
Growth of digital content in homes and businesses continues to grow, fueling a demand for more and more storage. And though inefficiency and usability gaps in this market are showing, so too are the opportunities companies can seize to create convenient, secure and redundant storage ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Do we need yet another media player? Netgear certainly thinks so, and they added Blu-ray supoort to their new NeoTV 550 device make their case. The company is also releasing a number of Powerline products specifically targeted towards bringing HD video streaming to the living room. Read more »
