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SpaceX is launching one of its last disposable rockets
SpaceX won't have to intentionally crash some of its rockets going forward. Elon Musk has revealed that SpaceX's next flight, which has a Falcon 9 delivering an EchoStar satellite as soon as January 30th, should use the company's last expendable rocket. This rocket will burn too much fuel for its first stage to attempt a landing (the satellite is simply too heavy at 5.4 imperial tons), but future big-payload launches will use either the higher-performance Falcon 9 (Block 5) or Falcon Heavy and shouldn't have trouble coping with the weight. The new Falcon should lift off at the end of 2017, Musk says.
Slingbox M1 review: A pricey streamer, but worth it for frequent travelers
It's been 10 years since Sling Media was founded, and here we stand with the fifth-generation Slingbox, the M1. Like all Slingboxes before it, the M1 can stream live and DVRed programs to your mobile devices, but this time, it's $150, making it the least expensive model yet. In particular, it's $30 cheaper than its predecessor and boasts the same feature set, but with the addition of built-in WiFi, so you don't need to park the box next to an Ethernet jack. So do the price cut and built-in WiFi make it a more worthwhile purchase? Let's find out.
Sling's 'M1' streaming box brings built-in WiFi at a lower price
It's been nearly two years since Sling unveiled new placeshifting boxes, so it's high time the company brought its products into the year 2014. The firm just announced two refreshes, including the entry-level M1, which has a smaller footprint and comes with built-in WiFi so that you don't need to park the thing near an Ethernet cable to stream live and DVR'd TV to your mobile devices. Additionally, it can now be configured using the Android/iOS app, though unfortunately, you need to use old-school component cables (maybe in the year 2016 they'll add HDMI). On the software side, meanwhile, Sling is bringing back its Mac and PC desktop apps, since users seemed to miss them. Most importantly, it's cheaper: The M1 costs $150, compared with $180 for the Slingbox 350 it's replacing.
This is the next Slingbox, with WiFi in a smaller (and probably cheaper) box
Nearly two years ago when Sling last brought out some new TV placeshifting hardware we got the interestingly-designed 350 and 500. Zatz Not Funny points out this Slingbox M1 that has appeared on the company's warranty page and in FCC filing, and despite a very plain look, it could be even more appealing to fans of watching all of their TV channels from anywhere with an internet connection. Based on the information in the FCC docs it has WiFi included. Right now getting a Slingbox with WiFi means buying the $300 500 model, and Dave Zatz wonders if this Roku-like box could have a Roku-like pricetag of below $150, which would make it the cheapest one in the lineup. Whatever the M1 turns out to be, its trip through the FCC process means we should find out for sure soon.
Channel Master and Echostar working on new OTA DVR
Sometimes you just want to enjoy TV without making a commitment, and time-shifting broadcasts either means building your own HTPC or purchasing an OTA DVR -- like the now defunct Boxee. Back in 2011, Channel Master teamed up with Entone to fill that niche and a recent FCC filing shows the company (once again) partnering with Echostar to bring a new OTA DVR to the market. The set-top box -- called Channel Master K77 (not pictured) -- also provides over-the-top functionality and comes in two flavors: CM-7500GB16, which features 16GB of built-in flash (and relies on external USB storage for DVR support) and CM-7500GB320, which incorporates a 320GB hard drive. While it's unclear when the device will launch, it will be competing with a number of similar offerings from Simple.TV, Tivo (Series 5) and Aereo once it lands on store shelves.
Movie studios sign on for satellite-based digital delivery to theaters
We doubt we'll see any reduction in ticket prices, but the process of bringing new movies to theaters could get easier very soon as five major studios have signed on with the Digital Cinema Distribution Coalition (DCDC) to use its satellite distribution network. Lionsgate, Universal, Disney, Warner and Paramount are all on board with the scheme, which says it will provide participants access to "a host of delivery options" as digital projection becomes increasingly common. The Hollywood Reporter quotes spokesman Randolph Blotky saying the network is expected to reach 300 locations when it launches this summer, all of which will be equipped with an appliance from video distributor KenCast. The satellite end of things is being handled by EchoStar/Deluxe, and once it's rolled out should make things much easier than the current system of shipping hard drives back and forth. Of course, what we're not hearing so far is if/how this upgrade will reach smaller, older theaters that are facing pricey upgrades from film-based equipment, but with theater chains like AMC, Regal and Cinemark forming the DCDC along with Universal and Warner, those considerations are probably a little further down the list.
Hughes updates its HughesNet satellite broadband with Gen4 service
On the same day that Dish's new satellite broadband service kicks off, partner Hughes is upgrading its own offering with even faster speeds. HughesNet Gen4 offers downloads of up to 15 Mbps to the 19 million (or so) Americans who can't get high-speed fixed-line broadband services. $50 a month will get customers 10 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload with a 20GB data cap, while $80 a month offers a 30GB limit and 2 Mbps upload -- but for high-rolling hermits, $100 a month gets you the full 15 Mbps down, 2 Mbps up and a 40GB allowance. Current users wanting in on the action aren't excluded from the program, and can register their interest at our More Coverage link.
EchoStar HDX-410 set-top box runs native ICS, supports terrestrial broadcasts (hands-on video)
You may be familiar with EchoStar's satellite-based (Dish Network) and Sling Media (Slingbox) products, but the company also manufactures set-top boxes for third-party providers, as well as free-to-air services in the UK. It's this last grouping that'll be able to take advantage of the Android-based device we saw today, assuming it does in fact make its way to market. The HDX-410 runs native Ice Cream Sandwich, and is available in two versions -- one supports IP content and local storage exclusively, while a second can also accept terrestrial Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) programming, letting you play back live TV shows in addition to content from a local server, pulled from the web or stored on attached media or an inserted microSD card. It connects to the web using Ethernet or WiFi, and includes USB ports on both the front and the rear, Bluetooth, HDMI out, digital audio out and a standard-definition connection. It's also paired with a QWERTY keyboard-equipped remote manufactured by Philips with gyroscopic or directional-pad curser control, along with pinch/zoom gesture capability. We had a chance to check out the ICS box at EchoStar's IBC booth today, where the device was running Android 4.0.4 and an early version of the company's hybrid app, which groups "favorited" content alongside terrestrial channels, letting you use the standard channel up/down button to navigate through stored TV shows, IP content or live programming quite seamlessly, as if all of the media was playing from the same source. It's clearly not yet ready for primetime, but the interface was sleek and speedy -- the set-top box performed very well overall. EchoStar reps were unable to confirm whether or not the HDX-410 would be coming to market at all, but they did add that the solution may be made available to third-parties in the future. Click past the break to take a closer look in our hands-on video.%Gallery-164692%
Cisco sues TiVo to nullify four DVR patents, claims TiVo's just a big meanie
TiVo is known for being more than a bit aggressive in claiming patent rights for its DVRs, and Cisco has apparently had the last straw. Scientific Atlanta's owner has sued TiVo this week in an attempt to negate four patents that TiVo is allegedly using to bully Cisco and other set-top box makers. As long as those patents are active or usable against others, TiVo will refuse to give a fair license, Cisco says -- leaving competitors with little choice but to either agree to a costly settlement or risk a ban. Before championing Cisco as the underdog, remember that it's likely counting on a large patent library as a Sword of Damocles over TiVo's head that could fall if TiVo decides on a countersuit. Regardless of the strategic maneuvering, there's no doubt that Cisco is hoping to avoid a lawsuit on the scale of the epic-length EchoStar case.
EchoStar outs its HDT-610R Ultra Slim Box, says it's 'world's slimmest' DVR
EchoStar has come a long way since unveiling that HDS-600RS early last year, and today the company's taking the wraps off of its newest DVR, the Ultra Slim Box HDT-610R. Keeping true to its moniker, the 610R measures in at a slim 14mm thin, while weighing in at just under two pounds. Physical features aside, EchoStar's managed to stuff a 500GB hard drive inside the DVR's scrawny body, as well as a couple of USB 2.0 incisions and single Ethernet and HDMI ports. On the software end, the device is equipped with a Freeview+ HD feature that offers subscription-free access to over 50 "high quality" and four high-def channels -- though, you will have to pay a one-time fee for the service. The HDT-610R will be available for pre-order starting May 4th, with Amazon, John Lewis and Maplin being the first online vendors to have it for up for grabs. No word on pricing yet, but in the meantime all you Euro folks can gander at the PR below to soak up the rest of the deets.
Motorola Televation turns cable TV into IPTV streams for the whole home
Motorola's latest wares are on display at the 2011 Cable Show (we suspect the sluggish cable boxes actually in service right now are rarely mentioned) including this "Live Streaming Device" aka Televation. Functioning as a cable company provided, in-home-only Slingbox, it transcodes the MPEG-2 TV broadcasts into MPEG-4 IP streams for viewing on other devices (Android or iOS tablets, IP-connected TVs, etc) that are on the same local network at whatever bitrate or resolution they can handle. Motorola figures this cuts out legal disputes like those encircling Time Warner's TWCable TV iPad app since it uses existing TV broadcasts. Collaborating on the project were engineers from Comcast, which could make for an existing branch on its existing plans for new boxes, IPTV, and mobile apps. Sling / Echostar has been trying to crack the cable box market with its more flexible solution for years and is expected to announce the new Aria platform tomorrow, so may the best platform -- and not just the one with the cheapest / sweetest deal for the cable company -- win.
Engadget Podcast 238 - 05.06.2011
We'll tell you what: if you even blink these days, you're gonna miss a special guest on the Engadget Podcast. This week we've got Joystiq's Chris Grant in the house to shoot the shizzle on Sony's network hurt and the Wii 3D IMAX rumors bubbling up all around us. And we lure Richard Lawler to step out on his old lady, the Engadget HD Podcast, for a romp on the possibly slightly wilder side of the tracks. Let's do it: let's talk tech.Host: Tim StevensGuests: Chris Grant, Brian Heater, Richard LawlerProducer: Trent WolbeMusic: You Shook Me All Night Long02:15 - Apple iMac hands-on, with dual 30-inch displays! (video)03:00 - Apple iMac refresh official: Thunderbolt and next gen quad-core processors03:45 - AT&T officially announces HP Veer 4G, available May 15th for $100 (update)04:55 - Star Wars Blu-ray set ships Sept. 12th/16th (world/NA), has 40 hours of special features06:35 - Dish Network, EchoStar will pay TiVo $500 million to settle DVR lawsuit07:55 - Latest Windows 8 leaks reveal cloud-based settings, more app store evidence09:35 - Droid Charge review11:16 - Verizon document suggests LG Revolution will have Netflix pre-installed13:47 - Sony promises 'phased restoration' of PlayStation Network and Qriocity starting this week20:22 - Sony woes continue as SOE confirms data breach (update: 24.6 million accounts affected)31:03 - Sony responds to Congress: all 77 million PSN accounts compromised, finger pointed at Anonymous33:52 - BlackBerry Bold 9900 hands-on (update: video)34:30 - BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 (Bold Touch) official34:45 - BlackBerry Bold Touch makes brief appearance on RIM's website35:05 - Android apps on PlayBook eyes-on (video)35:48 - RIM announces BlackBerry 7 OS with better browser and BlackBerry Balance, but no legacy support38:10 - Nintendo drops Wii price to $150 from May 15th, throws in a free Wii Wheel and copy of Mario Kart48:05 - Nielsen estimates show first drop in TV ownership in 20 years, Mayans nod approvingly50:40 - We won some Webby Awards, and now you can win a BlackBerry PlayBook!51:44 - Listener questionsHear the podcastSubscribe to the podcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC).[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator.[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune MarketplaceDownload the podcastLISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC)LISTEN (OGG)Contact the podcastSend your questions to @tim_stevens.Twitter: @tim_stevens @bheater @chrisgrant @rjcc
Dish Network, EchoStar will pay TiVo $500 million to settle DVR lawsuit
Dish Network, EchoStar and TiVo have come to a settlement on their long running patent dispute (since 2006) that will see the satellite company pay $500 million to settle all ongoing litigation. We stopped covering the various court judgements in this case last year as each side continued to file one stay and injunction after another, but this time it's finally over. The most recent court judgement came April 20th in the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and found EchoStar in contempt of an earlier injunction despite modifications to its DVR software. The companies have licensed certain patents to each other, including the infamous Time Warp patent that was at the heart of the dispute. Details are in the press release after the break, but TiVo's scored an upfront $300 million cash payment (Dish Network is also reporting today it added 58,000 subscribers and had a net income of $549 million last quarter, we guess there was some loose change rolling around after its Blockbuster and DBSD purchases), with the remaining $200 million to be paid out between 2012 and 2017. Now that the lawyers are out of the picture we wonder if we'll see any TiVo technology on Dish boxes or if a few hundred million in cash is enough to speed up the pace of updates for the Premiere. Interestingly, the press release noted Dish "work with TiVo to help develop our Blockbuster video service" so perhaps the ties between the rental company and TiVo played a part in seeing this dispute come to an end. TiVo's conference call mentioned the marketing agreement to promote Blockbuster's digital service and also how this settlement demonstrates the strength of its patent to other companies it's in litigation with -- that means you Microsoft, AT&T and Verizon.
Echostar Europe launches HDS-600RS SlingLoaded FreeSat+ DVR
It's been a surprisingly long wait for a SlingLoaded box outside of the Dish ViP922, but now European customers can do the all-in-one DVR/Slingbox dance with the new HDS-600RS. As a set-top box it can tune into 150 or more digital channels and VOD depending on provider with its own HD EPG and includes access to BBC iPlayer with plans for access to more services like ITV Net Player in the future, and of course it can Sling TV, live or DVRed on the unit's 500GB hard drive. One unfortunate limitation was revealed during a quick hands-on session by Pocket-Lint, if you're Slinging video somewhere else, despite the box having two tuners, it will only display the same thing the remote user is watching on the TV. Otherwise, they believe the box will cost around £300, although all EchoStar has officially confirmed is that it will launch April 1st, with preorders available on Amazon starting March 23rd. Check out the press release after the break and a few more pictures in the gallery below. %Gallery-119545%
Dish Network's Sling Extender approved by FCC, is that much closer to release
Dish Network didn't see fit to saddle the Sling Extender with a release date or price when it showed it off at CES earlier this month, but being approved by the FCC means it should be available sooner rather than later. We didn't spot any surprises in the user manual (plug in power, TV, proceed to catch video over WiFi from your 922) but you can feel free to paw through the FCC results for plenty of internal and external photos.
Echostar XV launches successfully, even more HD on the way
Looks like DISH Network's satellite program is officially back on a winning streak with this weekend's successful launch (video after the break) of Echostar XV. We don't have any more details on DISH's expansion plans for the additional capacity than we did when this bird was announced back in '08, but with two successful launches under its belt in 2010 we can all be happy the troubles of the ill-fated AMC-14 are a distant memory, right?
XStreamHD to beam 1080p content via Echostar's AMC-16
We've been following XStreamHD for a few years now and have often wondered if it would ever make it to market. One of the looming questions just got answered today though as the company has announced a deal to deliver 1080p HD movies via Echostar's AMC-16. This is a step in the right direction, but hardly what those who plopped down $25 to pre-order the system back in January. Nope, the launch is already two months behind schedule and it is going to take more than the freshly released press release after the break to make us a believer.
Google, Verizon, Comcast, and more band together to form tech (and policy) advisory group
BITAG doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, as far as spoken acronyms go, but the Broadband Internet Technical Advisory Group (also goes by TAG, for short) is looking to make (radio) waves. Facilitated by former FCC Chief Technologist (and University of Colorado at Boulder Adjunct Professor) Dale Hatfield, the group aims to "develop consensus on broadband network management practices and other related technical issues that can affect users' experience," which largely leads to addressing technical issues and making suggestions to policymakers. The group runs the gamut of major players in the broadband industry, including AT&T, Cisco, Comcast, DISH, EchoStar, Google, Intel, Level 3, Microsoft, Time Warner Cable, and Verizon. Naturally, the aforementioned companies already on board are lauding the move, and for its part the NCTA is happy to see a forum for tech and engineering experts to openly discuss issues and policies. Providing the counterargument would be the folks at DSL Reports, who show reserve that this may end up being nothing more than "policy dog and pony show" to avoid stricter government regulations on network neutrality. At this point that remains to be seen, as this organization doesn't seem to have even hit infancy yet. Expect more in the coming weeks as it continues to form and attempts to organize. We submit for your perusal the press release, just after the break.
USPTO rules against TiVo's "Time Warp" patent, but the fight vs. DISH rages on, again
The never ending TiVo / DISH Network patent saga continues, with the latest twist presented as U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ruled TiVo's "Time Warp" patent is invalid. Both sides have issued press release in response, with TiVo pointing out this is "just one of several steps" in the review process" while DISH's Facebook status was predictably "pleased." For now, the only thing to report is that, as usual, nothing has really changed, the Appeals court is still undertaking a review of its previous ruling, and it will probably finish that before this Patent Office decision is resolved , given the opportunity for appeals to its board, and even through the federal courts. Still, depending on how this goes, it could have the most affect on TiVo's lawsuits against Verizon and AT&T, but right now we're just going to go grab (another) Snickers, this one will be going on for a long while yet.
TiVo's $200m damages award against DISH is headed back to the appeals court, future
Remember that $200 million contempt of court judgment TiVo won in September, and had affirmed in March against DISH Network & Echostar? We wouldn't blame you if you didn't, as the various steps in this never ending legal saga have become increasingly difficult to separate, but as we predicted, it's been appealed and now the appeals court will rehear the case with all active judges participating. Given the sharp drop in TiVo shares after the decision was announced, this is obviously a big deal for investors but those of us holding the remotes won't notice any difference at all. TiVo's response (Update: and Dish / Echostar's) is after the break.
