Google TV v3 demo video teases better search, mini-guide overlay and tablet control (Update)

Google TV v3 demo video teases better search, miniguide overlay and tablet control

During Google I/O this summer the Google TV team promised more features were on the way -- the upgraded Google Play app just arrived -- and now it's posted a "sneak peek" video (embedded after the break) that shows us a few. As promised, there's second screen integration allowing users to browse live TV and streaming content on the app, then choose it so it starts playing on the TV. Much of the demo is focused on the big improvements it says it's made to search, with voice search that works across TV and the internet to quickly pull up specific content, content by genre or perform specific tasks like tuning in a particular channel or website like Google Maps. There's also a new mini-guide overlay based on its personalized TV & Movies app so you can get an idea of what else is on without jumping completely away from what you were watching. Getting cheaper hardware available from more manufacturers is just one part of the puzzle, we'll see if these improvements make Google TV a desired intermediary between broadcast television and internet streaming.

Update: Someone may have goofed and released the vid accidentally, because it's been marked as private now. We did manage to grab a couple of snapshots though, check them out after the break.

Update 2: As we suspected, this was definitely an accidental early release of the video so while these updates are certainly on the way, they may not be right around the corner. According to a Google spokesperson "We're excited to bring users the next version of Google TV's software in the months ahead, but have nothing further to announce at this time." And so the waiting game begins.

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Google TV v3 demo video teases better search, mini-guide overlay and tablet control (Update) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 09:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zeebox adds Viacom to its list of second-screen partners

 Zeebox adds Viacom to its list of secondscreen partners

We love riffing on TV shows like a latter-day MST3k, which means that companies are desperate to harness our homespun satire to their own ends. Second-screen start-up Zeebox has inked a deal with MTV and Comedy Central owner Viacom, offering exclusive content in exchange for on-screen advertising. That said, we're not sure if the promise of behind-the-scenes clips would be enough to draw us away from just cattily judging the Project Runway contestants on Twitter, where we're less likely to be moderated into oblivion.

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Zeebox adds Viacom to its list of second-screen partners originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 16:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spider-Man Blu-ray comes with a Second Screen app for iPad and Sony’s Android tablets

SpiderMan Bluray comes with a Second Screen app for iPad and Sony's Android tablets

Since no blockbuster movie in 2012 can have a home release without a second screen companion app for fans to dig through extra content while they watch, Sony has, naturally, announced one for The Amazing Spider-Man. Just like the only three movies to best its take at the box office this year (The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises and even The Hunger Games), Spider-Man's app syncs with the movie in a Timeline Mode that pulls up featurettes, storyboards and the like, while Production Mode lets users sift through the moviemaking process, then select particular clips to play on their TV. Unlike some of the others it is not only on iPad but also Android, however the press release indicates it's restricted to Sony's own Tablet S and Xperia Tablet S. Still, we were able to initiate the 500MB+ download and access it on non-Sony tablets including the Nexus 7 and an CyanogenMod HP TouchPad, so your mileage may vary. You can check out the apps for free at the links below, a preview trailer embedded after the break and snag the movie itself for $25 on Amazon, delivered November 9th.

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Spider-Man Blu-ray comes with a Second Screen app for iPad and Sony's Android tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 22:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prometheus Blu-ray specs unveiled, arrives with seven hours of extras October 9th (video)

Prometheus Bluray specs unveiled, arrives with seven hours of extras October 9th video

While Ridley Scott's latest flick is already available on just about every downloadable movie store you could name, Prometheus is still a few weeks away from making its debut on disc and now Fox has officially released all the details. The extras listed in an earlier leak appear to be accurate, with a Second Screen iPad app that promises access to character Peter Weyland's archives, while much of the 15 minutes or so of deleted and alternative scenes have already been posted on the internet (search around if you absolutely must know what else there is and can't wait / don't want to spend the cash). Arriving October 9th, there's a four disc set with both a Blu-ray 3D edition and bonus extras disc with featurettes for a total of seven hours of bonus materials, while the two disc set trims it to just one Blu-ray and DVD / digital copy. The two disc set is currently selling for $24.99 on Amazon, while the four disc edition bumps the price another $5. A trailer with a peek at some of those extras and the full list of details awaits after the break, but an explanation for why anyone would ever try to touch some weird alien snake is something you'll have to find on your own.

Continue reading Prometheus Blu-ray specs unveiled, arrives with seven hours of extras October 9th (video)

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Prometheus Blu-ray specs unveiled, arrives with seven hours of extras October 9th (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 21:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zeebox second screen TV companion app crosses over to the US, with a boost from Comcast and HBO

zeebox second screen TV companion crosses the Atlantic, with a boost from Comcast and HBO

While it seems like every network is rolling out its own personal second screen app for tablets and / or phones, over in the UK zeebox has been trying to corner the experience across channels and providers with its app. Available as an app for iOS and Android and also on the web, it brings a customized TV guide, live chat, social network sharing and remote control features to the TV experience, and now it's come to the US. Other than the typical second screen experience, its main hook is an "OpenBox" API and tags that allow content providers to customize the experience for their viewers... and then sell them stuff like video on-demand or related merchandise.

On this side of the Atlantic zeebox has secured backing from Comcast / NBC Universal, giving it financial and promotional support as well as covering more than 30 networks right away. It also means it can eventually act as a remote control for Comcast users, which may be an advantage over competition like Miso, GetGlue and IntoNow, and can flex its muscles paired with hundreds of shows like The Voice, Notre Dame football and HBO content like True Blood. Out of the box, the app's social ties and careful metering may be a programmer's dream as it monitors who is watching what live, but we'll have to see more of the second screen content come to life if it's going to catch on socially. A customizable guide (yes, you can hide or reorder channels at will) is a nice touch and so is being able to see what your friends are viewing with Facebook Open Graph and Twitter hooks -- but only if they're actually using it. If you want to check it out, the free apps are linked below and the full press release follows after the break.

Continue reading Zeebox second screen TV companion app crosses over to the US, with a boost from Comcast and HBO

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Zeebox second screen TV companion app crosses over to the US, with a boost from Comcast and HBO originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 10:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Netflix iOS and Android apps have a remote control easter egg for PS3 owners

Netflix iOS and Android apps have a remote control easter egg for PS3 owners

Now that the revamped Netflix interface has hit phones and tablets for both Apple and Android powered hardware, the service has quietly enabled something else: second screen remote control. Currently the feature is only known to work on the PlayStation 3 with a mobile device on the same local network, once the two apps are running you can browse as normal on your phone or tablet and when you go to play a movie or TV show it asks you to choose where it will play. While the video is playing you can stop, pause or seek through it to a certain point, change the audio or subtitles, choose a different episode or even browse for something entirely different without stopping the action. The YouTube app on PS3 works in a similar fashion after its most recent update. We've got a few screens of the mobile apps at work in the gallery, check after the break for a quick video of it working.

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Netflix iOS and Android apps have a remote control easter egg for PS3 owners originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 19:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sky Sports for iPad update brings second screen to UEFA Champions League, Ryder Cup

Sky Sports for iPad update brings second screen to UEFA Champions League, Ryder Cup

When you're rooting for your team, one screen is never enough. Sky Sports knows this, and knows it quite well it seems. Hence why the UK Satellite giant is rolling out more of it via its iPad app. Now, as promised, the UEFA Champions League and 2012 Ryder Cup get in on the action. As you would imagine, the update lets users dive into a bunch of stats, game info, live tweets and even allows watching multiple games split-screen stylee. The updated app is available now, in plenty of time for the build up, leaving you free to stock up on snacks and refreshments.

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Sky Sports for iPad update brings second screen to UEFA Champions League, Ryder Cup originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 09:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Showtime’s second screen iPad app hits 2.0, goes from Social to Sync

Showtime's second screen iPad app hits 20, goes from Social to Sync

With its season premieres of Dexter and Homeland (trailers are embedded after the break) on deck for next Sunday evening, Showtime has refashioned its second screen iPad app in version 2.0 and even changed the name to reflect new features. Now dubbed Showtime Sync, it follows other network branded apps (AMC, MTV, NBC and Syfy come to mind) by focusing on pushing relevant content, viewer polls and the like to the tablet while the show plays. It syncs up automatically from the show's audio, which should make things simple when watching via DVR, VOD and even DVD / Blu-ray or streaming (could you have Showtime Anytime streaming on one tablet synced to another one?), while promising lots of photos plus behind the scenes content when the episode ends. Hit the source link to grab the free app, how you come by the episodes you'll have to figure out on your own.

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Showtime's second screen iPad app hits 2.0, goes from Social to Sync originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 Sep 2012 15:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Football fans score additional content in Sky Sports for iPad update

Football fans score additional content in Sky Sports for iPad update

The app devs over at Sky Sports are having a busy year, and after improving their iPad offering for the F1 season, they're back with a "second screen" update for football (soccer) fans. Just in time for the start of the UK Premier League season, the new Football Match Centre adds a content bar alongside your chosen stream showing team and player info, in-depth stats of the match in progress and a hand-picked Twitter feed for related musings. You might think the devs deserve a break, but sadly there's no time -- next on the agenda is a similar update for the Champions League tournament, then they're bringing the second screen to golf fans before the Ryder Cup starts next month.

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Football fans score additional content in Sky Sports for iPad update originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Aug 2012 16:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Syfy for iPad app adds Sync feature, second screen content launches Tuesday with Face Off (video)

Syfy's for iPad adds Sync feature, second screen content launches Tuesday with Face Off

We're still not sure about the Sci Fi / Syfy Network name switch, but whatever you call it the network is the latest to jump on the trend of second screen features. Currently available on the latest version of its iPad app (and listed as "coming soon" for Android tablets on the official page an in the demo video embedded after the break), Syfy Sync will work with certain shows to pull up interactive content on your mobile device along with whatever is playing on TV. The first show to get the treatment is the season premiere of Face Off airing August 21st. Naturally, there's a social media element as well, with sharing to Facebook and Twitter, as well as integrated GetGlue check-ins. Whether or not you dig the second screen aspects or are just waiting for some better shows to come on, there are other upgrades with a new UI as, show related photo galleries and support for AirPlay to play the app's video clips on your TV. Syfy for iPad 2.0 with sync is available for free in iTunes, we'll let you know when the Android version is upgraded and if similar features head to any other mobile platforms soon.

Continue reading Syfy for iPad app adds Sync feature, second screen content launches Tuesday with Face Off (video)

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Syfy for iPad app adds Sync feature, second screen content launches Tuesday with Face Off (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Aug 2012 04:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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