Google TV has confirmed that this update is in the pipeline through their Google TV Twitter account.

They are promising to have the new firmware ready “this week.” this update will only apply to Sony Internet TV’s from about a year ago, and that 3D part only applies to a small amount of Sony Blu-ray players that has Google TV as well.

It will not include Logitech Revue which was abandoned due to poor sales. Google TV are hoping that a major comeback in 2012 will happen, as support has finally been confirmed from some of the other highend TV manufacturers.

But the question stays as whether consumers will see any value in having a computer built into their TV sets, that still is a largely passive consumer electronic device. The main thing it lacks is a collection of apps and content that can add to the TV experience.

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The carriage deal will make the selected films from Miramax (which could include Pulp Fiction, The English Patient, Kill Bill, and There Will Be Blood, amongst others) accessiable to BT Vision Unlimited users, who are charged a monthly subscription of £12.50 to access channels and catch-up TV packages through an internet-connected set-top box.

Miramax’s CEO Mike Lang said of the move, and what they will add to the service: “Partnering with BT Vision – an exciting company with a strong digital model and reach – is another important step for Miramax as digital channels continue to open up around the world. We remain laser-focused on finding new ways to make the unmatched mix of Miramax films easily accessible – and for BT Vision subscribers, we have for the first time jointly developed a special Miramax branded environment that will make finding and viewing Miramax films as easy as possible.”

The deal is likely to expand on the popularity of films with BT Vision customers, who according to the company view a collective total of over two million on-demand movies per month. The plans are also likely to be seen as BT Vision trying to compete with rival streaming services Netflix and Lovefilm, by offering a selection of new films as an incentive for customers to stay with them.

They might not be so secure in their position in the online TV specialist market come the end of the year, though, as there is an expected launch of YouView (a connected set-top-box service that will be run between a number of networks and companies, including BBC, ITV, and BT themselves) in the first half of 2012, while satellite TV juggernaut Sky have suggested that they will be launching a separate internet TV service (with initial focus on movies) marketed towards UK viewers that have no affiliation to a pay TV package (thought to be a current market of around 13million people).

In the meantime, Sky are planning to expand on their current offering of satellite TV catch-up content by adding the online-based BBC iPlayer and ITV Player to their Sky Anytime service. With numerous developments occuring in the UK’s online TV and streaming markets, will new names manage to fight their way to the top, or will it be the more established names that continue leading the way?

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It had been rumoured that Microsoft were planning a release of two separate consoles (the gaming-centric Xbox 720 and home entertainment/Kinect-based Xbox Loop), with a slim possibility of a late 2012 release. However, Cedrik Delmas of Microsoft France is of the belief that no new hardware will be released on the games console front this year from his company.

Delmas said of the prospects: “We’re in an industry that talks a lot, that likes telling stories. I am not convinced that things will happen this year. The Xbox 360′s cycle is not over at all. The proof is that we haven’t price cut this year. Afterward, what will happen at E3 [annual video gaming convention similar to the CES], it’s still too early to say. What’s certain is that there will be nothing new in 2012. If we wanted to counter Nintendo, we would have to be in a position to release something immediately, and that is not at all the case. We’re not here to counter Nintendo and they’re not here to fight the other manufacturers. Nintendo has put itself in a different cycle, it’s going forward to its own rhythm, with success as we have seen with the Wii, and now it’s their turn to present their innovation.”

Recent developments have suggested that when the Xbox 720 does get released, it will be up to 6 times more powerful than the 360, and will be compatible with Blu-ray discs like the 360′s current biggest rival Sony PlayStation 3. While their dual-console plans are most likely still intact (unlike the proposed Microsoft Online TV service), how long will Xbox fans have to wait before finding out the latest developments from Microsoft?

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Later this year BBC’s iPlayer will become accessible to Sky customers on their home TV sets. Using BBC’s iPlayer, viewers can catch-up on BBC programmes in the familiar iPlayer experience that they may have missed.

To access the BBC catch-up TV service, users will need a broadband connection and access to the AnyTime Plus internet TV service. Viewers will also be able to use the ITV vod service, ITV Player from today.

The BBC’s goal is to reach all viewers it can, so with Sky’s plan to bring its Anytime+ to customers regardless of who their internet provider is, is a major development in helping to bring BBC iPlayer to around 5 million new homes in 2012 and at no extra charge.

This deal builds on seeing the BBC’s iPlayer on platforms like Virgin Media, BT Vision, FreeSat, Freeview, PlayStation, Wii, along with mobile phones, tablets, and Internet connected TV’s. Launching on Sky Anytime+ rounds off the picture in which BBC’s iPlayer is available on pretty much all major UK TV platforms.

The BBC Director General Mark Thompson said “Having the BBC and Sky work together to further build on the BBC iPlayer success story can only be fantastic news for audiences. Making BBC iPlayer available on all platforms is key to our commitment to universal access and this agreement takes us one step further towards that goal. I’m delighted to take this first step on a story of innovation for both organisations.”

Sky’s Chief Executive Jeremy Darroch, added “Sky Anytime+ will go from strength to strength in 2012 and we are delighted that the addition of BBC iPlayer will allow Sky customers to enjoy the best of the BBC whenever they want.”

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Unveiled in November, the memory stick-shaped device (which connects to the Boxee Box) is priced at $49 each (currently available from the company’s website), and offers users a chance to stream live from major networks such as Fox, ABC, NBC, and CBS, amongst others.

It is thought of by its creators as a product which could help steer users away from traditional TV viewing platforms, with the official announcement blog post from Boxee reading: “Let the cord cutting begin!”

Boxee CEO Avner Ronen had in December given his intial hopes for the Boxee Live TV platform, stating: “Rather than pay $80 per month for cable TV, and pay a lot of money for stuff they don’t watch, Boxee TV is a different setup, where they have much more control over what they pay for. We think it’s very similar to the transition that happened in the music business. Historically, you had a couple of songs that you really like, but you still buy the whole album. As music became digital, users revolted against that type of bundling, and I think the same is happening with video. We don’t think Boxee TV is necessarily for 100 percent of households, but I think for a good numbers of Americans, it could be a real alternative.”

The company who have stopped development of the Boxee software on PC, claim that their target market is users who generally view one-off or specialised TV broadcasts (such as a sports game or an annual awards ceremony), who would often be unable to watch online without paying a subscription to the channel as a whole. Ronen said of this feature, and its aims: “If you’re watching more and more on your laptop or your iPad, then I think you’d like what Boxee is doing. If you’re coming home and you’re watching TV for six hours and you watch a lot of ESPN, we’re probably not the right solution for you.”

Set to be sold only in the USA and Canada, Boxee Live TV will be compatiable only with other Boxee products, and though the device is set up mainly for live streaming broadcasts, Ronen claims that the Boxee Box is capable of performing DVR functions for a user who sets it up in that way. A ‘selective’ online TV platform sounds like a good progressive product, but will the initial promise be reflected in the sales figures?

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The number of smart TV owners in the UK has been reported as increasing by just 1% during December, after separate results from November claimed that 10% of people surveyed owned a connected TV.

Further results show that 15% of respondents have firm intentions of purchasing a smart TV in 2012, while an additional 16% were open to the possibility of doing so.

The latest survey claims that the level of people that ‘might’ buy a connected set is now at 25%, and that 16% are now set to buy one ‘for certain’, meaning that while potential consumers are warming to the idea of a smart TV (with a total of around 52% currently showing an ‘active interest’ (owning or at least some intent to buy) in the format), sellers could be worried that it is happening at a slower rate than previously anticipated.

YouGov also discovered that games console owner numbers naturally ’saw a big uplift’ during the Christmas period, a medium which they note also provides a form of internet-connected TV services, claiming that this shows the online TV market as a whole is on the rise. Total figures for flat-screen TV sets were also on the increase, with ownership levels reaching 59% of those surveyed, which could be considered as under numbers that some people might estimate.

While it seems as though more alternative TV viewing methods are being looked into by consumers, how fast will the newer and more interactive approaches be taken up by the majority of viewers?

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Lovefilm are currently looking towards ways to continue their regional market dominance amidst the recent expansion of similar American service Netflix, and will hope to better reach customers on LG TV sets by hosting selections of their TV series and movies, with current big names confirmed for the launch including The Dark Knight, The Hangover, and Source Code, amongst others.

Special features of the made-for-TV app include an ability for users to share reviews and ratings of individual streams, as well as full compatibility with LG’s motion-sensor ‘Magic Motion Remote’.

Stacey Seltzer, head of Smart TV at LG, said of the plans: “We are very excited to add Amazon’s LoveFilm to the already extensive range of content on LG’s Smart TV platform. LG’s Smart TV provides a powerful new offering in home entertainment and we have invested significantly in this technology. Working with Amazon’s LoveFilm is further proof of LG’s commitment to providing customers with the best possible service.”

LoveFilm chief executive Simon Calver added his opinion: “With this latest platform launch we are strengthening our penetration into the living rooms of UK consumers, bringing instant entertainment to more homes than ever before. With every new platform launch we take another step towards our goal of being available to as many people, in as many ways as possible.”

LoveFilm Instant first launched last month with a streaming-only subscription (across a number of devices), comparable to the one that Netflix offers in the various markets that it operates in. The service is currently available for £4.99 a month, a rate £1 lower than newest rival Netflix. Will the latest platform for their streaming service boost LoveFilm’s popularity even further?

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The service, which has over 600,000 UK subscribers, offers its users the chance to access on-demand content alongside digital terrestrial channels, now seems intent on integration with Facebook and Twitter, as well as adding ‘personalised recommendations’ to viewers based on what they have seen before.

‘Close sources’ to the company believe that the update will come within three weeks, and will serve as a free exciting add-on for ‘BT broadband bundle’ customers.

BT chief executive Ian Livingstone had previously stated his company’s desire to bring: “…true interactivity to the TV set.”

Livingstone said of the service, which he feels will fulfil viewer’s desire to have as many features as possible on the ‘most watched screen in the house’: “That [the update] means on-demand services, it means the availability of buying things as you do it, to have personalised services, to know what your friends like and what they think of it. I think that will change viewing habits quite considerably. It won’t happen overnight but I think it’s the start of something quite big.”

The BT Vision update could be an important new lick of paint for a service that may be falling down the pecking order against more international names, but will these new features push them back into the UK market spotlight?

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The idea of the set is that consumers will buy it once, and then instead of purchasing a new TV when better features are out, simply replace the ‘system-on-chip’ in a slot in the back of their Samsung set, with the company claiming that they will release new ‘features and functionality’ chips every year.

The smart-TV portion of their set is to be produced by Google, with the Google TV software the operating system for the connected features, continuing the partnership between the two companies.

The company claimed that the set could bring about: ”…a new era of entertainment by placing TV at the centre of the home ecosystem and breaking down boundaries between connected devices.”

Other features planned for the set include HD cameras and microphones to allow for voice and motion-control of the product (seemingly beating Apple’s plans for a similar system), whilst showing off their new ‘post-minimalist design’ of an ‘ultra-slim’ TV set.

Robert King, consumer electronics head at Samsung UK & Ireland, said of the new set: “The TV is the heart of our homes and is the central device that connects our family at the end of a long day. For Samsung, this means providing the future of Smart TV now through new TVs that recognise and respond to you, connect your family in and out of the home, and offer amazing new content options personalised to your lifestyle and needs. Our research shows that consumer interest in Smart TV is at 81% so to extend the new TV experience and equip families with future technologies, Samsung has created the ability to scale up your TV each year, ensuring the best ‘new TV’ experience for years to come.”

In other news, Samsung claim to be close to reaching a milestone of 20 million global TV app downloads (of over 1,400 different apps), with the number on track to be passed by the end of the month. The apps are notable for the dual-core processors in Samsung’s smart TV products that allow it to play an app and TV footage simultaneously.

Other reveals from Samsung so far at CES 2012 also include a 55-inch ‘Super OLED’  TV resolution, which offers a more vivid picture whilst combined with their new ‘ultra-thin’ sets. With three days of activity still to come from this year’s CES, will Samsung have any more big announcements up their sleeve, or will another company take the limelight?

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Videoscape now brings video from the cloud

The Videoscape system was launched a year ago at the CES, and was billed as “both an experience and a solution, purpose-built for delivering and reinventing the next generation of TV experience. Together we will bring , entertainment, social media and communications and mobility together to transform how users engage with video.”

Cisco announced the new features of the Videoscape suite that include ActiveVideo Networks CloudTV network-based interactive TV software, enabling service providers to deliver apps and features to legacy set-top devices. Other software includes Voyager Vantage, software connecting to the cloud for video-on-demand and interactive program guides amongst other features.

Cisco say that, “With this new technology, service providers can offer complete ‘any screen TV’ capabilities that deliver live video and on-demand video experiences not only to PCs and Macs, but also across iPads, iPhones, and Android devices.”

They also announced that, “several major video service providers, including Rogers Communications of Canada, YES of Israel and Numéricable of France, have selected Videoscape to deliver their next-generation video services.”

More details on the CloudTV platform here.

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Set to be released in March, the ‘Samsung inTouch’ is a ‘TV accessory’ that will attach to any HDTV set and enable integrated video, audio, and text chatting to any of the user’s ’Skype’ friends.

Sold with a TV webcam and product-specific keyboard, the inTouch is said to also be able to feature a general Internet browser and YouTube functionality. Other pre-packaged services on the inTouch include a selection of apps, built-in Wi-Fi, and 720p high-definition video output for the services, meaning that any HDTV set could now be transformed into a ‘smart TV’.

Samsung Techwin America’s sales and marketing vice-president Mike Palazzolo said of the device: “While internet connected HDTVs are now common, not every household gets to experience this fun and interactive feature, especially if they have an HDTV purchased just a few years ago. With the inTouch camera system, Samsung is now bridging the gap between this experience and those consumers who own HDTVs without networking capability.”

Listed as a 3-megapixel camera with a 30-degree ’tilt range’, the set, which has an RRP of $199.99 (£130), also allows picture-taking and sharing via both the camera and a USB slot. In running terms, the official user interface of the Samsung inTouch is a modified edition of the Android 2.3 Gingerbread platform.While it is not the first time that Skype have attempted a connected TV experience, will this new product bring video chat to new frontiers?

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It has been suggested for a long time that Apple were planning to make the next step in their series of technological developments a TV product, with reports claiming that the set will have the voice control of Siri amongst a series of potential innovative features, with the company’s senior engineer Jeff Robbin thought to be in charge of the product’s creation.

Peter Misek, who is an analyst for American bank Jefferies said of how rivals have reacted to the news: “Other TV manufacturers have begun a scrambling search to identify what iTV will be and do. They hope to avoid the fate of other industries and manufacturers who were caught flat-footed by Apple.”

In addition to the Siri addition, compatibility with other Apple devices and Internet connectivity, Apple’s TV set is now rumoured to also be including a motion sensor-based control system, in a format not too dissimilar to the Kinect add-on to the Xbox 360 games console. This is supported by the fact that the company last month filed for a US patent under the description of: ’real time video process control using gestures’, with plans also listing the use of infrared and motion recognition, amongst other sensors.

The product, if made could become another tribute to Apple’s late co-founder Steve Jobs, who put the wheels of the project in motion with his apparent plans for a TV set, of which he said at the time he had finally ‘cracked’.

While Apple’s first entry into the TV market (with a set-top box) did not run so smoothly, will a more serious attempt end up with groundbreaking new technology becoming the standard bearer for TV sets, or could the planned new features be written off as unfunctional gimmicks?

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This statistic covers the citizens of countries and regions which participated in a survey conducted by Bain & Co., with over 3,000 users in the USA, France, India, China, and the UK questioned over their opinions on connected video content, along with alternative platforms such as video game consoles.

The survey claims that while consumers are probably interested in using the technology, the companies creating the sets might want to look towards innovation in terms of features if they are to draw more customers in.

Methods suggested by Bain & Co. include the English-speaking world’s apparent preference for personalised content suggestions based on previous activity (over half of relevent subjects claimed to prefer this approach rather than friend recommendations), though in Asia, 45% of responders preferred the social networking and word-of-mouth approach to discovering new content, with 75% of the Chinese and Indian people also claiming that they would be willing to pay for exclusive online content.

Bain & Co. were launching the survey in Paris (France), and the company said of their main findings: “A majority of consumers expressed an interest in Internet video at the expense of traditional TV channels. Media and entertainment companies must pursue aggressive content development and diversification strategies to unlock new consumer spending.”

Patrick Behar, who was the lead author of the study, added: “Significant change lies ahead for the media and entertainment industry as content platforms, new entrants and incumbents battle for profits and market share.”

With trends seemingly set towards Internet-connected TV eventually becoming the norm, will companies associated with the market be able to take advantage of the influx of users?

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Samsung now claim to be in ‘last-stage’ talks with Google on the product, although details of what the TV will contain are currently unconfirmed, although the two companies will carry experience into the deal, having previously worked together on mobile phone products, as well as planning ’companions’ (set-top-box and Blu-ray player), designed specifically for Google’s range of TV’s.

Whatever is included on the new version, Google will be hoping that it is a vast improvement on their first attempt at creating a connected home viewing experience, with the first edition of ‘Google TV’, which has been widely regarded as a disappointment by customers and critics alike. The company themselves agreed, stating last month: ”The initial version of Google TV wasn’t perfect, but launching it gave us the opportunity to learn. These are still early days, and we’re working hard to move forward with each update.”

Yoon-Boo Keun, the president of Samsung’s TV division, said of the developments with Google: “We are in our final stages of talks with Google over releasing our version of a Google TV. The product will be revealed next year for sure but not at the CES in January, although we would probably be able to comment on the release date in Las Vegas.”

While Google are a huge name in the online search industry, have they left it too late to make a big impact with online TV’s?

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Online content advertising specialists Tremor Video are thought to be planning a change in their attentions towards connected TV (on Smart TV systems), claiming that their are fast developing into a vital area of promotional campaigns.

Tremor, who claim to reach over 176 million unique viewers through online TV (143m) and video on mobile devices (33m), have revealed that they have signed official advertising supply deals with a number of high-profile Smart TV developers such as LG, Panasonic, Philips, and Samsung. offering the company several platforms on which to host video advertising content.In addition, Tremor have added to their collection of ‘publishers’ after a software partnership deal with Israeli service justAd.TV.

Their new hosting deals are the main news, though, and will sit alongside their deals with connected set-top box providers Roku and Boxee.

The moves are thought to be a reflex action stemming from business rivals such as YuMe (producing Toyota adverts for LG connected TV’s) and Rovi (working with Sony and Samsung), though Tremor have expressed their desire to stand out in the market by offering ‘premium inventory to brands’ on smart TV campaigns whilst going on to measure the progress of those moves. However, the company themselves believe that there is a lot more to come from the market, and that no-one has figured out a solid strategy yet.

Tremor’s senior manager of business development Andrew Baisley said of his company’s new direction: “Scale and standardisation are the current challenges. Connected TV is a relatively new concept and, as such, is still relatively small. We’ll need to see greater adoption from the consumer to increase scale. At the same time, connected TV is, basically, the wild west. There are no standard formats or protocols.”

While the format might not yet be a fully recognised battleground in the advertising industry, it is certainly looking likely to become one in the near future with companies now looking towards it as a potential method. Could interactive advertising direct to TV’s soon push ahead of their browser-based counterparts in the popularity stakes?

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While Apple already have a connected set-top box (Apple TV), their planned product is an IPTV that carries similar features to those used by big-name rivals (such as Google and Samsung) in their connected TV’s.

However, the main selling point will be the likely application of the Siri voice recognition system, introduced in the recent iPhone 4S, onto the TV set, meaning that the only item close to a ‘remote’ would be a microphone-style handset where a user can simply speak their instructions to the TV.

Apple are thought to have been planning their own version of a ‘smart TV’ since 2007, with an current planned release for before mid-2013. Steve Jobs is reported to have been planning the move to fix an industry [TV] that ‘is totally broken’ and added his summary of the plans in his biography with Walter Isaacson: “Apple TV will have the simplest user interface.”

Other features planned for the phone include the iOS operating system, as well as additional compatibility with other Apple products (such as iPad, iPod, iPhone, and Mac computers / laptops), and the ability to perform ‘Facetime’ videochat, a key feature of all Apple’s recent products. The one that the company will make sure is above all the rest, though, is the Siri integration, but will users enjoy a product which can only be spoken to?

While there could be some potential copyright issues over a name such as ‘iTV’, will a voice-activated TV stand out from the crowd, or will the buying public just not want to listen?

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For Optus, a fully-owned subsidiary of Singaporean company SingTel, the move will be one that they will want to challenge rivals such as Telstra and Foxtel in the Australian online subscription TV market, while FetchTV will be hoping that by seeing the new service onto Optus’ smartphone and tablet computer range, they will be able to gain some recognition in the field of portable viewing.

FetchTV chief executive Scott Lorson claims that this launch signifies the company getting down to serious business, claiming that the past 15 months since the company’s foundation have been building to a high-profile move such as this one. The product is thought to be able to enhance connectivity between a user’s Optus products, such as set-top box (for cable TV) and portable devices. The service will be subscription-based, with packages starting from a fixed-rate of $9.95 per month.

The director of Optus’ digital media division, Austin Bryan, said of the launch: “With an increasingly strong content line-up, thanks to our partners at FetchTV, and an innovative user interface and functionality. Optus MeTV with Fetch allows Australians to enjoy a great experience through the content they love, at a time convenient to them. The way we consume content is rapidly changing. Optus Digital Media is dedicated to developing products and services that meet this consumer need.”

Lorson added: “Optus is an ideal partner for FetchTV with scale, brand, innovation credentials and challenger attitude required to introduce a truly disruptive service and drive the next wave of pay TV growth in Australia.”

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The channel, which is available in the UK on high-profile pay TV services such as Sky and Virgin Media, as well as a free online streaming service, which helps it to reach an estimated 14.1m monthly viewers Europe-wide, making it (behind Sky News) the second-most popular news channel on the continent.

The headline deal for Euronews will be with Samsung, where the company’s ‘Smart TV’ will feature an ‘app’ from the broadcaster. This app will be available across the European market, and will begin by offering on-demand viewing options on four key programmes of the network (News, Le Mag, Cinema and No Comment). Fellow electronics companies (Toshiba and LG) have signed on to receive the same sort of service via an app.

These deals are likely to be put into action across the next few months, where it will join similar Euronews IPTV services that already featured on Philips and Panasonic platforms.

An official statement from Euronews was issued: “These key partnership agreements mark an important phase in the international news channel’s progression in brand deployment. The strategy was presented at the beginning of 2011 during a European tour and will be significantly reinforced in 2012. This also represents new opportunities for the channel’s advertisers with new spots and new target audiences, both globally and locally. Euronews is currently under discussion with all major world manufacturers of connected TVs and will specify new partnerships in upcoming communications.”

While the Euronews channel is notable for its wide reach (over 150 countries and territories in 11 different languages), the clear focus for this new smart TV app is the continent it most prominently features. Could this development help them gain continental ratings?

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The app allows users to see a range of 3D video content on their TV screens under ’standard 3D video formats’, using the range of viewing options that YouTube’s official 3D channel offers, with support for video quality of up to 720p HD. Though most connected devices have an official YouTube app, the Samsung version will feature improved search options and enhanced customisation features.

Samsung will be hoping that their presence in the British Isles will grow with this deal, after selling over 1m connected TV sets in 2010. Samsung UK marketing director Guy Kinnell stated the company’s intentions: “Samsung is glad to be an exclusive partner in bringing YouTube 3D experiences to the TV space for the first time in the world at IFA 2011. Samsung Smart TV is an ideal platform for YouTube to convey the beautifully visual user interface and 3D experience that consumers will now have at their fingertips for watching and sharing 3D content worldwide. This partnership will contribute to the continued growth of both the 3D and Smart TV industries.”

Francisco Varela, ‘global head of platform partnerships’ at YouTube, added: “The launch of YouTube on TV underscores one of YouTube’s core missions: to make high-quality video available anywhere and on any device. In addition to our efforts in web and mobile, 3D videos on YouTube can now also be shared and enjoyed through high-quality-large-screen Smart TVs.”

The service will also be released to all 3D-ready connected Smart TVs and Blu-ray players from Samsung around the world by the end of the year. How will YouTube fare in the mainstream 3D market?

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The new Roku 2 still comes in three flavours, starting at the same competitive $60 for the Roku 2 HD, $80 for the Roku 2 XD, and $100 for the Roku 2 XS, which replaces the Roku XDS.

When the last player was released around a year ago, the Roku’s biggest competitor then was Apple TV, but Roku was able to keep out of Apple’s shadow by offering a selection of ports that include HDMI, component inputs and optional 1080p resolution.

But the thing that impressed the tech guys the most was its bigger selection of content compared to Apple TV. The Roku 2 now has 300 channels, althought some require subscription. The device also has Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Video on Demand, YouTube, and other popular streaming channels.

The Roku 2 also offers advanced features and the same resolutions as before but now the new Roku is a gaming device as well with the inclusion of Angry Birds. If the new gaming enabled remote feels reminiscent of the Nintendo Wii controller, you’re not the only one.

While the gaming option is a nice bonus, dont let your expectations get the better of you as the Roku 2 is not rival the Xbox 360 or PlayStation PS3. More games expected in Roku’s selection soon.

The Roku 2 is a stronger contender as a streaming device. Its content line up and its attractive design gives users another reason to cut the cord when it comes to cable.

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The new additions allow ChromeOS and the Chromebooks they run on more capable. As with all improvements, Chromebooks self update, so if you have a chromebook you should either start to receive the updates this week, or you can access the “About Chrome OS” thats under the settings icon to the upper right of the browser.

An important addition to the ChromeOS is Citrix Receiver, a Chrome addition that turns a Windows PC and its related applications into a Web app, without any client side installation. Google executives have said that “the Citrix Receiver as an ideal tool for universities or small businesses that would like to provide a virtualized environment with minimal IT hassles”.

Additional Chromebook capabilities also include Netflix support, although just a few minutes of streaming video will more than likely use up a user’s 100 Mbyte month of free data alowance, before the user has to sign in for additional data support. Users are also able to download and install the Kindle Reader, which provide a much more data friendly connection for catching up on the latest eBooks.

Google also noted Google Cloud Print, an addition that it has previously used. Google Cloud Print allows direct printing to a Internet connected printer, or a USB printer that’s connected to a PC via a cable.

For businesses, the addition of VPN support any VPN support, will most likely be seen as a blessing. Google’s Chromebooks also include the original Cr-48, as well as new models from Acer and Samsung’s Series 5, which have an improved touchpad and keyboard.

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Hulu said it would launch its service probably Hulu Plus on PCs, TVs, mobile phones, and tablets, all for a single low price. Interested people visit hulu.jp and sign up for its launch, the company said.

“Since the very beginning of Hulu, we have had our aspirations firmly set on serving audiences around the globe,” Johannes Larcher, Hulu’s international vice president, said in a blog post. “We recognize that entertainment fans beyond the U.S. have the same desires as those on our home shores: find and watch the world’s premium content when, how, and where they want. Today, we are taking a first, but significant step in realizing that vision.”

At the conference in sponsorship with investment bank Allen & Co, Disney CEO Bob Iger said said a sale is more than likely but he would not say when it would take place, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

While Hulu plans to set up in Japan for now, Netflix has bigger ideas, with plans to set up in 43 different countries all at once, executives have said, across Latin and Central America and Europe.

Larcher identified Japan as both a large consumer and producer of content, not the least of which is the anime that pervades Hulu’s animation channels, as well as other services like Netflix.

“We believe Japan is a vibrant market for premium video content distribution online, and are committed to our Japanese service for the long-term,” Larcher added. “We have opened offices in Tokyo, with a dedicated Japanese team designing and running the service, and are hard at work finalizing preparations for launch later this year.”

Netflix, has reportedly played down there interest in buying Hulu, and DirecTV is also doing the same according to reports.

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Talking to investors about Disney’s 3rd quarter results, CEO Bob Iger said “the studio is in discussions with Netflix and other SVOD players about licensing largely library catalog compared to new-release movies or current season TV programming”.

“Our overall approach of late has been to make deals that increase revenue while at the same time protect and respect the multi-channel or channel distribution value that we see today,” Iger added.

“There is clearly a thirst for filmed entertainment, particularly branded high-quality entertainment, and what we’re seeing, I think stimulated in part by not only higher connectivity speeds but significant development in tablet computers, we’re looking at platforms that are creating all types of new business opportunities,” Iger continued.

The CEO said that moving forward the studio would move away from long term licensing agreements due to the rapidly evolving distribution channels and technology.

“We will make access to newer programming more difficult or later, except if a customer is authenticated as a cable or satellite TV subscriber,” he said. “I think you’ll see over the next few years a lot of deals done that enable this. We now have to hope that not only is the technology improved that enables authentication but that the whole user experience gets better.”

“It is our intention to take a very careful look at what films cost and if we can’t get them to a level that we are comfortable with, we think that we are better off actually reducing the size of our slate than making films that are bigger and increasingly more risky,” he said.

Iger also said the aim of the studio was on production costs of movies versus internal structuring within the studio operations.

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Those of you with Android based set top boxes can experience IPTV for themselves with NetUP’s NetUP.tv, that allows users to enjoy all the IPTV features without buying different solutions.

Bringing together all of our favorite Android features with IPTV features, including on Demand, pause and rewind and program guides, the NetUP.tv application provides a fast GUI, Android Web browsing, social networking & gaming.

Current NetUP middleware users do not need to purchase new middleware or software, and it is compatible with Android based set top boxes 1.7 and later.

Connected TV users are keeping pretty close to the line with mainstream entertainment services like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu Plus, Pandora and iPlayer making up the lion’s share of the apps used.

As our TV sets end up becoming giant computers that have access to streaming content, it makes you wonder if online video viewing will overtake cable subscriptions altogether.

According to a study movie and TV show video viewing rose from 16% to 32% of adult Internet users and that was in 2010. As online content becomes more widely available, the need for cable boxes and a subscription are becoming more and more obsolete.

The Associated Press reported that “analysts view this trend as bad for not only the cable companies, but the subscribers as well”. They feel it will lead to “more restrictions and more expensive packages for online video viewing and broadband access as the need for more bandwidth increases”.

Analysts feel that the economy, along with escalating fees are the reason for all the subscriber losses. 13% of US households that don’t subscribe to some form of pay TV service, about 60% have broadband.

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A lot of people who have bought smartphones like the iPhone or an Android powered phone and are on AT&T’s network were originally promised unlimited data use.

Even when AT&T finished offering their unlimited option, they still allowed their older customers to continue on an unlimited plan. Starting October 1, this will no longer happen as AT&T will start policing all their customers, this also includes those who tether their smartphones.

AT&T claim that “these data gobbling hogs use 12 times more data than their average customer, and that most customers are not going to be affected. This change will not impact users who are on a tiered data plan at all, and is unlikely to affect the average customer with an unlimited data plan.”

AT&T has said in its press release that it is targeting the “top 5 percent of heaviest data users” who are more than likely heavy users of streaming video. If you fall into A&T’s heavy user category, your download speed are going to be capped the next month.

This will likely affect people who use the Hulu Plus app on the iPhone or the Netflix app for the Android phone. Although such measures could be necessary for AT&T to stay in profit, it’s going to rub their customers up the wrong way

The details of AT&T’s new reduced speeds are not that clear in regards to how much usage will put you in the top five and the exact amount of throttling that will happen. Hopefully as October 1st approaches, AT&T will release more information.

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