Roku

Hisense Roku R50A7200GTUK

Our Verdict Between the excellent operating system and solid all-round performance, this is an impressively complete package at a reasonable price For Excellent upscaling Bold, colourful picture Superb Roku UI Against Sonically lightweight Colours can be heavy-handed There are reasons why wine is dated by year. The grapes might come from the same fields, the… Read more

Google is removing its Play Movies and TV app from every Roku and most smart TVs

The Google Play Movies and TV app will no longer be available on any Roku set-top box or any Samsung, LG, Vizio or Roku smart TV starting July 15th, Google has announced (via 9to5Google). If you have movies or TV shows purchased or rented through the service, you’ll still be able to access them through… Read more

Apple reportedly developing an Apple TV with a built-in camera and speaker

Apple is reportedly developing a new TV accessory that combines elements of its Apple TV with a HomePod speaker and camera for video calls, according to a new report from Bloomberg. Alongside it, Apple is also said to be working on a smart speaker with a display, similar to Amazon’s Echo Show or Google’s Nest… Read more

Hulu’s Android TV app finally gets bumped from 720p to 1080p, at least on some devices

Hulu’s Android TV apps can finally stream in 1080p on new Nvidia Shield TV set-top-boxes and Sony Bravia TVs, as spotted by users on Reddit, and written up by Gizmodo, Android Central, and 9to5Google. Users first noticed the change in the “App & Device Info” page in the Hulu app. After updating, the app lists… Read more

I guess I have to watch ads everywhere on my $1,500 LG TV now

This afternoon, I was updating the streaming apps on my 2020 LG CX OLED TV, something I do from time to time, but today was different. Out of nowhere, I saw (and heard) an ad for Ace Hardware start playing in the lower-left corner. It autoplayed with sound without any action on my part. Now… Read more

I guess I have to watch ads everywhere on my $1,500 LG TV now

This afternoon, I was updating the streaming apps on my 2020 LG CX OLED TV, something I do from time to time, but today was different. Out of nowhere, I saw (and heard) an ad for Ace Hardware start playing in the lower-left corner. It autoplayed with sound without any action on my part. Now… Read more

Best streaming sticks 2021: Small tech for great movies and TV

(Pocket-lint) – There are countless TVs out there that might have amazing picture quality and resolution, but a bad software experience – whether it’s slow and annoying, or missing key apps. Best UK streaming services: Disney+, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Now TV, BritBox and more Media streaming sticks are the easiest and generally most affordable… Read more

Losing YouTube on the old Apple TV underscores how far ahead competitors are

The YouTube app on older Apple TV models has officially been discontinued as of today. If you have a third-generation device (the 2012-era model that predated the modern tvOS-based set-top boxes), you’ll only be able to stream YouTube through an iOS device using AirPlay starting today, as noted by 9to5Mac. While the news has been… Read more

What is AV1? The 8K video codec coming to a streaming service near you

Home Advice (Image credit: Philips) Move over H.264/AVC and HEVC, there’s a new video streaming codec in town and it’s got you in its sites. AV1 is here and it’s going to be everywhere before you know it. AV1 is an open, royalty-free video standard with an improved compression system that should allow huge data efficiency savings… Read more

Disney Plus

Our Verdict A well-stocked, easy-to-navigate catalogue of new and original content that Disney fans are bound to enjoy For Huge, intuitive catalogue 4K, HDR10 and Dolby Atmos/Vision Vast device support Against Poor 4K HDR discovery Once upon a time, a man called Walt Disney founded Walt Disney Studios with his brother and became one of… Read more

Google TV will include a new ‘Basic’ mode to make your smart TV, dumb

Google TV, the search giant’s latest attempt at TV software, will include a new “Basic TV” mode that strips out a TV’s smart features in favor of providing simple access to live TV and HDMI inputs, 9to5Google reports. It’s a potential boon to anyone that ever wanted to dumb-down their smart TV because they prefer… Read more

Netflix won’t be adding support for Apple spatial audio any time soon

Home News (Image credit: Netflix) Sad news for those of us happily anticipating 12-hour binges through the latest Netflix craze in glorious surround-sound on our Apple headphones and iOS device: Netflix has confirmed it actually isn’t testing support for iOS 14’s new spatial audio functionality. The news quashes claims made in a January report from iPhoneSoft, which suggested that the streaming… Read more

The best streaming device to buy in 2021

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement. Looking for a new TV gadget to stream all of your favorite entertainment? Buying an excellent streaming device is easier in 2021 than ever before — and the prices only continue to drop and get more appealing:… Read more

Amazon Fire TV Stick (2020) review: just get a 4K model

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement. Amazon’s new Fire TV Stick is a $39.99 streaming dongle that’s aimed at people who haven’t yet made the upgrade to a 4K TV — and don’t intend to anytime soon. It maxes out at 1080p video… Read more

Original Roku TV and movie content is on the way, job listing suggests

Home News (Image credit: Roku) Roku appears to be expanding into original TV and movie content, as a recent (but now closed) company job listing suggests. The Californian firm is looking for a “lead production attorney to work on its expanding slate of original content”, indicating it could soon create its own “original episodic and… Read more