Cloud. Tablette. GameStop to Offer a Branded Android Tablet, Streaming Console Games. GameStop is bringing Apple’s mobile devices, the iPod Touch, iPad and iPhone, to its stores and taking old devices for trade-ins. But Android users shouldn’t feel left out — GameStop is planning to roll out a branded Android tablet, too. The games retailer is going with an existing tablet, which it says it already chosen, but it hasn’t announced which device that’ll be just yet. When it does, GameStop stores will be selling the branded tablet complete with a few choice downloads already pre-loaded, said Game Stop President Tony Bartel in an interview with GamesIndustry. But downloading Android games isn’t the true aim of the tablet: GameStop wants to bring streaming games to their Android device, in exactly the same way that OnLive is doing.
GameStop even plans to create and ship a tablet-specific controller to go with the device for players to use on console games streamed to the tablet. Bartel didn’t say when to expect all this stuff.
Microsoft to launch Xbox TV for holiday season - Sep. 15. ANAHEIM, Calif.
(CNNMoney) -- Microsoft is trying to succeed where Google, Apple and Sony have all flopped: The software giant wants to change the way people watch TV. At Microsoft's financial analyst meeting in Anaheim, Calif., on Wednesday, CEO Steve Ballmer previewed the new Xbox TV platform that will launch this holiday season. The demonstration was short on critical details like content partners, pricing, and what movies and shows will be available. But Ballmer said Microsoft would be working alongside "dozens or hundreds of additional video content suppliers" to grow the content choices available on the Xbox. In addition to video on-demand, that Xbox content will include live television. It's not clear exactly how that will work, but Ballmer hinted it will be similar to what Microsoft (MSFT, Fortune 500) has already done with foreign partners like Sky TV in the United Kingdom, Canal Plus in France, and FoxTel in Australia.
"The vision is kind of simple," said Ballmer. Live TV is coming to the Xbox 360: Microsoft signs deals with Verizon, Comcast and others. As VentureBeat previously confirmed, Microsoft has reached a deal with Verizon that will bring live TV content to the Xbox 360, the companies announced Wednesday.
Microsoft has long since aspired to turn its Xbox 360 gaming console into a complete media center experience, which it has arguably been unable to achieve without a better selection of television content. The new partnership gives Xbox Live Gold subscribers access to live TV channels offered by Verizon’s FiOS service — essentially allowing Verizon FiOS customers to use their console as a set-top cable box. Not all Verizon FiOS channels will be available via Xbox Live, and it’s unknown if FiOS customers will be charged additional fees for the Xbox integration.
(By comparison, competitors like AT&T’s Uverse requires its customers to purchase a $99 Xbox installation kit.) Microsoft also announced partnerships with a number of other TV service providers and content producers. DirectTV’s integration with Samsung Smart TVs means one less box in the living room. Samsung has announced its new line of Smart TVs will let DirecTV customers access their TV service without the use of a set-top box.
The company announced the feature addition at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. At Samsung’s press conference yesterday, the company showed off its latest set of smart TVs with heavy emphasis on taking TVs to the next level of connectedness. Its updated Smart Hub (pictured above) will add in all sorts of features and apps, including the ability to play mega-popular game Angry Birds and watch free Angry Birds cartoons. But DirecTV integration takes the Smart TV idea a step further by helping you clean up your living room.
All of the typical set-top abilities, including DVR and live pause, will be accessible through the Home Media Center on the Smart TV. The DirecTV integration is handy in another way: if you have a DirecTV box in one room, a Samsung Smart TV in another room can connect to that box as if it was a DirecTV set-top box. The phenomenon of two screen viewing.