Smart Home (connected home, home networking) News

DISH adds more Amazon Alexa controls for Hopper
Jun 12, 2018 – DISH (NASDAQ:DISH) has introduced new Amazon Alexa voice capabilities that give customers the ability to set recordings, launch apps and navigate menus on Hopper family set-top boxes. The update builds on DISH's existing Alexa voice functions.
News categories: DISH Network, Niraj Desai, Digital TV, Satellite, Set Top Box, Smart Home, USA, UX

ViewLift integrates Alexa voice control into its Fire TV apps
Jun 12, 2018 – ViewLift has brought Alexa-based voice-activation to its video applications on Fire TV, by integrating Alexa Video Skill capabilities into its feature set. All of ViewLift's partners now can incorporate Alexa voice controls into their Fire TV applications.
News categories: ViewLift, Vishal Parikh, Apps, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Smart Home, USA, Worldwide

Channel 4 becomes first UK broadcaster to partner with Google Assistant
Jun 12, 2018 – Channel 4 has announced that 'All 4' viewers can now ask Google Assistant to play shows from All 4 on Chromecast, from their Google Home and Google Home Mini: a first for a UK on-demand TV service.
News categories: Channel 4, Google, Carl Pfeiffer, Edward Kenney, Digital TV, Smart Home, Streaming, UK, UX

Ericsson releases June 2018 Mobility Report
Jun 12, 2018 – Rollouts of 5G and larger than previously forecast deployments of cellular IoT are focal points in the latest edition of the Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) Mobility Report. The forecast for cellular IoT connections has nearly doubled since November 2017.
News categories: Ericsson, Fredrik Jejdling, 5G, Digital TV, Market Research, Mobile, Smart Home, Worldwide

Amazon releases 4K streaming media player with TV voice control
Jun 7, 2018 – Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) has announced Fire TV Cube, a hands-free 4K Ultra HD streaming media player with Alexa, allowing control of TV from across the room. Fire TV Cube can control a compatible TV, sound bar, A/V receiver, and cable or satellite box.
News categories: Amazon, Marc Whitten, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Streaming, USA

Comcast and Fandango add voice-activated movie ticketing via TV
May 30, 2018 – Comcast’s Xfinity and Fandango businesses have announced that Xfinity X1 customers can say 'Get tickets' into their voice remote while watching the movie trailer to search more than 30,000 theatrical screens in the U.S.
News categories: Comcast, Fandango, Nancy Spears, Mark Young, Cable TV, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Smart Home, USA

Amazon Alexa Skill available on 2018 LG AI-enabled TVs
May 29, 2018 – LG Electronics USA has announced that 2018 LG OLED TVs and LG SUPER UHD TVs with AI ThinQ are now compatible with Alexa-enabled devices through the LG SmartThinQ Skill for Amazon Alexa.
News categories: LG Electronics, Tim Alessi, Big Data, Digital TV, Smart Home, Smart TV, USA

MaxLinear and Pixelworks selected by Nuvyyo for Tablo OTA DVR
May 24, 2018 – MaxLinear (NYSE: MXL) has announced that Nuvyyo has selected its MxL69x ATSC receiver for its Tablo DVR product that streams live HDTV and recorded OTA content to any internet-connected TV, streaming media player, gaming system, computer or mobile device.
News categories: MaxLinear, Pixelworks, Nuvyyo, Will Torgerson, Anthony Gioeli, Grant Hall, ATSC 3, Digital TV, Gateway, Placeshifting, Semiconductor, Smart Home, USA

AirTV officially launches hybrid DTT/OTT gateway in the U.S.
May 23, 2018 – AirTV has officially launched. The AirTV solution, when connected to an OTA antenna and a home Wi-Fi network, wirelessly streams free local channels to internet-connected TVs and mobile devices, in and out of the home.
News categories: AirTV, Mitch Weinraub, ATSC 3, Digital TV, Gateway, Placeshifting, Semiconductor, Smart Home, Streaming, USA