Yahoo's IntoNow fades to Black

I guess I can remove this app from my iPad. Obviously I wasn't using it and apparently I wasn't alone. Yahoo's IntoNow second-screen app is shutting down effective March 31st. You may remember it as one of the many that popped up in the early part of the decade. Purchased by Yahoo in 2011, it offered Shazam like capabilities which gave it built-in auto content recognition (ACR) technology for recognizing television programming, a feature which first caught my attention and had me downloading it and trying it out. As with other second-screen apps it also allowed the users to check-in to the television shows they were watching and share their viewing habits with friends on Facebook and Twitter. Frankly, I found this to be a feature I never used. If I wanted to share info like this I would have asked them over and made popcorn! Ryan Lawler @ TechCrunch agrees writing, “The idea was as preposterous then as it seems now, but thanks to the relative early success of Foursquare back in those days, eager app makers were trying to get people to check into every damn thing.” MORE: techcrunch.com 01/29/14 - Yahoo Is Shutting Down IntoNow, Nearly Three Years After Acquisition by Ryan Lawler

Verizon ramps up TV, buys Intel Medias OnCue

Verizon announced Tuesday its agreement to purchase the assets of Intel Media, a division of Intel dedicated to the development of cloud TV products and services that includes the OnCue Cloud TV platform. Financial terms were not disclosed, and although the deal has to pass through regulatory screenings, it’s expected to be closed by the end of Q1 2014. From the industies perspected, OnCue was a long shot for Intel. Headed by Intel Media VP Erik Huggers, it was definitely one of those try-it-and-see-how-it-goes sort of endeavors. According to sources at Verizon, they are aquiring all of Intel Media, including their 350 employees, intellectual property rights, and other assets. "The OnCue platform and team will help Verizon bring next-generation video services to audiences who increasingly expect to view content when, where and how they want it," said Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam.

Cloud based DVR's are on the Way

According to hothardward.com, Comcast is currently testing a cloud DVR service called X2 in the Boston market. Cloud base technology offers consumers the ability to watch whatever programming they record wherever and whenever they choose to view it. The current test only allows for tests on iPhones and iPads and at present it is unclear when other types of devices will be added. At CES earlier this month STB manufactures like Cisco, Alcatel Lucent, Simple.tv,Tivo and others proudly demo-ed their versions of this technology however none of them had a large scale test in place at the time. MORE: hothardware.com - 01/20/14 Comcast Testing Cloud DVR In Boston, Take Your TV Shows On The Road by Seth Colaner

Roku gets Smart (TV)

Anthony Wood broke the news late Sunday prior to the CES show that Roku has decided to take another route to win the war for controlling your TV, soon Roku will be integrated into your new smartTV. Partnering with TCL and Hisense, the company plans to release the Roku TV later this year. This is a bold move from a company that has already positioned themselves as the leader in the OTT world. The field however is becoming crowded with existing and new entries all over at the 2014 CES show. This new strategy if carried out correctly could be the beginning of an entirely new era for connected TV's.
 MORE: Roku Blog - 01/05/14 Introducing Roku TV or WIRED - 01/06/14 Roku TV Is the First Smart TV Worth Using or

ABC.com limits access to New Episodes

In a definite sign of things to come, ABC announced that next-day access to new episodes of ABC shows will be restricted to authenticated cable subscribers on participating pay-TV services and Hulu Plus subscribers starting Monday, January 6, according to the net's web site. (ABC owner Disney co-owns Hulu.) Access will be free to everyone eight days after the initial air date. Fox instituted a similar delay in 2011.