March 18th, 2015
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has formally charged DIRECTV with deceptively advertising a discounted 12-month programming package because it fails to clearly disclose that the package requires a two-year contract.
The main squeeze of the debate, according to the FTC, is that DIRECTV does not clearly disclose that the cost of the package will increase by up to $45 more per month in the customer’s second year, and that an early cancellation fee of up to $480 can apply if consumers cancel the package before the end of the two-year period. Read more
Categories: DISH & TV news
March 9th, 2015
It’s been a month since Better Call Saul challenged the cable premiere records, and while the Breaking Bad spinoff may have piggy-backed some off of The Walking Dead‘s incredible numbers, it’s still amazing how far cable has come in just a few short years, ad AMC isn’t letting up in the competition they’re giving other premium providers.
Even with their massive success, AMC may have needed this second burst to take them where they want to go as HBO’s proverbial little brother. Better Call Saul just might do it. Read more
Categories: DISH & TV news
March 6th, 2015
According to reports by the The Wall Street Journal, Apple has been invited to join the Dow Jones Industrial Average, one of the most exclusive stock indexes in the world, and AT&T is being removed from the Dow Jones to make space. Read more
Categories: DISH & TV news
March 4th, 2015
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As in the Internet of Everything comes closer and closer with lamps, refrigerators and TVs all connected and sharing data, it’s only natural for the media-first companies to look to dip their toe into this growing sector. Read more
Categories: DISH & TV news
March 2nd, 2015
Chromecast opened up its API to third party apps in 2014, and some content providers have created apps that work with Chromecast even if the device does not have native support. Dish has built a seamless app that works natively with Chromecast for the Sling, and for those Chromecast users who might be a little adventurous, there are some alternatives as well. Read more
Categories: DISH & TV news • Equipment & Remotes
March 1st, 2015
On Thursday, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) successfully voted on and passed Chairman Tom Wheeler’s proposed net neutrality plan, which reclassified broadband Internet connections under Title II of the Communications Act. You can read about Wheeler’s plan in detail here, but long story short, the measure classified large ISPs as “common carriers†and essentially opened up the regulation of the internet as a public utility. Read more
Categories: DISH & TV news
February 27th, 2015
Dish’s new offering, the first fully legal over-the-web TV service with ESPN, Sling TV, has finally been launched this month and it’s making quite the stir. While DISH will no doubt be adding features left and right (ESPN3 access was just added, and there are reportedly channels on the way like AMC and EPIX movie channels), let’s take a look at what’s available now. Read more
Categories: DISH & TV news
February 25th, 2015
FCC chairman Tom Wheeler’s plan will go before the FCC board on Thursday for a vote on the “net neutrality” measures that have been proposed this month. Wheeler’s plan has been praised as relatively nonpartisan, and it has the support of the Obama administration, in the FCC’s attempt to “reclassify” broadband internet as a Class II utility under the Communications Act, bringing some measures of utility-like oversight by the federal government for broadband networks. Read more
Categories: DISH & TV news
February 23rd, 2015
Rarely does Comcast go a week without some sort of negative news, but one bit of press has been consciously absent from the headlines recently, especially when considering how huge of a story this was just 365 days ago: That little merger between Time Warner and Comcast. With the deal clearly stalled in the FCC, and other issues even taking precedence over the deal (Net Neutrality vote this month). Read more
Categories: DISH & TV news
February 20th, 2015
1. Boardwalk Empire (HBO, Sept. 7)
Once positioned as the heir apparent to The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire has never quite managed to match the quality or acclaim of that legendary series — but it has carved out a quality niche of its own. Picking up after last year’s tragic, gruesome season finale, this final season follows Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) as he continues to build a criminal empire in 1920s Atlantic City. Read more
Categories: Episode Recaps & Show Reviews