Apple to announce Smart TV partnerships at CES

Ahead of this week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Apple and Samsung announced a strategic partnership to add iTunes Movies and TV Shows and AirPlay 2 to Samsung Smart TVs released in 2018 onwards.

Further to this. The Cupertino-based company will announce further manufacturer partnerships during CES. This is expected to include LG, Panasonic and Sony.

The move outside of Apple's ecosystem is forward-looking and taps into the company's investment in original content to compete with rivals including Netflix and Amazon Prime, spearheaded by a collaboration with director JJ Abrams (Star Wars: The Force Awakens).

Apple Music is already available as an Alexa skill in the US and AirPlay 2 is coming to third-party speaker manufacturers including Bose this year.

What are your thoughts on Apple's streaming strategy? Let me know in the comments below.

Marvel's Jessica Jones renewed for second season

Netflix has confirmed Marvel's Jessica Jones will return for a second season.

Krysten Ritter and David Tennant will reprise their roles as Jessica Jones and Kilgrave respectively in 13 new episodes.

The news of the renewal is not surprising in the wake of NBC's suggestion Jessica Jones is the most-watched drama series on the streaming service.

Incidentally, Jessica Jones is the first series I've watched in 4K on a new Samsung Curved SUHD 4K 3D LED TV that included a free 6 month Ultra HD Premium subscription to Netflix. The finest television I've ever owned.

Daredevil's second season premiere is 18th March on Netflix. Upcoming Marvel Netflix series include Luke Cage, Iron Fist and The Defenders. All of which are a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Excited for more Jessica Jones? Let me know in the comments below.

Michael Bay walks off Samsung stage at CES

Transformers director Michael Bay walked off the Samsung stage at CES following a teleprompter fail!

The director posted this message on his blog:

“Wow! I just embarrassed myself at CES. I rarely lend my name to any products, but this one is just stellar. I got so excited to talk, that I skipped over the Exec VP’s intro line and then the teleprompter got lost. Then the prompter went up and down – then I walked off. I guess live shows aren’t my thing.”

Public speaking isn't for everyone.

Mothering Sunday

This is the first ever Mothering Sunday sans my mum! She died, last summer (link to obituary notice), under most tragic circumstances culminating in an out of court settlement with the RD&E NHS Foundation Trust Hospital! The Chief Executive apologised for any deficiencies in my mother's care! My father and myself consented to samples of my mother's brain and lungs being retained for teaching and medical purposes. This post will not address medico-legal matters - they were reported, independently, in the online and offline press - but, instead, concentrates on my mother's enduring legacy...



What follows is a transcript of my article, written for Lucerne House's The Home Front newsletter, regarding the inception of my mother's computer-based memorial (funded by donations from family, friends and business acquaintances).

Margaret’s Memorial
Written by John Hood

At the start of January, Paul wrote to Robin, my dad, and me with the excellent suggestion that the donations, made to Lucerne House Care Centre, in memory of Margaret, my mum, be used to fund equipment for the computer room on Alphinbrook Unit!

In view of my computer expertise, not only will I be able to provide input, with Paul’s support, on suggested computer peripherals to provide assistive technology for residents. But, I will also be able to offer bespoke training to each resident, who wishes to use the computer (including setting up e-mail addresses, etc), over the coming weeks and months… I’ll speak to each resident, individually, about this.

Dad and I have already donated a 22” Samsung widescreen monitor, which I installed in January, with Les’ help, and this can be viewed on Alphinbrook! I’m most certain that Rona - Resident Roving Reporter - will be more than delighted to show-off her superlative Solitaire and creative visual skills on the big screen!

Stay tuned for further updates, regarding the computer-based memorial, in future issues of The Home Front!

I will continue to post further newsletter transcripts. It is my intention to broach the subject of my mother's memorial, at Lucerne House, to the local press, in the hope that they may wish to report on it!

In addition to the memorial. We're also donating a Nintendo Wii to the Young People with Disabilities (YPD) unit! Broadly speaking, Nintendo's interface paradigm opens up a galaxy of interactivity to individuals whom, otherwise, could be precluded from positive gaming experiences.

The Future is Blu

It's "game over" for Toshiba's HD DVD format, thereby leaving 100,000 standalone HD DVD player owners (in the UK) with obsolete hardware. Conversely for those of us who've invested in Blu-ray, the future is most bright indeed! Put your Ray-Bans on...

Sony's triumph illustrates that lessons were learnt, by the company, during the infamous Betamax Vs VHS war, which witnessed VHS' victory despite the superiority of Betamax! Admittedly the technological playing field was much more even, this time around, and Sony's marketing made all the difference. Lets face it, Blu-ray sounds so much cooler doesn't it?

If you haven't made a decision on what Blu-ray hardware to purchase, it maybe worth noting the following, Sony's PlayStation 3 is the most future-proof Blu-ray player on the market! You might also consider a Samsung BD-P1400. Both of these machines come highly recommended.

Mac OS X 10.5.2 released to the wild

Tonight Apple released the most significant Mac OS X iterative update to date! Mac OS X 10.5.2.

The 10.5.2 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac:

Active Directory

* Addresses issues which could hinder or prevent binding Mac OS X 10.5.x clients to Active Directory domains.

AirPort

* Improves connection reliability and stability
* Includes 802.1X improvements
* Resolves certain kernel panics

Back to my Mac

* Adds support for more third-party routers, as detailed in this article

Dashboard

* Improves performance of certain Apple Dashboard widgets (such as Dictionary)
* Addresses an issue in which Dashboard widgets may no longer be accessible after switching to or from an account that has Parental Controls enabled

Dock

* Updates Stacks with a List view option, a Folder view option, and an updated background for Grid view

Desktop

* Addresses legibility issues with the menu bar with an option to turn off transparency in Desktop & Screen Saver preferences
* Adjusts menus to be slightly-less translucent overall

iCal

* Improves iCal so that it accurately reflects responses to recurring meetings
* Addresses an issue in which a meeting may remain on the calendar after being cancelled
* Addresses stability issues related to .Mac syncing of iCal calendars
* Resolves an intermittent issue in which editing an event with attendees would cause the event to shrink and not register that the event was updated

iChat

* Addresses an issue with simultaneously-logged in accounts in which iChat sounds generated from one account might be heard in another account
* Fixes an issue in which iChat idle time is affected by Time Machine backups
* Improves connectivity when running iChat behind a router that doesn't preserve ports
* Enables logged chats from previous versions of iChat to open faster and more reliably
* Addresses an issue with text chats in which users may be unable to receive messages from the sender
* Addresses an issue that may prevent rejoining an AIM chat room without reopening iChat
* Addresses video chat compatibility issues with AIM 6 and third-party routers
* Fixes an issue with case-sensitivity of AIM handles

iSync

* Adds support for Samsung D600E and D900i phones

Finder

* Addresses an issue in which Finder could unexpectedly quit when displaying folder contents in Column view
* Addresses an issue in which Finder could unexpectedly quit when accessing Users and Groups in a Get Info pane
* Resolves an issue that prevented setting permissions on a folder alias
* Resolves an issue in which the Eject command could write to a disc in the optical drive
* Fixes an issue in which the scroll bar might disappear when deleting a file within a folder that includes files that are out of view
* Fixes an issue in the Sharing & Permissions section of Get Info windows, in which the gear icon appears to be gray/disabled after authentication
* Addresses an issue in which the Show Icon Preview preference might not be not saved when turning it off
* Fixes an issue that could occur when trying to print an image from the Finder

Mail

* Addresses an issue with Message menu's Mark > As Read choice
* Fixes an issue in which duplicate On My Mac folders may appear in the sidebar after upgrading to Leopard
* Improves the accuracy of the Data Detectors feature
* Resolves an issue with scrolling through a Note that is displayed using the split view in the message window
* Fixes an issue with deleting messages located in the Drafts folder
* Fixes an issue in which dragging the icon in the Safari URL field into a Mail message creates an attachment instead of a link
* Addresses an issue found when opening a item in the Notes folder that is not a Note
* Fixes an issue that may prevent RSS feeds from being delivered in Mail
* Resolves an issue in which a selected message could "flash" from blue to gray when in Organize by Thread mode
* Fixes an issue with scrolling between multiple To Dos in an email message
* Fixes an issue in which the body of email messages with certain MIME structures may not be displayed
* Improves performance with America Online (AOL) account-based messages in Mail
* Addresses issues with some ISPs during automatic set-up in Mail
* Addresses an issue in which Mail might not send mail on some networks to some SMTP servers
* Mail now automatically disables the (unsupported) third-party plugin GrowlMail version 1.1.2 or earlier to avoid issues
* Adds an option to view large icons in the Mailbox list

Networking

* Addresses a hanging issue that may occur when connecting to an AFP network volume

Parental Controls

* Improves stability when opening the Parental Controls System Preferences pane
* Fixes an issue that may prevent changes to the email address for permission requests
* Addresses an issue with printer administration for a guest account enabled with Parental Controls
* Addresses an issue with setting printer administration privileges from another Mac on the local network
* Fixes an issue that could prevent certain applications from being allowed
* Addresses accuracy issues with the web content filter

Preview

* Improves stability when scrolling through a PDF document
* Fixes an issue that prevents tabbing within a PDF document after clicking on the PDF
* Improves the Mail Document feature so that email attachments are more reliably created from Print Preview

Printing

* Addresses an issue in which remote printers may be deleted when the computer is put to sleep
* Improves printing performance when using some Microsoft Office applications
* Resolves an issue with some printing options, such as landscape orientation, number of copies, two-sided printing, and so forth that may not have functioned with some printers shared by Microsoft Windows
* Adds support for certain printers connected to the USB port of an AirPort Extreme or AirPort Express base station
* Resolves a stalling issue that could occur when installing certain Canon printing software from a disc

RAW Image

* Adds RAW image support for several cameras, as detailed in this article

Safari

* Addresses issues with Safari reliably resolving certain domains

Login and Setup Assistant

* Addresses an issue in which Setup Assistant could unexpectedly appear each time Mac OS X 10.5 starts up
* Improves stability and performance during log in

System

* Improves the accuracy of the grammar checker
* The computer will now shut down if an automatic disk repair does not succeed during startup

Time Machine

* Adds a menu bar option for accessing Time Machine features (the menu extra can be enabled in Time Machine preferences)
* Improves backup reliability when computer name contains slash or non-ASCII characters
* Fixes an issue in which the backup disk displayed in the Finder may be out of sync with the disk chosen for Time Machine
* Addresses issues in which some external drives are not recognized by Time Machine
* The status menu now appears by default

Other

* Improves general stability when running third-party applications
* Addresses an issue in which the incorrect search results may be displayed for certain Automator Find/Filter actions
* Addresses an issue with the Latvian and Russian keyboard layouts
* Addresses an issue in which the backlight could turn off before Energy Saver's backlight setting

May I suggest that you download the Combo Update!

Drink Coke, Get Up and Play Wii

In a move that mirrors last summer's hugely successful iTunes/Coca-Cola Music campaign, Nintendo UK has teamed up with Coca-Cola (GB) to run a joint £2 million promotional campaign on Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite and Dr Pepper soft-drink cans and bottles. Promotional codes can be redeemed at Get Up and Play. Each entrant will also get a £5 money-off voucher to spend at GAME.co.uk… guaranteed!

TV and satellite advertisements will support the campaign, which represents Nintendo's first partnership with a major packaged goods brand. The promotion will also be bolstered by online and print advertising. The Japanese firm says it could lead to a long-term partnership between the two companies.

Kicking off this week, the promotion will offer weekly Nintendo Wii and DS prizes to consumers, with participation based on players entering a promotional code found on drinks products online or via a text message.

Ten 'ultimate Wii games rooms' will be given away every day, which include a Wii, Samsung LCD TV, mini fridge and a case of Sprite, Fanta and Dr. Pepper.

Trade marketing and promotions manager at Nintendo, Ben Taylor, said that the promotion was aimed at developing Nintendo’s position as current market leader in the next generation console war following a successful Wii launch period.

“Wii is already the must-have gadget of the year for people of all ages, this activity will re-enforce our message not just with with hardcore gamers but importantly will also reach everyone in the household including the mums and dads we also want to attract to our products.”

“It is a classic on-pack promotion,” Nintendo UK marketing director Dawn Paine told MCV. “There will be a website and a very heavy TV advertising campaign, which will run on terrestrial channels. There’s going to be over a million pounds of investment.”

Retailers will be creating feature and display to raise awareness of the promotion including Sainsbury’s who will have a separate pool of prizes and a separate 'text to win' number, meaning a purchase from Sainsbury’s will give consumers two codes for two separate prize draws and therefore a higher chance to win.

Double Jeopardy

Well, I've done it now! What heinous crime has been committed, you cry? Amazon UK permitting, an Xbox 360 Premium Pack will be opened before the holidays! The combined price of a Core Pack and the accessories included (remote control subject to availability) in the Premium Pack could cost upwards of £320 (depending on supplier).

Of the two Xbox 360 SKUs (Stock Keeping Units), gamers should be encouraged to purchase the Premium Pack - the 20GB portable HDD is required for backwards compatibility. My HDTV's component input will be put to good use and Xbox 360 offers Plug and Play with iPod and PSP.

Sega's next generation arcade board (codenamed Lindbergh) DNA parallels Xbox 360 architecture. This translates to an envious arcade-to-home porting model akin to Sega's NAOMI and Dreamcast. The key attraction, here, is future arcade smashes House Of The Dead 4, Psy Phi and Virtua Fighter 5 in the home sans compromise.

To reiterate. Xbox 360 SDK was (originally) Mac-based. Jonathan Hayes (manager of platform experience design) owes a debt to Jonathan Ives (vice president of Apple Computer's Industrial Design Group) IMHO. The upshot of this philosophy is a console whose contours are organic and appealing. Certainly this product is a more cohesive 'brand' experience (from the hardware to the software GUI) and lessons have been learned from the first iteration of Xbox. Go Microsoft.

European PSP users are already reporting that some machines are afflicted with the pixel problem that blighted the Japanese and US launches. As I understood it, Sony sourced Samsung LCDs to reduce this reliability issue (officially users should expect up to 9 dead pixels)! Anyone contemplating a PSP purchase, and are concerned about the possibility of buying a product that doesn't meet their expectations, should wait. Lets face it, the new Ceramic White model is much more desirable for the eye candy cognoscenti.

Now that the nights are drawing in you maybe in need of extra PDF reading material. The Bomb (1994), an original audio drama, was written as a 5-minute play and recorded during the second year of undergraduate study.