New NOW TV Box coming this August

Back in August 2013 I reviewed the first generation NOW TV Box and congratulated Sky on releasing a Roku LT-based device at a very competitive price point.

This August sees the release of the second generation NOW TV Box. This time based on a Roku 3. The new model will include an updated remote with two quick action buttons, an Ethernet port, USB & microSD slot, is 5x faster and will retail at £14.99 (includes an HDMI cable). Sky has subsidised the price of this rebadged Roku 3, which normally retails for £99.99.

The first NOW TV Box was limited to 720p whereas the new NOW TV Box can output 1080p. Whether or not Sky will enable this feature for live streaming or on demand remains to be seen. Hopefully live content will be streamed at 720p as on the NOW TV app for Apple TV.

In further NOW TV news. The app will be updated across devices with a new user interface, making it quicker and more intuitive for customers to discover and watch the content they want. More features, including automatic playback of the next episode in a box set, will be added in the coming months. Auto-play is already available on Amazon Prime Instant Video and Netflix.

Stephen van Rooyen, Chief Marketing & Digital Officer, Sky commented: “NOW TV has established real momentum since it launched nearly three years ago. The acceleration in our customer growth shows NOW TV is attracting customers in a way that is complementary, not at odds, with the Sky TV service. As with the Sky platform we are committed to constant improvement so we can produce the best experience for customers as well as developing exciting new services and features for them to enjoy.”

Sports fans can now buy a Sky Sports Month Pass for £31.99 without a contract.

NOW TV adds movies and entertainment on Apple TV

NOW TV's app for Apple TV has been updated with Sky Movies Month Pass and Entertainment Month Pass. Both were conspicuous by their absence when NOW TV launched on Apple's streaming device with only Sky Sports Day Pass last year.

The Sky company recently announced support for Google Chromecast. So, this is most welcome.

"Great news for Apple TV users today as we bring our range of NOW TV passes to the service," said Gidon Katz, director of the service.

“There’s never been a better time to get stuck into gripping box sets like The Walking Dead or The West Wing, right from the very first episode, plus get unlimited access to hundreds of the latest award-winning movies like American Hustle – straight to your main TV screen.”

Rekindled my enthusiasm for The Walking Dead by binge-viewing S1-3 box sets on NOW TV! This post-apocalyptic soap noir with zombies continues to present some of the most stunning cinematography on television (or the big screen for that matter), and I'm in for the long haul. S4 is available to stream from 1st October.

The Sky Movies Month Pass and The Entertainment Month Pass are increasing to £9.99 and £6.99 respectively from 16th October. The price increase was delayed earlier in the year.

Subscribers can enjoy watching The Ryder Cup 2014 in Gleneagles exclusively on Sky Sports 4 this week.

New customers get 10% off the Sky Sports Day Pass. Offer ends 9th November.

Are you subscribing to NOW TV? Let me know in the comments below.

NOW TV on Google Chromecast as ITV Encore debuts

NOW TV has quietly updated its iOS and Android apps with support for Google Chromecast. The first I learnt of this was when updating NOW TV for iPad earlier today.

This doesn't displace the NOW TV Box (based on a Roku LT) for streaming catch up services, but does add another option for subscribers who own a Chromecast device.

@blindpete has pointed out Chromecast will use one of only four device slots linked to your NOW TV account.

ITV Encore is now available to Entertainment Month Pass subscribers at no additional cost! You'll be able to watch Poirot, Prey, The Widower, Monroe, Mr. Selfridge S2 and the final series of Whitechapel.

Why not sign up for an Entertainment Month Pass and get a £5 Asda voucher? New subscribers only. Offer good through 30th September.

Sky Sports Week Pass on NOW TV

From Thursday NOW TV subscribers will be able to purchase a Sky Sports Week Pass for £10.99. This a smart move in Sky's battle with BT Sport and includes the brand new channel Sky Sports 5, which launches tomorrow. However, sports fans will most likely prefer a competitively priced monthly subscription much like Sky Movies.

Gidon Katz, director of NOW TV said: "With the start of the football season just days away, this is a great time to be giving sports fans even more choice. We know our sports fans are hungry for more flexibility in how they watch sports and the new Sky Sports Week Pass offers just that. Now fans simply have to decide if they want to snack on a day pass or feast on a week's sport for just £10.99."

Richard Broughton, director of broadband at research company IHS, believes the new offer is recognition that NOW TV is too pricey. “The main thing Sky is recognising here is that it is facing a bit of an uphill challenge getting consumers to buy into NOW TV. Film and entertainment are great but sport has always been the driver. They have pushed NOW TV as the more premium alternative to Netflix and Amazon Prime Instant Video, but it has not really been attractive enough to compete.”

NOW TV is currently available on the NOW TV Box, PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android smartphones and tablets, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, YouView, LG Smart TVs, selected LG media devices, Roku boxes and Apple TV (Sky Sports Day Pass only).

NOW TV coming to PS4 this summer

NOW TV and Sky Go are coming to PS4 from this summer.

Fergal Gara, VP and MD for Sony Computer Entertainment UK said: "Now TV has been a great addition to the PlayStation 3 entertainment portfolio, so bringing it to the new PS4 is going to delight all users of the newest, most powerful member of the PlayStation family. Sky Go joining both PlayStation platforms further enhances our credentials as the ultimate gaming and entertainment package."

Sky points out: "Sky Go includes all six Sky Sports channels, Eurosport, 11 Sky Movies channels, great entertainment from Sky Atlantic and third party channels such as FOX, plus hours of shows from Nickelodeon and others. Now TV is the contract-free internet streaming service from Sky that provides instant access to hundreds of films from Sky Movies on demand, pay-as-you-go access to live Sky Sports and must see shows on 10 of the best pay TV channels including Sky1, Sky Atlantic and Sky Living."

Find out more at nowtv.com.

Win a NOW TV Box and get Smart TV this Christmas!

I've teamed up with Sky to offer one lucky reader a NOW TV Box in time for Christmas!

The tiny NOW TV Box lets you stream on demand entertainment straight to your TV, and it's simple too. Simple set-up and the easy to use menu will have you up and running in minutes. With a NOW TV account you can start streaming live Sky Sports, on demand Sky Movies and 10 of the UK's best pay TV channels instantly. All on your TV. Now that's smart.

To be in with a chance of winning a NOW TV Box, just answer this question: Which Marvel super sequel premieres on Sky Movies this Christmas Day?

A. Thor: The Dark World
B. Iron Man 3
C. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Please email the answer, including your name and address here. The competition closes on Friday 20th December and is open to UK residents only.

Special thanks to Sky for providing the prize. You can sign-up for a free 1-month NOW TV trial here.

NOW TV Box gets 4oD

4oD is now available on Sky's NOW TV Box and can be downloaded, free, from the Roku Channel Store.

Gidon Katz, Director of NOW TV, welcomed the latest addition to its NOW TV Box catch-up bouquet, which includes BBC iPlayer and Demand 5.

"There is now even more to watch. The launch of 4oD means the NOW TV Box delivers an even bigger choice of on-demand TV," he stated.

"It’s available alongside flexible pay-as-you-go access to must-see sport, the latest movies you missed at the cinema and the TV shows everyone’s talking about."

Laurence Dawkin-Jones, Director of Commercial and Business Development at Channel 4, said the broadcaster is always looking for new ways to offer its content to viewers.

"Bringing 4oD on the NOW TV Box represents the latest device launch in a busy year for Channel 4 that has seen us extend our content reach to many new platforms," he stated.

It's worth noting NOW TV recently launched an Entertainment Pass for £4.99 per month. This includes Sky1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Arts and Disney Channel.

NOW TV Box bundles available in-store for Christmas

Since the summer I've been evangelising the merits of owning a NOW TV Box to family and friends. I own two, myself.

From today consumers can purchase the NOW TV Box online and in-store from Argos, Currys and PC World, with John Lewis to follow. These include a range of bundled passes for Sky Movies and Sky Sports.

You'll be able to buy a NOW TV Box with a 24-hour Sky Sports Day Pass for £15 or you can opt for a bundled 3 month Sky Movies Pass for £25 - a saving of between £5 and £10 respectively.

“The NOW TV Box lets customers instantly transform their regular TV into a Smart TV and these brand new bundles make it even easier for people to access great live sport and the biggest and best movies on their main TV,” said Gidon Katz, Director of NOW TV. “With Christmas just around the corner, we believe that the NOW TV Box will be this year’s ultimate stocking filler.”

An in-store presence is an inspired move by Sky and steals a march on its rivals Netflix and LOVEFiLM.

You can read my five star review here.

Review: NOW TV Box

There's a multitude of streaming devices available to consumers: from Apple TV to Roku and PS3 to Xbox 360! Many of which will cost you in the region of £50 or, in the case of consoles, much more...

Enter the NOW TV Box. Sky's newest Trojan horse in its war with BT Sport, LOVEFiLM and Netflix.

Launched last Friday amidst the lollapalooza surrounding Google Chromecast. £9.99 (including P&P) gets you everything you'll need to start streaming albeit with Sky, understandably, as curator. The pack-in includes the svelte NOW TV Box (based on a Roku LT), a HDMI cable, remote and AAA batteries. Sky hasn't skimped on anything.

Setup is a breeze, thanks to an intuitive modern UI, and you don't have to subscribe to NOW TV to use other apps: including BBC iPlayer, Demand 5, Spotify, Facebook and VEVO from the Roku Channel Store. Sky promises to add more apps in the future!

Once connected, wirelessly to a router, HD is a respectable 720p and I noticed nothing deleterious whilst streaming Prometheus with the monthly Sky Movies Pass.



Obviously rivals LOVEFiLM and Emmy-Awards nominee Netflix are missing from the app roster for now. But, 4oD, ITV Player and YouTube are odd omissions. This tragically nixes the notion of a one-box solution where space is at a premium. For an extra £40 Roku LT will better serve Netflix subscribers who don't require Full 1080p.

A Sky Movies Month Pass is £9.99. You can cancel at anytime and resume on a month-by-month basis. This'll be a boon at Christmas time! Then there's the Sky Sports Week Pass for £10.99. And you'll need a robust wireless network because there's no Ethernet. However, I experienced no problems connecting the NOW TV Box to AirPort Extreme.

It would be great to see a companion app for iOS given its Roku heritage.

Regardless of whether or not you decide to continue subscribing after the free trial. For those without a so-called smart TV, or catch-up device, it would be churlish to pass up a NOW TV Box for the bedroom, kitchen or study. It's a very slick streaming player and a decent HDMI cable will set you back £10. What's not to like? I'll take one, two...

***** out of *****

Special thanks to Sky for providing the NOW TV Box.

Give GO!VIEW a go!

PSP™ owners to beat boredom this winter with a free trial of the fully launched GO!VIEW service

From today, GO!VIEW (www.goview.tv), the portable Video-On-Demand Service for the PlayStation®Portable (PSP™), officially launches in the UK and Ireland giving PSP ™ owners the opportunity to access TV Shows, Movies and Sports on-demand and on the move. Following its Beta release in July, GO!VIEW has now been fully updated to bring PSP™ users the ultimate in on-demand content – exactly how they want it, when they want it. What’s more, a free 30 day trial of all three subscription packs is available to all PSP™ users so they can try GO!VIEW for themselves before signing up.



There’s no excuse for any PSP™ owner to be bored this winter with the wide range of TV shows, movies and sports that can be easily transferred to the PSP™ via an internet enabled PC. From top entertainment shows including Heroes, Desperate Housewives and The Mighty Boosh, through to sporting highlights such as Barclays Premier League football from Sky Sports, and a wide selection of top movies, there’s content to suit every PSP™ owner’s tastes. With a full range of programming that is frequently updated, GO!VIEW provides a constant source of entertainment for PSP™ owners to use wherever they want, whenever they want. And all PSP™ owners can enjoy a free trial for one month with no commitment.



From beating boredom during the commute to preventing arguments about what to watch on TV, every PSP™ user will benefit from GO!VIEW this winter!

www.goview.tv

GO!VIEW is a joint venture between Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and BSkyB who have established the joint venture ‘GO!VIEW Entertainment UK’. This is being used to bring the PSP video-on-demand to market in the UK, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands & the Isle of Man. Sky is providing their expertise in building successful video-on-demand platforms as well as content acquisition. Sony Computer Entertainment is providing the marketing for the service.