In line with tablets storming the Computer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, Boston-based Yankee Group recently released a report projecting the number of tablets sold will grow from 21M in 2010 to 168M in 2014, contributing to a $46B market in 2014. And Comcast, rebranding its internet, TV and telephone services to Xfinity, isn’t looking to get left behind in the tablet revolution – or the internet TV revolution for that matter.
The company, which serves hundreds of thousands of residents in Massachusetts, released its first iPad app in November. The app allows you to browse and search for channels, shows, and On Demand content — more generally, it turns your iPad into both guide and remote control (you can even set up DVR recordings from it). Since then, I and many others in Massachusetts have been happily NOT dealing with the atrocious Comcast TV interface.
Today, the company announced even more exciting updates for Apple and Android tablet owners, making known its plans to be a player in the internet TV revolution.
According to their blog, if you have Comcast Internet and a tablet device at home or the office, you will soon be able to stream live TV shows to the device. As they say, “your tablet can be magically transformed into a personal TV set you can carry all around your home.” Personally, I view this as one step closer to never having a TV in my bedroom. And in post-college fashion (and family fashion) of having lived with a bunch of people under one roof, also imagine how nice it will be to be able to watch what you want elsewhere if you’re not into what’s being played on the main TV.
Likely sooner than when live streaming to tablets becomes a reality, Xfinity TV’s iPad app will be equipped with a “Play Now” feature. What does this mean? 3,000 hours of On Demand programming that can be watched anywhere you can find a wireless connection, and the company says more hours will be released as 2011 rolls on.
The company also mentions that 2011 releases of the Xfinity app will include social network integration, so you can share what you’re watching. It also will include what they’re dubbing “MyTV,” a feature that will allow you to send and receive recommendations from friends on what to watch.
“Live streaming and the play now feature on our Xfinity TV app are two important pieces of our strategy to deliver any content to any device, any time,” said Brian L. Roberts, Chairman & CEO of Comcast Corporation in a press release. “Comcast has a series of upcoming online enhancements and app releases that are part of a much larger effort to reinvent how customers interact with their entertainment on TV, online and on mobile devices.”
Don’t have a tablet and still wish you could control your TV from your computer? Not a problem. Comcast also announced release of a new feature on XfinityTV.com allowing you to search TV shows, change channels on the TV, and program your DVR right from your computer.
What do you think about Comcast’s announcements? Which part are you most excited about?
