euro news_news 24/04/2014 12:19 Page 4
New look
for Sky EPG
ustomers of UK
digital satellite
platform Sky now
have a brand new Homepage
on their Sky+HD boxes in
what the broadcaster
describes as the most
significant shake-up to its
electronic programme guide
(EPG) since its introduction
at the launch of digital TV in
1998.
For the first time ever, On
Demand, including Catch Up TV
and Sky Store and the Sky+
Planner now sit alongside
channel listings as equal options
on a new Homepage, so that
customers can immediately find
the shows they most want to
watch, whether live or on
demand.
C
Google's Chromecast
comes to Europe
Google has announced that
its wireless video streaming
device Chromecast is to roll
out in additional territories.
The company confirmed
that Chromecast is now
available in an additional 11
countries - Canada,
Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Italy, Netherlands,
Norway, Spain, Sweden and
the UK.
Mario
Queiroz,
vice president
of product
management, Chromecast
said that in addition to
favourite apps such as
YouTube, Google Play Movies,
Google Play Music and Netflix
(where available), the
company was working with
local content providers to
bring even more of the
12 EUROMEDIA
Later in 2014, further updates
will be rolling out to millions of
Sky+HD boxes. One key feature
will be a new and smarter
approach to recommendations,
based on Sky+ Planner
recordings and downloads.
The update means customers
can now choose between
browsing live channels, catching
up on something recently aired,
bingeing on a box set, watching a
movie or browsing recordings in
their Planner – all easily
accessible from a single screen.
Sky says that with an average
one million searches per day, a
supercharged search box now
takes centre-stage on the
homepage. “Search by title, actor,
event, channel, sport or any key
word, and expect the most recent
movies and TV shows people
love to Chromecast. “Apps
will start rolling out today,
and include BBC iPlayer in
theUK; France TV Pluzz and
SFR TV in France with
CANALPLAY coming soon;
and Watchever in Germany
with Maxdome coming soon.
So instead of huddling
around your laptop to watch
Sherlock solve the next crime
or getting caught up on all
the workplace drama in
Stramberg, you can cast it,
sit back, and watch together
on the big screen,” he said.
“Chromecast will keep
getting better. We recently
opened up Chromecast to
developers, and in a few
short weeks more than 3,000
developers worldwide have
signed up to bring their apps
and websites to Chromecast.
You’ll soon have more TV
shows, movies, videos,
sports, music and games to
choose from,” he said.
Chromecast has a UK retail
price of £30 (€35).
and on-trend
suggestions
across all live and on demand
content, thanks to technology
that collates results based on
real-time searches across the
nation,” says Sk K