In this week's collection of recent cord-cutting news items from around the web: Android malware worm infects Amazon Fire TV devices, Amazon unveils Fire TV Cube, AT&T to give free TV to its wireless customers, Apple in a multi-year partnership with Oprah, NBC Sports app now on PS 4, Viacom confident its will be on Hulu live TV and YouTube TV, MobiTV has programmers for a new video streaming platform, and more!
"Android Malware Worm that mines Cryptocurrency is infecting Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick devices," according to AFTV News. "The malware appears to be getting installed by apps that are being sideloaded onto Fire TV devices. It is unknown which specific apps include the malware, but it seems that apps created for the purpose of watching pirated movies or TV shows are likely how the malware infects its first device... Infected devices will become very slow to use. Loading apps will take longer than usual. This is because the malware is using 100% of the device's processor to mine cryptocurrency."
Amazon has unveiled the Fire TV Cube, which CNet calls "the love child of a Fire TV streamer and Echo speaker rolled into one boxy design." Sandeep Gupta, a Fire TV vice president, said at a briefing that "The goal here is to declutter people's lives, declutter the complexity of controlling your home entertainment system and make it easier to use." The device will be released on June 21, 2018, but is available for pre-order now.
"Comcast disabled throttling system, proving data cap is just a money grab," says Ars Technica. "Comcast's network is now strong enough that a congestion management system isn't needed, the company says. The system has been 'essentially inactive for more than a year,' and is now disabled entirely. Yet the nation's largest cable operator still imposes data caps and overage fees in 27 states, claiming that it limits the amount of data customers use each month 'based on a principle of fairness.'"
CNBC reports that "AT&T is about to give free TV to its wireless customers." "AT&T will be launching a 'very, very skinny bundle' of television programming free to its mobile customers, Chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson told CNBC on Friday, a day after the company closed its $85.4 billion purchase of Time Warner." Called 'AT&T Watch TV,' Stephenson said that "It will be the Turner content. It will not have sports. It'll be entertainment-centered." For those who aren't AT&T unlimited wireless customers, "you can buy it for $15 a month on any platform."
Apple has announced a multi-year partnership with Oprah Winfrey. "Together, Winfrey and Apple will create original programs that embrace her incomparable ability to connect with audiences around the world. Winfrey's projects will be released as part of a lineup of original content from Apple."
The NBC Sports app is now available on PlayStation 4, NBC Sports Digital announced. The app "annually streams thousands of hours of premium content that is presented across NBC, NBCSN, Golf Channel, and Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA." The app is already available on most major devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire, Android, iOS, Xbox, Chromecast, Roku, and some smart TVs.
Plex has added a traditional grid channel guide. A recent Plex blog post states that, while currently available only on Plex Web, it should soon be rolling out to other platforms as well.
MultiChannel News reports that MobiTV has lined up programmers for a new video streaming platform. The provider of live and on-demand video delivery solutions "said more than 210 networks have signed on for a new, hosted IP video platform that will steer clear of traditional set-top boxes... "
Viacom still confident its channels will make it to Hulu live TV, YouTube TV, reports FierceCable."Viacom CFO Wade Davis is well aware that Viacom channels like Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon don't show up on Hulu with Live TV or YouTube TV, but he thinks they will eventually." Speaking at the Gabelli Annual Movie and Entertainment Conference, Davis said "We’re extremely well-represented in the traditional distributor lead virtual MVPDs, that's Sling TV and DirecTV Now. And those are really the virtual MVPDs that matter. We’d love to be on [Hulu and YouTube TV], we're in discussions with those guys all the time and we're optimistic that we're going to... make progress with some of the virtual MVPDs that we're not on.”
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