Entertainment 2.0 from The Digital Media Zone

We break down the rising cost of Disney+, Amazon’s newly overhauled Fire TV hardware and interface, and the surprising streaming revival of Winamp. To wrap things up, we cover Xbox launching its long-awaited Disc-to-Digital tool to all players, along with the latest round of restructuring and studio changes hitting Microsoft’s gaming division. Is your setup heading in the right direction? Listen now to find out!

Join us most weeks for the live recording of Entertainment 2.0 on Tuesday evenings at 8:30 pm ET!

Click here to download episode #719.

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• Disney+ gets another price hike, no ads starting at $21.49
• Amazon unveils a thinner and faster Fire TV Stick 4K, plus a new remote – Engadget
• Amazon simplifies its Fire TV streaming device lineup – Engadget
• Winamp will be reborn in 2027 to take on streaming – Engadget
• Xbox Disc-To-Digital feature is now available for all users: Here’s a recap of how it works and its benefits for game preservation | Windows Central
• Xbox Announces More Job Cuts and Studio Reorgs, With Next Halo Game Developed by Activision

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The intro music is a song called Rogue by Raw Stiles.

The post Entertainment 2.0 #719 – Disney+ Price Hikes and a New Fire TV Stick 4K appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

A legendary DVR feature is losing its free pass, while streaming hardware costs take another steep jump. On the audio side, Spotify finally delivers a simple fix for parents whose music profiles have been hijacked, and Sonos overhauls its ecosystem with major app changes and new flagship hardware. Finally, cloud gaming faces an unexpected policy shift that could change how much time you spend streaming your favorite games. We break down what all of these changes mean for your home setup and subscription costs.

Join us most weeks for the live recording of Entertainment 2.0 on Tuesday evenings at 8:30 pm ET!

Click here to download episode #718.

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• Customizing the new Emby Home Screen with New ACdb.tv features!
• TiVo To Retire Free Automated Commercial Skipping
• Google TV Streamer and Nest Products Just Became More Expensive
• Spotify can now exclude your kids’ music taste from recommendations – Engadget
• Sonos Announces Sonos 27 OS, Sonos Beam Ultra, and Sonos Ace Ultra – Thurrott.com
• Microsoft announces big changes to Xbox Cloud Gaming, switches to monthly hour limits

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The intro music is a song called Rogue by Raw Stiles.

The post Entertainment 2.0 #718 – Tivo AutoSkip+ Ultra appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

Streaming budgets and smart home setups are taking serious hits this week, but gamers might finally be getting a major break. We kick things off with a massive wave of subscription price hikes hitting Apple TV, ESPN, and Peacock. Then, Amazon quietly bumps prices across its most popular smart devices, while Spotify brings a fan-favorite fitness feature back in a new and improved way. Finally, Xbox rolls out a long-rumored program that could completely change how you manage your physical game collection. Join us as we break down what these shifts mean for your living room setup and your wallet!

Join us most weeks for the live recording of Entertainment 2.0 on Tuesday evenings at 8:30 pm ET!

Click here to download episode #717.

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• Apple TV is Now Priced at $14.99/Month in the US
• ESPN is raising prices on most of its streaming subscriptions, even bundles with Disney+ – Engadget
• Peacock is raising subscription prices for the fourth time in as many years – Engadget
• Amazon devices are the latest casualties of the memory shortage price hikes – Engadget
• Spotify’s Running Mode is now available on Android – Engadget
• Xbox’s disc-to-digital program goes live for Insiders on Monday — Here’s how it works | Windows Central

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The intro music is a song called Rogue by Raw Stiles.

The post Entertainment 2.0 #717 – Xbox Disc-to-Digital Launches Amid Major Streaming Hikes appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

From free streaming expansions to major gaming platform updates, we’ve got a packed show! We cover Google TV adding thousands of free on-demand titles, Spotify’s new badges for AI personas, highly requested party chat features arriving for Xbox Insiders, and what’s really driving the latest Nintendo Switch 2 sales figures. Is your setup about to get more convenient or more complicated? Listen now to find out!

Join us most weeks for the live recording of Entertainment 2.0 on Tuesday evenings at 8:30 pm ET!

Click here to download episode #716.

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• Google TV adds over 10,000 free movies & shows on-demand, no apps needed
• Spotify to Will Soon Roll Out AI Persona Badges on Relevant Artist Profiles
• Xbox will finally let you record party chat in gameplay clips, and more | Windows Central
• Nintendo’s Switch 2 console sales just dropped significantly – Engadget

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The intro music is a song called Rogue by Raw Stiles.

The post Entertainment 2.0 #716 – Google TV Goes On-Demand and Spotify’s AI Flags appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

Is your home entertainment setup getting more expensive, or are you actually getting more for your money? This week, we look at a major streaming perk coming to premium subscribers, balanced against steep price jumps for popular streaming hardware. We also cover a long-requested app landing on Apple TV, a surprising expansion for classic Xbox titles on PC, and Amazon’s new strategy to bring cloud gaming into your primary video app. Join us as we unpack how all of this impacts your tech budget.

Join us most weeks for the live recording of Entertainment 2.0 on Wednesday evenings at 8:30 pm ET!

Click here to download episode #715.

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• YouTube Premium will soon include Peacock at no extra cost – Engadget
• Roku raises prices on streaming hardware by up to $50
• Pocket Casts Comes to Apple TV – Thurrott.com
• Microsoft Brings XBOX Backward Compatibility to PC – Thurrott.com
• Luna Is Now Part of Prime Video at No Extra Cost, Amazon Wants to ‘Rebuild Trust’ in Cloud Gaming
• Richard was on the Verge’s Version History podcast

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The intro music is a song called Rogue by Raw Stiles.

The post Entertainment 2.0 #715 – Roku Hardware Prices Soar as YouTube Premium Bundles Peacock appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

On this episode, we dive into the rising costs hitting Apple Music, Plex’s new plan options, and the end of TV Time. Plus, we cover a welcome internet-free upgrade for HDHomeRun owners. To wrap things up, we cover the biggest gaming stories of the week: massive organizational news out of Xbox and PlayStation’s bold strategy to sunset physical disc production.

Join us most weeks for the live recording of Entertainment 2.0 on Wednesday evenings at 8:30 pm ET!

Click here to download episode #714.

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• Plex Launches 5-Year Plex Pass for $250 After Lifetime Option Jumped to $750
• TV Time shutdown
• HDHomeRun Update Allows App to Work in Internet Outages, Giving Users Access to Local Channels & Emergency Alerts | Cord Cutters News 
• If you subscribe to Apple Music, you’re going to pay more next month | Macworld
• Resetting XBOX – XBOX Wire
• Sony Just Killed Discs: Physical Disc Production to End January 2028 for New Games Releasing on PlayStation Consoles

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The intro music is a song called Rogue by Raw Stiles.

The post Entertainment 2.0 #714 – PlayStation Kills Discs, Apple Music Price Hike & HDHomeRun Offline appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

This week, we are looking at massive pricing shocks hitting the home entertainment landscape. A global memory shortage has forced sudden price hikes, with Xbox consoles jumping up to $150 on August 1st and the Apple TV 4K quietly spiking by up to $100. We unpack what this means for your budget and whether you should scramble to buy your gear right now. On a brighter note, Google is completely killing off the Nest brand to introduce the brand-new $99 Gemini-powered Google Home speaker. Armed with a surprise Thread 1.4 upgrade out of the box, could this be the seamless smart home hub we’ve actually been waiting for? Finally, we dive into the luxury tier of PC gaming, sizing up Valve’s new $1,128 living room Steam Machine lottery and the newly released $1,699 MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ handheld. Are these high-end devices actually worth their sky-high entry fees? Listen to find out!

Join us most weeks for the live recording of Entertainment 2.0 on Wednesday evenings at 8:30 pm ET!

Click here to download episode #713.

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• Apple Announces Price Increases Macs, iPads, and Other Products due to Rising Memory Costs
• Google Home Speaker available June 25 for $99, pre-orders today
• Steam Machine Review
• MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ review: the handheld gaming dream realized | Windows Central
• Microsoft Announces Up to $150 Price Increases for Xbox Consoles Starting on August 1

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The intro music is a song called Rogue by Raw Stiles.

The post Entertainment 2.0 #713 – Google Home Speaker and Steam Machine Launch appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

In this episode, we tackle a massive wave of entertainment consolidation that is about to completely reshape your living room. We’re breaking down two Hollywood megadeals, including a shocking $22 billion streaming buyout and a federal antitrust approval that changes the future of media giants. Plus, your digital movie collection just got a massive, highly requested upgrade, and we look at a clever new Dolby Atmos soundbar that trades your clunky remote for a sleek touchscreen. Tune in to find out how these massive industry shifts will change what you watch, how you listen, and what you’ll pay!

Join us most weeks for the live recording of Entertainment 2.0 on Wednesday evenings at 8:30 pm ET!

Click here to download episode #712.

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• Fox is buying Roku for $22 billion – Engadget
• DoJ approves Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. deal, cementing Ellison family control of American media – Engadget
• Movies Anywhere adding Lionsgate films including John Wick, Knives Out, etc
• WiiM’s first soundbar has a touchscreen display and Dolby Atmos – Engadget
• Intel’s Arc G3 Extreme could be the plot twist handheld gaming needed – Digital Trends

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The intro music is a song called Rogue by Raw Stiles.

The post Entertainment 2.0 #712 – The Fox Roku Takeover appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

Your digital entertainment budget is under fire this week. We kick things off with a massive bombshell from Plex that is fundamentally changing how we think about “lifetime” software licenses—and why you might want to act before July hits. But the price hikes don’t stop there. Both Valve and Sony are adjusting their price tags on fan-favorite hardware and subscription tiers, forcing consumers to rethink their mobile gaming and console ecosystems. Is it all bad news for your wallet? Not quite. We also dive into a surprise value bundle from Google that could save heavy media users some serious cash, plus a brand-new audio feature from Spotify that bridges the gap between streaming music and long-form journalism. Pull up a chair as we break down what these changing costs mean for your living room, your commute, and your monthly budget.

Join us most weeks for the live recording of Entertainment 2.0 on Wednesday evenings at 8:30 pm ET!

Click here to download episode #711.

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• Plex’s lifetime subscription cost is tripling to $750 – Engadget
• Google is bundling YouTube Premium Lite into its best storage plan – here’s where
• Spotify Now Offers Narrated Magazine Articles to Premium Users
• Sony Quietly Increased the Price of PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium Subscriptions, Too
• Valve jacks up Steam Deck prices by as much as $300 – Engadget

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The intro music is a song called Rogue by Raw Stiles.

The post Entertainment 2.0 #711 – Plex, PlayStation, and the Price Hike Era appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

This week, we break down the massive redesign coming to Android Auto and Spotify’s 20th-anniversary celebration. We explore Spotify’s pivot into AI-generated podcasts, the latest high-end home audio from Bose, and the looming price hike for the Nintendo Switch 2. Plus, we look at a new collaboration between Discord and Xbox Game Pass that adds more value to your subscriptions. We’re discussing exactly how these shifts in the landscape will impact your tech budget and your daily routine.

Join us most weeks for the live recording of Entertainment 2.0 on Wednesday evenings at 8:30 pm ET!

Click here to download episode #710.

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• Android Auto is getting video apps, music updates, and more Gemini smarts
• Spotify is celebrating its 20th birthday with a Wrapped-like feature that covers your entire time on the app – Engadget
• Spotify Now Welcomes AI-Generated Podcasts Created With AI Agents
• Bose is rebooting its smart speakers for the Sonos haters – Fast Company
• Nintendo Announces Switch 2 Price Increases
• Xbox Game Pass and Discord: Building on Our Partnership to Bring More Benefits to Players

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The intro music is a song called Rogue by Raw Stiles.

The post Entertainment 2.0 #710 – Switch 2 Realities & Spotify at 20 appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.