The Digital Media Zone

Allison Sheridan from Podfeet Podcasts joins us to discuss the more problematic side of home automation—when things don’t work as expected or desired. What’s annoying us in our respective smart homes and how do we deal with problems when they arise? Why do we even put ourselves through all this? We also touch on a few interesting smart home stories from the past few months.

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• Smart lighting company Brilliant is looking for a buyer
• The NEW Sonos App is Here: 5 Things You Need To Know
• Insteon app update adds keypad scene control
• Saving Water in California with a Hot Water Recirculation Pump
• How to Control Multiple HomeKit Automations from One Switch
• Everything good starts at Podfeet.com!
• Listen to the NosillaCast Podcast and subscribe to the Podfeet podcasts

Home: On is part of Technology.FM, a curated collection of technology podcasts, including great shows like The HomeTech Podcast, The Spoon Podcast, and The Smart Home Show, co-hosted by Richard with Adam Justice.

The post Home: On #158 – Smarthome Quibbles with Allison Sheridan appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

Spotify is bringing back the previous prices, but you won’t like how they’re doing it. Tidal is standardizing their high-res and spatial audio formats. You can now play Xbox games on the Fire TV devices. Paramount Plus is offering a sweet deal before raising prices, while Verizon starts offering discounted streaming bundles.

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 #651.

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• A year of Paramount Plus with Showtime is half off ahead of its impending price hike – The Verge
• Verizon Launching New Home Internet Packages with Streaming Bundles
• So long, Jabra earbuds, it’s not your fault
• Spotify’s Basic plan returns to $11 a month by cutting audiobooks
• Tidal is dropping MQA compatibility and banking on Dolby Atmos
• Xbox Cloud Gaming is Coming to Fire TV Stick 4K

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The intro music is a song called Rogue by Raw Stiles

The post Entertainment 2.0 #651 – Spotify Is Making Me Want To Leave appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

Apple announced useful new features for the Apple TV. Spotify is adding more personalization to the service. Jabra’s new Elite earbuds offer a charging case with an amazing new feature. Xbox finally had good news to celebrate. The Zotac Zone looks like an impressive competitor to the Steam Deck OLED.

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 #650.

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• TVOS 18: Search by Actor, Idle With Snoopy Screensaver – CNET
• Spotify will start showing you personalized banners and messages based on your listening habits
• Jabra updated its Elite earbuds with an LE Audio case, improved ANC and more
  • Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2
  • Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2
• Xbox Games Showcase and Black Ops 6 Direct June 2024: Everything Announced – IGN
• Hands-on: Zotac’s Zone is a truly unique Steam Deck OLED challenger | PCWorld

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The intro music is a song called Rogue by Raw Stiles

The post Entertainment 2.0 #650 – Congratulations on Your Life appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

Max and Spotify are raising prices. Spotify is refunding Car Thing purchasers. The Asus Rog Ally X is quite the refresh for the portable gaming PC. Sony is releasing hardware to connect the PSVR2 to a PC, but of course it’s going to cost you. NVIDIA G-Assist brings AI assistance to PC gaming, but at what cost?

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 #649.

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• You can grab a year of Peacock Premium for just $20 ahead of its impending price hike – The Verge
• Max just raised subscription prices again
• Spotify is Now Offering Refunds for its Discontinued Car Thing
• Spotify is raising the cost of Premium subscriptions, again
• The Asus ROG Ally X is official — and I took a peek inside – The Verge
• Sony’s PSVR 2 PC adapter launches in August – The Verge
• NVIDIA’s latest AI feature is in-game help

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The intro music is a song called Rogue by Raw Stiles

The post Entertainment 2.0 #649 – Price Increases, the ROG Ally X, and G-Assist appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

The mega sports streaming service launching later this year has a name. It’s Venu Sports. Comcast is bundling Netflix, Apple TV+, and Peacock for one low price. Sonos announced the Ace headphones and the Roam 2. Assassin’s Creed Shadows will launch on Mac. The Proteus is a new Xbox controller aimed at solving physical accessibility issues.

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 #648.

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• Venu Sports is the name for the ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. streaming service – The Verge
• Comcast’s bundle of Netflix, Apple TV+ and Peacock Premium costs $15 per month
• Sonos Ace headphones hands-on: Joining your home theater setup with the push of a button
• The Sonos Roam 2 fixes the original speaker’s confusing button setup
• Macs will get support for the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows RPG game | iMor
• Xbox Cloud Gaming now has mouse and keyboard support in 26 games – The Verge
• Microsoft announces the Proteus Controller, a gamepad for Xbox gamers with disabilities – The Verge

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The intro music is a song called Rogue by Raw Stiles

The post Entertainment 2.0 #648 – Dark Days for Sonos appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

Disney, Hulu, and Max will soon be available in a bundle. Spotify is removing features from free users. The new Sonos app is a huge disappointment. WiiM has two new wireless audio streaming devices. Xbox shuttered multiple game studios. Xbox publishers are offering massive discounts on Xbox 360 before the store closes.

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 #647.

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• onn. Google TV 4K Pro Streaming Device (New, 2024), 4K UHD resolution, Dolby Vision & Dolby ATMOS, Hands-Free Voice Control, Smart Hub – Walmart.com
• A Disney, Hulu, and Max streaming bundle is on the way – The Verge
• Spotify is Restricting Lyrics to Premium Members
• Many People Do Not Like the New Sonos App 
• WiiM announces two new wireless audiophile streamers — one with a touchscreen – The Verge
• Price Reductions Available Now on the Digital Xbox 360 Store – Closing July 29, 2024

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The intro music is a song called Rogue by Raw Stiles

The post Entertainment 2.0 #647 – Powerhouse Streaming Bundle appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

We’re expecting Google to announce a successor to the Chromecast 4k with Google TV in a couple of weeks, but Walmart’s new Onn Pro Google TV may be an even more compelling streaming device. Peacock is raising its prices right before the service starts airing the summer Olympic Games. Sonos is about to launch a completely redesigned app.

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 #646.

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• Walmart’s ‘Pro’ Google TV box will cost $50 with 32GB storage, always-on Assistant
• Source: 4K Chromecast with Google TV sequel is coming with new remote
• Peacock is getting a $2 price increase – The Verge
• The rebuilt Sonos app focuses on getting you to your tunes faster

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The intro music is a song called Rogue by Raw Stiles

The post Entertainment 2.0 #646 – Onn Pro Google TV appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

Disney+ has integrated Hulu into its platform, offering a combined content library with new subscription plans. Peacock is gRoku’s new Pro Series TVs, which are available now. EA is increasing the price of the EA Play game subscription service. Gamers are spending most of their time playing older games.

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 #645.

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• Roku releases its line of premium-ish TVs with Mini LED backlighting
• The EA Play subscription service is getting more expensive
• Gamers Mostly Played Older Games like GTA 5 and Fortnite in 2023 – IGN

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The intro music is a song called Rogue by Raw Stiles

The post Entertainment 2.0 #645 – Roku Pro Series TVs, EA Play Price Increase, and Gamers Opt for Older Games appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

Disney+ has integrated Hulu into its platform, offering a combined content library with new subscription plans. Peacock is gearing up to provide extensive and interactive coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics, promising over 5,000 hours of live action with enhanced viewing options. Meanwhile, Xbox Cloud Gaming is expanding its accessibility by introducing mouse and keyboard support for select games.

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 #644.

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• Hulu on Disney+ officially launches, bringing together Mickey Mouse and The Handmaid’s Tale
• Peacock’s 2024 Paris Olympics coverage includes enhanced multiview options
• Xbox Insiders Can Now Test Out Mouse and Keyboard Support on Xbox Cloud Gaming – IGN

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The intro music is a song called Rogue by Raw Stiles

The post Entertainment 2.0 #644 – Hulu Content Arrives on Disney+ appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

YouTube is making a divisive change to the playback experience on TV devices. Spotify is trying its hand at music videos. Sony’s bet at virtual reality with the PS VR2 doesn’t appear to be working 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 #643.

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• YouTube player redesign on TVs adds dual-column UI for comments & more
• Spotify now has music videos – The Verge
• Sony may have paused PS VR2 production to clear a backlog of unsold units

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The intro music is a song called Rogue by Raw Stiles

The post Entertainment 2.0 #643 – YouTube’s TV Redesign appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.