Amid the numerous Amazon Prime perks, there are a few lesser-known gems. For instance, did you know that Amazon Prime subscribers can augment their already extensive Instant Video library by subscribing to more than 100 different “channels,” and that several of those channels can be watched live? In essence, Amazon Prime can supplant a cable TV subscription, much like the numerous other services out there such as Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, Hulu Live TV, and more. However, until now, Amazon’s handling of its live TV content has held it back and while Amazon Prime isn’t yet a true competitor to the likes of Sling TV and its rivals, Prime has taken the first step by adding some important new features that make watching a finding live content easier.
On Tuesday, January 16, Amazon is adding a search functionality to its Fire TV streaming devices, which will allow Amazon Prime subscribers to browse all live content on select premium channels. Specifically, HBO, Cinemax, Stars, and Showtime will have a dedicated “On Now” column on the Fire TV homepage. As the name implies, whatever is currently being aired on those channels will show up here, and can be viewed simply by selecting the channel. Another new inclusion is the channel guide feature, which will show all video programming, including what’s currently airing live, as well as what you will be able to watch later.
Of course, it wouldn’t be an Amazon announcement if Alexa wasn’t involved. Users will be able to use the same Alexa commands they always have to browse content, but Alexa will now pull up whatever channel you want to watch when specified, and can be used to open and browse the channel guide and On Now sections of the Fire TV interface.
While HBO, Cinemax, Stars, and Showtime are currently the only supported channels, Amazon promises more channels will be added soon.
Bear in mind that in order to see HBO, Showtime, et cetera, in the On Now feed, you must be subscribed to the supported channels through Amazon Channels. If you watch any of these channels via other means — such as an HBO Go account, or as an add-on for another service — they won’t be available.
All Fire TV users will find the channel guide available now, while those with the necessary channel subscriptions will have immediate access to the On Now feed as well. If you aren’t yet subscribed to these channels through Amazon, a free trial is available to check them out.
China just gave Hollywood a cautionary tale about AI filmmaking. Sanxingdui: Future Past, billed as the country's first fully AI-generated movie, hit theaters on October 23 and bombed at the box office.
According to Futurism, the film's reported $1.5 million production budget landed on more than 10,000 screens. Yet it pulled in only about $181,000, averaging roughly $20 per screen, making the budget difficult to recover.
Some of the best shots in Grok Imagine’s AI-made Odyssey don’t contain actors. Ancient landscapes stretch into the distance. Close-ups of grimy hands suggest people who have touched something rougher than a keyboard. For a few seconds, the illusion holds.
https://twitter.com/imagine/status/2113712964419063911
YouTube videos could soon look better without eating quite so much data, right? Thankfully, the platform plans to introduce a new video format called AV2 on its web player in early 2027, promising more efficient streaming and potentially fewer playback hiccups on slower internet connections. The big headline is a roughly 30% improvement in compression efficiency over AV1, YouTube's existing video format. That doesn't guarantee every video will use 30% less data, but it could make streaming a little easier on both internet connections and data allowances.
What is AV2, and why should viewers care?