Just because you don’t subscribe to cable doesn’t mean that Comcast doesn’t want your money. On March 26, the cable giant will launch Xfinity Flex, an optional add-on for existing Xfinity Internet subscribers that will add a streaming device to your setup for an extra $5 a month.
For that price (plus the cost of your existing Xfinity internet connection), you’ll get a 4K- and HDR-ready streaming box that will connect your television to live video apps like ESPN3 and Cheddar and music platforms like Pandora. Xfinity Flex also comes with Xfinity’s voice-controlled remote, which Comcast says will give customers “the ability to use their television and voice control to manage all of the connected devices in their home.”
You’ll also be able to subscribe to premium streaming services and video channels like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO, and Showtime using the Xfinity Flex box, although you’ll have to pay the services’ regular subscription fees in order to use those apps. Internet television services that compete with Xfinity, like SlingTV or PlayStation Vue, will not be supported.
Basically, Xfinity Flex is the same as Comcast’s Xfinity X1 service, except without cable television. If you change your mind and want to spring for a cable subscription, Xfinity Flex will let you sign up for Xfinity X1 using the Flex box so you can start watching live TV right away.
Xfinity Flex doesn’t seem to offer much that you can’t get via other streaming devices, although for existing Xfinity internet subscribers, the convenience of having everything bundled together might be worth the nominal fee.
The price seems about right, too. While the Amazon Fire Cube, which we gave five out of five stars, retails for $120, Xfinity Flex will only set you back $60 a year, making it a decent stopgap while you wait for higher-end devices to go on sale.
On the other hand, if you don’t mind using your mobile device to control your video feeds, streaming sticks like the Amazon Fire TV Stick and Google Chromecast cost even less, especially if you haven’t upgraded to a 4K TV yet. You’ll also get to keep them if you switch internet providers, and you only have to pay for them once before they’re yours forever.
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?
YouTube is changing how its Home page works, giving viewers more control over what shows up there and making some of the app’s most-used sections easier to reach. Custom Feeds are now replacing the existing topic chips for eligible users, while YouTube is also testing a redesigned top bar on mobile that moves Subscriptions closer to the Home feed.
YouTube first started experimenting with Custom Feeds earlier this year, letting you type out what you wanted to watch and turning that request into its own stream of recommendations. Now, the feature is starting to look less like a side experiment and more like something YouTube actually wants people to use as part of their everyday Home page.