Entertainment 2.0 from The Digital Media Zone

Apple TV 4K arrives with built-in microphones, Siri AI, and a startling new price tag, while Nvidia quietly raises prices on its streaming device lineup. Over in the streaming world, the newly formed Skydance wastes no time tweaking rates while confirming plans to combine two massive apps into one single service.

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 #720.

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Show Notes

• Discovery+ gets a price bump just a week after the Skydance merger – Engadget
• Nvidia Shield TV Pro is now $299 – a $100 price hike seven years after the Android TV box launched
• Apple TV 4K Gets a Built-in Mic and Siri AI Support, But It’s Now $299
• Apple HomePod mini 2 announced today
• Apple unveils HomeView, the company’s smart display built for Siri AI – Engadget

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

The post Entertainment 2.0 #720 – New Apple TV 4k, Homepod, and HomeView appeared first on 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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Show Notes

• 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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Show Notes

• 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 –http://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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Show Notes

• 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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Show Notes

• 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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Show Notes

• 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 –http://thurrott.com
• Microsoft Brings XBOX Backward Compatibility to PC –http://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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Show Notes

• 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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Show Notes

• 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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Show Notes

• 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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Show Notes

• 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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Show Notes

• 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.

Big shifts are coming to your home theater and gaming setups. We look at the new Onn 4K Pro Google TV streamer to see if Walmart’s hardware can actually handle a “Pro” workload. On the gaming front, Xbox is slashing Game Pass prices while simultaneously changing the rules for its biggest blockbuster releases. Finally, we discuss the return of the Steam Controller and why its $99 price tag is the least of its problems for PC gamers.

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 #709.

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Show Notes

• Walmart’s Google TV Streamer competitor starts hitting store shelves for $60 with a big downgrade
• Xbox cuts Game Pass prices but new Call of Duty games will no longer hit the service on day one – Engadget
• Valve’s $99 Steam Controller has a big problem — and it’s not the price | Windows Central

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

The post Entertainment 2.0 #70 – Game Pass Price Cut appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

This week, we dive into a major shakeup for your living room and your wallet. From Sony’s latest display breakthrough to a surprising price hike from the world’s most popular streaming service, we break down what these changes mean for your monthly budget. Plus, we look at new hardware from Walmart that could change how you stream this year.

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 #708.

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Show Notes

• Inside a corporate retreat that went very badly wrong
• Sony True RGB TV — A New OLED Rival?
• Netflix is Raising Prices in the U.S. Again –http://thurrott.com
• Walmart’s new Chromecast with Google TV replacement starts showing up in stores, $30
• The PS5 is getting more expensive… again

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

The post Entertainment 2.0 #708 – Sony’s RGB Breakthrough appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

This week, we’re looking at the shifting landscape of consumer entertainment, from rising hardware costs to new ways to manage your massive media libraries on the go. We tackle the latest updates to your favorite media server, a significant price jump for a popular streamer, and the arrival of high-end audio and mobile computing power from LG and Razer. Join us as we find out which of these updates actually improve your daily experience and which ones just hit your wallet.

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 #707.

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Show Notes

• Plex – Metadata Editing on Mobile
• Introducing Lists on Plex
• The best deal in Google TV might be getting a price hike
• tvOS 26.4 rolls out across Apple TV 4K devices, with Genius Browse, other new features
• LG Sound Suite review: Dolby Atmos FlexConnect in a powerful package
• Razer announces an Intel-powered Blade 16 for 2026 | Windows Central

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

The post Entertainment 2.0 #707 – Plex Mobile Updates and Onn Price Hikes appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

Are you getting less for your subscription dollar? This episode breaks down the new Prime Video Ultra tier and why your favorite features might soon cost you extra. We also look at the new AirPods Max 2 to see if the internal upgrades justify the premium price tag. For the music lovers, we explain how Spotify’s new “Exclusive Mode” changes the game for PC listeners. Finally, we discuss Project Helix and how Microsoft plans to change the way we buy and play next-gen 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 #706.

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Show Notes

• Prime Video Restricts 4K and Ad-Free Streaming to New $4.99/Month Ultra Plan in the US –http://thurrott.com
• Apple announces the AirPods Max 2 with improved noise cancelation and H2 chip
• Spotify rolls out ‘bit-perfect’ playback in Windows app
• Microsoft confirms Project Helix with a custom AMD chip built for next‑gen Xbox, plus new FSR Diamond tech that promises sharper, cleaner visuals for everyone

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

The post Entertainment 2.0 #706 – Prime Video Price Hike and Xbox Project Helix appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

Is your digital life about to get cheaper or just more complicated? This episode breaks down new ways to save on your favorite services, from Audible’s “Standard” plan to a feature-boosted YouTube Premium Lite. On the corporate side, we discuss the potential birth of a new streaming superpower as Paramount eyes Warner Bros. Discovery. Finally, we analyze the new faces leading Xbox and what their strategy shift means for the future of the console.

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 #705.

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Show Notes

• How Paramount Beat Out Netflix, Won Warner Bros. and Will Change Hollywood Forever
• YouTube Premium Lite adds background play and downloads
• Audible Introduces a Less Expensive Audiobook Plan
• Exclusive: Talking to new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma and CCO Matt Booty — “This team has brought it back before, and I’m here to help us do it again.”

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

The post Entertainment 2.0 #705 – Streaming’s New Superpower? appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

Another streaming service is raising prices, and this time it comes with a surprising milestone that signals a major shift in how we consume TV. On the gaming side, a global shortage is creating some serious headaches for a beloved piece of hardware — and the ripple effects could be felt for a long time. Plus, cloud gaming just got a lot more accessible for millions of households with a popular device they already own.

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 #704.

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Show Notes

• AMC+ raises prices on all subscription plans immediately for new customers
• Audible Launches Immersion Reading for Deeper Kindle Integration – Thurrott.com
• Valve’s Steam Deck OLED will be ‘intermittently’ out of stock because of the RAM crisis | The Verge
• Nvidia GeForce Now Comes Natively to Amazon Fire TV Sticks

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

The post Entertainment 2.0 #704 – Streaming Shifts, Steam Deck Shortages & Cloud Gaming appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

YouTube TV is giving subscribers more flexibility with new genre-focused plans. But not all the news from Google is good — YouTube Music is now gating song lyrics behind a Premium subscription. And in a more positive move, Spotify is rolling out “About the Song,” a new beta feature that surfaces interesting backstories and behind-the-scenes details.

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Click here to download episode #703.

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Show Notes

• YouTube TV Launches First Genre-Specific Plans
• Spotify now lets you swipe on songs to learn more about them
• YouTube Music is Making Song Lyrics a Premium Feature
• You are being misled about renewable energy technology
• Josh Pollard on LinkedIn

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

The post Entertainment 2.0 #703 – YouTube TV’s New Plans appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

We’re diving into subscription fatigue, innovative reading technology, and the hardware shortage crisis affecting gamers everywhere. Crunchyroll hits subscribers with $2 monthly increases across all tiers, but there is a silver lining. Spotify unveils Page Match, a clever feature using your phone camera to find your exact place in audiobooks from physical books (and vice versa), alongside a Bookshop.org partnership that brings physical book purchases into the Spotify app. Hardware news is concerning: Valve pushes back its Steam Machine launch. NVIDIA compounds the problem by reportedly scrapping all new graphics card launches this year.

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 #702.

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Show Notes

• Crunchyroll increases prices for all anime streaming plans
• Spotify Partners With Bookshop.org and Debuts Page Match Feature to Bridge Physical, E-book, and Audio Formats
• Valve Delays Steam Machine and Steam Frame Due to Memory and Storage Shortages
• NVIDIA reportedly won’t release new graphics cards this year

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

The post Entertainment 2.0 #702 – Component Shortages & Spotify’s Physical Book Push appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.

In this episode, we explore the shifting landscape of home entertainment, starting with TCL’s rapid ascent to challenge Samsung for the top spot in the global TV market while Google TV’s North American presence shrinks. We dive into how the Auracast standard is being utilized in Sennheiser’s RS 275 TV headphones and Marshall’s Heddon hub to allow seamless audio broadcasting. Additionally, we discuss Sonos’ return to hardware with the professional-grade Amp Multi and Microsoft’s rollout of the Xbox PC app for Arm-based devices.

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 #701.

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Show Notes

• Google TV’s future sounds a bit bleak even as TCL nears the crown
• Sonos bursts out of the shadows with a bespoke amplifier, says more is coming
• These Sennheiser headphones are a world’s first for audio connectivity – and I’m excited | ZDNET
• Marshall’s new Auracast hub turns Bluetooth speakers into a unified sound system
• The Xbox PC app is now rolling out publicly for Windows Arm PCs — Microsoft Prism now supports “85%” of Xbox Game Pass titles

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

The post Entertainment 2.0 #701 – Google TV’s Decline and the Global TV Market Shift appeared first on The Digital Media Zone.