Netflix cancels contract with Epix films, Hulu takes it over

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Entertainment is the lifeblood of streaming services, bringing TV shows and movies to customers. That includes both original content and that which comes from studios. However, deals don't always work out as planned. The studios can be notoriously bad with licensing content.

Netflix points out that "We hear from our members that you wish we had newer movies. So do we. Studio licensing practices means it often takes more than a year before consumers can watch a theatrically released movie when and how they want".

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Tidal might be history in less than a year

Tidal

Seventy-one percent of top music executives believe that Jay Z’s music streaming service Tidal will fold in a year or less.

Following Jay Z’s acquisition of the streaming platform in March for $56 million (£36 million), the company’s valuation spiked to a reported $250 million (£162 million) just a month after.

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Plex for Roku gets an update to its look and features

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Plex is perhaps the best media server around. It's also free to install, although the app will set you back $4.99, unless you stumble on a deal. It's also multi-platform, with Windows, Mac, Linux and NAS compatibility. The app, similarly, will work on just about any platform, both mobile and set-top box.

Now the version for Roku is getting an update to the channel, as Roku refers to apps on its tiny boxes. The latest version brings a new look and some additional features to the Plex channel.

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TuneIn Radio rolls out a Premium version of service

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In the world of streaming entertainment, TuneIn Radio is a bit unique. It isn't just music, you get the news, sports and even podcasts. The Amazon Echo even utilizes it to play content, as well. So what more can you want from the service? Well, how about a Premium option.

This ups the offering, bringing all sorts of new content, including sports and commercial-free music. Enjoy Major League Baseball games, as well as Barclays Premier League and Bundesliga matches.

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YouTube Gaming is ready to give Twitch some competition

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Anything computer-related can be made social and shareable, and gaming is no different. Amazon's game live streaming service Twitch has proved immensely popular and now Google is ready to put up some competition with YouTube Gaming.

Starting tomorrow (26 August), head over to YouTube Gaming and you can start a stream of your own or watch other gamers play. Of course there will also be an app, and Google is aiming to create "the biggest community of gamers on the web".

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Is Netflix changing how we watch TV forever?

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The media landscape has been changing at an increasing rate. It's not something that cable and satellite providers wish to face, because it pushes out the most lucrative part of the business in favor of making them an ISP. As it is, Netflix has had to pay off Comcast, something John Oliver likened to a mob shakedown.

So how much is a service like Netflix changing TV habits? Obviously there's a variety of on-demand entertainment available from it. There's also an increasing amount of original content, some of which has been nominated for, and actually won, awards.

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Who should we believe about Apple Music usage numbers?

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It makes sense that any company would like you to believe that it has a large number of customers; if you launch a service, you want everyone to know just how popular it is. As well as boasting, it is a form of advertising in itself -- one that is free... the best kind.

But what happens when the figures you tout are at odds with what other people think? This is what is happening with Apple Music. Research company MusicWatch says that Apple's streaming music service retains just over half of users who sign up for the free trial. Apple disagrees, saying that it actually manages to hang on to 79 percent of users. Why is there such a big difference, and who is right?

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Spotify says sorry for confusion over its privacy policy

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We reported earlier today that streaming music service Spotify had upset a lot of users with changes to its privacy policy. In particular sections concerning what information the company is allowed to collect have sent some users into a spin.

Evidently stung by the reaction, Spotify has been quick to respond. In a blog post by CEO Daniel Ek it says sorry and explains more about what the changes actually mean.

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New Spotify privacy policy angers users and drives some away

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Spotify has updated its privacy policy, and a lot of users are now very unhappy. The change was prefaced a few days ago on the Spotify blog and the new policy started to roll out on 19 August. As it starts to hit accounts around the world, users are sitting up and paying attention; many are not happy with what they see.

What are people so upset about? Spotify might now access your Facebook likes and posts, photos and contacts you have stored on your phone, and even the speed at which you are traveling. The company says that the changes have been made as part of a move to "be as open and transparent as possible", but it has left large number of users questioning motives, and many have been pushed to quitting the music service completely.

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President Obama arrives on Spotify and creates playlists for everyone

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Do you want to hear music chosen by President Barrack Obama? If you use Spotify then you'll be in luck. The company is one of the leading music streaming services in the increasingly competitive market. Now it has scored a big win, landing one of the world's most well known leaders.

Spotify announces the arrival of POTUS and seems quite excited about the arrival. You can't really blame them, it's not everyday that the President adopts your service.

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A simple hack unlocks Very High quality Xbox One streaming in Windows 10

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Xbox One-to-PC game streaming is one of the stand-out features of Windows 10, and plans are afoot for streaming the other way as well. If you're currently playing your Xbox One games on your Windows 10 PC or laptop, you might be interested to learn that there is a way to dramatically boost streaming quality.

While the hack itself is very easy to implement, it's not something that all gamers will want to undertake because of the demands it makes of networking hardware. That said, if you think your kit is up to the job, here's what you need to do.

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Rdio introduces live broadcast radio stations

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In the growing online music streaming industry, Rdio has become one the major players. But it's a cutthroat business, and you have to innovate to stay near the top and keep customers happy or they'll flee to another service.

Now Rdio has come up with something new -- streaming broadcast radio stations. The company is diving in big too, with 500 stations, all owned by Cumulus Media.

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Windows 10 drives users to MediaPortal alternative

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The release of Windows 10 spelled the end for Media Center. It wasn't unexpected, users have known it was coming for a while, as Microsoft had ceased developing the service. That didn't make the loss any easier for the loyal following of HTPC users.

From Microsoft's abandonment, other businesses grow. MediaPortal, which has been a solid solution for quite some time now is one. Though, other options for Media Center refugees also exist.

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Apple Music has 11 million trial users

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Apple Music's success will be determined by its number of subscribers, and, by that measure, the streaming service is heading in the right direction. Just over a month after the big launch, Apple Music has reached 11 million trial users.

Of the 11 million users who are trialling Apple Music, two million went with the family membership. It allows up to six users to share a subscription to the service, for $14.99 per month. A plain subscription costs $9.99 per month per user, which is not as attractive, cost-wise, in comparison.

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Facebook Live lets celebrities broadcast live video

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Facebook has become much more than just a social network for connecting with friends and family, evolving into a way to get in touch with companies and even celebrities. Today the site announces that celebrities are now able to share live video from the Facebook Mentions app directly to fans.

Regular Facebook users need do nothing more than follow the celebrities they are interested in, and any live video that is broadcasting by someone they follow will appear in their news feed. While comparable to the likes of Periscope and Meekat, Facebook Live is not a direct competitor as it is only available to those with verified accounts -- but it also has features that neither of these services offer.

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