Tech Digest

Sky launches Easy Grip Sky+ remote control

Satellite giant Sky has launched the Easy Grip Sky+ remote control, which the comapny claims will improve viewing for older customers, those with impaired vision and people with limited dexterity.   

The remote, developed in conjunction with Scope, Age Concern and disability research agency Ricability, offers additional features to the standard control, including larger and bolder graphics for button identification, raised contoured buttons with more reference points for easier button identification (for visually impaired users) and increased colour contrast between buttons and remote body. There are two models with different battery door options - either a textured easy grip door or a hand strap option to assist customers with dexterity impediments.

The Easy Grip is compatible with all Sky+ and Sky boxes and is available now for £19.99.

Sky website

More Sky:
Sky Broadband: The Americans kick ass
Robbie Williams live in HD on Sky

Sky+ subscribers increased 75% last year; HD subs hit 90k

Sky's financial results to the end of June 2006 have revealed a 75% rise in the number of UK households with a Sky+ PVR, to more than 1.55 million. That accounts for one-fifth of its subscriber base, with 13% using Multiroom Sky to show content on more than one TV.

Orders for Sky's new high-definition service reached 90,000, and whilst initial service delays due to manufacturing issues and high demand mean that only 36,000 orders have currently been fulfilled, Sky expect to have all current orders installed by this September.

To match this take-up, forecasts predict that 2.73m HD ready TVs will be bought in the UK this year, accounting for around half of all TVs sold.

Sky's total subscriber base rose to 8.2m, which puts it on track to reach 10m by the end of 2010.

Its revenues rose pretty sweetly, except its acquisition of the EasyNet ISP, which it's pinning much of its new broadband service rollout on. But don't worry folks, Sky still has plenty of money.

Sky's Brian Sullivan on Sky Broadband, the next gen Sky+ boxes (they could be wireless), HD via the web, YouTube and more

Over at sister blog HDTVUK they have an intriguing interview with Brian Sullivan,  Sky's Director of Customer Products and Services. Sullivan drops a few hints on the next generation Sky+ box (there's a good chance it will wirelessly stream video from one room to another), explains why he thinks satellite beats broadband when it comes to HD delivery and has lots of good things to say about YouTube.

Sky Broadband launch Live blog

You have heard all the rumours and the goss about Sky offering free broadband to its customers. Well we are here at Vinopolis in London Bridge listening to the full announcement.

Read on for the details, but the main points.

* Sky Broadband launches in August

* Very competitive packages, including a free 2Meg basic service

* To get the good deals users need to on Sky's broadband system - available to 28% of the population now. 50% by Xmas

* Top-end 16Meg connection

* Free wireless router thrown in

James Murdoch, Sky CEO and son of you know who, is saying that the UK market for broadband will double over the next few years. Hey he is bigging up blogging now, oh and not forgetting My Space

James is now saying that half of Sky's customers have broadband already.

We have moved on to ther big convergence speech now, citing demand for bandwidth as the key for broadband growth. Interesting home of the future diagram pops up highlighting Sky's existing offering. Boy does he speak quickly.

Over to Brian Sullivan now who is going to take us through Sky Broadband. He says it is an easy job as he feels it is a simple choice for Sky customers.

On to the details - three are three packages - 2Meg on the base level, 8Meg on the mid and 16Meg on the max. Whooa though. There's a 2 gig cap on the base - which is pretty tight. The max one is unlimited.

They are also throwing in wireless. Smart move and they are going to set it up for you via their installation team if you go for the two two tiers. There's also a small connection fee £20 or £40 - free for top-end.

The cost - base is free, mid costs £5 and the max is a £10 - that's per month. That's very very competitive. Only downer is deals are available to just 28 per cent of the population now. It will be 50-% by Christmas.

He is now comparing costs with rivals.

On to the content. You get the sky.com portal, email address, personalised home page. Just waiting for the link to My Spaces. You can also get Sky by Broadband, a photo service and nothing else. No My Space then and no blogs (phew).

Sky Talk - the Voip offering. Basically unlimted calls for a fiver a month. There's BT Line rental, but Sky will be offering its own Sky line rental soon.

Just seen a vid comparing Sky broadband with Telewest, BT etc. We'll have a good look at the figures later. Nevertheless Sky is making a huge deal out of the value for money of the service. Overall, Brian believes that Sky customers will save £1 billion within a year. Big talk.

Back to James - he's speaking quickly again. It's a landmark day for  broadband Britain apparently.  He wants to extend the reach of broadband in the UK. Better value, more flexible, transparent billing, quality content. You know the score by now, on to the questions.

Brian is talking about the possibility of video via broaband to a set top box by the end of 2007. Brian has just confirmed that from launch the top two tier services will be availalble to 50% of customers (which is 28% of the population).

We are getting clarification on the availability issue now. James takes this - today 28 per cent can have the service - 50% by end of year (this is more than cable apparently). That translates to one million Sky customers. Half can get the high speeds. I think  we have it now.

James is talking about AOL's UK portal which is up for sale and Sky is one of the bidders. He's not saying a great deal, but it would be a good fit for Sky. He's back on mesage again banging on about value for money.

James, has just outed himself as a Mac user. Apparently the service will be available to Mac users. Sky Movies and Sky Sports Broadband will be available to Mac users later this summer.

We'll have a more detailed look at the Sky Broadband offering later.

Sky next with "free" broadband service

  Sky should increase competition in the UK broadband market further with an expected announcement of a "free broadband" product in competition with Carphone Warehouse and Orange at a press conference on Tuesday, which will be covered live by Tech Digest.
 
A move into the broadband has been expected since the company purchased broadband provider Easynet late last year. Analysts expect BSkyB to offer free high-speed internet access to its higher spending subscribers in an attempt to gain a foothold in the market. The company will also be keen to maintain its 8.1 million customer base from the threat of TV over the internet (IPTV) from the likes of BT, with its Vision package and NTL. With over half of Sky's customers having broadband in their home, there's a real possibility that many could ditch the dish and in favour of net-based packages.

Details of Sky's package will be revealed as they're announced, so make sure you check back from around lunchtime on Tuesday.

Sky website

Via Forbes

More Sky:
Sky's free movie downloads
Sky's season of soccer on HD

Smart Eye and Smart Blaster - home entertainment all around the house

Bluedelta has unveiled the Smart Eye, which lets you control your satellite receiver from any TV in the house. Combined with the company's Smart Blaster product, the Smart Eye can also communicate with your DVD, Video, freeview - even your Hi-Fi if it’s near your satellite receiver. So if you've had a long day, you can carry your remotes upstairs and do your late night surfing or listening in bed.

Smart Blaster is equipped with high power IR emitters that "blast" any IR remote control signal that is received from the Smart Eye, allowing it to control any video equipment located near it be it your DVD player, VCR or PVR. The output signal is strong enough without the unit having to face the equipment - so no need for extra cables.

Bluedelta reckons their Smart Eye and Blaster kit is currently the only product on the market that can control equipment other then just Sky. It will work with any video equipment not just limiting itself to digital satellite. It can be used with both digital and analogue cable, digital terrestrial and video jukebox. It has ultra low power consumption, which means up to eight Smart Eyes and a Blaster can be connected to a satellite RF2 at any one time without requiring an additional power supply.

A Smart Eye device costs around £10, with the Blaster for sale around £25.

Bluedelta website

More remotes:
InVoca voice-activated remote control
Logitech Harmony 885 - the lazy person's universal remote

Tell your Sky+ to record via text message (Quick review)

So today satellite TV service Sky announced that Sky+ digital video recorder users can set their shows to record by sending a text message. The idea is, if you're out and about and suddenly realise you've forgotten to set the video for Doctor Who, you can text Sky and they will tell your Sky+ box to record it for you. If you've got the right sort of phone (2.5g or 3g) you can download the actual Sky menu system that lets you see what shows are on for the next seven days so you can set them from afar. Alternatively, if your phone isn't up to it, you can just text your required programme, with details of time, date and channel, and the Sky service centre will do the rest. I had a quick go with the basic text Remote Record service earlier and so far I'm still reserving judgement.

I love the idea of it - even if you usually set your favourite shows to record automatically via series link, if you're out and remember there was a one-off show you wanted to watch, you can just text to record it. The only slight downside is that you'll need to set it all up first. This was fairly straightforward - although be prepared to pay for using Sky Interactive while you do it - but for some reason it didn't quite finish off when I did it. When I tried to set the video for Cash in the Attic at 12.15, I got a text back saying my account had been suspended so I had to go back and reset it.

By the time I got the text to send, the show had already started. Rather than actually record the show, the Sky+ set it to record tomorrow's show - slightly annoying, but it did at least spot that the show is starting earlier tomorrow.

So I tried for a show starting at 12.30 and my text was never confirmed. 12.30 came and went and no recording was done. I'm going to give it another go before I form a definite opinion. I think it's a nice idea - and although the plain text service costs 25p a text, the more advanced blue on-screen guide service (which I'm also planning on testing soon) is free, apart from your phone operator's data charge.

The service will be available online soon as well, which is going to be very handy indeed.

If you want to try the service, you can register for it via Sky Interactive (go to My Sky options) and then you just need to text: Name of the show. Channel. Date. Time. to 61SKY (61759). Up to eight mobiles can be registered on one box.

Sky

Sky+ Remote Record - set your box from anywhere in the world

Left the house and forgot to set the timer for your favourite TV show? If you've got a Sky+ box (including Sky HD), you can set your box to record programmes from your mobile phone with the Sky+ Remote Record service or online from anywhere in the world with a service Sky claims is a world first.

To use the Remote Record service with your mobile (2.5G, 3G or GPRS phone), downloaded the Sky by mobile application to view the seven-day TV guide on your phone, then select programmes to record on your Sky+ box. The service is free, thoguh you will have the operator's data charges to consider.

Alternatively, you can "Text your TV" -  Sky+ customers can send a short message with the programme details to a dedicated number. Or, from later this summer, you can use the free Remote Record service on the web. Just visit the Sky website, select the programmes you want to record and with one click, you'll have it ready to watch on your return home.

Sky website

More Sky:
Robbie Williams live in HD on Sky
Sky's live football and cricket to Vodafone 3G phones

BSkyB claims to be carbon neutral?

BSkyB is perhaps the last company I'd expect to receive a press release from claiming to be environmentally friendly. But that's exactly what's just happened. The satellite network (which is indirectly responsible for launching not particularly environmentally-friendly, fuel-guzzling rockets into space) reckons it has achieved CarbonNeutral status "through the measurement, reduction and offsetting of its Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions."

Working with The Carbon Neutral Company, Sky's carbon footprint has been calculated by measuring the CO2 equivalent emissions from its premises, company owned vehicles, business travel and waste to landfill. It claims to have lowered its site-related operational emissions by 47 per cent in the last 18 months and has also negotiated discounts for staff wanting to buy low emission hybrid cars.

But here at Tech Digest towers we're still yet to be totally convinced by Sky's green credentials. After all, as Sky admits, set top boxes account for 0.5 per cent of energy use and 1.5 per cent of home electricity use. For more green stories check out sister blog, HippyShopper.

For more information on the initiative go to Join The Bigger Picture.

Sky HD launches in May - official

Well Sky's HD website has confirmed it is a May launch for the satellite broadcaster's HD service. If you are an existing subscriber you’ll pay £299 for the HD box and £10 a month on top of your existing subscription. Viewers get installation and a Sky+ subscription if they haven’t already got one – free. There's no mention of viewers getting any upgrade benefits to swap current SD boxes for HD ones.

More details here