Audioholics Featured Reviews & Articles

DISH Network recently announced the expansion of family and kid's programming available through the company's Blockbuster @Home entertainment package. DISH will add more than 3,000 titles suitable for children ages three to 13 as part of its growing line-up of family entertainment, including programming from partners Vivendi Entertainment, Cookie Jar, Lions Gate Films and Scholastic Media. The way it works is that families that subscribe to the Blockbuster @Home package by DISH can now enjoy that content on-demand, including shows such as “Veggie Tales,” “Inspector Gadget,” “Goosebumps,” “Heathcliff,” “I Spy,” “Madeline,” “Strawberry Shortcake” and many more. Yes, we said it. "Strawberry Shortcake". There.

SV Sound is giving away either a PB12-NSD or a SB12-NSD (winner's choice) Subwoofer to one (1) lucky entrant in our forum contest! You've heard about them, you've read about them, you've probably drooled over them. Now it's time to take a stab at getting one for free! All you need do is answer a few questions in our forum contest thread and cross your fingers that your answer is the one randomly selected to win one of these great subs!

DISH Network wants everyone to check out their online streaming services. Today they introduced "DISH Test Drive". This program allows anyone in the US the ability to sample TV Everywhere technology from DISH and watch a selection of popular TV programming online or on mobile devices at no charge for 24 hours. DISH Test Drive begins Feb. 1, and TV viewers can visit www.dish.com/testdrive from a computer, tablet or smartphone and sign up. In a sense, DISH is restating its commitment to being the dominant online streaming service provider for satellite content, having been the first pay-TV provider to introduce TV Everywhere technology. TV Everywhere gave subscribers the ability to watch all of their live and recorded television programs on compatible smartphones, tablets and computers. DISH is now demonstrating to prospective customers how convenient and easy it is to watch TV while on the go.

Well, I suppose if the Scientologists could make a science fiction author their spiritual leader and be granted religious status in America, it wouldn't be long before others would go through the same hoops and form alternate (and equally bizarre) churches. According to... um, just about every tech news outlet on the Internet... a new "church" has finally succeeded in its efforts to be officially deemed a religion in Sweden of all places. Both an official press release and a news article on Torrent Freak are saying that a group started by philosophy student Isak Gerson has formed an officially sanctioned religion with one core belief: it's okay to copy information, in any form.

Hulu, the online streaming bastard-child of ABC, Fox and NBC is launching a salvo at competitor Netflix with the announcement of its own original scripted series. Netflix' highly anticipated new show Lilyhammer hits the stream early next month. Hulu CEO Jason Kilar says the company will pour about half a billion dollars into original TV shows in 2012. It's part of the rapidly growing company's new aggressive attitude, making a stand against its rival. Hulu has been quietly growing in the wake of recent Netflix difficulties and now proudly boasts one and a half million subscribers just a little over one year into its existence. Hulu's first scripted series, a political comedy, will go online next month just in time for the Republican primary.

If there is one disappointment in the first season of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire it’s that there is simply no way for any dramatic series created by mere mortals to live up to this show’s expectations. Directed by the legendary Martin Scorsese, written by Terence Winter (writer/producer of The Sopranos) and staring Steve Buscemi - in a big-budget series that features the rise of prohibition-era Atlantic City, the pedigree is just too much for a mere TV show to live up to. But Boardwalk Empire nearly pulls it off – the result is must-see premium-TV.

CES has been a big deal for DISH announcements so far, including a new whole-home DVR system dubbed Hopper and Joey. Turns out, DISH wasn't done. After breaking that news, they and HBO announced an agreement to give DISH customers expanded access to HBO programming. The agreement enables DISH customers (with or without Internet) who subscribe to HBO and Cinemax, to watch expanded selections of HBO content instantly from the comfort of home. The new programming will give them instant access to virtually every episode of every season of the best HBO shows – most of which are available in high definition as well as popular Hollywood hit movies, documentaries, stand-up comedies, sporting events, and independent films.

Before we get into the who and what of this article, let's just put a few things into perspective. First of all, Netflix has around 20 million streaming customers and HBO has around 28 million pay TV customers. That means that HBO has some clout, and so it's new HBO Go service, while limited in scope, is certainly something to consider for those people who consistently pay for the service. And really that's where this issue gets dicey. Cable and satellite companies that hate Netflix are to be expected - I mean, the company represents the era of new media and content delivery in a way that they are just now starting to appreciate (and get consistent at). But when content providers start hating on Netflix, it's a concern.

Aperion Audio is giving away a pair of their award winning Verus Grand Bookshelf Speakers ($598 MSRP) to one (1) lucky entrant! Perfect for use as front speakers in a small home theater or as surround speakers in a larger home entertainment center, the Verus Grand Bookshelf Speakers will bring your music, movies and games to life. With gorgeous curved cabinets—finished in either gloss cherry wood veneer or gloss piano black—these bookshelf speakers are sure to swivel heads for both their stunning sound and looks. To be eligible to win, you must be an active registered member of the Audioholics Forum and answer the 3 questions in the Aperion Verus Bookshelf Contest Giveaway. Entry deadline is January 31st, 2012.