AT&T Brings U-verse IPTV to PCs

By Geoff Duncan Updated November 4, 2009

AT&T has announced U-verse OnTheGo, a new service developed in conjunction with MobiTV which enables subscribers to AT&T;s Internet-based U-verse television service to tap into live television anywhere they can get a broadband Internet connection. The service offering is a first for a television provider, and AT&T doesn’t plan to top with putting U-verse television on PCs: it wants to bring it to AT&T mobile phones, too.

“AT&amo;T U-verse represents the evolution of entertainment, and we’re taking that to the next level with AT&T U-verse OnTheGo,” said Michael Grasso, assistant VP of AT&T’s consumer marketing, in a release “In today’s on-demand world, customers want to be able to access news and entertainment using a variety of devices. AT&T U-verse OnTheGo is an example of how we’re delivering that type of capability today.”

AT&T’s U-verse service offers access to about 30 channels, several of which (like The Weather Channel and Bloomberg Television) offer live programming. Other channels consist mostly of the sort of programmed content familiar to MobiTV users. In contrast, products like the Slingbox make a user’s complete home video capability (including television, DVR, and even recorded media) available over the Internet without additional fees, but AT&T clearly hopes to score points with consumers by offering a one-stop solution and features which differentiate it from satellite and cable offerings.

AT&T plans to expand U-verse IPTV programming to include movie trailers and other on-demand content; it also plans to expand the channel lineup. The company also wants to bring U-verse OnTheGo to AT&T mobile phone users as part of the company’s strategy to offer services on the “three screens that customers value the most.” (Those would be the TV, the PC, and a mobile phone. Quick: name another.)

U-verse OnTheGo is priced at $10/month for current U-verse customers; AT&T is offering a free two-week trial. U-verse OnTheGo requires Windows XP SP2, Windows Media Player 9, and Flash 8 or later, and Internet Explorer; the product does not support Macs or Linux systems. U-verse OnTheGo works with Windows Vista, but only with Internet Explorer; support for Firefox is not currently available.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Audio / Video

Jabra Elite 7 Pro vs. Jabra Elite 85t

Jabra Elite 7 Pro seen next to Jabra Elite 85t and Elite 75t.

Jabra reigns high and mighty when it comes to the world of noise-canceling earbuds, and for plenty of good reasons. The company's earbuds are snug and comfortable, they sound excellent for both listening to music and making phone calls, they're easy to set up and pair with your favorite devices, and the controls are completely customizable.

The Jabra Elite 85t are one of the brand's premier models, offering some of the most advanced features and the inclusion of a fully-hybrid noise-cancellation system. Building on many of the big wins of the 85t, Jabra introduced the Elite 7 Pro. Touting a smaller and lighter design with bone conduction mics for the best in voice pickup abilities, the Elite 7 Pro are another great offering from Jabra.

Audio / Video

Hisense debuts its first 8K Roku TV, the 75-inch U800GR

Hisense U800GR 8k Roku TV.

We're still several weeks away from CES 2022, but don't tell Hisense that. The company has decided it doesn't need a big, splashy Las Vegas show to show off its big, splashy new Roku TV, which also happens to be its first Roku TV to offer 8K resolution: The Hisense U800GR, which is available December 8 from Best Buy and Amazon for $2,700.

The U800GR packs Hisense's ULED display technology, which in this case means a quantum dot LED panel with a native 120Hz refresh rate and up to 1,000 nits of brightness. Gamers will appreciate the extra smoothness this brings to their fast-action games, as well as the TV's support of auto low-latency mode (ALLM) and variable refresh rate (VRR). You get Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support, in addition to HDR10 and HLG. Hisense says there are 180 local dimming zones for better contrast and black levels.

Deals

We can’t believe this 55-inch 4K TV is only $250 for Black Friday

4K TV Deals Sceptre Curved 55-Inch 4K Ultra High Definition 3840 x 2160 UHD LED TV

Gone are the days that 4K TVs are only for the rich and famous, as they've become more affordable over the past several years, especially when Black Friday TV deals are available. If you want a head start for your holiday shopping, you should know that some of the best Black Friday deals for 4K TVs are already available. One of the offers that you shouldn't miss is part of this year's Walmart Black Friday deals -- a $120 discount for this 55-inch Sceptre 4K TV that brings its price down to just $248 from its original price of $368.

The Sceptre U550CV-U is a 4K TV with a 55-inch display that shows nothing less than vibrant colors and clear details for lifelike images on the screen. It's equipped with four HDMI ports to connect and seamlessly switch between multiple sources, so you always have different options at your disposal when it's time for some rest and recreation.