Cable providers have had a lot of work to do lately. With the advances in mobile technology, people not only want to see more, but expected to see more from cable providers. Where, how and when, we can watch our favorite shows has become more challenging for providers to answer. Dish Network has answered those questions, and joined the ranks of other providers such as AT&T and Comcast, and upped the ante with some new set-top boxes at CES 2014.
Lets start with the viewing options; Dish Network is launching a new apps that will allow for viewing of live, recorded and on demand television on your mobile devices. The apps are additions to the Dish Anywhere apps, and will be available for Android, iOS, as well as for the Kindle Fire. These apps will also come with the voice search option. Next time you are feeling like just telling your television what to turn to, just use the app, simple.Along with the app comes new partnerships with Playstation and LG, giving new interfaces and full DVR capabilities to the PS3, PS4, and some LG smart televisions. These new ways to watch are being called “Virtual Joey” clients. Essentially its Dish Network, minus the set-top boxes and using a web-based service through your Smart tv or Playstation console.
All of these new options for viewing a great, but have become the norm when it comes to cable service providers. Though some companies just missed the mark on functionality, so we will have to wait and see how the apps work in the wild. In the meantime, Dish has more to show off besides the mobile aspects of their service. They have launched a new line of set-top boxes, dubbed the “Joey” with options of the “Super Joey”.
Since we started with Dish Networks mobility apps, lets move onto their mobile devices. Dish has a new “Joey” wireless set-top box, well almost wireless. Obviously there is a need to connect something to your television, and in this case, it is a slim box. Once connected, you will be able to stream television and recorded shows to your television anywhere in the house. All of this without connecting to a main line, running all through your house. That’s only part of what the “Joey” line is seeing as far as additions go, we also see what is being called the “Super Joey”.
The “Super Joey” earns the “Super” part of its name, by how many recordings can be accomplished at one time. A record eight shows can be recorded at one time using the “Super Joey”, so now there really is no arguing over the remote.
All these advances for Dish Network are welcomed by many, and will be readily available Spring of 2014. The apps, however, will be available as soon as first quarter 2014.