Netflix has launched a new programme which will see it recommend certain televisions that it feels will give its customers the best viewing experience.

A smart set could become a ‘Netflix Recommended TV’ if it hits the streaming video provider’s strict criteria, which includes a quick power-up, fast app launching and speedy resumption of video playback.

The programme will be US-based at first, but much like the way TVs in Ireland are often listed as ‘Freeview Ready’, the Netflix recommendation is likely to spill over into other markets as manufacturers look to use the tag as a seal of approval.

The Nexus 9, Nexus 7 and Nexus Player will run on Google’s new Android Lollipop OS

Google has taken the wraps of its latest flagship Nexus devices – as well as the next version of its Android operating system.

The Nexus 9 tablet – built by HTC - will offer a 2.3GHz NVIDIA K1 processor, 2GB of RAM, an 8MP camera and a 9″ screen. It will come with 16GB or 32GB of storage, with preorders for the device starting on 17 October.

The Nexus 6 smartphone – made by Motorola – will have a 5.9″ HD screen, a 2.7GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor and a 13-megapixel camera. Preorders for that device will open later this month (in the US at least).

Coming somewhat out of left field is the Nexus Player – an Android-based device for playing content on your TV.

It will allow access to the standard streaming options like Netflix and YouTube, while a separate controller will allow the device to be used as a games console. Preorders for that start on 17 October too – with a price-point somewhere in the Apple TV region.

All of these devices will run on the new Android 5.0 operating system – which has been officially named Lollipop.

The OS will become available to other Nexus devices in the near future, as well as many Google Play edition tablets and smartphones. The exact release schedule of that is not yet known, however, and it may take some time to hit certain devices depending on the manufacturer.

Irish viewers might soon be able to watch shows like Silicon Valley without the need for an old-fashioned TV connection

HBO – the US broadcaster behind Game of Thrones, The Wire, The Sopranos, Silicon Valley and so many other top-class programmes – is to launch a standalone streaming service next year.

Users can already stream HBO programmes through its HBO Go service, but it’s tied to an old-fashioned cable package with prices to match.

The alternativea for Irish viewers are Sky Atlantic – which has exclusive rights to many of HBO’s programmes here – or the inevitable (and expensive) DVD boxset.

Exactly when HBO will debut the new service – and how much it will cost – is still unknown. It’s also likely that the service will initially be US-only, with international access coming at a later stage.

All that’s known is based on comments by HBO chairman and CEO Richard Peipler during an investor conference call, when he said the service would arrive in 2015.

Apple TV is ripe for an update – and the market is ripe for innovation

Apple tends not to be a company that is first to market with a particular product, waiting instead until it feels it has the right device for a particular job.

The Apple TV bucked that trend.

First released in 2007, the petite media streamer was initially described by then CEO Steve Jobs as a ‘hobby’ – suggesting a level of experimentation that Apple normally does behind closed doors.

In more recent years, Tim Cook has let it be known that the hobby tag no longer applies, and the device was given a major overhaul that saw its price-point drop in the process. And while sales have allegedly been strong – especially in the context of minimal promotion by Apple – the TV product remains woefully under-utilised.

In terms of hardware, the Apple TV bears a lot of resembelance to an iPad (an iPad 2 or Mini, at least) – bar the likes of the touchscreen, of course. However what it can do is extremely limited, acting as little more than an accessory to other Apple devices a user might own (and perhaps a handy conduit for Netflix).

Since becoming CEO, Cook has repeatedly mentioned television as an area of interest, pointing out that the sector has remained largely static for a number of decades. There have also been persistent rumours of the company trying to strike content deals with US TV firms, perhaps to position itself as alternative to cable TV providers. Some have even suggested that Apple was preparing to enter the television market proper, launching a large HD screen with multimedia and streaming features built-in.

Despite all of this, Apple TV has remained largely the same for four years now. But the time may be right for that to change.

With the launch of its HomeKit for developers, which aims to make it easier for Apple products to link up with connected devices in the home, the company made it clear that it wants to be a part of people’s lives – and not just how they connect with the outside world. The television screen is a natural place for that relationship to begin.

And for all the talk of Apple taking advantage of this potential through a new product, all the pieces it needs to do so already exist.

Apple TV already runs on iOS – albeit a limited version of it – and, as already mentioned, has a manageable amount of processor power under the hood. A relatively small update (and a new SDK) could allow developers to make all manner of apps for the device that millions already own; turning it into a true media hub, communication tool and/or games console.

Leveraging HomeKit, as well as AirPlay, Handover, Continuity and iCloud Drive, Apple TV could easily become the place for people looking to manage and interact with all of their the devices they have dotted around their homes.

But when Apple does decide to unleash the power of its TV product, it is likely to do so with a new piece of hardware too.

Perhaps that will just be a refreshed version of what already exists – something with a newer processor and perhaps a little bit of added storage for all those apps.

They may also opt to completely reinvent the line, maybe to make it work better alongside the other boxes people have connected to their TV (a la the Xbox One’s HDMI pass-through feature) or to have it operate better independent of other Apple products.

Could that see them launch an actual TV? Perhaps. Apple is already familiar with the production of high quality displays – albeit on a smaller footprint than people would want for their homes.

But Apple isn’t in the business of making products at a loss, which is something that most of the big TV manufacturers have been living with for some time. And while the brand might help somewhat, it is hard to see people spending a premium on a commodity like a television just because of the software that’s on it.

Another possibility is that Apple TV partners with existing TV makers to have build its features into their hardware – similar to how Apple’s CarPlay is now being used as the media platform of choice by some car makers.

The problem with this plan is that the company would be extremely limited in its choice of potential partners – TV leaders Samsung, Sony and LG are all smartphone makers to boot, and more specifically are ones tied to Google’s Android OS.

And such partnerships are not always the best way to get your vision to market – as Apple itself knows too well. After all, who remembers the Motorola ROKR – Apple’s first attempt at merging the worlds of the phone and the iPod.

The safest bet is to imagine a next generation Apple TV as being a souped up version of what’s already there – one that’s supported by inventive developers and perhaps a few content makers. Keeping it (relatively) cheap will prove crucial too, and some strong support from the Apple media machine will also do no harm.

While some new iPads – and perhaps Macs – are to be expected next week, some hope that Tim Cook’s ‘…and finally’ might herald a new dawn for the Apple TV. Even if it doesn’t, the company will want to move quickly to exploit the opportunity that Cook himself has highlighted, as rivals like Google and Roku show that this area is far from a one horse race.

Tetris set the bar for simple, addictive games

A movie based on the greatest time-suck of all time – Tetris – is in the works, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Threshold Entertainment – which is probably best known for its Lego-based animations – has struck an agreement with the Tetris Company to create a film that somehow incorporates the falling shapes first imagined by Alexey Pajitnov 30 years ago.

As strange a proposition as that may seem, the company’s CEO Larry Kasanoff does have some experience in the world of blockbuster films – he was an executive producer of True Lives and (sticking to the gaming theme) also produced the 1995 adaptation of Mortal Kombat.

A plot has been devised for the film, though no details are known at present – casting and release details are also still unknown.

Deezer makes millions of songs available for streaming

UPC is making music streaming app Deezer available to its Horizon customers.

Deezer offers more than 35 million songs to stream on demand, and can already be accessed online or via its dedicated mobile app.

The service is free to use – as long as you can put up with ads – while a monthly subscription of €10 (currently €5 for a limited time) will give you the “unlimited” and ad-free experience.

UPC’s Horizon service is designed to give added functionality to your television, above and beyond the standard cable package.

Users can watch TV on other devices, stream videos from their mobile to their television and access other online services through the set-top-box.