Roku Update
Apple Music is now available on Roku devices and Smart TVs. And will soon offer access to your iTunes library ; I’ve tried accessing my iTunes library but I haven’t been able to so I guess it’s a feature they’re working on.
Click here for today’s press release from Roku.
BC Adds New Taxes
Streaming services will be subject to provincial sales taxes in the province of British Columbia, effective April 1st, 2021.
This tax was to be implemented on Canada Day but was brought forward.
Click Here for the Official Press Release on this tax.
More Free Online Content
Apple TV is streaming several of its original television programs and film for free via its app, namely Servant, For All Mankind, Little America, Dickinson, The Elephant Queen, Helpsters, Snoopy in Space and Ghostwriter.
Styx (featuring Gowan) will also be streaming a concert recorded in Las Vegas tonight at 8 PM Eastern. You can view it by clicking here.
Guitarist David Barrett will be previewing The Elegant Universe on Facebook Live on Sunday, April 11th, at Noon Eastern.
Multiple live performances are also available via the National Arts Centre.
Major Disney+ Update
Disney+ has decided to release the vast majority of their catalogue on their new $6.99 streaming service, as stated in the 3 hours plus preview video above.
This catalogue includes over 500 movies and over 7500 television programs from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilms, 20th Century Fox, National Geographic and other companies Disney distributes, which will be made available
I seriously doubt they will include the cheesy Star Wars Holiday Special and more contentious material without parental guidance warnings, but I’m guessing that they will probably fulfill my wish to access their classic cartoons online.
I am a fan of their classics cartoons, primarily Donald Duck, and have collected the four Walt Disney Treasures – Chronological Donald collections on DVD a decade back. But I had also wanted all of the classic cartoons featuring Goofy and remaining Chip ‘n’ Dale shorts. And apparently, these will eventually be made available via the new service.
I was also waiting for Blu-ray versions of The Cat From Outer Space and The Apple Dumpling Gang films, that I was expecting to be released via their movie club. But I guess I will try this new service out instead.
I will probably continue to buy my very favourite films on Blu-Ray for a while but I guess I’ll be watching the lack luster, passible releases on Disney+ instead.
I’m pretty sure their movie club will continue because the Disney+ service requires high-speed internet connections, which are still unavailable to some. And I’m guessing they will offer more exclusive memorabilia soon so I think
Good news overall.
Android Box Lawsuit
Canadian electronics and computer retail chains Best Buy Canada, Canada Computers, London Drugs and Staples Canada are being sued by Edmonton, Alberta based Allarco Entertainment 2008 Inc, the people behind Super Channel, alleging these companies sold android boxes that could be used to view their content and violate copyright laws with a software program Kodi.
Kodi is an open source home entertainment software package that enables users to play media on their computers and android devices, that can also be used to download and stream content off the internet.
Unfortunately, the Statement of Claim in Court Number T-1486-19 does not specify if sales of the more mainstream media streaming devices (like Apple TV, Fire TV and Roku) are allegedly implicated, these devices also being compatible with the aforementioned software. But it should be noted that today’s press release on this action appears to only mention “Pirate Devices with Kodi software” and that only some of the 150 employee sales pitches that were filmed by the plaintiffs over 19 months appear to include referrals to services that could assist customers with the installation of the software.
The companies in question have denied the allegations and I suspect they are now promoting sales of the more mainstream devices with Apple TV+, a television and video streaming service that will be officially released on November 1st, 2019, with a monthly subscription fee of $5.99 (or free for a year for Canadians who buy the latest model of the Apple TV media box, iPad or iPhone).