Mediafly Blog

Mediafly to Bring Video Podcasts & Internet Content Easily to Home TVs via the Roku digital video player

Stepping Into the Future of TV Beyond DVRs:

Mediafly to Bring Internet Content Easily to Home TVs via the Roku digital video player

 

Chicago, Illinois, July 20, 2009. Mediafly, an up-and-coming Internet technology service, announced it is developing a channel for the Roku digital video player that will be available to Roku customers this fall bringing a wide variety of free Internet content directly to TVs, no computer needed. Roku, Inc. is the maker of the popular Roku player that first brought Netflix movies streamed directly to consumers’ TVs.

Mediafly has taken the tens of thousands of audio and video podcasts and made them as easy to enjoy as regular TV and radio. With the Roku player’s renowned ease of use and sub-$100 price point, this combination brings a wealth of rich, on-demand Internet content to mainstream consumers – not just early adopters – on any home TV.

Mediafly’s innovative service is set to launch this fall on the Roku player, which will bring many of the
Internet’s best shows -- directly to the TV. From NBC, CNN, ESPN, Comedy Central and more to high-quality independent shows on virtually any topic, there is something for everyone. In addition, unlike satellite and cable TV, Mediafly channels are free, sourced from podcasts and directly from Mediafly’s media partners.

"Mediafly is very excited to deliver its podcasting aggregation service to the Roku platform bringing free content to Roku customers for viewing on the TV. We think it will give people a glimpse of what life will be like in the post-DVR on-demand world." said Carson Conant, Mediafly's CEO.

“We created the Roku Developer Kit so companies like Mediafly could innovate and bring great experiences to the TV via the Roku player,” said Jim Funk, vice president of business development for Roku, Inc.. “We’re pleased to see Mediafly using the Roku platform to bring more entertainment choices and value to our customers.”

Whether your interests include news, sports, business, learning languages, celebrity gossip, comedy or myriad other choices, Mediafly lets people connect with their interests on demand, when and where they want. Over 25,000 different multimedia series are available on Mediafly, representing more than 5 million episodes of content. To help users, Mediafly has made it easy to access the most popular 500 shows in just over twenty easy-to-use channels on the Roku – no accounts to create or complex setup, no subscription required – just tune in and enjoy!

Mediafly understands that the home TV experience on the Roku player may be just part of a “digital lifestyle.” Mediafly allows individuals to set up content once and enjoy it across all their digital media devices. One may use other devices like the Squeezebox Duet or chumby at work/home and devices like BlackBerry, iPhone, Zune, or others on the go. Mediafly’s “digital lifestyle” concept allows users to enjoy the same content no matter what the device. The Roku player enables a fantastic audience experience from the comfort of one’s own couch. Mediafly then allows users to take the same great Internet content virtually anywhere. For example, a person could start watching something on a Roku player at home and then pick up on an iPhone or vice-versa.

Mediafly delivers a library of free content on demand and delivered directly to home TVs via the Roku player. Audiences will be able to enjoy the Roku-Mediafly combination starting this fall when the Mediafly channel is launched on the Roku platform. More information on the launch timing and how Roku customers will be able to take advantage of the Mediafly service will be announced later this year. For Mediafly, podcasts are just the beginning. As more media companies realize they can deliver high quality, personalized audio and video to the masses through Mediafly on the Roku player, there is no limit to how they may leverage this inexpensive, simple-to-operate media delivery ecosystem.

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About Mediafly

Mediafly is an innovative media technology platform and leading distribution service of Internet multimedia series, such as podcasts. Mediafly connects consumers’ Internet-enabled devices to their favorite Internet content in a way that is easy for everyday consumers and profitable for media companies. Founded in 2006, Mediafly is privately held and headquartered in Chicago, IL. For more information on the company and its products, visit: http://www.mediafly.com.

Media Contacts

Keith Waxelman; 312.281.5171
kwaxelman [at] mediafly.com

Download the full press release:
Mediafly working with Roku, Inc. to deliver channel for Roku digital video player

Mediafly is "the easier way" (says tech blogger Alli Flowers)

Prominent tech blogger, Alli Flowers, writes on her blog, NotJustAnotherGeekSite: "The easy way is to subscribe to your favorite podcasts in iTunes and sync regularly. The easier way is to get Mediafly ..."

(read the full article here)

CrackBerry reviews Mediafly BlackBerry app

Bla1ze wrote an article for the most prominent BlackBerry enthusiasts website, CrackBerry this week.

Here is a snippet of his review: "Here is an interesting new beta application for BlackBerry devices that was brought to my attention by the lovely Alli Flowers. This application has long been available on the iPhone but this time around MediaFly has put their efforts towards BlackBerry development and for a beta application I walked away quite impressed..." (read the full article)

Review: Mediafly Hits BlackBerry & Upgrades iPhone App (by Jason Reese of GearDiary.com)

Jason Reese of GearDiary has written an outstandingly-detailed review of the Mediafly BlackBerry and iPhone applications. Click here to read the article.

Here is his summary:
 
What I Like: The service itself is device-agnostic, meaning you can access your selected content from a wide range of devices.  The BlackBerry beta handles audio podcasts flawlessly, and provides an intuitive user interface.  I was able to access the same channel content through both the BlackBerry and iPhone without any cumbersome setup or having to “plug in” and connect to a computer.  The iPhone application has been updated to be faster, with a smoother UI.  Mediafly leverages the iPhone/iPod Touch video playback with their selection of video podcasts.

What Needs Improvement: Very little. I am hopeful that Mediafly’s channel content will continue to grow, as that will attract and retain more users.   I would love to see a future release to support video podcasts on the BlackBerry (right now it is Audio Only for BlackBerry devices).  I can’t think of any suggestions for the iPhone version.

Get It: The BlackBerry Beta is Open.  You can download the application from your BlackBerry Browser by going to http://www.mediafly.mobi .  The iPhoneiPod Touch app can be downloaded from Apple’s App Store.  Here are direct links to the free Audio Version as well as the $0.99 Audio+Video Version.

Read the full article

Stephen A (former ESPN commentator) launched his Mediafly podcast today

Now you can listen to the Stephen A Smith rants... from the comfort of your iPhone, iPod, Blackberry, etc.  (check it out)

To get Stephen A on your blackberry

1. Install the free Mediafly Blackberry application
2. Go to the Sports channel:

This works on any Mediafly-enabled device as well, such as Mediafly Mobile iPhone

Gear Diary: "Mediafly Wants to Bring Personalized Audio & Video to All of Your Media Devices"

 Jason Reese from Gear Diary writes about the most detailed third-party review of Mediafly so far.

Here is the article

"It's a bit difficult to categorize Mediafly in a nice little box, but here goes:   Mediafly provides a free service to manage personalized digital audio and video content.  What is interesting is that Mediafly’s service is is device-agnostic.   You can use Mediafly on an iPhone/iTouch, iPod, chumby, Zune, RSS Reader, or a host of other devices — which makes their offering unique for anyone who wants to access an audio or video podcast through a variety of consumer products.

After speaking with the company’s CEO, Carson Conant, to find out what makes Mediafly different from all the other content providers out today, it is safe to say that this company’s vision is to bring personalized media to all of your audio/video devices..." (Continue reading the rest of the article on Gear Diary...)

Blackberry app (Alpha)

This article mentions Blackberry as one of Mediafly's next new apps.  If you are interested and you don't mind a few rough edges, contact us and we are happy to send you the Alpha version.

Mediafly CEO interviewed on the 'Into Tomorrow' radio show with Dave Graveline

Mediafly CEO, Carson Conant, was recently interviewed on the nationally-syndicated radio show Into Tomorrow with Dave Graveline.

Listen to the interview:

1. Click here to listen to the Into Tomorrow podcast on Mediafly

2. Jump to about 21:00 into the show to listen to the Mediafly segment (see below)

About Into Tomorrow:

"Into Tomorrow with Dave Graveline" is a 3-hour radio program (as well as 60 second Daily Features and ITTV Video Reports) covering the Latest in Consumer Electronics & Technology available today and ... into tomorrow. The show airs on over 100 AM & FM radio stations around the U.S., on SIRIUS XM Satellite Radio, radio stations in Germany, Bermuda, New Zealand, Canada and several other sources including Mobile Broadcast Network, BeOS Radio, Sprint Radio, TiVo, CelleCast and many others - every weekend. "Into Tomorrow" is also heard around the world on the Armed Forces Networks in several other countries. In addition, they stream all their audio and video via their web site and provide free Podcasts of all show archives.

The ONLY international show covering Consumer Electronics exclusively for 14 years, "Into Tomorrow" highlights the way technology is changing our lives! From Gadgets & Gizmos to Home Theater, Digital Photography, Car Audio, Security & Navigation, High Tech Recreation, HDTV, Technology On-The-Go, GPS and everything else that people are talking about.

They also frequently broadcast from many trade shows and CE events around the world -- including CES Las Vegas ... IFA Berlin ... HomeTech Dubai ... Mobile World Congress in Barcelona ... CeBIT Hannover ... CEATEC Japan ... photokina in Cologne ... Electronic House eXpo in Long Beach/Orlando ... CTIA Wireless ... Computex Taipei in Taiwan ... and many others!

New media in 2020 (validating the Mediafly model)

NAB NOW

2020 Vision: What's Ahead in Tech, Media

TVNEWSDAY, Apr 19 2009, 9:19 PM ET

"This is a great moment for broadcasting. I can't wait for the future to get here," concluded noted technology guru Gary Arlen in his keynote address which opened the NAB's Broadcast Engineering Conference at this year's NAB Show.

Known for his incisive and accurate analysis of interactive and new media technology, the president of Bethesda, Md.-based Arlen Communications entitled his remarks "Why I can't wait for 2020."...

... http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2009/04/19/daily.3/

Mobile DTV Offers Oasis of Hope in Vegas

By Carl Lindemann

TVNEWSDAY, Apr 9 2009, 11:47 AM ET

With the economy casting a long, dark shadow over this year's NAB Show, mobile DTV should be a bright spot for broadcasters' seeking growth and opportunity.

"We're at the beginning of a new era where we reach the consumer where they are rather than have them go somewhere to access content," says Ardell Hill, president, broadcast services, Media General Broadcast... (more: http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2009/04/09/daily.3/)