Netflix Originals want to keep it in the family

Netflix hasn't been shy about producing its own content. Original comedy and prestige drama made in-house by the streaming service has been raking in awards and acclaim for years now, and while we may all be waiting with bated breath for the next season of "Orange is the New Black" or "Jessica Jones," Netflix thinks it's missing something.

"There's a hole in the TV landscape" says Brian Wright, VP of Family Content at Netflix. The ex-Nickelodeon exec spoke with CNET about how he was brought on to fill that gap with all-ages, family-friendly content. With a $6 billion programming budget and a target of 1,000 hours of original content for the coming year, Netflix is working in earnest.

 

Nvidia Spot is like a Google Home you stick on your wall

The Google Assistant's expanding its repertoire as an entertainer. At CES, Nvidia showed off the new Shield TV. Say the word and you can search for content, pause or rewind with your voice, all powered by Google's software. The Shield TV will even display information if you search the internet, and it works with SmartThings to control your home. If you buy the $200 streamer, you won't even have to be in the same room to talk to Google, thanks to a $50 add-on called the Nvidia Spot.

The Shield TV is out later this month. The Spot's release date hasn't been specified. An always listening controller with the Google Assistant built-in, the Nvidia Spot sure sounds a lot like a Google Home. The Spot looks different -- a round orb as opposed to a white cylinder. You'll also be able to easily move the Spot from room to room and even attach it to walls.

 

AT&T, Time Warner plan to skirt FCC review of megamerger

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson (L) and Time Warner CEO Jeffrey Bewkes defend the proposed merger of their companies at a WSJD Live technology conference in October.

Photo by GLENN CHAPMAN/AFP/Getty Images

AT&T and Time Warner may have found a smoother path toward their proposed $85 billion merger: going around the Federal Communications Commission.