Hasta La Gadget!

Amazon’s trial periods must be as quick as its shipping — just days after we first learned that it was testing monthly subscriptions for Amazon Prime, the online retailer has already put a halt to the program. A spokesperson says only that the company has “completed” its testing and has stopped taking sign-ups. We haven’t been told whether or not the test was successful, although it’s not hard to see the math working against Amazon’s experiment when a $79 yearly Prime subscription is unquestionably the better deal. Chalk up the rapid-fire testing to the competitive heat in the streaming video world.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, HD

Amazon stops testing monthly Prime subscriptions, leaves the results a mystery originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Nov 2012 21:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon Prime’s trifecta of two-day shipping, instant media streaming and monthly Kindle book rentals just became a little more consumer friendly at a slightly higher price. As a Hacking Netflix reader recently noticed, Amazon is now inviting users to buy into Prime for $7.99 a month, bringing the service in line with Hulu and Netflix’s monthly pricing schemes. The price of skipping the yearly fee is its own cost, however — subscribers who stick with Prime for a full year will pay $16.88 over the annual plan. Paying for all 12-months ahead of time is still an option, of course, scoring long-term buyers a 20 percent discount at checkout. Good deal? Sure. Even better if you’re trying to save on shipping this holiday season.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Internet, Amazon

Amazon Prime flaunts a monthly price tag, now offers streaming and two day shipping for $7.99 per month originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Nov 2012 04:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Truth be told, Amazon’s Prime Instant Video selection isn’t the most comprehensive library on the net, but it’s well on its way, thanks to a new licensing agreement with the Epix. The entertainment network, which partners with studios that include Lionsgate, MGM and Paramount, brings access to recent blockbusters like The Avengers, The Hunger Games and Thor, along with evergreen gems like Justin Bieber Never Say Never. Most importantly, it means Netflix is no longer the only subscription streaming home for those titles after its two year exclusive deal ran out. Amazon’s streaming service, which includes thousands of movies and television shows, enables customers subscribing to Prime for $79 per year to stream content without additional monthly fees, in addition to benefits that include discounted shipping and a Kindle book loan program. The terms of the deal have not been announced, but the press release (available in full after the break) lists the partnership as a “multi-year licensing agreement,” benefiting customers in the US.

Continue reading Amazon joins up with Epix, adds thousands of flicks to Prime Instant Video roster

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Wireless, HD

Amazon joins up with Epix, adds thousands of flicks to Prime Instant Video roster originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 10:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon and NBCUniversal Cable & New Media Distribution today announced a deal that will expand the mega-retailer’s streaming selection by hundreds of episodes, including the likes of Parks and Recreation, Parenthood, Friday Night Lights, Heroes and Battlestar Galactica. Prime users will be able to check out older seasons of those shows on their computers, iPads, Xbox 360s, PlayStation 3s and, of course, Kindle Fires. Non-Prime subscribers can also try out Prime Instant Video’s 22,000 movies and TV shows for one month, gratis. More information and lots of excited quotes about the deal can be found after the break.

Continue reading Amazon and NBCUniversal expand Prime Instant Video deal, let you stream Parks and Rec in one place

Filed under: Internet, Software

Amazon and NBCUniversal expand Prime Instant Video deal, let you stream Parks and Rec in one place originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Aug 2012 09:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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