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Nov 08

Hulu launches Hulu Kids for paid subscribers

If you happen to have kids and also rely on streaming content through various platforms, then chances are that Hulu probably isn’t on the top of your list considering that Netflix has their own kids section for convenience. However, Hulu launched Hulu Kids today and it’s available for Hulu Plus subscribers.

Probably the best thing about Hulu Kids is that all the shows are completely ad-free, despite the fact that regular shows still show commercials even with paid subscriptions. Hulu wanted kids to be uninterrupted while watching their favorite shows, so nixing all ads was crucial for a kids-only section.

Hulu Kids features a bevy of kids shows, and there’s even different categories for different types of shows. For example, “Dino Time” features shows like “Barney” and “Dinosaur Train,” and the category “Cartoon Favorites” offers shows like “Arthur” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles“. You can also browse shows by network, like Nickelodeon and PBS.

Hulu Kids is also coming to the PlayStation 3, where the whole family will be able to enjoy modern children shows as well as the classics that you watched growing up, all right from the living room. Of course PS3 users will still need a Hulu Plus subscription in order to get Hulu Kids. If you’re not yet a subscriber, Hulu offers a free 7-day trial.

Hulu launches Hulu Kids for paid subscribers is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Nov 07

Virgin TV Anywhere hits web and iPad/iPhone (but it’s not perfect)

Posted in: Today's Chili

UK broadband and home entertainment provider Virgin TV has launched a new streaming service for desktop browsers and smartphones, Virgin TV Anywhere, including remote control over their TiVo. The new service is a free extra for Virgin TV customers, and offers a selection of live streaming and on-demand content from Sky, BBC iPlayer, ITV, 4oD, Demand 5, Disney, Nickelodeon, and others. However, the service will only work over WiFi, not 3G connections, and mobile users will have to wait a while for on-demand shows.

There are as many as 45 channels at launch, though what you get to watch will depend on what Virgin TV package you’ve subscribed to at home. That means, if you’re a Sky Movies or Sky Sports subscriber, you’ll also get access to content from those channels while you’re out, just as long as you can find a WiFi connection.

Initial live streaming channel line-up:

Unfortunately, that isn’t the only limitation. Virgin says that on-demand access isn’t expected to land on the mobile client until sometime next year, and so until then it’s live streaming only. Update: You’ll also need to have a TiVo box in order to use the mobile app.

Initial on-demand channel line-up:

As for your Virgin-supplied TiVo, users will be able to use the remote control functionality – initially available for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch users – to remotely set recordings, delete shows, and rate them. It will also work as a touch-remote when users are actually at home in front of their TV.

Subscribers to Virgin TV can find the new Anywhere app for iOS in the App Store [iTunes link]; Virgin tells us an Android version will be out sometime in 2013. Up to two devices can be used with the service at any one time, and users can change them “on a monthly basis.”

Virgin TV Anywhere hits web and iPad/iPhone (but it’s not perfect) is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Nov 06

Amazon Prime gets monthly option (with a sting)

Posted in: Today's Chili

Amazon has quietly added a monthly option for Amazon Prime, the retailer’s two-day shipping, media-streaming, and Kindle loaning membership service, though shoppers pay a premium for flexibility. Until now, Prime had only been available as a year-long subscription, paid upfront at $79 for as many two-day shipping items, as much Amazon Instant Video streaming, and access to the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library, as the user wanted. Now, you can have the same for $7.99 per month with no minimum term.

The new, recurring fee option is likely to be useful for those that are convinced by the value of Amazon Prime after the month-long free trial option, but are wary of locking themselves in for a full year. It should also net Amazon some new users over the holiday period, given the potential for internet shopping is likely to rise.

Another possibility is that the monthly Prime scheme could be appealing to those looking to skip from Netflix, Hulu Plus, or other streaming media providers. Amazon’s catalog of shows and movies is claimed to number in the “thousands” according tot he retailer.

However, flexibility comes with a price, and that’s a larger fee overall if you stick with monthly Prime payments. A year’s membership is $95.88, or $16.88 more than the annual cost.

There’s no sign of similar monthly options in other locations where Amazon Prime is offered – the UK, Germany, Japan, and France – though the deal does vary depending on which services the retailer promises in each location. While there’s no Amazon Instant Video, for instance, next-day shipping is the norm rather than two-day shipping as in the US.

[via Engadget]

Amazon Prime gets monthly option (with a sting) is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Nov 05

Hulu welcomes aboard CBS shows starting in January

Posted in: Today's Chili

As it stands, Hulu already has a huge selection of TV shows to choose from and watch, but it certainly doesn’t have every single TV show under the sun. That’s to blame on the fact that CBS didn’t have a license agreement with Hulu, meaning that no CBS shows were available on online streaming service. However, that’s about to change thanks to a new agreement between the two companies.

The deal between CBS and Hulu will bring more than 2,600 episodes of various programming from CBS over to Hulu Plus starting in January. Of course, newer episodes will be available for regular Hulu users who don’t have a Hulu Plus subscription, but much of the back catalog will only be available for paying customers.

Also, not only will modern CBS shows be available to watch (like CSI: Miami and Numb3rs), but classics such as Star Trek, The Twilight Zone, and I Love Lucy will also become available. The deal between Hulu and CBS spans multiple years, but it’s non-exclusive, which means CBS shows will still be available on Netflix as well.

It’s good to finally see all four major networks on board with Hulu. NBC and Fox were originally the only networks streaming their shows over Hulu, but ABC joined in on the fun in 2009. Finally, three years later, CBS is now a part of the Hulu family, and users will be able to browse even more shows starting in January.

Hulu welcomes aboard CBS shows starting in January is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Nov 01

Boxee TV on sale now

Posted in: Today's Chili

Boxee’s new Boxee TV media streamer has gone up for sale, with retailer Walmart exclusively offering the internet-connected set-top box for under a hundred bucks. The $98 box, announced last month, has twin tuners and supports digital antenna and basic cable, along with streaming services such as Netflix, VUDU, YouTube, Pandora, and Spotify. Meanwhile, there’s also a subscription-based digital recording service.

Boxee “No Limits DVR” is a digital recording service that hosts saved shows in the cloud, pushing them out to any mobile device or Boxee TV unit you might have. Interestingly, Boxee’s site claims it will be priced at $14.99 per month – with limited availability, depending on what US city you’re in; the initial launch covers New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C – while Walmart says it’s $9.99.

When you’re bored of TV there’s access to Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr, along with all of your own local media, such as photos, videos, and music. Broadcast channels supported include ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC, and of course you don’t have to pay for “No Limits DVR” if you’re not interested in saving shows.

Unfortunately, the arrival of the Boxee TV has a sting in the tail for those with the previous Boxee Box by D-Link. Boxee has confirmed it’s ceasing development of the older hardware, though will still release bugfixes and security patches as necessary.

Boxee TV on sale now is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Oct 31

Netflix makes unfortunate typo error in SEC filing

Posted in: Today's Chili

No one’s perfect, obviously, and we all make mistakes at some point no matter how dumb or illogical they seem. Netflix just made one themselves on a recent SEC filing, and it was caught this morning. However, it wasn’t just a simple misspelling or a missing comma. The typo was fairly significant and completely shocked investors.

All SEC filings are crucial for investors, but this particular filing was especially important, because investors wanted to know how Netflix’s finances were doing as the company began to expand to other countries — specifically if Netflix was spending more than it could afford on the expansion. Netflix reported last week that its new services in Latin America, the UK, and Ireland “have contributed to a 14% increase in [Netflix’s] content expenses in the International segment.” However, the increase was actually 348%.

Netflix claimed it as “a typographical error” and changed “14%” to “348%,” which actually showed up twice in the report at 14%. Obviously, a 348% increase is an insane jump from 14%, and worst of all, investors were specifically focused on that figure, so seeing a change to 348% probably wasn’t what they wanted to see.

This certainly adds insult to injury for Netflix, who expected to add seven million streaming subscribers in the US during 2012 at first, but recently lowered that number down to five million last week. It’s not said what investors might do, but Vasily Karasyov from Susquehanna Financial Group said that “it’s fair for investors to wonder” whether or not Netflix has gone too deep in growing its international market.

[via Deadline]

Netflix makes unfortunate typo error in SEC filing is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Oct 31

Walmart to sell Boxee TV starting tomorrow

Posted in: Today's Chili

There are a number of set-top boxes on the market today that allow you to stream content from different services such as Netflix or YouTube. One of those devices is the Boxee TV. Boxee Inc has scored a major win with the announcement that Walmart will be selling its latest device, the Boxee TV, in its 3000 US locations starting tomorrow.

The Boxee TV will be in stores at a price of $98 just in time for the holiday shopping season. Walmart plans to put significant weight behind the product with marketing materials being sent out for the device, and displays set up in the stores. The Boxee TV is a black set-top box that comes with a remote control. The Boxee TV can access free HD broadcast channels as well as streaming Internet content.

The idea is to bring free over the air HD programming and basic cable programming that’s not protected to viewers as well as streaming content from Netflix and other sources. The Boxee TV has dual tuners and will allow you to record one program while watching another live. However, the set-top box has no internal storage device.

All programs that are recorded using the DVR feature are recorded to the cloud. Buyers of the device will get unlimited storage space on the cloud and will be able to watch the recordings on a laptop, tablet, or the TV. There is a $14.99 monthly charge for the cloud-based DVR service, which is only available in certain markets.

“It’s going to be a big launch for us,” Avner Ronen, Boxee’s chief executive officer, said in an interview. “There’s a big difference between having your product being carried by retailers, where it sits on the shelf, and getting real marketing behind it.”

[via BusinessWeek]

Oct 30

Sky+ adds BBC iPlayer for on-demand entertainment

Posted in: Today's Chili

Sky UK has added the BBC’s iPlayer video-on-demand service to Sky+, the first time the VoD system has been enabled on the satellite provider’s boxes. Requiring a Sky+ HD set-top box, and with content showing up in the Sky On Demand section of the DVR, the new iPlayer addition uses roughly the same interface as its browser-based version, only now no longer requires a laptop be hooked up to the TV.

Sky first announced its deal with the BBC back in January, at which point it also added access to the ITV catalog of on-demand shows. Subscribers to the satellite TV service already had the option of viewing select archived BBC shows, such as Top Gear and Doctor Who, but not the full catch-up service iPlayer users on other platforms could enjoy.

In fact, iPlayer is now available across 650 platforms and devices, the BBC says, including Xbox 360, on iOS and Android smartphones, and now on Sky’s Sky+ HD PVR. Sky users won’t need to have Sky-provided broadband, either, with that limitation lifted earlier in the year as well; however, they will need broadband internet of some description, since that’s how the iPlayer content is delivered to their STB.

The BBC has steadily been increasing its footprint in digital and mobile devices, extending beyond terrestrial channels. Most recently, it launched the BBC iPlayer Radio app, which focuses on audio content – though also offers companion video – for smartphones.

Oct 29

Pandora for Windows Phone 8 official with 1-year ad-free included

Posted in: Today's Chili

Windows Phone 8 devices will get a year’s ad-free access to Pandora, the streaming music service, Microsoft has confirmed at its launch event today. The new app was a much-demanded one by would-be Windows Phone users in the US, and is part of Microsoft’s attempt to fill in empty gaps in the smartphone platform’s line-up.

Pandora, for those who aren’t familiar, takes an initial suggestion of an artist by the listener, and then builds a custom playlist based on music it thinks will be similar. It’s based on interlinking audio data from the Music Genome Project, with users rating suggestions to guide how the playlist develops.

Of course, Pandora isn’t the only streaming music service out there, and Nokia is perhaps going to be frustrated by the news of its addition. Nokia Music has already been available for Windows Phone 7 devices, and will be included as an exclusive to Nokia’s Windows Phone 8 Lumia devices, as part of the company’s attempt to pull together differentiating features.

What may save Nokia is Pandora’s limited availability compared to Windows Phone overall. Microsoft will be pushing its smartphone globally, but Pandora can only be used in the US; Nokia Music, meanwhile, is offered with all of the Lumia phones, no matter where they’re sold.

Oct 22

EE launches EE Film for mobile video rentals (hands-on)

Posted in: Today's Chili

EE‘s new 4G plans for the UK have been revealed, but the carrier also has a new movie store, EE Film, for both its own subscribers and those of other carriers. Preloaded on EE handsets, such as the iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S III 4G LTE, and Galaxy Note II 4G LTE, but also available to other smartphone users to download, EE Film will offer what the network says is the best selection of new releases of any UK rental service, on a par with DVDs.

Over 700 will be offered at launch, priced from £0.79 for rentals, though some of the blockbuster titles – such as Wrath of the Titans and Prometheus – came in at £3.99. Rental purchases last for up to 30 days, though once you start watching you have 48hrs access before the movie expires; that compares well to iTunes’ 24hrs rental period.

Rented movies can be downloaded to a device, or streamed to up to three devices, including over 4G connections. Billing is either to an EE contract bill or via credit/debit card or PayPal; subscribers to other UK networks will have to use a card or PayPal. Users will be able to pause playback on one device and then resume it on another.

EE Film demo:

Until the end of February 2013, EE will be offering subscribers one free rental per week, and if they use 4G to download it that won’t be counted against their monthly allowance. They’ll also get 2-for-1 cinema tickets on Wednesdays, accessed either via text message or the EE Film Store app.

For more on EE’s pricing, head over here.