Apr 27

Rumor: Hulu Plus to Land on Xbox Live on April 29

Posted in: hulu, Miscellaneous Tech, streaming, Today's Chili, videos, xbox 360

Hulu Plus Logo

For those people who use their Xbox 360 are a primary form of both gaming entertainment and video entertainment, it might be finally time to invest in a Hulu Plus account. According to a post at Joystiq, Hulu Plus will arrive on the Xbox 360 on April 29th, finally ending the long wait that Xbox owners have had to suffer while PS3 owners gloated in their faces. 
The Xbox 360 has only had Netflix up to this point, but PS3 owners have had both Netflix and Hulu Plus access. That difference has made people looking to cancel their cable television in exchange for streaming video on the Web look more carefully at the PS3 than the Xbox 360. If the story is true and Hulu Plus does come to the Xbox 360 this week, it would put the two consoles back on even ground. 
[via Joystiq]
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Apr 27

Epix brings its thousands of movies to Google TV; apps for Android, Roku and Playbook on the way

Posted in: Android, app, apps, BlackBerry, blackberry playbook, BlackberryPlaybook, Google, GoogleTv, honeycomb, HTC, LG, Movies, playbook, samsung, streaming, tablets, Today's Chili

While some video providers are moving away from Google TV, Roku and the Playbook, and Netflix still has yet to officially release its movie streaming app on any Android devices, the Epix channel is going all in. Following its “Big on Any Screen” slogan, it will roll out apps on a slew of devices over the second quarter beyond its current Flash player. The Google TV portal is already up and running as seen above and apps are on the way for “Android tablets and phones from HTC, LG and Motorola” — we’ve pinged to see if this will be device exclusive but haven’t received a response yet — the BlackBerry Playbook, Samsung TVs and Blu-ray players and Roku streaming players. Not listed in the press release is anything iOS, but Epix confirmed it is working on an app that is waiting for Apple’s approval. Not familiar with the channel? It has over 3,000 movies from Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM plus original programs and live events that is available via your cable or satellite TV provider and launched with an HBO Go-style online component. Verizon FiOS is apparently on deck to help push the new apps, check out the rest of the details in the press release after the break.

Continue reading Epix brings its thousands of movies to Google TV; apps for Android, Roku and Playbook on the way

Epix brings its thousands of movies to Google TV; apps for Android, Roku and Playbook on the way originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 25

YouTube ready to start renting video on-demand movies from major studios?

Posted in: Google, itunes, streaming, Today's Chili, YouTube

According to entertainment website The Wrap, Google’s YouTube has finally locked up all the studio deals to get itself fully into the online movie rental game. The report indicates it could launch as soon as this week with movies from majors including Sony, Warner and Universal, as well as smaller entities like Lionsgate, Kino Lorber and other independents. This doesn’t appear to be a challenge to (now bigger than Comcast, but still smaller than HBO) Netflix, with the unnamed studio exec quoted in the article saying how happy they are to see a new entrant renting (and eventually selling) movies that’s not using a subscription model. Apple currently leads the online VOD market after jumping in with iTunes back in 2008, so obviously that’s a main target but without the important info (pricing, picture quality and content) it’s hard to tell how much of a challenger this is. VOD rumors have swirled around YouTube for quite some time and it rolled out $3.99 rentals of indie movies a little over a year ago, here’s hoping they go the whole way and offer nothing less than 3D and 4K streaming to start.

Update: The store currently shows a slew of Weinstein produced movies (Scary Movie 4, Death Proof) and a few Lionsgate flicks (Made, Reservoir Dogs) available for $2.00 or so but most have been up since 2009 so keep an eye on this page for any new flicks. [Thanks, Rocco G.]

YouTube ready to start renting video on-demand movies from major studios? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 22:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 25

Google Video shutdown halted for now, Google slinging content over to YouTube itself

Posted in: Google, streaming, streaming video, StreamingVideo, Today's Chili, videos, YouTube

Seems Google sparked a bit of spirited debate when it decided to pull the plug on Google Video, because the company’s put that plan on indefinite hold, telling users that it’s looking for “an easier way” to migrate its massive archives of video to YouTube. Originally, Google gave users an ultimatum to download videos (or just tap a simple “Upload Videos to YouTube” button) before it erased them for good, but now Mountain View plans to automatically transfer content to YouTube itself. Why wasn’t that the plan from day one? We’d guess that hosting terabytes of streaming video isn’t cheap, folks.

Google Video shutdown halted for now, Google slinging content over to YouTube itself originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Apr 2011 11:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 24

RIM wants Hulu Plus on the Blackberry PlayBook, ‘conversations’ continue

Posted in: blackberry playbook, BlackberryPlaybook, hulu, playbook, RIM, streaming, streaming video, StreamingVideo, Today's Chili, TV

RIM wants Hulu Plus on the just-released Blackberry PlayBook. It also wants everyone to know it wants Hulu Plus on the Blackberry PlayBook, after the streaming video service unceremoniously blocked access to its videos just days after the tablet’s launch. Now, both PC Mag and The Wall Street Journal are reporting the same terse email statement from RIM: “We are in conversations with Hulu to bring the Hulu Plus subscription service to BlackBerry PlayBook users.” No word on the content of those conversations or a timeline for resolution, so for now PlayBook users will need to find another way to satisfy their yearning for Seinfeld reruns.

RIM wants Hulu Plus on the Blackberry PlayBook, ‘conversations’ continue originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 24 Apr 2011 12:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 22

DirecTV’s iPad, iPhone, Android apps will (NOT) have HBO Go streaming May 2nd (Update)

Posted in: Android, Apple, ios, ipad, iPhone, streaming, Today's Chili

Just like the web versions of HBO Go and Max Go are accessible both through their own sites and various provider portals, DirecTV has announced it will include access to them in its own apps on iPad, iPhone and “select Android devices” at the same time native Go apps launch. There’s no word on what restrictions may be placed on Android, if it’s just Froyo or higher hardware with Flash accessibility, then that’s one thing, but Netflix-style DRM tie ups could prove to be much more frustrating to our Game of Thrones streaming plans. The announcement came from DirecTV’s official Twitter account which indicated the apps would progress beyond mere remote control and DVR scheduling on the same May 2nd date previously teased in HBO’s YouTube trailer — we’ll wait and see how long it takes to be integrated into similar apps from competitors like Comcast and Verizon FiOS.

Update: We’ve just heard from DirecTV that this was a “mistweet”, as it turns out they won’t be adding HBO Go access through their own apps and DirecTV customers will have to use the native HBO Go app just like everyone else. Check the @DirecTV account for the latest tweets, we’ll put this one on the shelf next to the DirecTiVo for now.

DirecTV’s iPad, iPhone, Android apps will (NOT) have HBO Go streaming May 2nd (Update) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 22

Google Pulls YouTube from Roku Channel List

Posted in: Google, Miscellaneous Tech, set-top-box, streaming, Today's Chili, videos

Roku - YouTube Channel

If you have a Roku set-top box and you’ve been enjoying the ability to watch YouTube videos from the comfort of your couch, we have some bad news for you. The YouTube channel in the Roku channel lineup was actually an unofficial and unsupported one, and Google recently caught wind of the fact. They’ve asked Roku to pull it from their channel list, and Roku complied. 
Reportedly, the issue at hand was the fact that the channel used the MP4 version of YouTube videos that the service provides to mobile devices. That alone isn’t too bad, but the problem is that pre-roll advertisements and pop-up ads that appear over videos weren’t displayed, which made the service virtually ad-free.  
Roku noted that they’ve been in negotiations with Google to bring YouTube support to Roku boxes for a long time now, and while they don’t have an ETA for when Roku owners will be able to officially watch YouTube videos on their TV, they’d love for it to happen. If you already have the channel added to your list, you can still enjoy it, but as of now, it’s gone and new users can’t add it. 
[via GigaOm]
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Apr 22

AT&T’s MiFi 2372 gets DLNA update, streams media even without 3G connectivity

Posted in: att, mobile hotspot, MobileHotspot, software update, SoftwareUpdate, streaming, Today's Chili, update

Novatel 2372 MiFi owners could always stream tunes from the web, but now they can do it from microSD — after downloading Maintenance Release 1.0, that is, which finally brings DLNA server functionality. DLNA support means your mobile hotspot can share music, video and other content to devices over the network from an inserted flash card, even when the router can’t serve up 3G — especially useful on AT&T devices, which, you know, tend to suffer from occasional network congestion and data caps. The update also includes a new Customer Care Widget and a more intuitive MiFi OS web interface, so even average consumers might be able to configure one of these without consulting tech support. Sounds like a win for everybody.

AT&T’s MiFi 2372 gets DLNA update, streams media even without 3G connectivity originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Apr 2011 02:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 21

Reuters: Apple set to launch cloud-based music service ahead of Google (update)

Posted in: amazon, Apple, cloud, itunes, Music, rumor, streaming, Today's Chili
It’s the rumor that wouldn’t die, and Reuters is now reporting that Apple is finally set to launch a cloud-based music service — presumably putting its massive North Carolina data center to some real work at long last. Details are still fairly light beyond that, but Reuters says that Apple’s service will actually launch ahead of Google’s similar cloud-based option, which it reports is now “stalled,” citing “several people familiar with both companies plans.” According to Reuters, the service will let folks store their music (and only music, apparently) on Apple’s servers and then access it on any device with an internet connection — and a copy of iTunes, we presume.

Update: Peter Kafka, over at All Things Digital, backs up Reuters’ claim with some additional detail. Unlike Amazon’s approach with Cloud Player, Apple is actively seeking to license the music for its streaming service before launching. According to Kafka’s sources, Apple has already secured deals with two of the big four labels and plans to launch “pretty soon.” The deal would allow Apple to store a single master copy of a track on its servers and then share that track with multiple users. As Kafka describes the service, “The idea is that Apple will let users store songs they’ve purchased from its iTunes store, as well as others songs stored on their hard drives, and listen to them on multiple devices.”

Reuters: Apple set to launch cloud-based music service ahead of Google (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apr 21

Hulu blocked on the BlackBerry PlayBook, Android fans say, ‘told you so’

Posted in: blackberry playbook, BlackberryPlaybook, hulu, RIM, streaming, streaming video, StreamingVideo, Today's Chili

In news that should surprise no one, Hulu has blocked videos from playing in the BlackBerry PlayBook’s native browser, adding the tablet to a long blacklist of devices. But where there’s a will, there’s a way — over at CrackBerry, one commenter reported success in emailing himself the embed code and then opening the link from his Gmail inbox. If that tedious workaround doesn’t help, you’re in for a lengthy, disgruntled wait for a change of tide– right behind some very impatient Android users.

Hulu blocked on the BlackBerry PlayBook, Android fans say, ‘told you so’ originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 13:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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