News
Google TV unveiled
Google today announced Google TV, a television platform based on its Android operating system and Chrome web browser. The platform allows users to access services such as Hulu, Amazon on Demand and Netflix, and integrates features such as DVR recording, bookmarks, and a picture-in-picture mode. We recommend the coverage at NewTeeVee for more information. (Thursday, May 20, 2010)
TV networks preparing content for iPad
Apple's recent release of the iPad is prompting TV networks and other media companies to develop solutions allowing their content to be watched on the new device. Netflix has an app which allows its streaming content to be viewed on the iPad, as does ABC. CBS, which currently has a very limited amount of content available, has announced that it will make all of the content available on CBS.com viewable on the iPad through special HTML5 pages. (The iPad does not support Adobe's Flash video format, which the regular CBS website uses to display video.) (Saturday, May 8, 2010)
Hulu profitable; may start charging for content
The popular TV and movie portal Hulu, which we track on Movie Monitor, is now profitable according to its CEO, Jason Kilar. There are rumors circulating in the online press that it may introduce subscription plans or otherwise start charging for some of its content. The service is currently ad-supported. For analysis, we recommend an article at paidContent.org. (Thursday, April 22, 2010)
Netflix strengthens indie film on-demand offerings
According to a February 1 Netflix press release, 300 new indie movie titles are available for instant watching for Netflix subscribers as a result of deals with independent film distributors. These new titles will be added to the Movie Monitor database as soon as they become available; see our Netflix Instant Watch page to browse all titles available on-demand through Netflix. (Tuesday, February 2, 2010)
Amazon.com offers free downloads for disc purchasers
A new promotion at Amazon.com allows customers who buy a DVD or Blu-ray disc to instantly watch the same title online for free. This appears to be an attempt to increase lagging DVD sales; although the promotion is currently limited to only a few hundred titles, it could become an important new retail strategy. (Thursday, December 10, 2009)
Boxee Box announced
According to the official Boxee Blog, Boxee will be presenting models of a new box, which will allow customers to access a wide variety of internet content directly through their television sets, at an event in New York on December 7. For more information, see the blog post and the coverage over at the New York Times. (Thursday, November 12, 2009)
Hardware and content improvements at Roku
Roku, the makers of the set-top box by the same name, have announced two new products: a standard-definition only box, for $79.99, and a premium product, at $129.99, which adds HD support and extra connectivity options. Roku has also indicated that it plans to introduce new "channels" of content in the near future; we will post details when they become available. Roku currently streams Netflix instant watch and Amazon On Demand titles. (Tuesday, October 27, 2009)
Netflix instant watch titles soon to be viewable on PlayStation 3
According to a post on the official PlayStation blog, Netflix and Sony have partnered to enable streaming of Netflix instant watch titles on the PlayStation 3. This deal improves the competitiveness of the PS3 in the home media field; of the available game consoles, the Xbox 360 presently offers streaming from the largest number of services. For an overview of what services can be played on what devices, see our VOD on your TV page. (Monday, October 26, 2009)
BBC iPlayer may become available outside the U.K.
According to an article by Paid Content, the BBC iPlayer, which makes available BBC programming for free but only to users in the U.K., may soon be available on a pay basis to users in other countries. More information will be posted as it becomes official. (Saturday, October 10, 2009)
Vudu adds Criterion Collection
Vudu.com has made available films from the Criterion Collection, a respected selection of classic and contemporary films which, until now, have largely been accessible only through The Auteurs, a video streaming and social networking website. The extent of the deal is not fully clear; the newly available films will be covered by Movie Monitor as they are made available on Vudu.com. (Friday, October 9, 2009)
Apple under scrutiny to allow competing products to sell on its App Store
Apple has approved Spotify, a streaming music application which arguably competes with Apple's own iTunes service, for sale on its App Store. Apple is expected to face increasing scrutiny from antitrust regulators as a result of its integration of hardware (its iPhone and iPod products) with control over software sales for those products (through the App Store). Several other applications which would compete with Apple's business are under consideration, but as of yet little attention has been given to the possibility for competition on the iPod and iPhone with the iTunes Store movies and TV download services. (Friday, August 28, 2009)
Blockbuster to make video available on Motorola mobile phones
According to a deal announced on August 18, movies available through Blockbuster's on demand service will be made available on select Motorola handsets. It is not yet known what films will be covered by the deal, or when the service will begin. (Saturday, August 22, 2009)