streaming-video

Vizio's 8-inch tablet will now support Hulu Plus, the company announced today.

According to Chief Technology Officer Matt McRae, Vizio's tablet has become "one of the first Android-powered tablets to support Hulu Plus."

Vizio launched its 8-inch tablet earlier this month. The device comes with Wi-Fi connectivity and the ability for users to control their home entertainment devices with the built-in universal remote. The tablet also comes with an HDMI port, allowing users to push content to their HDTVs in high-definition.

The HDHomeRun Prime is a new CableCARD TV tuner that plugs into your home network router. The HDHomeRun app piggybacks on that, letting you watch, pause, replay, and even record live TV right on your iPad. It's pricey, limited, and a little buggy, but it works.

Just to clarify, the app requires an HDHomeRun Prime, which sells for $249.99. I'm in the process of reviewing it, and so far it's fabulous. The app costs $17.99, which definitely seems steep, but for the moment there's nothing else quite like it.

After running the initial setup of the HDHomeRun Prime on my PC, I installed the app on my first-gen iPad. It immediately detected the tuners, and in seconds I was watching live TV. And I found I could continue watching it even while another live show was playing on my PC. (The Prime provides three tuners, so I still had one to spare.)… Read more

NEW YORK--Vudu is making itself available on iPad, a move that will help the streaming-video service expand distribution and keep pace with market leader Netflix.

Vudu said in a joint statement with parent company and retailing powerhouse Wal-Mart Stores that beginning tomorrow iPad owners can access Vudu through their browsers. That's right, this is not an app, so don't look for Vudu in Apple's App store.

Wal-Mart and Vudu said they have created a new "navigation experience" for iPad users who visit the service online. Through the new feature, iPad owners can rent or purchase … Read more

The rumors from last week about Apple being "on the edge" of launching a cloud movie service, which would enable iTunes users to stream movies from Apple's servers and then re-download them to other devices, are at best premature.

Apple has yet to sign cloud agreements for feature films with at least four of the top six film studios, according to multiple film industry sources who spoke to CNET. Apple has indeed pursued such agreements, which CNET reported in May, but Apple's negotiations could drag on for months before the company acquires cloud rights from all … Read more

This is an updated version of a deal I posted a couple months back.

Need an inexpensive set-top box that can sling Netflix movies and TV shows? The refurbished Sharp Aquos BD-HP24U will hook you up for just $42.99. That's after redeeming a $20 mail-in rebate (PDF). Shipping adds $9.48, bringing your grand total to around $53.

Oh, by the way, it's also a Blu-ray player.

Funny how priorities change, right? Think about it: if I showed you, say, an Apple TV for $43, you'd probably snap it up. Admittedly, the BD-HP24U doesn't have … Read more

The critically acclaimed "Mad Men" is now available on Netflix's streaming service.

According to the company, all four seasons of the show are available for users to start streaming right now. Future seasons of the show will be added each year after they air on the AMC network.

In April, Netflix acquired the rights to stream "Mad Men." At the time, the Los Angeles Times reported that the company paid $900,000 per episode just to get its hands on the show. Netflix never confirmed that report.

The addition of "Mad Men" to … Read more

I woke up at 8 a.m., bleary-eyed. I realized something was wrong. It hit me: I forgot to watch "Curb Your Enthusiasm" last night. New episodes tend to post instantaneously, or at least a half hour after the start of broadcast. How could I have missed it? I started to plan when I'd watch.

Suddenly, I realized, I'd become TV Man again.

I've spent a summer trying out HBO Go, the iPad/Android/iOS/browser streaming-video app HBO launched at the end of April. While I bemoaned its limited availability for most people, I was able to get a trial code to look at the service--something I couldn't have done otherwise in NY, even if I still subscribed to cable (which I don't). Meanwhile, I'm still watching Netflix as my go-to general streaming service, although I'm considering a drop in my plan from two DVDs and streaming down to no discs at all.

Both HBO Go and Netflix represent two ends of a new world of streaming-video content that's simultaneously exciting and repelling customers. They tackle the issue from two different angles: Netflix is a standalone subscription service, an alternative to standard TV. HBO Go is a service that requires being part of an HBO-inclusive cable package in order to use; it's supplemental to standard cable as we know it.

At this point, neither one is perfect, but each can learn from the other. And I hope they do, because The New Television, as I like to call it, is something I love. I just don't want it to get muddied along the way.… Read more

For those Netflix customers who may be thinking about dumping their subscription in September when the company plans to raise rates as much as 60 percent, here's one more thing to consider: to determine where the company is headed, it might help to look at its past.

CEO Reed Hastings has a long, if imperfect, record of serving customers, which no one else renting movies online can match. For a decade, Netflix has created technologies and features that have continuously provided customers with more and more savings and convenience when it comes to renting movies. How can we forget … Read more

As someone who's been happily streaming the likes of "Party Down" and "Phineas and Ferb" to his iPhone and iPad for the better part of a year, I can't help but feel for the poor Android phone and tablet owners who can't get in on the Netflix goodness.

Sure, a Netflix app is available for Android, but it's compatible with only a handful of devices. Or, at least, it was: Yesterday, Netflix 1.3 landed in Android Market, bringing with it support for a whopping 15 additional Android phones--and one tablet: the just-announced Lenovo IdeaPad K1.

That's a bit of a rub to owners of tablets like the Acer Iconia A500, Motorola Xoom, and Samsung Galaxy Tab, which are, you know, available. Although the K1 just went on sale, it's not expected to ship until next month.

Still, for folks pocketing an HTC Droid Incredible 2 or Thunderbolt, a Motorola Droid 2 or 3, a Samsung Epic 4G or Nexus S 4G, or any of the other newly supported models, the news is all good.

Indeed, I just downloaded and installed Netflix 1.3 on an Nexus S 4G. It works--and it's awesome. Alas, there's still no love for any of Virgin Mobile's prepaid phones, like the LG Optimus V or new Motorola Triumph (two models that strongly appeal to the cheapskate in me). Dangit.

At least this update is a big step in the right direction, and proof positive that Netflix is working to overcome Android's inherent fragmentation problems and support as many devices as possible. Meanwhile, Hulu is ramping up device compatibility as well, having recently added support for four new Android handsets (for a grand total of 10).

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to go spend some quality time with Wallace and Gromit.… Read more