Hulu Desktop… Discontinued?

hulu-desktop

Amidst Hulu’s identity crisis, their Windows and Mac Hulu Desktop software has gone missing. First introduced in 2009, these apps provided another means of video playback… with the benefit of Apple and Microsoft Media Center remote control support. But they unceremoniously vanished from the web several weeks back, along with all of Hulu Labs. A Hulu support rep indicates they are “investigating the matter” (huh?) and “hope to make the link available again soon.” With no further information beyond guidance for “users to stream off the website” and “soon” having coming and gone, we’re left to wonder if Hulu has pulled the plug on this method of video consumption. Not that we care all that much, having mostly avoided the service since being accosted with two-minute Scientology commercials.

(Thanks Brad!)

11 thoughts on “Hulu Desktop… Discontinued?”

  1. I use a HTPC for all my TV/video viewing, and had forgotten completely that they even had this. The website is so much more convenient. Maybe they just noticed that nobody was using it?

  2. Really? Does the website work with a remote control?

    Anyway, the reasoning for this is obvious; Hulu+ is much more profitable than Hulu(free). They want you to use Hulu+.

    Thing is, they’re forgetting their company’s original purpose, the reason why Hulu exist. Namely, to offer a competitive attractive alternative for pirates. Hulu was originally intended to compete with _free_. And it did a pretty good job. Now, not so much.

  3. Hulu Desktop is my UI of choice when using Hulu, but I always thought it was a little weird that they offered it for free when they require Hulu+ for set-top boxes.

  4. Yeah, the divergent Hulu versus Hulu Plus content (and playback platforms) has been both a source of confusion and frustration. Perhaps any new owners will be able to broker different content deals and/or take a different approach.

  5. “Perhaps any new owners will be able to broker different content deals…”

    Most likely these different content deals will result in massive loss of content, of course, as the content owners lose some or all of their equity in the venture.

    “…and/or take a different approach.”

    If new owners really do come in, (and I’ve never understood why they would), I’d bet on the Google Reader approach…

  6. Rodalpho, yes, I use an app on my phone to turn it into a remote to control the PC, including mouse/keyboard. It is very convenient, much more so than using a “real” remote to control specialized software.

  7. Do not download anything from cnet or download.com it WILL infect your pc with malware. For me it was pc optimizer pro, tophat arcade, and some sweet toolbar thing as well as changing my home page. Sad really.

  8. Really? I ran Hulu on Linux and never got viruses from Cnet. They also failed to MENTION Hulu was Linux friendly!

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