Amazon Launches “Free” Video Streaming (For $79/yr)

So Amazon’s accidentally leaked all-you-can-eat video streaming has come to pass. And the Hulu, Netflix competitor is free to all Prime members. Well, all full price Prime subscribers. As it looks like those of you on free or discounted subs have been left out. I’m an occasional, but current, Prime member — $79 a year gets me free 2 day shipping and discounted overnight or same-day shipping ($3.99) on physical goods.

So my first thought this AM was, I’m cancelling Netflix! Or Hulu Plus! But it’s not yet clear what sort of quality one can expect from Amazon’s catalog of commercial free video content. Indeed, Engadget took a quick look and wasn’t overly impressed with the picture. Additionally, while Amazon offers over 90,000 pieces of digital video content… only 5,000 are available for “free.” And who knows what determines the selection and rotation.

But I have to say I’m impressed with the wide variety of devices Amazon was able to launch the service with.

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Warner Brothers Launches Individual App Movies for iOS

Warner Brothers has begun offering “app editions” of movies for iOS. Here’s the idea: Instead of paying for a movie from iTunes, you can get the app edition from… iTunes, but along with the movie you get extras including scene selection, photos, videos, trivia, and sound clips/ there’s also a “share” area where you can … Read more

Netflix Channels Television, Hulu Runs Classic Films

netflix-psych

I’m so confused… Netflix, known for streaming commercial-free movie content has launched a whole bunch of new television shows (and modernized TV site organization, as shown above). While Hulu Plus, a product of the television studios themselves, lands the Criterion Collection of classic films. The lines are obviously blurring.

Although monthly subscription fees are similar, the two services still take somewhat different approaches in presentation. Namely, Hulu insists on running commercial advertising on its paid tier. But wait, might even that be up for renegotiation? From the Hulu blog:

Criterion Hulu Plus subscribers will be able to watch the Criterion Collection free of interruption. (Any ads will play up front.)

Also interesting, as highlighted on Hacking Netflix, is Criterion’s rational for choosing Hulu over Netflix:

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DoubleTwist for Android Now Streams to Xbox, PS3

The folks at doubleTwist have rolled out an update to their Android music player and desktop synchronization software that now lets users stream audio, video, and pictures from their phones to video game consoles. Here’s how it works. You install the $4.99 doubleTwist AirSync application on your device and your phone will show up as a … Read more

My Next Camera? (Canon Elph 500 HS)

Canon’s announced several new digital cameras, both of the dSLR and compact point & shoot varieties. Regulars are probably familiar with my portability prioritization at the expense of some quality. Which is why only models from the P&S lineup would appeal to me. If a camera doesn’t fit in my pocket, it’s not coming with … Read more

Android 3.0 Honeycomb Lands Video Editor

Google Android 3.0 Honeycomb is expected to hit the street soon, with Motorola XOOM as one of the first devices to run the tablet-optimized operating system. The folks at TechCrunch recently spent some time playing with the XOOM, and one of the apps they foun don the tablet which I hadn’t really seen much of before … Read more

Xfinity iPad App Now Streams Video

Mere hours after announcing new studio partnerships for mobile content, Comcast went ahead and flipped the switch on their Xfinity iPad app — enabling tons of on-demand selections. So if you needed one more reason to question the longevity and business model of Hulu Plus, now you’ve got it. Engadget says video, from the likes … Read more

Boxee/Moxi Parallels Go Beyond the Rhyme

Boxee announced today that its Netflix app has been delayed because of Netflix security requirements, and I joked on Twitter that maybe the company’s misfortunes are the fault of the “oxi” sound in its name. After all, Moxi didn’t do too well with its retail efforts either. However, in thinking about it further, I realized there … Read more