Netflix Offers More Netflix House Details

Are you ready to see your favorite Netflix shows brough to life? Netflix this week offered up some new details on the company's new immersive fan based experience that does just that! The two colossal complexes set to open later this year in Philadelphia and Dallas, with Las Vegas slated for 2027, transforms over 100K square feet of former department store space into interactive experiences based on Netflix's most popular content. 

Dive into the world of your favorite Netflix shows at Netflix House, where entry is completely free! Once inside, you can choose from a mix of free and paid activities to immerse yourself in the fun. ake selfies with beloved characters like Queen Charlotte, enjoy screenings of hit movies like KPop Demon Hunters, have a meal and a cocktail at NETFLIX BITES, or embark on an adventure with friends, channeling the ONE PIECE crew. 

According to Netflix guests will be able to experience interactive sets from most of their most popular shows including Wednesday, Squid Game, ONE PIECE, Stranger Things, KPop Demon Hunters, Love Is Blind, and A Knives Out Mystery franchise  Since each Netflix House regularly updates its offerings, you may have an entirely different adventure the next time you return. 

For full details 

YouTube TV Is The Company's New $35 Per Month Pay-to-View Service

[Update: YouTube TV is Now Live! and is currently available in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, and Philadelphia] 

When YouTube reached the major milestone this week of surpassing a billion hours of daily content being watched it did so on the backbone of the company's all to familiar free video service. In order to reach the next major milestone however, the company is taking a totally different approach. One that takes aim at cable companies and other streaming giants alike!

At an event in Los Angeles the company debuted YouTube TV, a streaming service that combines live content from broadcast and cable television networks with content from several of your favorite YouTube creators.

Here’s what YouTube TV offers:

• Live TV streaming from ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, regional sports networks and dozens of popular cable networks. YouTube TV gives you the best of live TV, from must-see broadcast shows like “Empire,” “The Voice,” “The Big Bang Theory” and “Scandal,” to the live sports you want. YouTube TV includes major sports networks like ESPN and regional sports networks like Fox Sports Networks and Comcast SportsNet, so you can watch your favorite NBA or MLB teams. We’ve also partnered with local TV stations, so you’ll also get sports and local news based on where you live. And YouTube TV offers dozens of additional cable channels, so you won’t miss out on the latest news from MSNBC or Fox News, popular shows and movies from USA or FX, kids programming from the Disney Channel or Sprout, or reality TV from E! or Bravo. You can also add Showtime, or Fox Soccer Plus to your networks for an additional charge. In total, YouTube TV gives you access to more than 40 networks, listed below.
• A cloud DVR, with no storage limits. With YouTube TV, you’ll be able to record live TV and never run out of storage. Your cloud DVR can record as many shows as you want, simultaneously, without using precious data or space on your phone and we’ll store each of your recordings for nine months.
• A service that works great on all your screens. You can watch YouTube TV on any screen—mobile, tablet or computer—and you can easily stream to your TV with a Google Chromecast or Chromecast built-in TV. YouTube TV works on both Android and iOS. And your cloud DVR goes with you, so you can stream your recordings on any device, whenever and wherever you want.
• YouTube Red Originals. With a YouTube TV membership, you can watch all of our YouTube Red Original series and movies right on the new YouTube TV app.
• Six accounts, one price. Every YouTube TV membership comes with six accounts, each with its own unique recommendations and personal DVR with no storage limits. You can watch up to three concurrent streams at a time.
• Half the cost of cable with zero commitments. A YouTube TV membership is only $35 a month and there are no commitments—you can cancel anytime.

YouTube TV will be available soon in the largest U.S. markets and will quickly expand to cover more cities across the country. At launch it will have over 40 networks available for streaming and will allow you to connect up to six separate accounts to share with friends and family. Visit tv.youtube.com and sign up to find out more about the service and when it will launch in your market.

BitTorrent Hopes You'll Pay For P2P Streaming Video

BitTorrent may best be know as the leading company behind the BitTorrent peer-to-peer file sharing protocol. However, in one of the company's latest attempts at going to a fully legitimate service, they have announced the launch of a new live streaming TV service with both free and paid options.

As announced today, BitTorrent Live is "a multichannel, live, and linear video streaming platform" based on a peer-to-peer live video streaming protocol that BitTorrent has been developing for a few years. In other words, BitTorrent Live will in effect make every viewer a broadcaster, as you'll be simultaneously sharing the videos you are watching with others.

The company's announcement said that today's live streaming services usually use HTTP Live Streaming and are "notorious for latency issues, also known as lag." The BitTorrent Live protocol is an attempt to solve that problem.

Live television is a communal event that is shared by a society. The vast majority of the most watched television in the history of the medium have been live sports, news, and events, simultaneously consumed. Yet, there has been very little innovation around the distribution of live video on the internet. Currently, HTTP Live Streaming (or HLS) is most commonly used for live video streaming. But it is notorious for latency issues, also known as lag.....

Powered by our proprietary and patented peer-to-peer live streaming protocol, BitTorrent Live allows for large audiences to view live video with sub 10-second latency and without the need for an expensive CDN or pre-provisioning. With BitTorrent Live, every viewer is also a broadcaster. This allows the video stream to remain strong and for the broadcast to be as scalable as traditional Over-the-Air TV.

As for BitTorrent Live programming, the following channels will be available at launch time with more expected down the road:

• AWE: Formerly known as WealthTV, AWE is a 24/7 network devoted to taking viewers on a journey of how wealth is achieved, used and enjoyed.
• Clubbing TV:  The official media partner of some of the planet’s biggest electro festivals, Clubbing TV offers exclusive, quality electronic music content from artists and labels all around the globe embracing the entire the Dance Music lifestyle.
• FAST&FUN is a new Television Channel offering an action-packed, adrenaline-including medley of extreme sports, from car racing and motocross to snowboarding and skateboarding; a large variety of disciplines, shows and competitions from all over the world.
• Fightbox: From MMA and boxing to arm wrestling and sumo, Fightbox is a compilation of the finest combat sports from around the globe all on one channel.
• Filmbox Arthouse: Every month FilmBox Arthouse also airs special presentations devoted to a particular creative movement (German Expressionism, New Romanian Cinema) or individual filmmakers (The Surreal Art of Salvador Dali, Rossellini’s War Trilogy, etc.)
• Heroes TV: Delivers what action, adventure fanatics want.  Heroes TV targets audiences with Multiple programming categories to offer the most comprehensive action, adventure line up on TV.
• Newsmax: Newsmax TV provides the latest news, expert views and live programming from your favorite TV hosts and A-list guests. (conservative programming)
• NUsicTV:  Delivers the finest new independent artists at the forefront of music in a linear broadcast, allowing viewers to discover the vanguard in music without having to search the internet.
• OANN: Features political analysis programming and political talk shows, along with network special documentary-style reports; its news coverage attempts to maintain objectivity while its political shows illustrate a stronger conservative lean.
• One World Sports: It features exclusive, live, world-class sporting events and premier matchups from around the world, with over 3,000 hours of unduplicated sports programming annually. Content focus is on live and same-day action of league, championship and qualification competitions in soccer, basketball, baseball, golf, table tennis, badminton, darts, and more.
• OpenNews TV: OpenNews TV brings you live video talk shows from the best progressive talk radio personalities.
• Pursuit Channel: Pursuit Channel is a television network that airs programming geared to hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation.
• TWiT: The TWiT.tv Netcast Network with Leo Laporte features the #1 ranked technology podcast This Week in Tech, along with over 20 other top-ranked online shows.

BitTorrent Live will add a number of other channels over time, including an as yet details subscription service, ad-supported services, and Pay-Per-View offerings. BitTorrent has not yet announced a launch date for the app, though they have confirmed it will be available on Apple TV, iOS, Android, and Mac later this year. Sorry Windows fans, no word on a release for you as of yet!

Roku to Offer New $50 Entry-Level Streaming Device For $25 On Black Friday

For those of you out there that are looking to jump into the video steaming game and aren't swayed by the low cost of the Google Chromecast and Amazon's Fire devices, Roku may have just announced a product that is right for you. Today, the hardware maker revealed a low-cost version of its Roku player, the Roku SE, which will be affordably priced at $49.99 and heavily discounted to $25 for Black Friday.

As an entry level device we won't see all of the same features you see packed into the Roku 4 or other similar models that are currently available (or $25 what'd you really expect?). The Roku SE will however pack plenty of punch for most users with full WiFi support and streaming capabilities for up to 1080p video streaming (not 4K obviously). We will also see both HDMI and analog connections for support for older TVs as well as the  newly released Roku OS 7 operating system, which will provide access to Roku’s nearly 3,000 streaming channels offering 300,000 movies and TV episodes.

The Roku SE is also compatible with the Roku Mobile App for iOS or Android giving you access to key features such as Roku Search, Roku Feed, Remote Control, Play on Roku and more from your phone. The SE will also support casting content from a mobile device to the TV via specific streaming channels or the Roku Mobile App.

What you won’t see are features like an Ethernet port, voice search or the remote finder function and while Roku didn’t publish the detailed specs for the new device, it’s likely to have downgraded internals to help keep the cost low.So don't expect a powerhouse here!

Roku has said this special edition Roku player will be available in the U.S. for a limited-time only during Black Friday weekend online and at select national retailers starting 11/26. So you might want to snatch yours up quickly! If you'd like more details they can be found via the Roku SE product page.

NVIDIA Introduces GeForce NOW $8 Per Month Game Streaming Service

When most geeks think streaming the first thought that comes to mind is likely video streaming through NetFlix or Hulu or audio streaming through Spotify or Rhapsody. Few if any would think of video game streaming (unless of course you used the now defunct OnLive service) and if they did it would likely be game video streams on sites like Twitch, Ustream or the new YouTube Gaming service. However, today that may change as NVIDIA has just announced GeForce NOW, an on-demand gaming service for the company's SHIELD family of gaming devices.

"GeForce NOW is all about instant gratification. But it took us a decade to invent the technology behind the service that streams GeForce GTX-quality graphics to SHIELD devices," Nvidia stated in a blog post. "GeForce NOW is your game library in the sky. See all the titles we offer from a game series at a glance — like the LEGO collection or the Batman Arkham series — for binge gaming. Use voice search to find your favorite games. Search through games by category. Or quickly browse the latest and most popular games."

NVIDIA has said that GeForce NOW will stream games at 1080p and 60 frames per second (depending on the users connection speeds). This will make it the first non-beta cloud-gaming service capable of such his resolutions and frame-rates. It will launch with over 50 titles included in your $7.99 membership fee. Most of them are slightly older games such as Batman: Arkham Origins, Lego Marvel Super Heroes, and Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, to name just a few.

NVIDIA will also offer newer "Buy and Play Instantly" titles like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt ($60) and Saints Row IV ($20). In other words, some games will be available for sale. As a bonus those just wanting to try out the new program will get a free three month trial when it launches next month. You can find more details via NVIDIA's Shield Blog.

Google Unveils New Chromecast and Chromecast Audio Devices

Two years ago when Google first announced the Chromecast streaming was still relatively new to most would be users and while most of us geeks had been using the few options that were available it was until the Chromecast and its super affordable price tag that we started seeing more mainstream adoption.

While the Chromecast has been a major hit (along with several of the newer streaming devices) we have always begged for more and while over the past couple years Google has been awesome enough to offer some updates with some cool new features we’ve been waiting for a true upgrade. The wait is over: At today’s Google Nexus event, Google debuted two new Chromecasts for television and audio as well as a much needed update to the Chromecast App.

New Faster Chromecast For Video Streaming

The new Chromecast features more power, better antennas, and all new fresh design, and is easier to plug into TVs with crowded ports thanks to an integrated HDMI cable. It supports the latest Wi-Fi standards and adapts more easily to changing Wi-Fi conditions in your home, so you get higher quality video with less buffering.

In addition to a new faster device Google updated the Chromecast app to make it easier for you to find the content you want to watch or to play. They have also added several new content partners including Showtime and support for Sling TV and apps from the NBA, NHL, and other partners. The update also adds support for Google Photos and the creation of slideshows so you can show of your favorite photos!

Chromecast Audio For Wireless Audio Streaming

Chromecast Audio is a new audio streaming device that turns any speaker set into a set of Wi-Fi speakers. Users can plug Chromecast Audio into existing devices using a 1/8-inch headphone jack (AUX), RCA cables or optical input. Once it's plugged in, users can control the speaker using the Chromecast App. That means that any existing Bluetooth speakers, surround sound speakers, bookshelf speaker, or regular desktop speakers can be turned into smart home speakers.

It works with tons of apps, including Spotify, Pandora and Google Play Music. Just like Chromecast, it works from anywhere in your home with your favorite devices, including Android, iOS, and laptops.

Both devices are available starting today on the Google Store and other online retailers for just $35 each. For more details on either device, or more about today's other announcements (there are a few great ones we didn't cover), checkout the Official Google Blog.

Twitter Finally Makes Popular Live Streaming App Periscope Available On Android

For some time now you've likely heard of the rising popularity of the live streaming app Periscope, which until today was an iOS exclusive.  Finally after months of hearing how great the app is, us Android Geeks finally get to take it for a spin!

Today's release of the Android version comes roughly two months after the iOS version, which has shown to be very popular with more than one million users joining Periscope in its first 10 days on the iPhone app store.The app has quickly become a go-to of sorts for Twitter users, celebrities, and those citizen journalist out there that want to be seen and heard.

For those unfamiliar with the app it offers a couple of basic functions with the main concept of Periscope being the ability to allow viewers and broadcasters to virtually connect anywhere in the world. The app provides the opportunity for those wanting to broadcast to share their experience with others, be it something personal, newsworthy or whatever. With the simple press of a button, broadcasters connect and instantly notify followers that they are live allowing them to view video streams.

For viewers you get the opportunity to see the world from the broadcasters POV. You essentially step into someone else’s shoes, following along with whatever might be happening at the moment. On Periscope, viewers are also encouraged to influence the broadcaster by sending messages, and engagements to create an interactive experience.

At its core, the Android app functions the same as it does in iOS, letting you both watch and record live broadcasts on your phone, but there a couple features exclusive to this new release. The major difference Android users will notice is the addition of useful new feature called "return to broadcast," which lets those watching a stream quickly get caught up to the live action after interruptions like phone calls and text messages. Other changes are limited to UI design and greater control over app notifications.

For those Android Geeks out there that are interested Periscope is available now for download on the Google Play Store, requiring Android version 4.4 KitKat or above. Of course if you do try it out, let us know in a comment below, we'd love to see some feedback!

Popcorn Time Moves to Your Browser Making It Super Easy to Stream Torrented Movies

For those that don't mind the 'legal grey are' of streaming move torrents, Popcorn Time has become a major must have! The nifty little app, which we were first introduced to last year, gave us geeks a quick and easy way to find and download all of our latest movie favorites.

Since its original inception the app and services have come a long way. First moving to mobile platforms such as Android and iOS then adding support for streaming devices like Chromescast. Now, the app often dubbed the Netflix for pirated movies, takes another leap which makes it even easier too use!

Thanks to a new 'anonymous' development team and a service that is a mashup between popular torrenting site YTS that is used to for the content and Coinado.io a cloud streaming service, geeks everywhere have access to video streaming directly in any browser with no apps to install. All they need to do is vista a site called Popcorn Time In Your Browser.

The site features a fairly simplistic user interface, with little more than a few movie suggestions and a search box. However, that shouldn't be an issue with most because all the magic happens behind the scenes! Popcorn Time's servers handle everything, you won't be downloading any applications or torrents onto your computer, and from what we see nothing is stored locally— you'll be streaming the content via the cloud.

Since the site is taking the minimal approach here there is no built-in VPN service like what’s included in the desktop software, so if you’re going to use the Popcorn In Your Browser site, it’s probably best to use a VPN of your own if you’d like to keep your activity private. It’s also important to keep in mind that the Popcorn Time brand operates under anonymity, and different apps are run by different teams—so it’s hard to say who specifically is operating the site. Meaning you never know who might be tracking your activity there!

As always, use tools like this at your own risk and please keep in mind there are still several legal issues surrounding their use!! 

Comcast Adds More Networks to Double TV Everywhere Streaming Lineup

Service providers are looking to stay ahead of the curve as more and more users are looking for more options to stream their favorite TV shows, movies and other content to their mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets and look to cut the Cable TV cords entirely and stream content to their home computers and set-top boxes.

This move has been great news to cord cutters and streamers alike as it has lead to a proliferation of streaming options for non-cable subscribers including standalone services from many major network providers and many cable channels like AMC, ESPN and even HBO and Showtime.

Hoping to keep up with the trends Comcast has been working hard to keep their own streaming catalog growing quickly.

In a recent press release, the cable company says it has doubled its number of live, streaming channels to more than 70 in just over a year, including recent additions like AMC, BBC America, and Showtime. Additionally the company says customers now have access to approximately 21,000 on demand choices to stream on mobile devices, as well as nearly 466,000 available online.

The company reports the usage of it's Xfinity TV Go app is seeing “tremendous growth” with more than 30 percent of its subscribers taking advantage of the streaming video options—a 20 percent gain year-over-year. Moreover, the average viewer consumed more than 7 hours per month on Xfinity TV Go, up nearly 40 percent from the same time last year. Available for Android and Apple devices, the Xfinity TV Go app has been downloaded more than 11 million times.

$39 Amazon Fire TV Stick Offers Specs and Features Boost Over Chromecast

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. So we know Google must be flattered by all of the Chromecast clones that have been coming out of the woodwork to offer comparable devices. With all the competition it is clear that HDMI dongle that is capable of streaming online content and games from sites like YouTube, Hulu and others has become a hit. Today however, we have a new entry into the market that may have just upped the ante by upping the specs and features.

The new Amazon Fire TV Stick offers much of the same video and content streaming capabilities as that of the Google Chromecast. However, it does so in a more robust package. It will feature a dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of storage, dual-band and dual-antenna Wi-Fi and an included remote control. There will also be an optional voice remote similar to the one found with the Fire TV. There is also an optional gamepad, since the Fire TV Stick will be able to play many of the games that are found on the Fire TV.

As for content there will also be a slight boost over the current Chromecast (and other competing offerings). You'll not only get instant access to the most popular services like Netflix, Hulu Plus, WatchESPN, Spotify, Pandora, and YouTube.com, you'll also get access to Amazon's own Prime Instant Video and Prime Music service. For gamers Amazon says you'll have access to more than 200 games.

In addition to instant streaming of content you'll be able to utilize the Amazon Fire TV Stick to wirelessly mirror your tablet display to your Fire TV Stick from Fire tablets, Fire phone, and Miracast-enabled phones or tablets including devices from Motorola, Samsung, LG, and Google without any additional apps or software. Turning your TV into the primary screen and freeing up your phone or tablet to provide playback controls.

Additional features will include Amazon's X-Ray for movies, TV shows and music and Amazon's Whispersync to synchronizes your video and music library across all of your devices.

X-Ray allows your device to become a second screen to view video information about cast and crew, the names of songs as they play, as well as a list of music in the movie or TV show, trivia items in context with the action on the screen, and character backstories so you can easily remind yourself of the character’s history.

Fire TV Stick is available starting today for just $39—order at www.amazon.com/fire-tv-stick. Current Amazon Prime members have the option of buying the Fire TV Stick at the discounted price of  $19 for the next two days. Customers who are new to Prime can sign up for a free trial and also receive this special price. 

Amazon Prime Instant Video Now Available On Android Smartphones, Tablets Still Unsupported

Amazon Prime Instant video has finally made its long overdue debut on Android smartphone thanks to the most recent updates to the popular app. The service which has long been available on Amazon’s own mobile hardware and even Apple’s iPhones and iPads has until now inexplicably bypassed support for Android. Forcing Prime owners to browse selections through other means.

Today, however, Amazon is finally showing Android devices the love they deserve when Amazon announced that Prime members in the US, UK and Germany will now have the ability to enjoy Prime Instant Video on their Android phones. The latest update of the Amazon App for Android combines the fast and easy mobile shopping experience customers have come to know and love with access to unlimited streaming of tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes from Prime Instant Video.
 
The new Amazon App for Android includes:

• Hundreds of millions of items for purchase, along with Customer Reviews, 1-Click purchase and access to account and delivery information
• Tens of thousands of movies and TV shows available for unlimited streaming for Prime members, including favorite HBO shows such as The Sopranos, True Blood, Boardwalk Empire, Six Feet Under and The Wire, and Amazon Original series like Alpha House, Tumble Leaf, Creative Galaxy and Annedroids
• More than 200,000 movies and TV episodes to rent or buy
• Over 30 million songs
• More than two million Kindle books, along with over 150,000 audiobooks and more than 600,000 exclusive books that customers won’t find anywhere else
• 5GB of free photo back-up with Amazon Cloud Drive

“Tens of millions of our customers have installed the Amazon app on their Android phones in order to enjoy the ease and convenience of shopping Amazon on the go,” said Paul Cousineau, Director of Mobile Shopping. “Now, the latest Amazon App for Android combines that award-winning mobile shopping experience with access to Amazon’s digital products and services, including unlimited streaming of tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes at no additional cost for Prime members. At Amazon, we are always innovating on behalf of our customers and we look forward to receiving their feedback on this enhanced shopping experience.”

Android smartphone users can visit amazon.com/androidapp or the Google Play Store for more information about the new Amazon App for Android.

Comcast Xfinity App Now Offers Offline Viewing

There certainly isn't a shortage of apps that allow for the streaming of movies and TV shows to your tablet or smartphone. But even with this plethora of applications there are relatively few that allow you to download content for offline viewing. Enter the newly updated Comcast Xfinity TV Player app for Android and Apple's iOS.

The new app allows Comcast Xfinity subscribers to not only stream TV Shows and movies from your favorite networks, including premium channels like HBO, Starz, Showtime, Cinemax and cable channels like TNT, TBS, Cartoon Network and BBC America but it now allows you to download movies and TV shows from Encore, MoviePlex, Showtime, and Starz for offline viewing (and yes you need to be subscribed to those premium channels in your cable package to be able to download content).

You'll have the choice between "medium" and "highest" quality resolution with the later being the best visual quality however at a much larger file size. The difference in file size is quit large. For instance to get "21 Jump Street" at highest quality you'll need 2.4GB of free space. However, the medium-quality version consumes just 478MB. Something to take into consideration when adding movies!

The Comcast Xfinity TV Player app works on Android phone or tablet running Android 2.3 and higher. On the iOS side, it works with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and 4S, the third, fourth and fifth generation iPad touch devices, and iPads. The Xfinity TV Player version 1.2 requires Apple’s iOS 5.0 or later and is optimized for the iPhone 5.

Note that this is not the same app as the Xfinity TV app, so be sure you have the correct app installed before looking for downloads.

So far there has been no word from Comcast about the availability of downloadable content for other channels, though I suspect they will eventually add a few more. I know I'd like to see HBO on there so I can download Game of Thrones so I can fix going even when I'm on the go.

Microsoft Makes Xbox Live TV Official

Your Xbox 360 isn't just for gaming anymore as today, Microsoft Corp. announced plans to roll out a new online entertainment service for Xbox 360 dubbed Xbox LIVE.

The new service will reportedly feature nearly 40 world-leading TV and entertainment providers, including Bravo, Comcast, HBO GO, Verizon FiOS and Syfy in the U.S.; BBC in the U.K., Telefónica in Spain; Rogers On Demand in Canada; Televisa in Mexico; ZDF in Germany; and MediaSet in Italy.

These new TV and video providers announced today join an existing lineup of TV and video entertainment partners already on Xbox 360 — AT&T, Netflix and Hulu+ in the U.S., TELUS in Canada, BSkyB in the U.K., Canal+ in France, Vodafone Portugal, VimpelCom in Russia, and FOXTEL in Australia.

Microsoft will begin rolling out entertainment services to the console this holiday, in more than 20 countries.

Source:

• Microsoft & Partners Introduce New Era of Interactive Entertainment
• Xbox 360 Team Announces Xbox LIVE
• Xbox 360 Teams Up With Entertainment Leaders to Transform TV

You Can Now Rent Movies Via YouTube

Google has officially expanded YouTube into the online rental market today with the announcement that the site will immediately begin allowing users to rent and stream full-length movies online.

As of today Google has begun adding around 3,000 new movie titles for rent which will be available to users in the U.S. Along side the feature films users will have access to reviews and behind-the-scenes movie extras. The selection is currently pretty limited but I did find a few of our favorite films. There are cult classics like Caddyshack, Goodfellas and Scarface. The new service also features a few new releases like Inception, The King’s Speech, Little Fockers, The Green Hornet and Despicable Me.

Movies are available to rent at what Google is calling "industry standard pricing", and can be watched with your YouTube account on any computer or YouTube capable device. The new titles will begin appearing later today and over the coming weeks to www.youtube.com/movies, so keep checking back.

Read More: YouTube Blog: Get more into movies on YouTube

ESPN Offers Free Live-Streaming To iOS Devices With A Catch

Sports geeks can now get their ESPN fix for free with live streaming videos to all Apple iOS devices assuming that is you are a cable TV subscriber with Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks or Verizon FIOS.

That's right ESPN has announced the launch of a new app that will enable iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch users to live-stream the company’s most popular networks wherever they are — but there’s a catch its only limited to the services above. If you are a customer of Comcast, AT&T U-Verse, DirecTV or Dish Network you are out of luck!

For you sports geeks that are customers of those companies ESPN is making ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESPNU available via the the free WatchESPN app. The free WatchESPN App includes a simple user interface that takes the current online viewing experience to the high-resolutions commonly found on the Multi-Touch displays of the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. A highly optimized version of the application for the Apple iPad will be available free to download in May and the company says the App will be available on "other" smartphones and tablets in the near future.

"This represents the culmination of our efforts over the last five years," said Sean Bratches, executive vice president of sales and marketing for ESPN. "We strive to serve the sports fan wherever they consume sports, and I can't think of a better way to do that than making our networks available to fans whenever and wherever they might be."

I'm really surprised to see ESPN snub it's nose at Comcast and satellite customers. There isn't anything about that app that would show a need for exclusivity to one set of networks over the other so it must be a purely money motivated event with Time Warner locking in the rights.

Amazon Gives Prime Members Unlimited Instant Video Streaming

Amazon Prime members got a great gift this morning when Amazon announced the company's plans to offer them a new benefit: unlimited, commercial-free, instant streaming of more than 5,000 movies and TV shows. This new benefit is being added at no additional cost to current and new Amazon Prime members and whats even better the membership will continue to only cost $79 per year.

There is one downside however, the free service is only available to those that actually pay for an Amazon Prime membership – those that receive a free Student or Amazon Mom Prime membership are out of luck.

"Millions of Amazon Prime members already enjoy the convenience of free Two-Day Shipping," said Robbie Schwietzer, vice president of Amazon Prime. "Adding unlimited instant access to thousands of movies and TV shows at no additional cost is a great way to give members even more value for their $79 annual Amazon Prime membership."

Movies and TV shows included with an Amazon Prime membership can be watched instantly on Macs, PCs and nearly 200 models of Internet-connected TVs, Blu-ray players and set-top boxes that are compatible with Amazon Instant Video. The selection of videos available for instant streaming currently includes movies, such as "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" trilogy, "Amadeus," "Syriana," and "Chariots of Fire," noted documentaries such as "Food Inc.," "March of the Penguins" and "Ken Burns' National Parks," plus TV shows, such as "Doctor Who," "Farscape," "Fawlty Towers" and children's shows, such as "Arthur," "Caillou," "Super Why!" and "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood."

Customers can learn more about an Amazon Prime one-month free trial and start watching instantly at www.amazon.com/primevideos. For more information on Amazon Instant Video, visit www.amazon.com/instantvideo.

Google TV Now Taking Over Televisions Near You

Late last week Logitech became the first company to officially announce a Google TV device when they introduced the world to the $300 Logitech Revue. This week Sony is following suite with the introduction of several new Google TV devices. Sony's announcement includes five devices in all. Four HDTVs (24-, 32- , 40- and 46-inch) with prices from $599 to $1,399, plus a rather oddly built white set-top box with built-in Blu-ray player for $399.

The new Sony Internet TV devices are built on the Google TV platform featuring the Android OS, running the Google Chrome browser and includes a powerful Intel Atom processor offering the ability to quickly search across Internet and television content for easy access to entertainment and information.

The models also feature Dual View, allowing users to watch television while tweeting about what they’re watching, checking their fantasy football scores, or finding related content on the web.

They also deliver a truly personalized entertainment experience with the ability to bookmark content for easy access and add applications from the Android Market (coming in early 2011). The models feature Sony’s premium streaming service “Video On Demand powered by Qriocity” as well as pre-installed apps including CNBC, Napster, NBA, Netflix, Pandora, Twitter, and YouTube.

Each set will feature an oddly shaped hand-held RF QWERTY keypad remote which incorporates an optical mouse making it easier to navigate content, type in search terms, and control the TV’s user interface. Additionally, Sony promises that select mobile devices such as an Android phone, can control the TV with an app that will be available for download from the mobile Android Market later this fall.

The Logitech Revue with Google TV includes a compact companion box that connects to any HDTV and a Logitech Keyboard Controller – a wireless compact keyboard that’s built specifically for the Google TV.

Additional accessories include the Logitech TV Cam which allows you to connect your TV Cam to your Google TV system, and have high-definition video calling directly from your HDTV, right in your living room. There is also a Logitech Mini Controller a compact palm-sized keyboard/ touch pad/remote control combo with the same power as the Keyboard Controller. The mini controller allows y to search, play, pause, rewind and fast-forward shows. And you can surf the web with a built-in combination touch pad/D-pad.

For Android and iPhone users Logitech has created the Logitech Harmony app for Android and iPhone. With the Harmony’s activity-based control, just one touch of “Watch Google TV” on your smartphone screen turns on all necessary devices and gives you control of your home entertainment system, including volume and video playback.

The Logitech Revue is currently only available for Pre-Order directly from Logitech while the Sony Internet TV and the Sony Internet TV Blu-ray Disc Player are currently on pre-sale at www.SonyStyle.com and www.BestBuy.com.  They will be available for purchase at Sony Style on October 16 and at Best Buy shortly after.

Boxee Enters Beta, Teams With D-Link To Give Us A Set Top Uh Box?

Online video management software Boxee has officially entered Beta and thanks to a teaming with D-Link plans to become a set-top box (well kinda) in 2010.

For the most part Boxee has hidden away in a bit of obscurity, until now that is.

Boxee is a free media center software that allows you to navigate your way through all your stored movies, TV shows, music and photos, as well as allowing you to stream content from websites like ABC, NBC, MLB, Netflix, Hulu, Joost, YouTube and many more with a remote.

In addition to video content, Boxee users can access music from sites like Pandora, last.fm, shoutcast, and We are Hunted as well as finding and viewing photos from sites like flickr, Picasa and the Facebook. There is also and interface to connect to Bittorrent sites for one way sharing of legal torrents.

Today the company announced they have entered their first official beta which includes several improvements to its interface that Boxee says will make finding, organizing, storing and sharing web video content much faster and easier. The company also announced a few more content partners, including Clicker, The Escapist, and Suicide Girls.






In addition to the beta announcement Boxee also announced the Boxee Box by D-Link. The new oddly shaped Boxee Box, which apparently is supposed to look like a black square that has sunk halfway into the surface it's sitting on, will work as a standalone device and connects to your home network using Wi-Fi (802.11n) and/or wired ethernet. The device connects to your TV via HDMI, SPDIF, RCA Audio, and has 2 USB expansion ports.

According to a D-Link company rep the new box will be available in shops in the first half of 2010. As of yet there is now word on pricing other than the price "has yet to be determined."

Hulu Adds ABC, Disney Content

DISNEY TO JOIN NBC UNIVERSAL, NEWS CORPORATION AND PROVIDENCE EQUITY PARTNERS AS AN EQUITY OWNER OF HULU

Full Episodes of Hit Current and Library Programs Like Lost, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, Dancing with the Stars, Ugly Betty, Private Practice, Scrubs, Wizards of Waverly Place, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, General Hospital, The View, Greek, The Secret Life of the American Teenager And Other Hit Series From ABC, ABC Family, Disney Channel and SOAPnet To Come To Hulu.com and Its Distribution Sites

LOS ANGELES, CA - April 30, 2009 - Hulu and The Walt Disney Company today announced that Disney, through its subsidiary ABC Enterprises Inc., has agreed to join NBC Universal, News Corporation and Providence Equity Partners as a joint venture partner and equity owner of Hulu, a leading online aggregator of video content. Upon closing, the agreement will enhance Hulu's programming line-up through the expanded online distribution of Disney's most popular current and library primetime series and library feature films. In particular, full-length episodes of hit current and library programs like Lost, Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, Private Practice, Ugly Betty, Scrubs, Greek, Hope and Faith, Less Than Perfect, Wizards of Waverly Place, Phineas and Ferb, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, General Hospital, The View and The Secret Life of the American Teenager will soon be streamed on Hulu on an ad-supported basis.

"From our landmark iTunes deal to our pioneering decision to stream ad supported shows on our ABC.com player, Disney has sought to meet the constantly evolving viewing habits of our consumers, and today's Hulu announcement is the next important step in that ongoing journey," said Robert A. Iger, president and CEO, The Walt Disney Company. "Disney and Hulu share a focus on delivering the highest-quality entertainment experience and we look forward to working with Hulu to build value for our consumers, our brands and our shareholders."

"We're honored to welcome the Disney team in our mission to help people find and enjoy the world's premium content, when, where and how they want it," said Jason Kilar, CEO of Hulu. "With the addition of shows like Lost, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy and many more to Hulu, we continue to aspire to deliver a service that users, advertisers and content owners unabashedly love."

Following the closing, content available to Hulu users will include:

• Full-length episodes of ABC primetime programs like Lost, Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty, Samantha Who, Scrubs, Private Practice and popular late night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live
• Full-length episodes of hit ABC Family series like The Secret Life of the American Teenager and Greek
• Popular series from ABC Daytime and SOAPnet like General Hospital and The View
• Classic series from ABC's library like Hope and Faith, Less Than Perfect, Commander in Chief, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, and Dancing with the Stars
• Select hit programs from Disney Channel like Wizards of Waverly Place and Phineas and Ferb which can be easily accessed from a new DISNEY location in the Channel section of Hulu.com
• Popular library titles from The Walt Disney Studios
• Short-form content including webisodes, sneak peeks and episode recaps from ABC Entertainment, ABC Family and SOAPnet

"Hulu, quite simply, now has the best premium content on the web," said Peter Chernin, president and chief operating officer, News Corporation. "With three major networks and over 150 leading content providers providing content, combined with the best video user interface anywhere on the web, Hulu offers consumers the finest premium online video experience available today."

"Hulu has shown that if you make quality content available on the web and combine it with an unbeatable user experience, viewers will come, and so will advertisers," said Jeff Zucker, president and CEO, NBC Universal. "The addition of some of the best content Disney/ABC has to offer will only enhance Hulu's standing as a top site for high quality video entertainment."

Jonathan M. Nelson, CEO of Providence, said "Hulu is creating significant value for users, advertisers and content owners. This balance, together with aggregated professional content and an expanding base of over 200 brand advertisers, is establishing Hulu as a compelling online video monetization platform. Hulu is a bright spot in the new media landscape."

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory review. As an equity partner, Disney will have three seats on the Hulu Board that will be held by Mr. Iger; Anne Sweeney, co-chair, Disney Media Networks and president, Disney/ABC Television Group; and Kevin Mayer, executive vice president, Corporate Strategy, Business Development & Technology. All other current directors from News Corp, NBC Universal and Providence will remain on the Hulu board.

Source: Hulu

BBC World News Joins The 1Cast Network

World’s Largest Broadcast News Operation Partners with 1Cast for First multi-platform Video Product

CTIA, Las Vegas, April 2, 2009 — 1Cast, the revolutionary broadcast platform that delivers up-to-the-minute news video to the web and to subscribers’ Smartphones, today launched a multi-platform partnership with BBC World News to distribute the global broadcaster’s daily news content to consumers.

The BBC is the world’s largest broadcast news operation, producing 120 hours of output each day, from over 2,000 journalists and 70 international newsgathering bureaux, and broadcasting in 32 languages. BBC World News, a member of the BBC’s commercial group of companies, reaches 287 million households in over 200 countries, across television, online and mobile. The agreement with 1cast brings the potential to reach many more through its multi-platform offering.

“The way people consume news is changing all the time, and it’s up to broadcasters to keep pace with this. Delivering news when people want it, incorporating it into their lifestyles rather than expecting them to accommodate us, is hugely important. Our agreement with 1Cast allows us to distribute our content on demand across multiple video platforms, augmenting our existing tri-media offering.” said Beth Clearfield, Vice President of Digital Media and Business Development, BBC Worldwide America.

“The BBC shares the same vision as 1Cast,” said Anthony Bontrager, President of 1Cast. “Video content should be available whenever and wherever consumers want in an easily consumable format. 1Cast has become a leader in the seamless distribution of video news across various platforms, and we’re excited to have the BBC join us with its vast breadth of news content and massive audience.”

1Cast is a digital newsstand that gives viewers more control over the content they consume. Viewers simply select the topics they care about most, and 1Cast delivers up-to-the minute newscasts of video clips from leading news sources, including the Associated Press, Reuters, CNBC, Barrons.com, Dow Jones, The Wall Street Journal Digital Network, AllThingsD.com and now BBC World News.

News content from 1Cast is consumed on the go, via the iPhone, iPod Touch, Android mobile phone or on the web, and is updated continually throughout the day. Users can also share their personalized newscasts with friends via email or on platforms such as blogs, social networking sites and other web portals using the 1Cast embeddable video player.