Hulu

Orb Networks Updates Orb Live App to Include TV Streaming

by jessica on Mon, 2011-07-18 08:33

Now you can stream TV shows directly to your iPhone (Android coming soon), thanks to a new app just announced from Orb Networks. The Orb Live App has been updated to allow you to view TV shows from Hulu, ABC, CBS, Fox, ESPN and more.

Orb Live is the first service to stream free, ad-supported Hulu to mobile devices. Priced at $9.99 (and with no subscription fees), Orb Live includes full TV show episodes in addition to a variety of sports and movies via services such as Netflix and Amazon Video on Demand.

Orb Live features an easy-to-use global index of TV shows. Simply type in the name of the show you want and then Orb quickly finds the show, without having to specify its source (e.g. Hulu, Netflix, ABC, CBS, etc). The new version also comes with all of the features of the original Orb Live, including live streaming of music files, online music (Pandora, Sirius, etc.), video files (downloaded DivX/XviD files, home movies, etc.) and photos to your smartphone. Read more

NAB - Personal Entertainment

"You see, this is my life! It always will be! Nothing else! Just us, the cameras, and those wonderful people out there in the dark!... All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up." – Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), Sunset Blvd., Paramount (1950)

If it weren't for James Cameron's (Avatar + fame) session at NAB, you would swear you were at a mash up CES (Consumer Electronics Show) and an IT (information technology) conference.

Most of the sessions and discussions focused on:

social media and mobile delivery
how Tellywood was going to optimize their network/content assets
cloud computing/storage (we’ll look closely at this in a few weeks)
how the old guard was going to protect their stuff/squeeze out kids who seemed more interested in viewers than profits.

Joe Gilles looked over the proceedings and said, "You don't yell at a sleepwalker - he may fall and break his neck."

Cameron loves technology almost as much as he loves movies. He took his shots at the broadcast folks saying it was their fault we still don't have a lot of 3D on our entertainment devices. Read more

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Hulu Plus Launches Today, Now Priced at $7.99 Per Month

by jessica on Wed, 2010-11-17 10:40

Hulu Plus officially launched today, allowing you to stream full current seasons and a library of back seasons of hit TV shows from ABC, FOX, NBC, and more, in HD, to computers, internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players, set-top boxes, mobile phones, and tablets, for $7.99 per month. That's a drop of $2.00/month; subscribers using Hulu Plus during the preview period were paying $9.99 a month. Hulu is making it up to the preview subscribers though – they will receive a credit for the difference from the $9.99 preview price (applied automatically to their next billing cycle).

You can find Hulu Plus on the following devices:

Connected TV and Blu-Ray players: Samsung, Sony BRAVIA HDTVs and connected Blu-ray Disc Players, and coming soon: LG Electronics, Panasonic, VIZIO
Connected Set-top Boxes: Roku, Sony Network Media Player, and coming soon: TiVo Premiere DVRs, Western Digital's WD TV Live Hub Media Center and WD TV Live Plus Network Media Player
Gaming Consoles: PlayStation 3, and coming soon: Xbox 360
Mobile Devices: Apple iPad, iPhone, iPod touch
Other network appliances: Sony Dash

Read more

PlayStation 3 to Offer Hulu Plus

by jessica on Thu, 2010-07-15 10:15

Sony and Hulu have joined forces to bring the Hulu Plus service to the PlayStation 3. Available first as a preview for select PlayStation Plus members, the company will be rolling out the Hulu Plus service to all PS3 owners in the United States this year. PS3 is the first and only gaming console to offer Hulu Plus in 2010.

Hulu Plus is Hulu's new subscription service which offers full seasons of hit TV shows and movies streamed on demand in HD. A select group of PlayStation Plus subscribers will be able to access to a preview version of Hulu Plus for an additional $9.99 per month. All PlayStation Plus subscribers may download the free Hulu Plus application and, within the app, request an invitation to the preview.

Hulu Plus will be available in the United States in the coming months on the PS3 and additional Sony Electronics Internet-connected entertainment devices, including some BRAVIA TVs and Blu-ray players.Read more

Disney on Hulu

by jeff on Wed, 2009-05-06 12:28

Sure, you can buy Disney content in the iTunes store from Apple. You can watch some Disney content on Disney's Web sites, ESPN, Disney.com, etc. Now that Robert (Bob) Iger is thinking outside the box, and embracing the quick popularity of Hulu you will be able to find Disney content on Hulu too. It helps that Iger was offered an equity position in Hulu to make this work for Disney.

The ability to place content in front of many people is the reason for BIG companies like Disney to embrace Web sites like Hulu. Sure, YouTube is the most popular video site out there today, and the short-form content is fun to watch. Even the guys at MythBusters are creating content around YouTube hoaxes, myths, and truths. In my opinion it is the quality of your Internet connection that will ultimately make these sites like Hulu more successful.

There are also the televisions that have hardware built right in making Internet video content easier to access. After all… we only want to watch what is available, and Disney has made a great decision in embracing Hulu.

What's the Hoopla Over Hulu?

If you hadn't heard of hulu.com before, odds are you've heard of it now thanks to the rather hysterical 2009 Super Bowl commercial staring Alec Baldwin. It's a good thing too, because Hulu is playing, and will continue to play, a huge role in the future of television.

Hulu is simple, convenient, and completely functional for anyone with an internet connection. For those unfamiliar with the specifics of Hulu here is a quick overview:

Hulu.com is a legal video streaming site.
It provides both a selection of TV and Movies, and all are free.
Television episodes (for the most part) are posted the day after they air, most of the movies however are older.
Their quality is superior to YouTube and the site is completely legal.

This works in part because of Hulu's unique advertising deal. Both television episodes and movies play with a few interruptions (or commercial breaks). This advertising is still superior to your basic cable commercial break because only one commercial plays each break (averaging 30 seconds). Hulu even offers special options on occasion, if you watch a longer commercial or movie trailer before your desired program you can then watch the rest of your show commercial free. Even with commercials the time difference is a cut above live showings. Read more