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'Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' leads the pack of streaming Emmy winners
Just a few years ago it was still novel to see Emmy winners coming from internet services instead of cable or network TV, but now it's just a part of the landscape. Netflix notably edged out HBO this year when it came to nominations, but now that all the trophies have been handed out they ended up tied with 23 wins each.
Amazon Video gets an NFL reality show this summer
NFL Films isn't confining its efforts to conventional TV and movies. The sports video producer has unveiled All or Nothing, a football reality show destined solely for Amazon Video. The series will follow a given NFL team's internal drama through a whole season, starting with the Arizona Cardinals' 2015 path to the NFC Championship Game. The initial eight-episode run will be available this summer on any device that can handle Amazon's internet video services, so you'll have no shortage of gridiron action to watch on your Fire TV while you're waiting for the next season to start.
Amazon renews 'Mozart in the Jungle' for a third season
It was only a matter of time, really. Hot on the heels of two Golden Globe wins, Amazon has renewed Mozart in the Jungle for a third season. The company is shy on what the new run will entail, but it does say that the streaming series will have Rodrigo de Souza and the orchestra try to conquer Europe. Frankly, it would have been surprising if Amazon hadn't continued the series. Even if Mozart didn't win any awards, it's one of the tentpole shows for Amazon alongside the likes of Transparent and The Man in the High Castle -- it'll likely stick around as long as it continues to reel in subscribers.
Watch Amazon spoof tech culture in its upcoming sci-fi movie (updated)
There's already a spot-on parody of tech industry culture you can watch, but Amazon -- a big part of that industry -- might have a clever satire of its own. Its studio wing just released the first trailer for Creative Control, a movie that roasts the relentless optimism of many tech companies. The story revolves around augmented reality glasses that are supposed to put a "magical layer" on top of life (a not-so-subtle poke at devices like Google Glass and HoloLens), but really just mess with the main character's grasp of the real world. Among other things, the flick includes virtual romance and a surreal performance from noted VR enthusiast Reggie Watts. There's no release date yet, but what little we've seen suggests that it'll be worth waiting for the eventual online and theatrical releases. Update: It's debuting March 11th.
Amazon will stream the President's State of the Union speech
The President's State of the Union address has been viewable online for years, but you've had to visit either the White House's website or YouTube. That's not very convenient in an era when streaming services reach just about every device you know. And the government knows it, apparently: the Office of Digital Strategy has announced that President Obama's final State of the Union speech will stream on Amazon Instant Video (both live and on-demand) in addition to the usual sources. The goal is to bring video to where people watch, rather than make you hunt it down. If you want to tune on your Fire TV, you can.
Amazon lets you attach other video services to your Prime account
Those rumors of Amazon letting you attach other video services to your Prime subscription? They're true. The internet giant just kicked off the Streaming Partners Program, an alliance that makes it easier for you to sign up to multiple video services. So long as you have that Prime subscription, you only need your one Amazon account to handle everything. The option even gives you a multi-service watch list and integration with other Prime features, like ASAP playback, voice search and X-Ray. You also receive a discount on pricing, such as the $9 per month you'll pay for early launch partners Showtime and Starz.
Amazon Prime will reportedly offer access to other video services
Normally, signing up for a streaming video service only gives you the content from that service, leaving you heading elsewhere when a TV network decides to hoard all its shows. If rumors are true, though, Amazon Prime Video may soon offer a lot more in one place. Bloomberg sources hear that Amazon will give you the option to add other subscription services to your account, and show their video libraries alongside its own. Just who's interested isn't clear, but Amazon is reportedly lining up "major, well-known" movie and TV channels for a launch that could happen as early as December.
Amazon starts streaming Prime music and videos on JetBlue
Back in May, Amazon said it would bring Prime Music and Instant Video to select JetBlue flights. Fast forward to today, over six months since the original announcement, and the retailer is finally turning this feature on for Amazon Prime customers. If you're a subscriber who's flying in one of JetBlue's Fly-Fi-ready planes, you can stream tunes, movies and TV shows at no extra cost thanks to the airline's newly developed internet service. The experience itself is built into the Fly-Fi hub, letting you easily access your Prime media library on laptops, iOS and Android smartphones or tablets and, naturally, Amazon's Fire devices. Amazon says this is already working on most of JetBlue's Fly-Fi fleet, with the full rollout expected to be completed by November 26th.
Amazon's 12 new pilots include animated, spy and biopic series
It's Amazon pilot season, which means there are a bunch of new shows you can stream via Prime Instant Video for free -- well, their first episodes anyway. The selection includes a handful of animated shows, one of which brings the Teletubbies to mind (The Numberlys) and another that targets young adults (Everstar). There's also a Western tale of revenge (Edge), a bio-series of an early feminist (Z), a story of five female journalists in the '60s based on a non-fiction book (Good Girls Revolt) and a dramedy about a spy sent to Iran to prevent a nuclear war (Patriot). As always, Amazon will take your opinions into account when deciding which of the twelve gets turned into full-blown Originals and which get tossed into the pile of forgotten pilots.
Amazon lands exclusive streaming rights to more CBS series
If you thought Amazon was done getting cozy with CBS, think again. The online retailer today announced yet another streaming deal with the TV network, which will give it exclusive access to three new summer series through 2018. What this means is you'll be able to watch certain CBS episodes on Prime Instant Video four days after they're first aired, as has been the case with Under the Dome and Extant -- two of the channel's most popular shows. This new licensing partnership includes episodes from CBS' upcoming BrainDead a comic thriller about brain-eating aliens in Washington, DC, plus two more shows that have yet to be disclosed.
Amazon beats Netflix to offline movie and TV show streaming
For years, Netflix subscribers have asked for the ability to download movies and TV shows offline. The company says it's "never going to happen" -- so Amazon has taken the initiative and added exactly that to its rival streaming service. If you're signed up to Prime Video, or have an Amazon Prime account, you can now store titles covered by your subscription on almost any mobile device. It's supported in both the iOS and Android app -- although the latter will require you to download the app through the Amazon Appstore. The regular Amazon app in Google Play, which also supports Prime Video, doesn't seem to have the feature just yet, however. The feature first debuted on Fire tablets in 2013, but this expansion is significant -- if you're a frequent flyer, for instance, you no longer have to break your Transparent binge-session or purchase the full series if you're on an iPad.
Apple reportedly bid for Clarkson and 'Top Gear' co-stars
It was quite a surprise when Amazon announced it had snapped up the Top Gear trio for a new show on Prime Instant Video. Many thought Netflix or Sky would win out, but now it's emerged that another unlikely player was bidding for Clarkson and friends: Apple. According to Variety, the company made "an unprecedented bid" for the stars after they left the BBC. Ultimately, however, it must have been turned down. If Apple is indeed preparing its own original programming, it would make sense that the three British presenters were at the top of its wish list. Now the ball is in Amazon's court; the company is desperate for a House of Cards-level hit, but aside from Transparent, it's failed to make much headway. On Clarkson's reputation alone, Bezos may finally get it with a Top Gear spiritual successor.
Amazon is the next US streaming video service to launch in Japan
Amazon isn't about to let Netflix launch in Japan without making a move of its own. The American internet giant has announced plans to bring Prime Video to the island nation this September, including its worldwide original shows (such as Mozart in the Jungle) as well as Japan-specific content. Sounds exactly like what you'd expect for a regional expansion, wouldn't it? You may think differently when you see how little Japanese residents will pay, however. They'll get Prime Video as part of their existing Prime subscription, which costs a mere ¥3,900 per year ($32) -- that's a bargain when many Americans are paying three times as much for largely the same thing. That rock-bottom pricing might be necessary, though, as being a US streaming powerhouse is no guarantee of success across the Pacific.
Amazon brings HDR video streaming to the UK
Sure, Amazon is focusing on Ultra HD (4K) broadcasts for its upcoming streaming content, but that isn't all that the company has on the agenda. Two months after it began supporting high dynamic range (HDR) in the US, Prime members in the UK now have the chance to watch some Amazon Instant Video shows in more vivid detail.
Amazon Prime's first wave of HDR videos is here
Determined to watch streaming video with the maximum color range possible? You now have your chance. As promised, Amazon Prime Instant Video is now offering high dynamic range (HDR) videos to American customers. Watch the first season of Mozart in the Jungle on the right TV (currently, that means one of Samsung's SUHD models) and you should see more vivid colors as well as a greater level of detail in highlights and shadows. The move is as much about bragging rights as anything else -- Amazon is beating Netflix to the punch, and HDR doesn't automatically make everything better. It also won't help much if you're in the UK or have the 'wrong' TV. All the same, this is a big step forward for internet video quality.
Amazon will stream 13 new pilots, but gives 'X-Files' creator the boot
Amazon just delivered bittersweet news to fans of internet-based TV. The good: the company will stream 13 new series pilots on Prime Instant Video starting on January 15th. The mix includes seven comedies, documentaries and dramas (Cocked, Down Dog, Mad Dogs, Man in the High Castle, The New Yorker Presents, Point of Honor and Salem Rogers) as well as six kids' shows (Buddy: Tech Detective, Just Add Magic, Niko and the Sword of Light, Sara Solves It, The Stinky & Dirty Show and Table 58). As in the past, you'll get to offer feedback that might just lead to full seasons for your favorites.
Amazon Prime Instant Video begins streaming in 4K
Amazon just announced another perk for Prime subscribers: 4K video streaming. That's right, Ultra HD content is now available via monthly membership through the Instant Video app or on compatible smart TVs. For now, the selection is a bit limited, but you can expect to enjoy Amazon Originals, BBC's Orphan Black and a smattering of titles from Sony Pictures Entertainment in all of their 4K glory. Better video quality doesn't come with an extra fee either, as the content will be lumped in with the rest of those Prime perks. Amazon's a little tardy with the rollout, but hey, we can't complain too much as it's here in time to break in that shiny new TV Santa will deliver in a few weeks.
Amazon green lights 'Hand of God' and 'Red Oaks' for full series
After earning positive reviews during Amazon's Pilot Season, Hand of God and Red Oaks will become full series. If you'll recall, the online retailer offered the masses the opportunity to watch a smattering of pilot episodes and offer feedback on which ones should be given an entire season on Prime Instant Video. Hand of God stars Ron Perlman (Sons of Anarchy) as a corrupt judge who believes God is sending him messages through his son (being kept alive by a ventilator), offering clues in his quest for vigilante justice. With executive producer Steven Soderbergh (Ocean's Eleven) on the roster, Red Oaks chronicles a teenage assistant tennis pro and his last summer before college in 1985. The pair joins Alpha House, Betas, Transparent and others on the Amazon Originals roster.
Amazon's original shows will stream in 4K starting this October
Earlier this year, Amazon said that its 2014 original series lineup would be shot and eventually streamed in 4K to Samsung UltraHD TVs, and now we know when -- sometime this October. It was Samsung that actually revealed the date, saying it would support Amazon's Prime Instant Video UHD streaming on most Samsung 4K TVs. There's no word if Amazon's 4K service will hit other manufacturer's UltraHD models, but Samsung noted it has also expanded 4K content in Europe to Netflix, Wuaki.tv, Chili and Maxdome. Like Sony, Samsung has other plans to make sure you're not wasting all those pixels, as well. It recently did a live 4K stream of a Placido Domingo opera in Europe and released a 500GB drive with 40 recent 4K movies and documentaries.
Amazon UK rep says an Android version of its video app is 'imminent'
Amazon's video service is well-rounded, with both video-on-demand selection and Prime all you can eat viewing, but there's one big hole -- Android. Even though Amazon has apps for its Android-based Kindle family of devices (along with iOS, game consoles, Roku and other TV boxes), the rest of the Android family tree is left out of the party. That could change soon however, as PC Advisor reports Amazon UK Marketing & Merchandising Director said that an app for the platform is "imminent." The news came at the firm's Christmas show (yes, in July, just go with it), however it's unclear if it will apply to both phones and tablets. He also indicated that work on 4K content is progressing, confirming what we'd heard at CES, but there's no word on when the high-res video will hit Amazon's service. Despite repeated attempts to contact Amazon PR in the US and UK we have not received a response concerning the report, but if an app arrives soon it would help make Amazon a much better competitor against the likes of Netflix and Hulu.
