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HBO will pull its shows from Amazon Prime in 2018
If you've been using Amazon to catch up on classic HBO shows, you'd better hurry. HBO chief Richard Plepler now expects to pull his channel's library from Amazon Prime Video once the existing agreement ends in mid-2018. Simply put, the pay broadcaster is going all-in on HBO Now -- why undermine your own paid service by licensing to someone else? Instead, it'll take advantage of the "enormous momentum" of Now signups through Amazon Channels, not to mention sales through future owner AT&T's DirecTV Now.
Amazon gives Prime to everyone in Manchester-by-the-Sea
Amazon just highlighted one of the bonuses of both producing movies and running the internet service that plays them: you can offer viewer perks that conventional studios can't match. The online giant is giving away a year of free Prime membership (plus some Amazon popcorn) to every home in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts in order to mark the streaming availability of Manchester by the Sea on May 5th. It's clearly a publicity stunt, and a modest one when it would cost just over $500,000 to give the entire 2010 population (a whopping 5,136 people) Prime access. However, the scale of the giveaway isn't what's significant here -- it's more the long-term ramifications that matter.
The best movies on Amazon UK Prime Video
One of the most comprehensive Netflix rivals around, Amazon Prime Video is packed with a varied selection of films to choose from including cult classics, documentaries and new releases. Here's our pick of the best films to watch for free with your Amazon Prime subscription. See also: The best movies on Now TV and Netflix UK
Amazon nabs 'Moonlight' streaming exclusive
Competition between Amazon Prime Video and Netflix remains fierce. At the moment, both streaming platforms are doing whatever they can to gain an edge. Netflix is scooping up premium content like Dave Chappelle stand-up specials and an unfinished Orson Welles film. Meanwhile, Amazon made a move today to bring the Academy Award-winning film Moonlight to Prime Video starting May 21st.
Netflix really wants to be a legitimate movie studio
Netflix has been producing original movies at a steady clip, sure, but, despite its best efforts, earning any prestige has proved elusive. In an effort to attract more big name stars like Will Smith, and directors such as Martin Scorsese, Deadline reports that the company has hired someone with deep ties to Hollywood to lead its original movie ambitions: Scott Stuber. While his name might not be very familiar, the movies he's worked on should be.
NVIDIA updates older Shield TVs for 4K HDR game streaming
Remember when we told you the old NVIDIA Shield TV would be getting the new units smarts via firmware update? It's rolling out now as part of an over-the-air patch, TechCrunch has noticed. That means 4K HDR for NVIDIA's GameStream (which lets you broadcast titles from your gaming rig) as well as the newly added Amazon Prime app. (Netflix was already broadcasting in 4K HDR on the box last year.) Of course, if you really want to upgrade your Shield experience, you'll need to pony up for the new game controller. But hey, $60 is a lot cheaper than $200 for the new streaming device itself.
Amazon wants to sell internet service in Europe
In Europe, Amazon is looking to bring users more just speedy deliveries and award-winning TV shows. According to a new report from The Information, the online retail giant and Hollywood production studio is considering a plan to become its own internet service provider and sell broadband internet access directly to users.
Amazon will stream show pilots on Twitch for 24 hours
Amazon is no stranger to showing you series pilots to gauge your interest, but it's trying a different strategy this year. The internet retailer will stream its version of The Tick and Jean-Claude Van Johnson on Twitch for 24 hours on August 31st, roughly two weeks after their Amazon premiere on August 19th. That may sound like an odd move when Amazon-owned Twitch is still primarily known for gaming, but it makes sense considering the service's broadening horizons. There are plenty of people watching content on Twitch besides games, and it could attract viewers who otherwise wouldn't bother to visit Amazon to watch.
Sky and Amazon team up for Roman Empire drama 'Britannia'
There's no grand secret as to why Sky is the dominant pay-TV provider in the UK. The movie premieres, exclusive sports programming and biggest shows from major US cable networks are what subscribers shell out the big bucks for. And to make sure it keeps the A-grade content coming, Sky has taken to cavorting with an on-demand enemy for the first time. The broadcaster and Amazon today announced they are co-producing a new drama series called Britannia, written by Jez Butterworth of Spectre/Black Mass/Edge of Tomorrow fame, and starring various people who's names you won't know but who's faces you've probably seen in something before.
Amazon needs to simplify Prime Video to compete with Netflix
You can now buy a monthly subscription to Amazon Prime Video, a move that puts the service in direct competition with Netflix. In a lot of ways, Amazon comes out looking like a strong option. For starters, it's cheaper: $8.99 per month gets you an arguably better movie catalog than you'll find on Netflix these days, not to mention Amazon's own slate of original programming and access to most of HBO's back catalog.
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.
Hacker drama 'Mr. Robot' hits the UK via Amazon Prime Video
Britain is fast-approaching winter, and as temperatures plummet we're all a little more inclined to stay indoors and binge-watch TV shows at the weekend. If you're looking for some TV inspiration, you might want to check out Mr. Robot, which dropped on Amazon's Prime Video service in the UK today. The show follows Elliot, a cyber-security engineer that works as a vigilante hacker by night. It's already built up quite a following in the US, but until now there hasn't been a way to watch it legally in the UK. The first season is only 10 episodes long, so it should be a little easier than The Walking Dead to binge-watch over a weekend. If streaming them all back-to-back sounds a little much though, there's always Beasts of No Nation, the first feature film by Netflix, that can act as a palette cleanser.
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 adds 'hundreds' of Paramount movies to Prime, signals a Clear and Present Danger to free time
Amazon is keeping its pace of expanding Amazon Prime's video collection every few months, and today it's Paramount's turn to swell the ranks. Instant Video is getting 'hundreds' of Paramount's movies, including both relatively recent movies like Nacho Libre and Mission: Impossible III as well as back catalog titles like Breakfast at Tiffany's and Clear and Present Danger. As always, the movies are watchable anywhere you've got broadband, and they don't add a premium to the $79 yearly Prime subscription. Just be prepared to explain why you're watching Urban Cowboy on your Kindle Fire at the airport.
