Hulu Plus
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Hulu Plus on TiVo Premiere hands-on
As rumored, Hulu Plus is now officially available on the TiVo Premiere, and according to TiVo, this "further extends its lead as the only one-box solution that integrates in one easy-to-use user interface." We supposed this is technically true, but it depends on your definition of "integrates" -- we'll discuss why after the jump. Hulu Plus of course comes at a monthly premium, but the other news is that new TiVo Premiere owners will get the privilege gratis for six months, while existing Premiere owners get what is described as a "free trial" which we assume is the standard one month risk trial -- as opposed to the variety that doesn't require a credit card. %Gallery-124194%
Hulu Plus on TiVo promos pop up in stores and online, suggest launch soon
Although TiVo announced it would offer Hulu Plus back in September we're still waiting for it to arrive on those Premiere DVRs. Twitter user @dlayphoto spotted these materials in their local Best Buy promising six months of the $7.99 / month service for free with the purchase of a new box -- with a new price tag -- although it's hard to see if this will apply to existing users as well. The URL on the cards leads to a (now deactivated, but larger screenshots are over at Zatz Not Funny) page where TiVo owners can input their serial number and email address to get access. Judging by the dates on the promotions, things should get rolling within the next month or so, but we'll let you know when we hear something official.
Hulu Plus for iOS updated to v2.3, resumes resuming
Sure, Hulu Plus is on the Xbox 360 now, but that's not the only platform getting some love this week as the app for iOS was updated yesterday. New tweaks in v2.3 include tabbed search results, a dedicated menu for the Criterion Collection plus improvements for the iPad 2 and other minor tweaks. If you were missing the "resume" button take heart - it's back now. Hit the app store for the updated version of the free app and put that $7.99 per month subscription to work.
Microsoft confirms Hulu Plus on Xbox 360 for tomorrow, free for all until May 6
We knew it was coming, but Microsoft has finally gotten around to confirming the news: Hulu Plus will officially launch on the Xbox 360 tomorrow, April 29. Not only will it feature Kinect support, but it will also be free to all Xbox 360 users (Gold and Silver) for the first week thanks to a partnership with Jack Link's Beef Jerky. And to think, your mom said consuming so much beef jerky would never benefit you in the end. Shows what she knows. After that free week, feel free to indulge in another free week by going on over to the Hulu Plus page -- just don't tell anybody we tipped you off! We're afraid you'll have to pony up some cash after that if you want to continue to use the service: $7.99 a month. For the full press release, hit the jump. %Gallery-122473%
Hulu Plus on Xbox 360 launches tomorrow, all members get a free week thanks to beef jerky
It's true, per Major Nelson Hulu Plus will launch on Xbox 360 tomorrow amid a slew of promotions, the first of which will provide free access to the service for all US-based Xbox Live members (free or paid) through May 6th courtesy of Jack Link's Beef Jerky. We should be able to get some hands on time with the app in a few. Until then you can imagine what it will be like to watch 24 The Confession in HD or every episode of Spaced through your console in between rounds of messin' with Sasquatch (explanation after the break). After spending some time with the app, it seems to work about as expected, mirroring the experience of Microsoft's Zune video on-demand without the need to pay-per-video. The Kinect implementation is similarly (and unfortunately) limited just like it was for Netflix, giving users the ability to browse only a list of preselected "popular" videos by gesture or voice. As seen in the video after the break, in-video commands work the same as well, so if talking to the TV is more convenient than grabbing the remote, you're in luck. We did find a slight issue with the picture quality, on many of the TV shows motion appeared jerkier and less smooth than other video apps on the 360, while it didn't have any of the pausing or dropping users have cited recently on the PS3, it was noticeable. The best news however, is that you don't even need a credit card to get in on the weeklong trial, so give the app a download and try it out yourself. Update: Now with screens plus details on the giveaways and a demo of Hulu Plus w/ Kinect after the break! %Gallery-122485%
Hulu Plus credits users for PlayStation Network-related downtime
In reaction to the week-long (and still going) outage of the PlayStation Network, Hulu has decided to issue users a credit for the downtime. That should net Hulu Plus subscribers $2 off of this months bill, which is pretty good considering that - a. it's not Hulu's fault and b. you can still use the service on a handful of other devices. Kudos to Hulu for the thoughtful customer service, though it still stands in stark contrast to the fiasco that made the credit necessary. If you use the service simply check your email for the letter shown above and click the link to receive your credit. [Thanks, Darren, Alex, Shahraiz]
Hulu Plus for Xbox 360 caught on video
An anonymous tipster has sent Joystiq a video of Hulu Plus running on an Xbox 360. The video, which appears to be legitimate, shows off some of the interface as well as video playback. Overall, it's very similar to the interface used by Netflix, including the ability to search for programs and add them to the queue. We've trimmed the video to protect the identity of our tipster, but the full video also includes an ad on the dashboard stating that Hulu Plus will indeed launch on April 29, as was recently reported. Furthermore, the ad notes it will launch at 9:00 UTC, which corresponds to the usual 2:00am Pacific upload time for Xbox Live content. Find the video after the break.
Hulu Plus offers one-week credit to subscribers using PSN
Though it seems minor now compared to the loss of personal data, one unfortunate effect of the PSN outage has been the inability to watch Hulu Plus through the PS3. Even though you can still use the paid service through your computer's browser, the iPhone and other devices, Hulu has chosen to compensate users for the lost PSN time by issuing one-week credits via email. The credit can be redeemed any time over the next two weeks -- it would probably be best to wait until there's a PSN again. As a nice bonus, Hulu also assured users that "No personal Hulu Plus account information was compromised as part of the Sony intrusion." [Thanks, Jordan]
Hulu Plus comes to Xbox 360 April 29th according to OXM
Here's something to ponder -- will Hulu Plus launch on the Xbox 360 before or after we can sign back into the PSN and change our passwords try out the PS3's latest version? Sony better hurry, since copies of the June issue of OXM have been spotted that claim the service will launch April 29th, kicking off a month-long giveaway of items including vacations, game systems and Hulu Plus subscriptions to random users. Joystiq confirmed with OXM that the date is actually in the magazine so all that's left now is the official word, a new app on our dashboards and plenty of gesture and voice controlled madness.
Hulu Plus available on Xbox April 29
Hey, here's some good news about a new online service coming out on a console that can currently use online services! That'll be nice for a change. According to a legit-looking scan of the June issue of OXM, Hulu Plus will launch on Xbox 360 on April 29 -- this very Friday. The last official word was "spring." According to the magazine (if, of course, the "magazine" isn't a well-executed fake) Microsoft will promote the launch with a contest, wherein each week from April 29 through May 30, prizes will be awarded to randomly chosen Hulu Plus users. The prizes range from Beaches Resort trips to free Xbox 360 bundles and Hulu Plus subscriptions. We've contacted Microsoft, but the company has yet to confirm or deny this report. Everyone there is probably having a TV party. [Thanks, Curtis!]
Poll: What's the most important feature for a Netflix competitor?
The rumor mill indicates we can expect serious competition for Netflix's Watch Instantly service sometime soon, so we're wondering what features anyone else diving into the game may want to focus on in order to get your attention. Given the service's wide reach we figure you're probably a subscriber or at least gave it a shot whether by word of mouth or through one of those annoying pop under ads (why do they still run those?) and have seen some room for improvement. We've put a few of our ideas as options in the poll below, let us know what you'd like to see most in the comments below. %Poll-63017%
RIM wants Hulu Plus on the Blackberry PlayBook, 'conversations' continue
RIM wants Hulu Plus on the just-released Blackberry PlayBook. It also wants everyone to know it wants Hulu Plus on the Blackberry PlayBook, after the streaming video service unceremoniously blocked access to its videos just days after the tablet's launch. Now, both PC Mag and The Wall Street Journal are reporting the same terse email statement from RIM: "We are in conversations with Hulu to bring the Hulu Plus subscription service to BlackBerry PlayBook users." No word on the content of those conversations or a timeline for resolution, so for now PlayBook users will need to find another way to satisfy their yearning for Seinfeld reruns.
L.A. Times sees possible competition for Netflix coming from Walmart, Best Buy, Vutopia and more
Until Amazon launched its Prime Instant Video service earlier this year Netflix was almost completely alone on the subscription video streaming mountaintop, but an article this weekend in the Los Angeles Times suggests there could be competition on the way. There's plenty of rumoring from analysts and the typical "people familiar with the matter, but their sources have been on the money in the past and indicate retailers like Walmart and Best Buy are seriously considering angling their Vudu and CinemaNow efforts in the subscription direction instead of VOD like they've done so far. Meanwhile Hulu Plus is reportedly considering expanding its movie selection, and Amazon is likely to puff up its offerings while iN Demand, the PPV baby of the cable companies, is considering expanding its 200~ title Vutopia service. Still, according to the article no one's signed any of the big checks necessary to take on the 20-million subscribers strong behemoth yet, but don't be surprised if serious competition arrives shortly.
Hulu Plus for PS3 updated, users still complaining about playback issues
Just a few weeks after hitting v1.01, the Hulu Plus app for PlayStation 3 was updated to v1.03 a few days ago, crediting user feedback as helpful in clearing up issues with skipping or stalling during playback. Unfortunately, in the comments many users are reporting they're still having issues, with many saying they only started in the last month or so. It's hard to determine the cause of each individual's issues from here, but if you're having any problems we'd suggest letting Hulu know so they can get straightened out. In happier Hulu news, the company released its Q1 stats at the beginning of the month, calling its projected growth to 1 million Hulu Plus subscribers this year the fastest launch it is aware of for any online subscription video service, and 90 percent revenue growth over last year. Criterion fans should also notice some new sorting options, along with supplemental videos which, if you'll recall, was a part of what lured the flicks away from Netflix in the first place. Feel free to check them out whenever the PlayStation Network comes back up again.
Hulu Plus, Kinect updates for Xbox 360 caught on camera (update: video!)
Our friends at Joystiq have obtained screenshots showing off Hulu Plus in action on the console, as well as a shot of the Kinect Hub with Hulu and Netflix apps included. According to their tipster the Hulu (which looks similar to Zune Video as predicted) and Avatar Kinect apps are "fully functional," with good tracking of their movements similar to existing uses for the peripheral. there's no word on whether or not members of the larger public preview will get an early peek at these features, but you can still hit the source link below for a better look. Update: The folks over at OmniTechNews have a hands-on video of Hulu Plus. Check it out after the break.
Source: Take a look at Hulu Plus on Xbox and the new Kinect sub-Dash
Sure, Hulu Plus may not be part of the public beta preview of this spring's Xbox 360 Dashboard update -- at least that's what Microsoft's saying -- but that doesn't mean we can't see what it may look like when it does launch, as scheduled, sometime in the next few months. Images sent to us by a trusted tipster show the Hulu Plus app in action (and being controlled by Kinect), as well as the revamped Kinect Dashboard. Like the Netflix app, the Hulu interface resembles the Xbox Dashboard itself, offering a rotating layer of categories with selectable content. As for the updated Kinect Hub, it looks fairly similar to what is currently available on the Xbox, only it adds access to both Netflix and Hulu Plus. Though our tipster doesn't know whether Hulu Plus will be added to the current public beta test of the next Dashboard update, our source did note that the application seems fully functional, as does Avatar Kinect (also not currently part of the preview). Our tipster said the Kinect-controlled Avatar showcase app wasn't especially exciting, but that "it was good at tracking my movements and the response time was pretty fast like everything else with the Kinect." Hopefully we'll find out for ourselves soon enough!%Gallery-121264%
Roku Hulu Plus hits version 1.9 with a few improvements
Besides its 1996 throwback shenanigans, Hulu has rolled out an update to its channel on Roku media streamers today. In concert with Roku's update yesterday it should help make Hulu Plus streaming a smoother experience, tweaking for overscan and improving playback reporting just like the recent update on PS3. So far the reaction there seems mostly positive, let us know if you're finding things any different since the update in the comments.
Hulu's new original series The Confession fills the 24-sized hole in our hearts
Hulu has been pushing original programming for some time and even though Netflix has gotten recent pub for far off plans, it just released the first three episodes of a new series, The Confession, starring 24's Kiefer Sutherland. For the 10-episode run he's playing an assassin in each of these 5- to 7-minute episodes and while Chloe, Morris and the gang aren't anywhere to be found, it's close enough to be the Jack Bauer bump we've been missing all these long months. We're not sure any of these original series will potentially fill holes left if content providers pull their movies and shows from either service, but it can't hurt. The video's embedded above, and available in HD via Hulu Plus, Chapters 4 and 5 are due to arrive next week.
Hulu Plus updated to v1.01 on PS3, smooths out a few minor issues
Next time you turn on Hulu Plus on your PlayStation 3 expect a quick update first, as it has been updated to v1.01. You may already have the patch that the Hulu blog indicates started going out this morning, if you're wondering what's different it appears to just be some minor tweaks to smooth out possible issues causing jerky and jumpy playback, improving reporting when playback issues occur, some UI tweaks to account for overscan and in-app signup for new users. We didn't notice any major differences when we gave it a test run today, but if you've been experiencing issues let us know if things are any better now in the comments.
Hulu for Android coming soon, destined for 'select' phones with Android 2.2?
Since the dawn of Flash on Android -- yes, that was just ten months ago -- Google smartphone users been largely unable to access their favorite Hulu programs on the go. At CES 2011, we heard that Hulu would indeed come to Android, but not when or where. Today, we're a step closer to the answer. An eagle-eyed Engadget reader spotted this image at the company's website, depicting a most unusual combo: an image of a Samsung Nexus S (which comes with Android 2.3) and a suggestion that Hulu Plus will soon be available on a subset of devices running Android 2.2. We can't say which devices quite yet, but we've heard this tune before, and suspect Hulu will only run on phones that have DRM baked into their hardware. Now how about that Google TV? [Thanks, Raymond D.]
