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Miramax arrives on Lovefilm to let you relive the golden age of Weinsteins
Miramax has reached a deal with Lovefilm to get its back-catalog of award-winning films available on-demand in the UK and Germany. It's an unsurprising move given the company has similar deals in place with Netflix and Hulu to let you watch classics like Pulp Fiction, Clerks and Trainspotting whenever the urge takes you. While there was no official confirmation of a launch window, a cursory check of our own account reveals that some of the titles (including Kill Bill) are already popping up on the instant service.
Netflix fires back in UK streaming war, says it has Fox TV shows too, plus Arrested Development
Just days after Lovefilm touted its TV and movie deal with 20th Century Fox, Netflix UK is promoting its own TV show additions from the studio, including an exclusive on The League. While we're not sure how well a comedy about Fantasy (North American) Football will go over across the pond, it's also adding Modern Family, Lie to Me, Sons of Anarchy and more, and points out it already has series like 24 and Prison Break that Lovefilm is just now adding. The highest profile piece however, is Netflix's exclusive hold on a new season of the old Fox show Arrested Development, set to premiere in 2013. The press release with the full list is after the break, contrast and compare your options to see which streaming service (if either) is a good fit.
Lovefilm, Fox UK deal brings more TV shows next month, movie exclusives in 2013
Now that Amazon's Lovefilm has become a modernized internet video service by offering HD quality streaming to European customers, it's adding more ammo in the form of a content deal with Twentieth Century Fox. The deal kicks in right away for TV shows, with early seasons of Sons of Anarchy plus complete sets of 24, Prison Break and more becoming available starting next month. For movies, Lovefilm will have exclusive on demand access for the "second pay television window",with the first movies available under the deal coming online in March 2013, similar to its agreement with NBC Universal. Now that Netflix UK has been available for a little while, and Lovefilm has upped its resolution (and content), we're interested to know if any punters have switched sides in the streaming battle so far.
Lovefilm introduces HD streaming in the UK and Germany, adds another nail in mail rental coffin
Lovefilm certainly seems to be on the charm offensive to secure those movie viewing eyes. Yesterday it was the announcement of an exclusive deal with NBCUniversal, and today it's HD streaming for its "Instant" service. Subscribers in the UK and Germany can suck up full 1080p content when viewing on a Mac or PC, and 720p when watching via Xbox 360 or Smart TV (UK only) at no extra cost. The HD library is rolling out now, and currently includes only a selection of films and TV shows, but is set to expand over the coming months. So if you're a paid up member, you can start browsing the library today, and hunt out those HD badges.
Lovefilm signs multi-year digital deal with NBCUniversal, looks Kick Ass
LoveFilm is living by its name, and snapping up more movie content for its online service. The latest signing? NBCUniversal. So, if you're a paid up member, this means you'll now get exclusive access to the latest Universal Pictures flicks during the second "pay window" (i.e. once the subscription movie channels have had their time with them.) So if you were hovering over the streaming only option, or undecided on which service to go for, maybe this will help you along with that decision?
Lovefilm now streams more content than it mails
Lovefilm has announced that for the first time, more content was viewed via its instant service than its DVD, Blu-Ray and Games rental divisions combined. The Amazon-owned company surpassed two million members in January, making it the biggest of its kind in Europe. In just 12 months, internet-viewers have increased by a whopping 400 percent, but let's not take that as a sign of the death of physical media just yet. Whilst the company itself sees its future in the streaming realm, the postal-arm of the business also grew by 25 percent in the same period.
Sky Store replaces Sky Box Office in the war against everyone else
In the face of increasing competition from movie services like Lovefilm, Knowhow Movies and iTunes, Sky has reportedly decided to reinvent Box Office as Sky Store. Rather than the limited number of pay-per-view titles each month, it'll be repositioned as an online movie library with over 1,000 titles to view on your set-top-box, desktop or mobile device. New releases will be priced at £3.50 in standard-definition or £4.00 ($6.30) in HD. Back-catalogue titles will be priced at £1.99, with discounts on that figure on an infrequent basis. Sadly the service is only available to the five million or so subscribers with Anytime+, those who currently remain using SD services will get to keep the old-school Box Office.
Lovefilm Instant UK lands on LG Smart TVs, shrinks postmen's movie collection
As the streaming TV wars hot up in the UK, Lovefilm is steadily strengthening its arsenal: its Instant streaming service is already available on 175 devices, and now you can add LG's April-2011-onwards Smart TVs to that list. Despite the Korean tellies already having over 250 apps, Lovefilm claims its software is the first for streaming movies and TV; and if that's not good enough for you, it even works with LG's Magic Motion remote à la Harry Potter. UK viewers who might have been tempted by Netflix's streaming-only proposition will now have a harder decision to make, especially now that the Amazon-owned service has a competitively priced (£5 to Netflix's £6) Instant-only package. Got an LG and want to know more? Then scoot on over the break for the full PR.
Lovefilm, Disney UK deal brings ABC content across the pond
If you're living across the pond and hankering for ABC's content, it's en route. In what could be considered a response to Netflix's expansion to the UK market, Lovefilm has joined forces with Disney UK to offer members on-demand streaming access to ABC Studios' content. Available titles include Castle, Lost, Desperate Housewives, Happy Endings, Grey's Anatomy and the Ghost Whisperer, with all episodes available after their first run in the UK market. Compatible streamers include the PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, iPad, smart TV's and Blu-ray players and the service itself starts at £4.99 ($7.65) per month. Still no news as to when the Camo Snuggie will make its European debut.
Netflix close to signing deals with Sony, Disney, Paramount and ITV, to debut in the UK soon? (update: pricing pegged at £5.99/month, website live)
Those with a PS3 in the United Kingdom might have gotten a sneak peek at a placeholder, but according to The Guardian, apparently its proper "early 2012" launch isn't far off. Purportedly the video streaming service is close to signing rights to content from Sony, Disney and Paramount, which'll join existing agreements with Lionsgate, Miramax and MGM. But it isn't just studios, as Channel 4 and ITV are supposedly close to joining the UK bash as-well. If everything goes to plan, most of the British Isles will be treated to an ad campaign that'll reveal all next week. Game on, Lovefilm. Update: Well, it looks like we don't have to wait until next week for all of those details after all. Some Google ads have now started appearing in searches for Netflix that peg the price at £5.99 per month (or about $9), and also confirm that the service is headed to the Wii and Xbox 360 in addition to the PS3. Unfortunately, that netflix.com/UK page isn't functional just yet. Update 2: Looks like the UK website is live for many, confirming the Google ad pricing. Check it out after the break. [Thanks, Chris, James]
BBC player finally coming to Xbox early next year
Though we focused last night on what's being delayed from the Xbox Live TV service, there are a couple of things we didn't have timelines for in the past to be excited about! Or, at least, for UK residents to be excited about. Like Lovefilm, which will be available tomorrow. Having finally hammered out an agreement in October allowing access to both Silver and Gold members, the BBC will be available through Xbox Live in the UK in "early 2012." Microsoft and the BBC had better get back to hammering, though, as the actual details of the offering aren't final. "We're still working with the BBC to define exactly what we're going to be bringing, but it's going to be 2012," XBL UK product manager Pav Bhardwaj told Eurogamer. "We're working with them now to make sure it's a really compelling, strong application." Basically, it's unclear whether the BBC app will be an implementation of the existing iPlayer app or something else. What is clear is that, as required by the BBC, it'll be free to everyone who pays license fees. "As long as you're connected to the internet it will be free to every Xbox Live customer," Bhardwaj said. Once again, that's every Xbox Live customer in the UK. Sorry, New World Whovians.
Xbox 360's new video services won't all launch right away; Comcast, Verizon, and HBO Go delayed
Microsoft's new dashboard for the Xbox 360 is close at hand (read our full review for the details) but not all of the video partners that were announced for the new Kinect-centric experience will be launching alongside it. As of launch December 6th the list will look basically the same as it does now, with Lovefilm and Epix joining options like Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Sky Go. Later on in the month more new providers like Crackle, Dailymotion, Rogers On Demand, Vudu, and Verizon FiOS TV will filter in, while the UFC app is timed to launch December 20th. Finally, a few highly anticipated additions including MLB.tv, HBO Go and Comcast's Xfinity On Demand are among those slated for arrival in "early 2012". Check after the break for the complete list (update: and a video trailer), we'll let you know about more specific launch dates as they become available. %Gallery-141022%
Lovefilm's movie streaming will switch from Flash to Silverlight on PCs in 2012
As it prepares for Netflix's 2012 UK invasion, Lovefilm appears to be taking a page out of its competitor's strategy, and it's all because of the studios. When streaming to Windows PCs and Macs it will only support Silverlight as of the first week in January (we should mention it's coincidentally timed alongside a particular electronics show), ditching Flash encodes for its video. Like Watch Instantly, that will mean a lockout for non-Intel Macs and Linux users who don't have a player that supports the necessary DRM, but it's just those three letters that are behind this. Streaming Project Manager Paul Thompson writes on the company blog that Silverlight beat out Flash and new challenger HTML5 in order to meet studio's anti-piracy requirements, as well as take advantage of its Smooth Streaming adaptive bandwidth adjustments. Everything will stay the same on other streaming devices, while Netflix has been able to support Chromebooks via plugin and is rumored to be working on a Netflix solution, we'll have to wait and see if Lovefilm can do the same.
Warner Bros. signs distribution deal with Lovefilm, ahead of Netflix's UK arrival
With Netflix creeping ever closer to its UK doorstep, Lovefilm is readying its defense -- beginning with Warner Bros. Today, the Amazon-owned streaming and rental service announced a new, multi-year partnership with the Brothers Warner, promising to deliver "wider choice and more access" to content across multiple platforms. Under the deal, users will be able to access a range of Warner Bros.' recent and forthcoming titles on their iPad, PlayStation 3, and, as of later this year, their Xbox 360, among other devices. The agreement will go into effect this December, with films like The Dark Knight, The Hangover, Gran Torino and Sex and the City 2 all available for exclusive viewing. Beginning in 2012, customers will be able to rent Warner Bros. titles 60 days after retail release, either via Lovefilm's DVD and Blu-Ray subscription service, or the studio's WarnerFilms channel. Intrigued cinephiles can whet their appetites with the full PR, after the break.
Netflix to expand to UK, Ireland in 'early 2012,' looks to challenge Lovefilm
Well it looks like Netflix's rumored UK launch was a lot more than just a rumor. Today, the company announced that it will indeed expand to the UK and Ireland "in early 2012," promising to offer unlimited streaming on PCs, tablets and mobile devices at a "low monthly subscription price." The company didn't say what that price would be, nor did it offer any details on available content or supported devices, though more details will be announced closer to its launch. We're also expecting to hear more from Netflix during its Q3 earnings conference call later today, when we should find out about the impact of its recent price hike and Qwikster turnaround. Whether or not its foray into the UK can loosen Lovefilm's grip on the domestic market, however, remains to be seen. Full PR after the break.
Microsoft reveals new TV providers including Verizon and Comcast coming to Xbox 360 (video)
Just as the rumors indicated, Microsoft is bringing video from a number of providers beyond the ones it initially announced to the Xbox 360 in its fall update, including big guns like Verizon and Comcast. While Verizon is promising "a selection" of its live TV channels on the Xbox 360 as expected, Comcast is only bringing its Xfinity TV video on-demand offerings (no AnyPlay powered live TV -- yet) to subscribers when it launches "in the coming months." Other notable providers include Lovefilm (UK, Germany), BBC TV (UK), HBO Go, and Syfy. As promised during E3, the services integrated with Xbox will offer support for search across all available video, as well as support for Kinect voice and gesture controls. The universal search is looking good since it pulls together various services into one UI (as we discussed on our podcast yesterday), but the reality is content providers and geographical limits on what services you can pick from are still throwing up walls between users and content. Check after the break for PR detailing what you'll be able to access and where, as well as a video intro to all the tasty new TV services. %Gallery-135845%
Lovefilm player goes mobile, now available on iPad
We've already seen UK movie rental service Lovefilm expand its streaming service on Blu-ray players and consoles, and now -- since parent company Amazon isn't bringing the Kindle Fire over anytime soon -- it has moved on to the iPad. While its existing Lovefilm app allows for disc browsing and queue management, the new Lovefilm Player app handles most of those functions, plus the aforementioned subscription streaming access (no VOD, yet.) Check out a quick video intro after the break or hit the source links below for the FAQ or to download on iTunes.
LOVEFiLM comes to iPad
It's rare that an iOS movie-streaming app receives little notice, but earlier this week, Amazon released the LOVEFiLM Player for iPad without fanfare. LOVEFiLM is the UK equivalent of Netflix, which allows users to rent DVDs and Blu-ray discs by post or stream them online. In January of this year, US-based Amazon bought the UK company to help cement its roll in the United Kingdom as the go-to place to rent physical or digital media. The LOVEFiLM Player for iPad unchains LOVEFiLM members from their computers or DVD players and allows them to stream movies over a Wi-Fi connection. The app also allows customers to watch movie trailers, rate films and manage their LOVEFiLM DVD or Bluray rental queue. LOVEFiLM Player for iPad is a free download and exclusive to the UK App Store. Membership rates that allow streaming to the iPad app start at £5.99. [via Stuff]
Microsoft reportedly adding video from Comcast, Verizon, HBO Go and others to Xbox Live
Microsoft announced new integration with live TV as a part of the Xbox 360's fall update during E3 earlier this year, but didn't name any US pay-TV partners at the time. Now, anonymous rumors recently posted on Digiday suggested the folks at Redmond were looking to work with Verizon and Comcast, followed by Bloomberg hearing similar talk from its own "people with knowledge of the situation." Today's rumors finger Verizon (which showed off live TV on a variety of devices at CES), Comcast, HBO, Crackle, Bravo, Syfy and UK service Lovefilm as likely partners. Missing from the list is AT&T's U-verse, which already offers an Xbox 360 tie-in and distributes its IPTV on the Mediaroom platform, just like some of the international partners previously announced. If these services launch it will be interesting to see how the integration works and if it's VOD like the existing Xfinity TV and Flex View mobile apps, or if providers cross the IPTV bridge with in-home devices like the Televation / AnyPlay box.
Bloomberg: Xbox Live getting Comcast, Verizon access; expects HBO, Crackle, Bravo, Syfy, Lovefilm, and more
A report earlier this month said that Microsoft's upcoming "Live TV" service -- part of the Xbox 360's upcoming Dashboard refresh -- would feature pay television service from the likes of Comcast and Verizon, who have 22.5 million and 3.8 million TV subscribers, respectively. Now, the far more reputable Bloomberg is reporting the same, citing "people with knowledge of the situation." "Microsoft [...] is in talks with almost two dozen providers of music, sports, movies and TV shows in the U.S. and Europe, and may announce an expanded Xbox Live streaming service as soon as next week, said one of the people, who weren't authorized to speak publicly," Bloomberg reports. But it's not just Comcast and Verizon. Microsoft also "expects to sign deals with Time Warner Inc. (TWX)'s HBO cable channel, Sony Pictures Entertainment's Crackle streaming service, NBC Universal's Bravo and Syfy channels and Lovefilm UK, a subsidiary of Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN)," one of Bloomberg's sources says. Overall, Microsoft is "in talks with almost two dozen providers of music, sports, movies and TV shows in the U.S. and Europe" and it could announce the fruits of those negotiations "as soon as next week." Two of Bloomberg's sources say that existing customers of both Comcast and Verizon will only need to prove they are pay-TV customers to gain access to the services on the Xbox.