home entertainment

Paid subscriptions have doubled to four million in past year

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/30/hulu-plus/

hulupayingsubscribers1q2013 Paid subscriptions have doubled to four million in past year

Hulu’s future ownership may be in question, but the video streaming site is apparently doing fairly brisk business on the paid subscription front. During an advertiser event this morning, the site announced that it has managed to double its Hulu Plus accounts in the past year, up to four million. The site’s revenue also hit a record for the first quarter of the year, though Hulu’s not giving out any numbers. As with rivals Netflix and Amazon, the company’s making a big bet on original programming, with a number of exclusive series, including the animated The Awesomes and western Quick Draw.

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Source: Hulu Blog

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Tuesday, April 30th, 2013 digital No Comments

BBC iPlayer viewing on tablets overtakes that on phones

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/19/bbc-iplayer-viewing-on-tablets-overtakes-that-on-phones/

bbc iplayer stats march BBC iPlayer viewing on tablets overtakes that on phones

When we think of BBC iPlayer use on mobile devices, we most often picture someone catching up on dramas with their smartphone during the commute home. Not anymore: newly available March stats from the Beeb reveal that tablet viewing has overtaken phone viewing for the first time. The difference is slight — tablets are only 200,000 requests ahead, at 41 million — but it’s enough to suggest that many now prefer bigger screens when they’re away from a computer or TV. While the broadcaster hasn’t directly explained the change in demographics, it’s not hard to see a possible explanation based on viewer habits. The BBC notes that most tablet-bound iPlayer users watch TV, and most iPlayer TV time overlaps that of traditional viewing, when audiences are more likely to be at home with the larger devices at hand. If you’re one to curl up on the couch to watch Panorama on an iPad or Android slate, then, you may just be part of a growing trend.

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Source: BBC

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Friday, April 19th, 2013 news No Comments

Roku passes 5 million players sold in the US, shows off with a few more stats

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/10/roku-5-million-sold/

roku infographic Roku passes 5 million players sold in the US, shows off with a few more stats

Five years after the original Roku launched and just weeks after the release of the Roku 3, the company has announced lifetime US sales of 5 million units. The proclamation comes attached to a detailed infographic (linked below) that breaks down its last five years of progress, plus stats like where it’s most popular (Lexington, KY) and the most minutes streamed by one player in one week (10,080.) That’s quite a marathon session — Lost plus House of Cards doesn’t even get you halfway — but its stats claim 25 percent of players stream more than 35 hours per week.

The last time we checked in on Roku sales, it was chasing the million unit mark alongside Apple’s hobby. The Apple TV has since risen to 5 million sold in the last fiscal year, buoyed by the AirPlay feature that makes it an attractive accessory for the company’s other devices. To Roku’s favor, it claims 43 percent of owners say it’s their preferred source of video for their TV. It’s come a long way from its start as a Netflix Player with more than 750 channels available including Time Warner Cable and HBO Go, which makes CEO Anthony Wood’s claim that the “future of TV is streaming” look closer than ever.

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Source: Roku Blog, Roku 5 Million

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Wednesday, April 10th, 2013 news No Comments

Veronica Mars movie looks for crowdfunding, would have digital copies near release (update: funded!)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/13/veronica-mars-movie-coming-together-with-crowdfunding/

veronica mars Veronica Mars movie looks for crowdfunding, would have digital copies near release (update: funded!)

There’s been no shortage of movie projects that lean on crowdfunding to get production underway. Producing a movie based on a major TV series like Veronica Mars, however? That’s fresh. Creator Rob Thomas has obtained support from Warner Bros. and lead actress Kristen Bell for a Kickstarter funding drive that, if it hits its $2 million goal, will shoot a full-length Veronica Mars feature this summer with a premiere around early 2014. Pledge makers would be rewarded with anything from a copy of the script through to a speaking role in the title. To us, the real highlight is the planned release strategy — like an increasing number of movies, we’d be watching digital copies “within a few days” of the opening, rather than months. While Thomas and crew can’t declare the fundraiser over until April 12th, it’s advancing quickly enough that the focus is less on whether or not the project will go forward and more on its chances at becoming an internet-backed blockbuster.

Update: Just a few hours after kicking off its crowdfunding effort, the Veronica Mars movie project has surpassed its $2 million goal. Right now it’s hovering around $2,035,000, but we suspect it’ll balloon even further within the 30 days that remain in the campaign.

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Thursday, March 14th, 2013 news No Comments

CBS tries multi-stage syndication for The Good Wife on Amazon Prime, Hulu Plus and TV

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/14/cbs-tries-multi-stage-syndication-for-the-good-wife/

cbs the good wife CBS tries multi stage syndication for The Good Wife on Amazon Prime, Hulu Plus and TV

Almost by definition, TV syndication in the modern era leads us to wonder just where and when we’ll get to see a show online. For CBS’ The Good Wife, streaming on third-party services will be a cornerstone of an uncommon, multi-step syndication strategy that puts the internet first. The drama will be available for Amazon Prime Instant Video subscribers starting March 14th, expanding beyond its existing availability for purchase. Hulu Plus members, meanwhile, will get their own turn at streaming in September. Traditional TV will still be around, but it’s notably pushed to the back of the queue — Hallmark won’t have airing rights until January 2014, and most other broadcasters will be denied until a year after Hulu. The new approach another sign that CBS’ one-time cold shoulder to some forms of digital distribution is growing warmer and warmer.

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Thursday, March 14th, 2013 news No Comments

Nielsen ratings expand definition of TV households to include internet-only viewers

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/21/nielsen-ratings-expand-definition-of-tv-households-to-include-in/

nimbletv ipad Nielsen ratings expand definition of TV households to include internet only viewers

The Nielsen Company has monitored TV audiences since 1950, but soon it will expand that definition from solely households with antenna, cable or satellite access, but also those that have dropped those options but still get video over the internet. Reflecting the changing times, the move was first noted by The Hollywood Reporter and confirmed later by company executives to the New York Times and LA Times. Nielsen hinted at changes two years ago when TV ownership dropped for the first time in decades, which may turn around since the new definition includes viewers with internet-connected TVs, and could go further to include viewers with just a tablet or laptop. According to senior VP Pat McDonough, that means views over services like Aereo can be counted, since they still contain advertisements, which is what broadcasters rely on the ratings for, unlike ad-free Netflix or Hulu streams with different ads. Because of that, it seems unlikely the change will boost the numbers of internet darlings like Community or Arrested Development, but we can dream, right?

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Source: The Hollywood Reporter, LA Times, NYT

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Friday, February 22nd, 2013 news No Comments

Samsung / Blockbuster reportedly sign streaming deal in Oz, US and Europe next?

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/21/samsung-blockbuster-video-streaming-deal/

sammy2 21 Samsung / Blockbuster reportedly sign streaming deal in Oz, US and Europe next?
We know Samsung’s been ramping up its home entertainment arsenal. Now, recent intel acquired by the folks at SmartHouse suggests that the Korean outfit’s about to dive into deeper waters, after reportedly striking a deal in Australia. The pact, that’s yet to become official, would give the manufacturer access to the plethora of films available from your favorite blue-and-yellow video store, which could then be streamed to your beloved Galaxy handset or Tab, as well as Sammy-branded Smart TVs, Blu-ray players and laptops. Furthermore, the report claims Samsung’s got a friendly billing system in the works that’d allow easy access to the content on your devices. It’s expected to hit US and Euro shores “as early as September.” Until then you’ll have to stick with the good ol’ Redbox kiosks.

Samsung / Blockbuster reportedly sign streaming deal in Oz, US and Europe next? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tuesday, February 21st, 2012 news No Comments

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