FiOS internet customers can sign up for HBO Now today for the standard price of $15 per month. Verizon Wireless customers will be able to sign up soon.
Since its launch, HBO Now has steadily increased distribution and is now available through Apple and Android devices and several internet providers. Sign up for a free trial.
TV maker Vizio recently filed for an IPO. One of the interesting bits of info to come from the filing was Vizio’s ambitions to build a data services business:
'Our Inscape data services capture, in real time, up to 100 billion anonymized viewing data points each day from our over 8 million VCUs [Vizio Connect Units aka Smart TVs]. Inscape collects and stores data regarding most content displayed on VCU television screens, including content from cable and satellite providers, streaming devices and gaming consoles. Inscape provides highly specific viewing behavior data on a massive scale with great accuracy, which can be used to generate intelligent insights for advertisers and media content providers and to drive their delivery of more relevant, personalized content through our VCUs.'
Vizio and other smart TV makers are in great position to get a holistic picture of what consumers are viewing from a variety of sources (at least on their TVs). It’s something Nielsen can’t currently do and a company like Apple or Google can’t do on their own.
They better make sure that data is fully anonymized and stored securely, though. I imagine many of us probably wouldn’t want our complete viewing habits leaked on the internet.
The new service, called Go 90, will include some full TV episodes and short-form content available for free. A few big networks are on board and it will also include free live NFL games, which Verizon has the rights to stream on smartphones.
This is a nice bonus for anyone that has already chosen Verizon. Is it enough to convince people to switch from another (cheaper) carrier though?
NFL Now and NFL Rewind will be replaced by a new streaming service. it won't include any live games, but will be interesting to see if this lays the groundwork for them to go direct to consumer in the future.
Golf's British Open (aka The Open Championship) is available on watchESPN with lots of free video available on ESPN3 and TheOpen.com. Coverage begins at 6am Fri-Sun.
Get the MLB games of the day free on PC or with At-Bat Premium on iPhone, iPad, Android (subject to local blackout).
Check your local listings to see what is free with an antenna. All times Eastern.
Silicon Valley S2 and Veep S4 are now available to purchase on iTunes, Amazon, or VUDU.
See what's new on Netflix this month and streaming free on Crackle, TubiTV, Hulu, and AOL On.
Comcast will be offering a streaming service to its broadband customers in Boston, Chicago, and Seattle later this year. It will include local broadcast channels, HBO, and more for $15/month. This looks to be aimed at younger people that don't have cable and may not own a TV. Because it includes local channels the service will have to be rolled out one market at a time, much like Playstation's Vue.
HBO Now is available on Android and Kindle tablets and is coming soon to Fire TV.
NFL Now will be replaced with a new streaming service.
TiVo can now stream to Apple TV.
Have a great weekend!
This is the Streaming This Weekend (without cable) series. Subscribe to the newsletter to receive it in your inbox every Friday. All times mentioned are Eastern.
Wimbledon is the big event this weekend, with MLB baseball and PGA golf as always. The only news of note is the schedule of Netflix original movie releases and Showtime's streaming service is now live. Have a great weekend!
watchESPN and Wimbledon.com have Wimbledon coverage every day beginning at 7am. The women's and men's championships are at 9am on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Get the MLB games of the day free on PC or with At-Bat Premium on iPhone, iPad, Android (subject to local blackout).
The PGA John Deere is free to stream on the PGA site and apps on Saturday and Sunday 3-6pm.
Check your local listings to see what is free with an antenna. All times Eastern.
See what's new on Netflix this month and streaming free on Crackle, TubiTV, Hulu, and AOL On.
Top TV shows available to purchase on iTunes, Amazon, or VUDU.
Showtime is now available without cable for $12 per month through Apple devices, Roku, or for $9 through Hulu. A free trial is available.
Netflix is moving from original TV shows to original movies. See the release schedule of the first round of movies.
This is the Streaming This Weekend (without cable) series. Subscribe to the newsletter to receive it in your inbox every Friday. All times mentioned are Eastern.
Not much but sports for this weekend. It was a slow week for streaming news, or perhaps the launch of Apple Music overshadowed everything. Enjoy the beach, BBQ, or just relaxing and have a great holiday weekend.
The women's world cup soccer final is the big event of the weekend, with the US women playing Japan on Sunday at 6:43pm. *The game cannot be streamed without a cable subscription, but is free to watch with an antenna on FOX.
watchESPN has limited free streaming coverage of the Nathan's hot-dog eating content on Saturday at noon.
watchESPN and Wimbledon.com have early-round Wimbledon coverage Friday and Saturday beginning at 7am.
Get the MLB games of the day free on PC or with At-Bat Premium on iPhone, iPad, Android (subject to local blackout).
The PGA Greenbrier Classic is free to stream on the PGA site and apps on Saturday and Sunday afternoon 3-6pm.
Check your local listings to see what is free with an antenna. All times Eastern.
See what's new on Netflix this month and streaming free on Crackle, TubiTV, Hulu, and AOL On.
Top TV shows available to purchase on iTunes, Amazon, or VUDU.
This is the Streaming This Weekend (without cable) series. Subscribe to the newsletter to receive it in your inbox every Friday. All times mentioned are Eastern.
Amazon has bundled several digital services into Amazon Prime - video streaming, music streaming, the Kindle lending library, and unlimited cloud photo storage. I've thought Apple could do the same for a while now, and Apple Music would make a nice pillar. Apple could bundle Music, iTunes Match (also Music should make it obsolete), iCloud storage, monthly iTunes/App Store credits or giveaways, and maybe even Apple Care. This could be a nice product for big Apple users, and perhaps silence some of the critics calling for Apple to reduce iCloud storage pricing.
It's a pretty slow weekend. If you're thinking of subscribing to HBO Now for the new series that premiered last week you can stream some of them free on Facebook. There are free MLB games every day as always, and lots of free coverage from the PGA Travelers Championship. Have a great weekend!
Lots of free streaming coverage from the PGA Travelers Championship. Featured holes are available all day and the CBS broadcast is available on Saturday and Sunday afternoon on the PGA app for iPhone, iPad, Android, and computers.
Get the MLB games of the day free on PC or with At-Bat Premium on iPhone, iPad, Android (subject to local blackout).
Check your local listings to see what is free with an antenna. All times Eastern.
Watch the premieres of new HBO series Ballers and The Brink free on Facebook.
See what's new on Netflix for July and leaving at the end of June.
Top TV shows available to purchase on iTunes, Amazon, or VUDU.
See free streaming movies on Crackle, TubiTV, Hulu, and AOL On for this month.
Showtime's streaming service will also be available through Hulu for $9, $2 less than elsewhere.
Study says cord cutting is on the rise, primarily due to dissatisfaction with rising fees.
Not sure how old is is, but I just discovered a new subscription streaming movie service, MUBI. $5 a month gets you a new movie every day that doesn't expire for 30 days (so there are always 30 movies available). Downloads are available for offline viewing. It's available on iPhone, iPad, Android, computers, and Samsung smart TVs in the US and free trials are available.
This is the Streaming This Weekend (without cable) series. Subscribe to the newsletter to receive it in your inbox every Friday. All times mentioned are Eastern.
Now that the NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Finals have concluded, there isn't much going on this weekend. The US Open is available on FOX free with an antenna. Have a great weekend!
MLB games of the day free on PC or with At-Bat Premium on iPhone, iPad, Android (subject to local blackout).
Some other events free with an antenna this weekend: the US Open of golf is on FOX Saturday and Sunday all afternoon.
See the full streaming sports schedule from kettle.tv or check your local listings to see what is free with an antenna. All times Eastern.
See what's new on Netflix this month.
See what's new to purchase on iTunes, Amazon, or VUDU.
Annie starring Jamie Foxx is the iTunes 99¢ rental of the week.
See free streaming movies on Crackle, TubiTV, Hulu, and AOL On for this month.
Hull Plus us dropping the 'Plus' and will simply be referred to as Hull from now on.
The Playstation Vue streaming TV service has launched in LA and San Francisco. Vue is also debuting a la carte channels, with FOX Soccer Plus and Showtime, which will soon be available as a standalone subscription.
This is the Streaming This Weekend (without cable) series. Subscribe to the newsletter to receive it in your inbox every Friday. All times mentioned are Eastern.