Streaming 411

Earlier this month Bill Carr, Amazon's Vice President of Video and Music, told Bloomberg that PlayStation3 users can now access Amazon Instant Video and Prime streaming through their game console.  This is the first of the major game consoles that now support the Amazon streaming service.  Through the PS3 console you can rent or purchase movies and stream them to your TV set, or access the Prime library for unlimited streaming of over 17,000 titles 24/7.

Photo source:  http://www.sxc.hu/profile/VinnyPrime

The Amazon streaming services can also be accessed through several other internet-connected devices, including blu-ray players, television sets, and streaming media set-top boxes like Roku and Tivo.

Carr said "A lot of our customers have been asking us to make our services available on the PlayStation 3 fo a long time.  it's all about building the best digital video service available."

The Prime service is available for $79 a year, which is cheaper than Netflix's $96 per year.  However, Netflix has a significantly larger library, and has parental controls.  Prime currently has no way of screening out inappropriate content from young children.  Check out our article entitled Top Three Ways to Utilize  Amazon Instant Video For Your Home Entertainment to integrate this service into your options.

Source:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-03/amazon-prime-extends-netflix-competition-to-playstation-3.html

Amazon Prime members already have a decent unlimited instant streaming selection for only $79 a year.  The good news is that Amazon Instant Video announced a new content licensing agreement with Discovery Communications this month that will increase the titles to more than 17,000.  This means consumers will be able to stream entire prior seasons episodes and specials from titles like Say Yes to the Dress, Whale Wars, and Dirty Jobs.  Discovery Communications owns several key channels like Animal Planet, Science and Military Channel, TLC, Investigation Discovery, and of course the Discovery Channel itself.  Titles span the company's 25-year programming library, which is an extremely rich assortment of content, and a real boon to Amazon Prime members.

Brad Beale, Director of Video Content Acquisition for Amazon noted on March 14 "Discovery Communications has always been a leader in creating entertaining and enlightening programming for the entire family.  With the addition of this great content from Discovery Communications, Prime customers now have more than 17,000 titles to choose from when watching Prime Instant Video - that's in addition to the more than 120,000 titles offered to all customers for purchase or rent on Amazin Instant Video."

Amazon Instant Video can be utilized for rental or purchase of a large selection of titles, in addition to streaming through a large number of supported devices.

Source:  http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/14/discovery-shows-hit-amazon-prime-instant-video-because-its-di/

If you are wondering about everything that Amazon Instant Video has to offer, we have assembled the top ways that this versatile service can fit into part of your home entertainment options.  With over 100,000 movies & TV shows available for rental or purchase, plus an ever-expanding streaming library for Prime members, it's a very economical way to satisfy your entertainment cravings!

1. Rent or purchase from their large selection of titles.  Rentals begin at $1 depending on the title you're inteested in.  This is a great way to choose a movie for family movie night, especially if the flick is not available through a streaming service or your cable TV service.
2. Become an Amazon Prime member for $79 per year and get free, unlimited access to their streaming library with 15,000 titles, plus get discounts on anything rented or purchased through Amazon Instant Video.  New Prime members get a one month free trial.
3. Stream through several supported devices, including Roku, Tivo, Kindle Fire, and several blu-ray players and internet-connected television sets.  It's a snap to register your device.

Amazon has been aggressively shoring up their content by signing deals with entertainment conglomerates like The Disney/ABC Television Group, the Public Broadcasting System, and most recently with the Viacom Group. While speculation exists as to whether Amazon will offer a "streaming only" service to rival Netflix and Hulu, Amazon has publicly stated that it views it's business model and what it brings to the table as different from traditional streaming services.

On February 8, 2012, Amazon and Viacom announced a new licensing agreement allowing Prime members to instantly stream new content such as TV shows from Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, TV Land, Spike, and CMT among others.  Prime's current library now sits at over 15,000 titles available for unlimited instant stream on over 300 supported devices, including Kindle Fire.  Besides Viacom, they have licensing agreements with several entertainment companies, including CBS, PBS, Warner Bros, Fox, NBCUniversal, Disney-ABC Television and Sony.  Prime members also get 2-day shipping on anything they order through the Amazon store without incurring extra charges.  This new content will not be available for non-Prime members who wish to access Amazon Instant Video through rental or purchase of individual titles.  Prime members can also rent or purchase titles through Amazon Instant Video as well, often for a reduced price over non-Prime members.  The membership is $79 per year.

Amazon Instant Video which currently provides an online digital movie & tv show boutique where customers can rent or purchase content may be getting into the streaming services business.  While Amazon Prime members currently have access to about 10,000 titles that they can stream for free, the service isn't available as a stand-alone service accessed by a monthly subscription like other streaming services like Netflix and Hulu Plus.  The big issue would seem to be setting up the necessary blanket licensing agreements.  Royalties are easily tracked via a rental or download through their On Demand download service.  But as Netflix and Hulu can attest to, it's not so easy getting Hollywood to play nice with streaming services, because it doesn't sit well with their current, extremely lucrative business model.  source:  The NY Post

This past October, 2011, Amazon Instant Video expanded their partnership with the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) to include popular programming to the Amazon Prime lineup.  The Prime streaming library includes 12,000 selections available on numerous devices, including the Kindle Fire.  Consumers who purchase Kindle Fire will receive a free month of Prime (including Amazon Instant Video selections).  PBS programming added includes 1,000 new and archived episodes of shows ike Antiques Road Show, The National Parks:  America's Best Idea; The Civil War, Nova, Prohibition, and Masterpiece.  News programs such as Washington Week and Frontline will also be available, as well as 200 episodes of vintage classic The French Chef starring Julia Child.  PBS Interactive Sr. Vice President Jason Seiken says "Expanding the reach of our content by making it accessible through digital platforms is a key priority for PBS.  We are already delivering more than 150 million streams of programming across the web and mobile apps each month, so we are excited to offer more titles through Prime Instant Video and ensure that our acclaimed content is available whenever and wherever people want it."

According to Stu Woo from the Wall Street Journal's online technology blog, Amazon is betting on consumer loyalty to make their Amazon Instant Video program work through the Amazon Prime subscriptions.  And in my opinion, it's a good bet.  Amazon Prime was a service that offered limited benefit to the average consumer out there . . . me included.  Amazon is an important part of my holiday shopping.  And, I lean on Amazon for occasional opportunities throughout the year.  But I haven't found a need to pay $79 per year for the benefit of free 2-day shipping.  But if Amazon throws in their Amazon Instant Video program . . . well, that changes everything.  My husband just purchased a copy of Wayne's World from Amazon (because yes, we are part of that fan base, from that wonderful generation).  With Prime, he would have been able to stream it for free.  Think of the possibilities . . . my bets are on Amazon.

According to the San Jose Mercury News, the two rival streaming services, Amazon and Netflix, are coming together so to speak.  Amazon's new Kindle Fire tablet will now be sold with an app that will support a Netflix subscription, in addition to being able to access all of Amazon's On Demand offerings.  Kindle Fire will have tons of apps available once it becomes available just in time for holiday shopping later this month.  Amazon's announcement came just a few days ago.  "We're excited to team up with Amazon to give what we thnk will be a huge community of Kindle Fire owners the opportunity to experience all that Netflix has to offer," stated Bill Holmes, Netflix's Vice President of Business Development.  Other apps, including Pandora, Facebook, Twitter, and several games, will be available at the Appstore on November 15, when the launch of Kindle Fire is expected to occur.

On October 31, both Amazon and Netflix announced signing licensing agreements with the Disney/ABC Television Group that will allow their subscribers of Amazon Instant Video and Netflix streaming services to have instant access to the extensive content available from ABC Studios, ABC Family Channel, Marvel, and the Disney Channel.  "We are excited to add some of the very best content available from Disney-ABC to Prime instant video," said Brad Beale, director of video content acquisition for Amazon. "This includes every episode of past seasons from the ABC hits Lost and Grey's Anatomy, fan favorites like Felicity and Greek, the popular Disney Channel show Phineas & Ferb and great animated series from Marvel. We're working hard to add even more selection for Kindle Fire customers and Prime members leading up to the holidays, and expect to have nearly 13,000 titles available in Prime instant video by early next year."  People who already have an Amazon Prime subscription at $79 per year are elegible to have access to Amazon's huge selection of unlimited, commercial-free streaming options.  Netflix already has more than 20 million subscribers in the US, Canada and Latin America, so this is positive news for them.