[FTWrath]

Well I've been trying my best to make Hulu available to Playbook users (check signature) and for the THIRD time Hulu has gone out of their way to block access to my work around for the Playbook.
I decided to contact them and at least received a well written response that answered all my questions. I guess we should expect an app soon. Will I pay for it? No, because I use Hulu for maybe a few hours a week and their free version covers my needs. If I find another work around I will be sure to let you guys know.

Thanks for writing. I understand your frustration with not being able to access Hulu Plus on your Playbook. Our business lives and dies by our content and the number of users watching our service. Willfully preventing users from accessing Hulu would be a terrible business decision. However, while we'd love to have Hulu available on as many internet enabled devices as possible, we simply don't have the rights to stream all our content to mobile devices.

As a bit of background, when Hulu first started, our agreements allowed for us to stream to computers only. Now that more devices capable of streaming Hulu Plus are available, we have to go back to our content partners and secure streaming rights for each device we add. Many have given us the rights to stream on both devices and computers, but some have opted to stream to computers only. Since our agreements allow for us to stream to computers only, we must block mobile devices that go against our streaming agreements.

And while many mobile devices are fully capable of streaming Hulu, we just don't have the rights to do so. This is why we have to create specific Hulu Plus applications for mobile devices such as the iPad or Android phones. With the special application, we are able to ensure that only content we have rights to stream are accessible on mobile platforms. We're definitely working and trying to obtain the proper streaming rights to make our site accessible on devices, but ultimately it comes back to show producers to determine the best channels of distribution for their content.

Please understand that we want to be on every internet enabled screen. However agreements with content partners regarding streaming rights can at times prevent us from making our services available. We'll continue working to obtain these rights and make our services available on more devices. In the meantime, if you have any other comments or concerns, please don't hesitate to let me know!

Thanks,

[jonty12]

Well I've been trying my best to make Hulu available to Playbook users (check signature) and for the THIRD time Hulu has gone out of their way to block access to my work around for the Playbook.
I decided to contact them and at least received a well written response that answered all my questions. I guess we should expect an app soon. Will I pay for it? No, because I use Hulu for maybe a few hours a week and their free version covers my needs. If I find another work around I will be sure to let you guys know.

Please reply to them asking what the difference is between a 2.5 lb laptop/netbook and a tablet? They are both mobile. I'm confused.

[FTWrath]

Im guessing because a laptop is still considered a computer as it runs the same operating system.
I think he was referring to companies, rather than specific devices. Android has been added, as well as iOS, so i suppose if they add playbook they will add Blackberry in general (mobile and tablet)

[psiclne]

When I read the title, I figured you got a "cease and desist" letter lol

[Tyrrell117]

I don't really get it.

If some one lets you stream their movie over the internet, what difference does it make if it's streamed to a computer or a mobile device.

it's all over the internet. Internet is internet...

Must be a way to get more money or something

[narci]

sounds like content providers just want more money.

makes you wonder why piracy is so rampant.

[avaio]

we need for our browser not to identify as bb browser or get ie online

[optimo]

Technology is getting to be so advanced that the difference between a computer, tablet and smartphone are truly blurred. Companies will always make excuses to get paid. Hulu for free will eventually be obsolete because everyone is moving more toward the "mobile platforms".

[mmcpher]

It makes economic sense, and echoes the whole ereader pricing fiasco that followed in the Ipad's wake. The device manufacturers and carriers play the suddenly innocent and powerless conduits, at the mercy of the content providers, who do, after all, own the copyrights to the works they own (and sometimes have created themselves).

I don't guess that any of the device makers or carriers whine much when enough customers submit and pay up for the higher value content, because they wet their beaks too, so it is somewhat disengenuous to play the altrusistic open-sourcer. The content providers see the tablets as a new market segment, but rather than see that simply as an expanded audience, they get greedy-eyed and try and game up higher prices. How often will they have to be shown the benefits of greater access before they recognize their own ultimate interests? For how many years did the record companies and recording artists fight against digital music, before someone wtfu and realized it was a virtual goldmine in a world that had already changed, regardless of how grounded the old providers were to the old ways? Project Gutneberg with its priceless catalog of public domain titles primes the pump for all of the for-profit publishers and authors. It creates readers and grows their appetites.

I worried that the unconscionable price-spike that followed the Ipad might actually snuff out the burgeoning market for ereading, but enough people in publishing were savvy enough, and the masses of early-adopters of ereaders disciplined enough to fight back, at least a little, and we'll all move ahead. In the long run, there are market forces that even the biggest, most insanely great autocratic companies must ultimately bow before. There is a powerful connection between price and sales.

What irritates me is the way that each new advance, each new potential expansion and opening up of markets and access and new sources of content, is greeted by the established companies at first with outright hostility, and then by an over-reaching attempt to monetize everything and upstream everything to their bottom lines. These wonderful devices are more important than that.

[EdwardBlackberryHands]

I think we are blaming the wrong people. This doesn't sound like a Hulu problem but more of a TV executive problem. TV execs are the ones stuck in the past

[sherwink20]

Letter very well written. Thanks for sharing.

[veldacy1]

i really wonder what will happen when windows 8 arrives on tablets. its really a pc os on a tablet. there is no difference between that and my PB hdmi to pc monitor w/ blutooth kbd and blutooth mouse.
a huge shift will likely happen. till then, they will continue to annoy us.
some will pay for ease of use and full seasons. others will find a way to trick their site by the browser/os change.. or just torrent and convert. people will always find a way.
great effort these past 2 weeks. i've enjoyed it.. if even only till they get the app together.
up next... wtf is up w/ hbogo?? buggy as crap for us and no app yet.!!

[lnichols]

BS. They just want us to pay for the content like they do with the iPads.

[dabears580]

why pay for hulu when you can go on to the actual television broadcasting shows website and stream their shows.

Love having flash!

[flyersfan76]

i really wonder what will happen when windows 8 arrives on tablets. its really a pc os on a tablet. there is no difference between that and my PB hdmi to pc monitor w/ blutooth kbd and blutooth mouse.
a huge shift will likely happen. till then, they will continue to annoy us.
some will pay for ease of use and full seasons. others will find a way to trick their site by the browser/os change.. or just torrent and convert. people will always find a way.
great effort these past 2 weeks. i've enjoyed it.. if even only till they get the app together.
up next... wtf is up w/ hbogo?? buggy as crap for us and no app yet.!!

No difference. Although my wifi connection was from the Hotel next door I had zero trouble using Hulu on my Tablet PC running XP.'


The funny thing about Hulu is their advertising. If I had a screen shot I would share it but sometimes there is just a blank screen with wording were advertising should be. Something about if you see this screen and are not viewing the advertising please contact us.

I am a supporter of advertising. If we don't sooner or later we will only be watching re-runs and news shows because without the ad revenue the studios will simple stop working.

[urbnimports]

what i don't get is that the playbook is called a tablet COMPUTER...its not a mobile device since its only WiFi and has no mobile data plans....so i don't think this is fair to have it blocked...i can put a keyboard monitor and mouse to it and use it like a pc, i can save files open documents etc....someone should SUE hulu over this so content that is free can be accessed by all tablet computers.

[howarmat]

what i don't get is that the playbook is called a tablet COMPUTER...its not a mobile device since its only WiFi and has no mobile data plans....so i don't think this is fair to have it blocked...i can put a keyboard monitor and mouse to it and use it like a pc, i can save files open documents etc....someone should SUE hulu over this so content that is free can be accessed by all tablet computers.

not all of it is free and technically hulu has to pay fees to have the content. Hulu has made the distinction long ago about mobile devices. This is where hulu+ and the app comes in. I am sure in a short time you will have a hulu+ app for the PB. i do agree that a windows 7 tablet like the slate should bot be treated differently than the PB or xoom or ipad but since it runs full windows it does get a slide.

[c_86]

one thing i dont get with large companys like that... they KNEW the playbook was coming and what it was capable of, so why the **** did they not have this **** figured out for launch? they had months to talk with producers and content providers to get approval and to make an app... wow....

[murialita]

I just have to laugh. The other day I logged onto hulu for the first time in a long time to find a show. I was greeted with a giant ad covering the video, controls, links, everything, for the PlayBook. Yet they won't stream to the the PlayBook.

[howarmat]

they use google sense for ads, so the ads are based off your likes and searches

[esqlaw]

I have received an email that basically blamed RiM for not approaching them to make an agreement... slightly different reasoning than your letter.

[howarmat]

That could be true also...look at how ATT and the Bridge fiasco is playing out

[OMGitworks]

That could be true also...look at how ATT and the Bridge fiasco is playing out

Yes unfortunately a recurring theme. Why RIM wasn't out in front of these issues which they could have easily anticipated is beyond me.