Starting today you’ll be able to enjoy the first 4 seasons of Mad Men streaming on Netflix.  We originally thought the show was arriving on April 27th, but it turns out we were wrong.  In fact we’re idiots, because we just didn’t read the original article correctly.  But no matter, because today has arrived and Don Draper and co are here to entertain you.

On another note, Netflix struck an International deal to bring CBS content to the popular streaming service in a variety of countries.  Earlier this month, Netflix announced that they’ll roll out their streaming service in a 43 countries including, but not limited to Mexico, South America and the Caribbean later this year.  Canadian subscribers, where the service most recently launched, will be able to enjoy this content this September.  The content will include the CW hit “90210,” as well as past seasons of critically lauded fan favorites from SHOWTIME such as “Californication,” “Dexter,” and “The United States of Tara.” Canadian members will also have access to a broad range of CBS library programming, including “Numb3rs,” “Sleeper Cell,” and “Twin Peaks.”

Netflix recently increased their pricing by as much as 60%.  It’s said that this additional revenue will help them expand into other countries as well as improve their library of streaming movies and tv shows.

CBS AND NETFLIX ANNOUNCE INTERNATIONAL LICENSING AGREEMENT FOR CANADIAN AND LATIN AMERICAN SUBSCRIBERS

NEW YORK and BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – July 27, 2011 – CBS Corporation [NYSE: CBS.A and CBS] and Netflix, Inc. [Nasdaq: NFLX] today announced a two-year, non-exclusive international licensing agreement that will enable certain television shows from across CBS Corporation to be streamed instantly to Netflix subscribers in Canada and Latin America. The agreement follows a separate domestic deal announced between the two companies in February. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Beginning in September, and for only $7.99 a month, Netflix members in Canada will be able to enjoy both the current and complete back seasons for CW hit “90210,” as well as past seasons of critically lauded fan favorites from SHOWTIME such as “Californication,” “Dexter,” and “The United States of Tara.” Canadian members will also have access to a broad range of CBS library programming, including “Numb3rs,” “Sleeper Cell,” and “Twin Peaks.”

Netflix announced in early July that it would be launching in 43 countries across Mexico, South America and the Caribbean later this year. Under this new deal with CBS, previous seasons of series, including “90210,” “Medium,” “Nurse Jackie,” “Californication” and “Dexter,” will be available for Latin American members to watch instantly, as will a broad range of library titles, including the original “Star Trek,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Charmed,” and “Twin Peaks.”

“We are pleased to be partners with Netflix as they rollout their superb service to new markets,” said Armando Nunez, President, CBS Studios International. “This new arrangement-which does not compete with U.S. ratings or SHOWTIME’s domestic subscriber base-underscores the popularity of CBS content around the world, and illustrates yet another meaningful way for us to realize incremental value from our vast library of content.”

“We are delighted to be expanding our successful relationship with CBS to our newer markets in Canada and Latin America,” said Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer of Netflix. “We aim to provide the widest possible range of great TV shows so our members can always find something compelling to watch wherever and whenever they want.”

About CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation is a mass media company with constituent parts that reach back to the beginnings of the broadcast industry, as well as newer businesses that operate on the leading edge of the media industry. The Company, through its many and varied operations, combines broad reach with well-positioned local businesses, all of which provide it with an extensive distribution network by which it serves audiences and advertisers in all 50 states and key international markets. It has operations in virtually every field of media and entertainment, including broadcast television (CBS and The CW – a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment), cable television (Showtime Networks, Smithsonian Networks and CBS College Sports Network), local television (CBS Television Stations), television production and syndication (CBS Television Studios, CBS Studios International and CBS Television Distribution), radio (CBS Radio), advertising on out-of-home media (CBS Outdoor), publishing (Simon & Schuster), interactive media (CBS Interactive), music (CBS Records), licensing and merchandising (CBS Consumer Products), video/DVD (CBS Home Entertainment), motion pictures (CBS Films) and sustainable media (EcoMedia). For more information, please visit www.cbscorporation.com.

About Netflix, Inc.
With more than 25 million members in the United States and Canada, Netflix, Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) is the world’s leading Internet subscription service for enjoying movies and TV shows. For $7.99 a month, Netflix members in the U.S. and Canada instantly watch unlimited TV episodes and movies streaming over the Internet to PCs, Macs and TVs. Among the large and expanding base of devices streaming from Netflix are the Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and Sony PS3 consoles; an array of Blu-ray disc players, Internet-connected TVs, home theater systems, digital video recorders and Internet video players; Apple’s iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, as well as Apple TV and Google TV. In all, more than 200 devices that stream from Netflix are available in the U.S. and a growing number are available in Canada.

Already got an Amazon Prime membership?  Good news, because Amazon will now let you stream over 5,000 movies and TV show at NO ADDITIONAL cost to your Amazon VOD compatible box or TV.  Yup, hard to believe, but Amazon isn’t charging customers an additional fee for their latest streaming service.  There are no ads and no catches.  It’s not 100% clear yet, but it would seem that Amazon is using the service as a value-add to attract customers to what we assume is their margin rich 2-day shipping program called Amazon Prime.

For those of you that receive the service for free, such as Moms and student, you’re out of luck.  The only way to receive Amazon’s Prime Video service is to pay the $79 annual fee, which from where we stand seems like a steal of a deal.  However, you can start a free trial today and you’ll be able to test the waters for a month until you’ll have to pay or split from the service.

What movies and TV shows are they offering you ask?  Here is a small sampling:

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” trilogy, “Amadeus,” “Syriana,” and “Chariots of Fire,” noted documentaries such as “Food Inc.,” “March of the Penguins” and “Ken Burns’ National Parks,” plus TV shows, such as “Doctor Who,” “Farscape,” “Fawlty Towers” and children’s shows, such as “Arthur,” “Caillou,” “Super Why!” and “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.”

In terms of Netflix, which is the Goliath in the space, the total selection of videos available is just 1/3 of what they offer.  However, Netflix charges $7.99 a month, which equates to a few dollars shy of $100 a year, doesn’t include free shipping on millions of products and doesn’t factor in tax, that is assuming you live in an area they can implement Nexus.  For now we’re gonna stick with Netflix since it’s probably safe to assume that the libraries are fairly over lapping.  Nonetheless it should be interesting to see how Amazon Prime Video’s library matures.

Amazon Prime Members Now Get Unlimited, Commercial-free, Instant Streaming of More Than 5,000 Movies and TV Shows at No Additional Cost
Amazon Adds Instant Videos to Amazon Prime

SEATTLE– Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) today announced the launch of a new benefit for Amazon Prime members: unlimited, commercial-free, instant streaming of more than 5,000 movies and TV shows. This new benefit is being added at no additional cost – Prime membership will continue to be $79 per year. Amazon Prime’s all-you-can-eat free Two-Day Shipping has already attracted millions of members. Customers can learn more about an Amazon Prime one-month free trial and start watching instantly at www.amazon.com/primevideos.

“Adding unlimited instant access to thousands of movies and TV shows at no additional cost is a great way to give members even more value for their $79 annual Amazon Prime membership.”

“Millions of Amazon Prime members already enjoy the convenience of free Two-Day Shipping,” said Robbie Schwietzer, vice president of Amazon Prime. “Adding unlimited instant access to thousands of movies and TV shows at no additional cost is a great way to give members even more value for their $79 annual Amazon Prime membership.”

Movies and TV shows included with an Amazon Prime membership can be watched instantly on Macs, PCs and nearly 200 models of Internet-connected TVs, Blu-ray players and set-top boxes that are compatible with Amazon Instant Video. The selection of videos available for instant streaming currently includes movies, such as “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” trilogy, “Amadeus,” “Syriana,” and “Chariots of Fire,” noted documentaries such as “Food Inc.,” “March of the Penguins” and “Ken Burns’ National Parks,” plus TV shows, such as “Doctor Who,” “Farscape,” “Fawlty Towers” and children’s shows, such as “Arthur,” “Caillou,” “Super Why!” and “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.”

Amazon Prime is a membership program that offers customers unlimited free Two-Day Shipping with no minimum purchase requirement for only $79 a year. Millions of items are eligible, including books, home and garden products, electronics, video games, clothing, accessories and beauty products. With the introduction of Prime instant videos, free trial and paid Amazon Prime members in the U.S. now also have unlimited instant access to more than 5,000 videos.

Amazon Instant Video is a digital video service that offers customers more than 90,000 commercial-free movies and television shows to buy or rent on an a la carte basis. New-release movies are often available as soon as they are released on DVD, and many TV shows are available the day after their first broadcast. Amazon Instant Video also offers thousands of movies and TV shows in high definition. With Amazon Instant Video, customers can watch instantly on Macs, PCs, and nearly 200 Internet connected TVs, Blu-ray players, and set-top boxes. To learn more about Amazon Instant Video on your TV, visit www.amazon.com/watchontv.

“In addition to now offering unlimited, commercial-free, instant streaming of 5,000 movies and TV shows to Amazon Prime members, we continue to offer all customers more than 90,000 movies and TV shows through Amazon Instant Video,” said Cameron Janes, director of Amazon Instant Video. “With Amazon Instant Video customers can rent or purchase hit movies, such as ‘The Social Network’ as well as purchase the latest TV shows available the day-after they broadcast.”
Customers who receive Prime shipping benefits through our Amazon Student and Amazon Mom programs can upgrade to receive paid Prime benefits for just $79 a year.

For more information on Amazon Prime and Prime instant videos and to start an Amazon Prime free trial, visit www.amazon.com/primevideos.
For more information on Amazon Instant Video, visit www.amazon.com/instantvideo.

Panasonic officially announced the world’s first portable Blu-ray player today.  Called the DMP-B15, it’s a full fledge Blu-ray disc player with all the bells and whistle founds on its larger counterparts.  Features at a glance include an 8.9-inch WSVGA LCD, 2.5-hour rechargeable battery, BD-live functionality, VIERA CAST Internet accessibility and an SD card slot.  The B15 is designed to operate as a stand alone player or can be plugged into an HDTV via an HDMI port for an at home movie experience.  The built-in LAN port provides an Internet connection and allows access to VIERA CAST’s select set of websites, which includes: YouTube, Google Picasa Web Album, Bloomberg, and a weather channel.  Amazon VOD will become available sometime in June.  The B15 will ship later this month and cost $799.95.

Full release after the ‘leap’

PANASONIC ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY AND PRICING FOR DMP-B15, THE WORLD’S FIRST AND ONLY PORTABLE
BLU-RAY DISC PLAYER

BD Live and VIERA CAST™ Internet Accessibility Featured On Innovative Blu-ray Player

SECAUCUS, NJ (June 1, 2009) – Panasonic, a major developer and contributor to the success of the Blu-ray Disc format, announced the availability and pricing for the world’s first portable Blu-ray player, the Panasonic DMP-B15. Designed to provide the ultimate High Definition Blu-ray experience for those on the go, the B15 features a high quality 8.9-inch WSVGA LCD screen and includes Panasonic’s VIERA CAST™ Internet accessibility and BD Live functionality, as well as a SD Memory Card slot. The B15 will be available in June and will have an SRP of $799.95.

The DMP-B15 includes all the technology found in its stand-alone counterparts, the DMP-BD60, DMP-BD80 and the VHS-Blu-ray dual player DMP-BD70V. Image quality is of the highest level, thanks to PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus technology, developed in collaboration with Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory.

The PHL Reference Chroma Processor Plus is a high quality image-processing technology that precisely processes each pixel of the Blu-ray Disc™ video signal in the vertical direction. It reproduces color data with twice the accuracy of conventional systems, resulting in faithful and sharp colors.

“As a pioneer in the development of DVD and Blu-ray expertise, Panasonic has always been at the forefront in developing cutting-edge, consumer friendly technology. Panasonic was the first company to bring to market a portable DVD player and stand- alone Blu-ray players to feature Bonus View and BD Live; and with the B15 we continue that tradition of being first to market with unique technology,” said Richard Simone, Director, Entertainment Group, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “The B15 is a unique and versatile High Definition player that gives the consumer the ultimate entertainment experience, whether traveling or in the home as either an additional Blu-ray player or the primary source for 1080p viewing. Because it also features the VIERA CAST functionality, the B15 can transform any TV into an IPTV with the capability to access select web sites.  At a time when many families own multiple TVs, the B15 provides a number of entertainment options, giving them the ability to enjoy HD video in any room where there is an HDTV.”

Like Panasonic’s three stand-alone Blu-ray players, the DMP-B15 includes VIERA CAST functionality. This distinctive application gives the consumer access to select Web sites, including Amazon Video-on-Demand, a streaming video service that gives the consumer access to more than 40,000 titles; YouTube™; Google Picasa Web Album™; Bloomberg and a weather channel. The Amazon VOD will be available in late June. VIERA CAST does not require an external set-top box, nor is there a fee for the service. And, as additional web sites are added to the service, they will automatically appear. Viera CAST and BD-Live features require an Internet connection via the LAN port.

Ease of use is an important element in Panasonic’s products and the DMP-B15, with a 2.5 hour rechargeable battery, is designed with that in mind. In addition to its use as a portable player, the consumer can connect it to an HDTV via HDMI cable, and use it as a stand-alone Blu-ray Disc player. The player can also be connected to an HD-Audio compatible AV receiver with a home theater speaker system, enabling the consumer to enjoy movies with outstanding surround sound. To accommodate the traveler, the DMP-B15 offers an optional headrest mounting bracket for in-car use.  Like all Panasonic Blu-ray players, the B15 features an SD Memory Card slot that allows the consumer to view and share digital photos, as well as HD video recorded on a SD card.

The streaming set top box battle is most certainly heating up.  Yesterday, Netflix announced that the Roku box is now compatible with Amazon’s Video on Demand service.  Today, Zillion TV unveiled its set top box that provides streaming, on demand content in exchange for watching ads.  But not just any ads.  In fact, you select the ads you want to see.  Don’t want ads?  Then just drop some cash.  I’ll go with ads, though.

Zillion TV has agreements in place with not only content creators (Disney, Universal, etc), but with ISPs, such as Comcast and Timewarner.  Smart, because one of the inherent challenges that Netflix and those of the streaming type are sure to face is opposition from the ISPs who will cap and ultimately control how much bandwidth a subscriber receives, hence the whole Net Neutrality battle that has been going down.

So what is exactly Zillion TV?  They’re essentially a VOD TV service.  That means instead of tuning into 30 Rock (one of my favorite shows and big props to Lemon) you ‘demand it’.  Simple, clean and easy.  As mentioned, you’ll have to watch a preroll ad, or something to that affect, in exchange for the content.  Sure, advertisers won’t get to hit you with ads every 7 minutes, but since you’ll select the ads types that you want to see they’ll be much more targeted and even better, at least for the ad companies, guaranteed to play – they’ll also be able to glean your watching habits into their ad targeting.  Of note, the ISPs are now facilitating ‘ad skipping’ thanks to the millions of DVR boxes that have flooded the market so it only seems right politically savvy to offer a solution to the ‘fast forward’ button.

As for the technology behind the Zillion TV, you’re guess is good as mine.  But, one very notable accessory included with the device is a motion sensing remote courtesy of Hillcrest Labs.

Currently, the Zillion TV VOD service (I think I’m coining it ‘TOD’ from here on out) boasts over 15,000 titles, which includes both movies and TV shows.

If you’d like to be notified of when the service is in your area just hit their site and sign up.  I’ve got mixed feelings about the whole thing since signing onto this type of service might negate Netflix streaming.  Then again, Netflix doesn’t offer live TV shows, so the Zillion TV service very well could be complimentary, assuming you exclude movies from the equation.

[ZillionTV via Newteevee]

A new Video on Demand service will be coming to the Wii console sometime in 2009, so says the folks at Nintendo. Both of the competing consoles, the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, have similar services but the Wii has the potential to trump them all with their staggering online statistic: 40% of the 35 million Wiis sold are connected to the internet. Let me emphasize, that’s 14 million potential subscribers to the online service, enough to power-up Superstar Mario into the intergalactic stratosphere of digital nirvana.

Along with this commitment, Nintendo needs to seriously address the storage situation. A measly 2GB SD card will simply not be enough to make it a viable media center. Let’s hope Nintendo addresses this issue and comes up with an elegant, intuitive, and efficient service.

Announcement in a nutshell according to Wired.com:

• Nintendo will partner with Japanese advertising giant Dentsu to create the service, which will offer videos through the Internet.
• Nintendo will start offering VOD in Japan in 2009 during a trial period at first, then it will expand to other countries.
• VOD options means it’s highly likely that a large storage accessory will be announced soon. Currently, the Wii offers 512 MB of internal flash memory storage, plus up to 2 GB-4 GB in an external SD card. That’s fine if you want to order up a few 23-minute TV shows, but something much larger will be needed for movies.
• The two companies will develop original programming for the Wii, which will be made available through the net. The company is considering developing videos for free but some (or many?) will be available for an as-yet-undisclosed fee.

[Wired.com]