Flipboard, the company behind the popular like-named social magazine application for the iPad, plans to add TV shows, books and movie content, Reuters reported on Thursday. The company’s app has been downloaded more than 3 million times, and it offers articles from several popular magazines including Rolling Stone and National Geographic. Users can view articles alongside customized news and social network feeds, too. Flipboard CEO Mike McCue told Reuters that he hopes to add TV shows and movies by the end of the year but has not discussed who his company is teaming up with to deliver the content just yet. It is also still unclear when McCue will add books to the app. A version of the software for the iPhone and iPod touch will be launching in the coming weeks and we’re excited to see how it performs on the iPhone’s smaller screen.

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Amazon and CBS have reached a licensing deal in which CBS will provide Amazon Prime subscribers with access to its television shows.The deal will add 2,000 TV episodes from popular shows such as The Tudors, Medium, Frasier, Cheers, Numb3rs, and the full Star Trek franchise to the Amazon Prime library, which already has more than 8,000 movies and TV shows. Amazon expects the content to be available during this summer and it confirmed that its Instant Video customers will also have access to the library. Read on for the full press release.

CBS and Amazon Announce Digital Video Licensing Agreement

NEW YORK and SEATTLE, July 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS) and Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) today announced a non-exclusive licensing agreement that will enable Amazon customers to stream television shows from CBS’s vast library.  Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Amazon Prime customers will be able to instantly watch thousands of episodes from the CBS library at no additional cost to their membership.  With the deal, Amazon will add 2,000 episodes to grow the total number of Prime instant videos to more than 8,000 movies and television shows, and offer full seasons for 18 popular television series, including “The Tudors,” “Numb3rs,” “Medium,” the complete “Star Trek” franchise, “Frasier” and “Cheers.”  Starting this summer, dozens of CBS shows will also become available to Amazon Instant Video customers.

“Our new deal with CBS makes Amazon Prime even better for customers,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com CEO.  ”We’re excited to add thousands of popular CBS programs to our already great selection, all of which stream at no additional cost to Amazon Prime members.”

“Amazon has created one of the most popular consumer marketplaces in the world, and we are very pleased to make these titles available to their Instant Video and Prime customers,” said Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation.  ”This new agreement represents another meaningful way for us to realize incremental value for CBS’s content.”

Amazon Instant Video is a streaming video service that offers customers more than 90,000 movies and television shows available to purchase or rent, and with this CBS content included, will offer more than 6,000 movies and television shows included at no additional cost with an Amazon Prime membership.  Customers can instantly watch movies and television shows from Amazon on a Mac, PC or directly on television with any of the 300 compatible devices.

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.

During the Streaming Media East 2011 press event in New York City this morning, HBO’s co-president Eric Kessler said that the network’s HBO Go mobile application has been downloaded more than 1 million times in just one week. The app launched late last month for iOS and Android devices. HBO Go provides access — via Wi-Fi or 3G — to more than 1,400 titles including popular HBO shows such as True Blood, The Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Boardwalk Empire, and more. It’s available in the Android Market and iTunes App Store now if you’re looking for your fill of Larry David on the bus ride home today.

HBO has finally released their much-awaited HBO Go iOS app for iPhone and iPad devices. The app gives HBO subscribers free access to over 1,400 shows in addition to many sports event and full-length films. What’s great is that the app offers up all of HBO’s quality programming — True Blood, The Sopranos, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Boardwalk Empire, and more — and the app streams over 3G in addition to Wi-Fi. It’s available now in the App Store if you want to get your Nucky Thompson on.

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The NPD Group on Tuesday released market share data for digital video streaming in the U.S. Not surprisingly, Netflix continues to dominate the market with its Watch Instantly service. 61% of digital movies streamed in the U.S. are served by Netflix, and its closest competitor is Comcast, which sits at a distant second with 8%. Interestingly, Apple sits in a three-way tie for the No. 3 spot with just 4% of the market. Apple’s refreshed Apple TV was deemed by many to be a success last year, with sales having surpassed 1 million units this past December. Even when combined with iTunes movies streamed to computers, however, the Apple TV still hasn’t helped Apple make a dent in the digital video market. With new players like Amazon and Redbox entering the space and Netflix still going strong, Apple may have to be a bit more innovative if it hopes to make a dent in the market. Hit the break for the full press release.

Six Out Of 10 Digital Movies Are Streamed via Netflix

NPD’s VideoWatch Digital tracking service reveals that subscription streaming, digital movies purchased online, and Internet and cable video-on-demand (VOD) services are becoming a part of many Americans’ entertainment diets.

PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, March 15, 2011 – According to a recent review of the home video market in the U.S. by The NPD Group, a leading market research company, Netflix’s share of digital movie units — downloaded or streamed — reached 61 percent between January 2011 and February 2011, followed by Comcast at 8 percent, and a three-way tie for third at 4 percent among DirecTV, Time Warner Cable, and Apple. Based on information from NPD’s new VideoWatch Digital tracking service, digital video now makes up one quarter of all home video volume.

“Sales of DVDs and Blu-ray Discs still drive most home-video revenue, but VOD and other digital options are now beginning to make inroads with consumers,” said Russ Crupnick, entertainment industry analyst for NPD. “Overwhelmingly digital movie buyers do not believe physical discs are out of fashion, but their digital transactions were motivated by the immediate access and ease of acquisition provided by streaming and downloading digital video files.”

NPD also compared consumer-reported satisfaction with four modes of digital-video acquisition: electronic sell-through (EST), Internet VOD (iVOD), cable VOD, and subscription streaming. Consumers clearly recognize that EST services like iTunes have the most “current releases available,” while Netflix streaming gets credit from customers for providing the best “overall shopping experience” and “value for price paid.”

Data note: The information in this press release is from VideoWatch Digital, which is based on online surveys of U.S. consumers age 13 and older conducted between January and the third week of February 2011. The final reporting is based on 10,618 completed surveys.

Here’s another reason for Samsung Captivate owners to be aggravated after yesterday’s debacle — Android phone owners with Android 2.2 (Froyo) or later now have access to streaming content from Netflix, Hulu, ESPN 3, Fox, Comedy Central, Spike, CNN, PBS and more thanks to the arrival of PlayOn for Android. PlayOn, MediaMall Technologies’ premier product, allows Windows PC users to stream popular video content from their home computers to a TV, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Android device. Setup is incredibly simple and content can be streamed to Android devices over Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G. MediaMall offers a free two-week trial of PlayOn to new users and then charges $39.99 for the first year of service and $19.99 for each following year. Alternatively, a $79.99 lifetime subscription is available as well. The PlayOn app for Android is available immediately in the Android Market. Hit the jump for MediaMall Technologies’ full press release along with a video explaining how it all works.

Android Gets PlayOn Support and More Video Content Streaming Than Ever Before

Now Watch Hulu, Netflix, TBS, Oprah, Nickelodeon, ESPN3 and Many Others on your Android Device

Seattle – February 17, 2011 - After months of Beta testing, MediaMall Technologies, Inc. today announced that it has officially launched support for Android devices. The free software update and free PlayOn™ Mobile app for Android 2.2 and higher are now available to PlayOn Premium customers, enabling users to stream online video and personal media with Adobe Flash technology from a networked PC to Android mobile devices over 3G or Wi-Fi. PlayOn’s media library contains video content from providers including Hulu (ABC, NBC, Fox, etc.), Amazon VOD, Netflix IQ, TBS, CBS, PBS, the Oprah Winfrey Network, CNN, Comedy Central, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Nickelodeon, ESPN3, NFL Rewind, MLB, MTV, VH1, Syfy, Spike, TV.com, The Ultimate Fighter and others.

“We’re pleased to add Android to our ever-growing list of compatible devices for streaming online video content,” states Jeff Lawrence, CEO of MediaMall Technologies. “Our goal is to make it easy for everyone to affordably access online video content using the screen of their choice. With support for Xbox 360, PlayStation3, Wii, Google TV, Roku, iOS, and now Android, among a multitude of other DLNA-compliant devices, PlayOn offers the most affordable one-stop solution for accessing online video content on your living room TV and mobile device.”

Existing PlayOn Premium customers may download the PlayOn Mobile app for free from the Android Marketplace. Those new to PlayOn can try it out free for 14 days, after which PlayOn and its full library of content, including updates for new channels and supported devices, can be purchased for $39.99 for the first year and $19.99 for each year thereafter.

PlayOn Premium customers with Android 2.2+ need just to download the PlayOn Mobile app from the Android Marketplace and initially pair the device over the local Wi-Fi network with the PlayOn media server. The device may then be used to stream online video and personal media content over 3G or Wi-Fi anywhere in the world where you can get a signal. In addition to Android, PlayOn also currently features mobile support for iOS devices including the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

For a full list of content providers and supported hardware platforms, and to try PlayOn for free, please visit: http://www.PlayOn.tv.

What was once rumored is now a reality. Netflix has announced that beginning today the company will offer a new, streaming-only service option for $7.99 per month. The plan, which does not include any by-mail DVD rentals, allows users to stream available titles to their televisions, mobile devices, and computer screens. “Creating the best user experience that we can around watching instantly is how we’re spending the vast majority of our time and resources,” reads the press release.

The second, and less attractive bit of this story, is that the company also plans to increase monthly plan prices by anywhere from $1 to $8. Netflix did not offer any explanation for the increases, but did note that the price of its two most popular plans — one DVD and 2 DVDs — will only rise by $1. Hit the bounce to see how your Netflix plan will be affected.

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Bloomberg is reporting that Apple is in “advanced talks” with News Corp., CBS Corp., and Walt Disney Co. to allow iTunes users to rent their programming for 99-cents an episode. The report reads: “The content deals would give Apple users access to some of the most-watched shows on TV and increase the appeal of its devices [...] Added programming also would build on iTunes’ role as the biggest retailer of music and mobile applications, and help Apple ward off companies like Netflix Inc. and Amazon.com Inc., which offer their own online video services.” The move is being billed as “smart” by RBC Capital analyst David Bank, who states that rental service opens new opportunities without upsetting the “existing ecosystem.” The idea of a la carte TV does sound appealing… although we would miss live sports. What do you think? Could you replace your cable service with a per show type system, or would you miss surfing all 800 channels?

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It looks like Xboxers might not be the only gaming console owners who will be able enjoy Netflix streaming in the future, provided customers show interest that is. A new survey currently being conducted by Netflix asks users a variety of questions surrounding the idea of streaming Netflix content directly to their Wii consoles. The survey also questions what the requirement to purchase a $10 “Netflix Instant Streaming Disc” would do to Wii streaming desirability, leading us to believe Nintendo has absolutely no interest in making the service available any time soonvia a firmware update. $10 to stream to the Wii and avoid purchasing and setting up yet another hardware device? Count us in. Reports also suggest a similar survey covering PlayStation 3 is currently being circulated. What do you guys think — would you pay $10 to add Netflix streaming to your Wii or PS3?

Thanks, Jon Jon!

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