This morning, MediaMall Technologies announced a free update to PlayOne Premium which allows users to stream content via Safari. This update allows streaming from PlayOn’s full library using 3G or Wi-Fo connection. This library includes Hulu, NetFlix, YouTube, Comedy Central, Amazon VOD, CBS, ESPN and others.

Existing subscribers will be able to download the update and immediately start streaming content while new users will have a 14 day free trial.  After the trial period, new users will be charged $39.99 for the first year and then $19.99 for each year after. PlayOne Basic subscribers will be required to upgrade to Premium prior to using the new service.

“PlayOn has established itself as the easiest way to consume online video on your home television screen in an affordable way, and now we’re ready to bring that same level of access to consumers on the go,” said Jeff Lawrence, CEO of MediaMall Technologies. “With this new update for iPhone and iPod touch, we are happy to offer a significant amount of additional value for PlayOn Premium customers.”

To try PlayOne using the 14 day free trial, check out www.PlayOne.tv.

Hulu’s Plus service, which streams high-definition content to your computer, iPhone/iPod Touch, and PS3, is on the way.

However, a few rumors have swirled regarding the service and the possibility that it requires PlayStation’s recently-launched “PlayStation Plus” service.

Well, it’s true. And it’s also not true.

Starting today, a small number of PlayStation Plus account holders will be able to access Hulu Plus. However, later this year, after the Hulu Plus preview is over, all PlayStation 3 users will be able to access the service.

So, there’s one rumor struck down.

And now, it looks like they’re trying to give Netflix a run for its money. Not only will Hulu Plus be available as an app to the latest range of iDevices (iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad, 3rd generation iPod Touch), but to app-enabled televisions and Blu-Ray players, as well.

One more Blu-Ray player is being added to the list soon, and it’s one that a lot of us have in our homes – the PlayStation 3.

The post outlining the new service only mentioned that they were working on it, but the PS3 is the only console mentioned, so who knows if the service is coming to the Xbox 360 (even though a ton of people reported the possibility, you’d think that the official Hulu blog would mention another console version on the way if it was coming).

Some features include being able to pick up where you left off on individual shows (start watching in the living room, and switch to your iPad before bed, for instance) as well as a 720p high-definition stream that you can watch on Wi-Fi or 3G (if your device has the latter – the PS3 won’t, obviously).

Hulu is handing out several invitations to the service. You can sign up at the official website here, or follow Hulu on Twitter or Facebook to request access that way.

Watch the intro video here:

Are you excited about this, or planning to give up your Netflix subscription? Holding out until a 360 version? Talk about it in the comments.

The top three categories that more people said they’d pay for wound up being Theatrical Movies, Music and Games. Not surprising with services like Netflix, iTunes and online games and networks like Steam. Netflix lets you rent and stream movies online or through your Xbox or PS3 and has made many people turn away from the more traditional storefront for renting movies. Apple’s iTunes revolutionized the way people got their music and the way they developed the pricing is probably one of the big reasons. I like being able to have the choice to buy only a couple of songs from an album for around $.99 a pop instead of buying the full album for $15+ retail. And gamers have a vast array of games to choose from, whether it’s fans of World of Warcraft, Steam, or even the casual gaming sites like Pogo.com.

I’m definitely not surprised that more people would be adverse to paying for things like news, radio, blogs or podcasts online. There are just too many ways to reproduce them and distribute for free. Not to mention we’ve become used to being able to download podcasts for free, and with sites like YouTube and Hulu we can watch short clips and TV shows online. Sites like Digg.com and even certain Twitter news feeds can bring us the latest in news and even offbeat topics and trends.

At the same time, companies need to be able to make money for their content somehow, and newspaper and magazine sites seem to be two of the ones I’ve seen struggling with business models for this. Some have tried micropayments for certain content and others are trying subscriptions. From the study, Nielsen determined that online content would have to meet certain requirements for consumers to consider paying for it, and this is a good breakdown of the findings:

• Better than three out of every four survey participants (78%) believe if they already subscribe to a newspaper, magazine, radio or television service they should be able to use its online content for free.
• At the same time, 71% of global consumers say online content of any kind will have to be considerably better than what is currently free before they will pay for it.
• Nearly eight out of every ten (79%) would no longer use a web site that charges them, presuming they can find the same information at no cost.
• As a group, they are ambivalent about whether the quality of online content would suffer if companies could not charge for it—34% think so while 30% do not; and the remaining 36% have no firm opinion.
• But they are far more united (62%) in their conviction that once they purchase content, it should be theirs to copy or share with whomever they want.

Again nothing too surprising to me as this is what I’ve heard from friends and collegues recently. It will be interesting to see what companies come up with in the future and what business models will work.

Via Nielsen.com

Most of us have played the games, but have you watched the Legend of Zelda animated series? I’ve never even heard of the series but it originally aired between September and December of 1989. Yes, it was that good that it lasted four months.

Now you can see it yourself as all 13 parts are now available online at Hulu.

Here is the description from the Hulu site:

The Legend Of Zelda is an animated fantasy-adventure based on the celebrated Nintendo videogame. Its two main stars are Link, a fifteen-year-old adventurer, and Zelda, a princess of the same age, who fight with monsters, ghosts, icky creatures and each other as they try to save the kingdom of Hyrule.

PlayOn is a service that brings high-quality and free movies, tv shows and video from the internet to your television. It can do that through networked Wii, Xbox 360 or Playstation 3. The software runs on a Windows PC system and can run across a wireless network. Today the system is being honored by Popular Science with the “Best of What’s New Award”.

“For 22 years, Popular Science has honored the innovations that surprise and amaze us – those that make a positive impact on our world today and challenge our views of what’s possible in the future,” said Mark Jannot, Editor-in-Chief of Popular Science. “The Best of What’s New Award is the magazine’s top honor, and the 100 winners – chosen from among thousands of entrants – represent the highest level of achievement in their fields.”

“PlayOn makes it simple and affordable to enjoy a virtually endless number of movies, TV shows and other content on-demand from the Internet on your TV,” said Jeff Lawrence, CEO of MediaMall Technologies. “PlayOn’s new My Media feature, which is in beta, enables you to also enjoy personal photos, music and videos from your PC on your TV.”

PlayOn users can watch content from Hulu, YouTube, Netflix,CBS, ESPN, and Amazon VOD. The site has a free 14 day trial of the software which you can get at Playon.tv. The software retails for $39.99.

Enjoy Hulu for free while you can because according to an article on EW, News Corp Deputy Chairman Chase Carey spoke at an industry event and stated that Hulu will not be free starting in 2010.

Carey told reporters that a subscription model is likely, although some content may continue to be free of charge.

“I think a free model is a very difficult way to capture the value of our content. I think what we need to do is deliver that content to consumers in a way where they will appreciate the value,” he said.

Every company has to make money, but what do you think about the change for Hulu? Do you use it enough to consider subscribing?

The conclusion to the series will start showing on the 3rd of October on ShonenSunday.com/anime and Hulu.com (with subtitles), only hours after it has been shown to Japanese audiences! And every Saturday after that will bring you a new episode, so now you’ll have something else to do on Saturday nights huh?

For those unfamiliar with INUYASHA, you should know that it is an anime series based on a popular manga series by Rumiko Takahashi (creator of the popular series Ranma ½) and features the doglike half-demon InuYasha and the high school girl Kagome who is essentially master to InuYasha. For more concise information, be sure to visit ShonenSunday.com.

Ken Sasaki, Vice President Strategy & Business Development, VIZ Media:

“INUYASHA is one of the longest running anime series in North America and we’re very proud to present the final episodes of this epic adventure to fans in the U.S. mere hours after episodes air in Japan,” says Ken. “Rumiko Takahashi created a classic with INUYASHA, and ShonenSunday.com/anime will be THE online destination where INUYASHA fans can watch all 167 previously available episodes, as well as follow the newest episodes from INUYASHA THE FINAL ACT!”

To catch “INUYASHA: The Final Act” make sure to drop by ShonenSunday.com/anime or Hulu.com on October 3rd. And remember that it’s rated “T” for Teens!

Also as an added reminder, you can check out Rumiko Takahashi’s new manga “RIN-NE” or her other INUYASHA offerings at ShonenSunday.com or try www.viz.com instead!

This time Ichigo Kurosaki must discover what has happened to the Ouin and Toshiro Hitsugaya when they both go missing. Suspected of treason, Hitsugaya’s life has been put at risk when the Soul Society wants Ichigo to capture and execute him. Determined to prove Hitsugaya is not to blame for the Ouin’s disappearance, Ichigo sets out on his search for them both. Can he save them and the Soul Society as well?

Brian Ige, VIZ Media Director of Sales, Home Entertainment:
“BLEACH THE MOVIE 2: The DiamondDust Rebellion is the next exciting feature film in the ongoing BLEACH saga and the new DVD release also includes lots of great extras such as the original Japanese production extras and trailers, a production art gallery, a Japanese movie booklet and both English and Japanese audio,” says Brian. “We know many fans have eagerly awaited this release and the action and drama reach new heights as Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki risks his life to uncover the truth behind the mysterious disappearance of Toshiro Hitsugaya. For fans of the popular BLEACH manga and anime series, this is definitely an adventure not to be missed.”

If you would like more information, please visit VIZ’s official Bleach site at http://www.bleach.viz.com/ or VIZ’s own site http://www.viz.com/. You can also catch episodes of Bleach on SONY PlayStation VIZ Media channel, Amazon Unbox, XBOX Live, iTunes, and hulu.com. “BLEACH THE MOVIE 2: The DiamondDust Rebellion” is rated ‘T’ for Teens, and can be expected to cost around $29.92 US or $49.99 CAN.

Image: (C) Tite Kubo/Shueisha, TV TOKYO, dentsu, Pierrot (C) BMP 2007

The long running and extremely popular series about a girl who can travel between worlds via the well in her yard and the demon she frees from a cursed arrow, INUYASHA, joins the broadcasting internet phenomenon today. INUYASHA is by far the most well-known of Rumiko Takahashi’s works. Based on the 56 volume manga that ran from November 1996 until June of 2008, the 167 episode anime will begin its Hulu streaming today with the first 32 episodes available. Each week more episodes will be added to the online catalogue.

Also coming to Hulu this week are NANA, two girls who share the same name but come from completely different worlds, and Honey & Clover, a romantic comedy involving an art group and the girl who enters their world and complicates it. Both of these anime series are based on manga series and have become successful franchises.

The first 11 episodes of NANA and the first 12 episodes of Honey & Clover are launching on Hulu today with more to come in the following weeks.

Images copyright Viz Media.