Streaming News | Gadget Wisdom

A few choice tidbits for those of you following our continual coverage of streaming video.

Netflix will offer Streaming-Only Plans. The company still remains focused on providing a bundled offering, but expects that some viewers will find a stand-alone streaming service to be compelling, particularly as more compatible devices become prevalent. Netflix streaming is already a feature of the Roku Netflix player, the Xbox, and some LG Electronics products. No word as of now on price.
Cable provider Comcast is in talks with its content providers and with other cable and satellite companies to discuss putting their programming online. The service would allow subscribers to watch shows online for free as soon as possibly this summer. It is seen as a preemptive strike against the possible loss of customers who opt to watch content online. One major issue in agreeing to an online service is the low level of revenues generated by Internet advertising compared to TV revenue. Comcast’s goal is to authenticate subscribers who go to certain sites, creating a “wall” behind which content providers may feel more comfortable releasing their materials.
On a related post, a commenter pointed out that with internet metering and bandwidth caps coming into fashion, these companies might induce usage of their services over others by not counting streaming from them against the meter.

Either way, interesting developments seem to be on the way. Keep posted…