Hulu Plus is still at an early stage of life, having launched just two months ago. So what content, at this early stage, are subscribers actually getting for the $10-per-month asking price? Not that much, it would seem.

Hulu Plus

Hulu Plus, in case you’re wondering, is the premium, paid-for, subscription service newly offered by Hulu. We knew it was on its way months before any official details were revealed.

Hulu Plus finally launched at the end of June, with the $10-per-month service designed to sit happily alongside the free Hulu.com website.

Hulu Plus brings Hulu to a whole range of devices beyond the computer, with the PS3 and Xbox 360 games consoles, and the Apple iPad and iPhone early recipients.

However, as great as all this sounds, what do you actually get for your money? Research firm One Touch Intelligence decided to find out at this very early stage in the life of Hulu Plus.

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This really hasn’t been a good week for Hulu, although it has been a good week for those people who want to watch Hulu but aren’t able to do so either on the device of their choice or in the country they live in.

Hulu – Only In The U.S.

I’m sure if you, like me, live outside the borders of the United States, you’re well aware that Hulu is off-limits, restricted, not available.

It’s not that Hulu has anything against us, you understand, but the networks and channels which provide Hulu with its content don’t want us to be able to view programming we haven’t yet paid for in one way or another. Which is understandable, if not very, very annoying.

I’ve moaned about the issue of international rights licensing, arguing it’s something that needs to change in order to better fit in with the Web and its worldwide userbase. But nothing will get done all the while there is big money at stake.

Which means we have to find our own way or bypassing the system. For some it’s piracy, for others it’s using proxies or VPN services. But there is another way, which is genius, and which works. Amazingly.

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PlayOn has managed to bypass the Apple App Store completely using an HTML5-powered Web app. Which gives access to Hulu, Netflix, and other online video services through the iPhone, iPod Touch, and (with a workaround) the iPad.

Mobile Video Streaming

The world is going mobile, with smartphones, laptops, and tablets providing people with more methods of venturing online while out of the house than ever before. And the consumption of media, including video, is a big part of this trend.

Many streaming video companies are riding with this shift, offering viewers apps for their device of choice. But some, such as Hulu, are trying to profit from the move, by charging for the privilege.

However, there is now a way of bypassing this.

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Hulu’s viewing figures have dropped massively between May and June, at least according to ComScore. However, it’s more likely the huge drop is merely due to a change in how ComScore gathers its statistics.

Either way, it means Hulu’s traffic isn’t as impressive as it, we, and most importantly the advertisers, thought.

Hulu

Hulu had a great 2009, with viewing figures growing, enough to persuade Rupert Murdoch and his underlings to propose charging for the service. However, 2010 has brought mixed results.

The subscription service has indeed come to fruition. Hulu Plus will cost $9.99 a month, and bring classic shows and full seasons of new shows to the service. It will also bring Hulu to new devices, such as the PS3 and the iPad.

Traffic, however, appears to have flatlined, with the ComScore results for May 2010 showing new users hard to come by.

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Hulu Plus has arrived on the PS3. Unfortunately, it’s only a preview version of the service, it’s invitation-only, and it requires a subscription to Playstation Plus. In other words, it’s hard to get, it’s expensive, and it’s very limited.

Hulu Plus

Hulu Plus is the new premium service from Hulu. For $9.99 a month, subscribers gain access to Hulu on devices other than their computer, and the option of watching full seasons of new and classic shows.

Hulu Plus is currently in beta, with invited viewers giving feedback on how the service is working. But early reviews have been mainly positive.

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The first reviews of Hulu Plus are in, and they’re generally very positive about the service and the longterm potential of it. But persuading reviewers granted early access to like it is one thing, persuading paying customers to do the same is quite another.

Hulu Plus

After months (over a year in fact) of speculation, Hulu finally unveiled its plans for a subscription-based service. And there were very few surprises in the final announcement as we knew it all already.

Hulu Plus will cost $10-per-month, and buy access to: full seasons of current shows; back catalogs of classic shows; access to the service via televisions, games consoles, and mobile devices including the iPhone and iPad.

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Hulu Plus has had a mostly positive reception from industry watchers so far. But Hulu CEO Jason Kilar doesn’t want the hype to get too out of control, hence an interview in which he insists Hulu Plus isn’t going to radically change the world. At least not for a while.

Hulu Plus, Plus What?

Hulu Plus has been unveiled at last after almost a year of speculation and leaked tidbits of information.

What we’ve ended up with is a premium service costing $10-per-month which will offer two main advantages over the free Hulu: availability on televisions and mobile devices; full seasons of popular shows.

Worth $10? That remains to be seen.

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