streaming video

Walmart announced today its streaming media service, VUDU. The company bought VUDU in 2010 and has finally integrated the HD digital media rental company into the Walmart website.

The service is accessible through the VUDU page on Walmart's website or from VUDU-enabled devices like certain HDTVs, Blu-ray players, or PlayStation 3. Customers do not sign up for a subscription, but rather pay per film viewing. Rentals begin at $3, with new releases starting at $4 and higher for HD-quality streams; many movies can be purchased for unlimited viewing for $15.

With companies like Walmart racing to produce popular streaming video service, customers have a wide range of products and pricing plans to choose from, including the following:

• Netflix — With access via gaming consoles, TVs, iPhones, and Android smartphones in addition to computers, the popular classic doesn't look to be going anywhere despite the competition and controversial new pricing structure.
• Hulu Plus — The $8 monthly subscription fee for Hulu Plus allows access to the most current episodes of TV shows and has an even larger catalog of movies available than its free Hulu counterpart. Available via iOS, Android, select gaming consoles, Samsung TVs and computer systems.
• Blockbuster Total Access — Pricing models give customers the option to rent DVDs for home delivery with a subscription plan for $10 or $15, choose to rent DVD without subscriptions, or stream films online on demand.

For those who love the freedom of choice, check out more streaming options after the break.

Attention Netflix users: your movie addiction may be getting a bit more expensive.

Earlier today, Netflix announced a price increase to its DVD/streaming combo plans, essentially separating them into two different plans altogether. Netflix says that it has to raise prices in order to stay competitive in the market, but mostly because the company didn't realize there was still such a high demand for DVDs. But since not all titles are available for streaming, it makes sense that movie watchers would still need to send out for a disc every once in a while. The changes will affect current Netflix members beginning Sept. 1, while the new pricing structure will be available for new members immediately. Check out the pricing and plan breakdowns below.

• Unlimited streaming — $7.99
• Unlimited DVD, one DVD out at a time — $7.99
• Unlimited DVD, two DVDs out at a time — $11.99
• Unlimited streaming and DVD, one DVD out at a time — $15.98

What do you think of the new Netflix plans?

Being on a budget may be a way of life these days, but cutting back on expenses doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your health goals. If a gym membership isn't in the cards, the good news is you can still get a great workout in your own home. Don't think it's possible? Check out these five ways you can leave the gym behind, raise your heart rate, and stream it all on your home network.

• Netflix — More than endless movie and TV possibilities, Netflix also has a great selection of workout videos to choose from. Stream them at home, or add them to your queue, and keep them for as long as you want. For $9 a month for unlimited access, I'd say that's a steal.
• OnDemand — Ever look at your cable provider's OnDemand section? Besides new pay-per-view movies, you can get a great workout with ExerciseTV, under the Sports & Fitness category, which offers classes like yoga, kickboxing, and cardio workouts to blast fat.

See the rest after the break.

Between Netflix, Amazon, and now Facebook, there are plenty of options for streaming movies over an Internet connection. Now, a just-launched start-up adds a twist to the bunch. Fandor is a subscription-based video service stocked with 2,500 nonmainstream films.

Unlike its competition, Fandor isn't aiming to compete with the giants like Netflix and Amazon. Instead it hopes to supplement those services with access to a curated list of independent titles for a $10 monthly subscription fee. And according to Fandor, its licensing system nets filmmakers some money, an especially important feature when you consider that many of these films may otherwise go relatively unseen. Filmmakers are paid based on the number of minutes a viewer spent watching a film.

Rumors of an Amazon video subscription service have been circulating for some time, and its recent purchase of a UK-based streaming service has laid framework for the Internet giant to compete with Netflix. Now one user screenshot suggests that Amazon may be planning an unlimited video streaming service for Prime members.

According to the screenshot, the service includes "unlimited, commercial-free, instant streaming of 5,000 movies and TV shows." And if the rumor is true, it could mean a huge money saver for Prime subscribers — the yearly $79 Amazon Prime membership is already cheaper than a year of unlimited Netflix streaming (around $96 for one year). For those already taking advantage of Amazon Prime's services, such functionality could equal big savings.

There's no word from Amazon on when (or if) subscribers will be seeing this service, or if the company plans to charge more for an instant streaming service in the near future.

Big news for streaming Netflix fans — the company just signed a multiyear deal to bring you more options to your streaming Netflix queue from Paramount, Lionsgate, and MGM.

In partnership with EPIX (a pay TV company that holds the rights to new films), beginning on Sept. 1, Netflix will get streaming rights to movies from these three film houses 90 days after they're released to subscription TV services. So when Killers hits On-Demand, you'll only have to wait 90 days to stream it to your Wii, PS3, or Xbox 360 via Netflix. Or, you know, insert movie title here.

It was a big deal when Netflix announced that you would be able to stream your instant queue over your PS3 (and Xbox, and Wii, and iPad, and soon your iPhone), and soon you'll be able to check out your movies without popping in that Netflix disc. During its quarterly earnings call yesterday, Netflix announced that it would be launching dedicated software for the PS3 in the next few months. What does this mean for you? Well, you won't have to hunt down that red DVD anymore, and your instant queue, streaming options, and any Netflix enhancements will update automatically right in your console.

But that's not all the Netflix news. Find out what else it's announced after the jump.

• The best tools for streaming media to your gadgets — Lifehacker
• Chrome ditches the http:// — Mashable
• Five rules for office feng shui — Unplggd
• The first person to tweet underwater — Switched
• Check out this futuristic solar- and wind-powered monorail — Dvice
• 101 "Bad Romance" covers, all in one video — Urlesque
• A whole blog dedicated to the worst sci-fi covers — io9

Using Netflix's Instant Watch? Then you may be as frustrated as I am trying to find movies and shows to add. I do a little dance if I already have a movie in mind, and when I go to add it to my queue, the little red "Add" button (meaning it can be added to the instant queue) is there.

Otherwise, not only is it arduous to peruse Netflix's website for instant flicks, but all the content isn't even in one place.

I had another reason to do my little dance when I found InstantWatcher. Straightforward and unfancy, Instant Watcher keeps a constant and complete list of everything available to watch instantly from Netflix. As a bonus, you can even add movies to your queue from the site if you're logged in to your account in your browser. Bookmark it now, I tell you.