App review: Hulu Plus

Category: Entertainment
Price: $9.99 per month
TiP Rating: 4/5 stars
Release Date: 6/29/2010
Version: 1.0
Languages: English
Seller: Hulu, LLC
Rated: Ages 12 and up
Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.2 or later.
Link to app

App Store Description: Stream thousands of episodes from hundreds of current and classic TV shows to your iPad, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, 3rd generation iPod Touch, computer, TV, and other devices with Hulu Plus.

Summary: Hulu Plus offers plenty of television shows and movies, with excellent streaming via both WiFi and 3G. But the subscription model leaves a lot to be desired, especially since it still dishes up advertisements despite the $10/month fee.

Review: Only a short time ago the television was my primary source for TV shows. I never dreamed that I’d watch more video content on the computer someday, let alone a mobile device. In 2007, Hulu changed the game by offering free and legal video content. Media consumption began changing, more shows popped up online and the PC became a portal for watching professional content. Now in 2010, Hulu has taken to the mobile platform with its first official app, Hulu Plus. So how well does it transform iOS devices into television? Let’s take a look.

There are two components of Hulu Plus: The subscription service and the app itself. Hulu Plus accounts were offered on a beta (or pre-release trial) basis, so I snagged one to check this out and offer a glimpse of what users can expect.

The application’s interface is designed for simplicity and elegance. Jumping from featured programming to popular videos, or searching for content, is easy from the integrated tabs. The “Featured” tab make it painless to discover new shows, and it can even filter full episodes or clips. “Search” spans both network or title, and if you know what you’re looking for, there’s also an alphabetized menu of all Hulu Plus content, for easy browsing. Oddly, Hulu put “Movies” in the secondary “More” menu. I expected some emphasis on a major component like this, but it may be because the selection of movies isn’t very vast. Of course, you can configure the tabs to your liking, but the default arrangement is unorthodox.

Hulu also allows for auto-saving, so if you watch something on the computer or iPad, you can resume where you left off on the iPhone. The service remembers where you are and continues playing without a hitch.

Videos look very clear, with no artifacts or pixelation, and they stream beautifully over Wifi and 3G. I’ve been particularly impressed by 3G streaming. Quality is slightly degraded over cellular data to accomplish fluid playback, but I found it more than watchable as I entertained myself during a slow period at work. Although other apps offer vid streaming, I think Hulu Plus does a great job at keeping videos buffered and enjoyable. I’ve watched a few hour-long shows over 3G this past week, and have yet to experience hiccups or stutters.

So in terms of usability and functionality, this works very well, but there is a downside: Unfortunately, Hulu Plus isn’t free. Although many users expected a no-cost mobile transition, Hulu insisted on charging a $9.99 subscription fee for this mobile access, which is no small chunk of change. And for the money, users get access to fewer shows than the full desktop version of Hulu. (The company hasn’t gotten mobile distribution rights yet for all the programs, although some TV shows do offer full season runs.)

This may be understandable, but what isn’t is the presence of advertising. That’s right: You pay a monthly fee and still get commercials. In a free service, it’s understandable, but frankly, I find it hard to justify paying for ads.  The only good news in regards to this is, if you own two iOS devices — like an iPad and an iPod Touch — at least the paid subscriptions cover both at no additional charge.

Speaking of the tablet, the experience here is different than the iPhone version. The iPad interface takes advantage of the screen real estate, as it has room to showcase more TV shows for you to enjoy. It’s much easier to view available content and find new content in this larger form factor, and of course, there’s also the viewing experience: A 9.7″ screen is much more enjoyable than a 3.5″ screen. (For more info, I did a comparison via video for my own channel, so check it out at the bottom.) When it comes to the iPad, I think more than a few users will wind up choosing between Hulu Plus and the Netflix app/subscription, rather than pay for both.

Clearly the worth of Hulu Plus comes down to economics, especially if the company sticks to its current scheme when it rolls out the consumer launch. If you are willing to bite the bullet and pay ten bucks a month plus commercials, you won’t be disappointed. There is still plenty of content to support an ongoing subscription. But if you can’t tolerate ads and a monthly fee, this application isn’t for you.

Botom line: If you plan on watching at least 10 shows per month, then I think Hulu Plus could be a solid solution. You will be hard pressed to find a more complete mobile video experience in the App Store — at least until that Netflix iPhone app finally debuts.

View full post on TodaysiPhone.com