Netflix’s streaming video application for the iPhone allows users to access their streaming instant queue from anywhere and works surprisingly well whether the user is connected via Wi-Fi or AT&T’s 3G network. The same application was recently announced for Windows 7 Phones, and according to a post on the Netflix blog, it will also launch on Android devices early next year.

The hold up according to Netflix? DRM. The delay was due to “the lack of a generic and complete platform security and content protection mechanism available for Android.” “The same security issues that have led to piracy concerns on the Android platform have made it difficult for us to secure a common Digital Rights Management (DRM) system on these devices,” says the company.

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Apple today unveiled their new Apple TV device, which as rumors had suggested costs $99, tops out playback at 720p and is focused on renting TV episodes for a dollar or new films for five dollars.

There’s no hard drive in this incarnation, with everything streamed via either 802.11n Wi-Fi or Ethernet connectivity. The unit also comes with Netflix streaming service embedded. As rumors also suggested, broadcasters are still afraid of cannibalizing their traditional TV cash cow, so Apple scrapped a more interesting subscription-based TV service for this fairly standard rental model, which only features content from ABC and Fox.

Great price, great option if you were looking for one that has no internal storage is basically a “rent only” device; however it is not for me.

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It has been interesting watching Blockbuster video adapt to the broadband age, with the company seemingly not trying very hard, either out of fear of cannibalizing their brick and mortar revenue, or just a general fear of losing control. Early efforts to mirror Netflix’s success at broadband video delivery have seemed relatively lackluster, and the company’s CEO, when announcing such broadband initiatives, seems to almost expect them to fail.

Rumors of an impending bankruptcy have been around for a while, but a Blockbuster filing is now expected in September.

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Last May leaks emerged that Apple was starting to get serious about their next incarnation of Apple TV which is expected to be a much smaller, simpler broadband-connected device that will cost somewhere around a hundred bucks. Subsequent leaks indicated that the service will be co-launched with a rental service providing TV shows for 99 cents down from the $1.99 Apple charges now for standard-definition programs and the $2.99 it charges for high-definition programs.

Now Engadget has a little more detail, and says the unit won’t be capable of anything higher than 720p. Oh and Apple’s also going to change the name of the unit (which will of course be tied tightly to iTunes and have an app store) from Apple TV to iTV.

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Blogger Dave Zatz directs our attention to the fact that Comcast and Blockbuster have teamed up for a venture called DVDs By Mail, which does exactly what its name suggests.

From the looks of things, this appears to be little more than a marketing effort created by Blockbuster aimed at temping Comcast’s 47.7 million customers with slightly reduced rates. The deal certainly falls in line with Blockbuster’s MO: here you have a company that’s teetering on bankruptcy in large part because they’ve failed to adapt to the broadband age, partnering with the nation’s biggest and fastest broadband ISP to use the U.S. Postal Service to deliver movies.

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Last year it was noted how Netflix was planning to offer stand-alone broadband video streaming in certain unspecified countries, as long as you’re not spelled with the letters U, S and A where Netflix oddly claims there “isn’t a demand” for this kind of service. The mystery country Netflix mentioned last year appears to be Canada where Netflix is launching their broadband streaming service without tying it to DVD rentals (in fact they’re not offering DVD rentals at all). Netflix says the service officially launches this fall:

In addition to representing its inaugural international market, Canada will also mark the first streaming-only service promoted by Netflix. At the time of launch, the Netflix Canadian service will be available in English only, but the company said it expects to add French language capability over time. Canadians interested in Netflix can go to www.netflix.ca and sign up to receive an email from the company when the service launches in Canada this fall.

The press covering this announcement seem to have forgotten Canadian broadband users face some of the most restrictive cap and overage penalties anywhere, with companies like Cogeco and Rogers charging up to $5 per extra gigabyte of usage, despite paying pennies for bandwidth, plummeting hardware costs, and being perfectly profitable under the flat-rate model.

Heavy Netflix HD streaming potentially eats bandwidth like popcorn shrimp, so you can do your own math.

Of course the result will be more timid usage of the new service as an alternative to cable and greater revenues for cable and phone companies… which is exactly why low caps and high overages are imposed in the first place.

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Netflix recently struck deals with several major Hollywood studios, agreeing to delay new DVD release availability to Netflix subscribers by 30 days in exchange for expanded access to streaming film titles. Now Netflix appears to have struck a deal with independent film producer Relativity Media that will allow them to enter a pay TV window traditionally dominated by HBO, Showtime and Starz. Under the terms of the deal, Netflix gets exclusive rights to distribute Relativity content (of which there isn’t much) instead of premium cable channels. While the companies call it “groundbreaking,” it’s a small win and seems to contribute to growing confusion by consumers as to how, when and where you’ll be able to get films.

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AVerMedia has shown off its Video Capture USB at CeBIT 2010, which allows users to watch and record digital TV on PC.

It can convert piles of video tapes and turn recordings in diverse analog devices into a comprehensive DVD format without a loss of quality. Plus, real-time Apple iPod and Sony PSP format recording allows you to take your favorite shows on-the-go. This USB device is Windows 7 certified. It can run on both AVerTV 6 and Window Media Center with superb reception ability even while commuting.

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Loewe AG, Germany, announced of the release of the Mediacenter on March, 2nd 2010.

The Mediacenter plays CDs and DVDs and can also receive radio via antenna, cable and satellite or from the Internet. Digital music files on hard drives or within your own network can also be accessed, as can those from iPods or iPhones. Within the system network, it is of course also possible to control the external BluRay Player via the Mediacenter – with just the touch of a button on the Assist Media remote control. And all of this is enclosed in minimalistic housing made from brushed aluminum and glass.

The display and operation of the Mediacenter itself are consistently focused on what really matters. The Mediacenter is connected directly to the TV set and uses the TV screen to display all music sources on an intuitive, clear interface. The cover art of your personal music or DVD collection is displayed in high definition by means of automatic update via the Internet. Browsing through your own collection or searching for specific titles is child’s play with the help of the remote control.

All audio sources can also be streamed to secondary rooms, where the Mediacenter can be conveniently operated by means of the elegant Loewe Assist Media remote control. It displays the music tracks, rooms and even the cover art of the selected CDs on the OLED display. The Mediacenter can be used with any TV which has an HDMI connection, and is therefore not only restricted to the Loewe system range. Compatible products from other suppliers can also be used in secondary rooms. This renders the Mediacenter one of the most accessible multiroom systems on the market.

Price is TBA, but since it’s Loewe, expect high prices.

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It seems like 2010 will be the year of the set top box that gathers all of your media that you’ve collected over the years – be it music, video or web based media – and places it in high-definition on your television for all to see. LaCie has introduced their LaCinema Mini HD Media Center, about the size of a standard DVD – it fits in your palm, easily:

LaCie today unveiled LaCinema Mini HD, the all-in-one Wi-Fi High Definition media center. Its amazingly small and stylish design packs a big punch, bringing your HD movies, photos and music collections to your widescreen TV in full 1080p resolution.

LaCinema Mini HD bridges the gap between the computer and entertainment worlds in full HD quality. Featuring built-in high-speed 802.11n Wi-Fi, LaCinema Mini HD brings a DLNA® media player and server to your home without wires.

Transferring content to the LaCinema Mini HD is easy through the bus-powered USB connection for maximum transfer speeds, or by connecting the drive to a home network. Users can conveniently load files wirelessly from their computer or via the Ethernet connection.

Currently available in Europe for $299 with worldwide availability coming soon.

[ Links: LaCie LaCinema Mini HD Media Center ]

Although recently soft-announced, having the price finally announced – it’s going to sell for $199 – and seeing that they’ve expanded the Adobe Flash player to include the forthcoming 10.1 enhancements… I’m interested. The D-Link “Boxee Box”, model number D-Link DSM-380, is indeed becoming the little box that could do it all.

The Boxee Box by D-Link takes the same popular software and offers it up as a great device — the perfect companion to a high definition TV. The Boxee Box by D-Link provides access to more than just traditional TV content. It includes a huge library that spans the Internet, such as university courses, panel discussions, academic lectures, presentations, web-only videos and more from TED, Stanford, FORA.tv, Kid Mango, Next New Networks and more. Boxee also makes it easy for users to add their own favorite entertainment sources with simple RSS or XML feeds available for most online video.

In addition to video content, Boxee users can access great music from sites like Pandora, last.fm, shoutcast, and We are Hunted as well as fun photos from sites like flickr, Picasa and the Facebook.

HDMI, SDHC slot support/expandability, composite audio connectors and more all in a rather small case that allows you to take the experience of internet media to your television for a rather small price. Safe to say that I want one.

[ Links: Boxee Box by D-Link ]

According to Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg, the telco isn’t worried about the threat Hulu poses to their freshly created TV empire, because Hulu will probably be dead in a year or two from now. “This is in for the next eight to twelve months and in two years it won’t matter because the world will have moved on,” the CEO was recently quoted as saying. He might not be wrong — Hulu very well could be headed for also-ran status once Comcast acquires NBC Universal, and does its best to ensure that Hulu doesn’t rock the TV revenue boat or bump up against the cable industry’s TV Everywhere initiative. That said, “cable guys” tend to have a degree of hubris in thinking that Internet video will never really harm them, despite the fact that when/if Hulu dies, there will be a stream of competitors (including piracy) waiting in the wings.

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