A Promising Start for Hulu
I had my doubts about Hulu went I first tried the beta many months back, but it’s improved substantially in its public release. The bottom line is this: NBC and News Corp. have put together a pretty darn good mix of content that is not only free, but is devoid of intrusive advertising.
Ads aren’t completely absent, mind you, but they’re implemented in a — dare I say — tasteful manner. For instance, in order to watch a movie, you have the option of watching it commercial-free in exchange for viewing a full-length trailer for an upcoming theatrical release. Or you can start it immediately, but are subject to intermittent commercials.
(I would imagine most people will choose the one-and-done trailer, not only because it’s a less invasive trade-off, but a lot of people genuinely like movie trailers.)
Now, of course, getting this on the big-screen in living rooms is the next step. I’ve watched several shows on my Mac mini that’s connected to a 40″ Sony Bravia, and while I wouldn’t purchase something of this quality, the video is watchable and completely tolerable considering the price-tag.
As you’d expect, their 720p HD clips are much better, though the selection is filled largely with movie trailers.
Considering how bad NBC looked when it publicly wrangled with Apple and pulled its content off iTunes, the company should be commended for a quality effort out of the gate. I’m sure many others will agree.