Hulu Adds BlackBerry Tablet to Blacklist, Blocks Content
Hulu Adds BlackBerry Tablet to Blacklist, Blocks Content
Posted 04/22/2011 at 7:59am
| by Paul Lilly
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Well that was fast. Early BlackBerry PlayBook adopters were elated to find out that they could access Hulu's streaming service on their brand new Flash-enabled tablets, but not surprisingly, the celebrations were short lived. Hulu was quick to play the part of party pooper and added the PlayBook's browser to its blacklist, and now when they try to access TV shows on Hulu's website, they're greeted with an error message instead.
"We notice that you are trying to access Hulu from your BlackBerry browser," the message says. "Right now, this device is not supported."
Do'h! Hulu's message only tells part of the story. Research In Motion's tablet does support Hulu, as evidenced by early access to the site, but the courtesy isn't extended in return, nor will it be until Hulu gets around to putting its subscription-based Hulu Plus on the PlayBook. If it comes as any consolation to PlayBook owners, Hulu isn't singling out RIM. Hulu blocks all smartphone and tablet browsers from accessing its videos in order to push its Hulu Plus app, which runs $8/month.
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April 23, 2011 at 8:34pm
You are now just a normal service provider. Good Job defeating normality.
kixofmyg0t
April 22, 2011 at 6:46pm
Ok so where teh eff is Anonymous "protecting people's rights" here hmmm?
Ghok
April 22, 2011 at 5:57pm
So clueless. Has this really worked for them in the past few years? Consumers have other options now. This industry can keep digging their own grave, because when it's dead, we'll be able to start fresh.
TRYER
April 22, 2011 at 3:00pm
Good for HULU for protecting there entreprise. Because knowing me... If it's there, I am going to pirate it=P
Keith E. Whisman
April 23, 2011 at 7:18am
I think I'm the only one here that actually gets your funny sarcastic comment. Excellent post! LOL..
scavndrf
April 22, 2011 at 3:20pm
How is this protecting their enterprise? You do know that they have a free one available on PC, right? I'm sure you have a lot more capability to "pirate" from the PC as there are more apps for that on PC.
Hulu Plus doesn't even have all the shows their free version does. So basically, they charge you money to watch some shows, but you lose out on watching others. It should be about serving your customers needs, since they make money from their customers. I can understand not making the service available for free, but if you're going to have free and paid, the paid should have the same content available PLUS other stuff, hence the PLUS.
Mighty BOB!
April 23, 2011 at 11:34am
Wait wait wait.. WHAT?! Plus is missing some of the content that free users get? Geez that is as backwards as Microsoft's Vista versions.
Keith E. Whisman
April 22, 2011 at 2:39pm
The error message simply reads "FUCK YOU!" That's what Hulu thinks of it's users.
aarcane
April 22, 2011 at 12:47pm
what about third party android browsers, do they work, perhaps with client masquerading ?
bloodgain
April 22, 2011 at 2:10pm
You've struck on something important there, aarcane. Your website trusts that my browser is telling you the truth. With an open browser or a nice plugin, I can tell your website pretty much whatever I want.
Mighty BOB!
April 23, 2011 at 11:33am
So yeah, if I forge the header, wouldn't it work as if their server thought I was using *insert desktop browser*? The only reason it isn't completely pointless for them to filter based on browser is because most people don't even know what an HTTP header is (or that it even exists), much less how to forge one.
scoop6274
April 22, 2011 at 12:42pm
My prediction for 3yrs from now.
Hulu: DOH!!! That's why we wen't out of business! People won't pay for what they can get for free.... DOH!!!
Neufeldt2002
April 22, 2011 at 9:52am
I will never use Hulu, as it is blocked because of where I live. Even if they unblock it, I will never use it.
Please make publish to facebook opt-in, not opt-out.
Belboz99
April 22, 2011 at 9:38am
I will never understand the mindset of the entertainment industry...
"Let's make more money by banning customers from using our products on virtually any device but the ones that we like for the moment, and lets sue any customers who want our products so bad that they'll break piracy laws to get them now that we've banned them from having them on their devices."
Um, ok, yeah. :P
bloodgain
April 22, 2011 at 8:51am
Another indication that the entertainment industry is out of touch. How are tablets any different than laptops in this regard? This policy isn't going to sell enough Hulu Plus subscriptions to make up for the lost ad revenue they would have made from tablet users who no longer carry a netbook or laptop.
Savy tablet users, like most MaxPC readers, will just find another way to watch TV shows on our tablets, even if it's just using our already-paid Netflix accounts. Most other users will just find other sources of entertainment, like books or stupid human tricks on Youtube.
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