Amazon Prime members to get unlimited video streaming, a la Netflix?

By Jeffrey Van Camp January 31, 2011

2011 may be an important year for Amazon. The company is set to launch its own Android app store and now it may be taking on Netflix as well. The online retailer has had On Demand video streaming for some time now, but the service has not taken off like competing products Hulu and Netflix. However, Engadget reports that Amazon may take on Netflix directly, offering free unlimited streaming of more than 5,000 videos to those who subscribed to Prime, a free two-day shipping service Amazon offers at a cost of $79.99 per year.

amazon-video-free-unlimited-streaming-leaked-screen-jan-2011 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The screenshot above shows a button with the words “unlimited streaming” and “Prime instant videos” on it. We are unable to verified the accuracy of this screenshot as Amazon has removed this feature (if it ever existed). Nevertheless, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard rumors that Amazon is developing an instant streaming service. Back in December, rumors circulated that the online retailer is developing a competitor to Netflix. The company’s recent purchase of Lovefilm, the European equivalent of Netflix, seems to verify this rumor.

Recommended Videos

Does Amazon have a shot against Netflix? Well, maybe. At $79.99 per year ($6.67 per month), Amazon has already undercut its competition on price. Netflix charges $7.99 for its Instant Streaming-only service, which adds up to $95.88 per year. However, Netflix has signed many high profile exclusive deals for content and has a larger library of streaming titles. Additionally, Amazon will have major catchup to do if it hopes to get its software on the wide array of devices Netflix is available on such as the Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation, iOS devices, several IP TVs, and a number of set-top boxes like Boxee and Roku. Is Amazon prepared to spend large amounts to fast track app development?

Topics

Jeffrey Van Camp

Former Digital Trends Contributor

As DT's Deputy Editor, Jeff helps oversee editorial operations at Digital Trends. Previously, he ran the site's…

Computing

Intel Battlemage GPU: everything we know so far

Intel Arc A770 GPU installed in a test bench.

Despite a rocky start, Intel's Arc GPUs are now among the best graphics cards you can buy. Targeting budget PC gamers, Intel has established itself as a major player in gaming graphics cards, and all eyes are on Team Blue with its next generation of GPUs, codenamed Battlemage.

We know Battlemage GPUs are coming, and Intel has slowly been dropping hints about the graphics cards over the past year. Although we're still waiting on an official release date, specs, and pricing details for Battlemage GPUs, there's a lot we can piece together already.
Intel Battlemage: specs

Music

Spotify vs. Pandora: which streaming service should you choose?

spotify vs pandora on iphone

Let's settle a musical debate: which music streaming platform should you use: Spotify or Pandora?

Both services have their unique strengths and weaknesses. Spotify boasts a more extensive music catalog, robust social features for sharing and discovering music with friends, and a more polished user experience across devices.

Computing

Ryzen AI nearly hits 60 fps in Black Myth: Wukong, but it’s not that simple

OneXFly F1 Pro gamig handheld.

Although AMD APUs appear in some of the best gaming handhelds, the latest Strix Point chips are still hard to find in new releases. However, the new OneXFly F1 Pro gamin handheld is making its debut with the Ryzen AI HX 370 chip in tow, and according to a benchmark in Black Myth: Wukong, it managed to average an impressive 58 frames per second (fps) at a 15-watt thermal design power (TDP). That's an impressive result, but digging deeper reveals that AAA gaming on the go is still not without any sacrifice.

The OneXFly F1 Pro comes with the Ryzen AI HX 370, which sports a total of 12 cores -- four Zen 5 and eight Zen 5c -- as well as 24 threads. The maximum boost clock on the Zen 5 cores reaches 5.1GHz, but the smaller Zen 5c maxes out at 3.3GHz. The default TDP was rated at 28 watts, but it can be configured between 15W and 54W. For an APU, the AI HX 370 delivers solid graphics capabilities, as it's equipped with the AMD Radeon 890M. It also sports a 7-inch OLED screen with a refresh rate of 144Hz.