HBO NOW available NOW!

[gorcorps]

You have to sign up through iTunes.

I think it's exclusive for three months.

If it's a timed exclusive then that's fine. It wouldn't make sense if they just gave the finger to all the Roku box users out there and require an apple TV to watch it.

 

[stlc8tr]

Wow, I would have thought that everyone would have known about the details by now, given how much coverage there was when they announced it.

It's an exclusive for three months.

You have to sign up using an 2nd or 3rd gen Apple TV or iOS device (or if you are a Cablevision Optiumum user) but once signed up, you are suppose to be able to view from any browser.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

This is a separate subscription, and all you need is Internet connection (and for the first three months, an Apple device). HBO GO you have to have an HBO subscription through your cable provider.

i.e. Game of Thrones season

 

[hanoverphist]

You have to have a subscription to HBO via your TV provider to use HBO Go. This allows you to view HBO programming without any other TV service. So all of those people only using OTA TV w/ Hulu and/or Netflix now have a way to watch HBO without getting a crazy cable package.

id call 15 a month kind of crazy...

 

[Grooveriding]

Seems asinine. Why hardwire a new service's launch to only be available to mobile devices running an OS that does not make up the majority of the market ? Why lock the launch to a hardware device type at all ?

I can see why Apple would love this, but what does HBO gain from strangulating a a new service's launch from breathing the majority of the potential market ?

 

[KeithP]

Seems asinine. Why hardwire a new service's launch to only be available to mobile devices running an OS that does not make up the majority of the market ? Why lock the launch to a hardware device type at all?

Maybe because it is a new service and they wanted to limit the audience at first to make sure everything is working correctly? Maybe because supporting iOS with its more limited range of OS versions and hardware is easier than dealing with the cluster f#ck that is Android? Maybe a little bit of both.

Also, once you sign up, you can access the service from Windows or OS X using a web browser.

-KeithP

 

[bunnyfubbles]

Seems asinine. Why hardwire a new service's launch to only be available to mobile devices running an OS that does not make up the majority of the market ? Why lock the launch to a hardware device type at all ?

I can see why Apple would love this, but what does HBO gain from strangulating a a new service's launch from breathing the majority of the potential market ?

Apple paid them maybe?

if I'm reading this correctly its not just iPhone/iPad/AppleTV, HBO NOW is also avaialble through Internet Explorer 10, Safari 7, Chrome 37, Firefox 31 on OSX 10.6 or later or Windows Vista or later after downloading iTunes

I'd imagine this move would secure Apple a substantial influx of iTunes accounts...

 

[Ichinisan]

id call 15 a month kind of crazy...

HBO has a ridiculously high percentage of quality content. My cable company charges $16 for HBO, so $15 isn't bad at all.

 

[JSt0rm]

apple tv is like $100. It works. I have ufc fightpass and hbo go and netflix all running just fine. I pay $20 a month for cable+hbo for hbo go. I should switch to hbo now and save $5 a month. I never watch cable tv.

 

[NoStateofMind]

Apple paid them maybe?

if I'm reading this correctly its not just iPhone/iPad/AppleTV, HBO NOW is also avaialble through Internet Explorer 10, Safari 7, Chrome 37, Firefox 31 on OSX 10.6 or later or Windows Vista or later after downloading iTunes

I'd imagine this move would secure Apple a substantial influx of iTunes accounts...

I think it was a Verge article that stated the reason why they chose Apple as the exclusive was because iOS had about 60% of all HBOGO users already. Familiarity? Shrug

 

[NoStateofMind]

apple tv is like $100. It works. I have ufc fightpass and hbo go and netflix all running just fine. I pay $20 a month for cable+hbo for hbo go. I should switch to hbo now and save $5 a month. I never watch cable tv.

Actually Apple TV got a price drop as well. $69

 

[VashHT]

Do you need an Apple device or just an itunes account? If I can sign up through my itunes account and get it going on my PC I'll probably just do that.

 

[Ichinisan]

Seems asinine. Why hardwire a new service's launch to only be available to mobile devices running an OS that does not make up the majority of the market ? Why lock the launch to a hardware device type at all ?

I can see why Apple would love this, but what does HBO gain from strangulating a a new service's launch from breathing the majority of the potential market ?

Apple TV is not a "mobile device."

 

[Grooveriding]

Locking it to any device is a massive PITA. We don't use any Apple products, so it's :thumbsdown:

HTPC>Apple TV on the main TV and the others all have smart functionality and the plex app to stream from the NAS. Apple TV is a fine device, but not worth getting in our house.

 

[irishScott]

Well fuck that for now. Guess I'll be using "alternative methods" to watch this season like I have all the others, and sign up for an account next year. Not that I expect HBO to miss my money, but seriously...

 

[Rakehellion]

The anti-Apple circlejerk is strong in this thread.

 

[irishScott]

Do you need an Apple device or just an itunes account? If I can sign up through my itunes account and get it going on my PC I'll probably just do that.

If you click "learn more" it specifies: "Subscribe using your iTunes® account on your Apple TV® or iOS device."

 

[Rakehellion]

id call 15 a month kind of crazy...

How much is HBO with a cable subscription?

 

[irishScott]

The anti-Apple circlejerk is strong in this thread.

I don't own an iOS device and I'm not going to buy one just to watch GoT. So sue me.

 

[Ichinisan]

How much is HBO with a cable subscription?

$16/month with my cable company.

 

[Red Storm]

The anti-Apple circlejerk is strong in this thread.

Not really, it's perfectly reasonable to call out HBO for going Apple only. They already have HBO Go, it's not like they needed to make something from scratch so that excuse doesn't really cut it.

 

[JSt0rm]

Not really, it's perfectly reasonable to call out HBO for going Apple only. They already have HBO Go, it's not like they needed to make something from scratch so that excuse doesn't really cut it.

Maybe it has to do with security measures or something else like apple paying them a pile of $$$$ to make hbo now in the first place. Buy a apple tv. It costs as much as a decent dinner.

 

[cubby1223]

The anti-Apple circlejerk is strong in this thread.

It's because Apple's corporate model is to shut out all competition with their products.

Sony tried to do that and everyone hates them for it.

The only reason iTunes is available on PC is because it was released years ago. If released today it would be an Apple-only release.

Show me a set-top box that has both an itunes and an amazon instant video app. You can't because none exist. Why? Because Apple, that's why. Show me a set-top box that has both Blu-ray and an itunes app. You can't because Apple has their devoted fans who always throw them their money believing it gives them more elite status in society over the rest of us commoners.

 

[Ichinisan]

It's because Apple's corporate model is to shut out all competition with their products.

Sony tried to do that and everyone hates them for it.

The only reason iTunes is available on PC is because it was released years ago. If released today it would be an Apple-only release.

Show me a set-top box that has both an itunes and an amazon instant video app. You can't because none exist. Why? Because Apple, that's why. Show me a set-top box that has both Blu-ray and an itunes app. You can't because Apple has their devoted fans who always throw them their money believing it gives them more elite status in society over the rest of us commoners.

You're proving Rakehellion's point.

 

[JSt0rm]

It's because Apple's corporate model is to shut out all competition with their products.

Sony tried to do that and everyone hates them for it.

The only reason iTunes is available on PC is because it was released years ago. If released today it would be an Apple-only release.

Show me a set-top box that has both an itunes and an amazon instant video app. You can't because none exist. Why? Because Apple, that's why. Show me a set-top box that has both Blu-ray and an itunes app. You can't because Apple has their devoted fans who always throw them their money believing it gives them more elite status in society over the rest of us commoners.

Waaaaaaa. People like a thing that I dont like.