It has been a few weeks since Hulu became available to the general public and so far the internet video service has been met with open arms. Often times when a service leaves private beta and sees a huge amount of popularity, development can become stagnant for a while. Hulu however, appears to be the real deal. Sharing, social networking and life-blogging is all the rage with the kids these days and the Hulu folk are embracing it. Sharing via email and video embedding are nothing new with the online video provider, but just this morning Hulu has announced some new enhanced functionality that makes it very simple for users to share Hulu videos with a variety of popular social sites. A new Share button to the left of Hulu’s video player UI will pop up a sharing screen. Users can then select all or part of a video and instantly share it with popular sites like Facebook, MySpace, Digg, StumbleUpon and a few others. Pretty cool if you’re into that sort of thing. Many Hulu videos are time sensitive though; in other words they are only up on the site for a predetermined amount of time before being pulled. We wonder what will happen to the shares once a video is dropped - replaced by an ad block? Hulu has also jazzed up its RSS feeds a bit by allowing video embedding. This way, users can watch Hulu clips right from within their feed reader of choice. Bravo Hulu, keep it coming.

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Do you have any Facebook contacts with whom you communicate whose IM details you don’t have? We’re not talking about the kid from third grade with the lazy eye who friended you out of the blue, we mean contacts you actually converse with. Of course not, and yet Facebook is reportedly planning to institute a proprietary IM platform to give users yet another unnecessary means of communications. Forget the fact that there are already a bunch of integrated IM apps on Facebook that you don’t use, and the fact that you’re already dodging app invites and annoying super-mega-sheep throwing-martini-pokes several times per day. Will proprietary instant messaging really add any more unwarranted value above and beyond the unwarranted value that Facebook already has? Ok, we’ll at least concede that an app-based IM solution might be of interest although without support across PC, Mac, mobile, etc it would still get a ‘pass’. Rumor has it however, that Facebook’s IM will be accessible through the website only with no word on a publicly-available API or desktop software. Will anyone really opt to log onto Facebook, dig through their cluttered profile page and initiate an IM conversation (assuming your contact is also logged in with Facebook open and visible so (s)he actually sees the incoming IM)? Of course you’ll need to sit there and stare at your Facebook page lest you miss an incoming message. Sounds a bit cumbersome compared to opening your local IM app of choice, double-clicking on a contact and typing. Yaaaaaawn.

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Barack Obama fans, this one is for you - you can now call your phone the BarackBerry. We started the month with the Apple iPhone supporting Microsoft Exchange functionality, and now it appears as if Research in Motion is taking another step towards the consumer market. The maker of the BlackBerry device announced that it is partnering with will.i.am and his website, Dipdive, to create a mobile version for BlackBerry devices. The website, heavily geared towards Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, will "bring the artist into a direct relationship with the fan," according to RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie. Now all we need is Hillary Clinton and John McCain RIM applications - heck, even Ralph Nader may need one. We just find it funny this was announced Thursday, you know, the day Apple announced their SDK and Enterprise details?

[Via BBGeeks]

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This past Sunday, business networking 2.0 leader LinkedIn announced the availability of its new mobile mobile offerings. LinkedIn has launched two mobile sites, each accessible using the same URL: m.linkedin.com. Hit the address from your iPhone or iPod Touch and you will be greeted with a great looking iPhone-optimized interface. Other web-enabled mobiles will find the standard WAP portal into LinkedIn at the other end of the new m-dot. Currently in beta, here are a few highlights of the initial mobile offering:

• Search LinkedIn profiles (including photos and bio) to help recall and connect with business acquaintances at events and conferences
• Research the common contacts they have with other professionals to help make real world referrals and introductions easier
• Invite professional acquaintances and peers you meet at events to LinkedIn with just their email address
• Receive regular Network update capabilities about your connections while on the go
• International versions currently launched include French, German, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese

Additional features are already in the pipeline and include support for LinkedIn Answers and LinkedIn Experts. The move to mobile is certainly long overdue and should be well-received by users of the popular service. LinkedIn developers are also currently looking into creating native applications for a variety of platforms including the BlackBerry OS, to provide a "more integrated mobile experience". For the time being, definitely check out the mobile site if you’re a user.

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The Nokia N95 8GB has a lot going for it as Nokia’s current flagship handset. Last week we saw that the N95 8GB became the first mobile handset to receive DLNA certification. The Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) is an international collaboration dedicated to making PCs, consumer electronics and mobile devices as interoperable as possible. Their goal is to push a framework where sharing digital content between devices on a home network is as seamless as possible. Sounds pretty nifty but what does that really mean? Nokia released a great video Monday morning detailing just how easy it is to share media files across a home network with the N95 8GB. Definitely worth a watch, the video displays the simple processes involved with sharing files wirelessly to a gaming console (PlayStation in this case) and a Media Center PC. All it takes is a wireless network and the N95 8GB can almost instantly become a media server capable of sharing photos, music and videos. We would love to see this functionality in the currently-available NAM version of the N95 (N95-3), but then again any firmware update would be welcome at this point. Things aren’t looking good for the N95-3; it has seemingly become the red-headed stepchild of Nokia’s high-end lineup.

[Via IntoMobile]

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MTV is teaming up with MyStrands to create an interactive Times Square bash this New Year’s Eve. Using partyStrands technology, Times Square party-goers will be able to send messages, answer trivia questions and vote to determine the video content displayed on MTV’s massive 44.5′ HD screen outside their Times Square studios. What’s more, partyStrands will enable global access to the shindig so that people can log on to the MyStrands MTV page and interact from anywhere in the world. Those of you unfamiliar with MyStrands may be interested in checking out their site. Their core suite of music recommendation services continue to generate some serious buzz and are available for PC, Mac, Linux, Windows Mobile and Symbian. They also let you track and publish music as you play it (similar to scrobbling) and makes real-time recommendations based on your music that you can sample and / or purchase. Even the iPhone and iPod Touch got their first small dose of MyStrands love last week as the native plugin iStrands was added to the STE repo. So this New Year’s Eve, MTV is bringing the content and MyStrands is bringing the technology. Just add booze and you’re good to go.

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The new Belkin Vision N1 wireless router marries high-performance Wi-Fi networking with an onboard LCD info display, and wraps it all up in one of the sleekest designs on the market. The N1’s interactive status display shows your broadband speed, computer bandwidth usage, the status of connected network devices, and more. The sexy design and status display aren’t this router’s only appeal, however. The wireless dynamo packs quite a punch with a wireless 802.11n 3×3 radio and four wired gigabit ports. Excellent wireless coverage, 802.11n draft 2.0 compatibility and high-throughput wired ports make this router the total package. Add to that plenty of security options and an easy plug and play CD-less setup, and you’ve got yourself a winner. The Belkin Vision N1 is available today with an MSRP of $199.99; not terrible for a top-spec router that you’ll actually be proud to display alongside the rest of your gear.

[Via GadgetGrid]

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And the never ending battle continues. John Hart, a Californian Comcast customer, has sued the internet provider over the company’s peer to peer blocking policies. Hart claims that Comcast’s P2P practices are severely limiting his ability to use any file sharing programs, as well as limiting his access to Lotus Notes. Hart’s beef, it seems, is that the company didn’t sufficiently disclose their blocking practices when he signed up for service. This is just the latest chapter in an ongoing public backlash against the ISP, which has come under fire from consumer interest groups, individual customers, and the FCC itself. Comcast has continued to deny any wrongdoing, stating firmly that they do not block any traffic, though they do "delay" data from time to time. Smells a bit suspicious to us. Any Comcast users out there noticing they can’t get their copy of DVD SCR | American Gangster?

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Oh, it may look like an ordinary shirt, but there’s some function in that form, friends. For $30, you too can have a shirt that actually serves as a WiFi detector. Powered by 3 AAA batteries, the "waves" on either side of the tower actually glow to help determine the strength level of the network you’re around. While it’s sure to be a conversation piece, we doubt it will do much to increase your value amongst the ladies. Then again, if you find one that knows what she’s looking at, she’s a keeper!

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While it’s not DIRECTV, we suppose EchoStar has a couple things to offer. We kid, we kid. EchoStar was an "early investor" in Sling Media, and they’ve announced they’re acquiring Sling. What does this mean for us, the people that use Sling Media’s products? It looks like we can expect the same innovation and dedicated Sling Media has provided, and this potentially opens up the doors to more interesting concepts. For instance, Sling Media’s software being included on set-top boxes in an all in one unit, allowing you to use your existing cable box, or DTV receiver. Now that’d be cool! Let’s just hope the future incarnations and development of Sling Box won’t be limited to the DISH network, OK?

Full press release, after the jump!

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. and FOSTER CITY, Calif., September 24, 2007 – EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) announced today that it has agreed to acquire Sling Media, Inc., a privately-held digital lifestyle products company. EchoStar, through its DISH Network^®, is the third largest pay-TV provider in the United States. The transaction values Sling Media at approximately $380 million and is payable in cash and EchoStar options. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2007.

Established in 2004, Sling Media has been a leading innovator in the digital lifestyle space through the introduction of the internationally-acclaimed, Emmy award-winning Slingbox™ and SlingPlayer™ software. Sling Media’s product line is distributed in over 5,000 retail stores in 11 countries.

In 2006, Sling Media created the Sling Entertainment Group with the mission of developing entertainment experiences and business models that reach beyond the Slingbox. The group also fosters and manages relationships with content creators and owners. Its first initiative, Clip+Sling™, dramatically changes the way consumers socialize around TV by enabling users to clip and share limited segments of their favorite television programming. 

 “As an early investor in Sling Media, EchoStar has been pleased with the progress and commitment the company has made establishing Sling Media and the Slingbox as powerful and beloved digital media brands,” said Charlie Ergen, CEO and co-founder of EchoStar. “With today’s increasingly mobile lifestyle, EchoStar’s acquisition of Sling Media will allow us to offer innovative and convenient ways for our customers to enjoy their programming on more displays and locations, including TVs, computers and mobile phones, both inside and outside of the home. This combination paves the way for the development of a host of new innovative products and services for our subscribers, new digital media consumers and strategic partners.”

“We are psyched to make this announcement. We have worked closely with EchoStar for more than two years, and have come to realize that both companies have similar entrepreneurial cultures and mutual dedication and passion for creating empowering experiences that benefit the consumer and the media industry,” said Blake Krikorian, co-founder, chairman and CEO of Sling Media. “By combining strategies, resources and technologies with EchoStar, Sling Media will be able to rapidly expand our open multi-platform product offerings, not only for DISH Network subscribers, but for digital media enthusiasts around the globe.”

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