TVSquad

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos says in a few weeks the company will launch a streaming video service. How's that different from Amazon Unbox? When you purchase or rent a movie from Amazon Unbox, the video is downloaded to your computer. While you can start watching before the download is complete, streaming video services like Hulu and Netflix allow you to start watching videos immediately.

There's one other major problem with Amazon Unbox: The video player and download client only work with Windows XP and Vista. There's no way to purchase videos from the site if you're a Linux or Mac user. It's not 100% clear whether the new streaming video service will be cross-platform. But we can certainly hope, can't we?

The streaming video service will be pay-per-view. It doesn't sound like there will be any kind of subscription option. And that's about all we know so far.

The other day Sling Media announced the Slingbox Pro-HD, which is capable of streaming HDTV content over the web from your TV, TiVo, or high-def components. Now Sling arch-nemesis Monsoon Multimedia is striking back by announcing the Hava Wireless HD.

As you can probably guess from the name, the Hava Wireless HD not only streams HD video over the internet, but it can connect to your home network over 802.11n WiFi, while the Slingbox Pro-HD requires either an Ethernet cable or a wireless adapter.

The latest Hava box can stream 1080i, 720p, or 480p signals to more than one PC at a time. It also includes an integrated ATSC/NTSC tuner for receiving broadcast signals without a TV set. As with all previous Hava boxes, you can even use the Wireless HD as a networked TV tuner for your Windows Media Center PCs.

But while you can use SlingPlayer software to watch streaming video on devices including Mac and Windows computers, Palm, Symbian, and Windows Mobile phones, you'll need a Windows PC or Windows Mobile device to watch your streaming Hava content.

The Hava Wireless HD is set for a Spring release. No word on the pricing yet.

There've been rumors for a while that Netflix was planning to build its own set top box for delivering movies directly to your TV. Now it looks like the DVD rental service is building a platform that will work on many different set top boxes. The first partnership is with LG, but Netflix is looking for other companies to work with.

According to HackingNetflix the goal isn't just to provide one set top box, but to make the Netflix software embedded in boxes ranging from DVD players to video game consoles. And of course, cable boxes.

The box will be internet connected, and users will have access to the same 6,000 movies current Netflix users can currently get by clicking Watch Instantly from the Netflix website. No word on how much the box will cost, but once you buy the hardware, you'll need a Netflix monthly subscription to view the content.

There's a rumor going around that NBC and FOX are preparing to launch a private beta of their new online video site on Monday. Or maybe Wednesday.

Hulu will be a central location for finding clips, promotional content, and full-length streaming episodes of NBC and News Corp programs. The timing makes sense, seeing as NBC pulled all of its content from YouTube this weekend.

Once the site launches, you'll be able to find out what people do on Lazy Sundays and what they put in boxes again. Hulu will be an ad-supported streaming video site. You can still download episodes of NBC and News Corp shows from sites including Amazon and iTunes.