Hulu announced its desktop app that allows users to access Hulu content on their computers without the need for browser streaming.
After beating competitors like Joost by choosing to go to the web rather than the desktop, and shutting out third-party apps that enable its videos on desktops or other devices like MyMediaPlayer and Boxee, it does come as a little bit of a surprise that Hulu is launching its own desktop app today.
But at the same time, it’s not a surprise, because specialized desktop apps should ideally make video playback more smooth and reliable than in-browser streaming.
What Hulu’s not doing is enabling video downloads or transfer onto other devices. Hulu Desktop simply presents an alternate UI for the site (now with sound effects!) that’s optimized for remote controls. Not that we usually use remotes on our laptops instead of those other big honking screens…but Hulu explicitly forbids use on other devices in its Desktop terms of use.
You may not download, install or use the Hulu Software on any device other than a Personal Computer including without limitation digital media receiver devices (such as Apple TV), mobile devices (such as a cell phone device, mobile handheld device or a PDA), network devices or CE devices (collectively “Prohibited Devices”).
Hulu also doesn’t promise that all of its content will be available via the desktop app, which is powered by Flash 9 (which doesn’t support P2P, so that answers that question). The software is available for both Mac and PC, and includes a browser plug-in that we haven’t fully explored yet.