In yet another example of Walmart’s effort to increase its online presence and best rival Amazon, the big box retailer has filed a patent for an automatic home ordering subscription system similar to Amazon’s “Dash” buttons. [More]
Subscription Service
Amazon Working On Discount Music Subscription Service For Echo Users
By 8.23.16
Amazon already offers Prime Music as part of its Amazon Prime subscription package, but now it looks like the online retailer is looking to offer this music streaming independent from Prime while also giving a discount to users of the company’s Echo web-connected speaker. [More]
Angie’s List Officially Drops Subscription Requirement To Browse & Write Reviews
By 7.13.16
Back in March, Angie’s List said it would drop its long-standing membership fees and make basic rating and review offerings available for free to all site visitors at some point in 2016. That point was today. [More]
Walmart Testing Two-Day Delivery Subscription Service
By 5.12.16
It’s finally time: Walmart is officially ready to take on Amazon’s $99/year two-day shipping service, Prime, by knocking off a delivery day and a dollar from its own ShippingPass subscription service. [More]
Apple Music’s Confusing Deletion Of Songs Is One Reason You Should Back Up Your Files
By 5.5.16
Powering on your computer only to find that all of your downloaded music, including original content, is nowhere to be found is an understandably devastating situation. But it’s one that has apparently happened to several Apple Music users since the service launched last year. [More]
Apple Launches Apple Music For Android
By 11.10.15
Apple fulfilled a promise to bring its subscription music service to the other side today, launching Apple Music for Android users. Most of the functionality for the new app is the same as its iOS counterpart, minus Siri integration. The Android-based app also offers a free, three-month trial of the service to new users. After that, the service costs $9.99/month for a single user or $14.99 for a family plan, so don’t forget to cancel your subscription if you don’t want to foot the bill after 90 days. [via ArsTechnica] [More]
BBC Launching Netflix-Like Service Next Year
By 9.18.15
Between Netflix, Hulu, SlingTV, Amazon Prime and other similar companies, cord-cutting consumers (or those considering cutting the cord) have several options for streaming video. The latest entrant into the over-the-top [OTT] ring comes from the other side of the pond: the BBC. [More]
Sen. Al Franken Calls For Federal Investigation Into Apple Music
By 7.23.15
In response to concerns arising from the recent launch of Apple Music, U.S. Senator Al Franken called on both the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the possibility that the tech giant may be creating an anticompetitive environment in the streaming music market. [More]
EBay Rolling Out Its Own Prime-Like Service… In Germany
By 5.21.15
Just weeks after rumors surfaced that Walmart was working on its own Amazon Prime-esque service, eBay is jumping into the game — except its subscription service is only available across that big Atlantic pond – for now. [More]
Walmart Reportedly Working On An Amazon Prime Rival
By 5.13.15
Walmart’s latest attempt to stay competitive with Amazon reportedly includes taking the rival company’s iconic Prime service and making its own version. [More]
HBO Finally Gets Around To Replying To Consumers Who Said They’d Pay For HBO Go…. Three Years Ago
By 4.3.15
With the launch of standalone streaming service HBO Now just around the corner, it appears the premium cable channel is attempting to drum up sales by going back in time and replying to Tweets from three years ago. [More]
Starbucks Adds Specialty Coffee Delivery Service Subscription
By 2.17.15
Starbucks launched a delivery service Tuesday, just not the long-awaited service it’s been touting for the past few months. Instead, the company unveiled a small-batch monthly delivery subscription service of recently roasted coffee. [More]
YouTube To Block Videos Of Artists Whose Record Labels Won’t Sign Licensing Agreement
By 6.17.14
Watching a 15-second ad might seem like a small price to pay in order to see your favorite music video right when you want to. But a number of artists who haven’t agreed to the licensing terms of YouTube’s upcoming ad-free subscription service won’t be showcasing their talents on the platform much longer. [More]
