Netflix fired back this afternoon by announcing a new content deal with CBS. 

Some golden oldies are in the mix, including full seasons of Star Trek, Frasier and Cheers. 

Netflix is now the only streaming service to carry ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX, making it the hub the incumbent networks should have built a long time ago. 

bpopper [at] observer.com | @benpopper

"We’re in a bit of an awkward spot at the moment," wrote Boxee's Andrew Kippen on the company blog. "The Netflix app is up and running on Boxee (we watched the intro to Full Metal Jacket earlier today), but we have not yet satisfied Netflix’s security requirements."

The company had a terrific showing at CES, but has not done itself any favors with users by continually promising and then delaying the release of its Netflix app. 

At the core of this conundrum is that Boxee is less of a closed, commercial platform than services like Roku or Apple TV. And that's what its customers appreciate.

"I choose Boxee because it was the most open platform with the biggest content ecosystem," wrote user Mark Davis on the Boxee blog. "Because they are so open it’s harder for for them to support Netflix’s content."

See, Boxee? Users understand. You and Netflix can come out when you're ready. We'll be waiting. 

bpopper [at] observer.com | @benpopper

That number suggests that the press conferences, traffic cameras and home-produced TV shows on Livestream are closer to competing with the professionally-produced network shows on Hulu than the cat videos and shorter content on YouTube, where video lengths are closer to three or four minutes.

It also suggests that Livestream is getting closer to competing with cable operators like Time Warner.

"We are like an online cable operator, a destination," Livestream CEO Max Haot told Beet.TV. "The cable operators...all will die."

Livestream's real competition, Haot said, is Ustream, the live streaming site better known for empowering individuals to set up live webcams of themselves DJ-ing in their laundry rooms.

ajeffries [at] observer.com | @adrjeffries

Netflix, Now Without The Waiting

Will Netflix Massive Traffic Crash The Web?

Standing in our way is a nefarious array of mobile devices and operating systems. Angelina might play well on the iPhone, but not an Android. She might appear in all her HD glory on a on a Motorola, but not a Samsung. 

NYC startup Thwapr won't stand for this injustice. Text "angelina" to 757575 if you don't believe us. See, wasn't that better?

The rise of the smartphone has led to an explosion in mobile video consumption as users stream web clips, TV, films and live sports, all from the palms of their hands. 

But making sure that video looks good across all these devices can be a nightmare.

"We want to make it simple for companies to share video to mobile without having to worry about the make or model," says Thwapr CTO Eric Hoffert. "Right now, that means figuring out a way to ensure high quality video for more than 300 different devices." 

Thwapr was founded in 2007 and worked in stealth to develop it technology, raising $5 million to date from angel investors, before launching earlier this year.

Hoffert, one of the brains behind Apple's original QuickTime software, helped create Thwapr's proprietary technology, which formats streaming video in real time, adjusting for hardware, operating system, even available bandwidth.

The small NYC startup announced two major partnerships this week. One was with the NFL's Miami Dolphins, who use Thwapr to ensure their hundreds of thousands of fans, streaming exclusive video from the team on hundreds of different devices, all get the same great experience.  

It's not just big companies that can put Thwapr to good use. The company has developed a simple "Share To Phone" button that can be added to any web site. Click the button, type in the mobile numbers of friends and family, and Thwapr automatically delivers video to their phone from the cloud in real time.

Yesterday Thwapr announced that WatchMojo, one of the biggest video networks in the country, had choosen its Share to Phone technology for its mobile efforts.

"With Thwapr, WatchMojo is able to extend its video distribution reach to mobile, ensuring access by a broad audience with hundreds of millions of compatible devices. Thwapr's Share to Phone platform was simple to integrate. We kept our existing video player and video files, adding only a few lines of HTML," said Ashkan Karbasfrooshan, CEO of WatchMojo Inc.

The market for mobile video, which has more than doubled since 2008, is expected to grow five-fold by 2014 to more than $16 billion. Thwapr is well positioned to profit from that growth, and the increasing fragmentation of the mobile phone market.

You can text "angelina", "terminator" or "motocross" to 757575 to try Thwapr on your phone. We recommend angelina.

bpopper [at] observer.com | @benpopper