Hulu Starts Blocking the HP TouchPad

Posted by | 08/24/2011 | 13 Comments

If your device doesn’t fall under Hulu’s agreements with studios, there is generally no soup for you. Translation: Hulu’s website is blocked on most tablets, and when you head to its website, you are greeted by a black screen that informs you that your platform is not supported. You get an apology for the inconvenience if that is any sort of consolation.

Well, it seems that the HP TouchPad and its webOS platform had not fallen under the ‘not supported’ umbrella, that is, until today when it was discovered that Hulu had gone ahead and blocked the device from accessing the site. If you head there on your new TouchPad, all you’re going to see is the black screen telling you that you’re not welcome.

HP TouchPad

And for those of you still waiting on a TouchPad, you’re just left knowing that you won’t be able to access the site.  Right now, if you want to access Hulu, you’ll need a Vizio 8 tablet or an iPad.

Oh, well. It was only a matter of time before Hulu took notice. After all, the HP TouchPad is selling for a mere $99 and is more popular than ever now that HP has effectively killed it.

Via: ThisIsMyNext

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Category: Mobile

About the Author (Author Profile)

Adam is a technology blogger based in San Francisco, California who loves his iPhone 3GS and Motorola Droid 2 equally. You can follow him on Twitter or reach him by email at adam@notebooks.com.
  • http://twitter.com/emtgirl Renee Roberts

    Great way for Hulu to attract customers… not!

  • http://twitter.com/Scotty_Braun Scotty Braun

    Hulu sucks anyway, unless you like tv from the 60′s

  • Marie Whitehead

    Who do I complain to? One of the reasons I bought the Touchpad at all was to be able to use Hulu as I have a plus account and am pleased with the extra access.

    • crazyamerican

      Complain to the devil on your shoulder who told you to buy it.

  • The Joker

    Hulu is crap, who cares.

  • scoot

    So… What on earth would compel Hulu to do this.  I mean more devices more subscriptions.  Possibility that Hulu is owned by a provider who would like to see greater ipad sales?  Wack!

    • David Szpunar

      They are compelled to do it because they have lousy licenses from the broadcasters from whom they get their content (who, by the way, also own Hulu…) that do not let them display any content on mobile devices (read: tablets and phones) or in some case on anything other than a “computer” (not that those aren’t). Unless you have Hulu Plus, in which case you can only used approved apps on approved devices, and they STILL block you from shows that they don’t have mobile device licenses for (everything on the USA Network for example). So yes, completely backwards, but there you have it.

  • Gabriel Vasile

    Hulu is the best ever! I wish they didn’t block the pad.  I’m alive just for Hulu,   all the best shows airing today available just a day or two after they air? Yes, please!

  • TheManWithNoName

    Three words: User agent switcher. Anyone geeky enough to read this blog knows that that will get you around Hulu’s restrictions, no hacking required.

  • TheManWithNoName

    Three words: User agent switcher. Anyone geeky enough to read this blog knows that that will get you around Hulu’s restrictions, no hacking required.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000064494383 Charley Birkner

    @Hulu: there are more and more and more online streaming sites popping up every day.  As history has shown, consumers are like water, you block one way, they’ll find another, and often never look back, even without restrictions (all due respect to TMWNN).  I recall Hulu vanishing from my PS3 for a time, only to be replaced by 2 others.  Did you re-add it to the PS3? Forgive me, I never even bothered to look… ;)

  • TouchPadPlus

    Actually, [URL="http://www.TouchPadPlus.com"]http://www.TouchPadPlus.com[/URL] had an easy way of loading the Hulu Fix, so there is no more Terminal or manual entering the code.   Instructions are just so clear with ScreenShots for each Single steps.  No more GUESS work.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jakob.quadro Jakob Quadro

    There’s a work around http://claptop.com/2011/08/make-hulu-work-on-hp-touchpad/

    Enjoy Hulu!

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