Using a high-speed broadband or DSL connection, the Akimbo service allows subscribers to download thousands of hours of television shows and movies for $9.99 a month.
“Now people can experience the feeling of being in control of what they see with Akimbo’s ‘queue and view’ TV experience – watching only what they choose, whenever they want it,” said Steve Shannon, founder and executive vice president of Akimbo.
Currently, Akimbo has more than 50 channels, ranging from AsiaMovieChannel.com, which provides Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Indian language television serials, movies and musicals, to Turner Classic Movies.
The service can also supply adult content to subscribers through the Naked News, Exotic Playground, Danni’s Hard Drive, Asian Beauties Channel, Adult DVD Empire and Ten channels.
The player, which retails for $229.99 and is available only through Amazon.com’s electronics store, begins shipping next week.
The player connects to any type of broadband Internet connection and is compatible with both wired and wireless home networks. The player also connects to televisions using standard A/V cables.
Akimbo’s competitors include emerging video-on-demand service Dave TV and Disney’s Moviebeam, which supplies films. TiVo and Netflix are also working on developing VoD services that should launch in 2005.
