"After years of speculation and months of planning, HBO Now is finally live. The subscription service is offering a 30-day free trial, and after that it costs $14.99 per month—no cable subscription required. For now, HBO Now is only available on Apple's second- and third-generation Apple TV hardware, as well as over Cablevision's Optimum Internet service, which serves the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut areas." - Jennifer Dittrich

"The launch was expected to happen before the fifth season of Game of Thrones premiered, and Apple has said that it would be an exclusive carrier of HBO Now—at least at the beginning. That characterization is a bit of a technicality, however. Dish Network's Sling TV has also said it will be offering a standalone-only version of HBO for $15 per month in time for the Game of Thrones premiere, but that its HBO content will come in the form of a repackaged live TV channel, as well as access to HBO's on-demand library. HBO has promised that other avenues of subscribing to its content will become available in the coming months. With HBO Now on Apple TV, subscribers will be able to stream HBO Now content to up to three devices at once—as long as those devices are Apple devices. “The number of videos that you and members of your household can play at the same time with HBO NOW is similar to HBO GO,” the company said in its FAQ. “Like the traditional broadcast HBO subscription, we view it as a household subscription.”" - Jennifer Dittrich

So... there's HBO Now, and "all you need is the internet..." and a very specific device. At least it is more consistent than HBOGo devices? Hell, half of my devices can't play that, and the XBox is useless. - Jennifer Dittrich

In a bit of irony, I am actually getting a free Apple TV from my credit card points (it was the only thing that used up all of the points I had with no extras before the majority of them expired, that I actually could use.) - Jennifer Dittrich

actually, you can use it through the browser or any apple device as well. it's just only apple tv for streaming directly to a tv. - holly #ravingfangirl

Oh, I know - I just know a lot of people who were excited about this who won't really be able to take advantage of it (since streaming to their TV is what they want.) I've got regular old HBO, so I'm OK, and our TV host for group watching has a computer hooked into his TV, it's just the principle :P - Jennifer Dittrich

heh. exactly. we are trying to decide whether to give the 30 day trial a test now, or just wait since we still have it on cable. :) - holly #ravingfangirl