TWC Streams Live TV to Androids

Time Warner Cable Inc. (NYSE: TWC) has released the 2.0 version of its TWC TV app for Android, a move that lets customers who have devices with the Ice Cream Sandwich OS stream live TV channels -- something it already offers on iOS gear and PCs. The new app is officially supported on the Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT) Xoom and Samsung Corp. Galaxy Nexus, but the MSO notes that other upgraded Android phones and tablets should also work (the caveat is that customers can access live TV only within the range of their home Wi-Fi signal). Like the MSO's policy for jail-broken iOS phones and tablets, live TV on the new Android app won't work on rooted devices as a security precaution, but the decision is frustrating some Android users. (See TW Cable Tunes Up Android TV Plan .)

Hulu LLC has 2 million customers taking its $8-per-month Hulu Plus service, about 500,000 more than it had at the end of 2011, reports The New York Times as it discusses how the Web video hub is growing up and is now seeking advertisers for its expanding lineup of original series. Hulu expects revenue from Plus to account for more than half its revenues in 2012, the paper adds.

Comcast Corp. (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) has launched Xfinity Home, its home security, automation and monitoring service, in Chicago. The MSO expects to have the service rolled out in most of its markets by year's end after getting it underway in Houston in June 2010. (See Will Service Providers Steal ADT's Customers? and Comcast Goes Big With Xfinity Home .)

DirecTV Group Inc. (NYSE: DTV) has added HD-DVRs to its video service for hotels as it continues to encroach on a market dominated by LodgeNet Interactive Corp. Among other new features, DirecTV's Residential Experience for Hotels platform now lets partners insert up to 50 of their own channels on the in-room video lineup.

Metro-Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) is the latest studio to offer movies for rent on YouTube Inc. and the recently rebranded Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) Play service. About 600 MGM library titles, including Rocky and Rain Man, have joined the mix.

— Jeff Baumgartner, Site Editor, Light Reading Cable