CityTV - major update to Video site

As of January 2010 CityTV Video site went through major upgrade and now full episodes for dozens of shows, including 30 Rock, Mercy, Cougar Town, Murdoch Mysteries, Trauma, Supernanny, The Biggest Loser and others are available online in Canada.

Ugly Betty is still there for sure.

Check out list of other Hulu alternatives in Canada

Enjoy!

Rogers on Demand - Canadian Hulu?

Clearly not now. And unlikely in the future.



But anyway - one more source of online TV for [at least some] Canadians. Just launched this week (first week of December 2009) RogersOnDemand.com at the moment hosts few dozens of TV shows and movies.

There are couple of gotchas. First of all you have to be existing paying Rogers customer. To create an account you first should authenticate yourself either by using Rogers Cable Modem (I suppose they just detect your IP address or something), via SMS over Rogers cellphone or presenting your rogers account #. If you are not subscribed to any Rogers services - you are out of luck. No Rogers on demand for you.

Gotcha #2 - even if you are the Rogers customer, you can not access all the shows. For any shows that require subscription to "speciality channel" you'll be offered - yes, to subscribe to that channel. See that "lock" icon on the screenshot? Yes that's restricted channel.


Gotcha #3 - # of the programs available online. Not really a lot. Other non-restricted canadian hulu alternatives do provide more programming online than Rogers. Though - here I'll give Rogers benefit of the doubt - they just went to beta stage and promise to make more programming available soon. Will see...

As far as picture quality goes - good enough. Can't find any HD content there, but for SD - no complains.

Free calls to Canada/US with Google and Skype

Or how to make free calls to US and Canadian businesses from anywhere in the world.

Recently Google introduced Goog411 service - free telephone business directory. From anywhere in US or Canada you can call 1 800 GOOG411 (1-800-466-4411), name province/state and town and then name of the business you want to reach.

Here is how dialog normally looks like:
Google: Call is recorded. What city and province?
You: Newmarket, Ontario
Google: Say business name or category
You: Southlake Hospital
Google: Top three related results... (speaks out three top matches)
You: One
Google: I'll connect you.

Bingo!!! You dialed toll free 800 number and as the result you are connected to the phone # that normally would be a long-distance call.

Obviously works for businesses only but anyway - cool freebie, eh?

Normally you can not call 800 number from outside US or Canada. But that is not true for Skype. Even with free Skype account you can call 1 800 numbers. So, you can call GOOG411 from free Skype account from anywhere in the world! Just dial 1 800 GOOG411 using Skype, speak (or type) you state, town and business of interest and get connected to US or Canadian phone number free of charge. From anywhere in the world!

If you have Skype installed just click on the following link to start a call to GOOG411:
Call GOOG411 using Skype

So, you can call any US or Canadian business phone # from anywhere in the world, using Skype and Google.

No HULU in Canada? Try Joost!

Tried to find some compliments for Hulu Canada post, looking at websites of canadian TV broadcasters... Found some limited content available from E! Canada and A Channel

Thanks to their iPhone application, I discovered the perfect free and legal TV content source for Canada - joost.com

Joost, like Hulu, would limit content canadians can watch, but unlike hulu - joost would allow some shows to be watched in canada online right now.

Among the TV programming available to Canadians via Joost online you'll find canadian-created comedy like: Chilly Beach and The Red Green Show. Whole set of National Geographic programming, classic western and horror movies and much much more.

My favorite so far - Australian Food TV - full episodes of australian cooking show. So entertaining Australian accent, eh?

Hulu, watch out!