Hulu Plus is coming to Xbox Live tomorrow, so we took a quick look to see if there were any mind-altering changes compared to similar apps like Netflix and the Zune store.
Guess what? There aren't.
Anyone who's used Netflix on Xbox 360 before will feel right at home with the Hulu interface since it's pretty much identical to other Xbox 360 apps, mechanically speaking. Like Netflix, Hulu Plus' menus mimic the menus from the Xbox dashboard. What more can I say? Hulu Plus menus have a black background, while Netflix menus have a red background...
If you were hoping the Hulu Plus would try to one-up Netflix with more extensive Kinect controls, unfortunately you will be disappointed; like Netflix, your Kinect-controlled options are limited to Hulu's 6-8 recommended programs. You can pause, rewind, fast forward, etc using both hand and voice controls.
What will be more disappointing to prospective Hulu-Plussers is the fact that, while you will be getting access to more content overall, many shows available on your browser aren't available via the Xbox app. (Or the PS3, or the iPhone, for that matter.) Many of Hulu's most popular programs are available, but there are some notable exceptions.
Aesthetics aside, Hulu Plus' content will complement the content available via Netflix, especially in the television department. If you were on the fence about ditching cable before, Hulu Plus might tip you over the edge.