A false assumption spreading around online forums is that only the people to whom Hulu Plus invitations are sent can sign up for the service, but TG Daily has learned otherwise.
On forums like PCMech and the official Playstation message board, we have found many people with invites saying they don’t want Hulu Plus, and several others asking for those unwanted invites.
“I’d be more than willing but the invite comes pre-addressed , so it doesn’t transfer,” wrote one invitation holder. “Its not really possible to send you the invite, it is linked to my hulu account,” wrote another.
However, we have confirmed that is not the case. The Hulu Plus invitation e-mail includes a specialized URL for the specific person to which it was e-mailed, and if clicked on, the registration form auto-fills with that e-mail address.
Users, though, are free to change that to any e-mail address they want. The specific URL is only used to track the invitation, so that multiple people cannot sign up with the same invitation. It apparently does not, however, track who used it.
Hundreds of PS3 owners are finding these invitation e-mails in their inbox but a lot of them are expressing a complete lack of interest in the $9.99 monthly fee.
Meanwhile, videophiles and people who just like to feel exclusive, are clamoring to get an invite. I wonder if we’ll start seeing Hulu Plus invitations popping up on Ebay or Craigslist…
