A report from Bloomberg claims that a number of major U.S. cable operators are planning on offering cloud-based gaming as early as next year. The cable companies and service providers that want to get into the game - according to the report - include AT&T, Verizon, Time Warner, and Comcast.

While OnLive has had its share of challenges, it hasn't seemed to have affected the general consensus that cloud-based gaming is a good idea. Casual game maker Big Fish either didn't notice or didn't seem to care about OnLive's stumbles as it launches its Big Fish Unlimited for Android devices. The service is offering more than 100 casual games for free via Google Play.

Premium pay TV network HBO (owned by Time Warner) is using a different business model than it does in America to provide HBO Go-style streamed content in parts of Europe. Apparently HBO is more "cord-cutter" friendly across the ocean. HBO will offer a streaming service in Mid-October that does not require consumers to have a cable subscription. The rollout of this new HBO model will target only a few European territories.

Square Enix announced today that it is launching a new web-based gaming service that will allow consumers to play console quality, high definition games in their browser. The service is called CoreOnline, and will feature a micro transaction-based system.

The first titles released are Hitman: Blood Money and Mini Ninjas, with other games such as Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, Tomb Raider: Underworld, and others to follow at a later date to be determined.

According to a recent survey conducted by TechBargains.com (as reported by CED Magazine), 33 percent of cord cutters would not return to cable, even if the cost was drastically reduced. Cord cutters are consumers who have ditched traditional cable television viewing in favor of using online video services such as Netflix and Hulu.

If you live in Nashville, Tennessee then you probably use Comcast for most of your internet needs, but a new trial in the region that begins tomorrow will change the way you use your internet connection for gaming and entertainment. Starting Wednesday, August 1, Comcast will test a new usage-based broadband policy on its Nashville customers. The company will data cap its customers at 300 GB a month and anyone that goes over that threshold will be charged an additional $10 per 50 GB of additional data used.

Cloud-based game streaming service OnLive confirmed today via its official blog that it will be available on the OUYA console. The Android-based $99 console will have the benefit of OnLive's streaming services which will bring a massive library of PC games to OUYA users. The service will be available on day one of the console's launch to boot.

Five months ago kiosk video game and movie rental company Redbox announced a deal with Verizon to create a service to compete with Netflix. Today we learn a little bit more about the service via a freshly launched website. The name of the new service is "Redbox Instant by Verizon," and it will be headed by Shawn Strickland, who served as an executive for Verizon’s FiOS Pay TV service.

Sony Computer Entertainment has acquired Dave Perry's cloud-based gaming service Gaikai for an estimated $380 million, the company announced this morning. Before the Electronic Entertainment Expo there were rumors circulating that Sony was going to buy a cloud-based gaming service - or at the very least announce that it was building one of its own. Another rumor last month was that Gaikai was looking for a buyout to the tune of an estimated $500 million. It turns out that all the rumors were true.

Cloud gaming service Gaikai has announced a deal with Machinima to bring its popular entertainment content to Gaikai's open platform for integration across all Gaikai-powered devices. Machinima claims an audience of 168 million gamers, who viewed more than 1.61 billion videos in the month of April, according to Gaikai.

Earlier this week the company announced a deal with Samsung to bring its cloud-based gaming services to the company's Smart TV line of high definition internet-ready televisions.

Not to be outdone by OnLive's deal with TV manufacturer LG, Cloud gaming service Gaikai has announced a partnership with electronics manufacturer Samsung to bring its streaming game service to select Samsung television models. Samsung's game service powered by Gaikai will offer games from all of the company's publishing partners.

Cloud-based gaming service OnLive announced at the opening of the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles that the company has partnered with television manufacturer LG to provide gaming without the need for hardware. All consumers will need is OnLive's gamepad. The company also revealed a number of new services that it plans to roll into its gaming service.

According to this MCV report Sony's upcoming announcement about a partnership with a cloud gaming firm may actually lead to an acquisition. Citing a source close to the situation, MCV reports that the deal is much more involved than anyone knows and that it is close to being finalized. While the report doesn't specifically name any particular companies the prevailing rumors is that one of the leaders in the space - Online or Gaikai are probably the most likely targets.

Adriasang reports that Square Enix has launched a free streaming music service that you can access with PC and Android devices. Though the site is intended for those who reside in Japan, you can get at it directly from your PC by visiting the streaming music website. Most of the site is in Japanese but there is a small bit of English as well - enough for just about anyone to figure out how to navigate around the site.

Streaming video game service Gaikai has launched a beta trial of its new Facebook app, allowing users to play demos while logged into the popular social network. For now users can play demos on Facebook including Saints Row - The Third (USA), Dead Rising 2 - Off the Record (USA), Magicka (USA & Europe), Sniper - Ghost Warrior (USA & Europe), The Witcher 2 - Assassins of Kings (USA & Europe), Orcs Must Die! (USA & Europe) and Farming Simulator 2011 (USA & Europe).

It looks like Netflix wants some representation in Washington D.C. and has taken steps to set up a political action committee (PAC) called "Flixpac." This will allow the Internet-based streaming entertainment company to give up to $5,000 to a candidate per election year and up to $15,000 to a political party annually.

According to a VentureBeat report (thanks Andrew Eisen), Netflix has quietly separated its DVD and streaming entertainment subscriptions. In its initial report the publication assumed that this change was across the board and would force customers who subscribe to both types of Netflix services to use two different sites.

A report on Technet reveals that Microsoft is currently in talks with OnLive concerning its iPad and Android app that allows users to stream certain Microsoft Windows 7-based services such as Office and save their work via cloud-based storage. OnLive launched its Windows desktop app for iPad in January and recently launched an Android version of the app. Both releases offered a free service and a premium service with various perks including more cloud storage space.

Cloud-based streaming service Gaikai is doing something that no company has ever done: streaming a major MMO. The company, along with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced a partnership that will see The Lord of The Rings Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online streamed to players across North America directly from each game's own website.

Blockbuster may have been saved when Dish Network purchased them in April 2011 for $228 million, but it looks like that in less than a year the second largest satellite TV provider needs to trim some fat. The company will close down a number of Blockbuster stores shortly. Blockbuster recently reported its first increase in subscribers in over two years, thanks largely to its Blockbuster purchase. Nevertheless, the company said this week that it will close a third of Blockbuster's 1,500 brick-and-mortar rental outlets, with more planned in the future.

If you were hoping that Netflix was still considering renting video games like it does with disc-based movies, let that hope die tonight. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said today on a call to discuss the latest quarter’s earnings, that the idea was dead and laying in a shallow grave right next to the one about renaming its disc-based rental service to "Quikster."

Game streaming company Gaikai has managed to secure several high profile deals with online retailers that should give the company the exposure it needs to compete with the likes of OnLive. Those deals include BestBuy.com, YouTube, Capcom, and Ubisoft (UbiShop), according to VentureBeat.

Eurogamer has launched game streaming on its site today, as part of a new relationship with video game streaming service Gaikai. Eurogamer and Gaikai have partnered to provide free streaming game content, with such AAA titles as Crysis 2, Magicka, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, and FIFA 12 available right now. More titles will be added to the list in "the near future."

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings says that he sees an "arms race" in the streaming entertainment sector that his company currently dominates, and the biggest competition they face is Time Warner's HBO Go.

"The competitor we fear most is HBO Go,” Hastings said this week at the UBS media conference in New York. "HBO is becoming more Netflix-like and we’re becoming more HBO-like. The two of us will compete for a very long time."

OnLive brings its cloud-based gaming services to smartphones and tablets with a new app for iOS and Android. The app allows those that subscribe to the service to stream playable PC games to smartphones and tablets. Some companies, such as Rockstar Games are even working with OnLive to tailor the experience; the company is creating a specific touch screen interface for L.A. Noire as part of a collection of 25 games with reconfigured controls ready for the launch.

If you are expecting to see HBO's original programming on Netflix anytime soon, you can just forget about that. HBO Co-President Eric Kessler told a gathering of industry executives in New York City that there was "no chance" his company will make its shows available to digital non-subscribers. The industry calls these people "cord cutters," - people who have shifted from cable TV to streaming online services like Netflix.

Netflix has had a rough couple of months.  Investors and customers alike have reacted negatively to the company’s recent price hikes and it’s Qwikster announcement was so unpopular that it canned the whole thing mere weeks later.

"The last few months...have been difficult for shareholders, employees, and most unfortunately, many members of Netflix," wrote Netflix CEO Reed Hastings in a letter to shareholders. "We've hurt our hard-earned reputation, and stalled our domestic growth."

Netflix has confirmed earlier rumors that it would launch its popular streaming entertainment service in the United Kingdom and Ireland in "early 2012."

Netflix said further details about the UK service, including the important stuff like pricing, content and supported devices, will be announced at a later date closer to launch. Back in July rumors began to circulate about the company's plan to enter into the lucrative European market. At the time Netflix had no comment.