The beta for OnLive's cloud-based streaming game service is now being opened to public testers, the company announced today.

OnLive aims to use a cloud of computers to render PC games off-site, streaming them to users' monitors at 60 frames per second in 720p resolution with negligible input lag.

The service was developed in secret over a span of seven years, and was recently unveiled at this year's Game Developers Conference in March.

If you're still skeptical that a $200 netbook can stream Crysis in 720p over a cable connection, sign up for the beta, give it a shot, and let us know what you find.

Bowing to public pressure, internet provider Time Warner has canceled its plans to expand trials of metered internet usage, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The program, which establishes a hard limit for bandwidth usage and charges users if they go over that limit, was set to hit Rochester, N.Y., and Greensboro, N.C. in August, and will expand to San Antonio and Austin, TX in October.

Many were concerned about impact this could have with the growing popularity of digital distribution and internet streaming technology in games and game-related services.

However, a trial in Beaumont, TX, underway since last year, will continue, with the company claiming that only 16% of users in Beaumont were affected by the caps.

Furthermore, the company will still pursue the concept, which it argues is vital because "Internet demand is rising at a rate that could outpace capacity within a few years."

"While we continue to believe that consumption-based billing may be the best pricing plan for consumers, we want to do everything we can to inform our customers of our plans and have the benefit of their views," said Time Warner executive Glenn Britt.

As it continues to field test metered bandwidth usage in the U.S., internet provider Time Warner has revised, detailed and defended its current and upcoming trials.

The revisions include a lower-priced entry plan and higher data caps. The company argues that tiered plans--in which customers have a set bandwidth limit and are charged if they go over--are necessary because "Internet demand is rising at a rate that could outpace capacity within a few years" and "could result in Internet brownouts."

Overage charges will be limited to $75 per month. "That means that for $150 per month customers could have virtually unlimited usage at Turbo speeds," said the company.

Time Warner is not alone in its hopes to bring the model, which is already used overseas, to the United States. Many worry about the impact this could have on gaming, especially as digital downloads and streaming services like OnLive gain popularity.

The company stressed that these are trials, adding "our plans will evolve as well and aren't set in stone" and that it looks "forward to more dialogue as we... Read more

Sony America communications director Patrick Sybold has expressed some doubt that the on-demand PC gaming service OnLive will be a universal hit.

OnLive plans to offer a subscription-based PC gaming service to consumers using cloud-based rendering technology, eliminating the need for expensive PC components to run the titles. The service, launching this winter, will stream games in real-time over a standard internet connection, to either a computer or television display.

Though OnLive claims the monthly subscription will be low, the company has yet to announce a price for the server-based service, which has Seybold wondering whether the cost will be prohibitive.

"What will be the final cost to the consumer when you start adding up what [OnLive is] selling?" asked Seybold in an interview with Edge.

Seybold also questioned whether consumers could afford the... Read more

OnLive has undeniably made a big splash here at GDC. The company announced its new technology on Tuesday, claiming that it would change the face of PC gaming. But what is it, exactly? And does it really work?

With its new service, OnLive is attempting to literally render the PC hardware upgrade a moot point. Users will run a small, lightweight application that interfaces with a vast "cloud" of servers. The servers render PC games in high quality--delivering SD quality on a 1.5 megabits per second line, and 720p on a 5 megabit connection--then output the video to your display of choice: either a PC, or a television with an HDMI dongle.

The goal was to free up users from the bane of hardware requirements, providing a hassle-free option for PC gamers. The service will carry a subscription cost, and members will have the option of renting or purchasing the available games. Nearly every major publisher has signed on, with one notable exception being Activison Blizzard.

It sounds like one giant leap forward for PC gaming on paper, but many were skeptical of the technology following the announcement, thinking that the inevitable lag would result in an inferior gaming experience. After getting my hands on the thing, I can report that OnLive mostly works as advertised--but a few flaws may hold... Read more

OnLive today announced plans to launch a new service that will stream PC games with negligible lag to televisions and PCs, eliminating the need for hardware upgrades.

Developed in secret for the past seven years, OnLive makes use of cloud computing, streaming video to your monitor at 720p resolution and 60 frames per second.

Because the video is rendered in a "cloud" of servers, games such as Crysis are delivered at full graphics settings, the only bottleneck being the user's internet connection. 1.5 megabits per second will get you to standard definition, while a 5 megabit connection bumps the resolution to 720p.

OnLive's proprietary compression technology boasts a lag time of less than one millisecond in testing, and early reports indicate that the service delivers on this front. Gamasutra notes that OnLive has worked directly with cable and internet providers to eliminate packet loss.

Users will require only a small device (pictured above, left) to... Read more