Hulu Plus Makes Android Tablet Debut With Vizio

Hulu Plus has found its way to a handful of Android devices these past few months, but today it makes its first official appearance on an Android tablet — just maybe not the one you were expecting.

Forget about the Motorola Xoom or the Samsung Galaxy Tab, Hulu Plus is making its tablet debut on the cost-conscious Vizio Tablet. It has to be something of a coup for the budget OEM, but it certainly fits in with the tablet’s focus on media and connectivity: it packs three speakers to pump out the jams and a universal remote app to take control of compatible home theater systems.

As fortunate as Vizio is to land the $7.99/month service, the decision may have been made at least partially to account for the ease of execution. Unlike the rivals listed above, the 8-inch Vizio tablet runs Android 2.3 (a.k.a Gingerbread) instead of Honeycomb, which puts it closer in app compatibility to handsets than its tablet brethren. The Hulu Plus app team would have had spend a few extra man-hours to make the app Honeycomb-ready, but not so with the Vizio tablet.

Still, easier execution or not, the addition of Hulu Plus will make the whole package more palatable to the media-crazed. Current owners can download Hulu Plus now from the Android Market, and newly interested parties can pick up a tablet for a shade under $300.