The New York Times has a decent overview of recent developments in streaming video today:

“There is extreme interest in streaming because it simplifies the process of getting video to the consumer,” said Ross Rubin, the director of industry analysis for the NPD Group, a market analysis company.

Streaming video, unlike downloads, never resides on a viewer’s computer. It usually cannot be replayed as a downloaded file can be, which is another reason that content creators like it.

The growing use and popularity of streaming among consumers are closely tied to the increasing popularity of broadband Internet connections in homes. The Pew Internet & American Life Project estimated that 47 percent of American households have broadband connections that make streaming possible because it transmits data faster.

“The greater adoption of broadband in the United States is really raising the ante for all kinds of content from premium Hollywood offerings to pet videos,” said Mr. Rubin, who noted that NBC and ABC have begun streaming their prime-time programming to online viewers.

What isn’t clear, though, is whether these current streaming solutions can grow beyond niche audiences. Many of the current streaming offerings depend on proprietary players, which limit adoption and device compatibility.