BBC launches iPlayer 2.0

Last year, the BBC's iPlayer launched in beta, presenting UK license holders with over 400 hours of free BBC programming on demand. Today, the 2.0 beta version was rolled out.

The BBC's on-demand TV service called iPlayer has received an overhaul since its release in beta last year, offering several design and feature upgrades.

In addition to an enlarged playback screen, iPlayer 2.0 now offers a BBC schedule of both broadcast and webcast programs. Also added is a "last played" section that allows content interrupted from previous sessions to be resumed, and a "More Like This" section that links to related programs and relevant Web sites.

BBC Radio in iPlayer has also been upgraded to include "Listen Again," which allows rewind and fast-forward of live radio programming.

At first, the iPlayer was only available to Windows XP users (note, not Vista), but has since expanded onto Virgin Media cable boxes, Wi-Fi connected iPhone/iPod Touch, and the Opera-based Internet Channel on the Nintendo Wii. Promises of Mac and Linux versions are still unfulfilled.

Many programs on iPlayer are only available to users hailing from the UK, for licensing reasons: The BBC prefers to show its programs to paid license holders. So the device is something of a downer if you live in the States, and were hoping to catch up on "Doctor Who" or "Eastenders."