Streaming video is a hot commodity these days, and Amazon is joining the competition to become the most popular provider. So far it’s been a close race between competitors Hulu, Apple, and Google, who are all hard at work taking on Netflix, the current leader, and not making much headway. But Amazon is poised to upset the ranking in a significant way with its recent, game-changing move to offer Amazon Prime members free, instant streaming of 5,000 plus movies and TV shows.

Prime members pay a yearly fee of $79 to enjoy free two-day shipping, but now, at no extra cost, the same members can watch select movies and TV shows instantly via Macs, PCs, and almost 200 other models of Internet-capable devices. Already, Netflix’s shares have been affected by the move, but it’s too soon to say whether Netflix’s reign is really in jeopardy. The top video distribution and online streaming provider has rallied before from similar situations, but it’s certainly a positive sign for consumers. The more competition among providers, the greater deals we’ll get in the end.