Rdio just launched a new streaming video service. Named Vdio, it lets users rent and purchase movies and TV shows, create and share video playlists, and features strong discovery tools designed to help surface content. It's currently available to Rdio Unlimited Subscribers in the United States and United Kingdom, and is expected to open to everyone this summer. Vdio is available on the web right now, and its iPad app hit the iTunes store today as well.

Vdio shares the same social discovery tools that have worked so well for Rdio. The shows and movies your friends are watching will show up in your dashboard, as will new releases and suggestions. The playlist sharing features let you build a list of titles like, say, SciFi Hits to share with friends. It's an attempt to solve the "what to watch?" dilemma in a world of unlimited choices.

The move from songs to shows was long in the works. Rdio says it always planned to be an entertainment service that went beyond music. "We've always felt breaking into TV and movies would be a natural and exciting next step," Malthe Sigurdsson, who runs product for Rdio, told Wired.

But unlike Rdio, this is not a subscription service; you can't pay one price to get unlimited access to movies and TV shows. Everything is a la carte. The company says this was the only way it was able to offer new releases. "While a subscription [plan] is very interesting to us – even as a bundle with Rdio – it's not something that's available today," said Sigurdsson.

Content seems fairly robust, but pricing varies quite a bit. New TV shows tend to run $2.99 for an episode while seasons range from $14.99 for the first season of Breaking Bad to $42.99 for Season 3 of Walking Dead. New movies are $4.99 to rent or $14.99 to own.

Currently, Vdio is just available on the web and iPad. The iPad app, however, supports AirPlay, which will let users sling content to a big screen. The company said it is "talking to all the usual suspects" about set-top apps.

Rdio competitor Spotify has also been widely expected to launch a streaming video service, also with social components, this year. But Rdio's entry beat it to the punch. With streaming music services from Google, Apple and others also expected to launch this year, 2013 is shaping up to be the year of the stream.