How can I create account for HBO Now without using an Apple Product or subscribing to Optimum?

Unfortunately it seems you need to subscribe through one of those mechanisms. i.e iTunes on an Apple device or Optimum. There may be other options in the future, though for now it needs to be one of them.

Understanding HBO NOW Subscriptions

In order to watch videos on HBO NOW, you need to purchase a subscription to the service. HBO does not offer subscriptions directly. You have to buy one from a participating provider.

If you are using an Apple TV or a supported iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch, you can use in-app purchasing to get your subscription. If you choose this method, you can use your Apple ID to access your iTunes account as you would for any other in-app purchase.

You can also purchase your subscription by contacting a participating subscription provider. If you choose to subscribe this way, you will get a username and password from your selected provider.

No matter how you subscribe, you'll need to register your subscription with HBO NOW in order to gain access to all the features of HBO NOW. When you register, you will establish a username and password for your HBO NOW profile. You will use your profile username and password to sign in to HBO NOW.

Your HBO NOW subscription applies to your household in much the same way that traditional cable television services do: the people in your home can use the subscription to watch different videos on their own devices simultaneously. There are, however, two things to consider when watching videos concurrently with other household members. First, you may experience reduced video quality when streaming multiple videos at the same time on the same Internet connection. Second, we limit the number of videos you can watch simultaneously across your devices for security reasons.

You don't need to worry about your subscription for your day-to-day use of HBO NOW. You'll use your HBO NOW profile username and password to sign in and we'll verify that you have a valid subscription behind the scenes.

http://help.hbonow.com/app/answers/detailHBO/a_id/124/session/L3RpbWUvMTQyOTA0OD c2MC9zaWQvX1g1TGVUam0%3D

Just want to point out that their is a difference between "HBO Go" and "HBO Now".

Not sure if that is where some confusion in this thread is coming from. Perhaps the one guy who says he can sign up for "Now" without an Apple product actually has the HBO Go service.

I would say that answers why you have access - most likely you set everything up through APPLE TV - one of the ways you are currently allowed to access the service. And since you refer to it as your "son's Apple TV" most likely you have NO IDEA that that is the reason YOU have access to the service (your son set up the service for you). Thanks for treating the OP like an idiot, when you had no idea what you were talking about.

Confirmed:

The rest of us aren't able to access it without iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch or Apple TV (or through Optimum)

Which *****, because I don't think I'm able to access it even though I have an iPod Touch (too old, and I'm not able to update the software)

You're able to WATCH IT on any device once you've created an account... in order to create an account you MUST have an apple device capable if running apple device because you can not sign up through the hbo now website.. not unless you have an optimum subscription ( they are a cable provider ) .. This is a screenshot FROM orders.hbonow.com .. it's very clear.. you can ONLY subscribe with iPhone, iPad or Apple TV ... OR .. through your optimum cable account... this just a fact... once you have your subscription using one of those ONLY two methods can you then watch it on any device.

The original poster asked a simple question.. can you subscribe without an apple device.... NO .. you cannot.. not unless you're an optimum customer

You can't even subscribe on a mac.. you have to subscribe from an iphone, ipad or apple tv ... having a mac won't help you either.. http://orders.hbonow.com is very clear on what is required 🙂

Correct.. you can't subscribe from an iPod either.. it's too old..

You can WATCH from any device once you have your subscription set up.. I watch it on my PC and I watch it on my TV via playon media center and roku 3 🙂

Don't buy through itunes. Don't subscribe to anything through Apple. You will be locked to Apple devices only. Apple is the only one who does this. Subscribe through Roku or any other way, but not iTunes and this goes for just about anything. Apple makes it impossible to have any kind of freedom of choice. They are greedy. Want to watxh HBO now through a browser? Not if you subscribed through iTunes. You can, however if you subscribe through Amazon, Roku or any other service, all of which except for iTunes, makes the process a breeze. Apple rips you off with subscriptions, while every other service actually gives you what you pay for. If you subscribe through anything other than iTunes, you can still watch on Apple TV, iPhone, Mac, etc... But not the other way around. STAY AWAY FROM SUBSCRIBING TO ANYTHING THROUGH iTunes, unless of course you only want to use your subscriptions on an iPhone, Apple TV or iPad and can never see yourself wanting to watch through a browser, a computer or any other streaming device.

Apple needs to stop being greedy or update their technology to be on par with their competitors as far as selling content. They are about a decade behind, or its done intentionally. Either way, Apple's customers wind up with the short end of the stick.