All Articles Tagged Netflix

Rachel Cericola | 04/05 09:42 AM, 4 Comments

People apparently weren’t all that mad at Netflix for raising its prices last year. The Convergence Consulting Group (via Entertainment Weekly) reports that about one million people dropped cable and satellite services in 2011 and turned to Netflix, Hulu and iTunes for their content. The report says 2.7 million U.S subscribers have said goodbye to cable and satellite services over the past three years. However, a million of those were just in 2011. The CCG says that 900,000 more will follow this year. Of course, that’s just a drop in… View this story

Grant Clauser | 03/08 08:13 AM, 1 Comment

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has been in talks with cable operators about adding the streaming video service onto their set-top boxes, Reuters is reporting. Reuters says Netflix could be offered as a feature the cable company would charge for and share the revenue with Netflix. On one hand, it sounds like madness. Why would a cable company encourage users to try out a service that could replace much of its video watching? But what if the cable company uses Netflix as its VOD arm? Then the cable company wouldn’t have… View this story

Julie Jacobson | 02/06 08:19 AM, 0 Comments

So far, Netflix is the only company with success in mingling physical DVDs with streaming media for a full-service entertainment package. But a new joint venture between Verizon and Coinstar -- the parent company of Redbox - could challenge Netflix by providing “the convenience, simplicity and value of Redbox new release DVD and Blu-ray Disc rentals combined with a new content-rich video on-demand streaming and download service from Verizon,” according to a press release issued today (below). The two companies provide few details about the offering, expected to launch in… View this story

Rachel Cericola | 01/31 09:55 AM, 15 Comments

The rumor that Netflix will offer 3D streaming is certainly nothing new. But CEO Reed Hastings is fueling the fire, saying Netflix is indeed working on a little something for its 3D-capable subscribers. In a conference call last week, Hastings said (via GigaOM) Netflix is renting 3D Blu-rays. He couldn’t comment on the popularity of that offering, only saying that disc rentals were down overall. “On streaming, that is definitely something we can do and we will be looking at,” Hastings said. You probably shouldn’t hold your breath. After all,… View this story

Julie Jacobson | 12/21 09:07 AM, 0 Comments

What got custom electronics professionals really riled this year? What were some of the most biggest and most controversial stories in the home-technology industry in 2011? CE Pro has compiled a list of those stories, including comments from our readers (in blue; edited for clarity, grammar and length). It used to be that the economy was the biggest home-technology story of the year, but not for 2011. This year, we believe CE pros had the most to say, fear, rejoice and otherwise emote about these 8 Biggest CE Stories of… View this story

Julie Jacobson | 12/14 12:17 PM, 0 Comments

Which streaming video service offers the best quality audio? Which has the most movies with subtitles? Which has the richest parental controls? Our friend (and neighbor) Gabe Gagliano at Tech of the Hub created an incredible chart comparing these and other features of the major premium video services: Amazon Instant and Prime, Hulu Plus, iTunes, Netflix and Vudu. [continues] Click for the full chart He offers some excellent analysis to go with the chart, including these notable updates since the last update in Q3: Other notable changes since the August-September… View this story

Julie Jacobson | 11/01 09:11 AM, 5 Comments

Netflix launched 1080p streaming in 2010, but we've barely seen it in smart TVs, networked Blu-ray players and other common CE devices from top brands such as Samsung, LG and Tivo. Netflix 1080p was supported exclusively by the Playstation 3 when it launched last year, and since then has trickled out to media players from Roku and Western Digital. Netflix only this summer released a software developers kit for everyone else, and those everyone elses are finally incorporating the technology into their new and legacy devices (via firmware upgrade). That's… View this story

Rachel Cericola | 10/18 12:10 PM, 3 Comments

More trouble is on the horizon for Netflix. GigaOM says Vdio (Vee-dee-o), which allows users to "instantly watch the best in TV and movies, right now," is hoping to scoop up those who recently abandoned Netflix. Founded by Janus Friis, co-founder of Skype/Rdio/KaZaA, Vdio in is closed beta at the moment, and will first launch in the U.K. Information about how much the service will cost, what kind of content Vdio will offer and when it plans to launch in the U.S. seem to be missing. Pricing and content will… View this story

Steve Crowe | 10/11 12:10 PM, 0 Comments

Netflix has abandoned its Qwikster DVD-by-mail service, CEO Reed Hastings announced on Oct. 10, 2011. Streaming and DVD rentals will stay under the one Netflix.com website. This move comes just three weeks after Hastings introduced the idea of Qwikster. It was the latest misstep after Netflix announced in July a price increase that sent its stock price and number of subscribers tumbling. So while Netflix did address issues with Qwikster, it hasn't changed its stance on the new pricing. Thanks to Storify, here's how the Web reacted after Qwikster was… View this story

Rachel Cericola | 10/10 11:42 AM, 1 Comment

Someone at Netflix appears to be having a nervous breakdown. Can you blame them? Back in July, Netflix announced plans to separate its streaming and DVD plans. Everyone probably remembers how that panned out. Despite the outcry, Netflix went through with its new pricing plan. CEO Reed Hastings eventually sent out an apology, only to drop another bomb, saying that the company would separate the two business units even further. The DVD side would soon become Qwikster. Um, just kidding? Today, Hastings the CEO says that they aren’t going to… View this story