News

I haven't had a lot of time to post new news, but there's been some good stuff happening this week. So I figured I'd post a single news article with some interesting things that happened this week.

First, if you're a Netflix subscriber that has a plan using streaming and DVDs, you're probably pissed. Netflix split it's streaming and DVD plans into two separate billable items. Now, you'll have to pay $7.99 for each service totalling $15.98 for both at the base level. That's a significant hike from the $9.99 that was billed before. I'm in this group and I'm not thrilled with it, though I do understand that what Netlix has to pay more and more to license all of the selections. But I think they need a lot more selections to justify an increase this high. Everyone used social media to show just how pissed they were about the change. Hopefully, Netflix will reconsider. In the meantime, here's an article reviewing the alternative options:

http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-20079003-285/nine-netflix-alternatives/?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

T-Mobile also launched their new caller ID feature. This would be awesome if it was free, but I don't think it's worth the $3.99/month they're asking for it. I think it's easier and cheaper to just let things to to voicemail and it it's important enough, they'll leave a message...

http://www.tmonews.com/2011/07/t-mobile-introduces-name-id-caller-id-for-everyone/

Google began testing the new Google + social media site. I haven't gotten an invite yet, so I guess I'll have to wait... Apparently, it's mostly dudes right now. That sucks. You'd figure since women are more social creatures by nature, that they would have jumped at the chance to try it. I suppose that if invites were given to a bunch of nerdy dudes, then there weren't going to be too many women that they knew who could get an invite.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20079285-71/google-its-a-man-thing/?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

The Demo for "Catherine" became available on Xbox Live. I'm not one for puzzle games, but this was really an interesting game. It's certainly one of the most unique games I've seen in a long time. I'll likely get it when it comes down in price. I don't think I can justify $60 bucks on it.

http://majornelson.com/2011/07/12/demo-catherine/

So, there you have it. A weeks worth of news in one post. Hopefully, I'll get more time to keep up.

Some study done by a group that works with Comcast believes that Netflix traffic is greater than typicall web surfing traffic. I wouldn't typically post this as news, but I was drawn to a comment that was posted regarding the article. Someone mentioned that this will hopefully lead to more studios offering their movies to stream on Netflix, because it would be more profitable for them since people are downloading their movies using filesharing anyway. It's an excellent point. Not that I'm in favor of breaking the law, but at this point it doesn't seem to be a battle that studios can keep up with. If they offer the movies on Netflix, they'd at least make some money off of it rather than nothing at all from those that are sharing it. I also thought it was interesting that Netflix has more subscribers than Comcast, so it would make sense for studios to deal with them anyway. By the way, I have Comcast and they suck hard.....

Quote

A study published Tuesday by Sandvine Inc. shows that Netflix movies and TV shows account for nearly 30 percent of traffic into homes during peak evening hours, compared with less than 17 percent for Web browsing.

Only about a quarter of homes with broadband subscribe to Netflix, but watching movies and TV shows online takes up a lot of bandwidth compared with Web surfing, email and practically every other Internet activity except file sharing and videoconferencing.

As late as last year, both Web surfing and peer-to-peer file sharing — mainly the illegal trading of copyrighted movies — were each larger than Netflix's traffic.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43059955/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/

This is really good news for Netflix subscribers. A couple hundred more movies to stream couldn't hurt. I look forward to it.

Quote

Miramax and Netflix have signed a multiyear content deal, the companies announced today.

Starting next month, "several hundred" Miramax movies, including "Pulp Fiction," "Shakespeare In Love," and "Good Will Hunting," will be made available on Netflix's streaming service in the U.S. The deal marks the first time that Miramax has ever brought its content to a digital subscription service, the company said.

"From day one, we've been very clear about the importance of digital and our desire to respond to the significant pent-up demand for our films--delivering to consumers whenever and wherever they want," Miramax CEO Mike Lang said in a statement. "This agreement is an important first step in our digital strategy."

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20063155-17.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

Media players are converging to be all alike. There needs to be some differentiation in the market. Some players stream only network content, some get everything off the internet. Then there are some that can do both. What makes the WD TV Live Hub different is that it can not only consume content, it can serve it as well off its 1TB drive.Next Page »

Netflix is handily defeating Blockbuster by providing a better service for less expense. Blockbuster tried to compete by releasing its own streaming service, but it was plagued with shoddy service and high costs. We'll see if Blockbuster can emerge from Chapter 11.

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The 25-year-old company filed for bankruptcy yesterday in New York after losing sales to Netflix Inc.’s Web and mail-order movie service and Coinstar Inc.’s Redbox DVD rental kiosks. Revenue dropped 20 percent to $4.06 billion last year, when Dallas-based Blockbuster reported a $558.2 million net loss.

As of Aug. 29, Blockbuster had about 5,600 stores worldwide, including 3,300 in the U.S., according to court papers. Michael Pachter, an analyst at Wedbush Morgan Securities in Los Angeles, said the company may have to cut U.S. locations to about 2,000 to increase annual sales per store to at least $1 million. In 2002, that figure stood at $1.1 million, he said.

“No one can predict what the market will look like for them going forward as Netflix and Redbox continue to take market share, so they are shooting in the dark,” Pachter said. The company will also face pressure to cut stores from “a new class of shareholder wanting to see cash increasing in a hurry,” he said.

In the past two years, Blockbuster has closed 1,061 U.S. company-operated stores, according to a court document. All its U.S. operations, including stores, DVD vending kiosks, mail and digital, will continue to operate normally, the company said.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-24/blockbuster-chief-says-he-ll-evaluate-every-single-store-in-video-chain.html

NBC is adding more content to Netflix streaming service. In a few years, we'll all get a single internet connection with no other added services (like phone or TV). Everything will be done over IP. It actually is right now, but you are being charged for the service provided at an exceptional rate. Even I'm doing that as well, though.

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Under the new arrangement, "hundreds" of "Saturday Night Live" episodes from the past 35 years, as well as "day-after broadcast" of the show's next three seasons, will be available on Netflix Instant Streaming. NBC is also offering every previous-season episode of "30 Rock," "The Office," and "Law & Order: SVU." Earlier seasons of those shows already on Netflix will still be available. All episodes of the venerable SyFy series "Battlestar Galactica" will also be available on the service. NBC Universal and Netflix said that "Monk" and "Friday Night Lights," among many other shows, will also be included in the expanded relationship between the companies.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20017517-17.html

The WD TV Live Plus has some great features over the original Netflix only players. While the Roku maybe well known for its Netflix streaming support, the WD TV Live Plus has Netflix and more. Combine tons of internet content with support for your internal network content and you've got a product ready to be at the center of your media needs.Next Page »

Most people should have heard about the ease of use that the Netflix streaming service provides. One of the major components of this ease of use would be the set top boxes that provide the service on TVs. Roku was the original and is still the best way to get streaming Netflix to your TV, right now.Next Page »