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Netflix begins raising prices, but current users get a two-year freeze (update)
Remember that Netflix price hike we were warned about? Well, it's finally happening, and it's affecting potential streamers across Europe. We say potential because although the cost is rising by £1 and €1 in the UK and across Europe, to £6.99 and €8.99 respectively, it'll only affect those signing up for the first time. The good news is that if you're already a Netflix subscriber, you'll pay the same amount you always have for at least another two years. At this time, Netflix remains quiet over its US plans (it's not had the greatest of times when it's adapted packages and switched pricing in the past) but has said previously that it will raise subscriptions by $1 or $2. Chances are US customers will see prices rise by a dollar, giving Netflix the opportunity to sink more cash into future seasons of House of Cards. Update: US and Canadian users have now also begun receiving notification emails from Netflix and, as expected, they're seeing the same rise. New subscribers will now pay a dollar more at $8.99 a month, with existing customers enjoying a two-year grace period. Netflix is also making its single stream SD-only package official, and available for $7.99 per month -- $1 more than the test offers that popped up late last year.
National Parks Street View-style trails goes live, avoids the Google cars (video)
After tooling up a team of hikers with an impressive camera tripod and unleashing them on the likes of the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone Park, Nature Valley has published its fully rotational Trail Views online. You'll be able to effortlessly follow several routes across the great American countryside and for those too lazy to even click the forward arrow, there's an autoplay mode. Three different locations -- with multiple trails -- are online now and you can check out how the granola-grinding company captured it all right after the break.
Nature Valley creating Street View-style tour of National Parks, chews through countless granola bars to do so
"There's a good reason why Street View is done in cars." That's a quote from Mat Bisher, associate creative director at McCann, who is teaming up with granola connoisseur Nature Valley in order to deliver a "Street View-style tour" of America's National Parks. Fast Company reports that the two have embarked on quite the ambitious initiative (dubbed Trail View), sending a cadre of well-trained hikers to some of America's most gorgeous locales with specially-rigged camera setups in tow. The goal? To capture views from near-limitless hiking trails, and bring them to your web browser starting in February 2012. Sadly, it won't be integrated into any of the platforms already in existence; it'll be its own standalone thing, but hopefully the likes of Microsoft or Google will take notice and either contribute or convert it. We're told that "layers for user-generated content, social networking and mobility, and perhaps form partnerships with travel sites" are on tap, and yes, Woodrow Wilson's ghost has purportedly approved. Update: We've added a few shots of the actual capturing in the gallery below. %Gallery-137745%
Act surprised: Higher iTunes prices mean slower sales
Warner Music revealed on Tuesday something we've all long suspected: music sales have witnessed a growth slump on iTunes since the record labels pushed Apple to implement a variable or tiered pricing model. As a result, consumers have slowed their spending habits of media on iTunes, making fewer purchases and fewer Miley Cyrus downloads -- I'm ok with that part in fact. The cause of decelerating sales can be attributed the associated price hike in new or premium content, which received an unpopular 30% cost of living increase from $.99 to a more salty $1.29 price point. It turns out that people are reluctant to pay thirty cents more today for something that cost a buck yesterday. What is it with you crazy people and your fickle spending habits? This decline in spending is beginning to eat into Warner's bottom line, where iTunes makes up the majority of its digital revenues. The company saw a 50% decline in revenue in their December quarter, at just 5% growth -- down from 10% in the previous quarter. Ouch! Note to businesses everywhere: This is what happens when you issue a price increase in the middle of a recession. We'll have to see if the record companies take a hint and reconsider their pricing at all.
Cingular follows Sprint, ups pay-per-use texting fees to $0.15
Ah boy, here we go again. First there was drama galore when Sprint-Nextel jacked its pay-per-use texting fees from $.10 to $.15, convincing enraged users to demand their contract be terminated sans fees, and now we're headed right back into that same jungle with Cingular. In an apparent attempt to "sway" customers to add on a Messaging Package or Media Bundle, Cingular has announced that effective January 21, 2007, all SMS messages "sent or received on a pay-per-use basis" will cost you fifteen pennies. Unsurprisingly, some users aren't exactly thrilled with a portion of their bill getting hiked up by 50-percent (hey, it is what it is), and are looking for a way out. Thankfully, some users at PCSIntel, HowardForums, and other various locales have confirmed that if you get the right CSR on the line (and sound convincing enough), you can have your contract zapped without paying the $150 fee. Of course, this waiver depends on you not already having a texting package in place, but if you were ever looking for a way to sever your Cingular ties, now's the time.Read - PCSIntelRead - HowardForums
