NetflixForAndroid
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Workaround brings Netflix to more (rooted) Android users
We've already had some success getting Netflix for Android up and running on an officially unsupported phone (a Droid X), but those not able to get it to work simply by transferring and installing the .APK now have another option. As some folks on XDA and Reddit have discovered, you can apparently just edit a few system settings to make your phone (or Nook Color, for that matter) think it's actually an HTC G2, which is apparently all it takes to satisfy the Netflix app. It doesn't work with every phone, of course, but quite a few seem to have had success with it. Unfortunately for some, you'll also need to first root your phone in order to make those changes, but the steps are fairly simple once you've done that. Hit up the links below for all the details, and let us know how it worked out for you in the comments below. Just remember: when in doubt, back up.
Hands-on with Netflix for Android (video)
Netflix for Android is here... finally. It's been a long time coming and we're thrilled to be able to bring our instant queue with us wherever we go. Though technically only approved for a handful of HTC phones and the Samsung Nexus S, we were able to successfully get it up and running on at least one unsanctioned device -- the Droid X (sporting a leaked copy of Gingerbread). So what's Netflix like on Google's mobile OS? Well, it's a heck of a lot like the iPhone app. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to tell them apart if it weren't for the tabs being moved from the bottom of the screen to the top. Still, we figured it was worth giving a solid once over and, as usual, you can find our impressions after the break. %Gallery-123575%
Netflix headed to 'select Android devices' early next year
Netflix has always been something of a fickle beast, lavishing treats upon just one platform at a time, but now that iOS, Windows Phone 7 and every game console under the sun are streaming its video, the firm's finally turned its gaze on Android. Come early 2011, Netflix will appear on "select Android devices," according to the company's official blog, which also promises a "standard, platform-wide solution" for Android in the unspecified future. What took so long, and why will Netflix be limited to particular handsets when it first rolls out? "The hurdle has been the lack of a generic and complete platform security and content protection mechanism available for Android," says the blog, stating piracy concerns. Apparently content holders aren't too keen on making movies available unless devices have DRM baked right in, so the solution is equip new phones with padlocks one at a time. Expect next year's high-end Android devices to have "Netflix" as a nice big bullet point. [Thanks, Connor B.]
