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Netflix plugin for ChromeOS hits v1.0.2, is an official release around the corner?
When Google Chromebooks started arriving without the Netflix streaming we'd been promised we were predictably bummed, but that may be rectified soon. While Chromebook owners attuned to beta channel updates first noticed an entry for a Netflix plugin last month, it still couldn't actually play movies and didn't appear on older, single-core Atom powered Cr-48 laptops. Fast forward to the present, where one of our friendly comment moderators, masterofrandom has spotted this updated v1.0.2 plugin lurking in the depths of his murdered out 12-incher. There's still no playback to be had, but we're figuring Netflix didn't update the version number past 1.0 because it's finally figured out the perfect queue management system. Chromebook owners or prospective owners (and by extension, Linux users) still awaiting Watch Instantly streaming -- your alert level is at Vermilion. [Thanks, masterofrandom]
25 percent of Netflix users stream on the Wii, think composite cables are just fine
We all know that streaming Hoarders and other guilty pleasures via the interwebs has taken off over the past few years. No news there. However, what may be surprising is that, despite the ability to stream in HD to a number of other devices (including your computer), a quarter of all Netflix subscribers view Swamp People by way of the Wii. That's right, 1080p doesn't matter for these folks, who prefer to live the simple life... and by that we mean life in standard def. Most viewers prefer to watch instantly via PC for both Netflix and Hulu, with a whopping 89 percent of Plus customers taking this route to catch up on The Daily Show. With those looking to ditch the red envelope and, you know, with Mad Men now available, Wii viewers are sure to increase as a new console is just around the corner. Because nothing says 1960s drama like 480p, right?
Netflix adds Mad Men in the US today, CBS content in Canada and Latin America later
We're not sure how Don Draper would have sold a 60 percent price increase on your most popular service package but maybe Netflix executives can make a guess after they start watching the first four seasons of Mad Men today on Watch Instantly. Netflix's Lionsgate deal will keep reruns flowing for years to come, while a new agreement with CBS International is bringing its programming -- including Showtime shows like Dexter that were recently yanked from the US Netflix service -- to viewers in Canada (who already had Mad Men) and Latin America (where it locked up a cache of telenovelas yesterday). This CBS agreement is separate from their (also non-exclusive) US deal that brought Star Trek back, but international viewers will still get to both TOS and TNG, as well as shows like Twin Peaks and 90210. Check the press release after the break for more details on the international deal, the source link for a time warp back to 1960s NYC or hit the comments below to explain how canceling your $7.99 per month service is a stand against greedy corporations.
Netflix rises to 25 million subscribers in Q2, thinks DVD business has already peaked
If you were still wondering why Netflix chose right now to split apart its unlimited DVD and streaming movie plans you need look no further than the just released Q2 financial report. According to the numbers, 75 percent of new subscribers were picking streaming only plans, while the total number of people on the hybrid DVD / streaming plan had actually decreased slightly, even as it breached 25 million subscribers worldwide. Of course, it did notice the intense backlash to the new rates, but predicts that after the hit of cancellations by the end of the third quarter it will still have 22 million people subscribed to streaming, 15 million total subscribed to DVDs, and about 12 million customers with both. Waiting on that Facebook integration? Don't hold your breath, while the new features are due to launch soon in Canada and Latin America, it claims ambiguous wording in the Video Privacy Protection Act is holding things back domestically. Other details include confirmation it will not look into purchasing Hulu, and that it's still negotiating a renewal of its deal with Starz. While the DVD business may have peaked, it's not quite dead yet and Netflix indicated it will start marketing that feature again in the fourth quarter. Click the source link to paw through the PDF yourself, we'll be keeping an ear tuned to the investor call later to find out exactly what the company's executives are thinking.
Netflix negotiating for Dreamworks Animation movies?
Netflix will reveal its financial results for the second quarter tomorrow (better known as the one before they raised prices) and already we've got a juicy rumor about the company signing up Dreamworks Animation flicks for streaming. Bloomberg reports that Netflix would replace HBO's agreement for these movies, while The Hollywood Reporter's sources indicate HBO actually offered to end its deal early after signing up movies from Summit Entertainment and because it anticipates more animated flicks from other studios. If the rumors are on target, with Dreamworks also reporting earnings this week we're likely to hear confirmation soon. Besides that, Hacking Netflix also has the low down on a couple of other Netflix tidbits, including that it's recently spun off DVD operations are moving to their own offices, and a rumor that Weeds creator Jenji Kohan is working on an original show for the service. The over/under on Engadget Netflix posts this week is set at 3.5.
Netflix app on Android updated to work on 24 models including Galaxy S, Droid 3 (update: tablets too!)
The number of Android devices officially compatible with the Netflix streaming app has more than doubled in v2.3, growing from 9 to 24. Last night the description was updated with a new list of devices but the actual updated APK only started pushing this afternoon, bringing Netflix not only to the Lenovo tablet announced last night but also to the Droid 3, HTC Thunderbolt, Motorola Atrix, several Galaxy S phones including the Epic 4G and Fascinate and more. Fragmentation is clearly still an issue for DRM'd apps like this and Hulu Plus, but at least now there's a growing number of recent superphones supported instead of sitting on the sidelines. We've got the updated list of devices after the break, hit the source link to download the app from the Android Market. Update: As multiple commenters have noted, sideloading the Netflix APK will still work for devices that haven't yet made the list. We were able to confirm the app works fine on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Motorola Xoom, however we're hearing it's not up and running on the Tegra 2-based Transformer just yet. Itching for some Watch Instantly on your Honeycomb tablet? Check XDA-Developers for a download link. Update 2: Alex wrote in to let us know that things are now operational on the Transformer, too. Check out xda-developers for the details. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Netflix to stream natively from HDMI-equipped tablets (updated)
You read that correctly -- Netflix streaming is about to get really real on impending Honeycomb tablets. One of the nuggets that makes Lenovo's newly unveiled IdeaPad K1 so special is the internal DRM module that allows it to play nice with a fresh build of the Netflix app. As we saw back at MWC with the LG Revolution, future Android 3.x tablets (with an unspecified hardware inclusion) will not only support native Watch Instantly streaming over mini-HDMI / HDMI, but it'll also enable something totally new: local storage. The fresh build of the app -- which will remain exclusive to Lenovo for "a short while" -- will have a heretofore unseen option that'll let subscribers store flicks locally for offline viewing. We're told by Lenovo that files can be stored on the internal flash as well as on microSD cards, and while we've yet to get a hands-on look at the app, we'll be doing everything we can to change that. Just to answer the obvious question: no, your existing Honeycomb tablet won't be able to support this goodness through a firmware update. You'll actually need a slate with the requisite hardware within to take advantage, and it's hard to say at this point who will follow Lenovo down the path. We're hoping that the added functionality won't lead to a boost in Netflix's monthly rate, but given the history of the app, we can't say we're too terrified about that possibility. So, how fast will the APK be ripped from the fabric of a K1 and thrown out onto the web? Somewhere between "quickly" and "you've got to be kidding me," we're surmising. Update: So, it seems something has changed since our D9 meeting. There's no offline viewing support, but the streaming is still here. Too bad, but we're hoping it'll be added (back?) in a future update.
New Netflix, NBCUniversal deal announced; extra $6 a month buys some old eps of The Event
In case you were wondering what the updated rates are buying, Netflix's first step in making its case for your $7.99 a month in streaming fees appears to be a renewal of its content deal with NBCUniversal. The new deal secures availability of previous seasons of popular shows including 30 Rock, The Office, Psych and other selections we've gotten used to seeing on the service for the next couple of years. There is one notable loss however, as the LA Times points out an arrangement that brought new episodes of Saturday Night Live to the service the day after they aired has come to an end. Rumors had swirled that Netflix could revive The Event after its cancellation by NBC, but while existing episodes will be available there's nothing mentioned about putting it next to the streamer's own House of Cards. Given Comcast (and now NBCU) leader Brian Robert's reference to Netflix as the rerun TV and Netflix CEO Reed Hastings' embracing of the term this deal isn't surprising, but our only question is whether it is enough to keep current subscribers around.
Netflix officially separates DVD, streaming pricing; $15.98 and up for both
Netflix hasn't hinted at any upcoming plans to change the services it offers, but NewTeeVee spotted an unadvertised DVD-only plan on its site, and an anonymous tipster indicates that's just the start. The DVD.Netflix.com page offers unlimited DVDs by mail, per month (one at a time) for $7.99, which slots it between the standard DVD & streaming combo plans and a $4.99 offering that gives just two DVDs per month. According to our source Netflix is planning to change its pricing entirely by implementing a streaming only plan with no discs for $7.99 and changing the minimum pricetag for combined services to $15.98 -- up from the current $9.99 it has charged since November. They indicated the change would take place tomorrow night around 9 p.m., with customers notified by email and no plans to grandfather any of the old pricing setups along. With aggressive expansion plans and its costs to acquire content rising sharply, hiking the price by 50 percent on many of its 20 million+ subscribers could be the easiest way to make the numbers add up. Now, subscribers are left to determine exactly what Watch Instantly streaming (or DVD access) is worth to them. Update: Just that fast, Netflix has officially announced these changes to its pricing plans. Just like our information indicated, DVD only or streaming only unlimited plans are available for $7.99 each per month, or $15.98 together. Existing members can float on their current plans until September 1st but new members will see these rates effective immediately. According to a post on the official blog, the change replaces the DVD plan's existence as a $2 surcharge over streaming and from now on it will no longer unlimited discs and streaming as a single package. Two discs at a time will cost $11.99 by themselves now, but there's no mention of higher plans just yet. Fans of the plastic platter should be at least a bit encouraged however, as there's a new team devoted solely to that service -- here's hoping they can get the stagnant Blu-ray catalog refreshed. [Thanks, Anonymous]
Star Trek TV series, X-Men cartoon are among Netflix Watch Instantly additions today
As promised, Netflix added several of the Star Trek TV series to Watch Instantly this morning. While Deep Space 9 is due to arrive in October, TOS (only seasons 2 and 3 at the time of this posting), The Next Generation, Voyager and Enterprise are all present and accounted for. If you're looking for HD streaming, only the remastered original series and Enterprise will fit the bill, but judging by the sorry state of our TNG Betamax dubs we'll take what we can get. Also new today is Marvel's X-Men cartoon (in SD), although it appears many of the amazing season finale episodes (especially those dealing with the Phoenix saga) are still trapped on discs.
Netflix Watch Instantly works in a new region: Puerto Rico
Ever since Netflix launched its Watch Instantly movie streaming service residents of and visitors to Puerto Rico have been left out of the fun, but today that changed. This evening Puerto Rican disc-only subscribers began receiving this email indicating their accounts are now streaming enabled, ending their infuriating wait watching the service expand internationally to Canada and heard rumors it would reach the UK or other countries soon. Netflix confirmed the expansion to us in an email while a post by the Puerto Rico Statehood Students Association -- which began agitating for the policy change about a month ago -- indicates they were successfully able to stream movies by PC and phone, although Twitter reports NBC content isn't working. Does this mean Fat Joe will drop a Roku reference on his next album, or that JJ Barea's NBA Championship celebration is finally getting under way in style? We can only hope so. Update: Per Netflix PR, this should also apply to other US Territories as well -- here's looking at you, Guam. [Image Credit: Rafy Mediavilla, thanks Ibrahim!]
Netflix takes on the networks again, snags streaming rights for Open Road Films, Well Go
Netflix is adding a few more options to its Watch Instantly catalog with new deals recently announced. An agreement with Well Go USA includes new and catalog Asian action flicks like Ip Man 1 & 2, and The Man from Nowhere, while a separate deal with nascent studio Open Road Films locks up its movies for streaming in the "pay TV window." After movies like Killer Elite and The Host finish their theatrical and DVD run, the only place to find them will be on Netflix streaming instead of on TV, similar to its deal with Relativity Media. If you hadn't seen Ip Man yet and like kung fu flicks at all, we'd suggest adding that to your queue immediately, while the impact of the deal with the movie theater (AMC & Regal) owned Open Road will be easier to impact once it actually has a few film releases under its belt.
Netflix's day: Sony movies pulled, new bandwidth options, no more DVD API access and a lawsuit
In an apparent ode to Rebecca Black, Ice Cube and any number of body switch movies, Netflix has had an incredibly active Friday, so sit back while we get you up to speed. Sony Pictures movies from Starz Play are no longer available (on any device, not just the Xbox 360 this time) due to a "temporary contract issue" according to the official blog. According to NewTeeVee, the problem is an "IP distribution cap" that was reached due to Netflix's explosive growth, but with no word on when the movies will be back, you'll be missing The Other Guys. Up next was the National Association of the Deaf, which has filed a lawsuit in Springfield, MA against Netflix, claiming that its failure to provide closed captions on all streaming content puts it in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Netflix last claimed 30 percent of titles were subbed with plans to reach 80 percent by the end of the year, but the press release (and captioned YouTube video) make the case that as a leader in streaming video, it should do better. Netflix also quietly gave US subscribers access to the same bandwidth management options provided to Canadians a few months ago. The new Manage Video Quality settings (shown above) can be found in the Your Account section, and if you're trying to stay under bandwidth caps or just keep seeing buffering, they should help you out at the cost of a few pixels. As if that wasn't enough, the Netflix Tech Blog squeezed in news that it was ending access to "DVD-related features" for apps using its Open API later this year. The move is apparently preparation for expanded international streaming, so if you're trying to manage discs through a third party things may change soon.
Netflix.com's new look is focused on streaming, cribs UI elements from connected TV apps
Do not be alarmed, your Netflix.com experience has been updated today "with a new look and feel to make it easier for you to find something to watch instantly." While the header introduced late last year remains and sticks on screen as you scroll vertically, box art of queued movies fills the screen horizontally. The redesign takes significant cues from the HTML5 UIs recently rolled out to most streaming devices, but it's not clear if this related to some of the queue shuffling we've been seeing recently. Responses on the Netflix blog have been mostly negative, although just like Facebook and Twitter revamps some complaints about any change are normal. That said, we're not fans either because it still requires an additional click to find out if a movie is in HD or has subtitles, a misdirected click starts playing the wrong movie too easily and selecting "your queue" still takes us to our discs first instead of Watch Instantly. If the new front page isn't working there's always alternatives in Netflix queue managers like InstantWatcher.com and FeedFliks, or any number of mobile apps. Let us know if you'll be riding with the redesign or hitting the back button in the comments here.
Netflix pushes max number of registered Watch Instantly devices to 50
We're not sure when this happened, but those keeping a close eye on the number of device activations tied to their Netflix Watch Instantly account will notice the max number of devices has recently gone up to 50. While that will be pleasing to hear for those that switch between computers / consoles and set-top boxes frequently, a quick look at our account listed 16 activations, half of which appeared to actually be just one PC and browser. Either way, with the streaming service ubiquitous on so many devices being able to activate and forget it without having to bump something else from the list will be helpful going forward -- as long as you don't share it too widely. [Thanks, Edwin]
Hulu, Miramax deal means Netflix, Hulu Plus both add Pulp Fiction and more starting today
According to a blog post and press release (after the break) Hulu is bringing Miramax films to its free and paid Hulu Plus services. This is also the same day the Miramax deal kicks in for Netflix, so both just added notable movies including Clerks, Swingers, Basquiat, The Crow and Reservoir Dogs. Miramax movies on Hulu Plus are presented ad-free and in HD, just like on Netflix Watch Instantly, and both appear to have the same selection available, although one negative side effect of parity is that neither has optional closed captions on streaming for any of them. The only difference so far? Soon, Hulu will offer a rotation of 15 Miramax movies per month through Hulu.com for ad-supported viewing. While we're sure some will wait for Miramax to work through its Blu-ray release backlog (CEO Mike Lang is on it, although we still don't have a date for Pulp Fiction) it's good to suddenly see a catalog that had been locked away due to the studio's pending sale suddenly become available through so many outlets.
Our Netflix queue is suddenly out of order, is yours?
It was pointed out to Hacking Netflix and we're noticing it too, in the last few days a large portion of our Netflix streaming queue has relocated from somewhere in the middle to the end, and new additions suddenly appear in the middle instead of the end like they did before. Something else we've recently noticed in those new HTML5 interfaces Netflix is rolling out to most devices is a "new episodes" tag (as seen above) that helps viewers know when to check out their favorite shows for some new viewing selections. This is far from the first time we've noticed someone playing musical chairs in our queues but there doesn't appear to be any rhyme or reason. Let us know if you're seeing any weird behavior / new features lately and maybe we can figure out what's going on.
Netflix adds more Viacom videos for streaming including stuff for kids and bigger kids
There was a notable update to the Netflix Watch Instantly streaming catalog today, and it consisted almost entirely of content from the various Viacom networks (MTV, BET, VH1, Spike, Logo, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon). According to a post on the official blog, you can now view new shows like Yo Gabba Gabba, The Buried Life and The City as well as additional episodes of shows like iCarly, True Jackson VP and Dora the Explorer. Unfortunately quite a bit of the content maxes out in SD resolution simply because it was made that way, but it was interesting to note that the second season of Jersey Shore made is among the growing segment of shows with optional English subtitles.
Ask Engadget HD: Best Netflix streamer?
A Netflix Watch Instantly app is pretty much a standard feature on home theater devices these days, but with so many options, how do you choose which one to use? That's what our friend Don wants to know, but we'll let him describe the situation first: I've got plenty of options on what to use for Netflix streaming, but how am I supposed to know which one is the best? I've been using my PlayStation 3 for a while and dig the surround sound, but it stopped working when the PlayStation Network went down and since then I've been switching between the Xbox 360 and my Samsung TV's embedded Netflix app. I've got a Roku player in another room but i don't use that very often. Every now and then there's some softness in a picture or one of them won't pull an HD stream if it's available and I wonder if I should switch for good, but so far it's easier to just go with whichever one is the easiest. Do you have a preferred option? There you have it, with many of us doing at least some streaming now we're wondering which way have you found works best to bring Netflix's movies to your TV screen? Obviously only a few options support extra features like 1080p streams, surround sound or closed captions, and even with standardization on the new HTML5 UI, there's several devices out there going their own way. We've done our own comparisons, but the rapid iteration of hardware and software has left it a little out of date. He's probably not the only one with more than one Netflix-capable box in the living room either, so let us know why you chose the one you use most in the comments below. Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.
Netflix adds Marvel animated series to Watch Instantly streaming library (Update)
The latest addition to Netflix's library of streaming content are a slew of animated titles from Marvel. While quite a bit of the series added are older cartoons that aren't available in HD, there's a few that are including Iron Man: Armored Adventures. Other selections that showed up this morning are The Incredible Hulk, Silver Surfer, Spider-Man Unlimited and more. There's a bit more information available at the Netflix blog, check that out and see what might be worth adding to your queue. Update: Marvel.com has more details on what was added immediately, as well as other series (X-Men from '92-97) that will be arriving later this year.
