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Star Trek series coming to Netflix Watch Instantly in July and October
Just because Netflix has licensed new content we're not always sure when it will be available for Watch Instantly streaming, but TrekMovie.com reports it has the dates for Star Trek content covered by a recent deal with CBS. TrekMovie has confirmed it will have every episode of all five live action series -- US only, sorry Canada, enjoy that Iron Man 2 -- with the original Star Trek (in HD), Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise (in HD) available July 1st, followed by Star Trek: Deep Space 9 on October 1st. There's still no word on when Family Ties is arriving, but the two year deal (with an option for two more) should give viewers who haven't already shelled out for the boxed sets (we know you got the HD DVDs) a chance to get all the Trek they can bear.
Netflix brings Mad Men to Watch Instantly starting June 27th
If Netflix is going to be called "reruns" by people like Comcast CEO Brian Roberts then at least it's good reruns. It just announced a new deal with Lionsgate that will see the first four seasons of popular AMC series Mad Men made available on Watch Instantly starting June 27th, with future seasons -- Lionsgate has series creator Matt Weiner signed for three years, while AMC just cut a deal for two more seasons -- added annually after their broadcast run ends. The only way this could be better was if we lived in bandwidth-capped Canada where Mad Men is already available under a separate deal.
Netflix deal with Viz Media brings more anime with subbed eps of Inuyasha, Bleach, Naruto
As we noted when Netflix announced its expanded deal with Fox, there's some new anime available on Watch Instantly these days and now Netflix has revealed a deal with Viz Media made it all possible. This has brought hundreds of episodes of popular series including Bleach, Naruto and Inuyasha to the service and most importantly, they're uncut and feature the Japanese audio with subtitles -- a must for hardcore fans. There's also new eps of other series like Trigun and Fullmetal Alchemist available through a deal with Funimation, but unfortunately it appears those are dubbed editions. Clearly licensing issues play a role, but here's hoping we see more original audio, uncut releases in the future (trying to watch Ghost in the Shell dubbed is just painful) or in the best possible case -- an option to watch subbed or dubbed.
Netflix adds more Fox content to streaming including Glee S1, Ally McBeal
In a nice rebound from last week, Netflix is expanding its non-exclusive agreement with Fox for content, bringing older shows Ally McBeal and The Wonder Years to Watch Instantly for the first time. Also arriving are the first season of Glee and the first two seasons of Sons of Anarchy from FX with additional seasons to be added annually, as well as "a number of library movies" after their premium pay-tv windows subside. It's not exactly the cable TV competing type of deal that it just locked up with Paramount in Canada, but fans of those shows have a few more reasons to hang on to the service. Beyond the announcement a slew of new content popped up on the service today including the just-aired premiere episode of Body of Proof, BBC stuff like Top Gear and Luther, a few James Bond flicks and anime like Inuyasha and Bleach, so even if you're not a gleek (and disappointed because if Netflix and Fox are talking, the only topics of discussion should be commissioning new seasons of Firefly and Terriers) there's plenty of reasons to update that queue today.
Netflix, Miramax reportedly close to a deal for streaming - Update: Google, Amazon, Hulu too?
We know a common criticism of Netflix streaming is that many of the movies are older (protip: of all the movies ever produced ever, the vast majority were released prior to the last six months) but we doubt anyone will complain about awesome older movies like some of those in the Miramax catalog. According to the Wall Street Journal, the two are hammering out a five-year deal worth more than $100 million for access to its catalog of more than 700 titles which could include Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting, Kill Bill, and more. That could be a good take for Miramax which just recently found a new owner, and a quick boost for Netflix, which most recently had to deal with announcements that it would lose access to some popular Showtime content and experience delays on new TV shows from Starz. Still, we'll wait until after the deal is official to schedule a theme party at a throwback burger joint. Update: According to the LA Times' Company Town blog, other companies including Amazon, Google and Hulu are also negotiating for the rights. This just got very interesting.
Starz will make Netflix viewers wait 90 days to see new original series, starting with Camelot
Now that Netflix is acting more like a premium pay channel, the competition seems less and less friend, following a change in terms with Showtime, now Starz has revealed its new series will only come to Netflix streaming 90 days after they air. The Hollywood Reporter mentions this applies to all forms of the Starz Play service, whether accessed through Netflix, Qwest, Verizon or otherwise, starting the premiere episode of its newest drama, Camelot, April 1st. If you enjoyed previous offerings like Party Down or Spartacus they'll still be available for streaming, but not with the same short delay watching you were used to in the old days.
Netflix suffers temporary website outage today (fixed!), permanent Dexter outage this summer
The bad news is that our bulging tips box reports Netflix's website and Watch Instantly streaming service have been mostly inaccessible for the last couple of hours. Those lucky enough to have the page open from earlier may still have access, and devices based on older UIs are up and running while the newer HTML5 based frontends seem to be down for the count. The worse news is Crain's New York Business reported today that a new licensing deal with Showtime will not renew streaming access to older seasons of currently airing shows like Dexter and Californication when they expire this summer. Instead, their arrangement will cover shows that are off the air like The Tudors and Sleeper Cell. Showtime has decided to hold the fresher stuff back for its TV Everywhere portals accessible by pay-TV subscribers despite Netflix's best efforts to pitch itself as a friend to the premium networks, which could also explain its plan to start offering original content of its own next year. Wide outages like this have been relatively rare and while we'll just keep an eye on @NetflixHelps until it's back up, there's no telling what other blank spaces we might find in our instant streaming queues in the future. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: Things appear to be back to normal as of 10:30 p.m. EST or so, there's no official word via Twitter yet but between the commenters below and the episode of Firefly we're watching, it's all good. Wait -- Not so fast, while PC streaming is a go, devices are still mostly locked out. Per @NetflixHelps UPDATE: Streaming is back on the website. We're still working on getting streaming back to all devices. Thanks for your patience! Update 2: From @NetflixHelps - RESOLVED: The website and devices are back up and running. Thanks again for your patience while we worked to get this fixed!
Netflix is getting into the content biz, confirms 'House of Cards' will launch in late 2012
The rumors are true, instead of simply offering old content from others, Netflix is jumping back into the content business by licensing David Fincher's upcoming drama House of Cards for Watch Instantly streaming in the US and Canada before it airs anywhere else, or has even been produced. In a blog post and interview with AllThingsD, Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos justifies signing up for the series sight unseen by pointing out the popularity of the earlier BBC miniseries on which it is based among Netflix members and the collective skills of both the director and lead actor Kevin Spacey. However, if you're waiting around for fresh content to pop up on Watch Instantly don't hold your breath, the 26 episode run produced by (interestingly, Netflix will neither produce nor own the show) Media Rights Capital isn't due to arrive until late 2012.
Netflix for Android leaks out, doesn't seem to stream video right now
This prototype LG Revolution may be the only Android phone actually capable of streaming Netflix at the moment, but there's nothing keeping you from giving it a go -- some enterprising hacker extracted a full system dump from the Revolution this week, tossed it to AndroidSPIN, and @al3xevolved subsequently pulled out the juicy Netflix innards. The app's APK is now freely available on the web, though we'll warn you that it isn't good for much -- you can browse and add items to your queue, but should you try to play a video the app will inform you that it "could not reach the Netflix service." The question is, will Netflix simply flip a switch to turn streaming on, or is it waiting for DRM authentication from a Qualcomm MSM8655 processor? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Netflix rumored to spend $100 million or more outbidding cable networks for one new TV show
While Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has suggested the company would avoid getting into the content business, Deadline Hollywood reports it outbid cable channels like HBO and AMC for a new David Fincher drama starring Kevin Spacey called House of Cards. The post goes on to suggest that the deal is still being negotiated but Netflix will be on the hook for two season which could cost it more than $100 million. Right now Netflix is flush with the cash of its 20 million strong subscriber base, but so far it has focused on enhancing it's $8 / month streaming package by spending on quantity, not necessarily quality new content even after deals with Relativity Media and Epix. A deal like this changes things completely and puts it directly in competition with the pay-TV biz, but we'll wait and find out how much of the rumor is true before putting up a deathwatch for HBO, Showtime and the rest.
Netflix for iPad updated with a new custom UI but loses features like DVD queueing
While its page on iTunes doesn't show any change, HackingNetflix points out Netflix for iPad was updated today with a new version of the app that gives it a customized interface instead of just pulling up a lightly customized version of the standard webpage. That reduces browsing options to four areas: Home, Genres, Search and Instant Queue. Note the word instant, because there is no longer any way to access one's DVD queue from within the app (pulling up the Netflix page in a browser window or using a third party app, still works just fine) mirroring the changes made on TV streaming frontends in January. While there are a few reviews praising it for sleeker, speedier access, removing access to DVDs (plus detailed info on each movie like user or critic reviews, cast lists and more) has already been met with angry comments. We've always found the Netflix interface on iPhone and iPad somewhat lacking when it came to queue management anyway, now that Watch Instantly streaming is its only reason for being we're wondering if you consider that a positive or negative change.
Netflix: 30 percent of Watch Instantly titles subbed with more on the way, plus Xbox & Roku support
It's been a slow climb since Netflix first announced it was adding closed captioning to the PC and Mac in early 2010, but today's blog post indicates its reached 30% of the available titles. So far platforms on the second revision of its streaming frontend like the PS3, Boxee Box, Google TV and Nintendo Wii support optional captions while the Xbox 360 and Roku players should "later this year." Of course, while its per-episode count is significantly higher, it's still only a few hundred of Netflix's available series, and deaf/hard of hearing users face problems like having some episodes subbed while others aren't. Netflix's new page breaking out supported titles should help, while nc-mac-asl's blog or InstantWatcher.com also can provide a filter. The plan is apparently to have subtitles on 80% of content by the end of the year and here's hoping it gets to 100% soon -- makes our quibbling over 5.1 surround sound seem sort of trivial doesn't it? (But, while we're on the subject, Netflix, where's 5.1 on non-PS3 clients?)
Clicker.com analyzes Amazon Prime Instant Video offerings vs the competition
Amazon's Prime Instant Video service is finally here, and while we know how it works and that, unlike Netflix, it will play nicely with your 'Droid, how does its content measure up? Clicker.com pulls in feeds from all the online video sites and has broken down its data into this handy chart to investigate just that. The numbers above don't lie, Netflix has far more content at the moment, and right now, the Amazon service compares more directly to Hulu Plus than anything else. However, it is an excellent start for Amazon to grow from and the breakdown points out what numbers might miss -- while Amazon's movie selections are hurting for any high profile flicks not already on Netflix, it does bring some otherwise unavailable episodes of Mister Rogers Neighborhood, Bonanza and Dr. Who (1963) to bear -- click through for all the details, while it may not be enough to cause you to switch just yet there's definitely enough reason to keep an eye on this latest entrant to the market.
Netflix signs up some TV shows from CBS' library for Watch Instantly streaming
Let's be honest, as much as we all like to play film snob, we're thinking more of you watch Family Ties, Star Trek and Cheers than the works of Bergman and Kurosawa. As long as that's the case, perhaps the pain of losing Criterion's content to Hulu Plus will be eased by word of a new deal with CBS bringing a slew of its older shows including the aforementioned plus Twin Peaks, The Twilight Zone and newer-but-not-new shows like Medium to the service for two years starting in early April. No word on how big of a check the now-20 million strong Netflix had to cut to pull this off, but the deal is non-exclusive, so you could see all of these on Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime, Redbox or... you get the picture.
Netflix loads up on TV shows and adjusts its website for easier browsing
This morning a slew of new of TV shows -- many from the recent ABC / Disney deal like Scrubs, Reaper and FlashForward, others like The Sarah Connor Chronicles from Fox, along with BBC shows like Men Behaving Badly and kids/family content from Barney to The Wind in the Willows -- became available for Watch Instantly streaming on Netflix. Beyond the new content, there was another recent change as Netflix continues to makeover its website, as many TV series now list all the seasons under one entry, instead of breaking them out separately by season. Eventually, the change should make it easier to browse the multiple seasons of content Netflix has been able to acquire but with things in flux, it could be somewhat disconcerting to find oneself browsing through an uninterrupted 16-disc set of Psych until the new listings are all straightened out.
Android-powered LG Revolution caught streaming Netflix at MWC (video)
Well, well -- what have we here? That up above is LG's Revolution, a Snapdragon-powered Android superphone. What's inside is no normal Snapdragon, though. It's actually a newfangled chip that isn't shipping to consumers just yet, which includes DRM libraries at a hardware level that serve to satisfy paranoid movie execs. The good news is that Qualcomm has actually whipped up a solution that'll finally bring Watch Instantly to Android; the bad news is that existing smartphones -- even existing Snapdragon devices -- will not be able to utilize the app. Without new hardware, the Android version of the Netflix app simply won't function, and no one at Qualcomm was willing to tell us when these Netflix-friendly Snapdragon chips would begin to ship out. Whenever that fateful day arrives, though, Snapdragon devices with HDMI sockets will be able to beam that content right to their HDTV -- the company's hardware is HDCP-approved, so there's no sweat when it comes to watching content on the big screen. On-site representatives made clear that both the phone and the app were for demonstration purposes only, but we'd be shocked if LG's handset shipped without this compatibility. The demo we saw was smooth as butter, and the app itself looked glorious on the Revolution's 4.3-inch touchscreen. See for yourself in the video just past the break. %Gallery-116706%
Qualcomm promises Netflix streaming support on 'future Android devices' with Snapdragon
Qualcomm has apparently figured out what it takes to get Netflix on Android, announcing "future devices" with its Snapdragon mobile processors (like the LG Revolution) will meet all of the DRM requirements for Watch Instantly. Unfortunately that doesn't seem to bode well for your existing Android device, but at least future phones won't have to look on Windows Phone 7 and iOS with envy. Besides a turnkey package for manufacturers to support Netflix in their devices, it also promises plenty of dedicated decoding power to enhance battery life and improve picture quality which can be observed as it demos the Netflix app (hope they brought their own proxy) at Mobile World Congress this week.
Netflix on the Boxee Box is a much better Valentine's Day gift than what you had planned
These days, a media streamer isn't really in the game unless it has Netflix streaming and thankfully, the Boxee Box has finally corrected its most glaring content hole -- sorry Hulu Plus. According to a blog post by CEO Avner Ronen, the oft-delayed addition has been the most common request by users so far but obviously they've cleared all remaining DRM hurdles, so once the latest software update is downloaded, either automatically or by manually checking, owners can enjoy everything the latest Netflix interface has to offer, whether they're in the US or Canada. Of course, that's not all there is to this update, with support for Dolby Digital TrueHD bitstreaming, high resolution SRT subtitles and updated support for IR remotes. All the details are in the changelog, although we figure most of you will just get straight to watching The Human Centipede or something similar. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
New Netflix Watch Instantly interface showing up on Samsung HDTVs
First it was the PlayStation 3, then it was the Google TV and now it appears Samsung Apps compatible HDTVs feature the new look of Netflix's Watch Instantly interface. According to our reader Bruce, the new UI popped up after he upgraded the firmware on his UN46C6500 LCD HDTV and, like on the other platforms, it adds the ability to search through Netflix's catalog right on the device -- no adding DVDs to your queue though, that's still PC or mobile only. Of course, after our experience with the PS3's multiple UI madness we know how much Netflix likes to test multiple versions of its app at once, so we wouldn't be surprised if everyone isn't seeing this immediately, just keep an eye out if your app suddenly asks to be reactivated again and you should be in for the new version. [Thanks, Bruce] %Gallery-116359%
Rumor: Amazon could launch unlimited movie streaming in February, no major studios on board yet
Just a few days after we got an early peek at Amazon's unlimited movie streaming setup, the LA Times reports "people familiar with the matter" say we could see an official launch by the end of this month. Amazon apparently pushed back its original date for technical reasons and while it tries to acquire more content to take on Netflix. Amazon reportedly has yet to lock up content from any of the six major Hollywood studios, which matches the selections seen in our screenshots, as the studios continue to evaluate the impact of streaming on their DVD sales. Amazon may not be the only one jumping in either as Hulu Plus could be looking to add more movies, though both are primarily looking at titles more than seven years old. That's bad news if you were hoping to see a fresher selection than what Watch Instantly offers for your $7.99+ a month, but as always, any of these things could change before launch. %Gallery-115340%
