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Android Phone to Get Netflix Watch Instantly

Steve — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 17:43:38 +0000

Android Phone to Get Netflix Watch Instantly

Netflix has confirmed to be working on building an app for the Android phone; it has been confirmed by Netflix and an online job listing. The company has two jobs listing on its website; both postings are for Android developers. One of those job posting is specifically asking for an “Android Video Playback Expert”.

The company is looking for a veteran in apps development with 10 years of experience, someone who has worked previously on an droid app with the same qualities as its postings, with more experience on video streaming apps. It notes that applicants must have expertise in digital rights management experience and other smart-phone application development. It all would imply that they are going to create one of their Watch Instantly apps which they have already done for the IPhone and IPad. These two apps serving as a building ground for the Android Phone app.

There is already an unofficial Netflix app for the Android Phone, but with it being unofficial it does not do a great job. The problems which make it unsuitable include its ability to consume a phone’s battery and its desire to display ads like a maniac. So there is definitely a need by Netflix subscribers to have an official app for their Android phones. Then if it wasn’t complicated enough, a user in a social network site claiming to be an Netflix employee, said that the company was hiring Android apps developers. Yet he was unsure when the company might finish the application and left to the imagination the quality of the app.

At last we come to the conclusion that both Netflix and the Android phone developers want to give their customers the best possible product with both groups being in the tech business. Netflix especially would like its subscribers, with ever changing lives, to have the ability on demand to watch their favorite movies every where they go. The bottom line is that the product is yet to have a release date, meaning we are going to have to wait some time and hope for the best. Then there is the question that comes to mind, is the app worth the wait? Or will it be just another company producing a pointless app for a new smart-phone?

Netflix Expands to Canada

Steve — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 02:47:15 +0000

Netflix Expands to Canada

Netflix has announced that their operations will expand to Canada with Watch Instantly capabilities providing streaming movies and TV shows to a country outside the United States for the first time.

This also marks their first attempt to offer streaming-only services to their customer base. International expansion has been talked about before but earlier plans were put on the back burner to allow the company to focus on their core market in the U.S.

Netflix has determined that more and more of their core business is choosing digital streaming instead of disc rental. This made expansion to other markets easier to manage logistically. The company is still faced with the challenge of obtaining licensing agreements for content and programming. With a focus on streaming-only service they will have to spend less time dealing with the complications of running mail distribution centers.

Making this decision also allows Netflix to avoid competing directly with Zip.ca which is the Canadian version of a combination between Redbox and Netflix. At the time of launch, Netflix Canada will be available only in English but there are plans to add French sometime in the future.

The service will be available for PCs as well as Macs and is slated to be compatible with the numerous electronic devices that are currently compatible with Netflix.

Home Theater Setup

Steve — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 17:51:21 +0000

A home theater is becoming more common than they used to be. As our entertainment dollars have to stretch people are looking for the same movie theater experience with having to pay for a family to attend the theater once a week. Even those on limited budgets are turning to a home theater. You can create the desired environment without spending a fortune. It simply takes bargain hunting and creativity.

The homeowner with a basement has the beginnings of their home theater. Basements make good solutions because the concrete walls offer soundproofing. You can save a lot of money by utilizing the basement area by not having to pay to sound proof the walls. One thing to consider is if the basement is suitable for finishing. A basement that often floods is not a wise choice. There also has to be the ability to put in wiring for all the electronics that will need to be utilized in creating the theater. The basement must have easy access in order to make if functional to use and to be able to get the electronics down there.

Ambiance is everything. Even with a small space and limited budget the room needs to look like a normal theater. Consider lighting options. It is best to avoid bright overhead lighting. You do need enough light to be able to maneuver through the room and get the electronics set up. A pendant light with a dimmer switch works well when hung over the electronic equipment. Consider a pendant light with dimmer switch over the operator’s chair as well. LED lights in the ceiling or around the screen can offer appropriate mood lighting. Utilizing rope lighting around the edges of the room will put off soft diffuse light – put the ropes on the floor so that the light does not interfere with the screen. Tiered seating is easily achieved by using wood to create the tiers. You can also elevate the individual seats versus putting in tiers. When using this option the elevated boxes need to be very wide and extend beyond the seat for easy access. Seats should be comfortable with cup holders, recliners work better than any other option. Add some velvet drapes on all the walls and you have your theater look. Be frugal and shop around. Velvet drapes can often be found on sale and at discount outlets. Recliners can be found in furniture clearance sales or used furniture stores.

There is so much available on the internet that this is an excellent place to start looking for your supplies. Places like online auctions can offer significant savings on a large variety of items. Search engines can help identify vendors and comparison shopping tools can tell you who sells it the cheapest. It is important to understand what you are buying and who you are buying it from. Always read return policies, guarantees and warranties thoroughly. The vendor should have a physical address and customer service number. Check out the BBB for any complaints on the vendor. Use a credit card that offers some protection against fraudulent sellers.

Do not forget to look locally. The local paper classifieds is a great place to start looking. This way you get to go check out the items before you purchase them. Craig’s list will also provide a number of local options for you to search through. Both of these options afford you the unique opportunity to preview items to determine their condition and to bargain over the price.

Outlet stores are a convenient place to save money. Depending on how much you are buying it may be worth it to make a short trip to get to an outlet. Keep a written list of what you need to keep from overbuying. Do not buy with the intention of making it work. That strategy rarely works out.

You can see that it is possible to have your home theater even without a huge budget. The majority of money needs to go into the electronics. The decor created can be perfect yet budget friendly with a little ingenuity and patience.

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Netflix Watch Instantly on the iPhone

Steve — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 21:08:12 +0000

Netflix Watch Instantly on the iPhone

Netflix is preparing to demonstrate Watch Instantly on the iPhone after an announcement at the Apple Worldwide Developer’s Conference this week. Just simply download the free app and being to watch Netflix content on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. The app first became available in the iTunes store for the iPad on the day the iPad was launched back in April. Now with the release of the iPhone 4, Netflix is ready to provide the same functionality on the new device.

Developer’s have been expecting this new app for some time on the iPhone because Netflix had a series of surveys asking about the commercial viability of such an app earlier this year and last year. Plus the iPad and the iPhone are similar platforms so porting software apps from one device to the other is not a large leap in development.

The first rumors of this new iPhone app come almost a year ago with the Nintendo Wii being part of the rumor. Well the Nintendo gaming system was first of the rumored devices to be compatible with Netflix Watch Instantly. Like the Nintendo WII, the iPhone app will have search capabilities and the ability to watch a portion of a movie or a television show on one device, and then pick up the rest of the content on another device entirely.

The streaming content will also adapt to different bandwidths to provide a smooth and clear presentation. 3G users can watch a more elaborate version of the streaming content provided they have the bandwidth available. At the same time this new Netflix app is being released, AT&T is now limited data plans to either 200MB or 2GB a month. These new limits could hamper the overall use of Netflix Watch Instantly on the iPhone.

Watch Instantly plans from Netflix begin at $8.99.

Selecting The Best DVD Rental Service

Steve — Tue, 25 May 2010 21:34:35 +0000

Selecting The Best DVD Rental Service

Renting movies at a store has almost become a thing of the past with online options and streaming content more the norm today than ever before. Netflix is the leader in online rentals and streaming media to all kinds of devices within the home, but are they the best for you? Blockbuster has similar services now and a number of upstarts are moving into the business to create additional competition for Netflix. Lets take a look at the qualities and services you should look for when comparing online DVD rental services.

Shipping Time: Does the DVD provider have a local shipping location to reduce the time it takes for your DVDs to arrive at your house? If you watch a lot of movies at home, delivery times can vary from between 1-2 days and 3-4 days.

DVD Selection: Consider both new releases and other categories when determining which online DVD rental service to join. Classics, TV Series, and Independents have become more popular recently.

Availability: It will be hard to tell how many copies are available until you begin to request DVDs in the mail. The larger the service, the more copies of a DVD they will usually have.

A Plan that Fits: First determine what you need as a household, how many DVDs will you watch in a given month? Then compare plans of all the companies under consideration that meet the needs that you have.

Ease of Use: Once a member, consider how easy it is to navigate the online service. Hopefully you were able to get a free 2 week trial with the service so you know before you begin paying if reserving DVD titles and having them shipped to you is something simple or more of a chore.

Ratings: Reviews from others will make getting the best DVDs into your queue and delivered to your home. If the online service doesn’t have user ratings or they are difficult to get to, look for a different service.

Streaming: If you want to be able to watch movies on your PC or streamed to your XBOX, make sure the DVD rental house provides the specialized service. At this time there are bigger differences in this area than most of the other categories discussed.

Creating a theater experience in your home.

Steve — Tue, 18 May 2010 21:11:48 +0000

Setting up a home theater is something that lots of people are doing in this day and age. It is actually easy to make your own home theater, irrespective of what others may say. You can set up a home theater which would remind you of the cinema in your locality. It also contains special seating which is well upholstered and also very comfortable and safe for the spine. You may add a few captain chairs with a drink holder as well as movie theater seating in your room along with a large screen or flat TV that is place on the wall in front of the chairs. This would set up your home theater in a jiffy.

There are so many options that you can take when you set up a home theater. There are some options that can cause you to pay a lot of money. If you want to limit the amount you want to spend, do try to take some time and evaluate all the options in terms of quality as well as price too. Some people go in for costly home theater introductions. But the same money can help you buy a few more seats with movie theater armrests or a larger screen and maybe even add a popcorn machine for the same amount. There are so many people who are wise with how they spend their money and they ensure that they get the best value for their money.

There are some theater accessories that cost a lot of money (and others that don’t like a cup holder). Some of these are rocker as well as reclining seats may cost more but they are very comfortable also. Having a good loudspeaker system is also part of the audio experience of the home theater. Getting a flat TV is also advisable. Flat screen TVs are so much better in picture clarity as well as lower glares and better viewing pleasure. A surround sound system and a mini bar can complete the sense of luxury for your home theater system.

You can get a sense of what you need from commercial movie theaters. You can choose those decorative aspects that you can see from catalogs and also magazines and documents that are taken from commercial cinema. These will help you to go with your budget as well as style and make your basement into a wonderful home theater system. If you look at articles on movie home theaters, you will form a good idea about costs as well as the accessories.

Netflix makes Subtitles Available on Desktop Viewing

Steve — Tue, 18 May 2010 03:38:12 +0000

Netflix makes Subtitles Available on Desktop Viewing

Netflix recently announced on their blog that subtitles are available on some movies streaming to the PC/Mac. About 100 titles have been added to the close caption selection. Over time the DVD rental and streaming media company hopes to add additional titles to the close caption available group in addition to other streaming devices.

The company posted in June of 2009 that they were working on the technology and explained the difficulty in adding subtitles to movies post-production. Silverlight clients are the easiest formats to deliver the new functionality and therefore the release of PC/Mac subtitles this year.

Also look for other platforms to have close captioning in the coming months. Lost Seasons One through Four are some of the television episodes that you can watch on your desktop to see the new technology in action. English subtitles on English video isn’t something the company expects to be widely used but finds the development of the technology important.

Home Movie Night for the Family

Steve — Wed, 12 May 2010 13:03:35 +0000

Having a home movie night is a way to involve the entire family in a family moment. Sometimes, however, it is easier said than done, so finding something of interest to older kids is the key. Food is often the secret weapon in gaining their participation.

If you’re trying to give your family a nutritious boost without spending a ton on groceries, there are two easy, delicious treats to make for home movie snacks – homemade donuts and smoothies. Smoothies give a great deal of fruit vitamins, and donuts taste great and make for tomorrow’s breakfast!

Smoothies are a simple process, as they only require fruit, milk, juice, and ice. Choose the fruit combinations that you or your family prefers — popular mixes are strawberries and bananas, or oranges and blueberries, or cherries and vanilla flavoring — and blend together with the ice, milk, and juice. If you desire thicker smoothies, add more milk; for thinner smoothies, add more juice. Smoothie maker blenders are often designed especially for smoothies, but are only individual portions, so make sure you’re using a large enough blender for the entire family. If your kids are fussy about vitamins, simply add them into the mix for extra doses of vitamin A and C.

Donuts require a bit more preparation. The dough is a simple process, only flour, eggs, milk, and yeast — if you enjoy thicker donuts, add less yeast — mixed together. Pour the batter into rings, or strips for eclairs and bear claws. Drop the rings in frying oil, and be careful not to leave them in to long or they will burn. Let the donuts cool, then apply a sugar glaze, frosting, or even fill the inside with jelly. Donuts usually only last one or two days before they go stale, so eat quick!

Be sure to take some photos of the family cooking and watching their movie. In years to come this will help everyone recall the time fondly.

Streaming Netflix On PS3: How It Works

Steve — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 22:58:41 +0000

With the ability to stream movies directly on the Playstation 3, a whole new world of possibilities has opened up for the gaming console. The best part is that it’s extremely easy to get started. In this post I want to show you how this works with a current Netflix subscription and without so that you can start getting the most from your PS3 console.

If you already have a Netflix account, just log in and find the link that takes you to the different game systems that are available for streaming video. Xbox 360 also has this feature, but both systems do the job equally well. In order to start you have to request a special disc that comes in the mail. This disc has to be used every time you want to watch a movie, so protect it well! Once the disc arrives, you are asked to visit your Netflix account page online where you are given an activation code for the disc to work.

Without a current Netflix account, you have to sign up for a new one to get this all to work. I recommend the $8.95/month package if you are going to mostly use the PS3 for movies, rather than having them mailed to your house. This plan allows one movie out at a time and unlimited steaming movies.

The online interface works a lot like the Netflix site. You are given recommendations, can search through titles, and browse away to your heart’s content. Keep in mind that not all movies and TV shows are available this way, but almost all of the older selections are there. The quality of the picture depends on your internet connection speed, but most the time it streams pretty close to HD quality.

For only nine bucks a month you can have on demand access to a huge collection of movies and TV shows right on your PS3. It’s worth every penny, even if you only use it a couple of times a month, but you’ll end up using it way more than that!

Don’t have a PS3? Visit http://hubpages.com/hub/Cheap-PS3-Consoles for great deals on PS3 systems!

Google TV and the Introduction of Internet TV

Steve — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:52:52 +0000

Google TV and the Introduction of Internet TV

Google recently made the announcement that they will be releasing a set-top box for your TV that will deliver a full Internet experience in your living room. They plan to daisy chain the device in between your TV and existing Dish Network package or cable box. Google expects customers to pay between $200-$300 for the device, and pay a subscription on top of that. Customer mindshare is in Google’s favor, but will it fly?

Over the last year of recession, consumers have tightened their belts and wallets, and weeded out the services that they didn’t need. Things have got to turn around pretty fast for consumers to consider adding to their television bill.

Proof of this is the recent lawsuit that DirecTV filed against Dish Network for their price comparison ads. Apparently DirecTV has been floundering while Dish market share has increased, and DirecTV is crying foul.

No matter what the outcome is, it sure seems that customers are unwilling as of yet to tack on another box to their TV to allow in more advertisements.

Now, there is the whole Internet on TV movement that Google hopes to expand. It was pioneered by several companies that are now nowhere to be seen. Google obviously thinks it can make it stick. In the day where we all have laptops on our laps and Internet phones in our pockets, Internet TV seems like the next logical step. A box manufactured by Sony with a Google label slapped on it is not going to come free or cheap.

Google wants to own our search, phones, internet, and now our living rooms. As much as I want Google to succeed at anything that puts the Internet more solidly in my life, I don’t think this one is going to fly. What are your thoughts?

Netflix Making Internet Viewing Easier than Ever!

Free Netflix DVD Movie Rental Trials

Android Phone to Get Netflix Watch Instantly

Android Phone to Get Netflix Watch Instantly

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Netflix Expands to Canada

Netflix Expands to Canada

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Home Theater Setup

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Netflix Watch Instantly on the iPhone

Netflix Watch Instantly on the iPhone

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Selecting The Best DVD Rental Service

Selecting The Best DVD Rental Service

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Creating a theater experience in your home.

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Netflix makes Subtitles Available on Desktop Viewing

Netflix makes Subtitles Available on Desktop Viewing

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Home Movie Night for the Family

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Streaming Netflix On PS3: How It Works

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Google TV and the Introduction of Internet TV

Google TV and the Introduction of Internet TV

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