Netflix update brings better second-screen experience, new post-play features

By Christian Zibreg on May 9, 2013

After announcing a new $12 per month family plan and having rolled out a major version 4.0 update with a new episode selector on iPads, on-demand Internet streaming media provider Netflix today updated its iPhone and iPad mobile client with an enhanced second-screen experience, recommendations for movies and auto-play episodes for television shows. More information on the changes right below the fold… Read More

 

Flurry: US app audience nearly equals online laptops and desktops

By Ed Sutherland on Apr 25, 2013

Apps (whether iOS or Android) are attracting huge audiences in the United States. Indeed, during a recent month apps attracted nearly the same number of people as used laptop and desktop to go online. What’s more, for a prime-time period during the week apps attract 52 million users, equivalent to the circulation of the top 200 weekend U.S. newspapers and three television shows, according to numbers released by a mobile analytics firm Thursday…

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Netflix announces new $12 per month family plan

By Cody Lee on Apr 23, 2013

Following the version 4.0 release of its iPhone and iPad app yesterday, Netflix announced that it was going to be rolling out a host of new “family friendly” features over the next few months. And it looks like the first is going to be a new family plan.

Traditionally, folks pay $8 per month for Netflix’s service, which allows for unlimited streaming of its content to up to 5 devices—2 devices simultaneously. But with the new family plan, families can stream to up to 4 devices at the same time… Read More

 

Netflix 4.0 is out with new episode selector for iPad and more

By Cody Lee on Apr 22, 2013

Netflix users will be happy to hear that there’s a new version of the iOS client available for download today. The update, which brings the app to version 4.0, includes a handful of new features, as well as the usual bug fixes and improvements.

Perhaps the most notable change in today’s release is the new episode selector in the iPad app. Netflix says this will make finding new TV show episodes, and discovering old favorites, much easier. You’ll find the full change log after the fold… Read More

 

Spotify could rival Netflix with own video service and original content

By Christian Zibreg on Mar 25, 2013

Spotify, which recently updated its iOS client with a brand new biography feature in the artists view, is reportedly considering getting into video with a rumored streaming product meant to take on the likes of Netflix and HBO. Conveniently enough, the Swedish startup has kicked off its first-ever advertising blitz around music as it steps up efforts to sign up more people to its service.

Spotify battles Pandora and Rdio (and quite possibly Apple and Google soon) and has emerged as the most popular streaming music service out there. It offers two basic tiers that bring the best of both worlds, an ad-supported free desktop streaming and a $9.99 a month premium tier for unlimited ad-free music.

Though the firm does have lots of experience negotiating media deals and moving chunks of data through Intertubes, a full-blown video streaming service would be an entirely different pair of shoes, one marking a radical shift in strategy for the young company… Read More

 

Netflix rolls out the improved social experience to US viewers

By Christian Zibreg on Mar 13, 2013

Netflix, the popular provider of on-demand Hollywood movies and television shows, Wednesday showed off a slew of new features aimed at making the experience more social and engaging. After being available internationally for well over a year, Netflix customers in the United States can now finally connect their Netflix account with Facebook.

This enables you to check out what your friends are watching and optionally share your favorite shows with them. Interestingly enough, there’s a new Do Not Share button to mark those kinky videos you don’t want your parents to know about. More Social Settings are available in Your Account on Netflix.com, where you can turn on additional sharing to Facebook or stop sharing altogether… Read More

 

Netflix gives its iOS app better playback controls

By Christian Zibreg on Feb 20, 2013

Netflix has a pretty decent app on the iOS platform that really becomes indispensable if you’re among the growing number of people subscribed to its service that streams Hollywood movies and television shows to your home.

Today, the company has issued a new version 3.0 build of the iOS app, tweaking the user interface while adding a few improvements. For starters, the zoom icon is back so you can control your experience when in full screen.

And if you’re on an iPad, you can also touch the player UI screen to see the title of the currently watched show… Read More

 

Netflix and YouTube working on an open AirPlay alternative

By Christian Zibreg on Jan 23, 2013

AirPlay, a wireless media technology from Apple featured on the Apple TV, iPhones, iPads, iPods and newer Macs running OS X Mountain Lion, is a major selling point because it allows users to seamlessly beam their photos, music and video from their computer or iDevice to a TV set via an Apple TV set-top box. However, Netflix teamed up with Google’s YouTube on an AirPlay alternative and today the two have released official details.

DIAL, as it’s called (an acronym for DIscovery And Launch), is an open second screen protocol which automatically discovers compliant devices to stream media. The new standard has impressive support from key content owners and consumer electronics makers, including the likes of BBC, Sony, Hulu and of course Samsung… Read More

 

Netflix inks exclusive Warner Bros. TV deal

By Ed Sutherland on Jan 7, 2013

With just a few days into 2013 we’re already seeing the latest skirmish between Netflix and pay-TV veterans. After a weekend deal where HBO gloated it was keeping Universal content out of the hands of the online streaming service, Netflix answered Monday by inking a U.S. deal for television episodes from Warner Bros. The deal gives Netflix exclusive online rights for such Warner Bros Television Group shows as Revolution, Fringe and Kevin Bacon’s upcoming FBI potboiler The Following. Perhaps most intriguing was language offering Netflix exclusive online rights to “potential future shows”Read More

 

Netflix for iPad updated with ‘Just for Kids’ section

By Christian Zibreg on Oct 1, 2012

Netflix last week updated its iOS app with for the iPhone 5′s larger four-inch display and iOS 6. Today, the company announced another update to its iPad app which brings Just for Kids user interface to help parents and their children browse and instantly watch a large selection of kid-friendly TV shows and movies appropriate for kids 12 and under… Read More

 

Netflix app updated for the larger iPhone 5 display and iOS 6 support

By Jeff Benjamin on Sep 27, 2012

Netflix is one of the more popular iPhone apps, and just a few minutes ago, it received an update for the iPhone 5.

How does the streaming movie app benefit from the added screen space? Check inside for a few shots of the app in action… Read More

 

Netflix app gets a facelift, new features

By Christian Zibreg on Sep 18, 2012

If you get your entertainment via Netflix, you will love an updated version of the company’s streaming app for iPhones, iPods and iPads that was just released for a “more immersive experience”. What that means is a crisper, less packed interface which combines your previously watched content, recommendations and latest titles into a single view, with search available throughout the program. Here’s your video… Read More

 

Studios see Amazon as Netflix alternative

By Ed Sutherland on Sep 7, 2012

Amazon, hot off of Thursday’s Kindle Fire HD announcement, is downplaying a report the Internet retailer is being courted by some studios to take on Netflix. Studios would love Amazon to spin-off the video-streaming portion of Amazon Prime, according to one report.

“Some content owners I’ve talked to say they like the idea so much that they’ll compel Jeff Bezos to do it whether he wants to or not,” reports All Things Digital‘s Peter Kafka. However, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is playing hard-to-get… Read More

 

Apple updates Trailers app for Retina iPad, Netflix promises high-def streaming “soon”

By Christian Zibreg on Mar 23, 2012

Ahead of the original iPad introduction in the April of 2010, the blogosphere had been abuzz over an unnamed Hollywood exec who allegedly saw a prototype in person and claimed the product would be awesome for watching movies. It ended up being quite enjoyable for this purpose, but hardly awesome due its modest 1024-by-768 pixel resolution.

Fast-forward to today and the new iPad, which has a million more pixels than an HDTV, is perfect for watching Hollywood movies in all their 1080 glory. As developers of popular apps update their offerings with Retina support, Apple isn’t wasting time neither. Yesterday, the company issued an update to its iTunes Movie Trailers app, basically a pretty-fied frontend to its movie trailers page released last October.

At the same time, Netflix pushed an update to its video streaming client for iOS with support for Retina graphics. Though the program does not enable high-definition video streaming yet, it’s in the works and should follow “soon”… Read More

 

Netflix app updated for new iPad Retina display

By Sebastien Page on Mar 21, 2012

The Netflix app has just been updated with full support for the new iPad’s Retina display. Available now in the App Store, this update brings:

  • Improved artwork for new iPad Retina Display
  • Fixed VoiceOver support
  • Improved playback on external displays
  • Numerous fixes and stability improvements
 

Netflix will offer 1080p streaming to new Apple TV

By Jake Smith on Mar 7, 2012

Following Apple’s announcement of an upgraded Apple TV today, Netflix has just announced it will be offering 1080p streaming to the new device. Apple announced the new Apple TV at its media event in California, along with the new iPad.

The new Apple TV is priced at $99 and features 1080p playback and a sleek new interface. Netflix, being one of the main reasons many buy an Apple TV, will be the perfect app for taking advantage of the Apple TV’s 1080p abilities… Read More

 

Netflix Goes Live in the UK App Store

By Oliver Haslam on Jan 9, 2012

The revolution has begun, and this time it will be televised. Well, more streamed than anything, but why let accuracy get in the way of a good opening line?

Netflix today launched its video on-demand service in the United Kingdom, which in turn means that Brits can now watch movies and TV shows via the service on their iPads, iPhones, iPod touches and Apple TVs, along with the myriad other solutions that US users have been enjoying for years.

UK customers can receive a free trial for one month, and then they are expected to stump up £5.99 ($9.30) per month after that, which compares favorably with the $9.99 fee for Americans… Read More

 

Netflix Releases a Redesigned iPad App

By Alex Heath on Dec 14, 2011

We teased you with the updated version of Netflix’s iPad app several weeks ago, and the redesign has officially gone live in the App Store. Netflix 2.0 for iOS brings with it a revamped iPad interface and several cosmetic changes.

Requiring iOS 5, Netflix’s updated app is available for free in the App Store. Read More

 

Kindle Fire vs iPad 2: Bootup Times, Web Browsing, and Netflix Streaming

By Jeff Benjamin on Nov 15, 2011

I finally acquired my highly anticipated Kindle Fire this morning, and I’ve been putting it through its paces all day long.

It’s a decent first attempt by Amazon, and it has tons of potential, but it still suffers from the fact that it’s a first generation device.

Even still, we thought it only appropriate to compare Apple’s latest tablet to Kindle Fire. How does the iPad 2 stack up to Amazon’s debut entry into the tablet race? Check out the interesting — yet ultimately unscientific — video comparison inside… Read More

 

Take a Look At the New Netflix for iPad Design

By Alex Heath on Nov 15, 2011

Netflix has just announced its new iPad app design, and it looks awesome. The layout looks much cleaner and optimized for the iPad’s display, and the ugly whitespace from the former design has been replaced with an elegant, dark interface.

This redesign comes alongside a revamp of Netflix’s Android app, and the design is expected to hit the iPad in “the coming weeks.” Read More

 
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