Stream Netflix movies on your Wii

Posted by Caitlin on January 18th, 2010

Netflix is adding Nintendo's Wii consoles to the list of devices that allow Netflix subscribers to stream unlimited movies and television episodes. If you're already a Netflix member but haven't already been taking advantage of Netflix's unlimited streaming content, the addition of the Wii makes it even easier to start. And if you're a Wii owner who isn't already using Netflix, now you have another good reason to consider subscribing.

To learn more about Netflix and other online DVD rental services, see our reviews and comparison chart.

Consumers still prefer DVDs over streaming video

Posted by Caitlin on August 26th, 2009

It seems logical to assume that over time, the popularity of DVDs would fade in favor of streaming video. But for the present, DVDs are holding strong. A new survey found that the majority of consumers would rather rent DVDs than stream movies over the Internet. Only 6% of respondents considered the streaming feature important. The researchers continue to believe that "a large percentage of the DVD rental market will move to digital in the long term," but the survey indicates that physical rentals will maintain popularity for longer than previously expected. The survey also found that 20% of those without a Netflix subscription plan to get one before the end of the year.

If you are considering a DVD rental service or an online movie streaming option, check out our reviews and comparisons of Netflix, Blockbuster and other online options.

The best con movies

Posted by kent on July 23rd, 2009

We spend a lot of time on this blog talking about identity theft and other scams. While it's unfortunate that there are people who spend their lives thinking of ways to take our money, there's also something fascinating about these stories. Con games have made great subjects for movies, and it's possible that they even make us a little bit smarter about how these people work. Or maybe we're suckers for these movies for the same reason people are suckers for cons: everyone loves a good story. Here are five irresistible films about grifts, swindles, scams, and cons. Want to have your own con artist film festival? You can compare online DVD rental services right here on Next Advisor.

1. The Sting: It's hard not to love Robert Redford and Paul Newman as they plot their elaborate gambling con. Since they're grifting the gangsters, they're a rare bread of heroic con men.

2. The Spanish Prisoner: David Mamet's elaborate shell-game of a movie will have you guessing and second-guessing until the very end. Plus, it co-stars Ricky Jay, a professional expert on the art of separating people from their hard-earned (and ill-gotten) goods.

3. Paper Moon: This movie covers the small-time cons of an itinerant bible salesman and a young girl he can't quite get rid of. Between the obituary scams and the swapped dollar bills, there's plenty of emotional blackmail too.

4. House of Games: This list could be filled with nothing but David Mamet movies, but we'll keep it to two. House of Games layers con upon con. In fact it invented a scam that was later tried in the real world. Look for the "bill in the envelope" scene, created by Mamet's partner-in-crime, Ricky Jay.

5. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: A twisted take on the con, this comedy stars Steve Martin and Michael Caine as a pair of seemingly mismatched swindlers. The film has plenty of twists and turns as it seeks to prove that "nice guys finish last."

Blockbuster deliberately withholding online rentals, or just a glitch?

Posted by Caitlin on June 9th, 2009

Last week, Consumerist reported on delays in Blockbuster's online rental service. A reader wrote in to explain that after returning DVDs to the store, they remained on his online queue for at least two days, which meant that new DVDs were not being mailed out as quickly as they should be. Shipping delays reduce the value of an online subscription service, since subscribers receive fewer rentals in the same length of time. Consumerist hypothesized that this is either the result of intentional throttling or an error in the system. Consumerist commenters also weighed in beneath the post to relate their own experiences with online DVD rental delays. Based on their anecdotes, it sounds as though heavy users, in particular, are generally better served by Netflix.

To learn more about Blockbuster, Netflix, and other online DVD rental services, see our reviews and comparison chart.

Netflix teams up with TiVo to stream movies

Posted by Caitlin on November 3rd, 2008

Netflix has added TiVo to the growing list of devices that subscribers can use to stream movies and television shows from Netflix to their televisions. Starting in December, Netflix subscribers who also have TiVo Series3, TiVo HD or TiVo HD XL will be able to stream over 12,000 different movies and TV episodes to their television.

To learn more about Netflix or other online DVD rental services, see our reviews and comparison.

Netflix teams up with Starz to provide more streaming content

Posted by Caitlin on October 2nd, 2008

The Official Netflix Blog announced yesterday that, thanks to an agreement with Starz Play, Netflix will now be making roughly 1,000 new movies and television shows available on demand. If you have a PC and a Netflix subscription, you can watch these movies online instantly. You can also watch streaming Netflix movies on your television if you have a Netflix Player by Roku. The LG BD300 Blu-ray Network player, which will be released in a few days, will also allow you to stream Netflix content to your television. And later this fall the Xbox 360 will be able to stream movies as well. Netflix also promises an option for Mac users to instantly watch movies on their computers by the end of the year.

If you are interested in learning more about Netflix or other online DVD rental services, see our reviews and comparson.

Netflix shipments are back on track

Posted by Caitlin on August 18th, 2008

After a three day shipping delay last week, Netflix is shipping DVDs at their normal pace once again. Any backlogged shipments should have been sent out on Friday. All customers whose shipments were delayed will receive a 15% discount on their next bill, and any new customers who were using the service on a free two-week trial basis will have their trial extended by a week.

For more information about Netflix or other online DVD rental services, see our reviews and comparison.

Netflix profiles feature will not be discontinued after all

Posted by Caitlin on July 7th, 2008

In mid-June, Netflix announced plans to eliminate a feature which allows multiple users within a single account to maintain separate profiles and movie queues. Disappointed customers responded by urging Netflix to reconsider this decision, and it has. A post on the Netflix Community Blog recently announced that the complaints from customers have persuaded Netflix not to discontinue the profile feature after all. This feature is valuable and useful to many users, and is unique to Netflix.

To learn more about online DVD rental services, see our comparison and reviews.

The Internet can save you gas money!

Posted by Caitlin on June 20th, 2008

On Earth Day, we posted some tips for living a more eco-friendly lifestyle with the help of online services. One suggestion was to attend an online college or university, since it reduces the environmental impact of getting an education. ABC recently ran a story informing viewers that online classes are gaining in popularity as a result of high gas prices. Driving to and from classes is getting pretty pricey at some campuses, but with the help of the Internet all that money can be saved.

Other online services can save you time and gas as well. With an online DVD rental service like Netflix, you avoid driving to and from the store every time you'd like to watch a movie, and online diet programs give you support and encouragement in the comfort of your own home.

To learn more about online education programs, online DVD rental services, and online diet programs, take a look at our reviews and comparisons.

Netflix streaming set top box review

Posted by Joe on May 21st, 2008

Netflix announced the launch of a new streaming video player that will allow subscribers to view over 10,000 movies and televisions shows on demand over the Internet. The set top box is powered by Roku and will retail for about $99 when it is released later this year.

Since we have yet to test the new Netflix streaming movie service ourselves we have put together a sampling of feedback from trusted sources across the web as a service to our readers.

From Wired's Mark McClusky:

WIRED Textbook definition of a simple setup. Good video quality from streams. Box automatically upgrades as new software features become available. No cost above normal Netflix subscription.

TIRED Another nondescript black box to clutter up your living room. Just not as much content as we wish was available. Box and remote, while functional, just aren't very good looking.

From The New York Times' Saul Hansell:

You can show your non-techie friends the Roku Netflix Player, and they'll get it right away. Unlike most version 1.0 products, you won't have to keep making excuses for delays, awkwardness and various bugs. The box does what it says it does well and doesn't promise to do anything else. In my tests, it was easy to use, responsive, with good video quality. (Disclosure: I didn't stress it. I have a fast Internet connection and an old small TV that is gentle on fuzzy pictures.)

The product right now isn't for everybody. If you don't want old movies or don't want a $9-a-month subscription, it is clearly not for you. But if you like that deal, you'll like the box.

From CNET's John P. Falcone:

Those looking for the HD video quality and polished interface of Apple TV and Vudu will be disappointed. The Netflix Player is strictly barebones–you're not intended to do anything more than just dive in and watch the movies and TV shows you've already queued up via your online Netflix account. The biggest drawback–for now at least–is the dearth of quality content. Thanks to Hollywood's byzantine licensing system, less than 10 percent of Netflix's 100,000-plus library of titles is available for streaming to the Player. That means, for now, that only two of Netflix's top 100 DVDs are available for streaming: March of the Penguins and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

That said, the Netflix Player has a major trump card in terms of price: it retails for $100, and delivers unlimited streaming to any Netflix subscriber on the $8.95 plan or above. That's a major departure from Apple TV, Vudu, Xbox Live Marketplace, and Amazon Unbox, all of which offer only pay-per-view options, including download-to-own videos and rentals with tight viewing windows (e.g. rental titles must be completely viewed within 24 hours).

From the Associated Press' Peter Svensson:

For me, the low price was an effective dose of Gold Bond powder on this irritation. Starting a movie takes up to a minute? Yes, but hey, it's cheap! The picture quality varies a great deal, and there's no HD? Yes, but you can't expect the world for $8.99 a month.

Roku's box is just the first of what Netflix hopes is a whole family of products that get movies from its Web site. LG Electronics is planning to include the streaming capability in a Blu-ray DVD player later this year, and two other unnamed manufacturers are bringing out set-top boxes.

But I don't see a big reason to wait for them. Even if the Roku player sacrifices a few things to limbo under the $100 price level, it's a no-brainer for the 8 million-plus Netflix customers out there. If you're not one, this is an added reason to become one.

From the Washington Post/TechCrunch's John Biggs:

The Netflix Player by Roku is the first in what portends to be a long line of devices designed to download and stream movies from Netflix. While in its current incarnation the device is fairly limited, I can firmly recommend it with the expectation that the movie selection will improve.

You can learn more about online dvd rental services by visiting our online dvd rental service reviews and comparison.

Update: Thanks to Laurie Boeder at the About.com Classic Movies Blog who points out that the new Netflix set-top box will likely be a convenient option for classic film buffs as well.