It seemed like such a good idea in theory. Apple TV customers most likely want to use Netflix. They have iTunes accounts. So let them sign up for Netflix on the AppleTV, and bill the Netflix subscription to their iTunes account. Simple! Streamlined! What could possibly go wrong? A lot of things, as it turns out, if the customer has any interest in using their Netflix account on any device other than an Apple TV. Not even devices using other accounts and other operating systems, either: other Apple devices. [More]
How Does Netflix Categorize Movies?
By July 9, 2012
What makes a Screwball Comedy different from a Slapstick Comedy? Why is Son of the Pink Panther considered a comedy at all? These decisions — at least as far as Netflix is concerned — are being made by a few dozen folks throughout North America who get paid to watch — and answer questions about — everything from Chinatown to Transylmania. [More]
Judge Allows Closed-Captioning Lawsuit Against Netflix To Proceed
By June 22, 2012
Netflix recently asked a court to dismiss the lawsuit brought by the National Association for the Deaf that alleges the company violates the Americans with Disabilities Act by not including closed-captioning on many of its streaming videos. But earlier this week, the judge in the case ruled against Netflix, allowing the suit to move forward. [More]
Netflix Honors Man Who Watched 252 Movies In A Month With His Own Day
By June 18, 2012
We recently detailed Mark Malkoff’s marathon attempt to squeeze in as many Netflix movies as possible within a 30-day time frame. And it looks like we weren’t the only ones watching, as Mark was invited to Netflix HQ to celebrate his data cap-crushing achievement. [More]
Man Pushes Netflix Account To The Max, Watches 252 Movies In 30 Days
By June 5, 2012
Are you a Netflix customer who feels like you don’t always get the most of your $7.99/month for unlimited streaming video? Well, one man decided to put Netflix and himself to the test by watching more than 400 hours of video in a month. [More]
Report: Hulu Thinks Maybe You Shouldn't Cut Your Cable Cord Just Yet
By April 30, 2012
Hulu is one of the many streaming services that have led a growing number of cable and satellite subscribers to cancel their subscriptions and get most of their TV entertainment via the Internet. But a new report claims that Hulu is now looking to appease cable companies by eventually making the service available only to those who are also paying for cable. [More]
Do Amazon And Netflix Inflate Their Streaming Libraries?
By April 17, 2012
When you read that Amazon offers 17,000 “movies and TV programs” in its streaming library, and that Netflix has 60,000, what do you assume that figure means? Sure, a movie’s a movie, but what constitutes a TV program? Using Amazon’s math, a “program” is a single episode of a series, meaning that the entire run of “24″ counts as 192 programs. Is this a reasonable way to count videos, or is it misleading? Fast Company’s stance is clear: they think that both companies are using this trick to inflate their total program count and make their services look more impressive than they are. [More]
Does Netflix Even Have Any Playable DVDs?
By April 16, 2012
Reader Somedaysomehow is annoyed with Netflix. She’s been a loyal customer on the one DVD at a time plan, but lately most of those DVDs have been unplayable. What’s the point of continuing to pay for movies in the mail? All complaining to Netflix gets her are bonus DVDs from her queue….which are unplayable, too. [More]
Netflix CEO Rips Comcast On Net Neutrality
By April 16, 2012
It’s been a few weeks since Comcast announced that data chewed up by customers who use the cable company’s Xfinity Xbox app won’t count toward their monthly data cap. The move ignited a debate over whether or not Comcast was unfairly making its product more readily available than those provided by others, like perhaps… Netflix. Well, yesterday, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings decided it was time to make his position known. [More]
Netflix Explains How It Comes Up With Its Recommendations
By April 9, 2012
Sometimes Netflix is able to peek deep into your soul and tell you exactly which movies you’ll want to watch next, and other times it suggests Power Rangers Samurai. The company is now offering a behind the curtain to explain how it plays matchmaker with you and all the lonely movies out there. [More]
Netflix Proves That It Still Cares About DVDs, Buys DVD.com URL
By March 30, 2012
In spite of the fact that Netflix has done an awful lot in the last year to distance itself from the disc-by-mail service that made it a household name, the company apparently still wants to be associated with the shiny discs. [More]
Which Worst Company Contenders Force Customers Into Mandatory Arbitration?
By March 21, 2012
As we sifted through the mountain of nominations for this year’s Worst Company In America tournament, we noticed a trend of readers who cited companies’ mandatory binding arbitration clauses as a reason for nominating. And while it’s businesses like AT&T and Sony that have made all the headlines for effectively banning class action lawsuits, there are a lot of other WCIA contenders who are forcing customers into signing away their rights. [More]
Worst Company In America Round One: Netflix Vs. GameStop
By March 16, 2012
Everyone else might be thanking God it’s Friday, but not the companies that had to start off their weekend by beating the ever-loving crud out of each other in the Worst Company America Thunderdome. [More]
Here It Is, Your Lineup For Worst Company In America 2012!
By March 12, 2012
Welcome to Consumerist’s 7th Annual Worst Company In America tournament, where the businesses you nominated face off for a title that none of them will publicly admit to wanting — but which all of them try their hardest to earn. So it’s time to fill in the brackets and start another office pool. That is, unless you work at one of the 32 companies competing in the tournament. [More]
Report: Pay TV Giants Won't Carry Netflix Service
By March 12, 2012
After last week’s rather stomach-turning news broke that Netflix was trying to get in bed with cable companies rather than compete with them by offering its streaming service in the manner of a premium channel, now there’s a report that pay TV companies aren’t biting. [More]
Report: Netflix Wants To Piggyback On Cable Services
By March 7, 2012
If reported deals between Netflix and cable giants go through, the company’s streaming service will be offered as a bonus to cable packages. Netflix is said to be negotiating with several cable companies to add its service as a possible premium on-demand option. [More]
Netflix Saves The Day, Overrides Disc Limit To Send Me Martial Arts Movie To Watch With The Guys
By March 1, 2012
For all the rotting fruit hurled at Netflix over the whole price-doubling thing and the Qwikster debacle, it is easy to forget how much some people used to adore the company and its customer service. [More]
Starz Movies Fall Off Netflix Streaming This Week
By February 28, 2012
Your Netflix streaming queue is probably about to get a bit lighter. As we noted back in September, Netflix and Starz did not renew their deal, meaning about 800 movies will be leaving Netflix’s streaming service by the end of the week. [More]
