Netflix

Blockbuster considering set-top box for movie downloads

Trips to the video rental store may be a thing of the past sooner than thought.

Netflix and Blockbuster are already offering DVD rental service by mail. Amazon.com, Microsoft's Xbox Live, and Netflix deliver movies directly to the PC. TiVo, Vudu, and Apple TV--not to mention cable and satellite companies--are doing the same for TV sets. Local independent stores notwithstanding, the only major brick-and-mortar options left for renting discs are Hollywood Video/Movie Gallery, which is close to bankruptcy, and Blockbuster.

But The Hollywood Reporter says Blockbuster may be giving customers more reasons not to visit its stores. … Read more

BabyPlays: A Netflix for childrens toys

Toys are an important part of being a child. When we get older they become shinier and more expensive, but for many, they're fun to play with for a short time and we lose interest.

To help curb the potential costs and storage required, there's BabyPlays, a service that approaches toy enjoyment in a similar fashion to Netflix. BabyPlays is a subscription service that lets you pick what toys you want delivered to your house each month. Each of the plans lets you receive a different amount of toys. There are no late fees, and when you want … Read more

Netflix's homepage gets a hot update

Netflix has just pushed a significant homepage update to its subscribers. The Netflix homepage has been essentially the same for awhile now and this new update is very refreshing. Not only is it boasting a cool new look, but it's high on usefulness and functionality.

Netflix's recommendation engine is the centerpiece of this new design. Netflix now breaks down recommendations by categories and lists the source movies for these recommendations. As you can see in the screenshot below, Netflix is recommending movies by Stanley Kubrick (who happens to be one of my favorite directors) to me because I … Read more

Netflix says sorry with 5 percent credit

Netflix has extended an apology, in the form of a discount, to customers in the wake of an 11-hour site outage.

On Monday, the Web's leading movie-rental service suffered its second extended outage in the past nine months. This time, the glitch led to customers receiving their DVDs a day late. For those who were inconvenienced, Netflix is crediting their account 5 percent.

"We are sorry for any inconvenience this has caused," Netflix told customers via e-mail. "We will issue a (5 percent) credit to your account in the next few days."

Netflix has declined … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 688: I like your photos

I like that photo of you that you posted on Facebook. You know, the private one? Yeah. I saw it. It was pretty cool, although I'd never wear that T-shirt again if I were you. In other news, Netflix DVDs are coming late! The end of the world is nigh! Also, the DOJ approves the XM-Sirius merger and Sony BMG wants to get on your iPod in a decidedly nonrootkit way. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 688

Netflix glitch to delay deliveries http://www.news.com/newsblog/8301-10784_3-9902294-7.html

XM, Sirius move closer to improbable merger http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120638514923860085.html … Read more

Netflix's minor glitches appear to be fixed

Update 1:33 p.m. PDT: Netflix has apparently fixed the site's recommendations and ratings.

Netflix customers saw only minor glitches a day after the movie rental service suffered an 11-hour Web site outage because of an undisclosed systems malfunction.

Customers were unable to access ratings and recommendations on Tuesday, according to Steve Swasey, a spokesman for the company. The company, however, appeared to have fixed the problems by the afternoon.

"This is part of the site that we haven't been able to get back online yet," Swasey said earlier in the day. "Otherwise the … Read more

Netflix is back up, but ratings are broken

Being a Netflix subscriber, I've been checking the site all day to see if it is back up and running. There has been coverage of this problem throughout the day and the site is finally back up, but I have noticed a fairly glaring problem: Netflix's movie ratings are broken.

Rating movies is one of Netflix's main features, and there are no doubt some confused users on the site right now. Multiple sources have confirmed the inability to rate movies. This is probably a glitch left over from the outage.

As you can see in this screenshot, … Read more

Netflix glitch to delay deliveries

Update at 6:15 p.m. PDT to add areas that may likely see delays in delivery.

Update at 7:55 p.m. to reflect that the site has since come back online.

Netflix customers expecting a little red package soon may be disappointed.

The largest online video-rental service has suffered a technical glitch that has knocked out its Web site as well as its logistics and delivery systems, according to a Steve Swasey, a company spokesman.

The malfunction, the source of which the company won't reveal, began at about 7 a.m. PDT. The site came back online … Read more

Netflix down for at least five hours

Updated at 4:00 p.m. PDT: We have posted a completely new story here that details how Netflix will be forced to delay deliveries.

Internet movie rental company Netflix suffered a site outage beginning at 7 a.m. PDT Monday, and the company doesn't know when it will have the problem fixed, a Netflix spokesman said.

Customer service personnel told CNET News.com that they were told the site was undergoing routine maintenance when something went wrong, information they then passed on to customers. That is incorrect, according to Steve Swasey, the company's director of corporate communications. … Read more