The Official Netflix Blog

Netflix Launches in UK, Ireland Today

2012-01-08T23:00:00.000-08:00

Today we're bringing Netflix to the UK and Ireland. I am Neil Hunt, chief product officer at Netflix. I’m proud to have led the product team that brings Netflix to the country where I grew up, after spending most of my career in California.

Click-to-Watch TV Programmes and Films Over the Internet

Netflix is available now and anyone can get a one month free trial: click-to-watch TV programmes and films streamed instantly over the Internet to your smart TV, game console, computer, tablet or mobile device. After the free trial, it costs just £5.99 or €6.99. Our catalog is full of complete TV programmes such as The Only Way is Essex, Prison Break, and Damages (watch from the pilot episode all the way through the last complete season/series) and great films such as 3:10 to Yuma, Blitz and The English Patient, with new content added continuously.

Streaming to TVs, Computers, Tablets, and Mobiles

We have spent the last four years building and refining streaming players for the major game consoles, smart TVs, Blu-ray players, tablets, and mobile phones, as well as Mac and PC-based computers. We have honed and refined the apps based upon our experience in the Canadian, US, and Latin American markets. The current versions of our apps have cool streaming technology that starts streaming the video instantly and quickly scales up to high definition with surround sound when your broadband connection supports it. If you don’t have a game console or smart TV, there are nifty smart TV adaptor products on the market that convert a regular television to an Internet-connected television starting at around £50.

Social Network Driven Suggestions

We are partnering with Facebook to facilitate signing up for a free trial; the link between members’ Netflix and Facebook accounts provides for seamless sharing of ideas for shows and films to watch. Whether you are watching on a smart TV, game console, computer, or mobile device, you’ll see suggestions based on what your friends are watching.

Personalized Recommendations

To help members find something great to watch from a library of thousands of TV episodes and films, we have built a system that offers suggestions based on each individual's tastes. Members rate TV programmes and films, indicate which genres they enjoy. Netflix learns from that and from each member's viewing activity to offer a rich variety of relevant viewing ideas, including a personalized list of top ten suggestions and an always evolving set of personalized genres. If you watch a lot of dramas and loved an inspiring, rags-to-riches tale like "October Sky," you might get a set of "Emotional Dramas based on contemporary literature" titles such as "Chocolat" and "Cider House Rules." Or if you prefer sci-fi, or documentaries, or have kids, Netflix will always have a wide range of interesting suggestions waiting for you.

Just for Kids

For Netflix members with children we offer a wide range of the best TV shows and movies for different age groups along with a special kid-friendly section (for kids 12 and under) on the Wii, on the Web site, and, soon, on many other devices. Kids are given personalized categories chosen from what they love: girl power, talking animals, superheroes, dinosaurs, princesses, robots, etc. They can also go to a easy-to-use, fun area to find many of their favorite characters. The section features everyone from SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer to Power Rangers, iCarly and Thomas the Tank Engine.

Welcome

I hope you like what we’ve built, and I’m looking forward to your feedback and input. We are on Facebook, Twitter and www.netflix.com.

Neil

The 12 Docs of Christmas...

2011-12-23T12:18:00.000-08:00

Hi, Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer of Netflix here. I am a huge fan of documentary films and helping our subscribers get access to them even if they don’t live in the big cities is one of my favorite parts of this job. Our documentary selection is a point of great pride for me and my team. Documentary films play a very important role in a world where news is coming is shorter and shorter bites and the stories of our lives are becoming more and more complex. Documentarians entertain, inform and sometimes change the course of history. This year has been a great year for docs and some of the world’s best storytellers have brought their films to Netflix for streaming. It is hard to choose just a dozen of the best documentaries recently added, but I thought it might be a way to help you catch up over the long holiday break.

#1 Senna
For me, this is the best documentary in the last few years. This is the story of Ayrton Senna, the great Brazilian Formula One racing star. Director, Asif Kapadia compiles an amazing amount of footage that follows Senna’s brilliant career as well as intimate private footage that document the full and rich life of a true risk-taker. Even if you don’t like racing, you will not be able to take your eyes off of this great film.

#2 Black Power Mix Tape 1967-1975
The history of the Black Panther movement is the history of this country seen through the eyes of a foreign film crew and documented over 9 years. The film features extraordinary never before seen footage along with commentary from some of the most important African Americans reflecting on their legacies.

#3 Cave of Forgotten Dreams
A fascinating film that explores the Chauvet Cave in France, which contains some of the oldest human painting on earth. Warner Herzog's hypnotic narration takes you on a journey and contemplates what these ancient artist must have been like more than 30,000 years ago. It is a visually stunning and endlessly interesting exploration of humankind.

#4 Waiting For Superman
Oscar winning director Davis Guggenheim turns his attention and his camera to the failings of our education system. It is a personal as well as journalistic mission. This film is partly emotional and partly informative in equal measure. Guggenheim is one of America’s finest documentary filmmakers. Also take a look at his other recent doc “It Might Get Loud” and you will get a sense of his amazing range.

#5 Winnebago Man
This is a film made for the Internet generation. It is a funny and fascinating exploration of what happens when a moment that you did not plan for anyone to see gets uploaded to the web and you become an Internet sensation. filmmaker Ben Steinbauer tracks down Jack Rebney -- who's become known in underground circles as the "Angriest Man in the World" -- and tries to discover what makes the loner tick.

#6 Buck
Buck Brannaman was the inspiration for the movie “The Horse Whisperer.” This Sundance Film Festival Best Documentary winner explores his complex life and work. He is an inspiration and source of wonder. Cindy Meehl reveals much about how Buck came to learn so much about communications with horses as well as humans.

#7 The Arbor
Ok, This is no easy watch, but it is one of the most inventive ways I have ever seen a story told in a documentary. Actors lip sync to actual recorded interviews with the family of British Playwright Andrea Dunbar. Dunbar wrote of her turbulent family in her works and this film explores the people who inspired those tales. It is subtitled because the British accents are often very thick.

#8 The Last Mountain
Watch what happens when ordinary citizens in West Virginia stand up to the mining industry. This film is filled with inspirational and personal stories and presents a controversial story with balance and dignity. Filmmaker Bill Haney captures the passion of Robert Kennedy Jr. working side by side with a community fighting for their lives.

#9 Forks Over Knives
This movie will make you smart, skinny and have a longer life…or it is a great way to kill 96 minutes. Either way, you won’t regret the investment in this interesting and powerful documentary about the challenges of processed food in our bodies and how medicine cannot keep up with the advancements of the processed food industry. It is enlightening and actually entertaining too.

#10 Casino Jack and the United States of Money
Oscar winning director Alex Gibney, who has turned his camera on Enron, Eliot Spitzer, Hunter S. Thompson and military torture takes a fast paced and hard hitting look at the life and times of lobbyist Jack Abramoff. It is one of the best films yet from this great documentarian. After you watch this one, check out how Kevin Spacey lights up the screen as Abramoff in the narrative version of this tale called “Casino Jack.”

#11 Camp Victory, Afghanistan
Carol Dysinger introduces us to the men and woman of one American military base in Afghanistan who are training Afghan troops. It is a rich world filled with characters and stories that will stay with you after you see this film. While we are celebrating the holidays at home it is a great time to remember that our troops are still on foreign soil and to see how they spend their days and nights.

#12 Storage Wars
I know the purist documentary lovers will boo and hiss, but I love “Storage Wars.” I admit it. I am addicted to this show. It is a reality doc-style TV series that I cannot stop watching. The cast of characters are bidders at auction for abandoned storage units and their stories are of the treasures they find there. It is the same formula over and over again and it just works. It is part “Antique Roadshow” and part side-show but it makes for addictive viewing. Watch both seasons and if you feel like you still want more, check out “American Pickers” and “Pawn Stars.”

Android “Ice Cream Sandwich” Gets Netflix

2011-12-15T10:43:00.000-08:00

Today we launched support for Android 4.0, also known as “Ice Cream Sandwich.” With this added support, streaming movies and TV shows from Netflix over the Internet will be available on an even greater number of Android devices.

I’m Roma De and as director of product management at Netflix, helping to expand the number of the devices that support streaming from Netflix is a major part of my job. Device expansion is also a key part of the company strategy.

As you may remember, in October we launched a new application in the Android Market to support Android 3.x (Honeycomb) tablets. At the time we also extended Android support to Canada and Latin America for the first time.

I’m glad to say that all phones and tablets that support Android 4.0 will run the new Netflix application. Download the free Netflix app from Android Market and start watching.

Roma

Netflix Unveils a New iPad App

2011-12-14T11:00:00.000-08:00

Starting today, Netflix members can enjoy a newly redesigned experience for the iPad that makes it much easier to discover and instantly watch TV shows and movies streaming from Netflix.

I'm Zal Bilimoria, and I'm a product manager at Netflix where I lead product innovation for mobile devices. The new app is really a big step forward; it is much more immersive and provides greater focus on our growing catalogue by displaying twice as many titles than the previous interface. In addition, through optimization for touch-enabled tablets, Netflix members can now swipe through rows and rows of titles featuring larger artwork.

Members can enjoy the new Netflix interface on their iPad with iOS 5 by upgrading to the latest version of the Netflix App, available as a free download from the App Store, which will be rolling out to all users in the coming weeks.

More News

And there's more news. Starting today, Netflix members in Latin America can enjoy unlimited TV shows and movies streaming from Netflix on their Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, or on their HD TV with Apple TV.

Also, Netflix "Just for Kids" is now available on Apple TV, providing a section that offers a broad selection of TV shows and movies for children 12 and under. You can read more about "Just for Kids" in Todd Yellin's original blog post when we first introduced the section in August.

Zal

Netflix Unveils New Xbox Experience

2011-12-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

Here at Netflix we love the Xbox 360. Since November 2008 our members have instantly watched millions of hours of TV shows and movies streaming from Netflix via their Xbox. Today I am excited to share two big announcements about Netflix on Xbox!

First, today we are launching our new Netflix experience. This application has been redesigned from the ground up based on all that we have learned and includes a number of great new features:

- A better browse experience with significantly more titles available for browsing and up to 3 times more titles available on screen to choose from at any given time. You really get a sense of the depth of movies and TV shows available with a simple and elegant interface optimized for TV

- A richer play experience that includes access to audio and subtitle settings, ratings capability, episode selection, and related title suggestions while you play for a more integrated experience

- Deep support for voice and gesture control using Xbox Kinect for browsing and play functions (Confession: we really like to lean back on the couch and use the voice commands while we watch!)

- Adaptive streaming that constantly optimizes your picture quality while you watch based on your current bandwidth

- Support for 720p HD (bandwidth allowing) and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound so movies and TV shows streaming from Netflix look and sound great!

Second, we are pleased to announce that Netflix on Xbox 360 is now available in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, and Colombia as Xbox Gold LIVE is now available in these territories. We are happy that our members in Latin America can now use this rich platform to instantly watch movies and TV shows from Netflix on their TVs. And, with the new features above, they can enjoy the updated experience today!

How do you get the new application?

- If you already instantly watch via your Xbox 360, you will automatically receive the new Netflix application when you install Microsoft's new Xbox update released on Dec. 6.

- If you have not previously downloaded the Netflix app on Xbox 360, download the app for free from the Xbox Marketplace following completion of the Microsoft Xbox update

A few notes:

- Xbox Gold LIVE, a Netflix unlimited streaming membership and a high-speed internet connection are required to stream Netflix on Xbox

- Xbox Kinect is required to use voice and gesture control features

- As with other apps on Xbox, voice control with Kinect is not yet available in Portuguese

Chris

Chris Jaffe is director of product innovation at Netflix where he leads our work on Xbox, PS3, and Wii.

Holiday Movies and TV Episodes

2011-12-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

‘Tis the season for watching greatholiday movies. We’re playing our part byfeaturing a sleigh load of traditional and new favorites. Longing to see A Christmas Carol? We’ve gottwo versions waiting for you. How about Miracle on 34^th Street? Once again we’ve got three to watch instantly,from the original 1947 classic to a more modern version.

But wait there’s more to brightenthe festivities. Beyond the many movies andspecials, this year we’re highlighting the best TV holiday episodes.

Watch Michael from TheOffice let the vodka flow way too freely and embarrass everyone. Watch Sue from Glee rig the Secret Santa gift giving while the kids belt out lotsof holiday songs. Watch JD from Scrubs persist through another jadedChristmas until a patient miraculously emerges from a coma.

We’re highlighting episodes that capture the fullrange of holiday moods—goofy, heartwarming, cynical, uplifting—withunforgettable TV episodes from 30 Rock, Roseanne, Arrested Development,South Park, The Andy Griffith Show,Family Ties, etc.

Finally we go way back in the vaults to unearth a wonderfulhidden gem: Art Carney playing a drunken department store Santa who finds hopein the Twilight Zone. Please don’t miss this one and enjoy yourholiday viewing.

-Todd

Todd Yellin, the VP of Product Innovation at Netflix,plans on feasting on all of this fat-free holiday content during the month ofDecember.

Netflix Just for Kids, Now on Wii

2011-11-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

My two sons love watching shows they find in the Just for Kids section on Netflix. As a busy parent, I love that they can find great stuff to watch without my help. Now, we have made it even easier for youngsters to use this great section by making it available on Wii.

When you launch the Netflix app on Wii you can choose the Just for Kids section, letting the kids browse without worrying if they will come across content not intended for young viewers. Visit the Just for Kids section in the Netflix Wii app and you’ll find a world of TV shows and movies suitable for children 12 and under. With unlimited instant viewing my sons can watch as much Phineas and Ferb or Johnny Test as they want, without being interrupted by commercials.

David

David Watson is director of product innovation at Netflix, responsible for our family and kids stuff.

Pearl Jam Twenty

2011-11-21T12:18:00.001-08:00

Pearl Jam Twenty (PJ20) is available now to watch instantly in the US. Lisa Nishimura, VP of Content Acquisition here. Once in a while a film comes along that is clearly a labor of love. Pearl Jam Twenty, a documentary feature spanning 20 years in the life of Pearl Jam, lensed by Oscar winning director & writer Cameron Crowe is just such a film. Painstakingly culled from 30,000 hours of material collected across two decades, Pearl Jam Twenty provides an intimate look into one of the most influential bands of our time.

New Experience Now Available for All Android Tablets (iPad Coming Soon)

2011-11-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

Today we're excited to let you know that we've launched a fully redesigned experience for our free app on all Android tablets including the Kindle Fire and NOOK Tablet.

The new design is much more immersive and provides greater focus on the growing number of titles in the Netflix catalog. In fact, the new interface displays twice as many movies and TV shows as before, enabling you to discover even more titles you'll love. Also, we've taken greater advantage of the tablet's unique features, inviting you to swipe through rows of titles featuring larger artwork.

This experience will be ready for the iPad in the coming weeks, so stay tuned. We listened to you, revamped our design, and hope you'll enjoy it.

Zal

Zal Bilimoria manages mobile products at Netflix. Previously, he was a product manager at Google and Microsoft. He lives in San Francisco and enjoys spending time abroad.

Netflix on Kindle Fire

2011-11-11T07:03:00.000-08:00

We are excited to announce that members will soon be able to instantly watch TV shows and movies on their new Kindle Fire from Amazon. The Netflix application will be available for free download from the Amazon Appstore for Android on Kindle Fire. Members now have even greater choice of enjoying Netflix on a device they want to use.

Happy watching!

Roma

Roma De is director of product management at Netflix

Netfix Now On Barnes & Noble's NOOK

2011-11-07T09:11:00.000-08:00

Netflix members will soon be able to watch movies and TV shows streaming from Netflix on Barnes & Noble's NOOK Tablet and the updated NOOK Color.

Barnes & Noble announced the new NOOK Tablet and the updates to the NOOK Color today at an event in New York City.

The NOOK adds to the growing list of tablets on which members can watch the Netflix service.

Enjoy Netflix on the NOOK!

Roma

Roma De is director of product management at Netflix

Breaking Bad Available in Canada

2011-11-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

AMC's Emmy award winning Breaking Bad is now available for our members in Canada! This show is one of the most requested series by our Canadian members and is a huge favorite among TV critics as well. Who knew that it could be so entertaining to watch a high school chemistry teacher become a meth dealer to secure his family's financial future? Hope you all enjoy discovering this fantastic series.

Erik Barmack, director of content acquisition

ABC Magic Continues At Netflix

2011-10-30T22:10:00.000-07:00

In the U.S., we’re excited to bring you new episodes to watch instantly of great ABC shows like Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and Brothers and Sisters, as well as some terrific programs from ABC Family like Switched at Birth, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Make It or Break It, and more. For the kids, we’re pleased to offer an expanded line up of Disney Channel shows, including the awesome adventures of Phineas and Ferb and new shows like Shake It Up, Pair of Kings and Kick Buttowski. All together, it’s hundreds of hours of compelling storytelling for the whole family. Enjoy!

Elizabeth Bradley, director of content.

Expanded Android Support Now Available

2011-10-19T09:40:00.000-07:00

Today, Netflix launched a new application in the Android Market to support Android 3.x (Honeycomb) tablets. This new app also extends Android support to Canada and Latin America for the first time. Now Netflix members in US, Canada and Latin America can enjoy Netflix on both their Android smartphones and tablets.

I’m Roma De, director of product management, and I’m excited to bring Netflix to even more Android devices. Netflix members now have even greater flexibility in watching TV episodes and movies wherever and whenever they want.

Netflix members can download this free app from the Android Market. Enjoy!

Kevin Smith Returns

2011-10-18T15:05:00.000-07:00

Lisa Nishimura, VP - Independent Film Content Acquisition, here to let you know that Kevin Smith is back with a vengeance! The writer/director of indie classics, “Clerks” & “Mallrats”, returns with the incendiary horror-thriller Red State, available now exclusively to watch instantly in the US on Netlix. You’ve been warned – enjoy!

DVDs will be staying at netflix.com

2011-10-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

It is clear that for many of our members two websites would make things more difficult, so we are going to keep Netflix as one place to go for streaming and DVDs.

This means no change: one website, one account, one password… in other words, no Qwikster.

While the July price change was necessary, we are now done with price changes.

We’re constantly improving our streaming selection. We’ve recently added hundreds of movies from Paramount, Sony, Universal, Fox, Warner Bros., Lionsgate, MGM and Miramax. Plus, in the last couple of weeks alone, we’ve added over 3,500 TV episodes from ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, USA, E!, Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, ABC Family, Discovery Channel, TLC, SyFy, A&E, History, and PBS.

We value our members, and we are committed to making Netflix the best place to get movies & TV shows.

Thank you.

-Reed

The Walking Dead, Live on Netflix

2011-10-07T17:47:00.000-07:00

The Walking Dead are here to watch instantly in the US and Canada. Cindy Holland, VP of Content Acquisition here, and the horror of the walkers - the shuffling hordes of the undead - will frighten and fascinate you, so catch the first season now!

Power, Deception and Lies (plus other good stuff)

2011-10-04T11:17:00.000-07:00

Intrigue. Passion, Duplicity. The glorious backdrop of Renaissance Italy and the participation of some the best actors and writers working in television; get ready for Borgia: Faith and Fear. Elizabeth Bradley, Netflix Director of Content Acquisition here, and I’m pleased to let you know that starting today, for the first time in North America, Netflix viewers in the U.S. and Canada will be able to immerse themselves in a sumptuous recounting of the dramatic rise of the Borgia family and their dominance of the Vatican in the 15^th and 16^th century. Filled with backstabbing and adultery, triumph and devastation, Borgia: Faith and Fear is gripping and great fun.

Rediscovering The Wonder Years

2011-10-03T14:51:00.000-07:00

Amid all the great shows and new seasons that launched on Netflix in the last couple of days, there was one I was so excited about that I felt compelled to share it with anyone who would listen.

I am Heather McCauley, senior counsel, content acquisition, at Netflix. I am happy to share that all six seasons of The Wonder Years are now available to watch instantly for the first time.

As much as I enjoyed the teenage angst of the Kevin and Winnie romance as it unfolded when I was in middle school and high school, I am loving it so much more today as I share it with my 7th grade daughter.

Hope you all enjoy discovering it and rediscovering it as well!

New Riches From NBC Universal

2011-10-02T13:31:00.000-07:00

Who doesn’t love laughing – especially with some of the funniest and most critically acclaimed comedies out there. As of this weekend, new seasons of 30 Rock and The Office are available for our U.S. members to watch instantly. So too, for the first time, are Seasons 1 and 2 of one of the most clever and endearing family dramas on TV, Parenthood.

I’m Cindy Holland, Netflix VP of Content Acquisition, and these shows are part of a huge assortment of entertainment we now have available to watch instantly in the U.S. from NBC Universal. There are great SyFy shows like Warehouse 13, Caprica and Destination Truth, the incredibly witty USA series Psych and a rich collection of reality favorites, including Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Kimora, Giulianna and Bill, Ruby, Clean House and Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? In the coming weeks, there will be plenty more great series available to watch instantly as well, so keep checking it out.

Smells Like Tween Spirit: Justin Bieber’s “Never Say Never” comes to streaming in Canada

2011-09-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Lock up your daughters Canada! Justin Bieber is coming to Netflix Canada. On Friday September 30th “Never Say Never” will be available exclusively on Netflix streaming. “Never Say Never” follows Bieber’s meteoric rise from small town Ontario busker, to massive international superstar. The film intersperses home videos and interviews with more recent footage directly from within the maelstrom of madness that surrounds him today; as well as a great concert performance which shows why he has built the rabid fan base he has.

I’m Jason Ropell, VP of Content at Netflix, and being a Canadian myself I’m proud of the little guy from Stratford. Watch the movie and you will find it hard not to be. The movie shows him as hard working, grounded and likeable. Very Canadian indeed.

And remember if you find yourself unable to perfect that oh so famous Bieber coif…take inspiration from Justin, grab that blow dryer, keep feathering and “Never Say Never”….

Expanded Selection from Discovery, TLC, and More!

2011-09-27T17:16:00.000-07:00

When it comes to drama on the high seas, nothing beats the exploits of the Alaskan crab fishermen of Deadliest Catch. The addictive Discovery Channel show, which just won more Emmys than any other reality series on television this year, is now available to watch instantly.

Cindy Holland, Netflix VP of Content Acquisition here, to let you know that our new agreement with Discovery Communications greatly expands the hit shows on Netflix from Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet, ID, Science and the Military channel. From new seasons of current-on-air favorites like Mythbusters, Cake Boss, River Monsters, and Say Yes to the Dress to new-to-Netflix series Sister Wives and I (Almost) Got Away with It; we’re continually adding something for everyone. Enjoy!

Watch this now: Netflix & Facebook

2011-09-22T10:03:00.001-07:00

We’ve talked about it coming, and it’s finally here: the Netflix/Facebook integration, which for now will be exclusively for Netflix members in Canada and Latin America.

I’m Tom Willerer from the product team and I'm excited to announce that today at Facebook’s f8 event in San Francisco we demonstrated how Netflix members will be able to connect their accounts to Facebook.

Facebook has always made it easy to discover great things through your friends. We want to make streaming from Netflix a more social experience and through the new optional Facebook connection, Netflix makes it possible for you to connect with your friends over TV series and movies online.

The Netflix/Facebook integration empowers you as a Netflix member to share what you watch from Netflix with your friends on Facebook and to discover what your friends are watching both on Facebook and within the Netflix user interface. This makes it easier and more fun to find new television series and movies to watch.

This new feature will be available before the end of September to Netflix members outside the U.S. We won’t yet enable it for U.S. members due to a 1980s law that creates some confusion over our ability to allow U.S. members to share what they watch. (You can read more about that in my colleague’s Michael Drobac’s blog post.)

As soon as the feature is enabled, you will see an option in the Netflix user interface to connect to Facebook. After connecting your Netflix account to Facebook, you will see what your friends are watching on any device that streams from Netflix, provided your friends are also connected.

Note that nothing will be shared unless you choose to connect your account to Facebook and sharing can be turned off at any time.

Here’s a look at what the Netflix/Facebook experience will be like for our members in Canada and Latin America (click on the previews below to see a larger image):

PS3:

PC/Mac:

I hope you enjoy the Facebook integration as much as we do.

Help us Bring Facebook Sharing to Netflix USA

2011-09-22T08:01:00.000-07:00

I'm Michael Drobac, director of Government Relations at Netflix. My colleague Tom Willerer shared with you our announcement from today’s Facebook f8 event in San Francisco, CA that Netflix members in Canada and Latin America will be able to connect their accounts to Facebook. See Tom’s post for more detail.

Unfortunately, we will not be offering this feature in the U.S. because a 1980’s law creates some confusion over our ability to let U.S. members automatically share the television shows and movies they watch with their friends on Facebook. We’ll continue to look at these issues and find ways to bring you the easy, convenient and quality experiences you have come to expect, including ways to automatically share with your friends on Facebook.

The good news, however, is that some forward-thinking members of Congress have introduced legislation, H.R. 2471, that would allow you to make this choice. We’ve got some big supporters in Congress, including Representatives Bob Goodlatte, Howard Coble, Jim Sensenbrenner, Zoe Lofgren, Linda Sanchez, John Conyers, Henry Waxman, Darrell Issa, Judy Chu, Loretta Sanchez, Lee Terry and Sue Myrick but we can use more.

If you want the choice to share with your friends, please email congress to urge them to pass this modernizing legislation.

An Explanation and Some Reflections

2011-09-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

I messed up. I owe everyone an explanation.

It is clear from the feedback over the past two months that many members felt we lacked respect and humility in the way we announced the separation of DVD and streaming, and the price changes. That was certainly not our intent, and I offer my sincere apology. I’ll try to explain how this happened.

For the past five years, my greatest fear at Netflix has been that we wouldn't make the leap from success in DVDs to success in streaming. Most companies that are great at something – like AOL dialup or Borders bookstores – do not become great at new things people want (streaming for us) because they are afraid to hurt their initial business. Eventually these companies realize their error of not focusing enough on the new thing, and then the company fights desperately and hopelessly to recover. Companies rarely die from moving too fast, and they frequently die from moving too slowly.

When Netflix is evolving rapidly, however, I need to be extra-communicative. This is the key thing I got wrong.

In hindsight, I slid into arrogance based upon past success. We have done very well for a long time by steadily improving our service, without doing much CEO communication. Inside Netflix I say, “Actions speak louder than words,” and we should just keep improving our service.

But now I see that given the huge changes we have been recently making, I should have personally given a full justification to our members of why we are separating DVD and streaming, and charging for both. It wouldn’t have changed the price increase, but it would have been the right thing to do.

So here is what we are doing and why:

Many members love our DVD service, as I do, because nearly every movie ever made is published on DVD, plus lots of TV series. We want to advertise the breadth of our incredible DVD offering so that as many people as possible know it still exists, and it is a great option for those who want the huge and comprehensive selection on DVD. DVD by mail may not last forever, but we want it to last as long as possible.

I also love our streaming service because it is integrated into my TV, and I can watch anytime I want. The benefits of our streaming service are really quite different from the benefits of DVD by mail. We feel we need to focus on rapid improvement as streaming technology and the market evolve, without having to maintain compatibility with our DVD by mail service.

So we realized that streaming and DVD by mail are becoming two quite different businesses, with very different cost structures, different benefits that need to be marketed differently, and we need to let each grow and operate independently. It’s hard for me to write this after over 10 years of mailing DVDs with pride, but we think it is necessary and best: In a few weeks, we will rename our DVD by mail service to “Qwikster”.

We chose the name Qwikster because it refers to quick delivery. We will keep the name “Netflix” for streaming.

Qwikster will be the same website and DVD service that everyone is used to. It is just a new name, and DVD members will go to qwikster.com to access their DVD queues and choose movies. One improvement we will make at launch is to add a video games upgrade option, similar to our upgrade option for Blu-ray, for those who want to rent Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 games. Members have been asking for video games for many years, and now that DVD by mail has its own team, we are finally getting it done. Other improvements will follow. Another advantage of separate websites is simplicity for our members. Each website will be focused on just one thing (DVDs or streaming) and will be even easier to use. A negative of the renaming and separation is that the Qwikster.com and Netflix.com websites will not be integrated. So if you subscribe to both services, and if you need to change your credit card or email address, you would need to do it in two places. Similarly, if you rate or review a movie on Qwikster, it doesn’t show up on Netflix, and vice-versa.

There are no pricing changes (we’re done with that!). Members who subscribe to both services will have two entries on their credit card statements, one for Qwikster and one for Netflix. The total will be the same as the current charges.

Andy Rendich, who has been working on our DVD service for 12 years, and leading it for the last 4 years, will be the CEO of Qwikster. Andy and I made a short welcome video. (You’ll probably say we should avoid going into movie making after watching it.) We will let you know in a few weeks when the Qwikster.com website is up and ready. It is merely a renamed version of the Netflix DVD website, but with the addition of video games. You won’t have to do anything special if you subscribe to our DVD by mail service.

For me the Netflix red envelope has always been a source of joy. The new envelope is still that distinctive red, but now it will have a Qwikster logo. I know that logo will grow on me over time, but still, it is hard. I imagine it will be the same for many of you. We’ll also return to marketing our DVD by mail service, with its amazing selection, now with the Qwikster brand.

Some members will likely feel that we shouldn’t split the businesses, and that we shouldn’t rename our DVD by mail service. Our view is with this split of the businesses, we will be better at streaming, and we will be better at DVD by mail. It is possible we are moving too fast – it is hard to say. But going forward, Qwikster will continue to run the best DVD by mail service ever, throughout the United States. Netflix will offer the best streaming service for TV shows and movies, hopefully on a global basis. The additional streaming content we have coming in the next few months is substantial, and we are always working to improve our service further.

I want to acknowledge and thank our many members that stuck with us, and to apologize again to those members, both current and former, who felt we treated them thoughtlessly.

Both the Qwikster and Netflix teams will work hard to regain your trust. We know it will not be overnight. Actions speak louder than words. But words help people to understand actions.

Respectfully yours, -Reed Hastings, Co-Founder and CEO, Netflix

Hey, who took those titles from my instant Queue?

2011-09-17T10:12:00.000-07:00

That's the email I woke up to this morning from a friend. Oops. I messed up. We didn't really remove any titles from the instant Queue, but I didn't explain what we did, so it looks like some titles are gone. To my friend, and to all our members, here's what's we did, and why:

We stopped showing titles that were at one point available for streaming. We did not delete those titles; we merely stopped showing them on the instant Queue page until we know exactly when they’ll again be there to watch instantly. When we know that a title will be available again it will reappear in the saved section, and once it is available it will move back into the instant Queue, with a Play button.

Why did we do this? We heard from our members that the list of unavailable titles complicates use of the instant Queue. And given the dynamic nature of our catalog that list can get long over time. So this change is intended to make the instant Queue easier to manage – by removing the inactive titles. Rest assured that we did not delete any of the title you have added to the instant Queue.

Brent.

Netflix Launches in Latin America

2011-09-05T06:33:00.000-07:00

Starting today, people throughout Latin America and the Caribbean who love watching movies and TV shows can enjoy a service that has revolutionized the viewing habits of more than 25 million North Americans by letting them watch what they want, when and where they want.

Hi, I’m Rochelle King, Netflix VP of User Experience and Design. At Netflix, we’ve been pioneering ways to make it easy and inexpensive for people to discover and watch great movies and TV shows and I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that today, Netflix launches in Brazil and that over the next week, Netflix will launch throughout Latin America and the Caribbean – some 43 countries and territories in all.

By September 12, people throughout the Americas will be able to instantly watch a broad selection of movies and TV shows streaming from Netflix on computers, game consoles like the WII and PS3, and Smart TVs. A Netflix membership provides unlimited movies and TV shows for a low monthly subscription. Brazilians can now sign up for one month free at www.netflix.com

Getting to this day has been incredibly rewarding for everyone at Netflix – the passion and energy that have gone into building our Latin American service is amazing. Over the last few months, our team has spent countless hours in the region learning as much as we can about how Latin Americans think about, and enjoy, movies and TV shows.

We’ve licensed thousands and thousands of hours of feature films, classic favorites, gripping telenovelas, documentaries and kids shows we know you’ll enjoy. We’ve been testing and figuring out the right internet architecture to make sure the quality and speed of the Netflix streaming experience is the best it can be. And we’ve been training people locally to deliver the excellent customer support Netflix is known for in the U.S. and Canada.

We’ve definitely learned a lot in these past few months, and we’ll continue to learn and improve as we grow and expand our service in Latin America. Netflix is always seeking to get better, to learn more about its members, and to deliver them incredible value and convenience.

We were excited to find out how passionate people in Latin America are about movies and TV shows, it’s an incredible opportunity for Netflix and I hope everyone in Latin America enjoys this service as much as we’ve enjoyed building it for you.

Welcome to Netflix and enjoy watching instantly!

New for Canada: Dark, Bad and Complicated TV, But Good Dark, Bad and Complicated

2011-08-31T15:36:00.000-07:00

Hi Canadian lovers of great TV, I’m Jason Ropell, VP of Content. As of July 13 Netflix became the exclusive home of Season Four of the intricately plotted and superbly acted drama, “Damages”, adding to Seasons 1-3 already available to watch instantly streaming from Netflix. Now you can follow Patty and Ellen through the byzantine twists and turns of high stakes litigation from Season 1 right up to the most current episodes. It’s dark TV, but it’s a good dark.

And there is more good news. You will now be able to track the infamous exploits of Hank Moody by instantly watching Season 1 of “Californication,” with season 2 to come at the start of 2012 . David Duchovny invests Hank with a wonderfully flawed humanity that has made the show a critic’s darling and has built a huge fan base. For fans of “Californication”, It’s definitely a pleasure to watch Hank do bad things in Venice, California. He’s bad, but he’s a good bad.

Finally, beginning October 1, Seasons 1-3 of “The United States of Tara” will be available to watch instantly streaming from Netflix. Toni Collette won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Tara Gregson…and each of her 6 alternate personalities. The show was created by Oscar winner Diablo Cody and with deft humor explores the intricacies of dissociative identity disorder. It’s complicated, but it’s a good complicated.

More great TV to come...

Netflix Launches “Just for Kids”

2011-08-16T06:16:00.001-07:00

Watch kids watch a movie or TV show. Notice how they differ from adults. First, kids love to watch the same thing over and over again. More importantly, kids identify with shows more by the characters than by the title.

Todd Yellin here. In addition to being VP of product innovation at Netflix, I’m a dad of a five and seven-year-old who love to watch characters. So, in both of my roles, I’m proud to announce the launch of a more intuitive and enjoyable way for children to watch all of the great age-appropriate TV shows and movies available to watch instantly streaming from Netflix: “Just for Kids.”

Click on the “Just For Kids” tab on the Netflix Web site and you’ll find a world of movies and TV shows suitable for children 12 and under. Scan through row after row of kid-friendly genres like girl power, talking animals, superheroes, dinosaurs, princesses and robots. And check out our new character area at the top and bottom of “Just for Kids,” featuring everyone from “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Dora the Explorer” to “Jimmy Neutron”, “iCarly” and “Thomas the Tank Engine." Kids can click on any one of more than one hundred of their favorite characters to find what they want to watch, when they want to watch.

To prioritize these selections we’ve worked with Common Sense Media, a leading non-profit that provides trustworthy information and tools so that families can have a choice and a voice about the media they consume.

“Just for Kids” is available on the PC and Mac to Netflix members in the U.S. and Canada today with similar functionality to come on the Wii, iPad and many other devices.

As a product innovator and a dad, I’m really pleased with “Just for Kids” and I hope you’ll enjoy it too.

The Mad Men Arrive as Emmy Award-Winning Series Hits Netflix

2011-07-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

If you're mad about Mad Men, this is for you. Don Draper and his memorable colleagues are now available to watch instantly streaming from Netflix. I'm Cindy Holland and we are excited to bring the Emmy Award-winning show exclusively to Netflix. Starting today you can instantly watch all of the first four seasons streaming from Netflix, before season five premieres on AMC early next year. The creators and cast of this hit series are up for an impressive 19 nominations this year so you know it's well worth pushing Play to take in the early 60's aura of skinny suits, martini lunches, and the inner workings of a Madison Avenue advertising agency.

Additional Support for Android Devices

2011-07-20T11:53:00.000-07:00

Hi this is Roma De, Director of Product Management, here with some news regarding Netflix on Android devices. Netflix just added support to a large number of Android phones via an update to the Netflix application in the Android Market. We are very excited about this new release, and we will continue to work with ecosystem partners to add more and better Android device support in the coming months.

Netflix Introduces New Plans and Announces Price Changes

2011-07-12T09:17:00.000-07:00

Jessie Becker, here to share two significant changes at Netflix with you.

First, we are launching new DVD only plans. These plans offer our lowest prices ever for unlimited DVDs – only $7.99 a month for our 1 DVD out at-a-time plan and $11.99 a month for our 2 DVDs out at-a-time plan. By offering our lowest prices ever, we hope to provide great value to our current and future DVDs by mail members. New members can sign up for these plans by going to DVD.netflix.com.

Second, we are separating unlimited DVDs by mail and unlimited streaming into separate plans to better reflect the costs of each and to give our members a choice: a streaming only plan, a DVD only plan or the option to subscribe to both. With this change, we will no longer offer a plan that includes both unlimited streaming and DVDs by mail.

So for instance, our current $9.99 a month membership for unlimited streaming and unlimited DVDs will be split into 2 distinct plans:

Plan 1: Unlimited Streaming (no DVDs) for $7.99 a month
Plan 2: Unlimited DVDs, 1 out at-a-time (no streaming), for $7.99 a month.

The price for getting both of these plans will be $15.98 a month ($7.99 + $7.99). For new members, these changes are effective immediately; for existing members, the new pricing will start for charges on or after September 1, 2011.

Why the changes?

Last November when we launched our $7.99 unlimited streaming plan, DVDs by mail was treated as a $2 add on to our unlimited streaming plan. At the time, we didn’t anticipate offering DVD only plans. Since then we have realized that there is still a very large continuing demand for DVDs both from our existing members as well as non-members. Given the long life we think DVDs by mail will have, treating DVDs as a $2 add on to our unlimited streaming plan neither makes great financial sense nor satisfies people who just want DVDs. Creating an unlimited DVDs by mail plan (no streaming) at our lowest price ever, $7.99, does make sense and will ensure a long life for our DVDs by mail offering. Reflecting our confidence that DVDs by mail is a long-term business for us, we are also establishing a separate and distinct management team solely focused on DVDs by mail, led by Andy Rendich, our Chief Service and Operations Officer and an 11 year veteran of Netflix.

Now we offer a choice: Unlimited Streaming for $7.99 a month, Unlimited DVDs for $7.99 a month, or both for $15.98 a month ($7.99 + $7.99). We think $7.99 is a terrific value for our unlimited streaming plan and $7.99 a terrific value for our unlimited DVD plan. We hope one, or both, of these plans makes sense for our members and their entertainment needs.

As always, our members can easily choose to change or cancel their unlimited streaming plan, unlimited DVD plan, or both by visiting Your Account.

Scrolling Changes and Sortable Lists Coming Back to the Site

2011-07-11T22:32:00.001-07:00

Hey there,

This is Michael Spiegelman, Director of Product Management. Thank you to those of you who offered thoughtful opinions and suggestions on the new user interface. We're making a couple of changes based on your feedback:

The horizontal scrolling functionality that was jittery for some should be reduced now that we've disabled scrolling to the left until you've first scrolled to the right.
We're bringing sortable lists back. You'll see them return later this month.

We'll continue to improve our website experience and will be evaluating other feature ideas for release over the next several weeks.

Netflix Is Coming to Latin America

2011-07-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hi, Jessie Becker, VP of Marketing here. We’re excited to share with you the news that later this year, Netflix will expand to 43 countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, offering unlimited TV shows and movies streaming instantly over the Internet to TVs and computers for one low monthly subscription price.

Netflix members in the U.S. and Canada have really taken to watching instantly and we feel great about being able to offer the same combination of convenience, choice and value to people in Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

Members in the region will be able to access Netflix.com in Spanish, Portuguese or English, depending on their preference, and will be able to enjoy entertainment on their TVs via a range of consumer electronics devices capable of streaming from Netflix, as well as on PCs, Macs and mobile devices.

We’ll keep you posted on the dates when we plan to expand in the region and hope you’ll spread the word that Netflix will soon be accessible throughout the Americas! Meantime, if you’d like to sign up for the Latin America service, go to www.netflix.com and leave your info; we’ll send an email reminder when the service launches.

Temporary Removal of Sony Movies through StarzPlay

2011-06-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

Hi, Pauline Fischer, VP of Content Acquisition, here. You may have noticed that Sony movies through StarzPlay are not currently available to watch instantly. This is the result of a temporary contract issue between Sony and Starz and, while these two valued partners work through their differences, we hope you are enjoying the wide variety of new movies and TV shows added daily. In the next few weeks, look for great movie titles like The Fighter, Skyline and Iron Man 2 as well as the first four seasons of Mad Men, all to watch instantly.

Minor Update to Member Reviews

2011-06-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

Hi, Tom Willerer here from the product team with an update for those of you who post reviews on the site. We’re removing avatars, nicknames and bios associated with reviews, as very few Netflix members use them. We’re constantly working to improve the Netflix experience, and by removing these little-used features we are simplifying the review process.

New Look and Feel for the Netflix Website

2011-06-08T08:59:00.000-07:00

Hey there,

This is Michael Spiegelman, Director of Product Management at Netflix. I’m excited to announce that we’ve updated parts of the Netflix website with a new look and feel to make it easier for you to find something to watch instantly.

Starting today, most members who watch instantly will see a new interface that provides more focus on the TV shows & movies streaming from Netflix. The title images are larger, there are more of them on the page and play buttons appear when you hover your mouse over the title images. Star ratings, information and other functions are available when you mouse over the title images. We’ve also made some changes to several pages on the site: adding more rows, and filling out the rows with more TV shows & movies, which you can find by hovering your mouse over the end of a row.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to refine and improve our site to keep giving you more of what you want: great TV shows & movies that you can find and watch instantly.

Michael

Miramax Content Deal

2011-05-16T02:00:00.000-07:00

Hi. Ted Sarandos, Netflix Chief Content Officer, here. We’re very pleased that beginning next month, an incredible range of Miramax films will be available for our U.S. members to watch instantly. Among the many award-winning, fan favorite and commercially successful movies are: "Bad Santa," "Chasing Amy," "Cinema Paradiso," "Clerks," "Cold Mountain," "The English Patient," "From Dusk Till Dawn," "Good Will Hunting," "Kill Bill Volumes" I and II, "Muriel’s Wedding," "The Piano," "Pulp Fiction," "Reindeer Games," "Shakespeare in Love," and many of the "Halloween," "Scary Movie," "Scream" and "Spy Kids" movies.

We are delighted that U.S. Netflix members will be able to watch instantly all of these great movies and remain committed to constantly improving our already incredibly wide-ranging selection of films and TV shows. Enjoy!

Ted

Netflix launch on Android

2011-05-12T12:19:00.000-07:00

Hi, this is Roma De from the product team at Netflix.

We are thrilled to announce that we have begun to roll out a Netflix application for the Android platform. We are making the free app available for download from Android Market. The Market download will initially be available only on select phones that currently have the requisite playback support. We expect to quickly add to the number of phones that can download from Android Market as we work with ecosystem partners to expand playback support.

The Android platform is gaining rapid adoption in the mobile world and presents a great opportunity to reach more of our members. Because the platform has evolved so rapidly, there are some significant challenges associated with developing a streaming video application for this ecosystem. One of these challenges is the lack of standard streaming playback features that the Netflix application can use to gain broad penetration across all available Android phones. In the absence of standardization, we have to test each individual handset and launch only on those that can support playback. We are aggressively qualifying phones and look forward to expanding the list of phones on which the Netflix app will be supported. We anticipate that many of these technical challenges will be resolved in the coming months and that we will be able to provide a Netflix application that will work on a large majority of Android phones.

For additional details on supported phones check here.

Marvel Content Coming to Netflix

2011-04-29T11:22:00.000-07:00

Hi, this is Elizabeth Bradley from the Netflix Content Acquisition team. For all you Marvel fans out there, we’re excited to let you know that through our partnership with Marvel, we’re launching a great selection of your all-time favorite Marvel programming for you to watch instantly. Included is some of Marvel’s most memorable titles like Iron Man: Armored Adventures, Astonishing X-Men: Gifted (Marvel Knights Animation), Silver Surfer, Spider-Man Unlimited, and many more! Enjoy the super heroic content, and look for even more Marvel titles throughout the summer and fall.

More Anime Coming To Netflix

2011-04-04T10:50:00.000-07:00

Hi there, Lisa Nishimura VP Content Acquisition here. For fans of anime, we’re excited to announce that we’ve significantly expanded our offerings to bring many new episodes of the best in the genre. Through our new partnership with Viz Media, members can now instantly watch uncut, subtitled episodes of Bleach, Naruto and Inuyasha among others. We’ve also recently expanded our relationship with Funimation Entertainment bringing members Afro Samurai, Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, complete seasons of Sekirei, Trigun and much more. Enjoy the anime!

PlayStation Network Terms of Service update today

2011-04-01T13:05:00.000-07:00

Hi, this is Kevin Meyer, Customer Service Program Manager, with a brief note about movies and TV shows streaming via the PlayStation (PS3). Sony updated its PlayStation Network (PSN) terms of service today, and because a PSN account is needed to use the Netflix application on the PS3, you'll need to accept the new terms of service before you can begin watching your favorite movies and TV shows.

Normally, if you're not already signed into PSN, you can sign in upon starting the Netflix application. However, you cannot sign into PSN until you have accepted the new terms of service. This is a one-time change and will not be required each time you sign in.

To sign into PSN and accept the new terms of service, simply follow these steps:

Make sure the Netflix application (or any other game or app) is closed.
Navigate to the PlayStation Network section of the PS3 menu (second section from the right).
Select Sign In and press X.
Enter your PSN username and password, highlight Sign In, and press X.
You will be prompted to read and accept the new terms of service. Follow the on-screen prompts to accept.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 to finish signing in. Open the Netflix app and start instantly watching you favorite movies and TV shows!

For more information on accepting the terms of service, see Sony's PlayStation Knowledge Center.

GLEE AVAILABLE TO WATCH INSTANTLY

2011-03-30T22:54:00.000-07:00

Hi, Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer, here. Hey, Gleeks (and fans of other great TV programs in the U.S.), this is for you: the entire first season of “Glee” --with every song and dance and all the drama from the halls of McKinley High -- will be available starting tomorrow to watch instantly streaming from Netflix. Glee’s availability is part of an announcement we made today with Twentieth Century Fox, which gives Netflix members in the U.S. access to the first season of the pop culture juggernaut “Glee,” and the first two seasons of the cult favorite “Sons of Anarchy.” We’ll also be adding great shows like “Ally McBeal” and “The Wonder Years” to be instantly watched from Netflix at this time. This deal kicks off a multi-year partnership that will have additional seasons added every year. The addition of these shows is an expansion of our deal with Fox that also includes “Prison Break,” “Arrested Development,” X-Files,” “24,” “Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” among others. Gleek On!

Netflix Lowers Data Usage By 2/3 For Members In Canada

2011-03-28T19:00:00.000-07:00

This is Neil Hunt, Chief Product Officer, to tell our members in Canada that starting today, watching movies and TV shows streaming from Netflix will use 2/3 less data on average, with minimal impact to video quality.

Now Canadians can watch 30 hours of streaming from Netflix in a month that will consume only 9 GBytes of data, well below most data caps.

We made these changes because many Canadian Internet service providers unfortunately enforce monthly caps on the total amount of data consumed.

In the past, viewing 30 hours of Netflix could consume as much as 70 GBytes, if it was all in HD, and typically about 30 GBytes. While there is some lessening of picture quality with these new settings, the experience continues to be great. If any member wants to change back to higher data usage and video quality, they can do so on the Manage Video Quality page, found under Your Account.

We will continue to test and innovate to improve the Netflix experience without high data use.

Neil

-------------

P.S. Lots of technical details below for those interested.

We've created three settings:

"Good" - The default setting with good picture quality and lowest data use per hour (about 0.3 GBytes/hour)
"Better" - Better picture quality and medium data use per hour (about 0.7 GBytes/hour)
"Best" - Best picture quality and highest date use per hour (generally about 1.0 GBytes/hour - or up to 2.3 GBytes/hour when streaming HD content)

Any member can adjust the settings anytime by visiting the Manage Video Quality page, found under Your Account.

At all settings, Netflix adaptive streaming may choose a lower data rate stream if your connection is lower speed or, in the case of congestion, in order to minimize interruptions.

Also, at all settings, Netflix streams a little bit of additional data as a buffer each time you start a movie or TV show. Frequent starts and stops, or rewind/seek activity, will slightly increase the amount of data Netflix streams to you per hour. In most cases this will amount to less than a few minutes' worth.

The "Good" setting limits video/audio to 625 kbps/64 kbps. With this setting, 30 hours of content would be up to 9 GBytes per month.

The "Better" setting limits video/audio to a maximum of 1300 kbps/192 kpbs. With this setting, 30 hours of content would be less than 20 GBytes per month.

The "Best" setting will use any of the video/audio rates available. Our highest quality files are 4800 kbps (for 1080p HD video) and 384 kbps audio (for 5.1 audio). 30 hours of this highest quality streaming would be less than 67 GBytes. However, only a selection of movies and TV shows are available at these rates, and in many cases, the effective video/audio upper limit for non-HD content is 2200 kbps/192 kbps. At that rate, 30 hours of streaming is less than 31 GBytes.

2011-03-28T00:09:00.000-07:00

This is Fenot Tekle from the Netflix Communications team writing to let our members in Canada know that Netflix will be streaming more than 350 movies from Paramount for you to watch instantly. Canadians can now watch popular titles like “Iron Man 2" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," and over time, we will add fan favorites like "Titanic" and "The Last Airbender," comedies like “Zoolander” and “Wayne’s World,” and beloved classics like “The African Queen,” “Sabrina” (1954) and “Terms of Endearment.” To learn more, click here.

House of Cards

2011-03-17T18:09:00.000-07:00

Hi, Ted Sarandos, Netflix Chief Content Officer here. We’re delighted to tell you that in late 2012 Netflix will be bringing to our members in the U.S. and Canada exclusively “House of Cards,” the much-anticipated television series and political thriller from Executive Producer David Fincher and starring Kevin Spacey. We’ve committed to at least 26 episodes of the serialized drama, which is based on a BBC mini-series from the 1990s that’s been a favorite of Netflix members. Originally written as a novel by former UK Conservative Party Chief of Staff Michael Dobbs, “House of Cards,” explores the ruthless underside of British politics at the end of the Thatcher era. Reset against the backdrop of modern-day U.S. electoral politics, this new one-hour drama follows Spacey as an ambitious politician with his eye on the top job. Fincher, the Oscar-nominated director of “The Social Network” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” will direct the pilot written by Beau Willimon (“Farragut North” and the upcoming George Clooney-directed “The Ides of March.” )

The TV shows and movies that you are able to watch instantly are licensed from movie studios, TV networks, distributors and sometimes directly from the producers of the films and TV shows. “House of Cards” is unique, as it is the first exclusive TV series to originate on Netflix. Typically, we license TV shows the season after they run on a broadcast network or cable channel and occasionally, we have episodes from a current season, as is the case with “Saturday Night Live” from NBC, “Spartacus” from Starzplay and “Wizards of Waverly Place” from Disney Channel. In all of these cases, the shows are produced before we bring them to Netflix. “House of Cards” represents a slightly more risky approach; while we aren’t producing the show and don’t own it, we are agreeing to license it before it is successfully produced.

We’ve found the gripping, serialized one-hour drama, such as “Heroes,” “Lost,” “Dexter” and “Weeds,” has become a very important part of the Netflix experience and over the years, we’ve been able to add these shows from many different channels, with the notable exception of HBO. With David Fincher’s unique vision, the incredible acting skills of Oscar winner Kevin Spacey, and a great and timeless story of power, corruption and lies, we think “House of Cards” will become a big hit among Netflix members and thus, represents a manageable risk.

Our goal remains to constantly expand our selection of previous seasons of popular TV shows and we may bring more exclusive series to Netflix in the future, if an opportunity arises that has the key elements a show needs to be successful; great storytelling and great storytellers. We are really excited to be bringing you “House of Cards” and will keep you informed about the premiere date closer to that time.

iPad User Experience Update

2011-03-07T09:24:00.000-08:00

Hi, this is Jamie, director of product management. We've recently updated the user experience on our iPad streaming app. The app enables you to instantly watch all the TV shows and movies available for streaming from Netflix right on your iPad or iPhone. With Apple's video out cables, you can even connect your iPad directly to your TV. The app is available for free from the iOS App Store.

The new interface provides quick access to the vast selection of TV shows and movies and makes it easy to continue watching something, even if you started watching on a different device. Recommended titles can be found on the home screen, or you can browse popular genres or search to find titles to watch instantly. This new experience was designed specifically for streaming on touch-based devices.

Members can access the full Netflix website via Mobile Safari at www.netflix.com. From the website, members with DVD plans can manage their DVD Queue. Members can also visit the account area, and even choose TV shows or movies to watch instantly via the Netflix streaming app.

30% of Netflix Streaming Content Has Subtitles; 80% By End of 2011

2011-02-24T23:25:00.000-08:00

This is Neil Hunt, Chief Product Officer for Netflix, with an update on subtitles on content available to watch instantly from Netflix. In the US, more than 3,500 TV episodes and movies have subtitles available, representing about 30% of viewing. (This is in addition to the subtitles already available “burned in” to the picture for all non-English content.) More subtitles are being added every week, and we expect to get to 80% viewing coverage by the end of 2011 (with similar goals for Canada).

We've added this page on the Netflix Website that lists all of the TV shows and movies that are available with subtitles. It is accessible via a link in the Netflix Website footer, via search (for “subtitle” or “caption”), or linked from the detail page of any title that has subtitles.

Subtitles are supported on PCs and Macs, Nintendo Wii, Sony PS3, GoogleTV, and the Boxee Box. We expect that Roku and Xbox 360 will support subtitles later this year. Most new Netflix ready devices released this summer or later will support subtitles

For content that has subtitles, look for the Subtitles button in the player on the PC/Mac:

On Netflix ready devices, look for Audio and Subtitles on the movie or TV show detail page before you begin playing:

NETFLIX BRINGS MEMBERS CBS SHOWS TO WATCH INSTANTLY

2011-02-21T21:52:00.000-08:00

Hi Cindy Holland here, VP content acquisition. I’m excited to tell you we’ve struck a deal with CBS and starting in April, you’ll be able to enjoy episodes of fan favorites like “Medium” and “Flashpoint,” as well as full seasons of the classic series “Cheers,” “Frasier,” “Twin Peaks,” “Family Ties” and “The Andy Griffith Show.” Also available: the original versions of TV greats “Star Trek,” “Twilight Zone” and “Hawaii Five-O.”

This is the first time CBS library programs are available to watch instantly, making Netflix the only online premium subscription service with shows from all four broadcast networks and many of the biggest cable TV outlets. We’re totally committed to bringing a wider selection of great shows and movies to our members and this does just that.

Click here to learn more.

Removing "Add to DVD Queue" from Streaming Devices

2011-01-17T09:39:00.000-08:00

Hi there, it’s Jamie Odell, director of product management at Netflix, with an update for members who add DVDs to their Queue from the device they use to watch instantly. We’re removing the “Add to DVD Queue” option from streaming devices. We’re doing this so we can concentrate on offering you the titles that are available to watch instantly. Further, providing the option to add a DVD to your Queue from a streaming device complicates the instant watching experience and ties up resources that are better used to improve the overall streaming functionality. This change does not impact the Netflix Web site, where most members manage their DVD Queues.

Connecting with your friends on Netflix

2011-01-11T15:41:00.001-08:00

Hi, Tom Willerer here, Director of Product Management. I'm part of a dedicated team at Netflix exploring new ways for members to connect with their friends to find interesting TV shows and movies to watch.

Two years ago we launched a program for Netflix members to share their ratings on Facebook. Very few of you have signed on for this so we’re pulling it back today to regroup, which includes testing new concepts, and ultimately finding a more appealing program for all of our members. The testing will start with getting our members connected to Facebook and in the coming months we'll add new ways for our members to find interesting TV shows and movies to watch based on friends' recommendations.

Stay tuned and thanks for your support.

Netflix Update on Google TV

2010-12-15T09:30:00.000-08:00

Hi all – this is Rich Ezekiel, director of partnerships, from the Netflix team.

Netflix continues to enhance the Netflix app on devices on which you can instantly watch movies and TV shows. We’re excited to announce today that a newly upgraded version of the Netflix app is available for Google TV devices. Now you can search from thousands of TV episodes & movies that you can watch instantly. Browse by genre, check out new arrivals, and get recommendations personalized just for you.

Here’s Google’s announcement about it - http://googletv.blogspot.com/2010/12/whats-new-with-google-tv.html

Enjoy!

Netflix Announces New Content for Members in Canada

2010-12-13T05:56:00.000-08:00

Hello, Kelly Merryman here from Netflix, vice president of content acquisition. We strive to bring our members in Canada popular TV shows and movies we know they’ll enjoy. We’ve been working on several deals, and I am very pleased to let everyone know that we are adding hundreds of TV shows that can be watched instantly on TVs and computers, and will be made available starting today and over the next few weeks. For the first time, we’ll have content from the CBC, including great TV series like “The Tudors,” “Men with Brooms” and “Being Erica.” We’re also bringing you the cult classic “The Kids in the Hall,” and many other popular series such as “Weeds,” “The Big C,” “Merlin,” “Pulling,” and “Undercover Boss.” Click here for more details.

Netflix Will Add More Content From ABC for Members to Watch Instantly

2010-12-08T05:39:00.000-08:00

Hello, Ted Sarandos here, chief content officer for Netflix. As Netflix transforms into a streaming company, my team is focused more and more on acquiring content for our members to watch instantly. Today, I am pleased to announce that we’ve struck a deal with ABC that does just that. For the first time, we will stream shows from ABC Family, including: “Greek,” “Make it or Break It,” “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” and “Melissa and Joey.” We are also adding more content from the ABC television network and the Disney Channel. I know a lot of people will be pleased to hear that every episode of “Lost” will once again be available to watch instantly, and “Scrubs,” “Ugly Betty” “Good Luck, Charlie,” and “Pair of Kings” will make their streaming debut in 2011. For more details on the announcement, click here.

Netflix Executives' Comments: True or False?

2010-11-24T21:55:00.001-08:00

Steve Swasey, Corporate Communications VP, here with a quick clarification. Comments attributed to Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and VP Jessie Becker in response to Jessie's recent post about price changes were not written or posted by Reed and Jessie. The only posts by Netflix executives on the Netflix Blog are like this, complete with a headline and attribution. Netflix executives do not post in the comments section.

A new plan for watching instantly, plus price changes to existing unlimited plans

2010-11-22T05:30:00.000-08:00

Hi, Jessie Becker here, VP Marketing, with an update about changes we are making today to our plans and prices.

First, we are now offering a new $7.99 a month plan which lets you instantly watch unlimited TV episodes and movies streamed to your computer or TV. This plan does not include any DVDs. All the titles you can watch instantly on your current plan are also available on this new plan, and as a reminder, not all titles on DVD are available to watch instantly. This new plan is available immediately - if you’d like to switch to this new plan at any time, simply visit Your Account.

Second, we are increasing the prices on our unlimited plans that offer both watching instantly and DVDs by mail. On our two most popular unlimited plans – the 1 DVD out at a time and 2 DVDs out at a time – the price is increasing by $1 a month. We’ve also included below the changes on all the plans. To see how these changes impact your Netflix account, visit Membership Details.

Why the changes? Our selection of TV episodes and movies available to stream has grown dramatically, and as a result most members want us to deliver unlimited TV episodes and movies two ways: streaming instantly over the internet plus DVDs by mail. The price increase will allow us to continue to offer the popular plan choice of unlimited TV episodes and movies streaming instantly along with unlimited DVDs. The new plan, which does not include DVDs, is a great option for the increasing number of members who only want to watch instantly. The $7.99 a month price reflects no DVD shipping costs on this plan.

You might also wonder why we haven’t introduced a new plan that includes only DVDs by mail. The fact is that Netflix members are already watching more TV episodes and movies streamed instantly over the Internet than on DVDs, and we expect that trend to continue. Creating the best user experience that we can around watching instantly is how we’re spending the vast majority of our time and resources. Because of this, we are not creating any plans that are focused solely on DVDs by mail.

To avoid any confusion, here are the new prices on our plans:

We hope you’re enjoying great TV shows and movies from Netflix, and that you’ll continue to enjoy Netflix on whichever plan you choose. We realize you have lots of home entertainment options, and we thank you for your business. As always, if you have any questions, please call us at 800-715-2146.

UPDATE: A number of you have asked about Blu-ray pricing. Blu-ray pricing remains the same.

Netflix on Android

2010-11-12T16:36:00.000-08:00

Hi, this is Greg Peters, from Netflix product development. We recently announced the availability of Netflix on Windows Phone 7 devices, which, alongside the iPhone, represents the second mobile phone platform we have enabled for streaming from Netflix. Notably absent from current supported mobile devices is Android and I wanted to provide an update on where things stand with this important platform.

We regard Android as an exciting technology that drives a range of great devices that our members could use to instantly watch TV shows and movies from Netflix. We are eager to launch on these devices and are disappointed that we haven’t been able to do so already. The hurdle has been the lack of a generic and complete platform security and content protection mechanism available for Android. The same security issues that have led to piracy concerns on the Android platform have made it difficult for us to secure a common Digital Rights Management (DRM) system on these devices. Setting aside the debate around the value of content protection and DRM, they are requirements we must fulfill in order to obtain content from major studios for our subscribers to enjoy. Although we don’t have a common platform security mechanism and DRM, we are able to work with individual handset manufacturers to add content protection to their devices. Unfortunately, this is a much slower approach and leads to a fragmented experience on Android, in which some handsets will have access to Netflix and others won’t. This clearly is not the preferred solution, and we regret the confusion it might create for consumers. However, we believe that providing the service for some Android device owners is better than denying it to everyone.

We live to get Netflix on new devices, so the current lack of an Android-generic approach to quickly get to all Android devices is frustrating. But I’m happy to announce we’ll launch select Android devices that will instantly stream from Netflix early next year. We will also continue to work with the Android community, handset manufacturers, carriers, and other service providers to develop a standard, platform-wide solution that allows content providers to deliver their services to all Android-based devices. I’ll keep you updated on our progress.

XBox and Windows Phone 7 News

2010-11-01T08:57:00.000-07:00

Greg Peters here from product development for Netflix. We have some great news to share with our U.S. and Canada members. Netflix members in Canada can now instantly watch thousands of movies and TV shows streamed from Netflix to the TV via the Xbox 360. All you need is a Netflix membership, a broadband internet connection and an Xbox LIVE Gold membership. All Netflix members will be able to search for TV shows and movies from their Xbox 360, making it even easier to find something to watch.

Netflix members in both the U.S. and Canada also now have the ability to instantly watch TV shows and movies on their Windows Phone 7 handsets. The application is available in the Marketplace and is free.

Enjoy!

Wii and PS3 To Be Disc-Free

2010-10-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

This is Greg Peters, VP of product development here at Netflix. If you instantly watch movies and TV shows from Netflix on a Nintendo Wii or a Sony PS3, here is the news you’ve been waiting for: starting today, you’ll be able to watch movies and TV shows without inserting an instant streaming disc into your console. Once you've downloaded the new application, you can recycle the current streaming discs or keep them as a souvenir.

In addition to removing the need for discs, we’ve developed a new user interface on both applications that significantly improves the experience. The new applications will allow you to search for content directly from the device and you’ll also be able to view an increasing portion of our content library with subtitles or alternate audio tracks.

There is even more good news for PS3 owners: starting today you’ll be able to instantly watch some movies and TV shows in 1080p high definition with Dolby 5.1 channel surround sound. Here is a news release from Netflix and Dolby with the details.

Check out these improvements and continue to enjoy watching instantly with Netflix.

Content Update for Canada

2010-10-13T06:54:00.000-07:00

Hello, Catherine Fisher here from communications with some great news for our Canadian members! Netflix has teamed up with Mongrel Media, one of Canada's leading film distribution companies specializing in art house, foreign and independent feature films and documentaries, to begin streaming select art-house films the same day as they launch in theatres. We are thrilled that our Canadian members will have access to this first-run content and we’ll kick it off with Tales from the Golden Age on October 14.

Other titles include:
• The Father of My Children – Dir: Mia Hansen-Love – November 4
• Vision – Dir: Margarethe von Trotta – November 24
• I, Don Giovanni – Dir: Carlos Saura – December 16
• London River – Dir: Rachid Bouchareb – January 13
• Birdwatchers – Dir: Marco Bechis – February 3
• Alamar – Dir: Pedro Gonzalez-Rubio – February 24
• La Nostra Vita –Dir: Daniele Luchetti – March 31
• Think Global, Act Rural – Dir: Coline Serreau – April 14

Enjoy!

Netflix on Google TV

2010-10-04T08:34:00.000-07:00

Hi all – this is Rich Ezekiel, director of partnerships, from the Netflix team.

Netflix continues to add devices on which you can instantly watch movies and TV shows. Today we’re happy to say Netflix will be on Google TV devices that will be available later this month. Here’s Google’s announcement about it: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/here-comes-google-tv.html

We’ll continue to work hard to maximize the flexibility for how, where, and when you want to instantly watch TV shows and movies streamed from Netflix.

Enjoy!

Apologies

2010-09-23T15:27:00.000-07:00

My Big American Foot is in my mouth. Yesterday, I made an awkward joke with a reporter in Toronto about Americans (like me) being self-absorbed relative to Netflix pricing in Canada. I was wrong to have made the joke, and I do not believe that one of the most philanthropically-minded nations in the world (America) is self-absorbed or full of self-absorbed people. The pricing Netflix is offering in Canada, $7.99 per month, does not include any DVD-by-mail option, and that is why it is cheaper than our $8.99 USA plan which has both DVD-by-mail and streaming in one plan. We are looking at adding a streaming-only option for the USA over the coming months. My apologies to anyone offended by my self-absorbed comment. Sincerely, -Reed

We Blew It

2010-09-23T04:44:00.000-07:00

Steve Swasey, VP of corporate communications, here. I want to address an event held by Netflix in downtown Toronto yesterday as part of our launch of Netflix in Canada. The launch included the shooting of a corporate video with some hired extras, who, it turns out, were given improper direction to talk with the news media about their enthusiasm for the Netflix service. This was a mistake and was not intended to be part of our launch plan. Simply put: we blew it. We didn't intend to mislead the media or the public, and we can understand why some have raised questions. We're sorry that our misfire has given Canadians any reasons to doubt our authenticity or our sincerity.

Netflix Launches in Canada

2010-09-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Jessie Becker here, delighted to tell you that today our neighbors to the north (or “neighbours”, to use the Canadian spelling) can instantly watch unlimited movies and TV episodes streaming from Netflix to TVs and computers for only CDN$7.99 a month. It’s the first time Netflix will be available outside of the U.S and I can tell you we’re all excited about it.

Netflix members in Canada can instantly watch movies and popular shows – such as “Superbad,” “A Beautiful Mind” and “Mad Men” – right on their TVs via Nintendo’s Wii, Sony’s PS3 game console, and coming later this fall, Microsoft’s Xbox 360, as well as models from Sharp, VIZIO, Haier and Best Buy’s Insignia brand. Plus, they can instantly watch via Apple’s iPhone or iPad and on PCs and Macs.

A hearty welcome to our Canadian friends, from sea to shining sea.

Netflix comes to Apple TV

2010-08-31T14:49:00.000-07:00

Bill Holmes here, VP of business development.

Today Steve Jobs unveiled the new second-generation Apple TV, which includes streaming instantly from Netflix at no additional charge to Netflix members.

This is the third significant announcement this year about a Netflix collaboration with Apple. First came the introduction in April of a Netflix app for iPad, which was followed a few weeks ago by an app for iPhone and iPod touch. We couldn’t be more pleased than to be in partnership with Apple to enable you to instantly watch movies and TV shows from Netflix on these groundbreaking devices.

Of course, we’re continuing to work on more devices and platforms to reach our goal of being ubiquitous on every screen on which you’d want to watch movies and TV episodes streamed instantly from Netflix.

The new Apple TV brings this goal even closer.

Enjoy!

Bill

Netflix now available on your iPhone and iPod touch

2010-08-26T05:04:00.000-07:00

Jamie Odell, director of product management, here. We hinted at a free Netflix App for the iPhone and iPod touch in April, announced it in June and I’m happy to share that it is available now! If you want to instantly watch TV episodes and movies on your iPhone or iPod touch, all you need to do is get the free Netflix App from the App Store at http://iTunes.com/apps/netflix and have a Netflix membership starting at $8.99 a month. What’s the first thing you’ll watch via your iPhone or iPod touch.

Search now available on PS3

2010-07-28T10:59:00.000-07:00

Greg Peters, VP of product development, here. If you enjoy watching TV shows and movies instantly from Netflix via your PS3, check out the new search feature that is now available on your PS3. Search comes as part of a software upgrade from Netflix – delivered by our continuous improvement architecture. This architecture allows us to improve your Netflix experience by adding more and more features over time. Sony is the first of the game consoles to adopt this new software from Netflix, so if you’re a PS3 user, you can now search for a movie or TV episode on your TV via your PS3. No need to go back to your computer to add it to your Queue. We have more cool features in store with this continuous improvement architecture so stay tuned.

Netflix on iPhone Coming This Summer

2010-06-07T13:42:00.000-07:00

Hi, John Ciancutti, VP of personalization technology, here. Today I had the unique opportunity to present the app we’re working on for iPhone at the Apple Worldwide Developer’s Conference in San Francisco. Our CEO Reed Hastings reiterated our excitement to bring Netflix to iPhone and more than 5,000 developers cheered when they saw how watching instantly will look on the groundbreaking mobile device that you carry in your pocket. If you use an iPhone, like I do, get ready to watch instantly on it this summer!

(posted by Jamie for John Ciancutti)

Now streaming in HD on PC and Mac

2010-05-14T11:58:00.000-07:00

This is Brent Ayrey, Director of Product Management at Netflix. I wanted to let you know that we now have a number of movies and TV episodes available to watch instantly in HD on your PC or Mac. HD streaming requires Silverlight 3, and you must have both sufficient bandwidth and a sufficiently large screen size to get an HD stream. When watching a title that has HD stream available you’ll see an icon in the player controls at the bottom of the screen - if the title is streaming in HD that icon will light up.

You can browse the HD titles here: http://www.netflix.com/WiHD

Enjoy watching instantly in HD on your PC or Mac!

Subtitles Now Available for Some Titles for PC/Mac Viewing

2010-04-15T22:30:00.000-07:00

This is Neil Hunt, Chief Product Officer at Netflix. As I promised last year, I'm pleased to report that today we have enabled closed captioning for some TV episodes and movies that you can watch instantly on your PC or Mac. Although it's a limited library of content with subtitles available - about 100 titles - we now have released the technology and we will be working to fill in the library over time.

We have similar technology working in the lab for some of our game console, Blu-ray, and DTV platforms, which will roll out in releases starting this fall, along with support for 5.1 audio.

It's a start, with much more to come. You can try it for yourself with most episodes of "Lost" Seasons 1-4.

Netflix Now Available on the Wii™ Console

2010-04-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

Jessie Becker here from Marketing and we’re thrilled to let you know that we are now shipping instant streaming discs for the Wii to ALL members who want one today! If you didn’t reserve a disc already, click here and we will ship you an instant streaming disc so you can instantly watch TV episodes and movies streamed from Netflix via your Wii console. All you need is a Netflix unlimited plan starting at $8.99 a month, a Wii console and a broadband Internet connection. What is the first movie you are going to instantly watch via Wii?

Netflix on iPhone?

2010-04-02T19:16:00.000-07:00

Steve Swasey, VP of Corporate Communications, here. Terrific response to our news today about Netflix on the iPad. For those of you asking whether Netflix will be on the iPhone and iPod Touch: We wouldn't invite you to dinner without planning to serve dessert. In other words, we're working on it so stay tuned.

Netflix Available on iPad

2010-04-02T06:07:00.000-07:00

Hi, this is Bill Holmes, VP of Business Development and tomorrow is the day many of you have been waiting for . . . the iPad will be available. I am thrilled to announce that you will be able to instantly watch TV episodes and movies streamed from Netflix on iPad! Netflix unlimited memberships start as low as $8.99 a month and allow you to instantly watch unlimited TV episodes and movies. The Netflix App for iPad is available for free from the App Store on iPad or at www.itunes.com/appstore/. For more information, click here. So tell us, what’s the first movie you will instantly watch on your iPad?

Netflix via Wii - Coming Soon

2010-03-25T06:43:00.000-07:00

Jessie Becker here from Marketing and we’ve got some great news to share. We are in the final phase of getting ready for the launch of streaming to Wii. Today, we shipped out instant streaming discs for the Wii to some of our Netflix members. Their feedback will ensure that we deliver a great experience to everyone when we launch. Instantly watching movies and TV episodes from Netflix via Wii will be available soon at no additional cost – all you need is a Netflix unlimited plan starting at $8.99 a month, a Wii console and a broadband Internet connection. If you have reserved your disc already, you don’t need to do anything - we will send you an email as soon as we ship the disc. If you haven’t, reserve your disc today at www.netflix.com/Wii and stay tuned for a launch announcement!

Friends Update

2010-03-17T16:59:00.000-07:00

Todd Yellin here, VP of Product Management. We fumbled the ball this week. In making some changes to the Movie Display Page we didn’t fully communicate how they impact users of the Friends feature, and we owe you that.

Friends is a feature on the Netflix Web site that’s been used by less than two percent of all subscribers since we added the feature in 2004. As a comparison, roughly 50 percent of Netflix members are now instantly watching movies and TV episodes on computers and televisions via game consoles, Blu-ray disc players and other devices that have been on the market since 2008.

No company has unlimited resources and we decided to move engineering development time and resources from a little used feature to support and maintain the things that benefit all Netflix members as the service evolves – more devices for streaming and better encoding, for example.

Unfortunately for Friends users, this means the phasing out of the Friends feature, which will continue over the coming months.

We’ve read every blog post, Tweet, news article and call log to Customer Service by those of you who are upset about this decision. To you, we apologize for not being more upfront earlier. We appreciate your passion and we understand your disappointment and frustration. Our decision is meant to benefit all Netflix members by allowing everyone to enjoy more movies and more TV episodes on more devices while still receiving the unbeatable convenience, selection and value that are the hallmarks of the Netflix service.

Thank you for your understanding.

Netflix Prize Update

2010-03-12T09:30:00.000-08:00

This is Neil Hunt, Chief Product Officer for Netflix.

About five months ago we announced that Netflix would sponsor a sequel to the Netflix Prize. We've given a lot thought to how to sponsor a contest that discovers more about the predictability of Netflix members' movie watching behavior while always ensuring we protect Netflix members' privacy.

In the past few months, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) asked us how a Netflix Prize sequel might affect Netflix members' privacy, and a lawsuit was filed by KamberLaw LLC pertaining to the sequel. With both the FTC and the plaintiffs' lawyers, we've had very productive discussions centered on our commitment to protecting our members' privacy.

We have reached an understanding with the FTC and have settled the lawsuit with plaintiffs. The resolution to both matters involves certain parameters for how we use Netflix data in any future research programs.

In light of all this, we have decided to not pursue the Netflix Prize sequel that we announced on August 6, 2009.

We will continue to explore ways to collaborate with the research community and improve our recommendations system so we can constantly improve the movie recommendations we make for you. So stay tuned.

New Movie Details Page Rolled Out

2010-03-04T10:27:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone. Jamie from product management here. We just finished the roll out of our new movie details page. We've redesigned the page around the most important information (based on member surveys and user research). Here's some of the changes you'll find:

Important information is at the top of the page: synopsis, rating, length, year of release, cast, and genre are all at the top of the page along with the box shot.
Better support for episodic content such as TV shows: quick access to the next episode, easy to see, easy to see which episodes you've already watched.
One page for each title, regardless of if the title is streaming, DVD, or Blu-Ray. All the details for each format are presented on one page.
Easy to find similar content using the row of similar titles at the bottom of the page or by genre, cast member, or theme.

Happy watching!

Netflix Coming to Nintendo’s Wii Console

2010-01-12T19:57:00.000-08:00

This is Greg Peters, VP of product development at Netflix and we’ve got good news for fans of the Wii! We are excited to announce that you will soon be able to instantly watch movies and TV episodes on your TV via your Wii console. The Wii is about to join the ever expanding roster of Netflix ready devices that allow Netflix members on any unlimited plan to be able to stream movies and TV episodes whenever they want, as much as they want, all included in their current subscription. If you are a Netflix member, have a broadband Internet connection and a Nintendo Wii then you will be able to instantly watch thousands of movies and TV episodes starting this spring on your Wii!

Recent Site Change

2009-12-17T11:11:00.001-08:00

We've recently made a slight change to the Netflix Web site to highlight movies and TV episodes you can watch instantly on your TV or computer. When you visit www.netflix.com the first tab you’ll see is “Watch Instantly” followed by the “Browse DVDs” tab. As always, you use these tabs to browse movies and TV episodes you’d like to watch instantly or receive on DVD in the mail.

Using the “Watch Instantly” tab, just find something you want to watch, click Play and the movie will start on your computer, often in as little as 30 seconds. Or, you can click “Add to Instant Queue,” which immediately puts the title in your instant Queue for you to watch any time on your TV via a Netflix ready device like the Xbox 360, PS3, Blu-ray disc players by LG Electronics, Samsung, Sony, and Insignia, the Roku, or TiVo, or on internet connected TVs by LG Electronics and Sony. DVDs and Blu-ray discs continue to be easily found and added to your Queue using the “Browse DVDs” tab. We’ve also moved the “Friends” link from the top of the home page to the bottom.

Sony Bravia TVs and Blu-ray Disc Player add streaming from Netflix

2009-11-18T09:13:00.000-08:00

Netflix members can now instantly watch movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix directly to TVs via Sony BRAVIA Internet Video-capable HDTVs and the Sony Network Blu-ray Disc Player. Sony has added the Netflix service to these products through a software update. Specific Sony models now available to instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix include the Sony BRAVIA TV W5100, Z5100, XBR9, and XBR10 series in 40-inch, 46-inch and 52-inch screen sizes; the Sony N460 Network Blu-ray Disc Player; and Sony's BRAVIA Internet video link module when used with compatible BRAVIA TVs.

Netflix for Nokia Phones

2009-11-16T17:54:00.000-08:00

Netflix is now available on five different Nokia phones, including three touch-enabled devices, enabling you to search for titles, manage your queues and watch previews. You can find the Netflix app in the Nokia Ovi Store's Entertainment category.

You can also register to win Nokia's ultimate home/mobile entertainment package, which includes a one year Netflix subscription, Nokia Booklet 3G, Nokia N97 mini, 42" Flat Screen HDTV, Surround Sound System, and Xbox 360. Details can be found here.

Insignia Blu-ray players now instantly stream

2009-11-13T15:24:00.000-08:00

Hi, this note is from Paul Oeschger, Director of partner management. Best Buy has released two new Insignia Blu-ray players that instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix. The models are the Insignia Advanced Series Blu-ray Player NS-WBRDVD, which has built in WiFi wireless networking, and the Insignia Connected Blu-ray Player NS-BRDVD3. Insignia brand products are exclusively available at Best Buy stores and through the Best Buy web site. Netflix members can use these products to play titles from their instant Queue, and they can browse titles by genre from personalized lists and then play those titles immediately or add them to their instant Queue for easy access later.

PS3 now available

2009-11-10T00:11:00.000-08:00

Jessie Becker, VP Marketing, here again. Great news for everyone who wants to instantly watch movies and TV episodes via your PS3: it's available now! If you've requested a Netflix instant streaming disc for PS3, it's on its way to you. If you haven't, go to netflix.com/PS3 to get your disc. Enjoy!

Update on Netflix coming to PS3

2009-11-05T11:35:00.000-08:00

Jessie Becker here, VP Marketing. We know many of you are excited about being able to instantly watch movies and TV episodes via your PS3, and we’re excited as well. Today we shipped instant streaming discs for PS3 to about 100,000 Netflix members who requested them. After we tune a few more details, we expect to ship to everyone else within a couple of weeks. We’ll send you an email as soon as we ship your instant streaming disc. Keep checking here for updates as well.

Netflix coming to PS3

2009-10-25T20:37:00.000-07:00

Greg Peters, VP of product development at Netflix, here. We’ve got good news for PS3 owners! Soon you will be able to instantly watch movies and TV episodes on your TV via your PS3. Today we announced that the PS3 is about to join the ever growing list of Netflix ready devices that allow streaming of movies and TV episodes whenever you want, as much as you want, all included in your unlimited Netflix subscription. The PS3 is a terrific Blu-ray and gaming platform that will get even better in November when we start streaming thousands of movies and TV episodes!

Horror Legend Roger Corman Teams with Netflix this Halloween Season

2009-10-15T12:26:00.000-07:00

Fenot Tekle here from the Netflix communications team. We’re excited to announce that we’ve teamed up with legendary horror filmmaker Roger Corman to create a series of Webisodes which will launch on October 29. Roger has chosen Netflix as the vehicle to make his online debut with “Splatter,” a three-part Web series debuting two days before Halloween and then concluding on Friday the 13th of November.

We’re inviting all of America to instantly stream “Splatter” for free on their computers by going to www.netflix.com/splatter. Netflix members with an unlimited plan will be able watch it directly on their TVs at the conclusion of the series through the variety of Netflix ready devices in the marketplace.

“Splatter” is the haunting tale of rock-and-roll legend Johnny Splatter, a musical genius whose sudden death has brought a small circle of “frenemies” to a mansion for the reading of his will. All came expecting a windfall, but when Johnny rises from the dead to seek gruesome revenge, they soon find out they’ll be getting a lot more than they bargained for. The Webisodes were produced by Roger and Julie Corman, directed by Joe Dante and star Corey Feldman in the title role of Johnny Splatter. The series will launch on October 29, with the second installment scheduled for November 6 and the concluding episode slated for November 13.

In an unprecedented plot twist, Roger is opening up the creative direction of the series by giving viewers the power to choose who lives and dies, making the outcome purely driven by audience participation.

For more information on the series, visit www.netflix.com/splatter. We welcome you to watch and vote and enjoy the fright-fest that is “Splatter!”

Netflix Prize: $1 Million Paid, Another Million Now Up For Grabs

2009-09-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

After nearly three years and efforts by more than 51,000 people worldwide, Netflix today awarded the Netflix Prize and $1 million to a team of seven engineers, statisticians and researchers from Austria, Canada, Israel and the U.S.

The team "BellKor's Pragmatic Chaos" leaderboard met face-to-face for the first time this morning before a news conference at which Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and Chief Product Officer Neil Hunt named them winners, draped Olympic-size "gold" medals around their necks and handed them a check for $1 million. Their collaborative entry had taken place entirely over the net.

Moments later Neil announced details about Netflix Prize 2.

The contest ended in July with moments of real drama. Engineers at Netflix watched in amazement as the contest came down to the last few minutes when the winning team just edged out "The Ensemble," many of whose members were present at the New York award ceremony.

Netflix Prizemasters Stan Lanning and Jon Sanders have been extremely pleased how participants openly offered advice, information, ideas, and even libraries of code on the Prize Forum pages. The final result is a benefit to Netflix members as the movie predictions we make for you will be twice as good as before.

While the final curtain has come down on the Prize, Neil lifted the curtain a bit on the upcoming new Netflix Prize 2 contest. It will focus more on helping customers early in their experience with Netflix, drawing on many more sources of data to try to find just the right movies.

For more information on the winning entry for the original Prize and the new Netflix Prize 2 contest check out http://www.netflixprize.com.

Concert, Screenings and Free Streaming … Oh, My! Celebrate a Cinematic Classic with Netflix

2009-09-08T08:55:00.000-07:00

Catherine Fisher from the Netflix communications team here. It’s been 70 years since Dorothy clicked her heels together and reminded us that there’s no place like home. To help celebrate, Netflix is inviting all of America to instantly watch “The Wizard of Oz” for free online at www.netflix.com/wizardofoz for 24 hours beginning at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, October 3rd through 9:00 a.m. Eastern the following day. If you are a Netflix member and have a Netflix ready device you will be able to instantly watch the film in HD – watch out for the flying monkeys! This will be the first time that a movie of this stature will be streamed uninterrupted and for free over the Internet. You can RSVP to our event on Facebook to receive a reminder.

Netflix will also host a free, live concert and outdoor movie screening on Tuesday, September 29th, in New York City’s Central Park at Rumsey Playfield. The concert will feature songs from “The Wizard of Oz” performed by Jennifer Hudson, Julianne Hough and ?uestlove. Following the concert, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m., the movie will be shown on a giant inflatable screen.

For more information on the 70th anniversary of “The Wizard of Oz” and how to take advantage of this special streaming offer, visit www.netflix.com/wizardofoz or www.facebook.com/netflix.

We hope you enjoy the movie on October 3rd and that we will see you in NYC for a great concert and screening!

Winner of Netflix FIND Your Voice film competition announced

2009-09-02T09:12:00.001-07:00

After nine months of heated competition, 2,000 applications, some extraordinary scripts, tens of thousands of votes from the public, and review by our panel of judges chaired by Josh Brolin, the verdict is in.

We are thrilled to announce that Philip G. Flores of Hemet, CA is the winner of the “Netflix FIND Your Voice” filmmaking competition. Phillip will receive a prize package worth more than $350,000 to make his film “Touchback.” The package also includes a premiere screening of the film at the Los Angeles Film Festival in June 2010 and distribution on Netflix.

To watch the winning trailer and learn more about the “Netflix FIND Your Voice” film competition, see the official news release or visit www.netflixfindyourvoice.com.

Congratulations, Philip!

Chris Garrity
Netflix communications

Xbox LIVE Update

2009-08-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

Hi, Pedro Freitas here from Netflix product development.

Available today, you will be able to browse and add movies and TV episodes to your instant Queue directly from your Xbox 360. The new Xbox LIVE Update will take advantage of the Netflix recommended category lists of titles that can be watched instantly.

You can also bring your Xbox LIVE Party into Netflix and watch a movie or TV show together with up to seven friends. The improved presence will display what you and your friends are watching in the Friends channel.

In addition, playback has been improved to ensure a better experience when adapting to changing network conditions.

Enjoy the movies!

“Lost,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Desperate Housewives” and “Legend of the Seeker” from ABC available to stream instantly from Netflix

2009-08-03T09:07:00.001-07:00

Hi there, it’s Lynn Tran from the Netflix PR team. If you are a LOSTIE, love a little suburban or young-hip doctor drama, or if epic fantasy is your thing, then we have some good news for you! Starting today, the first four seasons of “LOST” and select seasons of “Desperate Housewives” and “Legend of the Seeker” will be available to be streamed instantly on your computer and to your TV via a Netflix ready device. Plus, starting in September, we’ll also have season five of critically-acclaimed “Grey’s Anatomy” and seasons five of both “LOST” and “Desperate Housewives.”

Netflix is constantly adding to a growing library of over 12,000 movies and TV episodes that you can watch instantly as part of your Netflix membership. And we hope that you enjoy these new additions.

Netflix Prize Competition Closes - But No Winner Announced Yet

2009-07-26T18:38:00.000-07:00

After almost three years, and 44,014 entries from 5,169 teams in 186 countries, the Netflix Prize competition is now closed. Don't know about the Netflix Prize? Read on.

Jon Sanders here. I'm the engineer in charge of the Netflix ratings database and one of the people overseeing the Netflix Prize, which has been a world-wide competition launched in October 2006 to determine who can improve upon the Netflix recommendations system by ten percent. The contest made available to contestants 100 million anonymous movie ratings ranging from one to five stars, the largest such data set ever released. All personal information identifying individual Netflix members was removed from the prize data, which contained only movie titles, star ratings and dates but no text reviews.

The winning team will take home $1 million and Netflix members will benefit as we will incorporate the winner's technology in our recommendations system to continually improve the movie recommendations we make for you.

We'll announce the winner of the Netflix Prize in a few weeks after the submissions have been validated by a team of senior engineers from Netflix and distinguished researchers from the Machine Learning community. Stay tuned for more information, or check www.netflixprize.com if you want to get into the technical details.

Bravo, BRAVIA!

2009-07-09T09:42:00.001-07:00

Come fall, Netflix members on any unlimited plan will be able to instantly watch movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix on Sony’s BRAVIA Internet Video-capable HDTVs and on previous BRAVIA models compatible with Sony’s BRAVIA Internet video link module. With BRAVIA, Sony joins a growing roster of world-class consumer electronics manufacturers providing Netflix ready devices -- Microsoft (Xbox360), LG Electronics, Roku, Samsung, TiVo, VIZIO.

Closed Captions and Subtitles

2009-06-12T16:02:00.000-07:00

This is Neil Hunt, Chief Product Officer at Netflix. We've had some inquiries about why Netflix doesn't yet provide closed captioning or subtitles for streaming movies and TV episodes. Captioning is in our development plans but is about a year away.

You might be asking how it could be so hard, since we already subtitle foreign language streams with English subtitles. These subtitles are "burned in" to the video stream at the time of encoding - they are so-called "open captions" that cannot be turned on and off by the viewer. The majority of viewers would object to English captions on English content, so we have to figure out how to let individual viewers turn them on and off.

Encoding a separate stream for each title is not an option - it takes us about 500 processor-months to make one encode through the entire library, and for this we would have to re-encode four different formats. Duplicating the encoded streams is prohibitive in space too.

So we are working on optionally delivering the SAMI file (Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange), or similar, to the client, and having it render the text and then overlay it on the video at playback time. Unfortunately, the tools for rendering SAMI files in Silverlight, or in CE (Consumer Electronics) devices, are weak or non-existent, and there is some technology development required.

I would expect to deliver subtitles or captions to Silverlight clients sometime in 2010, and roll the same technology out to each CE device as we are able to migrate the technology, and work with the CE manufacturer to deliver firmware updates for each player.

Message to Netflix subscribers who watch instantly via Xbox

2009-06-12T09:29:00.000-07:00

Hi, it’s Catherine again from the PR team. This message is for Netflix subscribers who instantly watch movies on their TVs via their Xbox 360s. As you’ve likely heard from the Xbox team, Xbox LIVE and Xbox.com will be offline most, if not all, day Tuesday, June 16th due to scheduled maintenance. While Xbox is performing this maintenance, you won’t be able to instantly watch movies on your TV via your Xbox 360. If you want to read more about the Xbox maintenance or have questions, visit the Xbox website at www.xbox.com.

Here’s the actual communication from Xbox: “On Tuesday, June 16 beginning at 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. PDT (2009-06-16 0701 to 2009-06-17 0659 UTC) Xbox LIVE and Xbox.com will be offline for scheduled maintenance. As a result, the “My Xbox” section of Xbox.com will not be available, and the Xbox forums will be in read-only mode, and you will be unable to post. The rest of Xbox.com will be functional and available. When services are restored, up to 24 hours later, there will be no new functionality or features.”

Vote for the film you think should win the Netflix FIND Your Voice Film Competition

2009-06-05T12:00:00.000-07:00

Hello movie fans,

It’s Catherine Fisher again and we are in phase two of the Netflix FIND Your Voice Film Competition – it’s time to vote for the film you think should be made and ultimately distributed on Netflix. We blogged about the contest back in January, but as a refresher, Netflix is working with Film Independent (FIND) in search of the next great independent filmmaker. In addition to a total prize value of $350,000, the winning film will premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival in 2010, and it will be distributed through Netflix.

More than 2,000 applications were submitted, and now we are asking the public to vote on the 10 semifinalists’ three-minute videos at http://www.netflixfindyourvoice.com/. If you are a Facebook user, you can download an application that allows you to watch the semifinalists’ videos and vote on them from the Netflix fan page here. Once the votes are tallied, five finalists will be reviewed by our panel of judges, chaired by Josh Brolin. Voting ends on July 5th, so watch and vote today!

New Ways to Enjoy Netflix on your Xbox 360

2009-06-01T17:03:00.000-07:00

Hi, Catherine Fisher here from Netflix Corporate Communications. Microsoft swept E3 today with some exciting new ways to experience the Xbox 360. The news we are most excited about, of course, involves Netflix. Available this Fall, if you are an Xbox Gold LIVE member, you will be able to browse and add movies and TV episodes to your instant Queue directly from your Xbox 360 – you don’t have to go to your computer. And with the announcement of Xbox LIVE Party, you will be able to simultaneously watch movies on your Xbox 360 with up to seven friends – bantering back and forth about what you are watching. More than one million Xbox LIVE Gold members have already enjoyed more than 1.5 billion minutes of movies and TV episodes via Netflix since November 2008, and we hope you are as excited about the new ways to enjoy movies and TV episodes from Netflix on your Xbox 360 as we are.

Netflix on Windows Media Center

2009-05-20T13:24:00.000-07:00

Hi, Pedro Freitas here from Netflix product development.

We are pleased to announce Netflix is now available in Windows Media Center for Windows Vista-based PCs.

Windows Media Center is the first integration to take advantage of the new Netflix recommended category lists of titles that can be watched instantly.

In Windows Media Center, a new Netflix tile will appear under “TV + Movies”. To stream movies and TV shows from Netflix, just click on the new Netflix tile and login with your Netflix account.

The entire Netflix library can be searched using the PC keyboard or a Windows Media Center-compatible remote control and manage both the instant and DVD Queues.

See the news release for more details.

Enjoy the movies!

(update: added details on how to find Netflix on Windows Media Center)

The Netflix App Gallery

2009-05-15T15:35:00.000-07:00

Hi, Michael Hart here from Netflix product development. I’m excited to tell you about the launch of the Netflix App Gallery. The App Gallery showcases the diversity of Netflix-integrated applications and websites from partners.

Looking for a way to access Netflix on your phone? Choose from nine different mobile applications. Want to search for movies and add them to your queue from Twitter? We’ve got you covered.

Watch this space: new applications are being developed every week, so come back and visit the Gallery often to see what's new as well as rate and review the apps you've already tried out.

Application developers looking for more information about how to develop their own Netflix-integrated applications can find more information at the Netflix Developer Portal.