It’s no secret that YouTube is working to become a major player in the media-streaming business. Having already succeeded in becoming the world’s largest video-sharing website, they intend to turn themselves into complete video delivery platform. YouTube already has a pay-per-view service that allows users to rent movies and television shows. Now they’re delving into the realm of paid subscriptions. Their new service includes 53 new channels that users must pay for in order to subscribe and watch videos. The subscription fees start at $.99 per month but the price can be changed by…

Television is one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world, if not the most popular. Billions of hours of television are watched around the world every day. However, as much as people love television, they don’t love how complex and inconvenient the linear television experience is. People’s favorite shows and movies are only available on certain channels at certain times. Since TVs aren’t portable, people often miss their shows and movies and have to wait a week or more for them to come back on. Remote controls, DVRs, video on demand, and subscription packages add layers…

Netflix has wanted to go social for a long time. They have been held back by an antiquated law that was rightfully removed late last year. Now, people will be able to share their movie and television show loves on social media. That’s great, and the video for that is below. Here, we’ll talk more about the warrantless email tapping that was attached to the bill. Here’s an excerpt: Now, as always, law enforcement does not need to supply a warrant to read your emails. They don’t need probably cause. They don’t even need to suspect that you have committed a crime. They only need to have “reasonable…

We were so close. A non-controversial bill,  the Video Privacy Protection Act, flew through the Senate and was sent to President Obama last week. The bill itself isn’t important; it allows people using services like Netflix to post the movies that they were watching directly from the service onto Facebook and other social media sites just as they can do now with music sites like Spotify. This is currently against the law because of legislation from 1988 when Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork’s video rental history was leaked. That’s not the important part. What was important was that a section…

So there was this awesome movie on Netflix starring Martin Sheen called The Way. The film begins with the death of Sheen’s son, played by Emilio Estevez (not much of a coincidence since Estevez wrote, produced and directed the film), while trekking the Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage. Sheen then decides to walk the pilgrimage in his son’s stead, spreading his ashes along the way. This was an excellent film of father/son relationships, rediscovery and redemption that I would recommend to everyone. After the movie ended, I thought to myself; why doesn’t Netflix have a social sharing platform?…

Tired of reruns? The Olympics or perhaps you are simply looking for a show to escape into without commercial interruption.  There are some gems on Netflix that you may have missed when they aired on TV or simply due to the lack of satellite, luckily with Netflix our Technology has advanced enough that as long as we have access to the Internet we have access to movies and television for the infamous eight bucks a month tag line. Television is not the same anymore, not that there was ever TV shows that captivated the eye on basic cable, with NYPD Blue being the exception in the 90’s, crime drama, gut wrenching,…

As a smart consumer, you’re probably aware that you’re being “managed,” but what you might not realize is what big business this management has become. The Customer Relationship Management (CRM) process has evolved to become so intelligent, that your local florist remembers your anniversary before you do, and we could all do with a little help in that department, couldn’t we? Here’s a breakdown of how businesses keep tabs on you and why it is in your best interest.   What is CRM? CRM involves the use of software and apps to organize business processes involving the customer and to track…

On March 21st, Netflix announced plans to create their own show called Hemlock Grove.As someone who spends the majority of her nights watching too much Netflix as it is, I’m always on the hunt for a good series to get invested in. Most nights I am left disappointed and cursing at my television set for a lack of a good series to watch. Netflix, an Internet-streaming media, has been looking to develop original material for their viewers. However, rather than doing a completely original series, they will be doing an adaptation of Brian McGreevy’s forthcoming novel Hemlock Grove. The book is set…

The terrible summer and fall that Netflix had in 2011 seemed to have turned as poor decisions were reversed, new deals were made, and the fallout over price increases had passed. As 2012 begins, Netflix faces a new threat: its own investors. A lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Northern California, by the City of Royal Oak Retirement System, on behalf of “all plaintiffs similarly situated” claims that the online and mail-order movie delivery service failed to disclose crucial information to them before raising prices dramatically. They were also left unaware that some of the content…

The wagons are circled at the Netflix camp as hundreds of thousands of subscribers cancelled in the last few months, but that doesn’t seem to scare the folks at Disney as they just renewed and expanded the contract between Netflix and ABC. Stocks have dropped by over 70% since the summer after recent debacles and poor decisions by the entertainment provider. That didn’t stop ABC from renewing current shows and adding Alias and Switched at Birth to the Netflix catalog. They also added Lost and Ugly Betty to the streaming segment….