First came the PC web browser. Then came the $99 dollar Roku Netflix Player. Next was the Microsoft Xbox 360 console. Now, Netflix finds itself with inside the upcoming LG Electronics BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player. OK.. “inside” might not be the right word per se, but the BD300 does come with built-in support for Netflix’s Instant Queue service which allows Netflix subscribers to view some 10,000 movies and TV shows nearly instantly over the Internet. Best of all - this is already free for unlimited Netflix subscribers out there. If you’re thinking about getting a Blu-ray player AND you’re already a Netflix subscriber, then you definitely should be thinking about this player (unless of course you plan on gaming in which case the PS3 still makes the most sense.)

The LG BD300 is also a state of the art standalone Blu-ray player with support for BD-Live which provides real-time interactivity in the form of extras, new previews, and special content. There’s also support for BonusView which is provides picture-in-picture access to special features on a Blu-ray disc. Other features include:

• Up-convert standard DVDs to 1080p
• LG SimpLink technology which allows users to control similarly equipped LG TV and AV products via on-screen menus or from the product itself

It’s certainly interesting to see Netflix slowly proliferate across multiple devices. If Netflix can continue to expand its distribution channels, it’s not hard to imagine the company negotiating with Hollywood Studios for additional content deals - perhaps finally expanding the 10,000 to 12,000 title library. More importantly, the company is positioning itself as a major player in the online video market.

The LG BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player will be available later this fall. 

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: LG BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player, Netflix

Just a little heads up in case you don’t follow the gaming world all that much. Sony has a new video store open within the PlayStation Store which is accessible to those with the PlayStation 3 console. The new service is now live and you can download movies, television shows or original programming for a price of course. Before you try out the service, make sure to get the latest Sony PS3 update for the PS3.

The new service will initially have roughly 300 movie titles and around 1200 TV episodes. A portion of the content will be available in both standard definition and in high definition formats. Studios that are a part of this launch include 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate Entertainment, MGM Studios, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Warner Bros. Entertainment.

Movie rentals will cost between $2.99 to $5.99 depending on the title and the quality of the video. If you want to purchase movies, that will cost you between $9.99 to $14.99.

My two cents on this - first the obvious - it’s about time Sony! It’s amazing how incredibly late the company is in getting a video service up and running for the PS3. The Xbox 360 and Apple TV have an incredible head start - both in terms of technology and in the number of titles. Secondly, what’s up with the size of the HD files? I just purchased “Hell Boy” to test out the service and I’m downloading 7.1 GB of data. WTH?!?!?!? Now I know it’s in high def and all.. but is the file size the same for the other services? Somehow.. I think not. I suppose I’ll have to compare the picture quality of comparable titles to see if the Sony service is better. Finally - I’m sorry… I’m a huge fan of the XrossMediaBar interface but the PlayStation Store UI is just a bit .. well.. ugly.

Unless there’s a compelling reason for me to download movies on the PS3, I’m going to have a hard time wanting switch out of Apple TV and the Xbox 360 console.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Sony PlayStation 3, PlayStation Store, Video store

Sony announced that the mylo COM-2 Personal Communicator has a new video upload tool that allows users to capture and upload MPEG-4 videos without the need of a PC. Videos can be recorded using the built-in 1.3 megapixel camera and then uploaded using the built-in Wi-Fi support.

With the mylo, users can listen to digital music, video videos, and play games. However, when they’re near wireless hotspots, they can also view multimedia content online, chat with others using Skype, IM with users using AIM, Yahoo!, Google, and Skype, and read/write email through AOL Mail, Google Gmail, and Yahoo! mail.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Sony mylo COM-2 Personal Communicator, video upload

It looks like there might be more to the Roku Netflix Player than just Netflix content. According to Roku’s Vice President of Consumer Products, Tim Twerdahl, additional content partners will be coming to Netflix Player which makes the $99 price even more attractive than ever before. Of course Mr. Twerdahl didn’t elaborate on who these providers might be but one could imagine YouTube videos coming to the player as well as other free services out there. Of course, it’s not far fetched to imagine additional paid services coming to the player so who knows? But.. the truth is, I’d be perfectly happy if Netflix were to offer streaming HD content with the player.

Finally, don’t forget about the rumors that Netflix might be coming to either the Xbox 360 console or the Sony PlayStation 3.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Roku Netflix Player,

Greg Sandoval of CNET’s News.com has published an editorial on what Netflix needs to do with their extremely popular Roku Netflix player - get the latest movies onto that box. I wholeheartedly agree with that notion! Every single review of the player has basically said the same thing - the service needs the latest movies available for rent and not just the limited 10,000 movies and shows that make up the current inventory. Of course Netflix has a number of solutions that they can embark on but thus far, they’ve been hesitant to do anything about it. Word to the wise at Netflix - you’ve got yourself a hit with this player - now capitalize on it. As Mr. Sandoval points out, “you don’t want to fall behind to Apple.”

It’s clear that video on demand will continue to proliferate throughout the industry. A number of factors are coming together to make this all possible. You have cheap broadband, a need to switch to digital TV which is resulting in new purchases of HDTV sets, and of course cheap computing equipment.  All of these factor leads to the inevitable conclusion that your standard family is or will be very connected and that DVD rentals will be a thing of the past in a few years.

While no one really knows how successful Apple TV is, one can imagine that Apple will continue to push forward with this market. If only to make sure to keep Microsoft in check with this market with the Xbox 360. Plus let’s not forget about Sony and the PlayStation 3. And of course you have players in the form of cable companies and small independent startups all trying to get into the mix. Just looking at the players in the market alone, it’s clear that video on demand will be big .. but who will rule the roost at the end of the day?

Netflix in many ways is perfectly positioned to do so. The company already has a huge user audience. It also has cash in the bank. It just now needs to think outside of the box and work with the Hollywood studios. Experiment with different options or payment systems. See what the market is willing to bare.

Here’s a thought Netflix: If I’m willing to pay $3.99 to $4.99 for the latest HD rentals via Apple TV (and I certainly am!), then I’d be more than willing to do the same via Netflix. So listen to Mr. Sandoval’s thoughts and get on it! The public will want it… if they don’t already!

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Roku, Netflix Player, CNET, Greg Sandoval

I just came across another review of the Roku Netflix Player (it’s a few weeks old now) and thought I’d pass it along. The review comes from the folks at HDTV Magazine and is similar to many other reviews on the net. Here’s the summary from their review:

Could be better with access to newer movies, but definitely recommended if you’re a Netflix subscriber with unlimited instant viewing.

That’s pretty much right on the mark. Seriously - for $100 bucks and nothing else to pay, this seems like a no-brainer for those WHO ALREADY have a Netflix. (if you don’t… well you should! And no.. I’m not associated with Netflix in any way. I’m just a fan!). Seriously, the Roku player makes all the sense in the world from a on-demand perspective. If Netflix can somehow garner additional movie studio support, then you’ve got yourself an extremely formidable player (though it would be nice if the unit had HD support too!)

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Roku Netflix Player, HDTV Magazine, Review

Looks like Netflix and Roku have a small hit on their hands. The recently announced Roku Netflix player is currently sold out and there’s a two week backorder currently for the player. According to Tim Twerdahl, Roku’s Vice President of Consumer Products, “We have boats coming in weekly from China with additional products, and we’re doing everything we can to get them out.”

No sales numbers were announced by either Netflix nor Roku but it does appear that the player has hit a sweet spot when it comes to online content. At $99 dollars for the player and a Netflix account, you get to enjoy both DVD rentals by mail AND have on-demand access to some movies. That’s certainly a deal when you consider the next viable alternative is the Apple TV or Xbox 360 and their respective movie rental programs. Apple or Microsoft could certainly sweeten their systems a bit by offering a monthly rental subscription service instead of a per per view system but somehow I don’t see that happening when it comes to the movie industry.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Roku, Netflix, Netflix Player

One of the more interesting gadgets to hit the news this week was the Netflix Player by the folks at Roku. It’s a small playback device designed for Netflix subscribers that allows them to play back content from the Netflix Instant Queue. The best parts? It’s relatively inexpensive ($99.99), there’s no additional fee for your Netflix account (assuming you’re on one of the unlimited accounts), and it brings online movies straight to your television set. The bad parts? There’s only about 10,000 movies and TV shows thus far, there’s no HD content as of yet, and it’s not quite as smooth as say, the Apple TV.

You can read a review of the player here at News.com and here at PC Magazine. This is what PC Mag had to say about the player:

For those looking to augment an unlimited Netflix subscription, this set-top box from Roku is affordable and easy to use. Here’s hoping the movie selection becomes broader.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Roku, The Netflix Player

HBO and iTunes fans will be happy to hear that Apple and HBO have now teamed together to offer HBO shows on iTunes. iTunes users will be able to purchase HBO programs such as “The Sopranos”, “Sex and the City”, “Deadwood”, “Rome”, “Flight of the Conchords”, and “The Wire”. Episodes for “Sex and the City”, “The Wire”, and “Flight of the Conchords” will cost $1.99 an episode. Episodes for “The Sopranos”, “Deadwood”, and “Rome” will cost $2.99 an episode.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Apple, iTunes, HBO

Apple announced on Thursday that new movie titles released by major film studios would be available on iTunes on the same day that they would be available on DVD. Studios in on this deal include 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Lionsgate, Image Entertainment and First Look Studios. New releases would be priced at $14.99 while most catalog titles would cost $9.99. These movies would be playable on an iPod with video, an iPhone, a Mac or PC, or on an Apple TV. You’ll need iTunes 7.6.2 in order to purchase content on the Mac or Windows platform.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Apple, iTunes, Movies