What I don't get is why they couldn't make the split on the back end. They could have divorced the two operations behind the scenes and left everything unchanged for the customer. It seems to me like they're setting up Quickster to fail - they know that streaming is where everything is headed. But why split and put effort into marketing a "new" business that's going to be obsolete in 5+ years? Or maybe they're splitting Quickster off so they can sell it as streaming gets more and more content and the need for DVD/bluray decreases? This has me more...angry isn't the right word...perturbed?...than the price hike. I just find it dumb.
They split for tax reasons from what I heard. I like this guys take on it "I wish Hastings said what he was really thinking: “Let’s be honest, mailing DVDs is a dying model. Here’s Qwikster for those of you who won’t embrace the inevitable. As for the rest of us, to the future! Of course we’re moving away from DVDs, we’re called Netflix for God’s sake! Net, as in on the internet! Get with it, guys!” Okay, I guess it makes sense why he wouldn’t say that but the point was clear to me: Hasting is looking ahead, he’s just not considering the present."
Can anybody speak to whether streaming will eventually achieve the same picture and sound quality that's produced by bluray? Or whether streaming will be able to match the output available in the highest-end consumer media of the day (as eventually bluray will be obsolete). I've noticed a huge improvement from when we first started streaming NF, but it's still not close to bluray quality. For those "eye candy" movies streaming just won't cut it unless they're able to delivery higher quality picture and sound.
I highly doubt it was a tax based decision. Rumors I have heard that make much more sense, b/c the tax reason doesn't hold any water really, is that it had to do with the cost of licensing content, and that dvd only users were costing netflix too much money for the streaming rights. Having watched netflix spit on its customers over and over though, I just assume its the CEO being an ass hole, ala the Amercians are too stupid to notice Canada isn't paying as much.
to those of you holding the future's pocket, when the zombie apocalypse hits and the internet dies you people are gonna be totally bored before the reactors melt down and we all die. long live phsical media,printed books and vinyl spun by hand by Japanese elders
Viewed "Buried" on Netflix last night. Surprised that I didn't have nightmares afterwards. It's not exactly a horror movie, but it's definitely horrific. Man buried in a coffin somewhere in Iraq with only a cell phone, glow stick, lighter and flashlight. Surprisingly engaging given only one on-screen actor and one "set."
I reversed the trend today and dropped streaming in favor of the mailbox. I download most of the television I like to watch anyway, and it's nice to be able to grab discs with boatloads of worthwhile extras, like most Criterion releases.
Just watched Between The Folds yesterday. A little doc about oragami. Wow! Some pretty amazing stuff being done with folded paper.
hey i heard that netfix lost stars and i was wondering if anyone new the percentage of content that was?
Starz Play is still available...for now. From the Netflix site... Approximately 1,000 titles available from Starz Play I just read this Really??!!
from what i've read, starz is being pressured to pay on a tiered scale, which netflix couldn't agree to, so they're going splitsville. this is the route that all networks want to go, but for good or bad, netflix is trying to fight it.
I watched the first one while getting over a headache the other day. Dude, that little kid in the first film is such a little punk! Also watched War of the Gargantuas (minus MST3K). One I didn't see as a kid. When the two big guys are going at it, I thought it was pretty good. It's also awesome how there is no explanation about how the monsters can be shot again and again with a giant laser cannon, and just keep going. So much random stuff in that film.
