Hasta La Gadget!

Hitachi, Panasonic and Toshiba to deliver 60GHz wireless products in 2H 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 10:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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At our last update after Q1 ’09, Netflix had just triumphantly smashed through the 10 million customer barrier, although that’s well in the rear view mirror now that the company is celebrating the addition of 1 million customers in the last quarter alone. With a subscriber base of 12.3 million (48% of whom have checked out a movie on Watch Instantly last year) its next step is to expand beyond U.S. borders, with plans to offer a streaming-only package to an unnamed new country in the latter half of this year; Hacking Netflix guesses Canada or even the UK could be potential expansion targets. Even the possibility of a Disney/Starz fallout affecting streaming didn’t dampen the mood, during the earnings call CEO Reed Hastings seemed confident it could keep doing deals for compelling movies going forward, with WB, Sony, MGM, Paramount and others either signed up or renewed during Q4 alone. Still, don’t expect those dealings to extend to new releases — Hastings is comfortable sticking with a cable-like viewing window for internet delivered movies in combination with the existing disc rentals, for now.

Even Roku, closely tied to Netflix’s internet-to-TV efforts since they began, is thinking big. As CEO Anthony Wood tells Bloomberg, we can expect the box itself to reach the low, low price of free sooner rather than later as the company works out revenue sharing deals with various subscription and video on-demand services, bringing it up to “the same kinds of channels that any cable operator can offer.” It’s set goals of 1 million set-top boxes sold by the end of the year (already over 500,000) and 100 channels, we figure another half-off sale or two should get things done in no time.

Netflix celebrates Q4 success of 1 million new subscribers and eyes bigger growth ahead; Roku too originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In an atypically low key beginning, YouTube is starting to roll out a new movie rental service. Currently stocked with only five titles from independent film producers, it won’t be posing any threats to the Netflix empire any time soon, but plans are naturally afoot to expand what’s on offer. Available between this Friday and the end of this year’s Sundance Film Festival, the movies can be rented for $3.99 a piece through the Google Checkout payment system. Prepare your muscles to do some cringing though, as YouTube is said to be working on adding health, fitness and educational videos as well. Still, the focus seems to be on getting indie filmmakers more exposure — and cash, “the majority” of rental revenue will go to the film producers — and we can’t really argue with that.

YouTube introduces movie rentals, only independent titles for now originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 03:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looking for a wireless home audio system but not interested in adding any additional docks, speakers or sound systems to your humble abode? Then you might be the sort of individual Aperion is targeting with its new Home Audio Link (or HAL, naturally), which promises to simply let you stream audio from any device to the audio system of your choice (up to three of them, in fact). Similarly to the Mint Studio iPod dock we checked out a few months back, this one passes over WiFi in favor of the plain old 2.4GHz band, which the folks at Gear Patrol say held up plenty well in their tests, with no signs of interference or distortion to be found. Somewhat notably, you can also use the system to wirelessly connect a powered subwoofer, and Aperion is apparently planning on introducing some new subwoofers of its own complete with built-in USB ports to make setup even easier. No timeline for those just yet, but you’ll be able to snag the Home Audio Link on January 28th for $150, with additional receivers available for $70 apiece.

Aperion Home Audio Link promises to let you go wireless with ease originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We seriously have to question the sanity of some of these high-ranking corporate types. Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America boss and fearless orator, has joined Andy Rubin of Google in claiming that his customers do not require a feature so prevalent nowadays that it has become close to a basic standard. While the Xbox 360 and PS3 are capable of streaming full HD movies from Netflix at no extra cost, Reggie has stated his belief that “there really is no loss for the Wii consumer” because “the vast majority” of Netflix streaming content isn’t HD anyway. Reiterating his longstanding, but never adequately explained, hesitance toward HD, Reggie has also claimed that the 26 million Wii console owners out there have voted with their wallets and will be quite happy to continue putt-putting along at standard def. Skip past the break to see him speaking his heresy with a straight face.

Continue reading Reggie Fils-Aime: Wii users don’t care for Netflix HD

Reggie Fils-Aime: Wii users don’t care for Netflix HD originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 03:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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