This is Fred Talmadge's Typepad Profile.
Join Typepad and start following Fred Talmadge's activity
Fred Talmadge
Recent Activity
I don't understand this lawsuit, did Netflix actually tell anyone what movies I watched? Where is the evidence?
Netflix Privacy Lawsuit Emails are Legit; Settlement Donated to Charity (and Lawyers)
A lot of readers have asked if the emails with the subject "Video Privacy Lawsuit – Current and Former Netflix Subscribers" are legit, and a source at Netflix confirmed that they are. Netflix was sued for maintaining user rental data too long, and while they deny doing anything wrong, they're se...
Seems like all these business deals and who gets to see what is going to make consumers somewhere mad.
Netflix to Get Hunger Games This Year & Avengers in 2013
DailyFinance reports that Netflix will stream The Hunger Games this year, and the hit Avengers in 2013. Rival studio Viacom also shares the joy because its Paramount division owns the domestic distribution rights for The Avengers. That's a lingering side effect of that age-old credit facility d...
I have no interest in buying a new TV and player to support 3D or paying extra for those titles. Especially considering the current crop of available 3d films I'm in no hurry to adopt.
Should Netflix Offer 3D Movies on Streaming or DVD?
Reader Tally writes, "I see a good number of recent movie titles on Netflix which have 3D versions for theaters. Can Netflix negotiate with the studios to make the 3D DVD versions available for "mail" customers who would like to see them on home theater?" Should Netflix offer 3D DVDs or streamin...
Maybe now is the time to make a long term purchase of Netflix stock. Or not.
Investors Not Happy with Netflix & Stock Drops Again
Despite adding 3 million new subscribers, investors are not happy with Netflix's outlook for 2012 and the stock took a serious drop. This Google Finance chart shows the rather abrupt drop after the earnings and outlook were announced on Monday: Do you think investors are being too hard on Netf...
Again more evidence that content providers should not be in the business of providing service.
Netflix CEO Facebook Rant About Comcast has the FCC "Monitoring the Situation"
The Wall Street Journal reports that the FCC is "monitoring the situation" about Netflix CEO Reed Hastings Facebook rant about Comcast's bandwidth caps not applying to Comcast streams. The FCC said late Monday it “takes seriously any allegations of violations of our open Internet rules.” Curren...
If I watch a western I get more recommendations for westerns. Not very helpful, so the last two years I've stopped rating and just find the movies based on what I've read else where.
Netflix: "75% of What People Watch is From Some Sort of Recommendation"
In the first part of a series on how Netflix recommendations work, Xavier Amatriain and Justin Basilico from the Netflix Personalization Science and Engineering team, explain how Netflix recommendations works. One of the reasons our focus in the recommendation algorithms has changed is because ...
As a disc only customer and not likely to change any time soon. I'm just glad that Netflix still values the old fashion DVD disc.
Confirmed: Netflix Bought DVD.com Domain for Undisclosed Amount
Domain Name Wire confirmed that Netflix recently acquired the DVD.com domain (as noted on HackingNetflix last night) for an undisclosed amount. Guess they're still interesting in those shiny discs, at least enough to pay for the domain.
While I sometimes read reviews they really aren't much help. So as a disc only customer I'm not all that bothered by this change.
Netflix Further Separates DVD-only and and Streaming-only Accounts
If you have a combined DVD and streaming account you probably haven't noticed, but if you have a DVD-only or streaming-only account you won't be able to see titles that are unavailable to you. While this makes sense (why show titles you can't rent or stream), it means you can't review, save or s...
I ain't going to spend $100+ to get the few channels I want. So I've been on Antanae and Netflix for years now. If they want me back they really need to get serious with a la carte
Roku's Wood Says A La Carte Cable Coming This Year
Roku CEO Anthony Wood told PC Magazine that he believes a la carte cable TV is coming this year. So far, companies like Comcast have only made live streaming, plus on-demand content, available on the Apple iPhone and the iPad. To view it, however, viewers must have an existing cable TV subscrip...
I gave up on recomendations. I don't know what I watched (maybe a romantic comedy) but I'd get a bunch of gay movies all of a sudden. I'd rent a Western (not Brokeback Mt) and they would go away.
Financial Post Takes a Look at How Netflix Recommends Titles
The Financial Post Tech Desk sheds some light on how they come up with the rather strange Netflix categories like "critically acclaimed visually striking movies." Each piece of content in the Netflix library is marked with more than 100 tags. The company employs a team of about 25 freelancers ...
The Flixster deal was a mistake and of course price increases are always unpopular. For myself as a disc only customer, I'm fine with Netflix. No one else provides the variety of movies I want at a fair price with good customer service.
Is Netflix the Worst Company in America?
Netflix has been paired up with GameStop in round one of the Consumerist Worst Company in America contest. Two years ago, Netflix seemed to have the world in its hand. It had millions of customers who loved streaming videos and having a few DVDs coming in every month for a very reasonable rate...
I'm kind of bored with FB frankly.
Do You Want Netflix Sharing on Facebook?
While Netflix is working hard in Washington to get change the Video Protection Privacy Act updated for the web so Netflix can add Facebook sharing, AllThingsD cites a Citi Investment poll that shows 71% of Netflix customers don't care about sharing movie and TV show viewing information on Facebo...
I guess us old fashion disc guys keep the the old site. Just as well, as long as I can work my queue and search for movies I'm okay
So, What Do You Think of the New Netflix Website Design?
Netflix made some pretty radical changes to the website for streaming-only customers (you might not have noticed if you mostly use a streaming device). Besides the new look, Netflix has removed the ability to see or rate DVDs if you don't have a DVD plan, a dramatic move. The most striking feat...
and of course you need to have Comcast's rather expensive Xfinity service
Comcast Streampix: "...So You Won't Need An Additional Subscription Service."
There is no doubt that Comcast is launching Streampix to keep customers from defecting to Netflix when they use copy like this: A new library of TV shows and movies to stream instantly. Stream full seasons of shows and top movies instantly on multiple screens — on your TV in HD or streaming to...
I'm always looking for something different as I'm tired of the same old mainstream movies. In any case since I can't stream I'm still on the DVD plan and this decision will not bother me.
Roger Ebert: "I'm Told Netflix Has Largely Stopped Buying Streaming Rights to Indie Films"
Roger Ebert tweeted that "I'm told Netflix has largely stopped buying the streaming rights to indie films." How important are indie films to you?
I'm sure that Netflix knows there are thousands of us living in areas where streaming is not possible. At least I hope they do, cause I really do like Netflix.
Is Netflix Crazy to be Abandoning the DVD Business?
Eric Schonfeld at TechCrunch dug into the Netflix Q4 earnings, and noticed that Netflix only gets an 11% margin on streaming, while DVD margins are more than 50%. Out of Netflix’s total $847 million in revenues last quarter, $476 million came from streaming and $370 million came from DVD rental...
I'd bet Forbes will be gone before Netflix
Prophet Consumer Survey: Netflix & 4 Other Companies That Won't Be Around in 2015
It's funny how fast the press coverage of a company can change from admiration to doom, and Forbes joins the fun by including Netflix (and the USPS) on a list of 5 Brands Most Likely to be Gone by 2015. Citing a Prophet survey of 5,000 consumers, Forbes writes: Anyone who even skims the news he...
Unfortuantly they made money on Netflix mistake, not on anything they have done.
Blockbuster is Profitable Again
HomeMediaMagazine reports that Blockbuster showed a modest profit: Blockbuster LLC Nov. 7 reported net income of $3.3 million on revenue of $601 million since its acquisition out of bankruptcy by Dish Network Corp. on April 26 through Sept. 30. For the third quarter (ended Sept. 30), Blockbuste...
I don't stream and didn't like paying for it when I can't use it. So the changes were welcomed by me.
TechCrunch Defends Netflix CEO Reed Hastings
Andrew Keen from TechCrunch comes to the defense of Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, citing Peter Drucker's belief that power will shift to the consumer in the age of transparency: My message to all those dissatisfied Netflix customers who care about the future of the culture business: stop whining,...
Wall Street overvalues anything that is "hot" Now that Netflix is mainstream with no short term growth they devalue it. Or in my opinion value the company at a more reasonable number.
Netflix Loses $12 Billion in Value - Is The Market Overreacting?
Investors have punished Netflix for the price increase, Qwikster launch, Q3 earnings, and the revised forecast for Q4. The drop for $300 per share in July has wiped about $12 billion in value from the company. It's a pretty rough time to be a Netflix investor (stock chart via Google Finance). ...
Still wasn't it just last week Netflix CEO said that independent films were an important part of their business. I'm surely more interested in them compared to what's coming out of "hollywood" these days.
Is Netflix Ignoring Smaller Independent Films?
Anthony Kaufman at indieWIRE writes about the plight of independent films on Netflix: The Decline of Indies on Netflix, Were They Amputated With the Long Tail? Netflix strongly defends the company’s indie cred. “Netflix acquires content that we know that is going to have an audience,” Swasey sa...
Please report back in a few monthes how those numbers change or don't.
Blockbuster Gains 500,000 Subscribers in Past Month
HomeMedia Magazine reports that Dish / Blockbuster has added 500,000 new subscribers in the past 30 days. I guess we know where some of the missing Netflix subscribers have gone...
As one who only gets DVDs in the mail all these changes have been to my benifit, lower pricing by not subsidizing streamers and still get quick turn around. I don't understand the split, and the name is kind of silly but that hardly matters.
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings Issues Apology; Names DVD Division Qwikster; Will Offer Game Rentals
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings posted an apology on the Netflix blog about the way they communicated the price increase and why they're spinning off the DVD division as Qwikster ("A Netflix Company."). Hastings named Andy Rendich, who spent the past 12 years running the Netflix DVD service, as CEO of...
Funny to hear Starz talk about their premium brand. Just because you charge more doesn't make it premium.
Starz Ends Contract Renewal Negotiations with Netflix
Starz announced that they have ended formal renewal negotiations with Netflix, and Starz President & CEO Chris Albrecht issued the following statement: "Starz Entertainment has ended contract renewal negotiations with Netflix. When the agreement expires on February 28, 2012, Starz will cease to...
As someone who has no access to broadband I'm glad they have reduced the price of the 2 disc plan and I no longer subsidize those who stream. Thank you Netflix for listening to this customer.
Netflix Announces New DVD-Only Plans & Pricing for Combined Plans
On the Netflix blog Jessie Becker announced several important changes for subscribers and new customers: Official announcement of the DVD-only plans: $7.99 for one-out and $11.99 for 2-out, unlimited (dvd.netflix.com). The DVD & streaming unlimited plans are now separated into two $7.99 plans, ...
More...
Subscribe to Fred Talmadge’s Recent Activity