Netflix To Split DVD Service

Qwikster: Netflix To Split DVD Service Into New Business

http://blog.netflix.com/

From The Huffington Post :
In a post on The Netflix Blog that went up Sunday night, the company’s CEO, Reed Hastings, announced that Netflix would split its DVD-by-mail service and its streaming-video service into two companies. The new DVD-only company, called “Qwikster,” will be completely separate from the streaming business. Hastings also expressed contrition for the way the company rolled out its recent price hike, which alienated many customers.

Hastings wrote: “It is clear from the feedback over the past two months that many members felt we lacked respect and humility in the way we announced the separation of DVD and streaming, and the price changes. That was certainly not our intent, and I offer my sincere apology.” He went on to announce that Qwikster — the name is chosen “because it refers to quick delivery” — is becoming its own entity because ” “we realized that streaming and DVD by mail are becoming two quite different businesses, with very different cost structures, different benefits that need to be marketed differently, and we need to let each grow and operate independently.”

The move comes on the heels of an overwhelmingly negative reaction to Netflix’s price hike in July. This week, the company announced it had lost many more subscribers than expected, and its stock price fell accordingly.

Sony’s SMP-N200

Sony’s SMP-N200 player set to take on Roku, Apple TV for $99 next month
By Richard Lawler posted Sep 18th 2011 9:22PM

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The successor to Sony’s underappreciated Netbox was introduced at IFA recently, and now the company has revealed pricing for the SMP-N200 in the United States. It’ll be on sale for $99 in October, and updates the old box with support for 3D, live streaming content and other unspecified new features. The original featured then-impressive support for local media playback and streaming, but does the Blu-ray-less wonder does it have what it takes in 2011? If it has a UI refresh and access to comparable sources thanks to Sony’s now streamlined Video Unlimited / Music Unlimited media approach then this could play well as a one-two punch with a connected PC, phone or tablet. We’ll find out next month, check out the details after the break or our hands on pics from CEDIA here.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/18/sonys-smp-n200-player-set-to-take-on-roku-apple-tv-for-99-nex/