Netflix Streaming Goes Indie

The Netflix Streaming collection just got a lot bigger. They'll now be allowed to stream over 300 more movies from the Criterion Collection, Gravitas Ventures, Kino Lorber, Music Box Films, Oscilloscope Laboratories and Regent. More to come!

Netflix Streaming Coming to PS3

Netflix and Playstation have announced that Netflix streaming will be some time next month. Only PS3 owners that have a Netflix subscription are eligible.

Initially owners will receive a free blu-ray disc that allows the PS3 to stream off Netflix.com.

Later on, we can expect a firmware update from Sony or Netflix (or both) to enable streaming.

Netflix to Bring 'Watch it Instantly' to iPhones, Wii?

According to Multichannel News, rumors are popping up saying that Netflix is trying to bring streaming video to the iPhone and Nintendo Wii.

Netflix, ahead of pay-TV providers, continues extending its own “TV Everywhere” strategy to more devices.

Next up: The company will soon offer the Watch Instantly video-streaming feature on Apple iPhones and iPod Touch devices and the Nintendo Wii gaming console, according to an industry executive familiar with Netflix’s plans. (Netflix wouldn’t confirm the info, with a rep saying it declines to comment on “rumors or speculation.”)

[MCN] [image via ZatzNotFunny]

Netflix Raises Blu-Ray Rental Fee

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Netflix Inc. is raising its prices for rentals of Blu-ray discs. The change will triple or quadruple the high-definition surcharge on Netflix's most popular subscription plans.

The new rates announced Monday are being driven by the growing appetite for discs in the high-definition format. Blu-ray discs cost about 30 percent more than standard DVDs, so Netflix's profit margins are being squeezed as it expands its Blu-ray inventory.

Netflix had been imposing a $1 monthly surcharge for Blu-ray rentals since September, regardless of how much the basic subscription plan costs.

Effective April 27, Netflix will adopt a sliding scale that will slap higher Blu-ray fees on plans that let customers check out multiple DVDs at a time.