JS Online: Movies in the mail

JS Online: Movies in the mail: "Dan Neesley of Greendale came back to Netflix three years ago after quitting the service for a while.
He had tried purchasing the DVDs he wanted to watch, but 'realized that that was a war I could never win.'
Instead, he relies on Netflix to find movies he wants to watch and to learn about films he has never heard of.
'It's an embarrassment of riches,' he said. 'I'm watching much more selectively. Things I wouldn't have bought or wouldn't have rented.'
Clouston, Netflix's spokeswoman, said that's the key to the company's success.
'We're turning movie watchers into movie lovers,' she said."

New contenders take stab at Internet TV

via MSNBC

Internet TV is a mirage, seeming so close yet turning out to be far away or downright unreal when you try to watch it. At least that's my take on the many past plans for zapping motion pictures over the Internet.

Now comes a fresh group of contenders for the Internet TV throne, all trying new twists on sending video over the global computer network. They carry funky names, too, like Akimbo, DaveTV, RipeTV and TimeshifTV. All are trying to exploit the increasing number of high-speed Internet links in homes and the declining costs for transmitting and storing digital video.

Read more

Another satisfied customer

I received a lovely email from Lou, who got one of my free one month Netflix trials last month. Here's what he says:

"I just wanted to say thanks again for the free one
month trial. I have been able to check out about 20
DVD's, and so far I am pleased with Netflix compared
to my trial time spent with Blockbuster. I haven't had
a DVD with a wait from Netflix (compared to DVD's with
numerous waits from Blockbuster), they always come
quickly from Netflix, and I haven't had a lost DVD
from them yet. I think I will be sticking with
Netflix, especially since they are lowering their
3-out price to $17.99."

Thanks Again,
Lou

Return something today...

...or tomorrow, if you want a new release sent to you on Monday. This is especially helpful if you're looking for something that's to be released this coming Tuesday. Tuesday is Netflix's busiest day. Everyone returns movies they watched over the weekend on Monday, so Tuesday, Netflix is swamped with returns. The best day to return stuff, I've found, is on Tuesday or Wednesday. They get it Wednesday or Thursday. I get the next batch on Thursday or Friday--just in time for the weekend.

Breaking News: Blockbuster in the Red

via Smartmoney.com[subscription required]
The following factors are contributing to money troubles for Netflix nemesis Blockbuster:

resignation of its president and chief operating officer, Nigel Travis.

Rental revenue declined 3.8% to $1.1 billion, as solid growth in DVD and game rentals failed to offset a sharp drop-off in videotape rentals.

The good news: "Merchandise sales rose 26% to $333 million."

Blockbuster is facing a shrinking video-rental business amid growing competition from mass retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) and Best Buy Co. (BBY) selling low-price DVDs.

[don't forget Netflix]

The company also said its profitability for 2004 will "decline significantly" because of the goodwill impairment charge and increased investments in key initiatives, among other things. The company's full-year investment in new initiatives will increase to about $120 million, in part because of early launch of online rental.

Blockbuster expects the rental industry will continue to decline in 2005, but said it believes the sector will stabilize by the end of 2005 as DVD penetration is projected to reach 70% of U.S. households.

The company also said it expects to continue to invest heavily in the business next year, which combined with projected softness in rental revenue, will hurt profitability in 2005.

"Investment in key initiatives" might mean VOD, and we all know what the "early launch of online rental" means. They started that business too soon. Between the decline of in-store rentals, and trying to build an online rental business, they're not going to make any money this year or next. That gives Netflix, who says they'll break even next year, the advantage.

Here's a link to a press release that you can view without registering or being a subscriber.

Ox-Bow Incident conspiracy theories

I've recently entered an online discussion, with Jim at Listology.com, regarding the puzzling absence of the Ox-Bow Incident (1943) from the Netflix library of titles. It is a terrific Oscar (r)-nominated movie, starring Henry Fonda, which Amazon.com lists as being available on DVD since March 2, 2004. Why doesn't Netflix have it?

New Netflix Features: Move to top, and In Queue

New titles are added to the bottom of your queue by default, but this "Move to top" button allows you to put it in your #1 slot instead:

I'm always forgetting what's in my queue, so this "In Queue" button saves me from getting dumb looks from Netflix when I try to add the same movie again.

GameZnFlix--Taking on Netflix

via Nashville Business Journal 10-25-04

"Based in Franklin, Ky., GameZnFlix's inventory of 28,000 video game and DVD titles comes from Ingram Entertainment Inc. in La Vergne. Fulfillment services are provided by National Fulfillment Inc. in Lebanon and California.

"We consider ourselves to be the third-largest company in this business," says John Fleming, chairman and CEO of GameZnFlix.

That business is being led by NetFlix , which has about 2.4 million subscribers. And GameZnFlix (OTC:GZFX) isn't the only recent entrant: Big names like Blockbuster and Wal-Mart have joined the fray with similar business models."

They're going to have a Superbowl ad, too.

Commentary: Competition could help Netflix

The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: Competition could help Netflix: "Netflix, after all, is almost as much a cult as it is an e-commerce site. You run into someone at the post office returning DVDs and it's instant bonding. At a party talking movies, soon you're off in a corner with other Netflixers. " Read more

Scary movie suggestions

I've noticed that all the horror movies in my queue have been on "long wait" status for the entire month. Hmmm, must be because Halloween is coming up. If you're looking for ideas, may I recommend the following two lists for inspiration? Both sites take a while to load.

THE 100 SCARIEST MOVIE SCENES OF ALL TIME!
As determined by the writers of Retrocrush Web site.

100 Greatest Scary Moments from TV and movies: as chosen by Channel 4 viewers.

ReelTime Public Beta Test

ReelTime Rentals Announces Public Beta Test Registration to Evaluate Cutting-Edge Technology

SEATTLE, Oct. 22, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Reeltime Rentals, Inc. (Pink Sheets:RLTR) is pleased to announce that it is offering the public an opportunity to participate in a free beta test to evaluate the Company's revolutionary Rental-on-Demand (ROD) service. ReelTime invites consumers who are interested in becoming a part of this groundbreaking product development to apply at ReelTime's website, www.reeltimetv.net. Participants will be able to view a full feature length movie free of charge.

This test marks substantial progress for ReelTime as it prepares for a full-scale national launch. "We have been very successful with our initial evaluations," said Alex Stanczyk, CEO Reeltime Rentals, Inc. "Consumer feedback is imperative to our product's ultimate success in the national and international markets. Inviting potential consumers to participate will provide us with more extensive feedback than any controlled focus group might offer and we anticipate exciting results."

Their web site contains no information regarding system requirements, but it looks like you have to view the movies on your computer in streaming format. There is no pricing or movie information available until you register for the service. If you try this service, please post your comments here :).

Queue trivia update

My Netflix Queue Stats

147--Number of movies I've rented from Netflix since I joined.
266--Number of movies in main queue
3--Number of movies I have out
3--Number of movies in "DVDs Awaiting Release" queue
31--Number of movies I've rented in the last 3 months
1--Number of movies labeled "Very Long Wait and Out of Print”
3--Number of movies labeled "Very Long Wait"
1--Number of movies labeled "Long Wait"
4--Number of movies labeled "Short Wait"
0--Number of movies in the queue that are actually television shows on DVD
8--Number of movies in the queue that I've already seen
0--Number of movies I feel are categorized wrongly
7--Average number of times I check the queue per week

Inspired by Megan at jumpingmonkeys.com
Here's Megan's queue.
Here's my queue.

Nicheflix has something to offer, too

I'm in the middle of a two-week free trial of Nicheflix , which is more of an alternative to Greencine than Netflix but they all work the same. Nicheflix , as the name suggests, offers otherwise hard-to-find "multi-region DVD and D-VHS" rentals by subscription model. They have a very narrow selection, but what they do have is nearly impossible to find anywhere else. You have to have a special DVD or D-VHS player in order to play these titles, because they might be encoded for another country. Their database is very fast and easy to search, but small. I signed up on Friday and received my first two discs on Tuesday. They ship from Indiana. If you're looking for something not available from Greencine , Netflix , or Blockbuster , and you must have it digitally, they are worth a look. Here's what I have in my queue so far:

Boudu Saved From Drowning (1932) Received
Top Hat (1935) Received
Ju-on: The Grudge (Juon) (2003) Available Soon
Pandora's Box (1929) Available Shortly
The Wolf Man (1941) Available Now
Cat People (1942) Available Shortly
The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) Available Shortly
A Matter Of Life And Death (1946) Available Now
Bright Young Things (2003) Available Shortly
La Jetee / Sans Soleil (1962/1983) Available Shortly
Belle De Jour / Diary of a Chambermaid / The Milky Way (1967/1964/1969) Available Now
The Taming of the Shrew (1929) Available Now
Napoleon (1927) Available Now
The Battle of Algiers (1965) Available Now
Cul-De-Sac (1966) Available Now
Dr. Mabuse - The Gambler (Disc 1 of 2) (1922) Available Shortly
Fist of Fury (1972) Available Now
Croupier (1998) Available Now

Hastings speaks regarding Amazon entering the fight

Via IMDb.com's Studio Briefing for 10-20-04:

" Netflix Founder Predicts Online DVD Shake-Out

Netflix founder Reed Hastings said that he 'went through the normal anger, denial and grief syndrome' when he confirmed rumors that Amazon was planning to enter the online DVD rental business. However, he told today's (Wednesday) Wall Street Journal [subscribers only], he had been expecting some such occurrence. 'From inception, we have been telling our employees, there will be big new competition coming in the future; we don't know when or how. So everyone is pretty prepared for a big fight.' Hastings expressed confidence that Netflix will eventually obtain the rights from studios to distribute their films electronically as well as by mail. He said that Netflix will be able to compete with more established firms in online delivery 'by having the best brand, the best service, the best movie-choosing, the best pricing. ... Somebody has an opportunity to build a 20-million subscriber base here ... and if you do the math, 20 million subscribers is about $4 billion in [annual] revenue.' " (c) Studio Briefing

Nearly One Billion DVDs Shipped to Retail This Year; Robust Fourth Quarter Expected With Top Grossing Box-Office Hits Coming to DVD and Variety of Players

Via Businesswire : "Nearly 110 million DVD players have sold since launch (including set-top and portable DVD players, Home-Theater-in-a-Box systems, TV/DVD and DVD/VCR combination players), bringing the number of DVD households to over 63 million. Currently, 42 percent of all U.S. DVD households have two or more DVD players. "

Hastings speaks on Blockbuster threat

Via Reuters.com:

"Netflix Chief Executive Reed Hastings told Reuters on Monday he had expected Blockbuster to do something 'drastic' because the stakes in the growing industry were so high. 'I think it's important for them to get a toehold in this market,' Hastings said. 'We are the leader with 2.2 million subscribers and they waited five years to enter it so they have to play catch up.'
Hastings said the lower prices would expand the market of online subscribers and steal market share from traditional retail rental stores. 'The important aspect of that is the video stores in America will be vacant,' Hastings said. 'We are going to see a complete shift of the video service to go online. Blockbuster is recognizing that online rentals are a better way to go.' Hastings said the coming year would be dominated by a 'land grab' between Netflix and Blockbuster as the companies race to reach 5 million subscribers. That number represents the 5 percent of U.S. households that own a video recorder or DVD player. That 'critical mass' would position the industry leader to dominate a market set to grow from $500 million in sales to 'a few billion,' he said."
"We think and Blockbuster thinks that online movie rentals will be bigger than online book rentals. It may be one of largest online markets ever," Hastings said. "Maybe we'll both be winners with 5 million subscribers, and the only losers are store-based rentals."

Netflix tracker on Listology

Here's another great reason to join Listology.com: Jim the Webmaster over there has developed a great online tool, called Netflix Tracker, which you can use easily to track your Netflix usage and generate reports. All you need to do is create a username and password and supply a little anonymous information: your Netflix cookie shopper ID, your distribution center, and membership anniversary, all of which he'll show you how to find. With this tracker online, you can see your Netflix history from any computer, check your turnaround time, and know at a glance if you're getting your money's worth out of the service.

It's still in Beta, so be sure to report any weirdness to webmaster@listology.com.

HackingNetflix: Engadget Interviews Mike Ramsay, TiVo CEO

Via Hacking Netflix:

Tech site Engadget cornered Mike Ramsay, CEO of TiVO, in the hallway of Web 2.0 conference.

Ramsay had this to say about the Netflix relationship:

Engadget: Tell me about the new deal with Netflix.
Ramsay: It’s about video rental. Most people these days, at least in this community, are buying music electronically. They’re not buying physical media. And I think the same thing will happen with video. Instead of going to the video store or getting your Netflix in the mail, it’s going to show up in your TiVo. It’s a natural. It doesn’t matter if it takes a day to get there, because Netflix takes a day anyway. People will get used to having a pipeline where content drips through. The transition to electronic distribution will be complete and we won’t be dealing with physical media.

Engadget: So you’ll be competing with services like Movielink and CinemaNow?

Ramsay: Not really. Netflix will be a download, and those other services are streaming. All broadband Internet distribution will be a download for the foreseeable future. Streaming offers less than television quality. We believe that everything you deliver to the television has to be TV quality or better—you can’t compromise on that. The only way you can do that in the U.S. today is by download.

Will Netflix drop their price even further?

This business analyst suggests that Netflix should drop their price even further, and has included a screenshot of the Netflix Web site where he claims they have done just that:

Price War!

NewsFinder: "Blockbuster cuts monthly online DVD rental rate (BBI) By Anne Stanley
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Blockbuster (BBI) said early Monday it's cutting the price of its online DVD rental subscription service by $2.50 to $17.49 a month, effective Oct. 25. The company also said that, as part of new consumer incentives, the two free in-store rental coupons that online subscribers receive each month can be used for game rentals as well as movie rentals."

Bring it on!

He's angry, and he's not going to take it anymore...

By Bill Mann (TMF Otter)
October 14, 2004
Fool.com: Arrogant, or Desperate? [Motley Fool Take] October 14, 2004: "I have a deep well of ire, and this week the company that has raised it is Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX). Some dear friends of ours gave us a three-month gift subscription to Netflix, which we enjoyed thoroughly. One would think, though, at the end of a gift subscription, that a company would let you know that, for the first time, your credit card was going to be charged should you wish to continue with the service. So being a naturally unaware person, without such notification I allowed the three-month mark to come and go without canceling. I missed by one day. It's not really the company's business to save me from myself, so my fault.

But check this out: When I went to the Netflix site to cancel, one day too late, I found that I could cancel at any moment, but at the moment I cancel, my subscription ends, and company policy is for no refund for the unused portion of the month to be granted. Miss canceling by a day? That's $23." Read more.

Af if you didn't already have enough reasons.

How did she do that?

I have the same movie title ("Forgotten Silver") in my queue twice, which should be impossible. Netflix usually warns me if I try to do that. I got around it this time, because I added the movie to my queue back when it was available. Then, it went "out of print". I added it again, without deleting the first one, and it ended up in my "awaiting release" section. Now that it has a release date, it's in my regular queue area.

Hacking NetFlix : Major Netflix Announcements!

I was out sick yesterday, so I'm a bit slow with the news. Hacking NetFlix reports several big ones:

1. Netflix is lowering the price of the 3-out subscription plan to $17.99 per month, starting in November.
2. Amazon is entering the DVD rental maket, according to Netflix.
3. Netflix announces GAAP Net Income of $18.9 million for Q3 2004, based on revenue of $141.6 million for the quarter.
4. Netflix has postponed European expansion plans to focus on the increasing U.S. competition.
5. The churn rate remained constant at 5.6% since last quarter.
6. The stock dropped from $17.43 per share to $10.99 in after-hours trading tonight.
7. Netflix is expecting to break even over the next year instead of being profitable.

Read more.

Mike says Netflix is on the defensive, trying to deal with increased threats from competition with Amazon, Blockbuster, Walmart, Greencine; hence the price change and the more conservative strategies. Sounds about right to me. He has a list of links to news reports around the Web.

Netflix Freak version 1.3 has new Browse Tab

Netflix Users: Get Your Freak On With Version 1.3 || The Mac Observer: "Version 1.3 adds a new Browse tab to the interface, which allows you to view the following:

This week's new releases from Netflix
Personalized recommendations from Netflix
Top 100 movies from Netflix
Top 25 movies by genre from Netflix "

Netflix Freak is available as shareware from Little App Factory.

Netflix redesigns Web site, now accepting checks...

Alex Designs analyzes Netflix's Web site. Netflix seems to be testing two different versions of it to see which is more effective at getting you to sign up. You'll get one or the other only if you're not a member or if you appear not to be.

Netflix has also begun accepting checks in addition to credit cards for payment.

Video Without Boundaries

Video Without Boundaries makes all-in-one devices which enable you to use your TV to view E-mail, Internet, Games, play MP3/CD/DVD/MPEG-1/MPEG-2/MPEG-4, and download movies. You can use it to record TV. With it, you have access to anything on your PC from your TV. They also have a built-in hard drive and DVD recorder.

Home Is Where The Movies Are; Home Theaters Replace Cinema

BY PATRICK SEITZ

INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY
Today in Investor's Business Daily stock analysis and business news:
"The growing popularity of DVDs and home theater systems are factors in declining movie theater attendance, some observers say."

"Nearly 36% of U.S. adults polled recently by TechnoMetrica Market Intelligence say they're going to the movie theater less often than just a year ago.
And owners of home theater setups are cutting back on trips to the cinema even more. About 45% of them say they're going to movie theaters less than a year ago. "

"The rise of DVDs and home theaters isn't the only reason behind the slide in movie theater attendance. High cost is the most cited reason by those who go to the cinema less often. 20.5% of respondents cite high movie theater prices.

Almost as many — 17.8% — say they prefer watching movies at home as their main reason for going to the theater less."

"Other reasons for avoiding movie theaters include people being too busy to go and not liking the quality or selection of movies in the theaters."

"There's some evidence that when a movie is announced theatrically, people make up their minds whether they're going to see it in the theater or wait for it (on DVD)," Alexander said. "As the in-home display stuff gets better and better, it will become an increasingly important decision."

70% of people who rent and 40% of people who buy a DVD never saw the movie in the theatre.

How Blockbuster Snared Me

How Blockbuster Snared Me Motley Fool contributer Nathan Slaughter gets caught by Blockbuster online:

This morning, my inbox was full of inviting offers: everything from rock-bottom prices for Pfizer's (NYSE: PFE - News) Viagra to a promotional code for 10% off any order at Target.com (NYSE: TGT - News). There was also an unusual notice -- not junk, but a congratulatory welcome message from Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI - News). That's right, I am now a proud member of Blockbuster's online movie rental service (on a free trial basis, anyway).

However, HackingNetflix has this to say:

I am a paying member of both services and believe that Netflix is superior in many ways (see my prior posts about movie availability and distribution centers). The fact that Nathan picked Blockbuster because of the 2 free rental coupons worries me -- Netflix has no counter to this offer at this time (next year they could offer 2 free movie downloads).

My experience with the coupons is less than satisfactory. The first time I used one it took them at least 15 minutes to sign me up (they can't pull up my old membership and I didn't have my card with me). The fine print on the coupon limits you to only one coupon per visit, so that means multiple trips to the video store, and multiple attempts for the store personnel to try to tempt you with carbohydrates like candy or popcorn. I joined Netflix to avoid the hassle of going to the video store, and I always forget to return movies. I know that I will wind up paying a late fee on the "free" movies.

Don't get Blockbuster, unless you really need to go to the store twice per month.

Netflix Fan interview in Video Business Online

You think blogging about Netflix is weird?. This week's Video Business Online interviews Netflix Fan!!

"I wanted to know every detail on how they operated," Netflix Fan's Becky explained. "I was partly wanting to maximize my value. I found very little out there from the users point of view. And Netflix seemed very mysterious and kind of hidden from view. Nobody could drive up to a Netflix store."

Becky has since tried to take some of the mystery away, tracking locations--and location changes--of Netflix shipping centers so that users can estimate shipping times and giving tips to getting movies faster."

Read more.

More on Hollywood Video's in-store program

"They don't even have to walk in the door with money in their hands," said Ralph Noe, a store director for Hollywood Video. "The customers are really enjoying the convenience. We've had people rent as many as three titles a day for three weeks in a row.

"...the newest releases do not become available to MVP cardholders until they have been on store shelves between three to five weeks, Noe said customers are renting more from the store's library to either see fairly recent movies or to catch up with a classic.[This happens with Netflix, too--Becky]

"'It's been terrific, absolutely terrific,' he said. 'People are realizing their membership is much more now.' " Source

Hollywood Video starts all-you-can rent program **Updated

What the other guys are up to, via Recordnet.com: "At Hollywood Video , for example, a customer who pays a $9.99 monthly fee for the first three months -- the price goes up to $14.99 a month after that -- can check out dozens of DVD movies a month for less than the cost of three movie rentals at the $4 each regular price. "

Also,

"Wal-Mart just opened its 13th distribution center and will soon open another. Wal-Mart also expanded its catalog of titles to 15,000, compared to more than 25,000 for Netflix ."

**Update: The Hollywood Video deal, called "movie value pass", is for 5-day rentals only, and includes "most new releases" and all Hollywood Film Library(r) titles.

With Friends on DVD Who Needs Real TV?

Straight.com: Dot Comment: "If you're old enough to remember the days when a VCR was an expensive novelty item that you or your parents occasionally rented from a video store (along with a couple of prerecorded movies to watch over the weekend), then you've lived through the biggest period of transformation the entertainment industry has undergone since commercial television caught on in the 1950s. " Read more.

The Netflix Neurosis

by Gabriel Sherman

In the mental iconography of the New York culture junkie, the Netflix queue has joined the line of must-have life accouterments. The kind of person who fixates on arranging just the right titles on his built-in bookcases or artfully stacking back issues of Granta and The New York Review of Books now spends countless hours searching the Netflix Web site. His Netflix neuroses requires him to add to his queue all the high-end movies that he never got around to catching at the theater—if not necessarily to watch them. Read more.

Protect the environment--use Netflix!

If Netflix members, instead of receiving movies by mail, drove two miles each way to a rental store, they would consume 250,000 gallons of gasoline per day and release 750,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

Breaking even

I managed to get nine discs from Netflix in September, at an average cost to me of $2.61 each. That is a good value. Netflix saves me the 40 minutes of driving to and from the store twice, the hour it takes to find what I want in the store, and the headache of due dates.

My local Blockbuster and Hollywood Video stores charge about $3.75 each plus 7% tax, but Video Review charges just $2.79 for DVDs and $1.99 for VHS. If you live in the Greensboro, NC area, I recommend Video Review , an independent video rental store with two locations and a tremendous selection of rare classics and new releases. As long as there are still so many titles unavailable on DVD, I will continue to go to Video Review for their extensive library of VHS.

DVD collectors thrill to the chase, not the viewing

Via AZCentral.com:
Adam Graham
The Detroit News
Oct. 5, 2004 12:00 AM

"'We're a society of collectors. We just want to own stuff,' says Scott Hettrick, editor in chief of Hollywood-based DVD Exclusive magazine. 'It's a social phenomenon capitalizing on a very common part of human nature - the want to own things and buy things.'

Hettrick says consumers form a strong personal connection with DVDs.

'People have more passionate personal feelings about movies and TV shows than a lot of other things,' he says. 'People start to identify with characters in movies and TV shows, and they feel like the movies or the characters really speak to them. They somehow touched a nerve. It can be as simple as the music in 'The Breakfast Club' bringing back some sort of nostalgic feelings, and they want to own that somehow and have a piece of it.'"

Studies show people are buying movies, rather than renting them, more than ever. In the first half of this year, sales of DVDs and VHS tapes were up 23 percent over the same time last year, while rentals of VHS and DVDs fell 19.1 percent, according to data complied by DVD Exclusive.

How Netflix deals with dirty discs

Per Video Business Online : "At Netflix, discs are wiped when they are returned and before they are sent, said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos. Those discs flagged by customers as being unplayable are sent to its main distribution center and resurfaced if necessary.

Aside from the annoyance, the discs can be costly to resurface because it is labor intensive, Sarandos said. Perhaps unsurprisingly, children's movies tend to have the most problems, he added."

Netflix Announces 3rd Qtr Numbers

Netflix announces 73 Percent Year-Over-Year Subscriber Growth for the Third Quarter; Raises Guidance for GAAP Net Income


"For the last several years, the rich content on the Netflix web site, including personalized recommendations, has driven high utilization rates as subscribers have been discovering great movies from the Company's huge library of DVD titles, including the inventory of older titles."

DVD recorder sales lagging

New Zealand News - Technology - DVD recorder sales lagging "DVD recorders are getting cheaper and easier to use, but that may not be enough to spark demand for the sluggish selling devices." People are reluctant to let go of their VCRs for recording purposes, even though they are happy to have a DVD player. DVD recorders are not catching on fast enough.

One Month Trial is GONE--again!

Sorry, but the one month trial offer has once again disappeared from my Netflix homepage. I gave away over 30 one-month trials. People said the two-week trial was too short, but that a one-month trial was long enough to find out how many movies you could watch the Netflix way. You can still get a two-week trial by clicking here.