netflix

'Dance Moms,' other A&E shows waltz onto Amazon Prime

People seeking their favorite A&E shows -- like "Storage Wars" or "Dance Moms" -- can now watch them via Amazon's video streaming service.

The Web giant today said it has reached a content licensing agreement with A+E Networks, which owns the A&E, Bio, History, and Lifetime channels. Under the agreement, prior seasons of popular shows will be added to Amazon's Prime Instant Video service.

Amazon has been rapidly expanding its streaming service to compete with Netflix, Hulu, and other rivals. The service originally was only available to the company'… Read more

In search of the perfect, diaper-free gadget trade-in box

Shortly after its rebranding in 2008, year-old gadget trade-in service Gazelle had a problem.

People were sending in diapers.

Not used diapers, of course. But after agreeing to send the company their old smartphone in return for cash, some customers were eschewing typical pack,aging materials in favor of whatever was in their house. As it turned out, this could be spare diapers, worn-out shoes and even pillows.

Why was this happening? The service, which buys used gadgets then sells them off to third-parties, was giving customers U.S. Postal Service shipping boxes and an envelope. People took one look … Read more

Amazon apologizes for Netflix's Christmas Eve streaming outage

Amazon has posted an apology for a disruption in its cloud services that hobbled Netflix's streaming services on Christmas Eve and said it is taking steps to prevent future disruptions.

Although Amazon's explanation of the outage didn't identify Netflix by name, the streaming service blamed Amazon Web Services last week for an outage that affected "many but not all devices" across the Americas.

"We want to apologize," Seattle-based Amazon said in its statement. "We know how critical our services are to our customers' businesses, and we know this disruption came at an … Read more

Netflix doubles down on CEO Reed Hastings' pay package

Netflix has doubled the compensation package CEO Reed Hastings will receive in 2013 over the current year, the streaming and video rental company revealed today in a regulatory filing.

Hastings will receive $2 million in salary and another $2 million in compensation through stock options, according to a document filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The increase is a significant pay bump over 2012, when Hastings received $500,000 in salary and $1.5 million in stock options.

The compensation increase would seem to represent renewed confidence in Hastings, whose stock option allowance was reduced in December … Read more

Netflix to get 'social features' next year

Netflix will get "social features" that will allow users to share their viewed movies online, according to a report by Talking Points Memo.

Netflix has long wanted users to link their video accounts with Facebook and other social networks, but has been prevented from doing so because of the Video Privacy Protection Act, which bars company from disclosing information such as video rentals. An amendment to that law passed on Friday allows digital, as opposed to written, permission from users and thus makes it easier for Netflix to move forward with its social plans.

CNET contacted Netflix for … Read more

Netflix outage mars Christmas Eve

Netflix's video streaming service suffered a Christmas Eve outage on "many but not all devices" across the Americas, according to the company.

The outage continued into Christmas morning for some customers. The company tweeted on its Netflix US account at 8:45 a.m. PT today that the service was "back to normal streaming levels."

Netflix first started responding to tweets about disrupted service before 1 p.m. PT yesterday. About three hours later, Netflix offered an apology on its main Twitter account.

"We're sorry for the Christmas Eve outage. Terrible timing! Engineers … Read more

Easy last-minute gifts you can print or e-mail

We're down to the wire, just one day to go until the ho-ho-holiday. If you're a procrastinator like me, you might be scrambling to find a last-minute gift for, say, your favorite uncle/mail carrier/blogger.

No problem: all you need is your computer and, if you want something tangible you can put under the tree, a printer. The following stores let you print or e-mail gift certificates for fast, easy, and downright thoughtful giving.

Amazon.com On any Amazon page, click the Gift Cards link, then choose Digital or Print. Amazon offers a wealth of options in … Read more

Web media: The 5 biggest stories of 2012

Fun, fun, fun!

That's what digital movies, music, and books are supposed to be about. But for the people who create and sell the stuff, it's been all crumbs, crumbs, crumbs.

The past year was another tough one for the sale of entertainment media on the Web. The irony is that as more entertainment fare is sold online, the less profitable the businesses become.

Few, if any, online music services are profitable. In Web movie distribution, download sales are dismal. Even Netflix, the Web's top video rental service, saw a slow down in the rate it added … Read more

Senate approves Netflix-backed amendment to video privacy law

The U.S. Senate has approved legislation to amend a 1988 law that would make it easier for people to share their video-viewing habits online should the Netflix-backed bill win President Obama's signature.

The Senate approved revisions this evening to the Video Privacy Protection Act to allow video rental companies to obtain consent from customers in order to share information about their viewing preferences on social networks. The 24-year-old law was enacted after a newspaper printed the video rental history of Judge Robert H. Bork during his Supreme Court nomination hearings.

Bork died yesterday at age 85, a day … Read more