Netflix is now available in the UK, and that means it's now available for iPhone and iPad in the UK App Store (and Android too). One month of service will run you £5.99 which isn't too far off the US or Canadian prices.

Content is... content. It sounds like it's okay at launch but stuff will come, stuff will go, so if you see something you like, start watching it now.

It's a universal binary, so if you're in the UK and you try it out, let us know how it works for you.

• App Store link

AllThingsD reports that Netflix (and Blockbuster) will be required to wait twice as long, or a full 56 days after DVDs hit retail shelves, before offering Warner Brothers content under a new distribution agreement.

The move is part of Hollywood’s ongoing campaign to bolster flagging DVD sales, and sources tell me the new deal is supposed to be announced at next week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Warner Brothers executives have already talked publicly about extending the current window.

Redbox was also included in the initial report, however their parent company Coinstar has made a statement indicating they haven't yet entered into a new contract with Warner Brothers. They are, however, set to renegotiate their contract at the end of January, but have publicly stated they'd look for "workarounds" if studios attempt to double the time window.

While studios may think this type of dumbassery forces people to buy more DVDs, it only forces them to hate the circumvent the customer-hostile studios. Hollywood is once again on the wrong side of history and common sense. Rapid availability and fair pricing is what boosts sales. iTunes taught that to music studios ravaged by Napster and the like a decade ago. Steve Jobs told them at the time their competition was free-as-in-file-sharing. Is Hollywood really this intent on making the recording labels seem like geniuses by comparison?

Here's once again hoping the old-guard gets replaced soon.

Source: All Things Digital

The iMore Nation picks their favorite devices, features, stories, and new or majorly updated apps and accessories of 2011!

Your votes have been counted. The results have been tallied. This is it, iMore Nation! These are your 2011 Readers Choice Award winners!

• Want an alternate take? try our 2011 Editors Choice Awards

iOS device of the year: iPhone 4S

By the narrowest of margins, the iPhone 4S edged out the iPad 2 as your favorite new iOS device of 2011.

I voted for the 4S since I still have not yet gotten an iPad or iPad 2 and still don’t really have a compelling reason to. iPhone 4S has a better camera for both photos and videos, and also has a retina display. I think if the next iPad has the same camera as the 4S and has a retina display, it will win for next - Brad Morris

iOS feature of the year: Siri

In another tight race, Siri won a hotly contested race against Notification Center. While some felt Siri's iPhone 4S exclusivity should have excluded it from entry, multitasking, video recording, and other now widespread features all debuted as iPhone exclusives at some point.

I would have to say Siri and the iPhone 4S are the top inovation. They changed the way we interact with our devices – look at what Apple has gotten us to do, we are speaking of an application, Siri, like she is a person I am excited to see what this leads to! - Sarah

Epic fail of the year: Netflix meltdown

In our third hotly contested category, Netflix raising their rates, splitting their services, renaming one division Qwikster, changing their minds about renaming one division Qwikster, and overall plain batcrap craziness this year beat out the lack of iPhone redesign as the most epic fail of the year. Wow.

Netflix was definitely the fail of the year. I love my 4S and nothing about it has been a failure! Siri is great, and I actually like that they didn’t redesign (because with every redesign comes the need to buy and make new accessories). I’m loving the bigger capacity (64g for me!) and the faster processor. Yep, my vote goes to Netflix. What they did just reeks of bad customer service. We canceled instantly and still have not re-subscribed. Not sure if we will. I’m looking into other options. - A. R.

Arts & Entertainment app of the year: Instagram

Out of all the photography, video, and music apps this year, and after briefly falling behind Snapseed in the voting, you picked the smash hit, filter flying, social sharing photo app, Instagram, as your favorite. No wonder it has so many users.

[Instagram] is one of the reason I’m sticking to my iPhone rather than move back to BB. The social features is great, it integrate with the built in photo library and the best thing it’s free. - Dee

[Instagram] in and of itself is enough to make me want to switch from Android to iPhone. - Mary Beth

• App Store link

Productivity app of the year: iWork for iPhone

Even Instapaper 4's makeover wasn't even to hold Apple's triple iPhone threat of Keynote, Numbers, and Pages, all newly ported to iPhone and amped up to support iCloud document sync.

I’ve been waiting [iWork for iPhone] this since before the iPad came out! iWork is my office program of choice on my Mac and I haven’t been a big fan of the conversions that happen in docs to go or quick office. Now I have numbers across all three of my devices…….finally! - JPwillis269

• Pages App Store link
• Numbers App Store link
• Keynote App Store link

Social networking app of the year: Tweetbot

Tweetbot just barely managed to take the win from the controversial Twitter for iPhone redesign that we bloggers detested but you readers really seemed to like.

Nothing even comes close to Tweetbot! I even use it on my iPad, and I hate using iPhone apps on my iPad - Galley

• App Store link

Casual game of the year: Tiny Wings

There was nothing casual about Tiny Wings' win over Cut the Rope: Experiments -- it barely outran daylight to claim this prize.

Tiny Wings is definitely an awesome game. I love the music and the simple controls. The graphics are beautiful, even when playing on the iPad in 2x mode. I especially like the achievements that are called objectives in the game. I’ve been playing it all weekend. - David Levine

• App Store link

Hardcore game of the year: Real Racing 2

Always one of the first apps to adapt to the latest Apple hardware, like iPad 2, and software, like AirPlay mirroring, Real Racing 2 crossed the finish-line ahead of even Infinity Blade II-level competition.

[Real Racing 2's] graphics are beautiful. The cars are authentic and behave the way one would if you were lucky enough to drive it on the real streets. The on line multiplayer feature allows you to “meet” those that you race with all over the world. And, if you get bored with on line racing, there are personal time trials to improve on, quick races with AI cars at three difficulty levels, and why not go back through the career mode again? I have personally spent around 1000 hours playing this game since purchasing! That is just play time alone! FireMint’s associated forum adds an entire broader dimension to this little addictive game and friendships have been forged! Lastly, FireMint is extremely “on top” of this game and receptive to feedback like none other I have ever experienced! If it is not clear yet, I Vote for RR2!!!!! - Denisethenurse1

• iPhone App Store link
• iPad App Store link

Jailbreak app of the year: SBSettings for iOS 5

Barely a tap ahead of the equally convenient BiteSMS app for jailbreak, your favorite this year was the newly iOS 5 updated versions of... SBSettings!

Navigating through menus is insanely unnecessary and causes loss of data for apps that don’t support multitasking so you have the fun of starting all over. There is simply no reason for Apple to make using those features as tedious as they do. High on my list of long-standing disappointments and a main reason to JB for SBSettings. - Talkin73

• Cydia link

iPhone case of the year: Otterbox Reflex

By only a few precious votes, the Otterbox Reflex case for iPhone claimed the prize over Lifeproof.

Well… I thought I lost my IPhone 4 3 months ago… Found it last night in the bed of of truck beside a small bag of soil that I’ve been carting around…. It has been through numerous rain storms and car washes. It was totally protected with the Otterbox and works perfectly!! Great Product!! - Kerri

• iMore Store link

iPad case of the year: DODOcase

Even the magnetism of Apple's own SmartCover couldn't stop the newly redesigned DODOcase from winning your favorite iPad protection prize this year.

DODOcase is more than just a case. It connects me to layers of artisanal tradition, brings the past into the present and honors generations of fine craftspeople. AND the company is small, local and green. AND the cases are gorgeous! - Corey

• Web site link

iPhone and iPad accessory of the year: Jawbone ERA

While the Wacom Bamboo Stylus took an early lead in our general accessory category, the power of the Jawbone ERA Bluetooth Headset ultimately could not be denied.

• iMore store link

The iMore Nation picks their favorite devices, features, stories, and new or majorly updated apps and accessories of 2011!

Your votes have been counted. The results have been tallied. This is it, iMore Nation! These are your 2011 Readers Choice Award winners!

• Want an alternate take? try our 2011 Editors Choice Awards

iOS device of the year: iPhone 4S

By the narrowest of margins, the iPhone 4S edged out the iPad 2 as your favorite new iOS device of 2011.

I voted for the 4S since I still have not yet gotten an iPad or iPad 2 and still don’t really have a compelling reason to. iPhone 4S has a better camera for both photos and videos, and also has a retina display. I think if the next iPad has the same camera as the 4S and has a retina display, it will win for next - Brad Morris

iOS feature of the year: Siri

In another tight race, Siri won a hotly contested race against Notification Center. While some felt Siri's iPhone 4S exclusivity should have excluded it from entry, multitasking, video recording, and other now widespread features all debuted as iPhone exclusives at some point.

I would have to say Siri and the iPhone 4S are the top inovation. They changed the way we interact with our devices – look at what Apple has gotten us to do, we are speaking of an application, Siri, like she is a person I am excited to see what this leads to! - Sarah

Epic fail of the year: Netflix meltdown

In our third hotly contested category, Netflix raising their rates, splitting their services, renaming one division Qwikster, changing their minds about renaming one division Qwikster, and overall plain batcrap craziness this year beat out the lack of iPhone redesign as the most epic fail of the year. Wow.

Netflix was definitely the fail of the year. I love my 4S and nothing about it has been a failure! Siri is great, and I actually like that they didn’t redesign (because with every redesign comes the need to buy and make new accessories). I’m loving the bigger capacity (64g for me!) and the faster processor. Yep, my vote goes to Netflix. What they did just reeks of bad customer service. We canceled instantly and still have not re-subscribed. Not sure if we will. I’m looking into other options. - A. R.

Arts & Entertainment app of the year: Instagram

Out of all the photography, video, and music apps this year, and after briefly falling behind Snapseed in the voting, you picked the smash hit, filter flying, social sharing photo app, Instagram, as your favorite. No wonder it has so many users.

[Instagram] is one of the reason I’m sticking to my iPhone rather than move back to BB. The social features is great, it integrate with the built in photo library and the best thing it’s free. - Dee

[Instagram] in and of itself is enough to make me want to switch from Android to iPhone. - Mary Beth

• App Store link

Productivity app of the year: iWork for iPhone

Even Instapaper 4's makeover wasn't even to hold Apple's triple iPhone threat of Keynote, Numbers, and Pages, all newly ported to iPhone and amped up to support iCloud document sync.

I’ve been waiting [iWork for iPhone] this since before the iPad came out! iWork is my office program of choice on my Mac and I haven’t been a big fan of the conversions that happen in docs to go or quick office. Now I have numbers across all three of my devices…….finally! - JPwillis269

• Pages App Store link
• Numbers App Store link
• Keynote App Store link

Social networking app of the year: Tweetbot

Tweetbot just barely managed to take the win from the controversial Twitter for iPhone redesign that we bloggers detested but you readers really seemed to like.

Nothing even comes close to Tweetbot! I even use it on my iPad, and I hate using iPhone apps on my iPad - Galley

• App Store link

Casual game of the year: Tiny Wings

There was nothing casual about Tiny Wings' win over Cut the Rope: Experiments -- it barely outran daylight to claim this prize.

Tiny Wings is definitely an awesome game. I love the music and the simple controls. The graphics are beautiful, even when playing on the iPad in 2x mode. I especially like the achievements that are called objectives in the game. I’ve been playing it all weekend. - David Levine

• App Store link

Hardcore game of the year: Real Racing 2

Always one of the first apps to adapt to the latest Apple hardware, like iPad 2, and software, like AirPlay mirroring, Real Racing 2 crossed the finish-line ahead of even Infinity Blade II-level competition.

[Real Racing 2's] graphics are beautiful. The cars are authentic and behave the way one would if you were lucky enough to drive it on the real streets. The on line multiplayer feature allows you to “meet” those that you race with all over the world. And, if you get bored with on line racing, there are personal time trials to improve on, quick races with AI cars at three difficulty levels, and why not go back through the career mode again? I have personally spent around 1000 hours playing this game since purchasing! That is just play time alone! FireMint’s associated forum adds an entire broader dimension to this little addictive game and friendships have been forged! Lastly, FireMint is extremely “on top” of this game and receptive to feedback like none other I have ever experienced! If it is not clear yet, I Vote for RR2!!!!! - Denisethenurse1

• iPhone App Store link
• iPad App Store link

Jailbreak app of the year: SBSettings for iOS 5

Barely a tap ahead of the equally convenient BiteSMS app for jailbreak, your favorite this year was the newly iOS 5 updated versions of... SBSettings!

Navigating through menus is insanely unnecessary and causes loss of data for apps that don’t support multitasking so you have the fun of starting all over. There is simply no reason for Apple to make using those features as tedious as they do. High on my list of long-standing disappointments and a main reason to JB for SBSettings. - Talkin73

• Cydia link

iPhone case of the year: Otterbox Reflex

By only a few precious votes, the Otterbox Reflex case for iPhone claimed the prize over Lifeproof.

Well… I thought I lost my IPhone 4 3 months ago… Found it last night in the bed of of truck beside a small bag of soil that I’ve been carting around…. It has been through numerous rain storms and car washes. It was totally protected with the Otterbox and works perfectly!! Great Product!! - Kerri

• iMore Store link

iPad case of the year: DODOcase

Even the magnetism of Apple's own SmartCover couldn't stop the newly redesigned DODOcase from winning your favorite iPad protection prize this year.

DODOcase is more than just a case. It connects me to layers of artisanal tradition, brings the past into the present and honors generations of fine craftspeople. AND the company is small, local and green. AND the cases are gorgeous! - Corey

• Web site link

iPhone and iPad accessory of the year: Jawbone ERA

While the Wacom Bamboo Stylus took an early lead in our general accessory category, the power of the Jawbone ERA Bluetooth Headset ultimately could not be denied.

• iMore store link

So to get it out of the way, while I'm running iOS 5 on my iPad I'm still running iOS 4 on my iPhone. I need my jailbreak, the iOS 5 untethered jailbreak just went live yesterday, and I haven't had time to update yet. That's why many of my apps, and a couple of my most-used apps of 2011, other than Mail, Safari, etc. are mainly jailbreak apps. Oh, and games!

LockInfo

The original Notification Center, it's still way more useful and not only lets me keep track of everything but lets me quickly preview messages so I can stay on top of things during my typically hectic days.

• $7.99 - Web link

Infinidock

Apple's stock 4 apps in the dock simply aren't enough for me. I want more and Infinidock provides for just that. Thanks to Infinidock, I can only keep Mail, Safari and Phone at the ready, but App Store and iTunes Store, and many, more more as well. (Yes, I download a lot of apps and music, but I can use the excuse that it's my job!). Just add all you want and scroll away!

• Cydia Link

Twitter for iPhone

I don't use Twitter that much, so even though Twitter for iPhone went through a major change recently, it's still my go to Twitter app. It lets me see my replies and write my tweets and that's pretty much all I need. (Though I do find Tweetbot adorable!)

• Free - App Store link

Chuzzle

I love strategy games and while I still played Plants vs. Zombies and Field Runners last year, Chuzzle has been my main addiction of late. It's cute, it's easy to get into and out of if you only have a short amount of time, and it's by Popcap so how can you go wrong?

• $2.99 - App Store link

Netflix

I have a digital antenna and Windows Media Center PVR for most of my day-to-day television viewing, but for pretty much everything else I use Netflix on the Apple TV. It has great old shows like Damages and the original X-Men cartoon. If you have young kids, Netflix is hours of entertainment, especially if you put it on their iPod touches!

• Free with subscription - App Store link

My most-used apps of 2011 are probably the built in iPhone and iPad Safari browser, Mail client, and anything and everything Siri can now easily and instantly manage for me like Reminders, Calendars, Alarms, etc. But that's mundane, boring, and way too Spock for a list like this. So if I take the defaults off the table and focus only on the App Store fare, here's what I spent most of my time with this year.

Tweetbot

I use Twitter a lot. I try every new client that comes out and I use several at a time for different things. I read a lot in Twitterriffic due to the unified timeline. I still occasionally compose in Birdhouse for things I'm mulling but haven't completed yet. I love just scrolling through Twittelator Neue for the sheer eye candy of it. Instagram is also good for sharing pics to Twitter. But for most of the year I stuck with Twitter for iPhone for my heavy lifting -- checking @mentions and quickly firing off replies. Recently, when Twitter remodeled for what I can only imagine is the new, Britney Spears-following user, I remodeled as well -- to Tweetbot. While it looks significantly different from Loren Brichter's Tweetie, the original basis for Twitter for iPhone, Tweetbot works in a similar enough way that's it become my go-to Twitter app.

Netflix

I've always watched a ton of TV. I leave it on while I work as background noise, and if there's anything that competes with gadgets for my geek love, it's story -- characters through conflict coming to conclusion. Like many others, I cut my cable TV off this year and went all in on apps. I use Air Video to watch almost everything I already have on my hard-drive, automagically transcoding it on the fly and beaming it over AirPlay to my Apple TV. I use a bunch of Canadian TV network apps for watching new shows, namely Global, CTV, and Citytv. Despite their inexplicable spiral into business insanity this year, however, I've been watching more and more Netflix. It's older stuff, but it's a lot of stuff, with no annoying ads, and a lot of complete seasons of shows. In addition to re-watching the best of Buffy and Angel, I've plowed through Mad Men, The Unit, and a bunch of other great shows.

Instacast

I don't listen to as many podcasts as I used to. The more time I spend writing the less time I have to read, and now the more time I spend producing and hosting podcasts means the less time I have to listen and watch them. That's not entirely a bad thing; several of the shows I used to listen have grown to the point where they now seem a tad out of touch with the subjects I enjoyed, or the personalities have somehow decided that interrupting with lame jokes is more important than letting the interesting, informed guest actually finish a sentence. (And yeah, I'm as guilty of all that as the next podcaster -- we often find most annoying in others the traits that we find most annoying in ourselves). But I do have to keep track of all the Mobile Nations shows and make sure all the feeds have the right episodes, all the downloads are working, all the art is showing up, etc. etc. and when I do have time to listen to something like Hypercritical or The Sci-Fi Cast, I use Instacast and now Instacast HD

Reeder

Twitter has replaced a lot of what I used to use RSS for -- finding interesting stuff to read and post about -- but it hasn't replaced everything. I still check RSS daily. I'll use The Early Edition when I want to sip latte and skim the news, or Flipboard when I want to check out a social stream of news. For churning through a ton of feeds, however, Reeder for iPhone and Reeder for iPad are still my workhorses. They sync with Google Reader quickly and the interfaces are nearly frictionless. Anything that's super-interesting gets mailed off or saved to [Instapaper], and I get back to work.

1Password

Whether it's on iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Windows, whenever I'm setting up new a device or computer -- which I do often -- the first thing I do is log into iCloud, then install Dropbox, then install 1Password, and then I'm pretty much done. 1Password hooks into Dropbox to keep all my logins, credit cards, accounts, and other information secure yet easily accessible. It also generates super-strong passwords when I need them. I have to keep track of so many accounts that there's just no way I'd be able to do it without 1Password. Once that's done, I'll get Screens, Skype, and my other go-to utilities up and running.

Rene, Seth, and Jon Fingas of Electronista talk iPhone 4S 2 months later, Galaxy Nexus competition, Nokia hipsters, iOS 5.1 beta 2, PhotoStream, fake iPhone strings, Netflix, Microsoft apps, newnew Twitter, UI, and more. This is iPhone Live!

• Subscribe via iTunes: Audio | Video
• Subscribe via RSS: Audio | Video
• Download directly: Audio | Video
• Show notes

Hosts

• Rene Ritchie (@reneritchie)
• Seth Clifford (@sethclifford)

Special Guest

• Jon Fingas of Electronista

Credits

You can reach all of us on Twitter @TiPb, or you can email us at podcast@tipb.com, or leave a comment on the website when the show goes live.

We're here every Wednesday night at 6pm Pacific, 9pm Eastern, 2am GMT, and our companion show -- iPad Live! -- is at the same time, on the same channel, on Sunday nights. www.TiPb.com/live

For all our podcasts -- audio and video -- including iPhone and iPad Live, ZENandTECH and Superfunctional, Iterate and Girls Gone Gadget and more... see MobileNations.com/shows

If you haven't already please subscribe to all our shows in iTunes and leave a rating. It helps people find the show and means a lot to us!

Thanks to the TiPb iPhone Accessory Store for sponsoring the podcast, and to everyone who showed up for the live chat!

Netflix for iPhone and iPad has been updated with a new UI for iPad and availability in Latin America. This new interface now provides access to twice as many movies and TV show for instant viewing.

• Netflix now available in Latin America for iPhone and iPad
• New iPad UI for all regions - US, Canada, Latin America - requires upgrade to iOS 5
• Addressed stability issues
• For support questions please contact us at mobilesupport@netflix.com

Netflix is available on the iPhone and iPad for free.

• App Store link

Have an app you'd love to see featured on TiPb? Email us at iosapps@tipb.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we'll take a look.

Marc, Seth, and Rene iterate through Nest and the future of consumer electronic design, photos under glass, Google search as an app, kicking users to the Facebook curb, and interrogate Jessie Dodds of Campaign Monitor. This is Iterate!

• Our podcast feed
• Download Directly
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• Nest
• A brief Rant on the Future of Interactive Design
• “Pictures Under Glass” is Revolutionary, Not Transitional
• Creating the Future
• Google Search app for iPad updated

• What the heck is wrong with Netflix?

• Jesse Dodds of Campaign Monitor

• Photoshop Actions

Hosts

• Marc Edwards (@marcedwards) of Bjango
• Seth Clifford (@sethclifford) of Nickelfish
• Rene Ritchie (@reneritchie) of TiPb.com

Feedback

• Email: podcast@iterate.tv
• Twitter: @iteratetv
• Facebook: Iterate page

If you're one of the best-of-the-best-of-the-best in mobile design for Android, BlackBerry, iOS, webOS, or Windows Phone, we'd love to get you on the show, or if you've found a drop-dead gorgeous app on any platform and really want us to talk about it, contact us and let us know.

I re-installed my iPhone the other day, re-downloaded Netflix, entered my username and password... and was promptly kicked out of the app and into Safari, and asked to login to Facebook. Something similar happened on my iPad, but because I was already logged into Facebook I was instead kicked out into Safari and asked to add some ridiculous Netflix app to Facebook.

I can't emphasize enough how horrible a user experience this is. A first time user experience should be as darn near frictionless as possible. It should be about the app and service, helping you to use it successfully and immediately. Kicking your new users out of your app is inexcusable. Kicking them into Facebook is even worse. Despite its popularity, not everyone uses it. Some people are highly opposed to using it for various privacy reasons.

For someone like my mom, that would be a brick wall and phone call to me -- something she's never had to do on the iPad so far.

From the bungled price hike to the embarrassing Qwikster flip-flop to the perplexing release of a revamped Android tablet app before the much, much, much (much) better selling iPad, Netflix should be far more concerned about providing a great experience to the users that have stuck with them than about pushing their self-service social initiatives. Instead, this looks like just one more misstep.

What the heck is wrong with them?

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Georgia, Seth, and Rene discuss iPad 3 rumors, Apple TV 3 rumors, Steve Jobs wanting to revolutionize television, textbooks, and photography, the new Netflix, Minecraft, Spy Mouse HD, picks of the week, the new forums, and the latest tips. This is iPad Live!

Hosts

• Georgia (@GeorgiaTiPb)
• Rene Ritchie (@reneritchie)
• Seth Clifford (@sethclifford)

Credits

Thanks to the TiPb iPad Accessory Store for sponsoring the podcast, and to everyone who showed up for the live chat!

Music Hear me Roar by iPad Live theme song contest winner, DieselJesus!

Netflix is currently revamping its Netflix iPad app to bring it into line with its just updated apps on other platforms. The new update will include a complete redesign of the user interface.

The new design is much more immersive and provides greater focus on the growing number of titles in the Netflix catalog. In fact, the new interface displays twice as many movies and TV shows as before, enabling you to discover even more titles you'll love. Also, we've taken greater advantage of the tablet's unique features, inviting you to swipe through rows of titles featuring larger artwork.

Source: The Netflix Blog

Netflix has announced that, as the cold harsh light of morning -- and likely customer sentiment analysis -- hit them, they're reversing their previous decision to spin off their DVD mailer business into Qwikster. This means iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Apple TV Netflix users in the US can retain a single site for all their account mangeament, ratings and reviews. Re-un-de-unified CEO, Reed Hastings:

It is clear that for many of our members two websites would make things more difficult, so we are going to keep Netflix as one place to go for streaming and DVDs.

This means no change: one website, one account, one password… in other words, no Qwikster.

While the July price change was necessary, we are now done with price changes.

That or this has all been some elaborate plan by Hastings to be named CEO of HP...

Source: Netflix

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Georgia, Seth, and Rene talk Netflix alternatives, Apple vs. Samsung... and Verizon? Amazon tablet event, Macy's vending machines, Padzilla, Marvel collections, best podcatchers, and more! This is iPad Live!

Hosts

• Georgia @GeorgiaTiPb)
• Rene Ritchie @reneritchie)
• Seth Clifford @sethclifford)

Credits

Thanks to the TiPb iPad Accessory Store for sponsoring the podcast, and to everyone who showed up for the live chat!

Music Hear me Roar by iPad Live theme song contest winner, DieselJesus!

• Our podcast feed
• Download Directly
• Subscribe via iTunes
• Show notes

Rene, Georgia, and Seth talk iPhone 5 event on the horizon, which iPhone we're getting on what carrier, ringbacks, iCloud beta getting wiped, and Netflix (and Qwikster) losing their minds. This is iPhone Live!

Hosts

Credits

Thanks to the TiPb iPhone accessory store for sponsoring the podcast, and to everyone who showed up for the live chat!

Our music comes from the following sources:

• I Called You -- iPhone Remix by Pete Leidy
via Sneakmove iPhone Ringtone Challenge

I have to admit I'm still using Netflix to watch TV shows and movies on my iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, though the recent news has gotten me looking into alternatives. I just finished the first season of Damages and really liked it, and Sherlock was cool, but there's a lot of choices out there now. Both Netflix and Crackle have a few old Anime shows I like, and several TV stations and cable and satellite companies have apps so if I miss an episode of the new fall premiers I can probably -- hopefully -- catch it later on my mobile device. But not always. For example, the HBO stuff is awesome and I loved Game of Thrones but it's not available in my area... so what do I do? There's always iTunes but buying is too expensive when I'm only ever going to watch something once. Which brings me to my main point.

Why is this still so hard? I have money. I want to give a reasonable amount of this money to Hollywood so I can watch their TV shows. They've pretty much figured this out for cable and satellite, but I don't have either of those anymore. Why can't they figure out the same type of thing for internet TV? Just let me pay a few dozen dollars a month and give me all the same TV everyone else gets in the old traditional way, along with the commercials if they really have to, and the goofy catalog channels that go with him. Just let me do it on demand.

But they won't, so like I said I'm still with Netflix and all the other apps right now, scattered and fragmented across my poor iPhone and iPod. Unless anyone has any better ideas on how to watch TV shows on iPhone or iPad these days? Any apps you prefer? Anything besides bootleg internet downloads streamed from a PC via AirPlay...?

Reed Hastings, the co-founder and CEO of Netflix has put up a video and blog post this morning apologizing to customers for the way their recent plan changes and increases were handled, and announcing that while streaming services will retain the Netflix name, the DVD (and now video game) mailer service will be spun off as Qwikster. Phew. This only really matters to US customers, and to those who in addition to streaming on iPhone, Apple TV, iPad, and iPod touch also have DVD mailer plans, but it's an interesting case study in corporate communications none-the-less.

For the past five years, my greatest fear at Netflix has been that we wouldn't make the leap from success in DVDs to success in streaming. Most companies that are great at something – like AOL dialup or Borders bookstores – do not become great at new things people want (streaming for us) because they are afraid to hurt their initial business. Eventually these companies realize their error of not focusing enough on the new thing, and then the company fights desperately and hopelessly to recover. Companies rarely die from moving too fast, and they frequently die from moving too slowly.

Commendable fearlessness. Apple has often said that if anyone cannibalizes their business, it's going to be Apple themselves, and it's good to see other companies take those types of risks.

So 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. It’s hard for me to write this after over 10 years of mailing DVDs with pride, but we think it is necessary and best: In a few weeks, we will rename our DVD by mail service to “Qwikster”.

It's going to be a different website -- you'll have to go to netflix.com for your streaming and qwikster.com for your discs -- and different entries on your credit card statement. Hastings assures everyone, however, that the price hikes are done and the characteristic red envelopes will remain the same. However, for customers of both services, it could mean twice the overhead in managing those services, and a dilution of what Netflix means to them. (Twice as much is often half as strong.)

I want to acknowledge and thank our many members that stuck with us, and to apologize again to those members, both current and former, who felt we treated them thoughtlessly.

Check the video above and full post via the link below and let us know how you think he did, and whether you'll be sticking with Netflix -- and Qwikster -- going forward.

[Netflix

It seems like September 1 not only saw Netflix's new, controversial price plans go into effect, but it also saw them begin to enforce their "one movie stream at a time" policy, which means you can no longer have one video going on your iPhone and another on your iPad or Apple TV. Stop the Cap! breaks down your choices moving forward.

1. Pay considerably more for a combo disc-rental/streaming plan which unlocks a corresponding number of concurrent streams. If you want two concurrent video streams, you will need to pay $19.98 a month, which also allows you two mailed DVD’s out at a time. Three streams (and DVD’s) runs $23.98, four: $29.98;
2. Sign up for a second Unlimited Streaming account at an additional $7.99 a month;
3. Forget about Netflix.

People don't mind paying a fair price for a fair service, but they general don't like feeling nickel and dimed. If the streams are all going to the same IP address, it seems excessive (or it seems like it's lacking a simple option to have a multi-stream account.) Anything that results in user frustration isn't good, not for us and not for Netflix.

Which way are you leaning?

UPDATE: Engadget says it might just be a glitch.

According to spokesman Steve Swasey, the policy is still the same and no Netflix member is limited to less than two streams at once. The messages people are seeing indicating otherwise? An "error" the company is correcting.

[Stop the Cap! via Mashable, Engadget. Thanks excaliburca!]

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Georgia, Seth, and Rene talk Apple's new Learn commercial, competitors still struggling, Amazon's rumored Android Kindle tablet, iOS 5 beta 7, Eddy Cue, Netflix without Starz, Facebook for iPad, and more. This is iPad Live!

Hosts

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Music Hear me Roar by iPad Live theme song contest winner, DieselJesus!

Netflix couldn't come to a deal to keep Starz content on their service, so they'll be losing it next February, but it turns out Starz wanted more than just Netflix's money to stay -- they wanted more of our money too:

Netflix offered Starz more than $300 million per year to renew their agreement, but the pay cable channel was insistent on so-called tiered pricing, according to people close to the negotiations but not authorized to speak on the record. Tiered pricing would require Netflix subscribers who want movies and television shows from Starz and other premium providers to pay more than the standard $8 per month.

Basically, they wanted Netflix to become as expensive as cable so we, the customers are discouraged from leaving cable and living off digital antennas and services like Netflix.

That's nice for Starz, but do you want to pay more for Netflix to keep The Karate Kid on your iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Apple TV?

[LA Times]

iTunes Replay is the rumored name of the rumored Apple subscription video streaming service rumored to compete with the likes of Netflix. Apple Insider reported on the rumors a while back, and now App Advice hears it might be coming soon.

There's talk you'll be able to stream content purchased as far back as January of 2009. We're not sure what will happen to content purchased before that. There's also talks of certain content only being available for re-downloaded five times. This lines up with Apple traditionally allowing 5 computers to be authorized to play purchased content under one iTunes account. If true, iTunes Replay would basically just extend what Apple is currently offering for re-downloading content via iCloud.

It should also be interesting to see if iTunes Match content will be integrated into iTunes Replay. If we can simply stream a lot of our content, it will free up precious storage space on our devices.

App Advice

Netflix released a tiny update, ostensibly to add compatibility for the recent iOS 4.3.4 for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch (and iOS 4.2.9 for Verizon iPhone) firmwares, yet it seems to have addressed a huge pain point for developers as well -- compatibility with iOS 5.

So if you've been suffering without your Netflix fix, head on over to the App Store and tap the update button.

[Free - iTunes Store link]

Two sources familiar with the auction are reporting to Bloomberg that Apple is considering a bid to purchase the Hulu service. This isn't too hard to believe considering Apple has $76.2 billion in cash and securities.

Hulu is already a competitor to Netflix but if Apple does make an offer, this may give Netflix an even larger run for its money. Especially after Netflix's recent pricing change, which angered a lot of its customers.

When asked, neither a Hulu or Apple representative would comment. If Apple does acquire the service, it would be interesting to see how that would affect the Netflix streaming currently offered natively for AppleTV users.

Would they simply kick Netflix out and replace it with Hulu? I can't speak for everyone but given Netflix's new pricing plans, I think I'd be okay with that...

Bloomberg

If you're in the US and you subscribe to Netflix, we'd like to know how you feel about the new pricing they announced yesterday? If you're only into streaming, not much has changed. If you want unlimited DVDs as well, however, you need to cough up an extra $6 a month.

Maybe DVDs are a relic to you, or a bag of hurt, and you haven't watched optical media in years. Hey, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, and Apple TV don't support them anyway! Maybe, however, since Hollywood still can't get their digital release act together, they're a beloved part of your home theater experience.

Or maybe it's not about whether or not you watch or want DVDs, but about how Netflix is treating you as a customer that matters? No doubt shipping all those envelopes around the country is getting more and more expensive, but are you perceiving increased value for the increased costs on your end? Or do you feel like you're being weened off the old era before the new one is really ready to replace it?

Are you peeved enough to take your streaming elsewhere? To get your DVDs from a competitor? Or are you going off DVDs altogether?

Vote up top, and let us know how you really feel -- and what you think Netflix should do about it -- in the comments.

Have a Netflix subscription you enjoy for DVDs and iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV streaming? Well they've just announced they're splitting your physical media from your online content, and changing the pricing on you as well. The new DVD-only plans start at $7.99 for 1 DVD at a time. Unlimited streaming remains $7.99 but if you want both unlimited DVDs and unlimited streaming, it'll cost you $15.98 ($7.99 for each, no combo discount).

New members get the new pricing immediately, existing members get it September 1.

“Netflix members love watching instantly, but we’ve come to recognize there is still a very large continuing demand for DVDs by mail,” said Andy Rendich, Netflix Chief Service and Operations Officer. “By better reflecting the underlying costs and offering our lowest prices ever for unlimited DVD, we hope to provide a great value to our current and future DVD-by-mail members.”

I'm guessing there won't be a lot of happy Netflix users following this announcement. Could be worse though, perpetually myopic Hollywood could force them to raise the prices for streaming -- or simply deny Netflix more content -- in the future.

Which plan will you be getting?

[Netflix PDF]

Now that Netflix is streaming to iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Apple TV, what are some of the best things to watch? There's family programing to keep the little ones entertained, car shows and animal documentaries to keep the men enthralled, recent movies for when friends and families arrive, and sitcoms old and new for when you need a laugh. There are so many movies, TV shows, and specials, it can be hard to figure out what's best to watch next. And because some of them vary by time or by region, it can be a little complicated. (Hello Mad Men in Canada, good bye James Bond in the US!) That's where the TiPb nation comes in, of course!

What do you consider the best things to watch on Netflix? What are the classics no one should miss and what are your current favorites? What do you recommend to your friends, and if we got to peak at your Recently Watched list, what would we see?

If you are a user of Netflix on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, you may want to fire up the App Store and grab the latest update , version 1.3, which has added subtitles.

Introducing Subtitles! Now you can follow the action when watching foreign language content, or when listening to the audio is not possible, such as when working out, or in loud environments.

The subtitles of course are optional and can be turned on or off. The app has also been updated to fully support iOS 4.3.3 and iOS 4.2.8 for Verizon users.

Apple has been leading the way on accessibility features and it's great to see App Store apps following that lead. Anyone been waiting for subtitles? How are they?

[iTunes-Link]

The New York Times says Netflix may start delivering their first TV show, House of Cards, and it got us wondering if Apple shouldn't get into the production side of show business as well? Netflix might outbid the likes of HBO and AMC to get House of Cards and it would give them original programming that you couldn't get anywhere else. Sony has their own Hollywood studio. Comcast is buying NBC. Will Apple be at a disadvantage if they only deliver content but don't make any themselves. (No, Disney doesn't count -- just because Steve Jobs is the largest shareholder doesn't mean Apple owns it or has exclusive rights to any of their content.)

Apple already has the tools to make TV shows -- Final Cut Pro on Macs. They have iTunes to market, sell, and deliver it. They have iAds if they want to use it. They have clients on Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch to watch it. All they're missing is the actual content. Sure it could spread Apple too thin and be too far outside their core business but that hasn't stopped Sony and it might not stop Netflix.

What do you think, would a Dr. Horrible-style show, only available on iTunes be an advantage for Apple? Given the increasing competition, will Apple have to do something like that eventually?

[NYT]

Every week a few of us from team TiPb will bring you our current favorite, most fun and useful App Store apps, WebApps, jailbreak apps, even the occasional accessory, web site, or desktop app if the mood strikes us. As long as they’re iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch related, they’re fair game.

To see what we picked, and to tell us your pick, follow on after the break!

Alli's pick: Netflix

Nothing better for Valentine's Day than a sappy chick flick. Unless it's an action adventure movie with Vin Diesel, Johnny Depp, or Matt Damon...you get the idea. And how better to watch whichever movie you choose, than streaming over Netflix?

Your Netflix subscription allows you to sign into the iOS app, and view tons of classic movies on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. And while the choice of current movies isn't exactly extensive, there's still something for everyone. You can sort movies by genre: Romance, Thrillers, Action & Adventure, Comedy, Drama, and lots more.

So why not download Netflix today, and plan on spending Valentine's Day cuddled up with a good movie.

[Free with Netflix subscription - iTunes link]

Andrew's pick: Valentine's eCards

Want to surprise your significant other with a creative and romantic eCard for Valentine's this year? Valentine's eCards is the app with all the bells and whistles you're looking for! The app is pretty straightforward in its mission and lets you put together a nice eCard filled with flowers and love. You can choose from hundreds of different types of flowers from a number of categories. All you have to do is pick your flower, write a cute Valentine's Day message, send it off through email and then wait for their response!

If you're hoping for this year's Valentine's Day to go off without a hitch, then Valentine's eCards is definitely a requirement. So go on, head over to the App Store and pick up Valentine's eCards for half off through Valentine's Day -- especially if you don't want to be in the doghouse for Valentine's this year!

[$0.99 - iTunes link]

Brians' pick: Epicurious

With Valentines Day coming very soon what better way to treat the person you love than to cook them a home cooked meal instead of bringing them to a restaurant. It would mean more and also makes it a little more romantic with just the two of you rather than a big crowd of people. Well if you are like me cooking isnt the easiest thing in the world. But my pick this week will help make the process a little bit easier and help hopefully score you some points. Epicurious has more than 30,000 recipes from their website all contained inside this free app! The recipes are easy to follow to help prepare even something that you might think is challenging. Trust me I have used this to make food and if I can do you anyone can do it! They also have drink recipes and desserts for after dinner romance as well! So stop reading this and go get Epicurious from the app store and be romantic this Valentines Day!

[Free - iTunes Link]

Chris V's pick: Angry Birds Seasons

My Valentines pick of the week is Angry Bird Seasons. This was recently updated to include a "Valentine's Day" themed level. At this point, if you don't know about Angry Birds, you really need to read this website more! Back in Halloween, they came out with what would eventually become Angry Birds seasons - an Angry Bird variant that has themed levels for individual holidays. As you would expect, the Valentine level abounds with hearts all over the place, and like every Angry Bird level it is loads of fun to play. Go ahead and gift your significant other Angry Bird Seasons (Valentine's Day theme) through iTunes, and you will be their Valentine for a long time.

[$0.99 - iTunes link]

George's pick: ColorSplash

ColorSplash is a neat little photo application that allows you to add some cool colour effects to your images, perfect for those loving pictures this Valentines day.

The app takes a photo and completely greys it out, allowing you to colour in the parts that you want to stand out, whether, thats you and your significant other on a beach, or every individual light from a night skyline, the app offers unlimited zooming, so you can be precise on what you want to colour in.

The app is super simple and quick (the picture above took me around 2 minutes to colour in)

Export your finished pictures and send it to a loved one this valentines day.

[$0.99 - iTunes link]

Leanna's pick: Yelp

Still don't know where you're going out to dinner for Valentine's Day? Yelp may be exactly what you need. You can search for restaurants, read reviews, and even make a reservation with OpenTable directly in the app.

Rene's pick:

That's right. Nothing. No app for that. No site, no service. This Valentine's day put the iPhone away and give the iPad a rest. Focus on that special someone. Give them your interruption-free attention. Have a conversation. Have dinner. Have time together. Let Apple and Google take the night off so you can get the night on.

Sure it can be difficult, especially if you both are glued to your iPhones, so make it a contest. First one who even reaches for their tech loses and the winner gets a prize. (It's Valentine's day, use your imaginations. Or, you know, any of these...)

Your pick?

You’re part of the team as well, so jump into the comments and let us know your pick of the week!

Netflix has announced that people are watching their streaming movie and TV service more on the 1 million selling Apple TV than on the 15 million selling iPad.

Possibly related: Apple made a great native Netflix front-end for Apple TV while Netflix made an embarrassingly terrible web-based app for iPad.

Is Netflix self-aware enough to realize this and release better iOS apps?

[Yahoo!/Business Insider via counternotions]

Every week a few of us from team TiPb will bring you our current favorite, most fun and useful App Store apps, WebApps, jailbreak apps, even the occasional accessory, web site, or desktop app if the mood strikes us. As long as they’re iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch related, they’re fair game.

To see what we picked this week, and to tell us your pick, follow on after the break!

Ally's Pick - Doodle Jump Christmas

Who doesn't like Doodle Jump? Lima Sky has been ever faithful about issuing updates for well over a year now. This time they did it a bit different and released Doodle Jump Christmas as a separate app. (Users of the original version still have a Christmas theme.) At first I was a bit skeptical to download the Christmas edition, but I'm glad I did. The graphics honestly are better and the new monsters are awesome! Hopefully this app will get updates for other holidays as well. I hadn't played Doodle Jump in several months and the Christmas edition has got me hooked again. It's also got GameCenter integration so you can try and out jump your friends as well. It's a great addition to the ever growing holiday line-up of games. Between this and Angry Birds seasons, I'm less productive than ever!

[$0.99 - iTunes Link]

Brian's pick: Netflix

Netflix is my Christmas pick of the week even though it is not a Christmas app per say. However I am picking it due to it's functionality for parents as the holiday season means a lot of travel typically. With the Netflix app on your iOS device you can allow your kids or even your bored spouse to watch Christmas movies to get into the holiday spirit even more while traveling to or from friends and family. There are plenty of Christmas movies available to be viewed which will make travel that much easier and more pleasant!

[Free - iTunes Link]

George's pick: Is It Christmas?

Do you or your kids keep waking up, thinking, "Is it Christmas Yet?" What hassle it must be to rummage through a calendar trying to work out what day it is.

Well, there's an app for that.

Is It Christmas? - Does exactly what it says in the tin. Its a very simple, amusing app that tells you if it is or isn't Christmas.

The app boasts full Retina support and accelerometer support, as well as local push notifications, so you don't even have to open the app to see if the day has come.

The app was recently updated to included an iPad version to tell "Is it Christmas?" so you can see if its Christmas in HD glory.

Its not the most productive app ever, but its funny for a laugh here and there.

[Free - iTunes link]

Leanna's pick: Angry Birds Seasons HD

As a member of the addicted to Angry Birds club, I could not turn down Angry Birds Seasons HD. The "Seasons Greedings" level pack is like an advent calendar - each day unlocks a new level ending with Christmas Day. I love this because I can focus on achieving 3 stars every day without being tempted to move on to the next level. A new Angry Birds level was a great way to add some more cheer (as well as frustration) to my countdown to Christmas.

Rene's pick: FaceTime

Apple didn't invent the front-facing camera phone (I believe Nokia did, back in 1812 or somesuch) but with FaceTime they did what they always do -- made a fringe technology mainstream. You pick up your iPhone 4, iPod touch 4, or go to your Mac, pick a contact, hit a button, and -- boom! -- you're looking at friend or family member across town or around the world.

It's no surprise Apple has spent half of the iPhone 4 commercials showing off FaceTime and hitting those emotional and nostalgic notes. These are Kodak moments made live and made motion. Grandparents and grandkids, fathers and mothers and sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, friends new and old, FaceTime brings them together and to life.

This year, if you have or just now get an iPhone 4, iPod touch 4, or Mac, turn on FaceTime, get on Wi-Fi, and call up someone you love. That's what the holidays are all about.

Your pick?

You’re part of the team as well, so jump into the comments and let us know your Holiday pick of the week!

Turn on Apple TV, click through to Netflix, find what you want to watch, press play and -- "Sorry we could not reach the Netflix service. Please try again later. If the problem persists please visit the Netflix website. (112)" I've been getting that error consistently lately and the weird part is Netflix on my iPhone and iPad -- on the same Wi-Fi network! -- work fine. It's only Apple TV that has the problem.

And apparently I'm not alone.

In my case I couldn't watch anything. A simple power cycle fixed it but some of the folks we've heard from still suffer the bug intermittently no matter what they do. Have you had Netflix refuse to perform on your Apple TV? Let us know what happened, and what if any fixes have worked for you.

The 2010 TiPb Awards are underway and right now it's time to vote on your favorite entertainment app of the year.

With Retina Display on our iPhones and now the iPad as well, Apple has given us plenty of great screens to watch our content on in 2010. And hey, hold them close enough and the relative size rivals an HD TV! Still there can only be one 2010 TiPb Award winner! Choose your favorite in the pole above and then let us know why you chose the favorite you did in comments below. (And if you don't see your favorite here, add it as a write-in as well!)

• Air Video [iTunes link]
• Hulu Plus [iTunes link]
• Netflix [iTunes link]
• SlingPlayer (iPad) [iTunes link]
• ZumoCast [iTunes link]

Ready, set, vote!

I turned on my Apple TV (2010) tonight, went to Netflix to continue a show, clicked on Recently Watched, and was greeted with a blank screen. I hit menu to go back up a level and suddenly there was a different menu devoid of the Recently Watched (and Suggest for You) options. I went up a level again, went back down, and the personalized menu was back, but Recently Watched still wouldn't work. I tried a third time only to find a "Netflix is currently unavailable" screen pop up. Menu up and down and Netflix was suddenly available again. So what's going on with that?

Unlike the rest of the fairly snappy Apple TV UI, Netflix always takes its sweet time and makes us wait through an "Accessing Netflix" screen. Similar to the iTunes Store and App Store app interfaces, Netflix has an internet-fed backend. Its backend goes to Netflix's servers, however, not Apple's. Those personalized options, Recently Watched and Suggested for You have to be generated and presented in real-time so if there's a problem with that real-time, personalized system, I guess you get the bug I got.

UPDATE: @getwired sounds like he's nailed it:

Looks more like Netflix was having auth/API problems. 3rd one is a failure, 2nd same as 1st, save user ID-based API feeds.

According to Twitter I'm not the only one having this problem on Apple TV (or Wii).

Internet problems for the internet age? How's your Netflix on Apple TV working?

Did you update your Apple TV to iOS 4.2 (yeah, it says 4.1 sometimes, 4.2 others, let's consider it both) this week only to find you still had HDCP (high definition copy protection) problems, or worse, only to find you now had HDCP problems, maybe with Netflix in specific? Georgia's experiencing that today, and so are some members of our Apple TV Forum. Well, we'll try to help you out after the break

First a rant by way of explanation: HDCP is a horrible plague visited on paying customers by movie and television studios that consider us all criminals out to steal their content. They think it stops piracy but -- irony of ironies -- real pirates know how to get around all types of copy protection and it's usually only real customers who suffer from schemes like HDCP. Basically it enforces a secure HDMI connection from content box (Apple TV, Blu-Ray player, etc.) through intermediaries (like a receiver) to output (TV). Every link along the chain has to be secured with HDCP in order for your video to play.

This is why your Apple TV (or other video equipment) might occasionally barf up a "not HDCP compliant" warning and refuse to play the Netflix you subscribe to, the content you rented or bought from iTunes, or other DRM (digital rights management) inflicted video.

Here's what you can try to do to work around it in general, in order of severity and annoyance.

• Check your HDMI cables and make sure they're securely plugged into your Apple TV, receiver if you have one, and TV.
• Turn everything off and turn it back on. Start with your Apple TV but if that's not enough, try your TV and receiver as well if you have to.
• Unplug everything, wait 20 seconds, plug it back in. Again, start with the Apple TV but try TV, receiver, etc. as well if you have to.
• Restore your Apple TV to factory settings. It's amazing how many problems a clean re-install can solve.
• Swap HDMI cables. You could have a bad connection between the Apple TV and the TV. Try a different cable. (Don't get expensive big box cables, it's digital, it works or it doesn't work. Try MonoPrice.com for reasonable cables).

You'll still have the nuclear option of taking your Apple TV to an Apple Store and maybe even swapping it out for a non-inflicted unit but start with the above and let us know if it works for you. If you have any other trouble shooting tips, let us know about those as well, and make sure you check out our Apple TV Forum for more expert help and advice.

Every week a few of us from team TiPb will bring you our current favorite, funnest, most useful App Store apps, WebApps, jailbreak apps, even the occasional accessory, web site, or desktop app if the mood strikes us. As long as they’re iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch related, they’re fair game.

To see what we picked this week, and to tell us your pick, follow on after the break!

Ally's Pick: Angry Birds Halloween

Angry Birds has been a favorite of many for several months now. I know many others are like me and get super excited when they see updates for it in the app store. Imagine my excitement when I saw Angry Birds Halloween!

The concept is the same as the original with a Halloween twist. There's new achievements to be gained and costumed pigs to defeat. You'll also notice the addition of a few new birds in this game.

This game is a separate purchase through the app store and will run you $0.99 for around 45 levels of Angry Birds goodness.

[$0.99 - iTunes Link]

Andrew's Pick: HauntFinder

Want to go to a haunted house this Halloween, but don't know where to look in order to get the most horrifying experience? Well then, HauntFinder is the app for you! With this single-use app you can find all of the major -- and frightful -- attractions in your area! The app gives you all of the great haunted houses to visit within a 200 mile radius, and contains reviews and more information straight from HauntedHouse.com!

We'd highly recommend this neat little app for Halloween, especially if you aren't sure which haunted house you and your group of friends want to hit up after gorging yourself on all the candy you got from Tick-Or-Treating (you can never be too old to still go every year, right?).

[$2.99 - iTunes link]

Brian's Pick: Doodle Jump

Just in time for Halloween, Doodle Jump has been updated and now has a Halloween level for you to enjoy! Turn Doodle into Doodlestein and navigate your way through zombies, vampires, witches, and other creepy creatures! The update is free for those of you who have had Doodle Jump and they also announced that while you enjoy the new Halloween level they are hard at work at an update for Doodle Jump that will bring Game Center features into their awesomely addictive game!

[$0.99 - iTunes link]

Leanna's Pick: Sex Offenders Search Lite

We teach our children not to talk to or accept candy from strangers - except on Halloween. Children are encouraged to approach the homes of strangers and ask for candy on this one night of the year, but do you really want your child to knock on any door?

Sex Offenders Search Lite allows you to search for sex offenders by your location. It provides the address, name, and crime committed of the offenders. This could be a welcomed addition to your trick-or-treating outing. You can quickly search the neighborhood for sex offenders and make sure your children do not approach the house of someone who has committed a crime against a child. Of course this doesn't offer full protection for your children, but it may ease your mind to know that these homes are being avoided.

[Free - iTunes link]

Rene's Pick: Netflix

Since Halloween is mostly a Canadian and US custom, forgive me for picking Netflix, an app currently available only in those two countries. And, well, Halloween and scary movies were just made for each other. Cream of the crop here is the Apple TV version of Netflix. The interface is so good you just know Apple banned Netflix from the building and built it themselves. The iPhone UI is okay, though the iPad version is basically the website and scarier than any horror movie monster. Let's fix that Netflix, shall we?

But back to the movies. There's tons of them for you to enjoy, from classics to fairly recents. You can stream them live to any of the aforementioned devices and -- the killer feature -- you can start on one, switch to another, and it remembers where you left off and just keeps on playing from there.

So when it's late, the kids have stopped knocking on the door, the candy has been eaten, the jack o'lanterns have burned down, and everything is dark and quiet, tap on Netflix and queue up a good Halloween fright film. Then another.

[Free + Netflix subscription - iTunes link]

Your pick?

You’re part of the team as well, so jump into the comments and let us know your Halloween pick of the week!

The Netflix app for iPhone received a nice little update last night that includes video out support. Yes, this means you are now able to use your iPhone 4 or iPod touch 4 to send any streaming video content available on Netflix directly to your TV.

While jailbreakers have been able to take advantage of this feature for quite some time now, it's nice to finally have it "officially" supported.

If you've tried it out, let us know how it works for you.

UPDATE: for those asking how to get the video from iPhone to your TV, you need a pair of Apple AV cables or similar for that.

[iTunes]

Apple TV (2010) is a bold-ish relaunch of Apple's Macworld 2007 co-headliner and since-then hobby, the Apple TV. Mac OS X has been ditched in favor of iOS, Intel in favor of Apple A4 (ARM), matt black in favor of aluminum, syncing in favor of streaming, buying in favor of renting, and Netflix has joined what was once an almost exclusively Apple, entirely iTunes affair. Oh, and they've ditched the triple-digit price tag in favor of $99.

A step rather than a leap towards the clouded future ahead, is the new Apple TV enough to hold us over until we get there? Is it competitive with other TV streaming hardware and services? Will I ever stop asking questions and start answering them? You bet, after the break.

Apple TV (2010) in 10 minutes -- quick start guide

Hardware

The Apple TV is tiny. Ridiculously tiny. There's just no other way to say it and no way to really appreciate it until you've seen the small box and removed the even smaller Apple TV unit inside. It's 0.9 inches (23 mm) short, 3.9 inches (98 mm) narrow, and a square 3.9 inches (98 mm) shallow. And it weighs only 0.6 pounds (272 grams). Not that you'll need to carry it around much as this is the first member of the iOS family that's supposed to stay put in your living room, tethered to your TV. (Though at this tiny size, who'd blame you if you wanted to keep one in your backpack or technovest). And I'm sure most of what little size there is is taken up by the internal power brick. Crazy.

It's also black instead of the previous -- and Apple's traditional -- aluminum or recent stainless steel. That seems odd but I suppose the idea here is to blend away into the shadows and corners and let the content take the center stage. Well, except for the LED light on the front, bottom-right corner.

Ports are at a bare minimum as well. Gone are the component RGB cables of the original Apple TV and only HDMI remains (and here I'll point out how much Hollywood no doubt loves that lack of anything analog and its so-called "loophole"). Immediately below it is the micro-USB port, ostensibly for servicing the unit at Apple but likely to be used by hackers until Apple decides to open it up to 3rd party development, and then it will be used to tether to iTunes and Xcode (or maybe not, see later).

There's an ethernet jack if you rather have a hardline than a Wi-Fi connection and a power plug since this is also the first non-rechargable iOS device.

And that's it, aside from the bottom looking like the 2010 Mac Mini.

According to teardowns (Apple doesn't bother consumers with details like internal stats), inside there's an Apple A4 chipset like all other 2010 iOS devices, 256MB of RAM (same as iPod touch and iPad, half as much as iPhone 4), and 8GB of NAND Flash memory (same as the lowest end iPod touch).

Since this is a streaming-only device, and an H.264-only device, that's probably enough storage for even an HD video, and with hardware acceleration, enough muscle to drive it. If it ever does become an app platform, however, or even simply gets a browser, that limit is bound to annoy.

Cost cutting to hit $99, no doubt.

Remote

Apple TV comes with one of the recently redesigned aluminum remote controls. It's infrared, which in an age of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi is disappointing -- to everyone except universal remote control users who don't hide their components out of line of sight. Its got the same up, down, left, right, and enter 5-way its always had, and menu and play-pause buttons just beneath. And there's a battery door on the reverse side.

It matches Apple's aluminum computer line, the iPhone, and the iPad, and thanks to a touch of black on the buttons, it even manages to match the new Apple TV.

For more, see our complete Apple Aluminum Remote Control review from November, 2009.

However, since I suspect most of you here have an iPhone, iPod touch, and/or iPad, I'll just gently remind you that Apple has just released a new version of their free, fairly awesome Remote app that works over Wi-Fi and offers way more functionality. Use it whenever possible.

Less is more

While it seems counterintuitive that a tiny box running on an ARM chipset could be any type of upgrade to something that ran on Intel Celeron, it truly is. Sure, old and new alike were and are both whisper quiet but I could have grilled my cheese sandwiches on the old Apple TV and the new one is cool as an iPad. Likewise I stood my old, wide Apple TV on its edge to slot it into my AV setup while the new one just tucked into a corner.

I'm sure some people (and their capture cards) will miss the RGP cable option and HDCP is an insult and often annoyance to consumers everywhere, but in modern living rooms it just works. Simply.

And no, Apple still doesn't include an HDMI cable. It's disappointing but again its typically Apple -- they want to hit $99 so hard it knocks everything possible out of the box.

Software

Apple TV (2010) no longer runs a special flavor Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger - it now runs a special flavor of iOS 4. Not that you could tell from just looking at it. The old BackRow interface that ran on the original Apple TV (after the most recent updates) is duplicated almost exactly for the new Lowtide UI that runs on the 2010 model.

[Note: I'm in Canada where Apple offers no TV rentals, so the image above and subsequent images of the top level UI are missing that menu item]

When you start up you get to choose your language from English, French, German, Japanese, Dutch, Italian, Spain, Portuguese (Portugal or Brazilian), Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Korean, simplified or traditional Chinese, Russian, or Polish.

You need a working internet connection from then on, so make sure you've plugged in or have your Wi-Fi settings ready to input.

You're then asked if you want to let Apple improve their products by collecting anonymous usage (and error) data. (You can change this later if you like).

Lowtide

The most noticeable change is that iTunes Store and your own content are now separate. When Apple TV debuted, Movies, TV Shows, and Podcast menus all listed iTunes Store content first, then My Movies, My TV Shows, and My Podcasts were listed under them. In a recent update Apple flipped that around and listed the "my" content first, before iTunes Store content, but you still had to switch horizontally between the tabs to go from one area of your content to another.

Now Movies and TV Shows are purely for iTunes Store content, Podcasts is tucked away under Internet, and a Computers tab holds all your "my" content, bereft of that label, in one place.

If you were a "type"-centric viewer -- someone who just wanted to watch movies or TV and didn't care if it was from iTunes Store or your existing iTunes library -- than this may be a change for the worse. If you were a "get iTunes Store out of my way!"-centric viewer than you'll be happy.

Movies and TV Shows

Movies is pretty much the same as it was before with two major exceptions. First, My Movies has moved to the Computers section as noted above, and second, the ability to buy movies is gone. It's rental only now.

You can still buy movies via iTunes on Windows or Mac and stream them over, so it's not a huge loss. What is a loss is that studios don't always make movies available to rent which means there's less movies available via iTunes on Apple TV now. That's entirely the studios fault -- they think it will force us to buy movies instead of renting -- but as usual we consumers suffer for it.

Rentals are $4.99 or $3.99 for HD depending on how recent the movie is (Apple lists $3.99 and $2.99 for SD on the Apple TV website but I haven't seen any SD titles listed on the device itself, besides the special promotions which I'll cover in a minute). Outside the US the price is typically higher (+$1 in Canada, for example).

Every week iTunes Store has $0.99 movie rental specials, or $1.99 for HD. There were about 50 choices this week, none of them recent or mainstream titles. But for cheapy movie night, they're yours to discover.

Because of an increase in iTunes fraud, the first time you rent content -- or if iTunes just thinks there's something weird about your IP, device, or the way the wind is blowing -- they might ask you to verify the CVV code on your credit card. This is a great addition to security.

You can start watching a rented movie any time within the 30 days following the rental, and then have 24 hours to watch it as few or as many times as you want and can fit in. Outside the US, you have 48 hours, so Americans can once again thank Hollywood for caring about them so.

Now then, the quality of the content remains terrific. Apple employs an iTunes transcoding quality czar, so what else would you expect? On my connection it took roughly 2 seconds for a movie to be "ready to watch" and it played through without pause or stammer. The 720p HD content looked excellent upscaled on a 1080p TV. Clean, crisp, and nothing in the way of artifacts or staircasing on the angular lines.

Hollywood probably thinks the price is too cheap. I think it's fair but towards the high side. They're not competing with the dwindling video rental stores and VOD services. They're competing with YouTube, video games, and a thousand other new forms of entertainment. Not to mention bootleg content priced a free + time and effort.

At $2 a rental I think they'd hit incredible volume, more than make up for any per-unit loses, and make bootlegging not worth the time it takes to do it.

The same goes for TV shows, in terms of how the Apple TV handles them in their little section tab, and in terms of content only it's even more extreme. The price for a rental is $0.99 but only ABC and FOX are offering their shows right now, and they're only offered in the US. Other networks have said $0.99 is too cheap for their content and they prefer the $1.99 purchase model. That leads me to believe most of those networks don't think anyone would bother watching their shows more than once and thus they'd be losing out on a buck. Still, their lack of forward thinking is disturbing. Lets hope it takes something significantly less than an extinction level event among network brass to get some agile minds into power over there.

Movies: Theatrical

Don't let the name fool you or get your hopes up -- this is just the new home for Apple.com movie trailers. Still, it's nice to be able to watch them on the TV.

Internet: Netflix

Netflix is only available in the US and (just recently) Canada. It lets you stream unlimited catalog movies and TV shows for -- as of this writing -- $7.99 a month (Canada only has streaming plans, the US should be getting them soon if they haven't already). That means no very recent movies or shows, and unfortunately it also means content can be there one day and gone the next as studios make exclusive deals with cable channels for certain periods of time. Sometimes there's also only one or a few episodes of a show, however it does seem to be filling out. Bottom line, if you have Netflix available to you there's tons of great stuff to watch, especially on the TV side.

The interface is much better than anything I've seen for Netflix before, especially the terrible website-as-app they launched for iPad. It's much easier to browse and there's a search function that works well.

On the quality side, I wonder if Apple is using their HTTP Live Streaming technology to dynamically adjust for bandwidth because on my connection is looked great. There was very little in the way of artifacts, colors held together well (even reds), and while gradients did band in places, it was easily "HD" quality throughout.

Internet: YouTube

YouTube is the same as it was on the original Apple TV. You can browse or search for content and YouTube will stream it for you in the best quality available. Sure, Steve Jobs said Apple TV customers didn't want "amateur hour", but even he knows better than to deny the masses their lolcats on pianos and footballs to the groin, right? (I kid, YouTube has lots of excellent and highly professional content these days).

Internet: Podcasts

Where Podcasts previously had their own tab they've now been somewhat buried under Internet. You also can't download them any more because everything is streaming-only. I've only ever streamed podcasts from Apple TV so that suits me just fine.

Apple doesn't seem to sort by quality here, so you can find tiny iPod versions next to huge HD versions of the same podcast, and Apple still hasn't found a good way to display long titles so sometimes it's not easy to tell which one is which.

Other than that, same great free content.

Internet: MobileMe and Flickr

If you have a MobileMe or Flickr account, just like before you can enter your credentials here and Apple TV will find and show off your photos on the big screen.

Internet: Radio

Same as before. I never use it but I know some people like having their music come from the Apple TV rather than the computer they're working on because they find it less distracting.

Computers

To start streaming content from iTunes on Windows or Mac, you need to enable Home Sharing, the system that shipped last year as part of iTunes 9. That means entering your iTunes account user name and password. Annoyingly you can't use to virtual keyboard from the iPhone or iPad Remote app because they won't recognize your Apple TV until Home Sharing is turned on so you have to use the tedious Aluminum Remote to enter your credentials. (!)

Once you've entered you credentials Apple TV will offer to remember them for iTunes Store purchases, if you want it to.

Then you can click (or tap, because the Remote app will now find the Apple TV) and you get a page with all your music, movies, TV Shows, Podcasts, iTunes U, and Photos content, all in one place.

Definitely easier than the old system of exchanging PIN numbers or syncing large files over ethernet or Wi-Fi.

Once you're done, all the available computers on your network show up under the Computers tab, and picking one gives you a media menu for that machine: Music, Movies, TV Shows, Podcasts, iTunes U, and Photos.

Here the quality will depend on the source material, Apple TV upscaling, and your TV chipset. Old DVD rips looked fine but I could see jaggies in the angles. 720p iTunes content looked fantastic.

Computers: Photos

Sharing Photos from your computer works a little differently. You have to start in iTunes, under the Advanced menu, and choose which photos you want to share (either a directory or an iPhone or Aperture library). If you're using a Mac, you can even select based on criteria like Faces.

Once you apply the settings the Apple TV will churn away for a moment and then make the photos available. You can browse them individually or start a slide show with optional settings for shuffle, repeat, music, and themes (including Origami, of course).

Settings: General

As usual, Settings is the boring section where all the fun can be found.

General lets you get About info, device Name, set Network credentials, iTunes Store account, Parental Controls, Remotes, Update Software, set a Sleep After timer, choose your Send Data to Apple preferences, set Language, read the obnoxiously long legal data, and...

Restore your Apple TV.

You can do the Reset All Settings but there's also a Restore button proper that lets you download and install a fresh copy of iOS 4.1. Over the network. Over a wireless network if that's how you're setup.

Let that sink in a moment. Over the air (OTA) software restore or update. Um... Can we have that for iPhone and iPad?

Settings (misc)

The other Settings let you customize the Screen Saver, set up Audio and Video, configure AirPlay (including a password), turn off Home Sharing, and Sleep Now.

Kudos once again to Apple for supporting subtitles and otherwise doing more than any other consumer electronics company on the planet when it comes to accessibility features in all their products. It's something they never get enough praise for and competitors would do well to emulate as much and as often as possible.

AirPlay

AirPlay is only working for audio at the moment, even if you're using an iPhone or iPad running iOS 4.2 beta. As such, functionality is the same as it was previously with AirTunes, though you can stream the audio from video content. I'll update this section when iOS 4.2 ships and AirPlay makes its official debut.

iOS is the Future

In making iOS 4.1 for Apple TV's Lowtide, almost indistinguishable from Mac OS X 4 for Apple TV's BackRow does it really matter to an end user what's powering their device?

No, but I think they'll absolutely notice how responsive it is, how well it throws pixels across the screen, and if Apple finally follows through with the platform, I think an iOS Apple TV has incredible potential.

AirPlay could be killer -- any H.264 video you're watching on your iPhone or iPad, any time, instantly transportable to your big screen via Apple TV.

Apps could be fantastic -- start me off with Safari web browser as soon as possible.

Right now it's as good as what came before, more limited and focused in some ways (rentals, streaming), more feature rich (Netflix) and fluid in others.

Conclusion

Apple TV (2010) is a step rather than a leap, but one that circles to the side and begins to flank traditional media, hopefully cutting an angle that positions Apple's hobby to finally break through into something more. A lot will depend on the next 12 months, how much Apple pushes it and how fast content fills out. A lot also depends on those myopic Hollywood studies who still haven't gotten on board with volume pricing (much less subscription services, which would be killer).

If you're a heavy iTunes Store user and iPhone and/or iPad are a big part of your digital life, Apple TV (2010) is a no brainer. It projects every thing you have into the living room with elegance and simplicity.

If you live for Netflix than Apple TV (2010) sets the bar for 10-foot interfaces and I daresay interfaces in general (mainly because Netflix themselves have set the bar so low).

If you don't use iTunes Store or iPhone/iPad, then there are probably other devices that better fit your file formats (i.e. xvid, mkv) and devices of choice. (Even an iPhone/iPad, an Apple AV cable, and the Air Video app...)

But I'll be getting everyone in my immediate family one for Christmas this year. Especially with Airplay, the idea I can go to my parents or siblings or best friends' place, pull out my iPhone, and show them the great new show or movie on my device, or this video I just found on the web, is near intoxicating. It's the future. It's Star Trek. And once again Apple is wrapping a compelling -- if tightly controlled -- vision of that future up and serving it to mainstream users on a (in this case tiny) platter.

At $99 it's not hard to justify, and that's probably what Apple had in mind.

Netflix has made its very first foreign expansion by introducing their service of streaming video content into Canada. The service is now available and will cost you $7.99 per month.

This is great news for those of you in Canada as you will not be left out in the cold when Apple TV starts to ship (any day now). The company confirmed that not only will it support Apple TV but Apple's iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch will also be compatible with the streaming service in conjunction with the appropriate Netflix application.

If you live in Canada and were not going to make the Apple TV purchase, does this change your mind?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Netflix streaming from iPad or iPhone to your TV via iOS 4.2 AirPlay? That's what Mark Gurman is showing off.

We connected some speakers to an Airport Express and the audio from the Netflix film wirelessly streamed and played perfectly with absolutely no hiccups. When the new Apple TV launches, you’ll be able to wirelessly stream both the video and audio to your television set; that’s right, I said television.

Now if only they let Hulu Plus do that...

[9to5Mac]

Citing "two people who asked not to be identified", Bloomberg is reporting that Apple may indeed be ready to drop an all new Apple TV (iTV?) tomorrow at their annual special music event.

Netflix would, as usual, require a monthly subscription. Whether or not the new Apple TV would run iOS as previous rumors have suggested, and whether or not Netflix would be an app, like it currently is on iPad and iPhone, or a built-in service like YouTube isn't made clear.

Would you have a preference?

[Bloomberg]

It's taken a while but Netflix has finally updated their iOS app to universal binary -- that's right, it now supports not only iPad but iPhone and iPod touch as well.

"Apple has changed the game for mobile devices," said Reed Hastings, Netflix co-founder and chief executive officer. "We're excited that our members can now carry Netflix around in their pockets and instantly watch movies and TV shows streamed from Netflix right to their iPhone or iPod touch."

Requires iOS 3.1.3 or higher, and works over both Wi-Fi and 3G.

If anyone has tried it out yet, let us know how it's working for you.

[Netflix PR]

Great news for HBO fans! In an interview with Mossberg, HBO Co-President Eric Kessler said that HBO subscribers will be seeing HBO Go on their iPad's soon.

In six months, HBO Go will be available to the channel’s paying subscribers at no additional cost through all major cable systems, on Apple Inc.’s iPad, on mobile devices and elsewhere.

In addition to this great news, Kessler also delivered the disappointing report that HBO and Netflix will likely not be making a deal, so don't expect to see HBO shows on Netflix for iPad anytime soon.

If you're an HBO subscriber, how excited are you to have access with your iPad? If you're not a subscriber, will this additional feature entice you to sign up?

[Bloomberg via Engadget]

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Special post-WWDC 2010 Keynote edition! Apple introduces iPhone 4, rebrands iPhone OS to iOS, shows off Farmville, Netflix, and iMovie for iPhone, and invents FaceTime. Listen in!

Credits

Thanks to the TiPb iPhone accessory store for sponsoring the podcast, and to everyone who showed up for the live chat!

Our music comes from the following sources:

• I Called You -- iPhone Remix by Pete Leidy
via Sneakmove iPhone Ringtone Challenge

Part 2

Steve Jobs made millions of iPhone app lovers happy today during the WWDC 2010 keynote by bringing development houses up to introduce Netflix, Farmville, and Guitar Hero.

• Netflix, already on the iPad, brings the same great search and adaptive video streaming technology to the iPhone, which means 3G (and AT&T data caps make sense now, right?). Available this summer.
• Farmville goes Flash-free and today invents farming- - with push -- for the iPhone. Available end of June.
• Guitar Hero, with Queen, Rolling Stones, Vampire Weekend. Available now!

[Images via Engadget]

Today the free Netflix iPad application was updated to support video output via Apple’s optional dock connector to VGA adapter. This lets you watch your video on a much larger display. It's a feature I have been waiting for since the application was available and a much welcomed addition to this app!

To watch instant content you do need a Netflix subscription and if you plan on using that VGA adapter (available from Apple Online) to watch an iTunes video you can forget about it as Apple hasn't enabled that for anything other than their A/V composite and component cables.

If you give this a try let us know how it goes in the comments below!

[iTunes Link]

Netflix for iPad is already in the iTunes App Store, but how about some love for iPhone and iPod touch users? Not to worry blogs Steve Swasey, their VP of Corporate Communications:

Terrific response to our news today about Netflix on the iPad. For those of you asking whether Netflix will be on the iPhone and iPod Touch: We wouldn't invite you to dinner without planning to serve dessert. In other words, we're working on it so stay tuned.

How soon is "stay tuned"? Likely not soon enough, but at least we know it's coming.

We have to say we're pretty excited about the streaming video possibilities on the iPad. So excited, in fact, that the YouTube app feels pretty much like old hat. Jeremy already took a quick look at Netflix on the iPad and the verdict is that it works and the magic of simply having Netflix streaming on an iPad does much to overcome the fact that what you essentially have here is an app made of up Netflix's webpage.

ABC Video, however, is much more elegant and is a nicer iPad app. You get a set of tabs at the bottom for viewing video, your video history, and even a schedule of ABC shows. The video looks crisp to my eyes, but I'm especially impressed at how well the app saves my place on the various shows I've watched.

A quick video comparison of ABC, Netflix, and the default Videos app, along with a gallery of ABC and Netflix, are after the break!

You say you just picked up a new iPad and wanted to sit back and watch your favorite episode of Lost or perhaps a blockbuster movie? If you are a Netflix member you can do just that with the official Netflix iPad application! [iTunes Link - Free]

All you have to do is download the Netflix app from the App Store and you can instantly watch TV shows and movies directly on your iPad. Once you start the app you will be taken to the Netflix website that seems to be optimized for iPad and you will enter in your password and username and everything will be familiar. If you start to watch a movie from your computer or TV and want to resume it on your iPad, you can. Even better is that since the app uses the web interface you have the ability to manage your que or make any account adjustments directly from your iPad.

I've been playing around with it for a while now and must say it is very snappy with no lag in the UI and the video content streams flawlessly. This is a must have for all Netflix users out there!

Screenshots after the break!

The streaming video apps for iPad are now in the US iTunes App Store so if you've been waiting to get your mobile TV and Movies on, go grab Netflix [Free - iTunes link] and ABC Player [Free - iTunes link].

Netflix makes use of your existing Netflix unlimited membership (yeah, you need one of those but you can grab a free trial to test it out). Once you're set up, you can pretty much watch the content you want, when and where you want. Browse and manage your queue from the iPad, watch on your TV, PC, or iPad and resume right where you left off.

ABC Player lets you watch full episodes of LOST, Grey's Anatomy, Modern Family, Desperate Housewives, and more. Search and schedule make it easy to find what you need and viewing history means even though it's streaming, if you need to stop watching now, you can resume where you left off later. The app is free but the content is "sponsored" and it only works over Wi-Fi.

And if you want more content on your iPad, like CBS, remember Apple's got a whole Safari/web friendly list up for you!

Screens shots after the break!

In that stream of 700 iPad apps revealed last night, Engadget noticed a few gems including Netflix and ABC, and with CBS doing the HTML5-video thing and Hulu once again being rumored, could content consumption nirvana finally be near?

Netflix is said to be a free app that will be ready by the April 3 iPad launch. You'll be able to browse and manage your queue and stream movies and TV shows right to your iPad. No word on weather its Wi-Fi-only or 3G as well, and no word on whether an iPhone and iPod touch version is coming (ahem!)

ABC's player is also said to be free but Wi-Fi bound. You'll still get your Lost and Grey's Anatomy fix direct from the network, however. Whether it will make into the iPad App Store by launch day is unknown, as is their monetization method (i.e. will there be commercials?)

CBS, according to the Wall Street Journal, is sticking with their web-based strategy of streaming HTML5 video through Mobile Safari and not making a dedicated app. Hey, maybe that at least will give iPhone and iPod touch owners equal access?

Hulu, which carries the last two remaining networks, NBC and FOX is still unclear but the New York Times once again gets our hopes up. It's not all rosy, however, as the network nuts behind the scenes reportedly aren't happy with revenue and want something like subscriptions bolted one. They better get their act together and quickly or their old world thinking will condemn the bright boys and girls at Hulu to last place in the brave new mobile media world...

Netflix, which mails DVDs and Blu-Ray discs to subscribers and streams movies and TV shows directly to Xbox 360 and other set-top box owners, commented on the likelihood of their working with Apple, and specifically providing an app for the iPhone:

“[A partnership with Apple] is something that’s likely to come over time, but nothing in the short term. [With] movie watching, we are not focused on mobile yet, but on the TV, on Blu-ray and on the video game consoles. We will get to mobile eventually, including the iPhone.”

This either goes against, or pushes back previous rumors that "Watch Instantly" was on its way to the App Store.

Of course, there are significant hurdles to overcome. First, media licensing is still an outdated mess, with different rights for different content making it difficult for any company to provide similar services across geographical boundaries. Indeed, Netflix is US-only still. While Apple's own iTunes Store movie and TV platform is in several countries around the world, including the US, Canada, UK, Australia, content varies incredibly from one to the other, and many iTunes stores are still app-only, or app and music only.

In terms of competition, Apple has recently let Spotify and Rhapsody onto the App Store, so Netflix might find a similar home despite iTunes' own offerings. There'd still be the question of the streaming itself, however, as despite recent FCC net neutrality proposals, AT&T and other carriers might not have the capacity to handle that much bandwidth on such a popular device, consigning Netflix to Wi-Fi, much like SlingPlayer.

[Reuters via Digital Daily via Gizmodo]

Multichannel News (via Apple Insider) is reporting that an industry source claims Netflix "Watch Instantly" is coming to the iPhone.

Netflix currently uses Microsoft's proprietary DRM, however, so unless they're planning on switching to something more iPhone friendly -- namely H.264 like YouTube did -- we're not quite sure how they'll manage it with anything approaching decent results.

That's if Apple even allows an iTunes competitor onto the iPhone (and before people howl "unfair!", it's not like you can load up PlayStation or Wii games on an Xbox 360 -- consoles control their media). And, of course, if AT&T allows streaming over 3G, which they wouldn't do for SlingPlayer Mobile...

(We'll also point out that Netflix is a US-only service, unlike iTunes which is available in many countries internationally).

Justin writes in to tell us about the awesomeness:

Netflix integration on [brings] a catalog of over 100k DVDs to our popular iPhone application. In addition to this, users can now manage their Netflix DVD and instant streaming queues straight from their iPhone or iPod touch.