Netflix: 'we're going to continue our international expansion next year'

Three months after Netflix invaded Canada with a bizarre combination of paid actors and $8 instant streaming plans, CEO Reed Hastings the company has declared the move a success and says it will expand its service to other countries in 2011. "Based on the early success of Netflix.ca we're going to continue our international expansion next year and we're going to allocate significant dollars to it," spokesman Steve Swasey told The Canadian Press, without specifying which territories or how many might be blanketed with Albanian soldiers next. However, Canadians and others hoping to get an experience completely on par with the original US service shouldn't hold their breath, as Swasey says there are no plans to establish a movie queue for the streaming-only service, calling it a "strategic decision."

Update: The above quotes were attributed to Netflix's Steve Swasey, not CEO Reed Hastings. Our bad.

Netflix: 'we're going to continue our international expansion next year' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 15:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/29/netflix-ceo-were-going-to-continue-our-international-expansio/

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Paul Allen files amended complaint, points out exactly where patent infringement is hiding

Left with just two weeks to explain exactly how seven of the web's biggest properties (and three office supply chains) violated his company Interval's patents, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen figured out a plan -- Intervals' lawyers are drawing big, colored boxes around large swaths of the allegedly infringing websites' real estate. In all seriousness, a lot of companies may owe Allen a lot of money if Interval truly has a case, because Interval claims to have patented no less than the ability for a website to take a user-selected piece of content and suggest other related pieces of content that might be of interest. Oh, and it's also apparently patented pop-ups and widgets, as most anything that displays information "in an unobtrusive manner that occupies the peripheral attention of the user" is getting the same treatment. Hilariously, it appears that the co-founder of Microsoft didn't provide his lawyers with basic scanning technology, because the PDF of the exhibits they uploaded to the the court's web site is just epically bad -- check out everything they say infringes in the gallery below.

Disclaimer: We should note that AOL is among the companies being sued by Allen and Interval, and that Engadget is owned by AOL. So you know, just think about that a bunch, or something.

Gallery: Paul Allen vs. the world: the exhibits

Paul Allen files amended complaint, points out exactly where patent infringement is hiding originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 14:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/5sSaXXPu8ig/

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Google TV gets a big update, adds Netflix support

While tech pundits don't seem ready to give Google TV the thumbs up, yesterday's update certainly makes Google's home entertainment platform a bit more compelling. For starters, there's built-in Netflix support and a better movie search function -- which makes it easy to find your favorite Terry Gilliam flicks (if you're in the US, anyhow) and watch them on Netflix or Amazon Video on Demand.

Google has also turned your Android smartphone into a device which can play both Angry Birds and take full control of your Google TV box. The demo video is after the break, as is the QR Code to help you grab Google TV Remote from the Android Market.

Multitasking fanatics will appreciate the improved Dual View feature, which now allows users to drag and resize the video window which floats atop the Chrome browser. This makes it much easier to actually do things in the browser while you watch -- since the non-movable window could easily get in the way of form elements and links.

Continue reading Google TV gets a big update, adds Netflix support

Google TV gets a big update, adds Netflix support originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/16/google-tv-gets-a-big-update-adds-netflix-support/

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App Launcher for Chrome is like a start menu for Web Store apps

If opening Google Chrome's new tab page just to fire up an app feels a bit too clunky for your liking, check out a new extension from Google itself: App Launcher.

Once installed, you'll have access to a drop down menu which lists all your apps in alphabetical order -- unlike previously reviewed AppJump Launcher, which doesn't appear to list them in any particular order. Google's offering also features built-in search -- which could be handy if you've been able to find a whole pile of apps you decided to keep installed. Keyboard navigation is supported as well, allowing you to arrow up and down and tap enter to launch.

The extension currently lacks an options screen -- which would be a great place for Google to slap in another missing feature: hotkey support.

Install App Launcher for Google Chrome

App Launcher for Chrome is like a start menu for Web Store apps originally appeared on Download Squad on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/22/app-launcher-for-chrome-is-like-a-start-menu-for-web-store-apps/

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Sanwa trots out a multitouch mouse of its own, the MA-TOUCH1

Not so fond of the Magic Mouse, are you? How's about a flattened version, sans Bluetooth? That's exactly what we're being presented with here, as Sanwa's MA-TOUCH1 looks like the lovechild of Apple's own multitouch critter and Logitech's M505. In truth, the only real design cue this guy snags from the Logi is its Unifying Receiver, signifying that it relies on wireless USB rather than BT. The design scheme is definitely of interest -- rather than being curved to fit the shape of a relaxed palm, it's totally flat up top, supporting four-direction scrolling and two-finger swipes. She's on sale now in four different colors (red, white, black and silver), with ¥4,300 ($52) standing between you and something you may or may not ever actually use to control your cursor.

Sanwa trots out a multitouch mouse of its own, the MA-TOUCH1 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 19:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/kOC0rnE6B7w/

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iPhone-controlled beer cannon is the robot friend of our dreams (video)

If your morning's been running low on a little thing called awesomeness, hurry past the break and gorge yourself on the stuff in the embedded videos. For the more patient among you, we'll set the scene. A young chap by the name of Ryan has repurposed an old mini-fridge from his college days into a beer-firing drone, which can accept instructions on beer brand, temperature, and destination, before launching it at the target with a force of 50psi. An embedded webcam assists the iPhone user in aiming the throws, while it's also said to record every toss and tweet it out for posterity as well. If this thing could slice bread, we'd probably offer to marry it.

Continue reading iPhone-controlled beer cannon is the robot friend of our dreams (video)

iPhone-controlled beer cannon is the robot friend of our dreams (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Dec 2010 08:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/29/iphone-controlled-beer-cannon-is-the-robot-friend-of-our-dreams/

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Aequilibrium 3 challenges your mousing agility and sense of balance -- Time Waster

Back in June, I covered the original Aequilibrium; if you liked that game, then you're going to love the new version, Aequilibrium 3.

It's a game that's ostensibly about balance, but it's really about agility. Each level starts off with several pieces resting in perfect balance on a fulcrum. You have to remove all of the red blocks by clicking them, while keeping the whole thing from toppling down and off the screen.

For example, in the level shown above you should probably click the two middle triangles one after the other (the chunky ones, in the middle). Then click the two top ones one after the other, each in rapid succession. And then you're left with the two bottom ones (hopefully, unless everything fell off the fulcrum by now). That's the trickiest part, and you need quite a bit of speed to keep it all from falling.

It's not entirely about speed, though; there is some strategy involved, but a deft mouse-hand will certainly come in handy for this one.

Aequilibrium 3 challenges your mousing agility and sense of balance -- Time Waster originally appeared on Download Squad on Sun, 26 Dec 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/12/26/aequilibrium-3-challenges-your-mousing-agility-and-sense-of-bala/

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