Goodbye Netflix.
February 2013 Update
I felt like I should update since I originally wrote this in 2011... I am back as a happy Netflix customer now (for a few months now). I'm working to drop using Dish Network for TV and switch entirely to OTA, web and my home library for entertainment and news. Netflix is really a key piece of that and I've always liked their service. I really only had a falling out because I didn't appreciate the way they handled the business shift. Ironically, I've always felt they were very forward looking and moving in the right direction. Hopefully, they won't do this again... <3 Netflix.
September Update
Netflix just released this video talking about their changes, included more recent changes about splitting the company. Qwikster is the name of the DVD-by-mail service now. They've acknowledged the fact that their original communication of their changes was poor and apologized for that. I commend Netflix/Qwikster for putting this video up.
Netflix Pricing
Whether you're subscribed or considering a subscription to Netflix, you've probably heard about their recent price increases by now. Sorry Netflix, but let's turn off the marketing spin cycle and be real for a minute. If people stay with their existing plans, they'll end up paying more and as far as I know, there wasn't an uprising of people asking for streaming only and DVD only plans. There was, however, an uprising of people protesting your new price changes.
The price changes mean that my plan will increase by 60% come September. It has made me seriously reevaluate my subscription and what I could get for $7.99, $9.99 and $15.98 a month instead of keeping Netflix.
- $7.99 represents the new pricing for either a streaming or the lowest DVD plan.
- $9.99 represents my current plan and current rate which ends soon.
- $15.98 represents the new pricing for my current plan comes September.
Alternatives to Netflix
Blockbuster
Blockbuster by Mail is something a lot of people will immediately disregard. Despite Blockbuster's many changes over the years, some people are still sore at the company for late fee charges and payment collection practices. If you're still reading and haven't skipped this section, you'll be pleased to know that they offer pricing at $11.99, $16.99 and $19.99. While they don't have a streaming service yet, the extra cost for these plans could be overlooked for a few reasons.
- First, they claim that many new releases available 28 days before Netflix and Redbox.
- Second (to me this is the real bonus), game rentals are available with no extra fees.
- Third, they offer in-store exchanges.
I used to subscribe prior to their addition of games, but it seems like Blockbuster is doing a good job of serving this market. See http://www.blockbuster.com/gamesbymail for all the details. When I used to subscribe, I really felt like the exchanging in-store was a huge benefit. However, it did grow tiresome to actually have to go out to the store on occasion. Selection in the actual store is also an issue at times not to mention that they have fewer stores now as well.
Redbox
If you don't want to be tied to a monthly fee, Redbox could be a great alternative. While Redbox means driving to pick up and drop off a disc, it also means getting your content exactly when you plan on using it. It's not as convenient as simply getting a disc in the mail or streaming it on a large number of devices, but the price is right. I could rent between 7 and 15 DVDs a month via Redbox for less than the several Netflix options. Redbox also provides the option of Blu-ray's for $1.50 instead of the $1 DVD and game rentals for $2 all out of the same machine. Unfortunately, these are not DVDs, Blu-rays or games that you can keep all to yourself for any amount of time. You must return them promptly or get charged extra.
The Public Library
Many public libraries offer DVDs for rent. Much like Netflix streaming, you can find some real hidden gems that you missed when they were first released. Surprisingly, it's even possible to find newer releases at the library as well. Best of all, you're already paying for it as a tax payer. In other words, it's free!
Buying a Physical DVD/Blu-ray
Despite the fact that I rarely re-watch movies and love renting for this very reason, there's something to be said for how many DVDs I could buy for $15.98/month. I could easily do one a month. Maybe one Blu-ray every two months — maybe more. If it's a comedy, I might revisit the movie a few times a year. If it's a good movie, but it's not exactly something that stands up to repeated viewing, I might loan it out. If all else fails and I'd rather it not collect dust, I could sell it on Amazon, eBay or a garage sale and make some of my money back. I've really moved away from buying up my own collection due to low rental prices, but there is something special about having a collection and pride in ownership.
Digital Renting/Buying Options
Amazon and Apple iTunes both offer rental/purchasing options as well. As of this writing it seems that many rentals on both services are about $3.99 for a rental and $14.99 for a downloadable purchase. This really makes Amazon's Instant Video and iTunes a good option, but the ownership option isn't quite as good as a real tangible disc if you ask me. The price difference doesn't seem to be very significant either. The rental costs are still more than Redbox, but more affordable than several other alternatives including on-demand renting from Comcast or Dish Network. Unfortunately, it's not quite as easy to use in my opinion. This isn't a huge deal for a techie, but not exactly a solution that just works with most peoples average TV setup.
The Real Problem
At the end of the day, Netflix isn't really pricing their services that badly. They are still a good value for your money, but what's really disappointing is the sudden and dramatic change as well as the treatment of existing customers. It's really customer service 101 here. I've been a subscriber for a few years and this isn't the first time Netflix has randomly changed things. The Blu-ray access option used to be a free option when it was first introduced. Then they charged $1 a month extra regardless of your plan. At some point this was raised to $2.
I'm pretty sure that Netflix has done some research and is prepared to lose a percentage of their customers due to this change. Instead of feeling that any lost customer is a bad thing, they've decided to accept a certain amount of loss. The price hike will help them to pay for new licensing contracts and help the bottom line. However, I just feel like this lack of respect for their customer base could be a bigger problem for Netflix than they expect. This type of behavior places a stigma against Netflix similar to the type of stigma that Blockbuster has had for many years. Netflix has acted as a faceless corporate entity. A change to the execution of the price hikes and a change to the communication could have helped Netflix a great deal. Instead, they've come off as greedy and disrespectful.
Keep old stuff interesting
In the world of blogs and news aggregation, people are accustomed to several updates every day from sites they frequent. Some of these sites just aggregate from other sources (usually sites with a niche) and occasionally add some short commentary. However, most businesses launch just a few products every year. How can you maintain interest in your old products or old content in between launches. What else can you cover in between to make sure interest is maintained or lifted for potential new products and you don't cannibalize old products? This is assuming you already have an established community, corporate blog and PR channel.
Bug fixes and Updates
If you create software and you release patches or updates, try to talk about the benefits. For example, if you have software and an update either fixes or adds to the functionality in a new and exciting way it's beneficial to share that information. You can not only blog about it on your own, but also touch base with bloggers and people that reviewed your product in the past to ask them to take a look again. This could even turn a negative review into a positive review; it's especially important to reply to reviews if the software was crashing due to a serious bug that's since been resolved. Depending on the reach of that blogger, an update to their post can start a whole new ramp up of word of mouth for your product. It may even help to improve previously negative reviews.
User Generated Content
Many products today allow for their users to generate content. Whether it's a game where they create levels or a video camera that allows quick sharing on YouTube, there will always be people creating and sharing their work. Even if you're a blogger, you can leverage the work of other bloggers talking about a similar subject to your focus. You can create posts that are just snippets directing people at another bloggers site and maybe they'll return the favor eventually. The point is that highlighting work your fans and people of similar interests have done will make sure people know you have a vested interest in the community and are not simply producing a product and then moving on to the next thing. Set up Google Alerts and subscribe to RSS feeds to stay on top of important content related to your subject matter. Check in on Digg.com and Reddit.com as well. This will make sure you're at the forefront when something breaks out (old or new) and you can get a bite of the pie.
What's old is new
Sometimes you can reinvigorate interest around old products, blogs, etc. when you release something new. You can highlight older items people that are similar to the newest item. This can help renew the old stuff without really cannibalizing your new release. Can you imagine watching season 5 of Dexter without having watched the previous seasons? I can't. If season 5 is announced and you sell DVD box sets of the prior seasons, take advantage of the urge people have to catch up on the previous seasons. If you run a TV blog, talk about what happened in season 4 and give your top 5 predictions for season 5... At the end of season 5, you can even review and see what you got right!
There's a lot of other ways to handle this. How do you keep content fresh? Post in the comments.
The top iPad apps and accessories you’ll need
Apple's updated their website with the simple words, "iPad is here" and I wanted to welcome in the iPad to the computing world here as well. The Apple iPad is really the first tablet of it's kind. Despite being seen as an oversized iPod Touch by many, I'm still convinced that it has a lot of potential. I'm not going to argue about whether the iPad is good or not. Instead, I've compiled a simple list below of the top iPad apps and accessories I think you'll need to go along with your shiny new Apple iPad.
- iPad Case - During the initial announcement, I thought the iPad could be a great device to bring into interviews to show off your portfolio. This simple black case would be very presentable to carry into your next interview. When you open up the case, you can pass out your resume as usual and be able to present all of your work without skipping a beat. All this capability with something that probably weighs close to the same amount as a normal portfolio with a notepad inside.
- iPad Keyboard Dock - If you have the deskspace next to your main computer and an iPad, why not have it charging while attached to a keyboard. Just use the iPad for all your incoming emails and switch over to this special keyboard dock for that very purpose.
- iDisplay app - This app can extend your regular Mac desktop to your iPad so it acts like a second display. Again, this is a nice use for the iPad while it's in it's dock charging.
- TweetDeck iPad app - If you're a heavy Twitter user, you're going to love using your iPad as a dedicated Twitter client with this app. You'll be able to manage all your accounts, columns, etc. all with simple gesture commands and typing on the virtual keyboard.
- iBooks iPad app, Numbers, Keynote and Pages - An iPad without iBooks, Numbers, Keynote and Pages is like a computer without Office installed... These apps will turn your iPad into a much more useful device for just $30 more in total.
What apps and iPad accessories do you think go hand in hand with Apple iPad ownership? Share your thoughts below.