Netflix - User Profiles and Super HD

For all of the complaints after that time Netflix was going to split into two services, the company really does offer a low-cost service with very cool features. Many people don’t even know that multiple users can login at the same time, allowing people to share accounts. In my family we have two accounts, but there are often times when four streams are going between here and another remote location. Pretty cool, huh?

Well, even cooler is what’s next. Netflix is currently testing user profiles to allow for more personalization. Imagine, you and your kids/roommates/significant other get your own customized recommendations and movie queues!

If only they could do something about my 200+ (and growing) instant queue list, like beam the movies right into my head so I don’t have to get through 100s of hours of entertainment.

Here are some articles about the new feature:

http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/11/netflix-streaming-user-profiles/

Image courtesy of engadget and Netflix

http://techcrunch.com/2013/06/11/netflix-will-launch-multiple-user-profiles-this-summer-to-keep-your-recommendations-pristine/

 

Side note: I’ve finally taken advantage of Super HD - the quality difference on my Roku 3 at 42” in 1080p is amazing! You can read about the Super HD format here and check to see if your provider offers Super HD by clicking this link.

John Hodgman: Ragnarok

You’ve seen John Hodgman (Wikipedia) before. He was the anthropomorphized personal computer in this series of ads for Apple over the course of 66 ads and 4 years.

He’s a regular contributor to The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, portraying a deranged millionaire. It’s this persona that is at the heart of Ragnarok, a special filmed December 21, 2012, the supposed end of the world according to the Mayan calendar and conspiracy theorists alike. After an introduction from 30 Rock’s Scott Adsit, Hodgman takes the audience (and viewers) on something of a unique trip as comedic performances go.

Netflix subscribers can view Ragnarok (Wikipedia) by clicking this link or the image below.

It you are looking for something different and funny to view - this is a great way to spend 65 minutes.

 

AVENGERS - Now on Netflix!

In case you’ve been waiting, it’s arrived! Check out The Avengers on Netflix now!

Unfortunately, the Edward Norton portrayal of the Hulk is not on Netflix, but don’t worry, there are other options if you want to have a Marvel-movie-universe marathon. Thor is still streaming, but the Iron Man movies have been removed. Instead, take a look at Captain America: The First Avenger. My recommended order: Cap, then Thor, then the Avengers. If after all of that you still ache for some Marvel superheroes, check out the large collection of animated features and series.

Here’s a partial list:

• Invincible Iron Man - animated movie where ultra-rich Tony Stark uncovers evil and designs the suit to combat it.
• Iron Man: Armored Adventures - series with 52 episodes where Tony Stark is a teen genius sporting the retro (late 70s) Iron Man armor.
• The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes - 2 seasons of good animated fun!
• Spider-Man (1967) - 72 episodes make up this classic cartoon series centered on Peter Parker and his battles with Doctor Octopus, the Green Goblin and many others.
• Spider-Man (1981) - this single season of Spiderman is poorly animated, as were most cartoons in the early 80s, but it does have some funny spots. Additionally, episode 6 features Magneto - years before the X-Men got a series. Magneto asks for “$100 million in gold” -- CLASSIC!
• Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends - this was my childhood favorite because I had gotten into the X-Men and Bobby Drake was one of Spidey’s amazing friends!
• Ultimate Spider-Man - focuses on SHIELD and Norman Osborn with Peter as a 16-year-old.
• X-Men - this is the first series devoted to the team, and lasted for 5 “volumes” (instead of seasons), with a great deal of Claremont story coverage, including a Dark Phoenix Saga retelling. Downside to that is they don’t do sexy Jean Grey or Emma Frost any justice at all.
• X-Men: Evolution - returning the team to a time when they are just awkward teens made for a nice twist to this series, which also chose to retool existing X-Men stories far more than they plotted new ones.

As always, click the titles of any shows available on Netflix and your browser will open for instant streaming access!

Plex Media Server - Another Way to Access Netflix and Your Personal Media

Whether you are using a Mac, Windows or even Linux computer, Plex Media Server is a great tool for accessing your media throughout your home (and remotely). The system does live transcoding and now supports direct access to Netflix from within the client application.

Plex clients run on iOS, Android, Windows Phone 7, Windows 8, Rokus, LG Smart TVs, Samsung Smart TVs and Google TVs. The user interface is intuitive and easy to learn and a browser bookmarklet lets you add content from sites like Vimeo and YouTube directly to your Plex server library to stream later.

Personal media content on Plex appears much like you would expect on Netflix thanks to various metadata libraries that are used to search for title descriptions, DVD covers and fan art. The system is also capable of accessing Amazon streaming services, custom channels from popular podcasters and iTunes libraries. Support for so-called “UnSupported Applications” offer users the ability to access adult-themed video streaming sites, video games (through system emulators) and other nonstandard content. Note: some of the nonstandard content cannot be viewed on remote devices (like a tablet computer).

The Roku 3 is a perfect way to access the Plex Media Server, in addition to its built-in features that cover most subscription services.